It now becomes our duty to return for a short time to Sir Henry Ashwoode and Nicholas Blarden, whom we left in hot pursuit of the trembling fugitives2. The night was consumed in vain but restless search, and yet no satisfactory clue to the direction of their flight had been discovered; no evidence, not even a hint, by which to guide their pursuit. Jaded3 by his fruitless exertions4, frantic5 with rage and disappointment, Nicholas Blarden at peep of light rode up to the hall door of Morley Court.
"No news since?" cried he, fixing his bloodshot eyes upon the man who took his horse's bridle6, "no news since?"
"No, sir," cried the fellow, shaking his head, "not a word."
"Is Sir Henry within?" inquired Blarden, throwing himself from the saddle.
"No, sir," replied the man.
"Not returned yet, eh?" asked Nicholas.
"And left no message for me, eh?" rejoined Blarden.
"There's a note, sir, on a scrap8 of paper, on the table in the hall, I forgot to mention," replied the man—"he wrote it in a hurry, with a pencil, sir."
Blarden strode into the hall, and easily discovered the document—a hurried scrawl9, scarcely legible; it ran as follows:—
"Nothing yet—no trace—I half suspect they're lurking10 in the neighbourhood of the house. I must return to town—there are two places which I forgot to try. Meet me, if you can—say in the old Saint Columbkil; it's a deserted11 place, in the morning about ten or eleven o'clock.
"Henry Ashwoode."
Blarden glanced quickly through this effusion.
"A precious piece of paper, that!" muttered he, tearing it across, "worthy12 of its author—a cursed greenhorn; consume him for a mouth, but no matter—no matter yet. Here, you rake-helly squad13, some of you," shouted he, addressing himself at random14 to the servants, one of whom he heard approaching, "here, I say, get me some food and drink, and don't be long about it either, I can scarce stand." So saying, and satisfied that his directions would be promptly15 attended to, he shambled into one of the sitting-rooms, and flung himself at his full length upon a sofa; his disordered and bespattered dress and mud-stained boots contrasted agreeably with the rich crimson16 damask and gilded17 backs and arms of the couch on which he lay. As he applied18 himself voraciously19 to the solid fare and the wines with which he was speedily supplied, a thousand incoherent schemes, and none of them of the most amiable20 kind, busily engaged his thoughts. After many wandering speculations21, he returned again to a subject which had more than once already presented itself. "And then for the brother, the fellow that laid his blows on me before a whole play-house full of people, the vile22 spawn23 of insolent24 beggary, that struck me till his arm was fairly tired with striking—I'm no fool to forget such things—the rascally25 forging ruffian—the mean, swaggering, lying bully—no matter—he must be served out in style, and so he shall. I'll not hang him though, I may turn him to account yet, some way or other—no, I'll not hang him, keep the halter in my hand—the best trump26 for the last card—hold the gallows27 over him, and make him lead a pleasant sort of life of it, one way or other. I'll not leave a spark of pride in his body I'll not thrash out of him. I'll make him meeker28 and sleeker29 and humbler than a spaniel; he shall, before the face of all the world, just bear what I give him, and do what I bid him, like a trained dog—sink me, but he shall."
Somewhat comforted by these ruminations, Nicholas Blarden arose from a substantial meal, and a reverie, which had occupied some hours; and without caring to remove from his person the traces of his toilsome exertions of the night past, nor otherwise to render himself one whit31 a less slovenly32 and neglected-looking figure than when he had that morning dismounted at the hall door, he called for a fresh horse, threw himself into the saddle, and spurred away for Dublin city.
He reached the doorway33 of the old Saint Columbkil, and, under the shadow of its ancient sign-board, dismounted. He entered the tavern34, but Ashwoode was not there; and, in answer to his inquiries35, Mr. Blarden was informed that Sir Henry Ashwoode had gone over to the "Cock and Anchor," to have his horse cared for, and that he was momentarily expected back.
Blarden consulted his huge gold watch. "It's eleven o'clock now, every minute of it, and he's not come—hoity toity rather, I should say, all things considered. I thought he was better up to his game by this time—but no matter—I'll give him a lesson just now."
As if for the express purpose of further irritating Mr. Blarden's already by no means angelic temper, several parties, composed of second-rate sporting characters, all laughing, swearing, joking, betting, whistling, and by every device, contriving36 together to produce as much clatter37 and uproar38 as it was possible to do, successively entered the place.
"Well, Nicky, boy, how does the world wag with you?" inquired a dapper little fellow, approaching Blarden with a kind of brisk, hopping39 gait, and coaxingly40 digging that gentleman's ribs41 with the butt42 of his silver-mounted whip.
"What the devil brings all these chaps here at this hour?" inquired Blarden.
"Soft is your horn, old boy," rejoined his acquaintance, in the same arch strain of pleasantry; "two regular good mains to be fought to-day—tough ones, I promise you—Fermanagh Dick against Long White—fifty birds each—splendid fowls43, I'm told—great betting—it will come off in little more than an hour."
"I don't care if it never comes off," rejoined Blarden; "I'm waiting for a chap that ought to have been here half an hour ago. Rot him, I'm sick waiting."
"Well, come, I'll tell you how we'll pass the time. I'll toss you for guineas, as many tosses as you like," rejoined the small gentleman, accommodatingly. "What do you say—is it a go?"
"Sit down, then," replied Blarden; "sit down, can't you? and begin."
Accordingly the two friends proceeded to recreate themselves thus pleasantly. Mr. Blarden's luck was decidedly bad, and he had been already "physicked," as his companion playfully remarked, to the amount of some five-and-twenty guineas, and his temper had become in a corresponding degree affected44, when he observed Sir Henry Ashwoode, jaded, haggard, and with dress disordered, approaching the place where he sat.
"Blarden, we had better leave this place," said Ashwoode, glancing round at the crowded benches; "there's too much noise here. What say you?"
"What do I say?" rejoined Blarden, in his very loudest and most insolent tone—"I say you have made an appointment and broke it, so stand there till it's my convenience to talk to you—that's all."
Ashwoode felt his blood tingling45 in his veins46 with fury as he observed the sneering47 significant faces of those who, attracted by the loud tones of Nicholas Blarden, watched the effect of his insolence48 upon its object. He heard conversations subside49 into whispers and titters among the low scoundrels who enjoyed his humiliation50; yet he dared not answer Blarden as he would have given worlds at that moment to have done, and with the extremest difficulty restrained himself from rushing among the vile rabble51 who exulted52 in his degradation53, and compelling them at least to respect and fear him. While he stood thus with compressed lips and a face pale as ashes with rage, irresolute54 what course to take, one of the coins for which Blarden played rolled along the table, and thence along the floor for some distance.
"Go, fetch that guinea—jump, will you?" cried Blarden, in the same boisterous55 and intentionally56 insolent tone. "What are you standing57 there for, like a stick? Pick it up, sir."
Ashwoode did not move, and an universal titter ran round the spectators, whose attention was now effectually enlisted58.
"Do what I order you—do it this moment. D—— your audacity59, you had better do it," said Blarden, dashing his clenched60 fist on the table so as to make the coin thereon jump and jingle61.
Still Ashwoode remained resolutely62 fixed63, trembling in every joint64 with very passion; prudence65 told him that he ought to leave the place instantly, but pride and obstinacy66, or his evil angel, held him there.
The sneering whispers of the crowd, who now pressed more nearly round them in the hope of some amusement, became more and more loud and distinct, and the words, "white feather," "white liver," "muff," "cur," and other terms of a like import reached Ashwoode's ear. Furious at the contumacy of his wretched slave, and determined68 to overbear and humble30 him, Blarden exclaimed in a tone of ferocious69 menace,—
"Do as I bid you, you cursed, insolent upstart—pick up that coin, and give it to me—or by the laws, you'll shake for it."
Still Ashwoode moved not.
"Do as I bid you, you robbing swindler," shouted he, with an oath too appalling70 for our pages, and again rising, and stamping on the floor, "or I'll give you to the crows."
The titter which followed this menace was unexpectedly interrupted. The young man's aspect changed; the blood rushed in livid streams to his face; his dark eyes blazed with deadly fire; and, like the bursting of a storm, all the gathering71 rage and vengeance72 of weeks in one tremendous moment found vent73. With a spring like that of a tiger, he rushed upon his persecutor74, and before the astonished spectators could interfere75, he had planted his clenched fists dozens of times, with furious strength, in Blarden's face. Utterly76 destitute77 of personal courage, the wretch67, though incomparably a more powerful man than his light-limbed antagonist78, shrank back, stunned79 and affrighted, under the shower of blows, and stumbled and fell over a wooden stool. With murderous resolution, Ashwoode instantly drew his sword, and another moment would have witnessed the last of Blarden's life, had not several persons thrown themselves between that person and his frantic assailant.
"Hold back," cried one. "The man's down—don't murder him."
"Down with him—he's mad!" cried another; "brain him with the stool."
"Hold his arm, some of you, or he'll murder the man!" shouted a third, "hold him, will you?"
Overpowered by numbers, with his face lacerated and his clothes torn, and his naked sword still in his hand, Ashwoode struggled and foamed80, and actually howled, to reach his abhorred81 enemy—glaring like a baffled beast upon his prey82.
"Send for constables83, quick—quick, I say," shouted Blarden, with a frantic imprecation, his face all bleeding under his recent discipline.
"Let me go—let me go, I tell you, or by the father that made me, I'll send my sword through half-a-dozen of you," almost shrieked84 Ashwoode.
"Hold him—hold him fast—consume you, hold him back!" shouted Blarden; "he's a forger85!—run for constables!"
Several did run in various directions for peace officers.
"Knock him down!—down with him! Hold on!"
Amid such exclamations87, Ashwoode at length succeeded, by several desperate efforts, in extricating88 himself from those who held him; and without hat, and with clothes rent to fragments in the scuffle, and his face and hands all torn and bleeding, still carrying his naked sword in his hand, he rushed from the room, and, followed at a respectable distance by several of those who had witnessed the scuffle, and by his distracted appearance attracting the wondering gaze of those who traversed the streets, he ran recklessly onward89 to the "Cock and Anchor."
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收听单词发音
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1
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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3
jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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7
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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8
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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9
scrawl
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| vt.潦草地书写；n.潦草的笔记，涂写 | |
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10
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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11
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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13
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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15
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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16
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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17
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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18
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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voraciously
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| adv.贪婪地 | |
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20
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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23
spawn
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| n.卵，产物，后代，结果；vt.产卵，种菌丝于，产生，造成；vi.产卵，大量生产 | |
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24
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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25
rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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26
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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27
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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28
meeker
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| adj.温顺的，驯服的( meek的比较级 ) | |
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29
sleeker
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| 磨光器，异型墁刀 | |
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30
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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31
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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32
slovenly
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| adj.懒散的，不整齐的，邋遢的 | |
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33
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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34
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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35
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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36
contriving
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| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
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37
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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38
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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39
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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40
coaxingly
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| adv. 以巧言诱哄，以甘言哄骗 | |
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41
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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42
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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43
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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44
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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45
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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46
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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47
sneering
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| 嘲笑的，轻蔑的 | |
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48
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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49
subside
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| vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降 | |
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50
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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51
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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52
exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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54
irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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55
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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56
intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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57
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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58
enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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59
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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60
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
jingle
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| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
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62
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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63
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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64
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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65
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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66
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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67
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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68
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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69
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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70
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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71
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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72
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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73
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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74
persecutor
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| n. 迫害者 | |
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75
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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76
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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77
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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78
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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79
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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80
foamed
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| 泡沫的 | |
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81
abhorred
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| v.憎恶( abhor的过去式和过去分词 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰 | |
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82
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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83
constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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84
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85
forger
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| v.伪造；n.（钱、文件等的）伪造者 | |
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86
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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87
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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88
extricating
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
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89
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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