The inquest was over; the jury had returned a merciful verdict; the mortal perishing part of poor, weak and lovable Dolly was put gently out of sight for the daisies to grow over by and by.
Jason had been called, but, not responding, and his presumed evidence being judged not necessarily material to the inquiry1, had escaped the responsibility of an examination and, as I knew, for the time being at least, a deadlier risk. Mention of his name left an ugly stain on the proceedings2, and that was all.
Now, night after night, alone with myself and my despair, I sat brooding over the wreck3 and ruin of my life. Zyp, so far as this life was concerned, could never now be mine; and full realization4 of this had burst upon me only at the moment when the moral barrier that had divided me from her was broken down. That wound must forevermore eat like a cancer within me.
Then, in the worst writhing5 moments of my anguish6, a new savage7 lust8 of sleuth began to prickle and crawl over me like a leprosy. If all else were taken from me I still had that interest to cheer me through life—the hounding of my brother’s murderer. This feeling was curiously9 intermingled with a revival10 in my heart of loyalty11 to Modred. He had been my friend—at least inextricably kin12 to me in a common cause against the world. When I turned to the vile13 figure of the brother who survived, the dead boy’s near-forgotten personality showed up in a light almost lovably humorous and pathetic. My fevered soul bathed itself in the memory of his whimsicalities, till very tenderness begot14 an oath that I would never rest till I had tracked down his destroyer.
And was Jason that? If it were so, I could afford to stand aside for the present and leave him to the mercy of a deadlier Nemesis15 he had summoned to his own undoing16.
Set coldly, at the same time, on a justice that should be passionless, I bore in mind my brother’s hint of a suspicion that involved some other person whom he left nameless. This might be—probably was—a mere17 ruse18 to throw me off the scent19. In any case I should refuse to hold him acquitted20 in the absence of directer evidence.
Still I could not stay a certain speculative21 wandering of my thoughts. If not Jason—who then? There were in the house that night but the usual family circle and Dr. Crackenthorpe. What possible temptation could induce any one of them to a deed so horrible? Jason alone of them had the temptation and the interest, and, above all, the nature to act upon a hideous22 impulse. On Jason must lie the suspicion till he could prove himself innocent.
It was not until about the third night of my gloomy pondering that the sudden resolution was formed in me to leave everything and return to my father. The fact of Zyp’s reference to the letter he had sent me had been so completely absorbed in the tense excitement of the last few days that when in a moment it recurred23 to me I leaped to my feet and began pacing the room like a caged animal that scents24 freedom.
So the old man in his loneliness desired me back again. Why not go? The accustomed life here seemed impossible to me any longer. The notoriety attaching to these pitiful proceedings was already making my regular attendance at the office a sore trial. Duke had sent in his resignation the very morning of his attack on me before Jason’s house. All old ties were rent and done with. I was, in a modest way, financially independent, for Ripley’s generous acknowledgment of my services, coupled with my own frugal25 manner of life, had enabled me to put into certain investments sufficient to produce an interest that would keep me, at least, from starvation.
And, in addition, how could I prosecute26 my secret inquiries27 better than on the very scene of the deed? I would go. My decision was sudden and final. I would go.
Then and there I sat down and wrote a brief letter to my father.
“I have only within the last few days,” I said, “learned of the letter you wrote me three months ago. Jason destroyed it lest I should find out he was married to Zyp. I now tell you that I am ready to do as you wish—to return and live with you, if you still desire it. In any case, I can endure my present life here no longer. Upon receipt of a word from you I will come.”
As I wrote, the wind, bringing clouds of rain with it, was booming and thundering against the window. Soft weather had succeeded to the ice-breathing blasts of a few days back, and I thought of a lonely grave out there in the night of London, and of how just now the water must be gushing28 in veins29 and runnels over its clayey barrow.
Dolly—Dolly! May it wash clean your poor wounded heart. “After life’s fitful fever” you sleep well; while we—oh, shamed and fallen child! Which of us who walks straightly before our fellows would not forego passion and revenge, and all the hot raptures30 of this blood-red world, to lie down with you deep in the cool, sweet earth and rest and forget?
I went out and posted my letter. The streets were swept clean of their human refuse. Only a few belated vehicles trundled it out against the downpour, setting their polished roofs as shields against the myriad-pointed darts31 of the storm.
Feeling nervous and upset, I was approaching my own door, when a figure started from a dark angle of the wall close by and stood before me.
“Duke!” I cried.
He was drenched32 with rain and mud—his dark clothes splashed and saturated33 from boot to collar. His face in the drowned lamplight was white as wax, but his eyes burned in rings of shadow. I was shocked beyond expression at his dreadful appearance.
“What have you been doing with yourself?” I cried. “Duke! Come in, for pity’s sake, and rest, and let us talk.”
“With you?” he muttered, in a mad, grating voice. “With any Trender? I came to ask you where he’s in hiding—that’s all.”
“I know no more than you do.”
“You lie! You’re keeping his secret for him. What were her claims compared to family ties—devil’s ties—such as yours? You know, but you won’t give him up to me.”
“I don’t know.”
“They drive me to madness,” he cried, “but in the end—in the end I shall have him! To hold him down and torture the life out of him inch by inch, with the terror in his eyes all the time! Why, I could kill him by that alone—by only looking at him.”
He gloated over the picture called up in his soul. If ever demon’s eyes looked from a human face, they looked from his that night.
“Duke,” I whispered in horror, “you have terrible cause for hate, I know; but oh, think of how one grain of forgiveness on your part would stand you with—with God, Duke.”
He gave a wretched, sickening laugh.
“By and by,” he cried. “But tell me first where he’s hiding!”
At that he struck at me savagely36 and, running crookedly37 into the night, was lost in the rainy darkness.
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收听单词发音
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1
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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6
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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7
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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8
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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revival
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| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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12
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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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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14
begot
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| v.为…之生父( beget的过去式 )；产生，引起 | |
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15
nemesis
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| n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手 | |
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16
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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18
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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19
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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21
speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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22
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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24
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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27
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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28
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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29
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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30
raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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31
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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32
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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33
saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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34
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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36
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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crookedly
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| adv. 弯曲地，不诚实地 | |
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