按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
gravel path for the last time； 'I thank you for interfering between me and
this unfortunate man's violence。 However you came here； Mr。 Sampson；
or with whatever motive you came here； at least I thank you for that。'
'Boil the brandy；' muttered Beckwith。
Without gratifying his desire to know how I came there； I said； quietly；
'How is your niece； Mr。 Slinkton？'
He looked hard at me； and I looked hard at him。
'I am sorry to say； Mr。 Sampson； that my niece has proved treacherous
and ungrateful to her best friend。 She left me without a word of notice or
explanation。 She was misled； no doubt； by some designing rascal。
22
… Page 23…
Hunted Down
Perhaps you may have heard of it。'
'I did hear that she was misled by a designing rascal。 In fact； I have
proof of it。'
'Are you sure of that？' said he。
'Quite。'
'Boil the brandy；' muttered Beckwith。 'Company to breakfast； Julius
Caesar。 Do your usual office； … provide the usual breakfast； dinner； tea；
and supper。 Boil the brandy！'
The eyes of Slinkton looked from him to me； and he said； after a
moment's consideration；
'Mr。 Sampson； you are a man of the world； and so am I。 I will be
plain with you。'
'O no； you won't；' said I； shaking my head。
'I tell you； sir； I will be plain with you。'
'And I tell you you will not；' said I。 'I know all about you。 YOU
plain with any one？ Nonsense； nonsense！'
'I plainly tell you； Mr。 Sampson；' he went on； with a manner almost
composed； 'that I understand your object。 You want to save your funds；
and escape from your liabilities； these are old tricks of trade with you
Office…gentlemen。 But you will not do it； sir； you will not succeed。 You
have not an easy adversary to play against； when you play against me。
We shall have to inquire； in due time； when and how Mr。 Beckwith fell
into his present habits。 With that remark； sir； I put this poor creature； and
his incoherent wanderings of speech； aside； and wish you a good morning
and a better case next time。'
While he was saying this； Beckwith had filled a half…pint glass with
brandy。 At this moment； he threw the brandy at his face； and threw the
glass after it。 Slinkton put his hands up； half blinded with the spirit； and
cut with the glass across the forehead。 At the sound of the breakage； a
fourth person came into the room； closed the door； and stood at it； he was
a very quiet but very keen…looking man； with iron…gray hair； and slightly
23
… Page 24…
Hunted Down
lame。
Slinkton pulled out his handkerchief； assuaged the pain in his smarting
eyes； and dabbled the blood on his forehead。 He was a long time about it；
and I saw that in the doing of it； a tremendous change came over him；
occasioned by the change in Beckwith； … who ceased to pant and tremble；
sat upright； and never took his eyes off him。 I never in my life saw a face
in which abhorrence and determination were so forcibly painted as in
Beckwith's then。
'Look at me； you villain；' said Beckwith； 'and see me as I really am。 I
took these rooms； to make them a trap for you。 I came into them as a
drunkard； to bait the trap for you。 You fell into the trap； and you will
never leave it alive。 On the morning when you last went to Mr。
Sampson's office； I had seen him first。 Your plot has been known to both
of us； all along； and you have been counter… plotted all along。 What？
Having been cajoled into putting that prize of two thousand pounds in
your power； I was to be done to death with brandy； and； brandy not
proving quick enough； with something quicker？ Have I never seen you；
when you thought my senses gone； pouring from your little bottle into my
glass？ Why； you Murderer and Forger； alone here with you in the dead
of night； as I have so often been； I have had my hand upon the trigger of a
pistol； twenty times； to blow your brains out！'
This sudden starting up of the thing that he had supposed to be his
imbecile victim into a determined man； with a settled resolution to hunt
him down and be the death of him； mercilessly expressed from head to
foot； was； in the first shock； too much for him。 Without any figure of
speech； he staggered under it。 But there is no greater mistake than to
suppose that a man who is a calculating criminal； is； in any phase of his
guilt； otherwise than true to himself； and perfectly consistent with his
whole character。 Such a man commits murder； and murder is the natural
culmination of his course； such a man has to outface murder； and will do it
with hardihood and effrontery。 It is a sort of fashion to express surprise
24
… Page 25…
Hunted Down
that any notorious criminal； having such crime upon his conscience； can so
brave it out。 Do you think that if he had it on his conscience at all； or had
a conscience to have it upon； he would ever have committed the crime？
Perfectly consistent with himself； as I believe all such monsters to be；
this Slinkton recovered himself； and showed a defiance that was
sufficiently cold and quiet。 He was white； he was haggard； he was
changed； but only as a sharper who had played for a great stake and had
been outwitted and had lost the game。
'Listen to me； you villain；' said Beckwith； 'and let every word you hear
me say be a stab in your wicked heart。 When I took these rooms； to
throw myself in your way and lead you on to the scheme that I knew my
appearance and supposed character and habits would suggest to such a
devil； how did I know that？ Because you were no stranger to me。 I
knew you well。 And I knew you to be the cruel wretch who； for so much
money； had killed one innocent girl while she trusted him implicitly； and
who was by inch