福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第11章Part3

"Well, let it rest at that. I'll bear what you have said in mind, and maybe some day I'll come back to it. I expect you meant kindly by speaking to me like this. Now I'll be getting home."
"One word before you go," said Morris. "We may have been seen together. They may want to know what we have spoken about." "Ah! that's well thought of."
"I offer you a clerkship in my store."
"And I refuse it. That's our business. Well, so long, Brother Morris, and may you find things go better with you in the future."
That same afternoon, as McMurdo sat smoking, lost in thought beside the stove of his sitting-room, the door swung open and its framework was filled with the huge figure of Boss McGinty. He passed the sign, and then seating himself opposite to the young man he looked at him steadily for some time, a look which was as steadily returned.
"I'm not much of a visitor, Brother McMurdo," he said at last. "I guess I am too busy over the folk that visit me. But I thought I'd stretch a point and drop down to see you in your own house."
"I'm proud to see you here, Councillor," McMurdo answered heartily, bringing his whisky bottle out of the cupboard. "It's an honour that I had not expected."
"How's the arm?" asked the Boss.
McMurdo made a wry face. "Well, I'm not forgetting it," he said; "but it's worth it."
"Yes, it's worth it," the other answered, "to those that are loyal and go through with it and are a help to the lodge. What were you speaking to Brother Morris about on Miller Hill this morning?"
The question came so suddenly that it was well that he had his answer prepared. He burst into a hearty laugh. "Morris didn't know I could earn a living here at home. He shan't know either; for he has got too much conscience for the likes of me. But he's a good-hearted old chap. It was his idea that I was at a loose end, and that he would do me a good turn by offering me a clerkship in a drygoods store."
"Oh, that was it?"
"Yes, that was it."
"And you refused it?"
"Sure. Couldn't I earn ten times as much in my own bedroom with four hours' work?"
"That's so. But I wouldn't get about too much with Morris."
"Why not?"
"Well, I guess because I tell you not. That's enough for most folk in these parts."
"It may be enough for most folk; but it ain't enough for me, Councillor," said McMurdo boldly. "If you are a judge of men, you'll know that."
The swarthy giant glared at him, and his hairy paw closed for an instant round the glass as though he would hurl it at the head of his companion. Then he laughed in his loud, boisterous, insincere fashion.
"You're a queer card, for sure," said he. "Well, if you want reasons, I'll give them. Did Morris say nothing to you against the lodge?"
"No."
"Nor against me?"
"No."

“好，我们就谈到这里。我一定把你的话记在心上，也可能过几天我就给你回话。我认为你对我讲这些话是善意的。现在我要回家去了。”
“在你走之前，我还要讲一句话，"莫里斯说道，“我们在一起讲话，难免有人看见。他们可能要打听我们说些什么。”“啊，这一着想得很好。”
“我就说我想请你到我店里做职员。”
“我说我不答应。这就是我们到这里办的事情。好，再见，莫里斯兄弟。祝你走运。”
就在这天中午，麦克默多坐在起居室壁炉旁吸烟，正陷于沉思之中，门突然被撞开，首领麦金蒂高大的身影堵满了门框。他打过招呼，在这个年轻人对面坐了下来，冷静沉着地瞪了他好一阵子，麦克默多也照样瞪着他。
“我是不轻易出来拜访人的，麦克默多兄弟，"麦金蒂终于说道，“我总是忙于接待那些拜访我的人。可是我认为我已经破例到你家来看望你了。”
“蒙你光临，我很感荣幸，参议员先生，"麦克默多亲热地答道，从食起橱里取出一起威士忌酒来，“这是我喜出望外的光荣。”
“胳膊怎么样，"身主问道。
麦克默多作了一个鬼脸，答道：“啊，我不会忘记的，可是这是有价值的。”
“对于那些忠实可靠、履行仪式、帮助会务的人来说，这是有价值的。今天早晨在米勒山附近，你对莫里斯兄弟说了些什么？”
这一问题来得如此突兀，幸而麦克默多早有准备，遂放声大笑道：“莫里斯不知道我可以在家中谋生。他也根本不会知道，因为他把我这一类人的良心估计过高。不过他倒是一个好心的老家伙。他以为我没有职业，所以他要我在一家绸布店里做职员。”
“啊，原来是为这事吗？”
“是的，就是这么件事。”
“那么你回绝了吗？”
“当然了。我在自己卧室里干四个小时，不要比在他那里多挣十倍吗？”
“不错。可是要是我的话，我不会和莫里斯来往太多的。”
“为什么呢？”
“我想我不能告诉你。这里大多数人都明白。”
“也许大多数人都明白，可是我还不明白，参议员先生，”麦克默多鲁莽地说，"如果你是一个公正的人，你就会知道的。”
这个黑大汉怒目瞪着麦克默多，他那毛茸茸的手爪一下子抓住酒杯，好象要把它猛掷在对方头上，后来他反而兴高采烈、虚情假意地大笑起来。
“毫无疑问，你确实是一个怪人，"麦金蒂说道，“好，如果你一定要知道原因，那么我就告诉你。莫里斯没有向你说什么反对本会的话吗？”
“没有。”
“也没有反对我的话吗？”
“没有。”