福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第9章Part10

"You are not so new that you can't give a gentleman his proper title."
"He's Councillor McGinty, young man," said a voice from the group.
"I'm sorry, Councillor. I'm strange to the ways of the place. But I was advised to see you."
"Well, you see me. This is all there is. What d'you think of me?"
"Well, it's early days. If your heart is as big as your body, and your soul as fine as your face, then I'd ask for nothing better," said McMurdo.
"By Gar! you've got an Irish tongue in your head anyhow," cried the saloon-keeper, not quite certain whether to humour this audacious visitor or to stand upon his dignity. "So you are good enough to pass my appearance?"
"Sure," said McMurdo.
"And you were told to see me?"
"I was."
"And who told you?"
"Brother Scanlan of Lodge 341, Vermissa. I drink your health Councillor, and to our better acquaintance." He raised a glass with which he had been served to his lips and elevated his little finger as he drank it.
McGinty, who had been watching him narrowly, raised his thick black eyebrows. "Oh, it's like that, is it?" said he. "I'll have to look a bit closer into this, Mister--"
"McMurdo."
"A bit closer, Mr. McMurdo; for we don't take folk on trust in these parts, nor believe all we're told neither. Come in here for a moment, behind the bar."
There was a small room there, lined with barrels. McGinty carefully closed the door, and then seated himself on one of them, biting thoughtfully on his cigar and surveying his companion with those disquieting eyes. For a couple of minutes he sat in complete silence. McMurdo bore the inspection cheerfully, one hand in his coat pocket, the other twisting his brown moustache. Suddenly McGinty stooped and produced a wicked-looking revolver.
"See here, my joker," said he, "if I thought you were playing any game on us, it would be short work for you."
"This is a strange welcome," McMurdo answered with some dignity, "for the Bodymaster of a lodge of Freemen to give to a stranger brother."
"Ay, but it's just that same that you have to prove," said McGinty, "and God help you if you fail! Where were you made?"
"Lodge 29, Chicago."

“你难道没有对一个绅士称呼他高贵头衔的习惯吗？”
“他是参议员麦金蒂先生，年轻人，"人群中一个声音说道。
“很抱歉，参议员。我不懂这地方的习惯。可是有人要我来见你。”
“噢，你是来见我的。我可是连头带脚全在这儿。你想我是怎样的一个人呢？”
“哦，现在下结论还早着哩，但愿你的心胸能象你的身体一样宏伟，你的灵魂能象你的面容一样善良，那么我就别无所求了，"麦克默多说道。
“哎呀，你竟有这样一个爱尔兰人的妙舌，"这个酒馆的主人大声说道，不能完全肯定究竟是在迁就这位大胆放肆的来客呢，还是在维护自己的尊严，“那你认为我的外表完全合格了。”
“当然了，"麦克默多说道。
“有人让你来见我？”
“是的。”
“谁告诉你的？”
“是维尔米萨三百四十一分会的斯坎伦兄弟。我祝你健康，参议员先生，并为我们友好的相识而干杯。"麦克默多拿起一杯酒，翘起小拇指，把它举到嘴边，一饮而尽。
麦金蒂仔细观察着麦克默多，扬其他那浓黑的双眉。“噢，倒很象那么回事，是吗？"麦金蒂说道，“我还要再仔细考查一下，你叫……”
“麦克默多。”
“再仔细考查一下，麦克默多先生，因为我们这儿决不靠轻信收人，也决不完全相信人家对我们说的话。请随我到酒吧间后面去一下。”
两人走进一间小屋子，周围排满了酒桶。麦金蒂小心地关上门，坐在一个酒桶上，若有所思地咬着雪茄，一双眼睛骨碌碌地打量着对方，一言不发地坐了两分钟。麦克默多笑眯眯地承受着麦金蒂的审视，一只手插在大衣口袋里，另一只手捻着他的褐色小胡子。麦金蒂突然弯下腰来，抽出一支样式吓人的手枪。
“喂，我的伙计，"麦金蒂说道，“假如我觉出你跟我们耍什么花招，这就是你的末日了。”
麦克默多庄重地回答道：“一位自由人分会的身主这样对待一个外来弟兄，这种欢迎可真少见。”
“喂，我正是要你拿出身份证明来呢，"麦金蒂说道，“要是你办不到，那就别见怪了。你在哪里入会的。”
“芝加哥第二十九分会。”