福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第9章Part7

"And that is why I loathe him so. Oh, Jack, now I can tell you the truth. I loathe him with all my heart; but I fear him also. I fear him for myself; but above all I fear him for father. I know that some great sorrow would come upon us if I dared to say what I really felt. That is why I have put him off with half-promises. It was in real truth our only hope. But if you would fly with me, Jack, we could take father with us and live forever far from the power of these wicked men."
Again there was the struggle upon McMurdo's face, and again it set like granite. "No harm shall come to you, Ettie--nor to your father either. As to wicked men, I expect you may find that I am as bad as the worst of them before we're through."
"No, no, Jack! I would trust you anywhere."
McMurdo laughed bitterly. "Good Lord! how little you know of me! Your innocent soul, my darling, could not even guess what is passing in mine. But, hullo, who's the visitor?"
The door had opened suddenly, and a young fellow came swaggering in with the air of one who is the master. He was a handsome, dashing young man of about the same age and build as McMurdo himself. Under his broad-brimmed black felt hat, which he had not troubled to remove, a handsome face with fierce, domineering eyes and a curved hawk-bill of a nose looked savagely at the pair who sat by the stove.
Ettie had jumped to her feet full of confusion and alarm. "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Baldwin," said she. "You're earlier than I had thought. Come and sit down."
Baldwin stood with his hands on his hips looking at McMurdo. "Who is this?" he asked curtly.
"It's a friend of mine, Mr. Baldwin, a new boarder here. Mr. McMurdo, may I introduce you to Mr. Baldwin?"
The young men nodded in surly fashion to each other.
"Maybe Miss Ettie has told you how it is with us?" said Baldwin.
"I didn't understand that there was any relation between you."
"Didn't you? Well, you can understand it now. You can take it from me that this young lady is mine, and you'll find it a very fine evening for a walk."
"Thank you, I am in no humour for a walk."

“就因为这个，我才讨厌他。啊，杰克，我现在可以告诉你实话了，我打心眼儿里讨厌他，可是又怕他。我为我自己而怕他，不过，主要是为我父亲，我才怕他。我知道，要是我敢向他说出真心话，那我们爷儿俩就要遭大难了。所以我才半真半假地敷衍他。其实我们爷儿俩也只剩这点儿希望了。只要你能带我远走高飞，杰克，我们可以把父亲也带上，永远摆脱这些恶人的势力。”
麦克默多脸上又显出踌躇不决的神色，后来又斩钉截铁地说：“你不会大祸临头的，伊蒂，你父亲也一样。要说恶人，只要我俩还活着，你会发现，我比他们最凶恶的人还要凶恶呢。”
“不，不，杰克！我完全相信你。”
麦克默多苦笑道：“天啊，你对我太不了解了！亲爱的，你那纯洁的灵魂，甚至想象不出我所经历过的事。可是，喂，谁来了？”
这时门突然打开了，一个年轻的家伙以主子的架式大摇大摆地走进来。这是一个面目清秀、衣着华丽的年轻人，年龄和体形同麦克默多差不多，戴着一顶大沿黑毡帽，进门连帽子也不劳神摘掉，那张漂亮的面孔，长着一双凶狠而又盛起凌人的眼睛和弯曲的鹰钩鼻子，粗暴无礼地瞪着坐在火炉旁的这对青年男女。
伊蒂马上跳起来，不知所措，惊恐不安。
“我很高兴看到你，鲍德温先生，"她说道，“你来得比我想的要早一些。过来坐吧。”
鲍德温双手叉腰站在那里看着麦克默多。
“这是谁？"他粗率无礼地问道。
“鲍德温先生，这是我的朋友，新房客麦克默多先生，我可以把你介绍给鲍德温先生吗？”
两个年轻人相互敌视似地点点头。
“也许伊蒂小姐已经把我俩的事告诉你了？"鲍德温说道。
“我不知道你俩有什么关系。”
“你不知道吗？好，现在你该明白了。我可以告诉你，这个姑娘是我的，你看今晚天气很好，散步去。”
“谢谢你，我没有心思去散步。”