贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the vision spendid(美景) >

第55章

the vision spendid(美景)-第55章

小说: the vision spendid(美景) 字数: 每页4000字

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!




furniture being smashed; of an angry oath。 Almost at once there was a thud; 

as if something heavy had fallen。 The listener judged that a live body was 

thrashing around actively。 The impact of blows; a heavy grunt; a second 

stifled curse; decided Farnum。 Pushing through the outer office; he entered 

the one usually occupied by James。 

     Two men were on the floor; one astride of the other。 The man on top 



                                          189 


… Page 190…

                                  THE VISION SPLENDID 



was   driving   home   heavy   jarring   blows   against   his   opponent's   face   and 

head。 Jeff ran forward and dragged him away。 

     〃Good   heavens;   Sam!   What's   the   matter?〃   his   friend   demanded   in 

surprise。 

     Miller  waited panting;   his   fists   still   doubled;  the   lust   of   battle in   his 

eyes。 

     〃The damned cad! The damned cad!〃 was all he could get out。 

     From the floor James Farnum was rising。 His forehead; his cheek; and 

his   lips   were   bleeding   from   cuts。   One   of   his   eyes   was   closing   rapidly。 

There was a dogged look of fear in the battered face。 

     〃I tripped over a chair; he explained; glaring at his foe。 

     〃Damn you then; stand up and fight!〃 

     Disgust and annoyance were pictured on the damaged countenance of 

the lawyer。 〃I don't fight with riff raff from the streets。〃 

     With a lurch Miller was free from Jeff and at him again。 James lashed 

straight out and cut open his lip without stopping him。 Jeff wrenched the 

furious man back again。 A moment later he made a discovery。 The fear of 

his cousin was not physical。 

     〃Here!   Stop   it;   man!   What's   the   row   about?〃   Jeff   hung   on   with   a 

strangle hold while he fired his questions。 

     Sam turned a distorted face toward him。 〃Nellie。〃 

     The   truth   crashed   home   like   a   bolt of   lightning。   James   was   the   man 

who   had   betrayed   Nellie   Anderson。   The   thing   was   incredible;   but   Jeff 

knew instantly it was so。 

     Except where the blood streamed down it the face of the lawyer was 

colorless。 His lips twitched。 

     〃Is this true; James?〃 

     The sullen eyes of the detected man fell。 〃It will ruin me。 It will ruin 

my career。 And all because in a moment of fearful temptation I   yielded; 

God help me。〃 

     〃God help you!〃 The angry scorn in Miller's voice burned like vitriol。 

〃God   help   you!   you   selfish   villain   and   coward!   You   pursued   her!   You 

hounded   her。   You   made   your   own   temptationand   hers。   And   afterward 

you left her to bear a lifetime of shameto kill herself if she couldn't stand 



                                             190 


… Page 191…

                                  THE VISION SPLENDID 



it。 When I think of you; smug liar and hell hound; I know that killing isn't 

good enough for you。〃 

     〃Steady; old man;〃 counseled Jeff。 

     Miller    began    to  tremble    violently。   Tears    gathered    in  his  eyes   and 

coursed down his fat cheeks。 〃And I can't stamp him out。 I can't expose 

him without hurting her worse。 I've got to stand it without touching him。〃 

     Faintly   Jeff   smiled。   James   did   not   look   quite   untouched。   He   was   a 

much battered statue of virtue; his large dignity for once torn to shreds。 

     Miller flung himself down heavily in a chair and buried his face in his 

hands。 James began to talk; and as he talked his fluency came back to him。 

     〃It's the only stain on my life record 。 。 。 the only one。 My life has been 

an open book but for that。 I was only a boyand I made a slip。 Ought that 

to spoil my whole life; a splendid career of usefulness for the city and the 

state? Ought I to be branded for that one error?〃 

     Miller looked up whitely。 〃Shut up; you liar! If it had been a slip you 

would have stood by her; you would have married the girl you had ruined。 

But you left herto death or worse。 She was loyal to you。 She kept your 

secret; you damned villain。 I wrung it out of her to…day when I went home 

only   by   pretending   that   I   knew。。。。 And   you   let   Jeff   bear   the   blame   of   it 

without saying a word。 I know now why her name wasn't unearthed by the 

reporters。  You   killed   the   story   because   you   were   afraid   the   truth   would 

leak out。 You haven't a straight hair in your head。 You sold out Jeff's bill。 

You're for yourself first and last; no matter who pays the price。〃 

     〃That's your interpretation of my career。 But what does Verden think of 

me? No man stands higher among the best people of the community。〃 

     〃To   hell   with   you   and   your   best   people。   I   say   you're   nothing   but   a 

whited sepulchre;〃 snarled Miller。 

     Suddenly he reached for his hat and left the office。 He was stifling。 

     He   knew     that   if  he  stayed   he  could   not   keep    his   hands   from   his 

enemy's throat。 

     James wrung his hands。 〃My God; Jeff; it's awful! To think that a little 

fault should come out now to ruin me。 After I've gone so far and am on the 

way to bigger things。 It's ghastly luck。 Can't you do something? Can't you 

keep the fellow quiet? I'll pay anything in reason。〃 



                                             191 


… Page 192…

                                   THE VISION SPLENDID 



     Jeff looked at him steadily。 〃I wouldn't say that to him if I were you。〃 

     〃Oh;  I   don't   know  what   I'm  saying。〃   He   mopped   the blood   from  his 

face   with   a   handkerchief。   〃I'm   half   crazy。   Did   he   mark   me   up   badly?〃 

James   examined   himself   anxiously   in   the   glass。   〃He's   just   chopped   my 

face to pieces。 I'll have to get out of the city to…night and stay away till the 

marks are gone。 But the main point is to keep him from talking。 Can you 

do it?〃 

     For   once   Jeff's   toleration   failed   him。   〃He's   right。   You   are   a   selfish 

beggar。 Don't you ever think of anyone except yourself?〃 

     〃I'm   not   thinking   of   myself   at   all;   but   ofof   someone   else。   You're 

wronging me; Jeff。 This is not the time to go back on me; now that I'm in 

trouble。 You've got to help me out。 You've got to keep Miller quiet。 If he 

talks I'm done for。〃 

     His   cousin   looked   at   him   with   contemptuous   eyes。   〃Can't   you   see 

haven't you fineness enough to see that Sam Miller would cut an arm off 

before he would expose his wife to more talk? Your precious secret's safe。〃 

     〃It's all very well for you to talk that way;〃 James complained。 〃I don't 

suppose you ever were put into temptation by a woman。 You're not a lady's 

man。 I'm the kind they take a shine to for some reason。 Now this Anderson 

woman〃 

     Sharply Jeff cut in。 〃That's enough。 When you speak of her it won't be 

in that tone of voice。 You'll speak respectfully of her。 She's the wife of my 

friend; and before she met you was innocent as a child。〃 

     〃What do you know of her? I tell you; Jeff; there's a type of woman 

that's   always   smiling   round   the   corner   at   you。   I   don't   say   I   did   right   to 

yield to her。 Of course I didn't。 But; hang it; I'm not a block of wood。 I've 

got   red   blood    in  my   veins。    The   whip     of  youth    drove    me   on。   You've 

probably never noticed it; but she was a devilish pretty girl。〃 

     He was swimming into his phrases so fluently that Jeff knew he would 

soon   persuade   himself   that   he   had   been   the   victim   of   her   wiles。   So;   no 

doubt;   in   one   sense;   he   had。   She   had   laid   her   innocent   bait   to   win   his 

friendship; with never a thought of what was to come of it。 

     〃It happened of course while you were rooming there;〃 the editor shot 

at him。 



                                              192 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的