英语听力 学英语,练听力,上听力课堂! 注册 登录
> 在线听力 > 有声读物 > 世界名著 > 书虫6级 白衣女人 >  内容

书虫6级《白衣女人》13.威胁

所属教程:书虫6级 白衣女人

浏览:

2022年10月02日

手机版
扫描二维码方便学习和分享
https://online2.tingclass.net/lesson/shi0529/10000/10491/13.mp3
https://image.tingclass.net/statics/js/2012

13.The threat

Mrs Catherick's extraordinary and shameless letter filled me with disgust. My interest in Sir Percival Glyde's crime was now at an end, but I decided to keep the letter in case it might help me find out who Anne's father really was.

Later in the morning I went to the legal enquiry into Sir Percival's death. I was only asked to say what had happened. I was not asked how I thought the keys had been taken, how the fire had been caused, or why Sir Percival had gone into the vestry. As no one could explain any of these things, the verdict at the end of the enquiry was 'death by accident'.

Afterwards, a gentleman who was also at the enquiry walked back to the hotel with me. He had heard from Sir Percival's lawyer that a distant relation abroad would now inherit Blackwater Park. This was obviously the person who should have inherited it twenty-three years before. If I made Sir Percival's crime public, it would be to no one's advantage now. If I kept the secret, the true character of the man who had cheated Laura into marrying him would remain hidden. And for her sake, I wished to keep it hidden.

I still could not leave Hampshire, as I had to report to the police station in Knowlesbury the next day. I spent another night at the hotel and in the morning went to the post office to collect the letter from Marian. As promised, we had written to each other every day, and Marian's letters had been full of cheerful news. This morning's letter was short, and terrified me.

Come back as soon as you can. We have had to move. Come to Gower's Walk, Fulham (number five). I will look out for you. Don't be alarmed about us, we are both safe and well. But come back. — Marian

What had happened? What dreadful thing had Count Fosco done while I was away? In spite of my anxiety, I had to wait. I paid my bill at the hotel and took a cab to Knowlesbury.

At the police station, as I expected, no one appeared to continue the action against me and I was allowed to go. Half an hour later I was on the train back to London.

I got to Gower's Walk in Fulham at about nine o'clock. Both Laura and Marian came to the door to let me in. Laura was much brighter and happier, full of plans for the future and for her drawing and painting. Marian's face was tired and anxious. I could see that she had spared Laura the knowledge of the terrible death in Welmingham and the true reason for moving to new lodgings. When Laura had left us and we could speak freely, I tried to give some expression to my feelings and told Marian how much I admired her for the courage and love she had shown.

She was too generous to listen to me, and turned the conversation to my worries.

I'm so sorry for my letter — it must have alarmed you.'

Yes, it did,' I admitted. 'Was I right in thinking that you moved because of a threat by Count Fosco?'

Perfectly right,' she said. 'I saw him yesterday, and worse than that, Walter — I spoke to him.'

Spoke to him? Did he come to the house?'

He did. Yesterday, when I was passing the window, I saw him in the street. Then there was a knock on the door. I rushed out and there he was, dressed in black, with his smooth face and his deadly smile. I closed the door behind me so that Laura would not see or hear him.'

What did he say?' I asked anxiously.

He greeted me, then repeated the warning in his letter to me. He said he had not been able to prevent Sir Percival's violence towards you, and he had found out our address in order to protect his own interests. You were followed, Walter, on your return home after your first journey to Hampshire. He used this information only when he heard of Sir Percival's death, because he believed you would act against him next.'

And he was right,' I said. 'What did he say about me?'

He was very cool, very polite, and very threatening,' said Marian. 'He said, "Warn Mr Hartright! He has an intelligent and powerful man to deal with. Let him be content with what he has got. Say to him, if he attacks me, I will use all my power to destroy him. There is nothing I will not do. Dear lady, good morning." Then he just looked at me with his cold grey eyes, and walked away.

I ran back inside, and told Laura we had to move. We needed a quieter neighbourhood with better air for the sake of her health. I said you'd wanted us to do that, and why didn't we do it now to surprise you when you got back. She liked that idea, and was quite happy to move. I found these lodgings through an old school friend. I did the right thing, didn't I, Walter?'

I answered her warmly and gratefully, as I really felt.

But the anxious look remained on her face, and I saw in her eyes her continuing fear of the Count's cleverness and energy.

What do you think of his message, Walter? What do you plan to do next?'

I decided weeks ago that Laura will be received in her uncle's house again,' I answered. 'And my decision remains the same. Count Fosco will answer for his crime to ME.'

Marian's eyes lit up. She said nothing, but I could see how strongly she supported this plan.

I know the risks are great,' I said, 'but it must be done. I'm not foolish enough to try this before I'm well prepared. I can wait. Let him think his message has produced its effect. He will start to feel safe. Also, my position towards you and Laura ought to be a stronger one than it is now.'

How can it be stronger?' she asked, surprised.

Marian, I would like you to say to Laura, gently, that her husband is dead.'

Oh, Walter, so soon? You have a reason for this, don't you?'

Yes. I cannot speak to Laura yet. But one day, not too distant, I want to tell her that I love her.'

Marian looked at me for a time, then gave a sad, gentle smile. 'Yes, I understand. I think I owe it to her and to you, Walter, to tell her of her husband's death.'

The next day Laura knew that death had released her from her marriage, and her husband's name was never mentioned among us again.

*  *  *

Our life returned to its usual pattern, but I did not forget the Count. I discovered that he had rented his house in St John's Wood for another six months, so I was fairly sure he would still be in London, within my reach, when the time came to act.

We finally solved the puzzle of who Anne Catherick's father was. When I went again to see Mrs Clements and to tell her about Anne's death, she remembered where Mrs Catherick had worked as a servant. Her employer had been a Mr Donthorne.

We wrote to Mr Donthorne, who replied with some very interesting information. Philip Fairlie, Laura's father, had been a great friend of his when they were young, and a frequent house guest. He was a handsome man and fond of female company. Mr Donthorne was fairly certain that Philip Fairlie had been staying at his house when Mrs Catherick was employed as a servant, in the year before Anne was born.

When Marian and I checked the dates; when we considered that Anne and Laura looked so alike; and when we took into account the fact that Laura looked very much like her father, we were in no doubt that here was the solution. Philip Fairlie was Anne's father, and so Anne was Laura's half-sister.

Now, at last, the woman in white, that strange sad shadow walking in the loneliness of the night, could rest in peace.

*  *  *

Four months passed. Laura grew stronger in body and in mind. She was almost her old self, and when we talked, it was as we used to talk at Limmeridge. If I touched her by accident, I felt my heart beating fast, and I saw the answering colour in her face.

In April, we went for a holiday at the seaside. While we were there I told Marian that when we returned to London, I was determined to force a confession from Count Fosco — to make him tell me the real date of Laura's journey to London.

But if I am to challenge the Count, for Laura's safety, I think I should challenge him as her husband. Do you agree, Marian?'

With every word,' she said. 'I parted you both once. Wait here, my brother, my best and dearest friend! Till Laura comes, and tells you what I have done now!'

She kissed my forehead and left the room. I waited by the window, staring out at the beach, seeing nothing, hardly able to breathe. The door opened, and Laura came in alone. When we parted at Limmeridge, she had come into the room slowly, in sorrow and hesitation. Now she ran to me, with the light of happiness shining in her face. She put her arms around me, and her sweet lips came to meet mine.

My darling!' she whispered, 'May we say we love each other now? Oh, I am so happy at last!'

Ten days later we were even happier. We were married.

* * *

verdict n. a decision; a judgment 结论

spare somebody the knowledge of keeping somebody from knowing 不让某人知道……

deadly adj. horrible 可怕的

answer for be responsible 受到惩罚

fairly adv. to a noticeable degree 相当地

13.威胁

凯瑟里克太太奇怪而又不知羞耻的来信使我对她充满了鄙夷。现在,我对珀西瓦尔爵士的罪行已经没有兴趣了,但我还是决定留着这封信,也许它会帮我找出安妮的父亲究竟是谁。

上午晚些时候,我去参加珀西瓦尔爵士死亡的法律调查。他们只让我说说发生了什么,没有问我如何看待钥匙为什么会被拿走,火灾是怎么发生的,或者为什么珀西瓦尔爵士会进到法衣室去。没有人能够解释这些问题,所以调查的最终结论是“意外死亡”。

之后,一位也参加了调查的男子和我一起走回旅店。他从珀西瓦尔爵士的律师那里得知,一个国外的远亲现在要来继承布莱克沃特庄园。很明显,这就是23年前应该继承庄园的那个人。假如我把珀西瓦尔爵士的罪行公之于众,现在对谁都没有好处。假如我不把秘密说出去,这个欺骗劳拉与之结婚的人的真正人品就不会有人知道。但为了劳拉,我愿意保守这个秘密。

我还不能离开汉普郡,因为转天还要去诺雷斯伯里警察局。我在旅店又住了一晚。第二天一早,我去邮局取玛丽安的来信。我们按约定每天通信。玛丽安的来信一直都是好消息。今天早上的来信很短,但却令我害怕。

请尽快回来。我们不得不搬了家。到富勒姆的戈瓦沃克街(5号)来找我们。我也会留意等你。不必为我们担心,我们很安全。一定快回来。玛丽安

出了什么事?我不在的时候,福斯科伯爵又做了什么坏事?尽管非常担心,我还是得等。我付清了旅店的费用,叫了辆马车直奔诺雷斯伯里。

在警察局,不出我所料,没人来继续同我纠缠,我可以走了。半个小时后,我登上了返回伦敦的火车。

大约9点钟,我赶到了富勒姆的戈瓦沃克街。劳拉和玛丽安都到门口迎接我。劳拉的脸色比以前好多了,人也高兴多了,对将来和她的绘画有很多想法。玛丽安的脸上带着倦容和忧虑。看得出她没有把珀西瓦尔死在韦明翰的可怕消息和搬到新住处的真实原因告诉劳拉。劳拉走开以后,我们可以随便谈话了。我想告诉她我非常敬佩她的勇气和她对劳拉表现出的爱。

这位慷慨的姑娘没等我说完就把话题转到我的担忧上来了。

“给你写那样的信,真是对不起——你一定很为我们担心吧。”

“是的,我的确很担心,”我说,“我猜你们搬家是由于福斯科伯爵的威胁,对吗?”

“一点儿不错,”她回答,“我昨天看见他了,更糟糕的是,沃尔特——我跟他说话了。”

“跟他说话了?他去你们的住处了?”

“是的。昨天,我从窗旁走过的时候,看见他在街上。过了一会儿,有人敲门。我马上跑过去开门,就是他,穿一身黑色衣服,光滑的脸上带着吓人的微笑。我关上了身后的门,这样劳拉就看不见他,也听不见他说话了。”

“他都说了什么?”我急切地问。

“他跟我打了招呼,然后再一次重复了他在信中对我的警告。他说他没能阻止珀西瓦尔爵士针对你的恶劣行为,他找到我们的住处是要保护他自己的利益。你第一次去汉普郡回来的时候就被跟踪了,沃尔特。他在听到珀西瓦尔爵士的死讯后才决定登门,因为他认为你下一个对付的目标就是他。”

“让他说对了,”我说,“他说我什么了?”

“他非常冷静而有礼,同时又非常具有威胁性,”玛丽安接着说,“他说,‘请警告哈特里特先生!他要对付的是一个有智慧、有权势的人。叫他对已经得到的东西知足吧。告诉他,如果他跟我对着干,我将不遗余力地干掉他。我会不择手段的。亲爱的小姐,再见。’然后,他用冷酷的灰眼睛看了看我,就走了。

“我赶忙跑进屋,跟劳拉说我们得搬家。为她的健康着想,我们需要一个更安静、空气更好的地方。我说你也希望我们搬家,为什么不现在就搬,等你回来给你一个惊喜呢。她喜欢这个主意,欢天喜地地同意了。我通过一个校友找到这个住处。我做得没错吧,沃尔特?”

我说她做得非常好,这是我的心里话。

但是,她脸上依然带着忧虑,从她的眼神里看得出,她还在害怕伯爵的精明和权势。

“沃尔特,你怎么看他的那些话?下一步你准备怎么做?”

“几星期前,我就决定让劳拉重新在她叔叔家得到应有的承认,”我回答,“现在我还是这样想的。我要让福斯科伯爵为他犯下的罪行付出代价。”

玛丽安的眼睛一亮,虽然没有说话,但是看得出她非常支持这个计划。

“我清楚这样做风险很大,”我说,“但这件事一定要做。我不会愚蠢到没做好准备就动手。我可以等。让他觉得他的话起了作用,认为已经平安无事了。另外,我跟你和劳拉的关系也该比现在更明确。”

“怎么个更明确法?”她吃惊地问。

“玛丽安,我希望你能心平气和地告诉劳拉,她丈夫已经死了。”

“噢,沃尔特,这么快就告诉她?你这样做是不是有什么原因?”

“是的,我现在还不能跟劳拉谈,但总有一天,不会太久,我会告诉她我爱她。”

玛丽安看了我一会儿,然后淡淡地、略带忧伤地笑了笑,“好吧,我明白。我想这是我欠你们的,沃尔特,我会把她丈夫的死讯告诉她。”

第二天,劳拉知道她丈夫死了,她也从这段婚姻中解脱了,那以后我们谁也没再提过她丈夫的名字。

*  *  *

我们的生活恢复了往常的模式,但是我没有忘记伯爵。我了解到他在圣约翰伍德的房子又续租了6个月,因此可以肯定,到了我采取行动的时候,他还会在伦敦,我还可以找到他。

我们终于弄清了安妮·凯瑟里克的父亲是谁。我又去见了克莱门茨太太,告诉她安妮已经死了。她记起凯瑟里克太太当仆人的地方。她的雇主姓多桑。

我们给多桑先生写信,他在回信中告诉我们一些非常有趣的信息。菲利普·费尔利,就是劳拉的父亲,年轻时和他是好友,也是他家里的常客。菲利普风流潇洒,喜欢女色。多桑先生非常肯定凯瑟里克太太在他家当仆人的那段时间,也就是安妮出生的前一年,菲利普·费尔利一直住在他家。

玛丽安和我算了算时间,我们想到安妮和劳拉如此地相像,想到劳拉如此地像她父亲,我们得到了非常肯定的答案。菲利普·费尔利是安妮的父亲,安妮和劳拉是同父异母的姐妹。

现在,那位白衣女人,那位在寂静深夜出现的古怪而哀伤的女人终于可以安息了。

*  *  *

四个月过去了,劳拉的身体渐渐强壮起来,头脑也慢慢清楚了。她几乎又是原来的她了。我们交谈的时候,感觉和当初在利默里奇谈话时一样。当我无意间碰到她的时候,我感到心跳在加速,而且我注意到她也脸红了。

4月,我们到海边度假。在那里,我告诉玛丽安,等回到伦敦,我一定要迫使福斯科伯爵说实话,让他说出劳拉回伦敦的真正日期。

“但是为了劳拉的安全,我想如果我挑战伯爵的话,最好以她丈夫的身份前去,你同意吗,玛丽安?”

“完全同意,”玛丽安说,“我曾让你们两个分开,你在这儿等我一下,我的好朋友!一会儿劳拉就过来,她会告诉你我这次是怎么做的,好吗?”

她吻了吻我的额头,走了出去。我在窗旁等着,眼睛望着海滩,却什么也看不到,我紧张得几乎喘不过气来。门开了,劳拉一个人走进来。我们在利默里奇分手的时候,她是慢慢地走进房间的,神情充满了痛苦和犹豫。这会儿,她跑向我,脸上闪耀着幸福的光芒。她张开手臂紧紧地拥抱我,用甜润的双唇吻着我。

“亲爱的!”她轻声说,“现在我们能对彼此说‘我爱你’了吧?啊,我终于得到幸福了!”

十天以后,我们的幸福又向前迈进了一步,我们结婚了。

用户搜索

疯狂英语 英语语法 新概念英语 走遍美国 四级听力 英语音标 英语入门 发音 美语 四级 新东方 七年级 赖世雄 zero是什么意思拉萨市仙足岛中区安居园英语学习交流群

  • 频道推荐
  • |
  • 全站推荐
  • 推荐下载
  • 网站推荐