国际商场上，都知道大富豪辛开林这个人。这位东方富豪最著名的一点，是他答应过的事，一定遵守诺言，绝不改变主意。
高层商界人士最津津乐道的一宗有关辛开林这个人的事，是多年前，辛开林和美国杜邦机构的一宗大交易，牵涉到的金钱数字，超过五十亿美元。在进行了一连串的会议之后，杜邦机构的秘书人员，准备好了厚厚的合约，给他签署。辛开林连看也不看，就打开窗子，将合约抛了出去，在其他人惊呆得张大口说不出话之际，辛开林道：“在会议中，我承诺过的一切，保证执行，还要签什么合同？”
西方人可能从来也没有经历过这样的交易方式，足足担心了两年之后，他们才知道担心是多余的，辛开林给予对方的利益，比他当时所承诺的更多。
所以，如果辛开林先生进瑞士联合银行，要求见总经理，说出自己的名字，银行方面，会毫不犹豫地立即提供他所需要的现金，数字绝无限制。
所以，国际著名的大商业机构，一听到辛开林的名字，都会乐意和他合作做任何生意，生意额之大，有时连阿拉伯酋长听了，都会皱眉头。
所以，辛开林一直保留着那箱东西，并且遵守着诺言，绝不打开来看一看，那箱东西究竟是什么东西。
那箱东西的外型，和辛开林的豪华巨宅相比较，简直是不相称到了极点。它的体积不小，是一○二公分乘五十七公分乘三十四公分——辛开林曾仔细地量度过它的体积。事实上，多少年来，大富豪辛开林的唯一嗜好，就是看看那箱东西，猜测箱子之中，究竟是什么。他将自己每次猜的答案记下来，作为一种娱乐。
这可能是世界上最奇怪的一种娱乐方式了，而辛开林总是一个人进行，不让别人知道。事实上，除了他知道有这么一箱怪东西之外，世上唯一知道有这样一箱东西的，怕只有这箱东西交给辛开林保管的那个人了。
将这箱东西委托给辛开林的那个人是什么样人，下面自然会提到，先看看这箱东西的外型。
整箱东西的重量，和它的体积不十分相称。这样体积的一只箱子，勉强可以藏得下一个身材矮小的人了。可是它的重量只有四三五○克，即四公斤多一点。
关于这个重量，辛开林心里明白，那绝不是箱子内东西的重量。
箱子是一只木箱子，极普通的，一般用来装运水果的那种，粗糙的木板，一块木板和另一块木板之间，有着十分宽阔的隙缝。这样的木箱，作用并不是用来装物品，而是保护真正装置物品的另一只箱子的。
辛开林可以在木板的隙缝之中，看到在木板箱里面的，是一层，或者许多层麻袋。木箱子的立方体的六面，木板之间，都有隙缝，都可以看到麻袋。麻袋是上等印度黄麻制成的。
至于在麻袋的下面是什么，辛开林就不知道了。这许多年来，他至多只是用手指，穿过木板间的隙缝，去按按麻袋。凭感觉，他可以感到，麻袋大约有三层到四层，而在麻袋之下，感觉上，是另一只相当坚硬的箱子。他甚至连那只箱子是什么质地都不知道，自然，箱子里面是什么，他照样猜测。
多年来，他把自己猜测到的物品名目，一项一项记下来，已经超过了一千项。这一千项东西之中，包括了许多平常人接触不到的东西，例如有一次，他猜箱子里的东西，是上佳的印度鼻烟丝。有一次，他甚至猜，箱子里是满满一箱女人的头发。
或许，他早已猜中了箱子里的东西是什么，但是他却也无法证实。
对别人来说，要知道箱子里的东西是什么，再简单也没有，只要打开来看看就可以了。但是辛开林却十分重视自己的诺言，他答应过人家，不打开来看，他一定要遵守诺言。开始几年，他还有强烈的好奇心，到后来，猜测箱子里究竟有什么，已成了他的娱乐，如果忽然让他知道箱子里究竟是什么，他会失掉了一项极大的乐趣。近几年来，他已经发现钱越多，乐趣好像越来越少，他不能失去这项乐趣。
所以，这只箱子，一直放在他豪华住宅的一间秘密的房间之中。这所豪华绝伦的巨宅中，有三十二名专习各种职务的仆人，但是这间秘密房间，辛开林自己打扫的，除了他和建筑师之外，只怕也没有什么人知道有这样一间密室。
密室在他宏大的书房之内，要通过一组按钮，移开一个书柜，才能进去。当辛开林在密室中，面对着这只箱子之际，所有仆人都会接到通知，不论有什么事，都不能打扰他。有一次，法国商务部长就在客厅里等了他一小时。
这—天，和往常的无数次一样，辛开林在处理了几宗重要的业务之后回家，进了书房，挥手令仆人出去，打开了通向密室的门，进了密室。
密室中，除了正中间放着那只箱子之外，就是一张十分舒服的丝绒安乐椅，和一只小酒架。辛开林关好了门，着亮了灯。灯是特别设计的，照射在那只箱子上，箱子放在一个可以转动的转盘上，由电控制转盘的转动。那样，辛开林就可以坐着不动，而从各个角度去观察这只箱子。
他坐下来，斟了半杯陈年佳酒，又开始聚精会神观察这只箱子。事实上，这只箱子的外形，他都很熟悉了，甚至每一块木板都熟悉，木板上有什么裂缝，什么木纹，他闭着眼睛也可以说得出来。但是他还是用心观察着，心中在想着一个已经超过一万遍的问题：“箱子里面，究竟是什么呢？是一箱子金丝猴的毛？不，已经猜过了。是一箱宝石，唉，也已经猜过了。”
时间就在这样的猜想中慢慢溜过去。今天和往日不同的是，他想多了一点。他想到的是：“那只箱子的主人，为什么一直不曾出现？已经多少年了？超过了二十年。二十年可以发生多少变化！那个人可能早就死了！他要是永远不出现，那怎么办？”
辛开林又喝了一口酒。多少重大的事务，都不曾令他这样考虑过。
他继续想：“这个人要是死了，那么，是不是箱子中是什么东西这个秘密，永远也不能知道了？”
他一面想，一面摇着头，然后，很快就有了决定：“不，在我临死的时候，一定要把那只箱子打开来看看，多少年的谜，一旦有了答案，至少可以减少一些不必要的痛苦。”
他自嘲似地笑着，站起身来，走到箱子旁边，伸手在木箱上拍了两下，把那只木箱，当作是有生命的老朋友一样，然后，结束了他的“娱乐时间”，走出了密室。晚上还有‘个重要的聚会在等着他。
而聚会之后，他还有一个秘密的约会，他的情妇，在他跟中——注意，以辛开林这样地位的人，绝不是没有见过世面的人——可能全世界最美丽可爱的少女人，正在等着他。：
辛开林回到书房，来到他那张巨大的桃花心木书桌之前，还没有坐下来，就看到桌面上，放着一样他进来时没有的东西。
那东西看来像是一只手镯，已经很旧了，银质发黑，但是雕刻精致的花纹还是很清楚，在约有三公分阔的镯身上，雕刻着太阳、狮子的图案。
辛开林陡然叫了起来，他很少那样失去镇定，可是这时候，他却叫了又叫，视线一直盯在那只手镯上，直到他想起，他的书房有着最佳的隔音设备，在这里发出的声音，就算超过一百分贝，外面也听不到，他才按下了对讲机的掣钮，叫道：“进来1”
不到五分钟，总管就冲了进来，在听到了辛开林的大声呼叫之后，总管已经吓呆了，他冲进来的速度之快，如果去参加世运会一百公尺短跑的话，至少也可以得到一面银牌。
总管进来之后，更吓得张大了口，说不出话来。他从来也没有见过辛开林先生像如今这样的神情过，辛开林盯着桌子上的一只手镯，服珠像是要脱出眼眶一样。可是脸上的神情，却又绝不是恐惧，而是兴奋，异样的兴奋。
总管勉力定下神来，不由自主喘着气，道：“什么事，辛开林先生，什么事？”
辛开林的视线，仍然没有离开那只镯子，他急吸了一口气，才能开口说话：“这……镯子是……”
总管面色发白，感到莫名其妙，他不知道那只镯子有什么古怪，也不知道该如何回答才好。在他犹豫期间，辛开林已经吼叫了起来：“这是哪里来的？”
总管挺直了身子，尽量使他的话听来连贯，但事实上，他还是由于心悸，而把话说得断断续续：“是一个人……送来的！”
“人呢？”辛开林继续吼叫。
总管吞下了一口口水，额上已经在冒汗，可是他却不敢伸手去抹，为了要维持毕挺站立的姿势：“人……我没有见到，门房将东西……转过来，对了，门房说那人还留下了几句话……”
辛开林盯着总管，总管急得几乎哭了出来：“先生，请允许我叫门房来问？”
辛开林挥着手：“快！快！”
总管急忙转过身，向外走去，他转身转得实在太急促了，以致他的身子，多转了一个圈，才能够面向书房的门向外奔出去。
辛开林并没有注意到总管的狼狈，直到这时，他才缓过一口气，伸手将那银镯子取了起来。
银钩子很厚，拿在手里也相当沉重。当然就是那只镯子，当时那个人戴在手腕上的，一定是这一只，一定是那个人来了！
在等了那么多年之后，这个把那只箱子交给他的人终于来了，辛开林心中的兴奋，真是难以形容。这时，他的思绪十分紊乱，但是他也立即想到了一点：“现在我有足够的财富购买任何东西，这个人来了，只要他开价，我就接受，哪怕箱子里全是废物，我也将它买下来。买下来之后，箱子就是我的了，我就可以立刻将它打开来，看看箱子里究竟有什么东西在1”
他急速地喘着气，总管其实才跑开去，可是辛开林像是等了一世纪那么久。他转弄着那只银镯子，继续想：“这个人，为什么隔了那么久才来？当时，他提着那只箱子奔过来的时候，情形是那么紊乱，他居然没有在混乱中死去，真是奇迹……”
辛开林闭上了眼睛一会，回想着那一场混乱。
那一场大混乱，是本世纪世界上著名的大混乱。辛开林所经历的，只不过是这场大混乱中的一个小场景，可是当时可怕的情景，令得他毕生难忘。
公元一九四七年，英国公布了“蒙巴顿方案”，把英属印度按宗教信仰，分为印度和巴基斯坦两个国家，这就是近代史上著名的“印巴分裂”。
英国的方案原则上很好，可是一块长久由不同信仰的人居住的土地，猝然之间，分裂成为两个国家，所引起的混乱，真是任何人所想像不到的，在印度和巴基斯坦接壤的旁遮普省，立时为了争夺土地、财产和权力，产生了血肉横飞的大混战，每天死在原始武器和现代武器之下的人，竟然无法统计。有的村庄，整个村的人全部被敌对者屠杀了，地方官员早就逃走，还有谁去统计究竟有多少人死了？
巴基斯坦在这一年的八月十四日宣布独立，混乱不但没有停止，而且到达了最高潮。回教徒和印度教徒之间的冲突越来越扩大，其间众多的锡克教徒，凶悍善战的锡克人的军队，可以在一天之内，屠杀超过军队人数十倍以上的敌对者。
八月二十日，辛开林清楚地记得那一天。
那时候，辛开林当然不是世界知名的东方大富豪，他只是一个普通的年轻人。或者说，他并不普通，那是由于他的职业，比较特殊。
辛开林是飞机驾驶员。第二次世界大战末期，他从航空学校转入空军，没有多久，战争结束，辛开林离开了军队，开始的一年，无所是事。一年之后，他创办了只有两架残飞机的“航空货运公司”。这家空运公司是他和两个退役空军军官组成的，两架飞机，是盟军撤离时，根本不想带走的G——45型中型运输机，当时已经不能飞行，他们用废铁的价钱将之买了下来，靠自己的经验和技术及偷来的零件，总算使这两架老爷飞机可以飞行了。
本来，他们打算用这两架飞机来载客的，可是经过三个月的努力，人们一看到了这两架飞机，立刻掉头就走，说什么也挽留不住。那三个军官无法可施，才只好将公司的名称改为“货运公司”。据说，这间货运公司，只好载运从来就没有生命的货物，不然，就算载运的是木乃伊，木乃伊也会吓得活转来，跳机逃走。
即使改成了货运公司，生意也差到极点，货物是有价值的，谁肯将有价值的东西，交给这样七拼八凑装起来的老爷飞机？这家货运公司在所有的保险公司档案之中，都被列为黑名单：“在该公司的运输工具未曾彻底改善之前，对该公司的任何投保，应毫无保留地予以拒绝。”
彻底改善，三个年轻人根本没有能力，所以，他们只好做别家空运公司不愿意做的生意，将货物运到根本没有人愿意去的地方，混乱中的印度和巴基斯坦接壤地区，就是这种地区之一。
他们还遭到另一个困难，就是请不到副驾驶员，除了他们三人之外，别的驾驶人员在远远看到了这两架飞机，就已经掉头走了。所以他们每次飞行，实际上都是违反国际航空规则的：只有一个人驾机，这个人，要负责机上的一切工作。好在，这样的小公司，也没有什么人注意。只要有人愿意将货物托给他们运，目的地就算没有机场，他们也愿意干。
那一次，他们的目的地，是巴基斯坦的拉合尔。拉合尔是一个出名的古城，曾经是莫卧儿王朝的首都，在南亚洲显赫一时，曾经是回教文化的中心，南亚洲最大的清真寺，巴德沙希清真寺，就在拉合尔。
公司总共只有三个人，两架飞机同时出动，一个人必须留下来处理“公司业务”，驾机的是辛开林和寇克。寇克是一个中西混血儿，有着卷发，碧眼和不接近黄种人的白哲皮肤，是一个十分漂亮的小伙子。可惜就是个子稍为矮了一点，他自己也一直引以为憾。
不认识寇克的人，一看他那副八成像洋人的样子，；定以为他的名字是译音。寇克就一定十分正经地向人解释：“我姓寇，单名克。什么，你不知道中国人之中有姓寇的？太孤陋寡闻了。宋朝有一个宰相叫寇准，和契丹订立过著名的澶渊之盟的那个！哼，你连‘澶渊之盟’都没听说过？我看你多半是个假洋鬼子！”
寇克这样的八成洋人，反骂人家是假洋鬼子，被驾的人，多半只是觉得好笑，而不会生气。
辛开林和寇克在出发之前，已经知道印、巴接壤处，正处于一场空前的混战之中，耍不然，这单生意，也不会落在他们身上。但他们并不放在心上，一则，他们年轻，天不怕地不怕，连这种拼制起来的飞机都敢驾驶，还有什么不敢做的？二则，拉合尔是大都市，有过百万人居住，在他们天真的想法，总不会有事情的，而且他们的任务，是要飞抵拉合尔机场，卸下了货物，立刻就可以回航，在拉合尔停留的时间，不会超过三小时。
当然，他们太年轻，不会想到别说三小时，就算只是三秒钟，人的一生命运，可能因此改变！
他们那次航程的结果，是彻底改变了他们两个人的命运。
飞机载满了货物之后起飞，沿途，在可能停下来的机场加油，加油人员一看到他们的飞机，都行动小心，战战兢兢，唯恐一不小心，身子碰到了飞机，就会将飞机碰得散成碎片。
各地机场的地勤工作人员，对于辛开林和寇克这种“神风突击队”式的飞行，充满了敬意，免费供应他们饮食，当他们登机之前，列队和他们握手道别。
到了拉合尔机场，情形有点不对头，降落时，完全接不到控制塔的指示，机场根本没有控制人员，整个机场，也没有飞机。他们降落之后，有一小队回教士兵奔了过来，声称机上的货物是他们的，那小队长的手上，居然有着提货单。
辛开林和寇克两人打开了舱门，让他们去卸货，自顾自走向机场大厦。
就往那时候，辛开林第一次看到那个人，和那只木箱。那个人的服装，极其华丽，一身黑缎子的紧身衣服，衬得他的身段高而挺拔。
那个人黑缎子的衣服袖上，有着闪闪生光的金丝镶边，钮扣看起来也是全套的，十分夺目，宽阔的皮带上，悬着一柄短短的弯刀，刀柄和刀鞘上，都镶着宝石，给人以一种眩目的感觉，小刀旁边。是一只小小的看来精致的皮袋。那人的身边，有一个木板钉做的箱子，看来很简陋。
这个人的衣饰如此华丽，和这个已经没有人管理的机场相比较，显得十分突出。这个人站在机场大厦的出入口，注视着机场，看来像是正在等待什么。他的神情十分焦急。那人是印度人，皮肤黝黑，高鼻深目，领下的胡子，梳得十分光洁，而且用一个黑色的网络兜着。
当辛开林连看那个人两眼之后，那个人开了口，说的是一口极其标准的英语，道：“天，你们驾来的……那是什么东西？”
寇克比较沉不住气，立即道：“那是飞机！你没有见过飞机？飞机——”他接着，将“飞机”两字的拼法，用字母一个个读了出来。
那个人闷哼了一声，并没有什么特别的反应，寇克看到了对方没有反应，和辛开林一起往里面走。
辛开林走在后面，他听到那个人在喃喃自语：“要是没有别的飞机来，只好将东西交给……那样的飞机了！”
辛开林当时所想到的只是：真不坏，回程还有生意可以做，他一面这样想，一面忍不住，回头向那个人脚旁的那只木箱，望了一眼。
那个人要托运的东西，就是这一只木箱子。辛开林不禁想：“这样的一只破箱子之中，装的不知是什么东西？在这样兵荒马乱的情形下，等着要将之运出去？”
人生的历程，有时真是很奇妙的。当时辛开林看着那个人脚旁的这只木箱子，自然而然这样想。他无论如何都想不到，同样的问题，日后会万千篇反复问自己。
辛开林和寇克进了机场大厦，整个大厦中没有什么人，显得极空荡，只有几个清洁工人，懒洋洋地在无目的地走动。他们进了原来应该是餐室的地方，里面只有臭得不可一闻的肮脏的水之外再找不到别的东西。
寇克踢着一张椅子，道：“真倒霉，看来，找不到人替我们加油了！”
辛开林想到这件事十分严重，忙问：“怎么，你的飞机，油的储量不足？”
寇克挥了挥手，道：“大约还够飞到就近的另一个机场，就算油不够了，可以滑翔！”
辛开林笑了笑，拽过一张椅子，坐了下来。从餐室的玻璃中望出去，可以看到那一小队大兵，还在忙碌地搬运着货物，工作效率倒相当快，一箱一箱的货物，已经搬得差不多了。
辛开林伸了一个懒腰，道：“这里的情形很不好，我们还是快点走吧！”
寇克无可奈何地答应了‘声，本来准备是懒懒地站起来的，可是结果，他却是整个像兔子一样跳起来的，就在这一刹那，外面陡然传来一眸密集的枪声，和一阵惊天动地的呼喊声。
那一种枪声并不可怕，可是那一阵呼喊声，却像是成千—上万的魔鬼，一起呐喊像地狱中冲了出来一样！辛开林和寇克一起跳了起来，他们文二和尚摸不着头脑，究竟发生了什么事情他们全然无知，只是木立着，错愕地互望。
接着，他们又听到在机场中的那几个清洁工人，也正在声嘶力竭地叫着：“锡克族的战士来了！锡克族的战士来了！”
呼叫声中，充满了绝望和恐惧，掺厉无比。连辛开林和寇克俩人，也感到这比他们自己拼凑成的飞机还要可怕的！
锡克人的凶悍是著名的，他们也曾听说过，要是锡克族的战士冲进了机场来……他们觉得一股寒意，不由自主，各自发出了一下叫喊声，向外冲去。
他们冲出了机场大厦，向飞机奔过去。那时?
|
Next Back Contents Home |
Chapter 5
LETTER FROM MISS MINA MURRAY TO MISS LUCY WESTENRA 9 May. My dearest Lucy, Forgive my long delay in writing, but I have been simply overwhelmed with work. The life of an assistant schoolmistress is sometimes trying. I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air. I have been working very hard lately, because I want to keep up with Jonathan's studies, and I have been practicing shorthand very assiduously. When we are married I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan, and if I can stenograph well enough I can take down what he wants to say in this way and write it out for him on the typewriter, at which also I am practicing very hard. He and I sometimes write letters in shorthand, and he is keeping a stenographic journal of his travels abroad. When I am with you I shall keep a diary in the same way. I don't mean one of those two-pages-to-the-week-with-Sunday-squeezed-in-a-corner diaries, but a sort of journal which I can write in whenever I feel inclined. I do not suppose there will be much of interest to other people, but it is not intended for them. I may show it to Jonathan some day if there is in it anything worth sharing, but it is really an exercise book. I shall try to do what I see lady journalists do, interviewing and writing descriptions and trying to remember conversations. I am told that, with a little practice, one can remember all that goes on or that one hears said during a day. However, we shall see. I will tell you of my little plans when we meet. I have just had a few hurried lines from Jonathan from Transylvania. He is well, and will be returning in about a week. I am longing to hear all his news. It must be nice to see strange countries. I wonder if we, I mean Jonathan and I, shall ever see them together. There is the ten o'clock bell ringing. Goodbye. Your loving Mina
Tell me all the news when you write. You have not told me anything for a long time. I hear rumours, and especially of a tall, handsome, curly-haired man.??? LETTER, LUCY WESTENRA TO MINA MURRAY
17, Chatham Street Wednesday My dearest Mina,
I must say you tax me very unfairly with being a bad correspondent. I wrote you twice since we parted, and your last letter was only your second. Besides, I have nothing to tell you. There is really nothing to interest you. Town is very pleasant just now, and we go a great deal to picture-galleries and for walks and rides in the park. As to the tall, curly-haired man, I suppose it was the one who was with me at the last Pop. Someone has evidently been telling tales. That was Mr. Holmwood. He often comes to see us, and he and Mamma get on very well together, they have so many things to talk about in common. We met some time ago a man that would just do for you, if you were not already engaged to Jonathan. He is an excellant parti, being handsome, well off, and of good birth. He is a doctor and really clever. Just fancy! He is only nine-and twenty, and he has an immense lunatic asylum all under his own care. Mr. Holmwood introduced him to me, and he called here to see us, and often comes now. I think he is one of the most resolute men I ever saw, and yet the most calm. He seems absolutely imperturbable. I can fancy what a wonderful power he must have over his patients. He has a curious habit of looking one straight in the face, as if trying to read one's thoughts. He tries this on very much with me, but I flatter myself he has got a tough nut to crack. I know that from my glass. Do you ever try to read your own face? I do, and I can tell you it is not a bad study, and gives you more trouble than you can well fancy if you have never tried it. He say that I afford him a curious psychological study, and I humbly think I do. I do not, as you know, take sufficient interest in dress to be able to describe the new fashions. Dress is a bore. That is slang again, but never mind. Arthur says that every day. There, it is all out, Mina, we have told all our secrets to each other since we were children. We have slept together and eaten together, and laughed and cried together, and now, though I have spoken, I would like to speak more. Oh, Mina, couldn't you guess? I love him. I am blushing as I write, for although I think he loves me, he has not told me so in words. But, oh, Mina, I love him. I love him! There, that does me good. I wish I were with you, dear, sitting by the fire undressing, as we used to sit, and I would try to tell you what I feel. I do not know how I am writing this even to you. I am afraid to stop, or I should tear up the letter, and I don't want to stop, for I do so want to tell you all. Let me hear from you at once, and tell me all that you think about it. Mina, pray for my happiness. Lucy
P. S.--I need not tell you this is a secret. Goodnight again. L. LETTER, LUCY WESTENRA TO MINA MURRAY 24 May My dearest Mina,
Thanks, and thanks, and thanks again for your sweet letter. It was so nice to be able to tell you and to have your sympathy. My dear, it never rains but it pours. How true the old proverbs are. Here am I, who shall be twenty in September, and yet I never had a proposal till today, not a real proposal, and today I had three. Just fancy! Three proposals in one day! Isn't it awful! I feel sorry, really and truly sorry, for two of the poor fellows. Oh, Mina, I am so happy that I don't know what to do with myself. And three proposals! But, for goodness' sake, don't tell any of the girls, or they would be getting all sorts of extravagant ideas, and imagining themselves injured and slighted if in their very first day at home they did not get six at least. Some girls are so vain! You and I, Mina dear, who are engaged and are going to settle down soon soberly into old married women, can despise vanity. Well, I must tell you about the three, but you must keep it a secret, dear, from every one except, of course, Jonathan. You will tell him, because I would, if I were in your place, certainly tell Arthur. A woman ought to tell her husband everything. Don't you think so, dear? And I must be fair. Men like women, certainly their wives, to be quite as fair as they are. And women, I am afraid, are not always quite as fair as they should be. Well, my dear, number One came just before lunch. I told you of him, Dr. John Seward, the lunatic asylum man, with the strong jaw and the good forehead. He was very cool outwardly, but was nervous all the same. He had evidently been schooling himself as to all sorts of little things, and remembered them, but he almost managed to sit down on his silk hat, which men don't generally do when they are cool, and then when he wanted to appear at ease he kept playing with a lancet in a way that made me nearly scream. He spoke to me, Mina, very straightfordwardly. He told me how dear I was to him, though he had known me so little, and what his life would be with me to help and cheer him. He was going to tell me how unhappy he would be if I did not care for him, but when he saw me cry he said he was a brute and would not add to my present trouble. Then he broke off and asked if I could love him in time, and when I shook my head his hands trembled, and then with some hesitation he asked me if I cared already for any one else. He put it very nicely, saying that he did not want to wring my confidence from me, but only to know, because if a woman's heart was free a man might have hope. And then, Mina, I felt a sort of duty to tell him that there was some one. I only told him that much, and then he stood up, and he looked very strong and very grave as he took both my hands in his and said he hoped I would be happy, and that If I ever wanted a friend I must count him one of my best. Oh, Mina dear, I can't help crying, and you must excuse this letter being all blotted. Being proposed to is all very nice and all that sort of thing, but it isn't at all a happy thing when you have to see a poor fellow, whom you know loves you honestly, going away and looking all broken hearted, and to know that, no matter what he may say at the moment, you are passing out of his life. My dear, I must stop here at present, I feel so miserable, though I am so happy. Evening.
Arthur has just gone, and I feel in better spirits than when I left off, so I can go on telling you about the day. Well, my dear, number Two came after lunch. He is such a nice fellow, and American from Texas, and he looks so young and so fresh that it seems almost impossible that he has been to so many places and has such adventures. I sympathize with poor Desdemona when she had such a stream poured in her ear, even by a black man. I suppose that we women are such cowards that we think a man will save us from fears, and we marry him. I know now what I would do if I were a man and wanted to make a girl love me. No, I don't, for there was Mr. Morris telling us his stories, and Arthur never told any, and yet . . . My dear, I am somewhat previous. Mr. Quincy P. Morris found me alone. It seems that a man always does find a girl alone. No, he doesn't, for Arthur tried twice to make a chance, and I helping him all I could, I am not ashamed to say it now. I must tell you beforehand that Mr. Morris doesn't always speak slang, that is to say, he never does so to strangers or before them, for he is really well educated and has exquisite manners, but he found out that it amused me to hear him talk American slang, and whenever I was present, and there was no one to be shocked, he said such funny things. I am afraid, my dear, he has to invent it all, for it fits exactly into whatever else he has to say. But this is a way slang has. I do not know myself if I shall ever speak slang. I do not know if Arthur likes it, as I have never heard him use any as yet. Well, Mr. Morris sat down beside me and looked as happy and jolly as he could, but I could see all the same that he was very nervous. He took my hand in his, and said ever so sweetly . . . "Miss Lucy, I know I ain't good enough to regulate the fixin's of your little shoes, but I guess if you wait till you find a man that is you will go join them seven young women with the lamps when you quit. Won't you just hitch up along-side of me and let us go down the long road together, driving in double harness?" Well, he did look so hood humoured and so jolly that it didn't seem half so hard to refuse him as it did poor Dr. Seward. So I said, as lightly as I could, that I did not know anything of hitching, and that I wasn't broken to harness at all yet. Then he said that he had spoken in a light manner, and he hoped that if he had made a mistake in doing so on so grave, so momentous, and occasion for him, I would forgive him. He really did look serious when he was saying it, and I couldn't help feeling a sort of exultation that he was number Two in one day. And then, my dear, before I could say a word he began pouring out a perfect torrent of lovemaking, laying his very heart and soul at my feet. He looked so earnest over it that I shall never again think that a man must be playful always, and never earnest, because he is merry at times. I suppose he saw something in my face which checked him, for he suddenly stopped, and said with a sort of manly fervour that I could have loved him for if I had been free . . . "Lucy, you are an honest hearted girl, I know. I should not be here speaking to you as I am now if I did not believe you clean grit, right through to the very depths of your soul. Tell me, like one good fellow to another, is there any one else that you care for? And if there is I'll never trouble you a hair's breadth again, but will be, if you will let me, a very faithful friend." My dear Mina, why are men so noble when we women are so little worthy of them? Here was I almost making fun of this great hearted, true gentleman. I burst into tears, I am afraid, my dear, you will think this a very sloppy letter in more ways than one, and I really felt very badly. Why can't they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble? But this is heresy, and I must not say it. I am glad to say that, though I was crying, I was able to look into Mr. Morris' brave eyes, and I told him out straight . . . "Yes, there is some one I love, though he has not told me yet that he even loves me." I was right to speak to him so frankly, for quite a light came into his face, and he put out both his hands and took mine, I think I put them into his, and said in a hearty way . . . "That's my brave girl. It's better worth being late for a chance of winning you than being in time for any other girl in the world. Don't cry, my dear. If it's for me, I'm a hard nut to crack, and I take it standing up. If that other fellow doesn't know his happiness, well, he'd better look for it soon, or he'll have to deal with me. Little girl, your honesty and pluck have made me a friend, and that's rarer than a lover, it's more selfish anyhow. My dear, I'm going to have a pretty lonely walk between this and Kingdom Come. Won't you give me one kiss? It'll be something to keep off the darkness now and then. You can, you know, if you like, for that other good fellow, or you could not love him, hasn't spoken yet." That quite won me, Mina, for it was brave and sweet of him, and noble too, to a rival, wasn't it? And he so sad, so I leant over and kissed him. He stood up with my two hands in his, and as he looked down into my face, I am afraid I was blushing very much, he said, "Little girl, I hold your hand, and you've kissed me, and if these things don't make us friends nothing ever will. Thank you for your sweet honesty to me, and goodbye." He wrung my hand, and taking up his hat, went straight out of the room without looking back, without a tear or a quiver or a pause, and I am crying like a baby. Oh, why must a man like that be made unhappy when there are lots of girls about who would worship the very ground he trod on? I know I would if I were free, only I don't want to be free My dear, this quite upset me, and I feel I cannot write of happiness just at once, after telling you of it, and I don't wish to tell of the number Three until it can be all happy. Ever your loving . . . Lucy
P. S.--Oh, about number Three, I needn't tell you of number Three, need I? Besides, it was all so confused. It seemed only a moment from his coming into the room till both his arms were round me, and he was kissing me. I am very, very happy, and I don't know what I have done to deserve it. I must only try in the future to show that I am not ungrateful to God for all His goodness to me in sending to me such a lover, such a husband, and such a friend. Goodbye. DR. SEWARD'S DIARY (Kept in phonograph)
25 May.--Ebb tide in appetite today. Cannot eat, cannot rest, so diary instead. since my rebuff of yesterday I have a sort of empty feeling. Nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing. As I knew that the only cure for this sort of thing was work, I went amongst the patients. I picked out one who has afforded me a study of much interest. He is so quaint that I am determined to understand him as well as I can. Today I seemed to get nearer than ever before to the heart of his mystery. I questioned him more fully than I had ever done, with a view to making myself master of the facts of his hallucination. In my manner of doing it there was, I now see, something of cruelty. I seemed to wish to keep him to the point of his madness, a thing which I avoid with the patients as I would the mouth of hell. (Mem., Under what circumstances would I not avoid the pit of hell?) Omnia Romae venalia sunt. Hell has its price! If there be anything behind this instinct it will be valuable to trace it afterwards accurately, so I had better commence to do so, therefore . . . R. M, Renfield, age 59. Sanguine temperament, great physical strength, morbidly excitable, periods of gloom, ending in some fixed idea which I cannot make out. I presume that the sanguine temperament itself and the disturbing influence end in a mentally-accomplished finish, a possibly dangerous man, probably dangerous if unselfish. In selfish men caution is as secure an armour for their foes as for themselves. What I think of on this point is, when self is the fixed point the centripetal force is balanced with the centrifugal. When duty, a cause, etc., is the fixed point, the latter force is paramount, and only accident of a series of accidents can balance it.
LETTER, QUINCEY P. MORRIS TO HON. ARTHUR HOLMOOD
25 May. My dear Art, We've told yarns by the campfire in the prairies, and dressed one another's wounds after trying a landing at the Marquesas, and drunk healths on the shore of Titicaca. There are more yarns to be told, and other wounds to be healed, and another health to be drunk. Won't you let this be at my campfire tomorrow night? I have no hesitation in asking you, as I know a certain lady is engaged to a certain dinner party, and that you are free. There will only be one other, our old pal at the Korea, Jack Seward. He's coming, too, and we both want to mingle our weeps over the wine cup, and to drink a health with all our hearts to the happiest man in all the wide world, who has won the noblest heart that God has made and best worth winning. We promise you a hearty welcome, and a loving greeting, and a health as true as your own right hand. We shall both swear to leave you at home if you drink too deep to a certain pair of eyes. Come! Yours, as ever and always, Quincey P. Morris
TELEGRAM FROM ARTHUR HOLMWOOD TO QUINCEY P. MORRIS 26 May
Count me in every time. I bear messages which will make both your ears tingle. Art |
|
This China Youth Readings Net is supported by China New Century Net Ltd
This page has been seen by 0 people since Friday, 21-April-2000
|
Next Back Contents Home |
辛开林忍不住挥着手，大声叫道：“喂，锡克族的战士来了，你——”
他一面叫，一面．继续向前奔着，因为转过头来望着那个人的原故，脚下一不留神，跌了一跤。寇克本来已经奔前了好几步，一看到辛开林跌倒，连忙跑回来，抓住辛开林的手，将他拉了起来。
这一切，只不过是几秒钟之间的事，可是就在那几秒钟之间，眼前的情形，完全变了。。、那一小队士兵，还未冲到机场大厦，但凄厉无比的呼喊声，已经像怒涛一样涌了过来，而且机场大厦中，至少有好几百人，亡命奔了出来。
拼命跑出来的人，全是平民，男女老幼都有，他们一面叫着，一面向前狂奔。将那一小队士兵，完全冲散。而在他们身后的，是一阵又一阵的枪声。每一阵枪声过处，就有一大批人倒下来，在血泊中有的一动不动，有的还在打滚。：
阳光下的水泥地，本来泡着一片浅浅的灰白色，等到水泥地上溅了许多血迹之后，看起来触目惊心之极。
这一大批平民，是锡克族战士追逐杀戮的目标！眼前象地狱一般的情景，任何人都可以看得出这一点来了。
辛开林和寇克并没