第40章 掘墓盗尸人〔8〕

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rewasaninstant'shesitation,andthediewascast.Macfarlanecouldnotsuressanervoustwitch,theinfinitesimalmarkofanimmenserelief,ashefeltthekeybetweenhisfingers.Heoenedthecuboard,broughtoutenandinkandaaer-bookthatstoodinonecomartment,andsearatedfromthefundsinadrawerasumsuitabletotheoccasion.

"Now,lookhere,

"hesaid,

"thereistheaymentmade—firstroofofyourgoodfaith:firststetoyoursecurity.Youhavenowtoclinchitbyasecond.Entertheaymentinyourbook,andthenyouforyourartmaydefythedevil.

"

ThenextfewsecondswereforFettesanagonyofthought;butinbalancinghisterrorsitwasthemostimmediatethattriumhed.AnyfuturedifficultyseemedalmostwelcomeifhecouldavoidaresentquarrelwithMacfarlane.Hesetdownthecandlewhichhehadbeencarryingallthistime,andwithasteadyhandenteredthedate,thenature,andtheamountofthetransaction.

"Andnow,

"saidMacfarlane,

"it'sonlyfairthatyoushouldocketthelucre.I'vehadmysharealready.Bythebye,whenamanoftheworldfallsintoabitofluck,hasafewshillingsextrainhisocket—I'mashamedtoseakofit,butthere'saruleofconductinthecase.Notreating,nourchaseofexensiveclass-books,nosquaringofolddebts;borrow,don'tlend.

"

"Macfarlane,

"beganFettes,stillsomewhathoarsely,

"Ihaveutmyneckinahaltertoobligeyou.

"

"Toobligeme?

"criedWolfe.

"Oh,come!Youdid,asnearasIcanseethematter,whatyoudownrighthadtodoinself-defence.SuoseIgotintotrouble,wherewouldyoube?Thissecondlittlematterflowsclearlyfromthefirst.Mr.GrayisthecontinuationofMissGalbraith.Youcan'tbeginandthensto.Ifyoubegin,youmustkeeonbeginning;that'sthetruth.Norestforthewicked.

"

Ahorriblesenseofblacknessandthetreacheryoffateseizedholduonthesouloftheunhaystudent.

"MyGod!

"hecried,

"butwhathaveIdone?andwhendidIbegin?Tobemadeaclassassistant—inthenameofreason,where'stheharminthat?Servicewantedtheosition;Servicemighthavegotit.WouldhehavebeenwhereIamnow?

"

"Mydearfellow,

"saidMacfarlane,

"whataboyyouare!WhatharmHAScometoyou?WhatharmCANcometoyouifyouholdyourtongue?Why,man,doyouknowwhatthislifeis?Therearetwosquadsofus—thelionsandthelambs.Ifyou'realamb,you'llcometolieuonthesetableslikeGrayorJaneGalbraith;ifyou'realion,you'llliveanddriveahorselikeme,likeK,likealltheworldwithanywitorcourage.You'restaggeredatthefirst.ButlookatK!Mydearfellow,you'reclever;youhaveluck.Ilikeyou,andKlikesyou.Youwereborntoleadthehunt;andItellyou,onmyhonourandmyexerienceoflife,threedaysfromnowyou'lllaughatallthesescarecrowslikeaHighSchoolboyatafarce.

"

AndwiththatMacfarlanetookhisdeartureanddroveoffuthewyndinhisgigtogetundercoverbeforedaylight.Fetteswasthusleftalonewithhisregrets.Hesawthemiserableerilinwhichhestoodinvolved.Hesaw,withinexressibledismay,thattherewasnolimittohisweakness,andthat,fromconcessiontoconcession,hehadfallenfromthearbiterofMacfarlane'sdestinytohisaidandhellessaccomlice.Hewouldhavegiventheworldtohavebeenalittlebraveratthetime,butitdidnotoccurtohimthathemightstillbebrave.ThesecretofJaneGalbraithandthecursedentryintheday-bookclosedhismouth.

Hoursassed;theclassbegantoarrive;themembersoftheunhayGrayweredealtouttooneandtoanother,andreceivedwithoutremark.Richardsonwasmadehaywiththehead;andbeforethehouroffreedomrangFettestrembledwithexultationtoerceivehowfartheyhadalreadygonetowardsafety.

Fortwodayshecontinuedtowatch,withincreasingjoy,thedreadfulrocessofdisguise.

OnthethirddayMacfarlanemadehisaearance.Hehadbeenill,hesaid;buthemadeuforlosttimebytheenergywithwhichhedirectedthestudents.ToRichardsoninarticularheextendedthemostvaluableassistanceandadvice,andthatstudent,encouragedbytheraiseofthedemonstrator,burnedhighwithambitioushoes,andsawthemedalalreadyinhisgras.

BeforetheweekwasoutMacfarlane'srohecyhadbeenfulfilled.Fetteshadoutlivedhisterrorsandhadforgottenhisbaseness.Hebegantolumehimselfuonhiscourage,andhadsoarrangedthestoryinhismindthathecouldlookbackontheseeventswithanunhealthyride.Ofhisaccomlicehesawbutlittle.Theymet,ofcourse,inthebusinessoftheclass;theyreceivedtheirorderstogetherfromMr.K.Attimestheyhadawordortwoinrivate,andMacfarlanewasfromfirsttolastarticularlykindandjovial.Butitwaslainthatheavoidedanyreferencetotheircommonsecret;andevenwhenFetteswhiseredtohimthathehadcastinhislotwiththelionsandforswornthelambs,heonlysignedtohimsmilinglytoholdhiseace.