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.