福尔摩斯探案集第5季 福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第10章Part1

福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第10章Part1  

On the day following the evening which had contained so many exciting events
McMurdo moved his lodgings from old Jacob Shafter's and took up his quarters at the Widow MacNamara's on the extreme outskirts of the town. Scanlan
his original acquaintance aboard the train
had occasion shortly afterwards to move into Vermissa
and the o lodged together. There was no other boarder
and the hostess was an easy-going old Irishwoman who left them to themselves; so that they had a freedom for speech and action wele to men who had secrets in mon.
Shafter had relented to the extent of letting McMurdo e to his meals there when he liked; so that his intercourse with Ettie was by no means broken. On the contrary
it drew closer and more intimate as the weeks went by.
In his bedroom at his new abode McMurdo felt it safe to take out the coining moulds
and under many a pledge of secrecy a number of brothers from the lodge were allowed to e in and see them
each carrying away in his pocket some examples of the false money
so cunningly struck that there was never the slightest difficulty or danger in passing it. Why
with such a wonderful art at his mand
McMurdo should condescend to work at all was a perpetual mystery to his panions; though he made it clear to anyone who asked him that if he lived without any visible means it would very quickly bring the police upon his track.
One policeman was indeed after him already; but the incident
as luck would have it
did the adventurer a great deal more good than harm. After the first introduction there were few evenings when he did not find his way to McGinty's saloon
there to make closer acquaintance with "the boys
" which was the jovial title by which the dangerous gang who infested the place were known to one another. His dashing manner and fearlessness of speech made him a favourite with them all; while the rapid and scientific way in which he polished off his antagonist in an "all in" bar-room scrap earned the respect of that rough munity. Another incident
however
raised him even higher in their estimation.
Just at the crowded hour one night
the door opened and a man entered with the quiet blue uniform and peaked cap of the mine police. This was a special body raised by the railways and colliery owners to supplement the efforts of the ordinary civil police
who were perfectly helpless in the face of the anized ruffianism which terrorized the district. There was a hush as he entered
and many a curious glance was cast at him; but the relations beeen policemen and criminals are peculiar in some parts of the States
and McGinty himself
standing behind his counter
showed no surprise when the policeman enrolled himself among his customers.
"A straight whisky; for the night is bitter
" said the police officer. "I don't think we have met before
Councillor?"
"You'll be the new captain?" said McGinty.
"That's so. We're looking to you
Councillor
and to the other leading citizens
to help us in upholding law and order in this township. Captain Marvin is my name."
"We'd do better without you
Captain Marvin
" said McGinty coldly; "for we have our own police of the township
and no need for any imported goods. What are you but the paid tool of the capitalists
hired by them to club or shoot your poorer fellow citizen?"
"Well
well
we won't argue about that
" said the police officer good-humouredly. "I expect we all do our duty same as we see it; but we can't all see it the same." He had drunk off his glass and had turned to go
when his eyes fell upon the face of Jack McMurdo
who was scowling at his elbow. "Hullo! Hullo!" he cried
looking him up and down. "Here's an old acquaintance!"
McMurdo shrank away from him. "I was never a friend to you nor any other cursed copper in my life
" said he.
"An acquaintance isn't always a friend
" said the police captain
grinning. "You're Jack McMurdo of Chicago
right enough
and don't you deny it!"
McMurdo shrugged his shoulders.
这天晚上发生了那么多激动人心的事件，到了第二天，麦克默多便从雅各布·谢夫特老人家里搬到镇子最尽头处寡妇麦克娜玛拉家中去住。他最早在火车上结交的朋友斯坎伦，不久也不约而同地搬到维尔米萨来了，两个人遂同住在一起。这里没有别的房客，女房东是一个很随和的爱尔兰老妇人，一点也不干涉他们的事。所以他们的言语、行动都很自由，这对于同怀隐私的这两个人可真是再好不过了。
谢夫特对麦克默多挺厚道，他高兴的时候，就请麦克默多到他家吃饭，所以，麦克默多和伊蒂的来往并没有中断。恰恰相反，一星期一星期地过去，他们的来往反而更频繁更亲密。
麦克默多觉得他的新居很安全，便把他铸伪币的模子搬到卧室中开起工来，而在保证绝不泄密的条件下，分会中的一些弟兄们就前来观看。在每个弟兄离开时，口袋里都装上一些伪币，这些伪币铸造得那么精巧，使用出去从来毫不费难，而且绝无危险。麦克默多有了这件绝技，却还要屈身去做工，这在他的会友看来实在是不解之谜。可是麦克默多对每一个问到他的人都说明，如果自己没有任何明摆着的收入，那警察很快就会来盘查他的。
一个警察确实已经盯上了麦克默多，不过这件枝节小事，巧得很，不仅没有给这位冒险家带来丝毫损害，反而使他声誉大振。自从第一天介绍他和弟兄们相见以后 ，麦克默多几乎每晚都设法到麦金蒂的酒馆里去，在那里更亲近地结识"哥儿们"，谁都知道，这是对那些出没此地的一伙危险人物的尊称。麦克默多刚毅果敢的性格和无所顾忌的言谈，早就博得全体兄弟们的喜爱。有一次，麦克默多在酒吧间的一场"自由式"拳击赛中迅速而技巧熟练地打败了对手，这又赢得了这些粗野之辈极大的尊敬。然而，另一件小事，使麦克默多在众人中更加提高了声望。
一天晚上，人们正在欢呼畅饮，忽然门开了，走进一个人来，身穿一套朴素的蓝制服，头戴一顶煤铁矿警察的尖顶帽子。因为矿区内，到处是一片恐怖，不断发生有组织的暴行，面对这种情况，普通警察完全束手无策。铁路局和矿主们便招募人员组成煤铁矿警察这一特别机构，用以补充普通警察的不足。这个警察一进门，大家顿时安静下来，许多人好奇地看着他。不过在美国各州，警察和罪犯之间的关系是很特殊的，因此，麦金蒂站在柜台后面，对这个警察混在他的顾客中，毫不感到惊奇。
“今晚天气太冷了，来点纯威士忌酒，"警官说道，“参议员先生，我们以前没见过面吧？”
“你是新来的队长吗？"麦金蒂问道。
“不错，我们是来拜访你的，参议员先生，还有其他的首领，请你们协助我们在本镇维护法律。我的名字叫马文，是煤铁矿警察队长。”
“我们这里很好，用不着你们来维持，马文队长，"麦金蒂冷冷地说道，“我们镇上有自己的警察，用不着什么进口货。你们不过是资本家花钱雇来的爪牙，除了用棍棒或枪支来对付穷苦老百姓之外．还能干什么？”
“好，好，我们不用争论这个，"警官和平地说道，“希望我们大家都各按己见同样尽自己的责任。不过我们的看法还不能完全一致。"他喝完了酒，转身要走，忽然眼光落到杰克·麦克默多的脸上，麦克默多正站在近处怒视着他。“喂！喂！"马文队长上下打量了麦克默多一番，大声喊道，“这里有一个老相识了。”
麦克默多从他身旁走开，说道：“我生来就没有和你交过朋友，也没有和什么别的万恶的警察做过朋友。”
“一个相识往往不是一个朋友，"警察队长咧嘴笑道，"你是芝加哥的杰克·麦克默多，一点也不错，你不要抵赖。”
麦克默多耸了耸肩膀。