登陆注册
5191600000010

第10章

Lieutenant Temple, who alone of all those present kept up a certain superficial friendship with Irwin, remarked, "Somebody must go after him to see that he does not do something foolish in his first excitement."He turned as if to leave the room, but a call from McGregor stopped him.

"It will be no use, Temple, unless you are able to calm him in some way or other.In my opinion there is only one thing to do.He must be persuaded that the whole affair is only a joke, and that the cards had been shuffled beforehand."The Lieutenant went back to the table.

"The suggestion of this way of putting it does you honour, Captain;only I have my doubts if any of us would have the courage to go to him with this manifest lie."The silence of the others appeared to confirm this doubt, when the decisive voice of the German guest interrupted with--"Will you entrust me, gentlemen, with this mission? I know Captain Irwin only slightly, it is true, and should have no reason to interfere with his private concerns; but I hear that it is his wife's property which has been at stake here, and as I consider Mrs.Irwin a very honourable lady I would gladly do my best to save her from such a heavy pecuniary loss."McGregor held out his hand.

"You would place me under a great obligation, Mr.Heideck, if you could succeed in this matter, but I warn you that there is no time to lose."Heideck quickly left the tent, but when he had come out into the delicious moonlight night the first thing that met his eye was Captain Irwin, some twenty yards distant, standing by his horse.

The servant held the animal by the bridle, and Captain Irwin was about to mount.On coming nearer he saw the servant move off and perceived that Irwin held a revolver in his hand.With a quick motion he seized the officer's wrist.

"One moment, Captain Irwin."

Irwin started, turned round, and looked with fury at Heideck.

"I beg your pardon," said the German, "but you are labouring under a mistake, Captain.The game was all a jest; they were playing a trick upon you.The cards were arranged beforehand."Irwin made no reply, but whistled to his servant and went back into the tent, revolver still in hand, without a single word to Heideck.

Heideck followed.Both gentlemen stepped up to the card-table, and Irwin turned to McGregor.

"You tell me the game was all a got-up thing, do you?" he asked.

"As a lesson to you, Irwin--you who always plunge as a madman, and imagine yourself a good player, when you have not the necessary cold blood for gambling.""Well," said Irwin, "that is a story that I will take care goes the round of all the garrisons in India, as an instance of kind comrade-like feeling, so that everyone may be warned against coming along here and being induced to take a hand.I never in my life came across a more despicable story; but it certainly is a lesson for me, that only honourable persons should be--""No, Captain Irwin," said McGregor, standing bolt upright, levelling at his insulter a withering look from his great blue eyes, "you should rather think of your poor wife, whom you would have made a pauper if this game had not been all a hoax."Irwin reeled back; the revolver fell from his grasp.

"What," he gasped--"what do you mean? It was, then, no joke, after all.I, then, really lost the money? Oh, you--you-- But what do you take me for? Be quite certain that I will pay.But,"he cried, collecting himself, "I should like to know what the real truth is, after all.I ask this question of you all, and call you rogues and liars if you do not tell me the truth.Have I only really been played with, or has the game been a straightforward one?""Captain Irwin," replied the Major, advancing towards him, "I, as the senior, tell you, in the name of our comrades, that your behaviour would have been unpardonable unless a sort of madness had seized you.The game was a straightforward one, and only the generosity of Captain McGregor--"1

同类推荐
  • Barchester Towers

    Barchester Towers

    The death of old Dr Grantly, who had for many years filled the chair with meek authority, took place exactly as the ministry of Lord - was going to give place to that Lord.汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 顾竹侯灯窗漫录

    顾竹侯灯窗漫录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞玄灵宝三师记

    洞玄灵宝三师记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 此山诗集

    此山诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Importance of Being Earnest

    The Importance of Being Earnest

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 峡江地区汉晋墓葬文化因素分析

    峡江地区汉晋墓葬文化因素分析

    《峡江地区汉晋墓葬文化因素分析》是索德浩在硕士论文基础上修改出版的,前后历经数载,反复补充了不少资料,是今天研究长江流域汉晋以来墓葬考古和相关历史背景的一部颇具参考价值的著作。
  • 嫁入豪门:老公你别跑

    嫁入豪门:老公你别跑

    当我虚弱的站在你的身后,背对着我,牵着身旁新娘的你,又会是什么样的表情?原以为你会如往事一般被风吹散,却不曾想对你的爱已经深入骨髓!
  • 母亲在远行

    母亲在远行

    火车,舅妈的贵人,飞奔,飞奔,她终是奔跑太慢,跑不过生命的旅程。舅妈坚持不住了,她缩在大大的旗袍里,颈边,腋下,胸前,都开放着黄裁缝盘出的美丽兰花。她的大眼睛,望着对面的车窗,天,就快亮了,晨曦一点点露出来。我看见星星和月亮,那么明亮。舅妈,也看见了,她露出微笑,带着少女的羞涩和腼腆,让那些美丽的星星,将她带走,永不归还。我的舅妈,死在火车上。
  • 大水

    大水

    万景桥上聚集着百号人。万景桥是省城唯一一座造型优美的拱形大桥,万景河从桥下流过,把城市一分为二。人们趴在栏杆上,俯身看着从没有见过的惊人大水从桥下缓缓流过,都在议论着全省各地传来的可怕雨情,骑车上班的人,干脆把车子停下,看个仔细,也有小轿车偶尔停下,走出一位首长,满脸忧戚,看看水面,暗自叹息一声,又钻进小轿车,在众人的目光中远去。还有从城东城西专程赶来观看水情的市民,人们看看已经漫到桥孔顶端的大水,又看看阴丝丝的天,都吸着凉气,赶回家去买米。唯有不懂事的孩子,兴奋地往河面上吐着唾沫。
  • 落霞孤鹜

    落霞孤鹜

    民国初年,落霞和玉如本是两位苦命的女子,在留养院的相遇,自小与父母失散,被人贩子卖到官宦人家当仆人,不堪富贵人家的百般虐待,一心寻死的落霞,与童年丧母,受尽继母凌辱,被亲戚视为累赘的玉如,一见如故结拜成异性姐妹;可命运的捉弄却让她们爱上了同一个优秀男人江秋鹜,正是这种朴实无华的写法,达到了“浑然天成而真切的”的境界,因此小说出版之后,立即就改编并拍成电影,由著名影后胡蝶主演。
  • Billy Baxter's Letters

    Billy Baxter's Letters

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 习惯解析

    习惯解析

    作为人生的追求者,茫茫人海,关键在于找到属于自己的名家导师,关键在于找到鼓舞自己的名言警句,当然,最关键的是在这些金玉良言的指导下付诸切实的行动。为此,我们荟萃了古今中外的名家巨人,其中有科技精英、文坛泰斗、艺术巨匠、政治领袖、军事将帅、思想圣哲、财富巨商、体坛英豪、影视名人、探索英雄等,汇编了这套《世界名人名言金典》。这些名言金句句句经典,字字珠玑,精辟睿智,闪耀着智慧的光芒和精神的力量,具有很强的鼓舞性、哲理性和启迪性。具有成功心理暗示和潜在力量开发的功能,不仅可以成为我们的座右铭,还能增进自律的能力。
  • 重生王牌妻:帝少,别嚣张!

    重生王牌妻:帝少,别嚣张!

    (重生、爽文)她历经多次重生,从初次的欢喜到厌世。这一世,她不得不为自己与朋友,重操旧业。一切从头开始,奔波于各个国家,游走在枪林弹雨,游离在黑暗地带之中。蓦然回首,他始终在她身后,终其晚已......千百年后的中夏,一直流传着她的神话,代代相传,永垂青史!片段一:站军姿在站四小时后,某人还是气定神闲的样子。刘教官好奇一问,“你不累?”“因为笨,之前上学总是被罚站。”躺枪的老师:???我什么时候罚过你,我自己怎么不知道?众人猝,你个高考状元竟然说自己笨!那我们算什么?
  • 论如何杀掉快老死的作者

    论如何杀掉快老死的作者

    我们都是井中的青蛙,守着自己的一亩三分地,便自以为看见了世界。而那些真正看到世界的人,他们在神经病院里呢,我们称呼他们为疯子。因为他们不愿和我们一样呆在井里,他们要出去。他们,不合群。【PS:如果发现这本书设定前后出现矛盾甚至颠倒,这很正常,因为这一面,才是深渊啊。】
  • Tom Grogan

    Tom Grogan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。