登陆注册
5248600000024

第24章 Chapter Nine(2)

'A gang of us - a gang! I don't know what you mean,' Miss Spencer quavered.

'Oh, but you must know,' smiled Nella calmly. 'You can't possibly be so innocent as all that, Mrs Tom Jackson. You can't play games with me. You've just got to remember that I'm what you call a Yankee girl. There's one thing that I mean to find out, within the next five minutes, and that is - how your charming husband kidnapped Prince Eugen, and why he kidnapped him. Let us begin with the second question. You have evaded it once.'

Miss Spencer looked into Nella's face, and then her eyes dropped, and her fingers worked nervously with the tablecloth.

'How can I tell you,' she said, 'when I don't know? You've got the whip-hand of me, and you're tormenting me for your own pleasure.' She wore an expression of persecuted innocence.

'Did Mr Tom Jackson want to get some money out of Prince Eugen?'

'Money! Not he! Tom's never short of money.'

'But I mean a lot of money - tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands?'

'Tom never wanted money from anyone,' said Miss Spencer doggedly.

'Then had he some reason for wishing to prevent Prince Eugen from coming to London?'

'Perhaps he had. I don't know. If you kill me, I don't know.' Nella stopped to reflect. Then she raised the revolver. It was a mechanical, unintentional sort of action, and certainly she had no intention of using the weapon, but, strange to say, Miss Spencer again cowered before it. Even at that moment Nella wondered that a woman like Miss Spencer could be so simple as to think the revolver would actually be used. Having absolutely no physical cowardice herself, Nella had the greatest difficulty in imagining that other people could be at the mercy of a bodily fear. Still, she saw her advantage, and used it relentlessly, and with as much theatrical gesture as she could command. She raised the revolver till it was level with Miss Spencer's face, and suddenly a new, queer feeling took hold of her. She knew that she would indeed use that revolver now, if the miserable woman before her drove her too far. She felt afraid - afraid of herself; she was in the grasp of a savage, primeval instinct. In a flash she saw Miss Spencer dead at her feet - the police - a court of justice - the scaffold. It was horrible.

'Speak,' she said hoarsely, and Miss Spencer's face went whiter.

'Tom did say,' the woman whispered rapidly, awesomely, 'that if Prince Eugen got to London it would upset his scheme.'

'What scheme? What scheme? Answer me.'

'Heaven help me, I don't know.' Miss Spencer sank into a chair. 'He said Mr Dimmock had turned tail, and he should have to settle him and then Rocco - '

'Rocco! What about Rocco?' Nella could scarcely hear herself. Her grip of the revolver tightened.

Miss Spencer's eyes opened wider; she gazed at Nella with a glassy stare.

'Don't ask me. It's death!' Her eyes were fixed as if in horror.

'It is,' said Nella, and the sound of her voice seemed to her to issue from the lips of some third person.

'It's death,' repeated Miss Spencer, and gradually her head and shoulders sank back, and hung loosely over the chair. Nella was conscious of a sudden revulsion. The woman had surely fainted.

Dropping the revolver she ran round the table. She was herself again - feminine, sympathetic, the old Nella. She felt immensely relieved that this had happened. But at the same instant Miss Spencer sprang up from the chair like a cat, seized the revolver, and with a wild movement of the arm flung it against the window.

It crashed through the glass, exploding as it went, and there was a tense silence.

'I told you that you were a fool,' remarked Miss Spencer slowly, 'coming here like a sort of female Jack Sheppard, and trying to get the best of me.

We are on equal terms now. You frightened me, but I knew I was a cleverer woman than you, and that in the end, if I kept on long enough, I should win.

Now it will be my turn.'

Dumbfounded, and overcome with a miserable sense of the truth of Miss Spencer's words, Nella stood still. The idea of her colossal foolishness swept through her like a flood. She felt almost ashamed. But even at this juncture she had no fear. She faced the woman bravely, her mind leaping about in search of some plan.

She could think of nothing but a bribe - an enormous bribe.

'I admit you've won,' she said, 'but I've not finished yet. Just listen.'

Miss Spencer folded her arms, and glanced at the door, smiling bitterly.

'You know my father is a millionaire; perhaps you know that he is one of the richest men in the world. If I give you my word of honour not to reveal anything that you've told me, what will you take to let me go free?'

'What sum do you suggest?' asked Miss Spencer carelessly.

'Twenty thousand pounds,' said Nella promptly. She had begun to regard the affair as a business operation.

Miss Spencer's lip curled.

'A hundred thousand.'

Again Miss Spencer's lip curled.

'Well, say a million. I can rely on my father, and so may you.'

'You think you are worth a million to him?'

'I do,' said Nella.

'And you think we could trust you to see that it was paid?'

'Of course you could.'

'And we should not suffer afterwards in any way?'

'I would give you my word, and my father's word.'

'Bah!' exclaimed Miss Spencer: 'how do you know I wouldn't let you go free for nothing? You are only a rash, silly girl.'

'I know you wouldn't. I can read your face too well.'

'You are right,' Miss Spencer replied slowly. 'I wouldn't. I wouldn't let you go for all the dollars in America.'

Nella felt cold down the spine, and sat down again in her chair. Adraught of air from the broken window blew on her cheek. Steps sounded in the passage; the door opened, but Nella did not turn round. She could not move her eyes from Miss Spencer's. There was a noise of rushing water in her ears. She lost consciousness, and slipped limply to the ground.

同类推荐
  • 圆悟佛果禅师语录

    圆悟佛果禅师语录

    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。
  • 佛说解节经

    佛说解节经

    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。
  • Democracy An American Novel

    Democracy An American Novel

    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。
  • 仙杂记

    仙杂记

    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。
  • 菩萨处胎经

    菩萨处胎经

    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
  • 还珠格格第三部之天上人间(下)

    还珠格格第三部之天上人间(下)

    尔康展死沙场?紫薇决定殉情相随?!小燕子和紫薇婚后,到底发生了一些什么事?大而化之、状况不断的小燕子,能够当五阿哥的贤内助吗?乾隆南巡,又发生了什么事?夏盈盈和乾隆的忘年之爱,掀起了怎样的轩然大波?才华洋溢的知画,怎会进了皇宫,成为五阿哥的新娘?紫薇和尔康有了东儿,是不是就拥有了人生最大的幸福?幸福是什么?谁能抓住幸福,让它长长久久?箫剑和晴儿的苦恋,要面对怎样的风暴?清缅战争,永琪、尔康、箫剑都上了战场,付出怎样惨痛的代价?
  • 日日贪情

    日日贪情

    宝宝的新文:《夺妃》素手起国,烽火难断;金戈铁马,红颜铁血;红颜祸水,四国战乱起于此女!如水的双眸犀利地刺破黑暗,呈现着最美丽最残忍的一面。那段恩怨纠葛了不知道多少岁月,就在这悬崖绝壁之上并肩而立。合上丑陋的面具,她便是血染大地、只爱自己的复仇修罗---血琉璃!芸芸众生,命兮,谁知是由天而决,亦或因人而定?环环相扣的阴谋;为一统天下的纷争;血染大地的杀戳;伤害与出卖背后的真爱!----------------------------------------------------------------------------◆◆◆未经本人同意,请勿转载,否则追究其法律责任!!!◆◆◆本文暗黑,过程有少许部分镜头涉及暴力血腥,代表作者比较变态,不喜勿入!请不要捣乱!拒绝砖头!结局以(幸福大美满)为主!!!!!!!------------------文案:为了他,甘愿承受千年的炼狱之火,只为了等他;为了他,甘愿承载前生的记忆,只为了爱他。被惩罚的人始终要接受现实,承受劫难,千年前造下的孽今生还!七道轮回,天地人三界,今生重遇,不是要一命还一命。而是要延续一段几千年未有结果的一份孽情,一段真真正正至死不渝的爱情。可是,一切脱轨了...种下的孽果已无法弥补,一切只能让所有人成为他们幸福的垫脚石!被命运控制的枷锁,被遗忘的情,被伤害的心,被诅咒的爱。黑暗中的角落里,藏着不为人知的事情!所有已注定的事实,能否在今生冲破前生造下的孽?这是相爱,还是伤害?----**【情景一】**琥珀色的双眸微微眯紧,透着危险的精光,只见冰舜宇一手擒住了她的双手,一手便掐住她的下颚:“怎么?那么希望跟别的男人上床?嗯?还是说你这个妓女怕我满足不了你?”“求求你!宇!不要!不要!”上官若雪不停的嘶喊着,泪水断断续续的渗入枕头。“你要记住,你只是一个妓女,是一个人人可上的妓女!”冰舜宇不断用言语侮辱她的尊严,如野兽般疯狂的贯穿了她的身体!一阵剧烈地疼痛夹杂着血气喷涌而来,上官若雪疼得五官都皱在了一起。**【情景二】**脖子传来巨痛...腥甜的味道充斥着冰舜宇的鼻腔,激起了体内潜在的兽性!没有温柔的气息。没有爱意的欲望。
  • 虚空之皇

    虚空之皇

    刀锋的黯淡,只是为了见血封喉的犀利。一时的沉沦,只是为了否极泰来的崛起。当我从绝望的深渊走出,便是世界为我呼啸的时刻。且看破军,一个陨落的天才,是如何通过一次次的战斗,踩着别人的头颅,再度回到人生的巅峰。一经在手,天下我有。
  • 锦绣婚途:误惹纨绔痞少

    锦绣婚途:误惹纨绔痞少

    “唐诗诗,我劝你聪明点,孵不出蛋来就别厚颜无耻的占着窝!”婆婆扶着一个怀孕的女人找上门,无限傲娇。唐诗诗看看上门女人微微隆起的肚子,又看看她身边小心伺候着的婆婆,最后将目光落在一旁抿着唇自始至终没有打算开口的男人身上,心冷成冰。三年自以为是的幸福婚姻在这一刻成了一场狗血而俗气的笑话。六年的感情最后换来的是薄薄的小小的轻轻的一张支票:一千万!那个男人因为金钱权势背叛了他们的感情,而她却因为背叛而挥霍了他的钱。这场交易--看起来也貌似公平!最可恨的不是你被挖倒了墙角,而是那无节操的一堵破墙恶劣的公然返身还想要左拥右抱!妻子变xx?亏他想的出来!叔叔同意了!婶婶也同意了!TMD!唐诗诗忍无可忍!既然忍不下去了,那只好学着残忍!前夫悲愤的说:“你竟敢背叛我!唐诗诗,你什么时候变得这么不要脸!”唐诗诗讥诮道:“脸是个什么玩意?我要它何用?”离婚女人门前是非多,情敌步步紧逼连环陷害;前夫不要脸的公然提出“回到我身边!”,妄图左拥右抱;情根深种的大学学长闻讯回国,虚怀以待;就连养父母的弟弟都跟她住到同一个屋檐下频频示好;结果有人更绝,直接将唐诗诗拉进民政局--扯证!吃一堑长一智,再入豪门的唐诗诗脱胎换骨,见招拆招,发誓将自己的爱情,捍卫到底!推荐妖的新文《误嫁豪门之小妻难逃》:《三生三世凤临天下》:
  • 征刀霸主

    征刀霸主

    因未知原因,在战死后重生三年前的陈式抢得先机获取武神传承。陈式的目标很简单,那就是以手中的刀在这个以拳换权的世界,征伐!碾压!统治!从一方城主,到一国之王,再到建立皇朝,位及九五……不够!我要成为,天上地下唯一,永远镇压星球的圣帝!
  • 007谍海系列(全8册)

    007谍海系列(全8册)

    詹姆斯·邦备驰骋荧屏10年、经典电影原著小说中国大陆首次引进出版、震撼登陆詹姆斯·邦德横空出世——他是《第七情报员》“全世界最有魅力的”著名影星乌苏拉·安德丝被誉为最性感的邦德女士郞。
  • 吕祖金华宗旨阐幽问答

    吕祖金华宗旨阐幽问答

    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。
  • 世界上最神奇的24堂幸福课

    世界上最神奇的24堂幸福课

    有很多很多钱,就是幸福了吗? 人生的意义,究竟是要追寻什么? 不幸福的怪圈跳得出去吗?……幸福不是被上帝藏起来了,是因为它一直像尾巴一样跟随着你才没有引起你的注意!看到生活中光明的一面,肯定自己的能力,承认不完美,走出无法幸福的瓶颈,享受美丽人生。
  • 斗魄巅峰

    斗魄巅峰

    他被鉴定为弃族之人,被村子无情抛弃!在古陨山中却被一只“小狗”给救了下来······经历数次挫折,终得修炼法诀!且看我热血刀锋对抗这无情世界。闯天涯,得真情!炼神丹,夺造化!雄赳赳,气昂昂,凌绝顶,掌风云!
  • 秋风梦

    秋风梦

    一见钟情的幼年夫妻,本以为能执手偕老,却抵不过命运的玩笑。世人皆道她水性杨花,不守妇道,连他也对她恶言相对,白眼相看。后来的后来,每当他来到时,她都会为他特意画一个半面妆。直到那个乱世之秋身死,才恍然发觉只是一场镜花水月的梦,得不了,忘不掉…!!be慎入,改自南朝梁“半面妆”典故