the garotters-第1部分

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The　Garotters

by　William　D。　Howells







PART　FIRST




SCENE　I：　　MRS。　ROBERTS；　THEN　MR。　ROBERTS



At　the　window　of　her　apartment　in　Hotel　Bellingham；　Mrs。　Roberts
stands　looking　out　into　the　early　nightfall。　　A　heavy　snow　is
driving　without；　and　from　time　to　time　the　rush　of　the　wind　and　the
sweep　of　the　flakes　against　the　panes　are　heard。　　At　the　sound　of
hurried　steps　in　the　anteroom；　Mrs。　Roberts　turns　from　the　window；
and　runs　to　the　portiere；　through　which　she　puts　her　head。

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Is　that　you；　Edward？　　So　dark　here！　　We　ought　really
to　keep　the　gas　turned　up　all　the　time。'

MR。　ROBERTS；　in　a　muffled　voice；　from　without：　　'Yes；　it's　I。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Well；　hurry　in　to　the　fire；　do！　　Ugh；　what　a　storm！
Do　you　suppose　anybody　will　come？　　You　must　be　half　frozen；　you　poor
thing！　　Come　quick；　or　you'll　certainly　perish！'　　She　flies　from　the
portiere　to　the　fire　burning　on　the　hearth；　pokes　it；　flings　on　a
log；　jumps　back；　brushes　from　her　dress　with　a　light　shriek　the
sparks　driven　out　upon　it；　and　continues　talking　incessantly　in　a
voice　lifted　for　her　husband　to　hear　in　the　anteroom。　　'If　I'd
dreamed　it　was　any　such　storm　as　this；　I　should　never　have　let　you
go　out　in　it　in　the　world。　　It　wasn't　at　all　necessary　to　have　the
flowers。　　I　could　have　got　on　perfectly　well；　and　I　believe　NOW　the
table　would　look　better　without　them。　　The　chrysanthemums　would　have
been　quite　enough；　and　I　know　you've　taken　more　cold。　　I　could　tell
it　by　your　voice　as　soon　as　you　spoke；　and　just　as　quick　as　they're
gone　to…night　I'm　going　to　have　you　bathe　your　feet　in　mustard　and
hot　water；　and　take　eight　of　aconite；　and　go　straight　to　bed。　　And　I
don't　want　you　to　eat　very　much　at　dinner；　dear；　and　you　must　be
sure　not　to　drink　any　coffee；　or　the　aconite　won't　be　of　the　least
use。'　　She　turns　and　encounters　her　husband；　who　enters　through　the
portiere；　his　face　pale；　his　eyes　wild；　his　white　necktie　pulled　out
of　knot；　and　his　shirt　front　rumpled。　　'Why；　Edward；　what　in　the
world　is　the　matter？　　What　has　happened？'

ROBERTS；　sinking　into　a　chair：　　'Get　me　a　glass　of　water；　Agnes
winewhiskybrandy'

MRS。　ROBERTS；　bustling　wildly　about：　　'Yes；　yes。　　But　whatBella！
Bridget！　　Maggy！Oh；　I'll　go　for　it　myself；　and　I　WON'T　stop　to
listen！　　Onlyonly　don't　die！'　　While　Roberts　remains　with　his　eyes
shut；　and　his　head　sunk　on　his　breast　in　token　of　extreme
exhaustion；　she　disappears　and　reappears　through　the　door　leading　to
her　chamber；　and　then　through　the　portiere　cutting　off　the　dining…
room。　　She　finally　descends　upon　her　husband　with　a　flagon　of
cologne　in　one　hand；　a　small　decanter　of　brandy　in　the　other；　and　a
wineglass　held　in　the　hollow　of　her　arm　against　her　breast。　　She
contrives　to　set　the　glass　down　on　the　mantel　and　fill　it　from　the
flagon；　then　she　turns　with　the　decanter　in　her　hand；　and　while　she
presses　the　glass　to　her　husband's　lips；　begins　to　pour　the　brandy
on　his　head。　　'Here！　this　will　revive　you；　and　it'll　refresh　you　to
have　this　cologne　on　your　head。'

ROBERTS；　rejecting　a　mouthful　of　the　cologne　with　a　furious　sputter；
and　springing　to　his　feet：　　'Why；　you've　given　me　the　cologne　to
DRINK；　Agnes！　　What　are　you　about？　　Do　you　want　to　poison　me？　　Isn't
it　enough　to　be　robbed　at　six　o'clock　on　the　Common；　without　having
your　head　soaked　in　brandy；　and　your　whole　system　scented　up　like　a
barber's　shop；　when　you　get　home？'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Robbed？'　　She　drops　the　wineglass；　puts　the　decanter
down　on　the　hearth；　and　carefully　bestowing　the　flagon　of　cologne　in
the　wood…box；　abandons　herself　to　justice：　　'Then　let　them　come　for
me　at　once；　Edward！　　If　I　could　have　the　heart　to　send　you　out　in
such　a　night　as　this　for　a　few　wretched　rosebuds；　I'm　quite　equal　to
poisoning　you。　　Oh；　Edward；　WHO　robbed　you？'

ROBERTS：　　'That's　what　I　don't　know。'　　He　continues　to　wipe　his　head
with　his　handkerchief；　and　to　sputter　a　little　from　time　to　time。
'All　I　know　is　that　when　I　gotphew！to　that　dark　spot　by　the　Frog
Pond；　just　byphew！that　little　group　ofphew！evergreens；　you
knowphew！'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Yes；　yes；　go　on！　　I　can　bear　it；　Edward。'

ROBERTS：　　'a　man　brushed　heavily　against　me；　and　then　hurried　on
in　the　other　direction。　　I　had　unbuttoned　my　coat　to　look　at　my
watch　under　the　lamp…post；　and　after　he　struck　against　me　I　clapped
my　hand　to　my　waistcoat；　andphew！'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Waistcoat！　　Yes！'

ROBERTS：　　'found　my　watch　gone。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'What！　　Your　watch？　　The　watch　Willis　gave　you？　　Made
out　of　the　gold　that　he　mined　himself　when　he　first　went　out　to
California？　　Don't　ask　me　to　believe　it；　Edward！　　But　I'm　only　too
glad　that　you　escaped　with　your　life。　　Let　them　have　the　watch　and
welcome。　　Oh；　nay　dear；　dear　husband！'　　She　approaches　him　with
extended　arms；　and　then　suddenly　arrests　herself。　　'But　you've　got
it　on！'

ROBERTS；　with　as　much　returning　dignity　as　can　comport　with　his
dishevelled　appearance：　　'Yes；　I　took　it　from　him。'　　At　his　wife's
speechless　astonishment：　　'I　went　after　him　and　took　it　from　him。'
He　sits　down；　and　continues　with　resolute　calm；　while　his　wife
remains　standing　before　him　motionless：　　'Agnes；　I　don't　know　how　I
came　to　do　it。　　I　wouldn't　have　believed　I　could　do　it。　　I've　never
thought　that　I　had　much　couragephysical　courage；　but　when　I　felt
my　watch　was　gone；　a　sort　of　frenzy　came　over　me。　　I　wasn't　hurt；
and　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　realised　what　an　abominable
outrage　theft　was。　　The　thought　that　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；
in　the　very　heart　of　a　great　city　like　Boston；　an　inoffensive
citizen　could　be　assaulted　and　robbed；　made　me　furious。　　I　didn't
call　out。　　I　simply　buttoned　my　coat　tight　round　me　and　turned　and
ran　after　the　fellow。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Edward！'

ROBERTS：　　'Yes；　I　did。　　He　hadn't　got　half…a…dozen　rods　awayit　all
took　place　in　a　flashand　I　could　easily　run　him　down。　　He　was
considerably　larger　than　I'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Oh！'

ROBERTS：　　'and　he　looked　young　and　very　athletic；　but　these　things
didn't　seem　to　make　any　impression　on　me。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Oh；　I　wonder　that　you　live　to　tell　the　tale；
Edward！'

ROBERTS：　　'Well；　I　wonder　a　little　at　myself。　　I　don't　set　up　for　a
great　deal　of'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'But　I　always　knew　you　had　it！　　Go　on。　　Oh；　when　I
tell　Willis　of　this！　　Had　the　robber　any　accomplices？　　Were　there
many　of　them？'

ROBERTS：　　'I　only　saw　one。　　And　I　saw　that　my　only　chance　was　to
take　him　at　a　disadvantage。　　I　sprang　upon　him；　and　pulled　him　over
on　his　back。　　I　merely　said；　〃I'll　trouble　you　for　that　watch　of
mine；　if　you　please；〃　jerked　open　his　coat；　snatched　the　watch　from
his　pocketI　broke　the　chain；　I　seeand　then　left　him　and　ran
again。　　He　didn't　make　the　slightest　resistance　nor　utter　a　word。
Of　course　it　wouldn't　do　for　him　to　make　any　noise　about　it；　and　I
dare　say　he　was　glad　to　get　off　so　easily。'　　With　affected
nonchalance：　　'I'm　pretty　badly　rumpled；　I　see。　　He　fell　against　me；
and　a　scuffle　like　that　doesn't　improve　one's　appearance。'

MRS。　ROBERTS；　very　solemnly：　　'Edward！　　I　don't　know　what　to　say！
Of　course　it　makes　my　blood　run　cold　to　realise　what　you　have　been
through；　and　to　think　what　might　have　happened；　but　I　think　you
behaved　splendidly。　　Why；　I　never　heard　of　such　perfect　heroism！
You　needn't　tell　ME　that　he　made　no　resistance。　　There　was　a　deadly
struggleyour　necktie　and　everything　about　you　shows　it。　　And　you
needn't　think　there　was　only　one　of　them'

ROBERTS；　modestly：　　'I　don't　believe　there　was　more。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Nonsense！　　There　are　ALWAYS　two！　　I've　read　the
accounts　of　those　garottings。　　And　to　think　you　not　only　got　out　of
their　clutches　alive；　but　got　your　property　backWillis's　watch！
Oh；　what　WILL　Willis　say？　　But　I　know　how　proud　of　you　he'll　be。
Oh；　I　wish　I　could　scream　it　from　the　house…tops。　　Why　didn't　you
call　the　police？'

ROBERTS：　　'I　didn't　thinkI　hadn't　time　to　think。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'No　matter。　　I'm　glad　you　have　ALL　the　glory　of　it。
I　don't　believe　you　half　realise　what　you've　been　through　now。　　And
perhaps　this　was　the　robbers'　first　attempt；　and　it　will　be　a　lesson
to　them。　　Oh　yes！　　I'm　glad　you　let　them　escape；　Edward。　　They　may
have　families。　　If　every　one　behaved　as　you've　done；　there　would
soon　be　an　end　of　garotting。　　But；　oh！　　I　can't　bear　to　think　of　the
danger　you've　run。　　And　I　want　you　to　promise　me　never；　never　to
undertake　such　a　thing　again！'

ROBERTS：　　'Well；　I　don't　know'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Yes；　yes；　you　must！　　Suppose　you　had　got　killed　in
that　awful　struggle　with　those　reckless　wretches　tugging　to　get　away
from　you！　　Think　of　the　children！　　Why；　you　might　have　burst　a
blood…vessel！　　Will　you　promise；　Edward？　　Promise　this　instant；　on
your　bended　knees；　just　as　if　you　were　in　a　court　of　justice！'　　Mrs。
Roberts's　excitement　mounts；　and　she　flings　herself　at　her　husband's
feet；　and　pulls　his　face　down　to　hers　with　the　arm　she　has　thrown
about　his　neck。　　'Will　you　promise？'



SCENE　II：　　MRS。　CRASHAW；　MR。　AND　MRS。　ROBERTS



MRS。　CRASHAW；　entering　unobserved：　　'Promise　you　what；　Agnes？　　The
man　doesn't　smoke　NOW。　　What　more　can　you　ask？'　　She　starts　back
from　the　spectacle　of　Roberts's　disordered　dress。　　'Why；　what's
happened　to　you；　Edward？'

MRS。　ROBERTS；　springing　to　her　feet：　　'Oh；　you　may　well　ask　that；
Aunt　Mary！　　Happened？　　You　ought　to　fall　down　and　worship　him！　　And
you　WILL　when　you　know　what　he's　been　through。　　He's　been　robbed！'

MRS。　CRASHAW：　　'Robbed？　　What　nonsense！　　Who　robbed　him？　　WHERE　was
he　robbed？'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'He　was　attacked　by　two　garotters'

ROBERTS：　　'No；　no'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Don't　speak；　Edward！　　I　KNOW　there　were　two。　　On　the
Common。　　Not　half　an　hour　ago。　　As　he　was　going　to　get　me　some
rosebuds。　　In　the　midst　of　this　terrible　storm。'

MRS。　CRASHAW：　　'Is　this　true；　Edward？'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Don't　answer；　Edward！　　One　of　the　band　threw　his　arm
round　Edward's　neckso。'　　She　illustrates　by　garotting　Mrs。
Crashaw；　who　disengages　herself　with　difficulty。

MRS。　CRASHAW：　　'Mercy；　child！　　What　ARE　you　doing　to　my　lace？'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'And　the　other　one　snatched　his　watch；　and　ran　as
fast　as　he　could。'

MRS。　CRASHAW：　　'Willi