福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第10章Part8

"Twelve years have now elapsed since the first assassinations which proved the existence of a criminal organization in our midst. From that day these outrages have never ceased, until now they have reached a pitch which makes us the opprobrium of the civilized world. Is it for such results as this that our great country welcomes to its bosom the alien who flies from the despotisms of Europe? Is it that they shall themselves become tyrants over the very men who have given them shelter, and that a state of terrorism and lawlessness should be established under the very shadow of the sacred folds of the starry Flag of Freedom which would raise horror in our minds if we read of it as existing under the most effete monarchy of the East? The men are known. The organization is patent and public. How long are we to endure it? Can we forever live--
Sure, I've read enough of the slush!" cried the chairman, tossing the paper down upon the table. "That's what he says of us. The question I'm asking you is what shall we say to him?"
"Kill him!" cried a dozen fierce voices.
"I protest against that," said Brother Morris, the man of the good brow and shaved face. "I tell you, Brethren, that our hand is too heavy in this valley, and that there will come a point where in self-defense every man will unite to crush us out. James Stanger is an old man. He is respected in the township and the district. His paper stands for all that is solid in the valley. If that man is struck down, there will be a stir through this state that will only end with our destruction."
"And how would they bring about our destruction, Mr. Standback?" cried McGinty. "Is it by the police? Sure, half of them are in our pay and half of them afraid of us. Or is it by the law courts and the judge? Haven't we tried that before now, and what ever came of it?"
"There is a Judge Lynch that might try the case," said Brother Morris.
A general shout of anger greeted the suggestion.
"I have but to raise my finger," cried McGinty, "and I could put two hundred men into this town that would clear it out from end to end." Then suddenly raising his voice and bending his huge black brows into a terrible frown, "See here, Brother Morris, I have my eye on you, and have had for some time! You've no heart yourself, and you try to take the heart out of others. It will be an ill day for you, Brother Morris, when your own name comes on our agenda paper, and I'm thinking that it's just there that I ought to place it."
Morris had turned deadly pale, and his knees seemed to give way under him as he fell back into his chair. He raised his glass in his trembling hand and drank before he could answer. "I apologize, Eminent Bodymaster, to you and to every brother in this lodge if I have said more than I should. I am a faithful member--you all know that--and it is my fear lest evil come to the lodge which makes me speak in anxious words. But I have greater trust in your judgment than in my own, Eminent Bodymaster, and I promise you that I will not offend again."
The Bodymaster's scowl relaxed as he listened to the humble words. "Very good, Brother Morris. It's myself that would be sorry if it were needful to give you a lesson. But so long as I am in this chair we shall be a united lodge in word and in deed. And now, boys," he continued, looking round at the company, "I'll say this much, that if Stanger got his full deserts there would be more trouble than we need ask for. These editors hang together, and every journal in the state would be crying out for police and troops. But I guess you can give him a pretty severe warning. Will you fix it, Brother Baldwin?"
"Sure!" said the young man eagerly.
"How many will you take?"

自首次暗殺事件發生，即示明我區存在犯罪組織，現已流逝十二載。唯自斯日始，此類暴行迄未間斷。時至今日，彼等已登峯造極，竟使吾人蒙受文明世界之恥。吾國當日歡納自歐洲專制政體下逃亡之移民，何曾預想此等結果？彼等竟欲欺凌當日賴以棲身之恩主，自作暴戾，而此等恐怖暴虐、目無法紀，竟在自由之星條旗幟聖神掩蓋之下確立，頓使吾人心目中引起驚恐，尤如置身於最衰朽之東方君主國中者。彼等之名，人所共知。此組織亦公開。吾人對此容忍何日方休？吾人品能常此生活……'
“夠了，這種廢話我念夠了！"麥金蒂把報紙扔到桌上，高聲喊道，“這就是斯坦格關於我們的報道。我現在對你們提出的問題是，我們對他怎樣處理？”
“殺死他！"十幾個人的聲音殺氣騰騰地喊道。
“我反對這樣做，"那個長着一雙濃眉、臉颳得乾乾淨淨的莫里斯兄弟說道，“弟兄們，我告訴你們，我們在這個山谷中所施的手段太狠了，他們出於自衛勢必要聯合起來消滅我們。詹姆士·斯坦格是一個老人。他在鎮上和區裏都很受敬重。他發行的報紙在這山谷中也有牢固的基礎。如果這個人被我們殺害，一定會震動全國，最後結局只能是我們的毀滅。”
“他們怎麼樣能使我們毀滅呢？懦夫先生，"麥金蒂叫道，“用警察嗎？肯定說，一半警察是受我們僱用的，另一半害怕我們。也許用法庭和法官來對付我們？我們以前不是見識過嗎？結果又怎麼樣呢？”
“法官林奇可能來審訊這件案子的，"莫里斯兄弟說道。
大家聽了，都怒喊起來。
“只要我伸出手指，"麥金蒂喊道，“我就可以派二百個人到城裏把他們徹底清除出去。"然後，雙眉緊皺，突然提高了聲音，“喂，莫里斯兄弟，我早已注意到你了。你自己不忠心，還要讓別人離心離德。莫里斯兄弟，當你自己的名字也列入我們的議事日程時，就是你的黑煞日了。我想我正應當把尊名提出來列到日程上去。”
莫里斯立刻面色蒼白，雙膝顫抖，癱倒在椅子上，顫巍巍地舉啤酒杯，喝了一口，答道：“尊敬的身主，假如我說了我不應該說的話，我向你和會中諸位弟兄道歉。你們大家都知道，我是一個忠心的會友，剛纔也是我唯恐會裏招來不幸，所以說出這樣憂慮的話來。可是，尊敬的身主，我絕對相信你的裁決，甚於相信我自己，我保證以後再也不敢冒犯了。”
身主聽他說得這樣謙卑，臉上的怒氣消失了。“很好，莫里斯兄弟。我也不願對你加以教訓。可是，只要我在領導之位，我們分會在言和行上就要統一。現在，弟兄們，"他看了看周圍的弟兄，繼續說道，“我還要再說一下，如果斯坦格得到他完全應受的懲罰，那我們就會招來更多的麻煩。一旦這些新聞記者串通起來，國內每一家報刊就都會向警察和部隊呼籲了。不過我認爲你可以給他一次相當嚴厲的警告。鮑德溫兄弟，你來安排一下好嗎？”
“當然了！"這個年輕人熱烈地應道。
“你要帶多少人去？”