福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第9章Part14

"Yes, it is, Ted Baldwin," said McGinty, with a wicked stare. "Is it you that would dispute it?"
"You would throw over one that has stood by you this five years in favour of a man that you never saw before in your life? You're not Bodymaster for life, Jack McGinty, and by God! when next it comes to a vote--"
The Councillor sprang at him like a tiger. His hand closed round the other's neck, and he hurled him back across one of the barrels. In his mad fury he would have squeezed the life out of him if McMurdo had not interfered.
"Easy, Councillor! For heaven's sake, go easy!" he cried, as he dragged him back.
McGinty released his hold, and Baldwin, cowed and shaken gasping for breath, and shivering in every limb, as one who has looked over the very edge of death, sat up on the barrel over which he had been hurled.
"You've been asking for it this many a day, Ted Baldwin--now you've got it!" cried McGinty, his huge chest rising and falling. "Maybe you think if I was voted down from Bodymaster you would find yourself in my shoes. It's for the lodge to say that. But so long as I am the chief I'll have no man lift his voice against me or my rulings."
"I have nothing against you," mumbled Baldwin, feeling his throat.
"Well, then," cried the other, relapsing in a moment into a bluff joviality, "we are all good friends again and there's an end of the matter."
He took a bottle of champagne down from the shelf and twisted out the cork.
"See now," he continued, as he filled three high glasses. "Let us drink the quarrelling toast of the lodge. After that, as you know, there can be no bad blood between us. Now, then the left hand on the apple of my throat. I say to you, Ted Baldwin, what is the offense, sir?"
"The clouds are heavy," answered Baldwin
"But they will forever brighten."
"And this I swear!"
The men drank their glasses, and the same ceremony was performed between Baldwin and McMurdo.

“對，是這樣，特德·鮑德溫，"麥金蒂惡狠狠地盯着他說道，“你還要爭論麼？”
“你爲了袒護一個素昧平生的人，難道要拋棄一個五年來恩難與共的朋友嗎？你不會一輩子都做身主的，傑克·麥金蒂，老天有眼，下一次再選舉時……”
麥金蒂餓虎撲食一般撲到鮑德溫身上，一隻手掐住鮑德溫的脖子，把他推到一隻酒桶上去，要不是麥克默多阻攔，麥金蒂盛怒之下準會把鮑德溫扼死的。
“慢着，參議員先生！看在上帝份上，彆着急！"麥克默多把他拉回來。
麥金蒂鬆開手，鮑德溫嚇得奄奄一息，渾身顫抖，活象一個死裏逃生的人，坐在他剛纔撞着的酒桶上。
“特德·鮑德溫，好多天來你就在自找這個。現在你總算滿意了吧，"麥金蒂呼呼地喘着，大聲叫道，“也許你以爲我選不上身主，你就能取代我的地位。可是隻要我是這裏的首領，我決不讓一個人提高嗓門反對我，違抗我的公斷。”
“我並沒有反對你啊，"鮑德溫用手撫摸着咽喉，嘟嘟噥噥地說道。
“好，那麼，"麥金蒂立刻裝成很高興的樣子，高聲說道，“大家又都是好朋友了，這事就算完了。”
麥金蒂從架子上取下一瓶香檳酒來，打開瓶塞。
“現在，"麥金蒂把酒倒滿三隻高腳杯，繼續說道：“讓我們大家爲和好而乾杯。從今以後，你們明白，我們不能互相記仇。現在，我的好朋友，特德·鮑德溫，我是跟你說話呢，你還生氣嗎？先生。”
“陰雲依然籠罩着。”
“不過即將永遠光輝燦爛。”
“我發誓，但願如此。”
他們飲了酒，鮑德溫和麥克默多也照樣客套了一番。