福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第9章Part13
"It was you, Councillor." McMurdo drew a cocked pistol from the side pocket of his peajacket. "I was covering you all the time. I guess my shot would have been as quick as yours."
"By Gar!" McGinty flushed an angry red and then burst into a roar of laughter. "Say, we've had no such holy terror come to hand this many a year. I reckon the lodge will learn to be proud of you.... Well, what the hell do you want? And can't I speak alone with a gentleman for five minutes but you must butt in on us?"
The bartender stood abashed. "I'm sorry, Councillor, but it's Ted Baldwin. He says he must see you this very minute."
The message was unnecessary; for the set, cruel face of the man himself was looking over the servant's shoulder. He pushed the bartender out and closed the door on him.
"So," said he with a furious glance at McMurdo, "you got here first, did you? I've a word to say to you, Councillor, about this man."
"Then say it here and now before my face," cried McMurdo.
"I'll say it at my own time, in my own way."
"Tut! Tut!" said McGinty, getting off his barrel. "This will never do. We have a new brother here, Baldwin, and it's not for us to greet him in such fashion. Hold out your hand, man, and make it up!"
"Never!" cried Baldwin in a fury.
"I've offered to fight him if he thinks I have wronged him," said McMurdo. "I'll fight him with fists, or, if that won't satisfy him, I'll fight him any other way he chooses. Now, I'll leave it to you, Councillor, to judge between us as a Bodymaster should."
"What is it, then?"
"A young lady. She's free to choose for herself."
"Is she?" cried Baldwin.
"As between two brothers of the lodge I should say that she was," said the Boss.
"Oh, that's your ruling, is it?"
“是你，參議員先生。"麥克默多從他粗呢上裝口袋裏掏出一支張開機頭的手槍，說道，“我一直在瞄準你。我想我開起槍來是不會比你慢的。”
麥金蒂氣得滿臉通紅，後來爆發出一陣大笑。“哎呀！"他說道，“喂，多年沒見象你這樣可怕的傢伙了。我想分會一定將以你爲榮的……喂，你究竟要幹什麼？我不能單獨和一位先生談五分鐘嗎？爲什麼你非打擾我們不行呢？”
酒吧間的侍者惶惑地站在那裏，報告說：“很抱歉，參議員先生。不過特德·鮑德溫先生說他一定要在此刻見你。”
其實已用不着侍者通報了，因爲這個人本人已經把他兇惡的面孔從僕役的肩上探進來。他一把推出侍者，把門關上。
“那麼說，"他怒視了麥克默多一眼，說道，“你倒搶先到這兒來了？是不是？參議員先生，關於這個人，我有話對你說。”
“那就在這兒當着我的面說吧，"麥克默多大聲說道。
“我什麼時候說，怎麼說，全由我。”
“嘖，嘖！"麥金蒂從酒桶上跳下來說道，“這樣絕對不行。鮑德溫，這兒來的是個新弟兄，我們不能這樣歡迎他。伸出你的手來，朋友，和他講和吧！”
“決不！"鮑德溫暴怒地說道。
“假如他認爲我衝撞了他，我建議和他決鬥，"麥克默多說道，“可以徒手搏鬥，他要不同意徒手幹，隨他選擇什麼辦法都行。嗯，參議員先生，你是身主，就請你公斷吧。”
“到底是怎麼回事呢？”
“爲一個年輕姑娘。她有選擇情人的自由。”
“她可以這樣做嗎？"鮑德溫叫道。
“既然要選的是我們分會裏的兩個弟兄，我說她可以這樣做，"首領說道。
“啊，這就是你的公斷，是不是？”
