福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第8章Part2大綱
The young man smiled with an air of embarrassment.
"Yes," said he, "we need them sometimes in the place I come from."
"And where may that be?"
"I'm last from Chicago."
"A stranger in these parts?"
"Yes."
"You may find you need it here," said the workman.
"Ah! is that so?" The young man seemed interested.
"Have you heard nothing of doings hereabouts?"
"Nothing out of the way."
"Why, I thought the country was full of it. You'll hear quick enough. What made you come here?"
"I heard there was always work for a willing man."
"Are you a member of the union?"
"Sure."
"Then you'll get your job, I guess. Have you any friends?"
"Not yet; but I have the means of making them."
"How's that, then?"
"I am one of the Eminent Order of Freemen. There's no town without a lodge, and where there is a lodge I'll find my friends."
The remark had a singular effect upon his companion. He glanced round suspiciously at the others in the car. The miners were still whispering among themselves. The two police officers were dozing. He came across, seated himself close to the young traveller, and held out his hand.
"Put it there," he said.
A hand-grip passed between the two.
"I see you speak the truth," said the workman. "But it's well to make certain." He raised his right hand to his right eyebrow. The traveller at once raised his left hand to his left eyebrow.
"Dark nights are unpleasant," said the workman.
年輕人不自然地笑了笑。
“是啊，"他說道，“在我來的那地方，有時我們需要用它。”
“那是什麼地方呢？”
“我剛從芝加哥來。”
“你對此地還不熟悉吧？”
“是的。”
“你會發現在這裏也用得着它，"這個工人說道。
“啊！果真麼？"年輕人似乎很關心地問道。
“你沒聽說這附近出過事麼？”
“沒有聽到有什麼不正常的事。”
“嗨！這裏出的事多極了，用不多時你就會聽個夠。你爲啥事到這裏來的？”
“我聽說這裏願意幹活兒的人總是找得到活兒幹。”
“你是工會裏的人麼？”
“當然了。”
“我想，那你也會有活兒乾的。你有朋友嗎？”
“還沒有，不過我是有辦法交朋友的。”
“怎麼個交法呢？”
“我是自由人會的會員，沒有一個城鎮沒有它的分會，只要有分會我就有朋友可交。”
這一席話對對方產生了異常作用，那工人疑慮地向車上其他人掃視了一眼，看到礦工們仍在低聲交談，兩個警察正在打盹。他走過來，緊挨年輕旅客坐下，伸出手來，說道： “把手伸過來。”
兩個人握了握手對暗號。
“我看出你說的是真話。不過還是要弄清楚些好。”
他舉起右手，放到他的右眉邊。年輕人立刻舉起左手，放到左眉邊。
“黑夜是不愉快的，"這個工人說道。
