評論
打印
'Go across the drawbridge and you come to a heavy door …Listen！What's that？They're coming！They're too soon！Put out your lamp！'she cried，her eyes filled with fear．
“過了吊橋你能看見一座厚重的大門……聽！什么聲兒？他們來啦！他們太快了！把燈滅了！”她說，眼睛里滿是驚恐。
'Quickly！You must go．There's a ladder at the end of the garden，against the wall！'
“快點兒！你得走。花園盡頭有一個梯子靠在墻上！”
But it was too late．The three men were already outside．There was a small hole in the door，and I put my eye to it．My hand was on my revolver．
但是已經太晚了。那三個人已經來到屋外，門上有一個小洞，我從洞里向外看。我的手放在左輪手槍上。
It was no good！There were three of them．I could kill one perhaps，but then…
這不管用！他們有三個人，我也許能打中其中的一個，但是……
A voice came from outside．'Mr Rassendyll…'It was the Englishman．'We only want to talk to you．Open the door．'
外面響起一個聲音：“拉森狄爾先生……”是那個英國人。“我們只是想跟你談談，開門。”
'We can talk through the door，'I replied．I looked through the hole again and saw that they were on the top step．When I opened the door，they would run at me．
“我們可以隔著門談。”我回答。我又從小洞往外看，見他們已經上到了最高一層的臺階。假如我開門，他們就會朝我撲過來。
'We'll let you go if you leave the country and we'll give you fifty thousand English pounds，'continued Detchard，the Englishman．
“假如你離開這個國家，我們會讓你走，而且會給你五萬英鎊。”戴查德，那個英國人說。
'Give me a minute to think，'I answered．
“讓我想一想。”我回答。
Wildly，I looked around the summer-house and saw a metal garden table and some chairs．I picked up the table and held it in front of me，by the legs．Then I went to the back of the room and waited．
慌亂中我朝房子四周掃了一眼，看見了一個金屬的花園用的桌子和一些椅子。我抓著桌腿把它擋在身體前，然后退到房子的盡頭等著。
'All right，I agree，'I called．'Open the door！'
“好吧，我同意了。”我高聲說：“開門吧！”
I heard them arguing with each other，and then Detchard said to the Belgian，'Why，Bersonin，are you afraid of one man？'
我聽見他們互相吵嚷，然后戴查德對那個比利時人說：“伯索寧，難道你還怕一個人嗎？”
A second later the door opened．
片刻之后，門就開了。
De Gautet，the Frenchman，was with the other two，and the three men were standing there with their revolvers ready．With a shout，I ran at them as hard as I could．
德·高蒂特，那個法國人和另外兩個人在一起。他們三個端著上了鏜的左輪手槍站在那兒。我大叫一聲，用盡全力向他們沖去。
They tried to shoot me，but the bullets hit the table．The next second the table knocked them to the ground and we all fell on top of each other．
他們向我開槍，但是子彈打在了桌子上。緊接著桌子打倒了他們。我們都倒下了，你壓著我，我壓著你。
Quickly，I picked myself up and ran for my life through the trees．I could hear them coming after me．Was Antoinette right？
很快我爬了起來，穿過樹林飛快逃走。我聽見他們追了上來。安冬納特沒說錯吧？
Was there really a ladder by the wall？I reached the end of the garden．The ladder was there！In a minute I was up it and over the wall．
墻上真有一個梯子嗎？我跑到了花園的盡頭，梯子真的在那里！一剎那間我就登上了梯子越過了圍墻。
Sapt was waiting with the horses and seconds later we were on our way home．And，as we rode，we laughed because I had fought Duke Michael's dangerous men-with a tea-table！
薩普特牽著馬在等我。幾秒鐘后我們就已經在回去的路上了。我們一邊騎著馬，一邊大笑。因為我已經和邁克爾公爵的殺手斗了一場，而且只用了一張茶桌！
