福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第10章Part2
"I'm not denying it," said he. "D'ye think I'm ashamed of my own name?"
"You've got good cause to be, anyhow."
"What the devil d'you mean by that?" he roared with his fists clenched.
"No, no, Jack, bluster won't do with me. I was an officer in Chicago before ever I came to this darned coal bunker, and I know a Chicago crook when I see one."
McMurdo's face fell. "Don't tell me that you're Marvin of the Chicago Central!" he cried.
"Just the same old Teddy Marvin, at your service. We haven't forgotten the shooting of Jonas Pinto up there."
"I never shot him."
"Did you not? That's good impartial evidence, ain't it? Well, his death came in uncommon handy for you, or they would have had you for shoving the queer. Well, we can let that be bygones; for, between you and me--and perhaps I'm going further than my duty in saying it--they could get no clear case against you, and Chicago's open to you to-morrow."
"I'm very well where I am."
"Well, I've given you the pointer, and you're a sulky dog not to thank me for it."
"Well, I suppose you mean well, and I do thank you," said McMurdo in no very gracious manner.
"It's mum with me so long as I see you living on the straight," said the captain. "But, by the Lord! if you get off after this, it's another story! So good-night to you--and good-night, Councillor."
He left the bar-room; but not before he had created a local hero. McMurdo's deeds in far Chicago had been whispered before. He had put off all questions with a smile, as one who did not wish to have greatness thrust upon him. But now the thing was officially confirmed. The bar loafers crowded round him and shook him heartily by the hand. He was free of the community from that time on. He could drink hard and show little trace of it; but that evening, had his mate Scanlan not been at hand to lead him home, the feted hero would surely have spent his night under the bar.
“我用不着抵賴，"麥克默多說道，“你以爲我爲自己的名字感到羞愧麼？”
“不管怎樣，你幹了些好事！”
“你說這話究竟是什麼意思？"麥克默多握緊拳頭，怒吼道。
“不，不，傑克，你不要對我這麼怒氣衝衝。我到這該死的煤礦以前，是芝加哥的一個警官，芝加哥的惡棍無賴，我一看就認識。”
麥克默多把臉沉下來，喝道：“用不着告訴我你是芝加哥警察總署的馬文！”
“正是這同一個老特德·馬文聽候您的吩咐。我們還沒有忘記那裏發生過槍殺喬納斯·平託的事。”
“我沒有槍殺他。”
“你沒有嗎？那不是有確鑿的證據嗎？好，那人一死對你可有很大好處，不然，他們早就因使用僞幣罪把你逮捕入獄了。得了，我們可以讓這些事過去吧。因爲，這隻有你知我知，——也許我說得過頭了，說了些份外的事——他們找不到對你不利的有力事實，明天芝加哥的大門就又爲你敞開了。”
“我隨便住在哪兒都可以。”
“喂，我給你透露了消息，可是你卻象一條發怒的狗一樣，也不知道謝我一聲。”
“好，我想你也許是出於好意，我真應該感謝你。"麥克默多不十分恭敬地說道。
“只要你老老實實做人，我就不聲張出去，"警察隊長說道，“可是，皇天在上，如果以後你不走正道，那就另當別論了！祝你晚安，也祝你晚安，參議員先生。”
馬文離開了酒吧間，這事不久就使麥克默多成了當地的英雄，因爲人們早就暗中議論過麥克默多在遙遠的芝加哥的事蹟了。麥克默多平常對人們的詢問總是一笑置之，就好象怕人家硬給自己加上偉大的英名似的。可是現在這件事被正式證實了。酒吧間裏那些無業遊民都向麥克默多聚攏來，親切地和他握手。從此以後，麥克默多在這幫人中便無所顧忌了。他酒量很大，而且不顯酒意，可是，那晚要不是斯坎倫攙扶他回家，這位頗負盛譽的英雄就只好在酒吧間裏過夜了。
