Seven white faces, all turned upward to this man who dominated them, were set motionless with utter terror.
七个人面色惨白,十分惊恐,呆望着这位扫视他们的人。
Then, with a sudden shivering of glass, a bristle of glistening rifle barrels broke through each window, while the curtains were torn from their hangings.
接着,随着一阵窗玻璃的破裂声,许多闪闪发亮的来复枪筒从窗口伸进来,窗帘也全被撕破了。
At the sight Boss McGinty gave the roar of a wounded bear and plunged for the half-opened door.
这时首领麦金蒂像一头受伤的熊,咆哮了一声,跳到半开的门前。
A levelled revolver met him there with the stern blue eyes of Captain Marvin of the Mine Police gleaming behind the sights.
一支手枪正在那里对准了他,煤矿警察队长马文两只蓝色的大眼睛正灼灼有神地向他望着。
The Boss recoiled and fell back into his chair.
这位首领只好退后,倒在他的座位上。
"You're safer there, Councillor," said the man whom they had known as McMurdo.
"参议员先生,你在那里还是比较安全的,"他们一直把他叫做麦克默多的那个人说道。
"And you, Baldwin, if you don't take your hand off your pistol, you'll cheat the hangman yet.
"还有你,鲍德温,如果你不把手离开你的手枪,那你就用不着刽子手了。
Pull it out, or by the Lord that made me... There, that will do.
把手拿出来,不然,我只好...放在那里,行了。
There are forty armed men round this house, and you can figure it out for yourself what chance you have. Take their pistols, Marvin!"
这所房子已经被四十名全副武装的人包围了,你们自己可以想想你们还有什么机会逃走。马文,下掉他们的手枪!"
There was no possible resistance under the menace of those rifles. The men were disarmed.
在这么多来复枪的威胁下,丝毫没有反抗的可能。这些人全被缴了械。
Sulky, sheepish, and amazed, they still sat round the table.
他们面色阴沉、驯顺而惊讶地依然围坐在桌旁。
"I'd like to say a word to you before we separate," said the man who had trapped them.
"在我们分别之前,我想对你们讲一句话,"这位给他们设下圈套的人说道。
"I guess we may not meet again until you see me on the stand in the courthouse.
"我想我们不会再见面了,除非你们将来在法庭证人席上看到我。
I'll give you something to think over between now and then. You know me now for what I am.
我想让你们回想一下过去和现在的一些事。你们现在知道我是谁了。
At last I can put my cards on the table. I am Birdy Edwards of Pinkerton's.
我终于可以把我的名片放在桌子上了。我就是平克顿的伯尔弟·爱德华。
I was chosen to break up your gang. I had a hard and dangerous game to play.
人们选派我来破获你们这一匪帮。我是玩着一场非常艰难而危险的把戏。
Not a soul, not one soul, not my nearest and dearest, knew that I was playing it.
没有一个人,连我最亲近的人也不知道我正冒险做着的事。
Only Captain Marvin here and my employers knew that. But it's over to-night, thank God, and I am the winner!"
只有这里的马文队长和我的几个助手知道这件事。可是今晚这件事结束了,感谢上帝,我得胜了!"
The seven pale, rigid faces looked up at him. There was unappeasable hatred in their eyes.
这七个人面色苍白,愣愣地望着他。他们眼中显露出抑止不住的敌意。
He read the relentless threat. "Maybe you think that the game is not over yet. Well, I take my chance of that.
爱德华看出他们这种威胁的神情,说道:"也许你们认为这件事还不算完。好,那我听天由命。
Anyhow, some of you will take no further hand, and there are sixty more besides yourselves that will see a jail this night.
不过,你们许多人的手不会伸得太远了,除了你们自己以外,今晚还有六十个人被捕入狱。
I'll tell you this, that when I was put upon this job I never believed there was such a society as yours.
我要告诉你们,我接受这件案子时,并不相信有像你们这样的一种社团。
I thought it was paper talk, and that I would prove it so.
我还以为这是报上的无稽之谈呢。但我应当弄清楚。
They told me it was to do with the Freemen; so I went to Chicago and was made one.
他们告诉我这和自由人会有关系,于是我便到芝加哥入了会。
Then I was surer than ever that it was just paper talk; for I found no harm in the society, but a deal of good."
我发现这个社会组织只做好事,不做坏事,那时我更加确信这些纯粹是报上的无稽之谈了。"