beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第10节
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Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look
intended to convey sympathetic comprehension。 The child was staring
out through the open window with dazed horror in her eyes。 In a chill
shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in
the same direction。
In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn
towards the window； they all carried guns under their arms； and one of
them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his
shoulders。 A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels。
Noiselessly they neared the house； and then a hoarse young voice
chanted out of the dusk： 〃I said； Bertie； why do you bound？〃
Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat； the hall…door； the
gravel…drive； and the front gate were dimly…noted stages in his headlong
retreat。 A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to
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avoid an imminent collision。
〃Here we are； my dear；〃 said the bearer of the white mackintosh；
coming in through the window； 〃fairly muddy； but most of it's dry。
Who was that who bolted out as we came up？〃
〃A most extraordinary man； a Mr。 Nuttel；〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton；
〃could only talk about his illnesses； and dashed off without a word of
good…bye or apology when you arrived。 One would think he had seen a
ghost。〃
〃I expect it was the spaniel；〃 said the niece calmly； 〃he told me he
had a horror of dogs。 He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere
on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs； and had to spend
the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning
and foaming just above him。 Enough to make anyone their nerve。〃
Romance at short notice was her speciality。
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THE TREASURE SHIP
THE great galleon lay in semi…retirement under the sand and weed
and water of the northern bay where the fortune of war and weather had
long ago ensconced it。 Three and a quarter centuries had passed since
the day when it had taken the high seas as an important unit of a
fighting squadron … precisely which squadron the learned were not
agreed。 The galleon had brought nothing into the world； but it had；
according to tradition and report； taken much out of it。 But how much？
There again the learned were in disagreement。 Some were as generous
in their estimate as an income…tax assessor； others applied a species of
higher criticism to the submerged treasure chests； and debased their
contents to the currency of goblin gold。 Of the former school was Lulu；
Duchess of Dulverton。
The Duchess was not only a believer in the existence of a sunken
treasure of alluring proportions； she also believed that she knew of a
method by which the said treasure might be precisely located and
cheaply disembedded。 An aunt on her mother's side of the family had
been Maid of Honour at the Court of Monaco； and had taken a respectful
interest in the deep…sea researches in which the Throne of that country；
impatient perhaps of its terrestrial restrictions； was wont to immerse
itself。 It was through the instrumentality of this relative that the
Duchess learned of an invention； perfected and very nearly patented by a
Monegaskan savant； by means of which the home…life of the
Mediterranean sardine might be studied at a depth of many fathoms in a
cold white light of more than ball…room brilliancy。 Implicated in this
invention （and； in the Duchess's eyes； the most attractive part of it） was
an electric suction dredge； specially designed for dragging to the surface
such objects of interest and value as might be found in the more
accessible levels of the ocean…bed。 The rights of the invention were to
be acquired for a matter of eighteen hundred francs； and the apparatus
for a few thousand more。 The Duchess of Dulverton was rich； as the
world counted wealth； she nursed the hope； of being one day rich at her
own computation。 Companies had been formed and efforts had been
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made again and again during the course of three centuries to probe for
the alleged treasures of the interesting galleon； with the aid of this
invention she considered that she might go to work on the wreck
privately and independently。 After all； one of her ancestors on her
mother's side was descended from Medina Sidonia； so she was of
opinion that she had as much right to the treasure as anyone。 She
acquired the invention and bought the apparatus。
Among other family ties and encumbrances； Lulu possessed a
nephew； Vasco Honiton； a young gentleman who was blessed with a
small income and a large circle of relatives； and lived impartially and
precariously on both。 The name Vasco had been given him possibly in
the hope that he might live up to its adventurous tradition； but he
limited himself strictly to the home industry of adventurer； preferring to
exploit the assured rather than to explore the unknown。 Lulu's
intercourse with him had been restricted of recent years to the negative
processes of being out of town when he called on her； and short of
money when he wrote to her。 Now； however； she bethought herself of
his eminent suitability for the direction of a treasure…seeking experiment；
if anyone could extract gold from an unpromising situation it would
certainly be Vasco … of course； under the necessary safeguards in the way
of supervision。 Where money was in question Vasco's conscience
was liable to fits of obstinate silence。
Somewhere on the west coast of Ireland the Dulverton property
included a few acres of shingle； rock； and heather； too barren to support
even an agrarian outrage； but embracing a small and fairly deep bay
where the lobster yield was good in most seasons。 There was a bleak
little house on the property； and for those who liked lobsters and solitude；
and were able to accept an Irish cook's ideas as to what might be
perpetrated in the name of mayonnaise； Innisgluther was a tolerable
exile during the summer months。 Lulu seldom went there herself； but
she lent the house lavishly to friends and relations。 She put it now at
Vasco's disposal。
〃It will be the very place to practise and experiment with the salvage
apparatus；〃 she said； 〃the bay is quite deep in places； and you will be
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able to test everything thoroughly before starting on the treasure hunt。〃
In less than three weeks Vasco turned up in town to report progress。
〃The apparatus works beautifully；〃 he informed his aunt； 〃the deeper
one got the clearer everything grew。 We found something in the way of
a sunken wreck to operate on； too！〃
〃A wreck in Innisgluther Bay！〃 exclaimed Lulu。
〃A submerged motor…boat； the SUB…ROSA；〃 said
