地下墓穴（11）

 

“That would be splendid.”

“When would you like to come?”

“The sooner the better. I am all impatience¹ to see it.”

“Well, it is a beautiful night—though a trifle cold. Suppose we start in an hour. We must be very careful to keep the matter to ourselves. If anyone saw us hunting in couples they would suspect that there was something going on.”

“We can’t be too cautious,” said Kennedy. “Is it far?”

“Some miles.”

“Not too far to walk?”

“Oh, no, we could walk there easily.”

“We had better do so, then. A cabman’s suspicions would be aroused if he dropped us both at some lonely spot in the dead of the night.”

“Quite so. I think it would be best for us to meet at the Gate of the Appian Way at midnight. I must go back to my lodgings² for the matches and candles and things.”

“All right, Burger! I think it is very kind of you to let me into this secret, and I promise you that I will write nothing about it until you have published your report. Good-bye for the present! You will find me at the Gate at twelve.”

The cold, clear air was filled with the musical chimes from that city of clocks as Burger, wrapped in an Italian overcoat, with a lantern hanging from his hand, walked up to the rendezvous³. Kennedy stepped out of the shadow to meet him.

“You are ardent⁴ in work as well as in love!” said the German, laughing.

“Yes; I have been waiting here for nearly half an hour.”

“I hope you left no clue as to where we were going.”

“Not such a fool! By Jove, I am chilled to the bone! Come on, Burger, let us warm ourselves by a spurt⁵ of hard walking.”

“那可太好了。”

“你想什么时候去？”

“越快越好。我已经急不可耐了，"

“噢，今晚夜色很美，虽然有点冷。咱们可以在一小时后出发。一定要小心谨慎，不能让外人知道这事。如果有人看见咱俩一起寻找东西，他们会起疑心的。”

“怎么谨慎都不为过，"肯尼迪说。“那地方远吗？

“几英里。”

“步行去不算太远吧？”

“不远，很容易就走到，”

那咱们最好步行去，如果让车夫在深更半夜把咱俩

一起送到一个偏僻的地方，他肯定会起疑心的。”

“是这样。我想，咱们最好午夜时分在阿比恩街的大门处碰头。我必须回离所取火柴、蜡烛等物品，"“一言为定，伯格！谢谢你让我分享这个秘密，我保证，在你发表论文之前决不把此事透露出去。待会儿见！十二点钟你会在大门处找到我，”

当钟城寒冷、洁净的空气中响彻悦耳的钟鸣时，伯格身穿意大利外套，手提一盏油灯，走向碰头地点。肯尼迪从阴影中走出来，迎接他。

“你对工作也像谈恋爱一样热表！德国人笑着说。

“是的，我在这儿已经等了半个小时了，”

“但愿你没有被人看见，"

“我可不是傻瓜！唉，我浑身都冻透了！来，伯格，咱们使劲快走，暖和暖和。”

1 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

2 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

3 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。

4 ardent   

adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的

参考例句：

• He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
• Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。

5 spurt   

v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆

参考例句：

• He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
• After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿，莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。