the adventure of the red circle(红圈历险记)-第6章
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clearness； I will make grammatical。
〃I was born in Posilippo； near Naples；〃 said she； 〃and was the daughter
of Augusto Barelli； who was the chief lawyer and once the deputy of that
part。 Gennaro was in my father's employment； and I came to love him；
as any woman must。 He had neither money nor positionnothing but his
beauty and strength and energyso my father forbade the match。 We fled
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together； were married at Bari； and sold my jewels to gain the money
which would take us to America。 This was four years ago； and we have
been in New York ever since。
〃Fortune was very good to us at first。 Gennaro was able to do a
service to an Italian gentlemanhe saved him from some ruffians in the
place called the Bowery； and so made a powerful friend。 His name was
Tito Castalotte； and he was the senior partner of the great firm of
Castalotte and Zamba； who are the chief fruit importers of New York。
Signor Zamba is an invalid； and our new friend Castalotte has all power
within the firm； which employs more than three hundred men。 He took
my husband into his employment； made him head of a department； and
showed his good… will towards him in every way。 Signor Castalotte was
a bachelor； and I believe that he felt as if Gennaro was his son； and both
my husband and I loved him as if he were our father。 We had taken and
furnished a little house in Brooklyn； and our whole future seemed assured
when that black cloud appeared which was soon to overspread our sky。
〃One night； when Gennaro returned from his work； he brought a
fellow…countryman back with him。 His name was Gorgiano； and he had
come also from Posilippo。 He was a huge man； as you can testify； for
you have looked upon his corpse。 Not only was his body that of a giant
but everything about him was grotesque； gigantic； and terrifying。 His
voice was like thunder in our little house。 There was scarce room for the
whirl of his great arms as he talked。 His thoughts； his emotions； his
passions； all were exaggerated and monstrous。 He talked； or rather
roared； with such energy that others could but sit and listen； cowed with
the mighty stream of words。 His eyes blazed at you and held you at his
mercy。 He was a terrible and wonderful man。 I thank God that he is
dead！
〃He came again and again。 Yet I was aware that Gennaro was no
more happy than I was in his presence。 My poor husband would sit pale
and listless； listening to the endless raving upon politics and upon social
questions which made up or visitor's conversation。 Gennaro said nothing；
but I； who knew him so well； could read in his face some emotion which I
had never seen there before。 At first I thought that it was dislike。 And
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then； gradually； I understood that it was more than dislike。 It was feara
deep； secret； shrinking fear。 That nightthe night that I read his terrorI
put my arms round him and I implored him by his love for me and by all
that he held dear to hold nothing from me； and to tell me why this huge
man overshadowed him so。
〃He told me； and my own heart grew cold as ice as I listened。 My
poor Gennaro； in his wild and fiery days； when all the world seemed
against him and his mind was driven half mad by the injustices of life； had
joint a Neapolitan society； the Red Circle； which was allied to the old
Carbonari。 The oaths and secrets of this brotherhood were frightful； but
once within its rule no escape was possible。 When we had fled to
America Gennaro thought that he had cast it all off forever。 What was his
horror one evening to meet in the streets the very man who had initiated
him in Naples； the giant Gorgiano； a man who had earned the name of
'Death' in the south of Italy； for he was red to the elbow in murder！ He
had come to New York to avoid the Italian police； and he had already
planted a branch of this dreadful society in his new home。 All this
Gennaro told me and showed me a summons which he had received that
very day； a Red Circle drawn upon the head of it telling him that a lodge
would be held upon a certain date； and that his presence at it was required
and ordered。
〃That was bad enough； but worse was to come。 I had noticed for
some time that when Gorgiano came to us； as he constantly did； in the
evening； he spoke much to me； and even when his words were to my
husband those terrible； glaring； wild…beast eyes of his were always turned
upon me。 One night his secret came out。 I had awakened what he
called 'love' within himthe love of a brutea savage。 Gennaro had not
yet returned when he came。 He pushed his way in； seized me in his
mighty arms； hugged me in his bear's embrace； covered me with kisses；
and implored me to come away with him。 I was struggling and
screaming when Gennaro entered and attacked him。 He struck Gennaro
senseless and fled from the house which he was never more to enter。 It
was a deadly enemy that we made that night。
〃A few days later came the meeting。 Gennaro returned from it with a
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face which told me that something dreadful had occurred。 It was worse
than we could have imagined possible。 The funds of the society were
raised by blackmailing rich Italians and threatening them with violence
should they refuse the money。 It seems that Castalotte； our dear friend and
benefactor； had been approached。 He had refused to yield to threats； and
he had handed the notices to the police。 It was resolved now that such an
example should be made of them as would prevent any other victim from
rebelling。 At the meeting it was arranged that he and his house should be
blown up with dynamite。 There was a drawing of lots as to who should
carry out the deed。 Gennaro saw our enemy's cruel face smiling at him
as he dipped his hand in the bag。 No doubt it had been prearranged in
some fashion； for it was the fatal disc with the Red Circle upon it； the
mandate for murder； which lay upon his palm。 He was to kill his best
friend； or he was to expose himself and me to the vengeance of his
comrades。 It was part of their fiendish system to punish those whom they
feared or hated by injuring not only their own persons but those whom
they loved； and it was the knowledge of this which hung as a terror over
my poor Gennaro's head and drove him nearly craz
