Chapter 7 Chapter Six

Two well-proportioned bay horses pulled the stately carriage into the dusty high street of Cripdrift.Sitting in the car seat was a tall, well-built man.Silver-white hair and a white beard.He wore a well-tailored gray suit and ruffled shirt, a black tie with a diamond brooch, a gray top hat, and a large sparkling diamond ring on his little finger.He may seem like a newcomer to the town, but he's not. Klipdrift has changed considerably since Jamie McGregor left a year ago.This is 1884 and it has grown from a settlement to a town.A railway from Cape Town to City of Hope has opened and a branch line to Cripdrift has been laid.New immigrants flock here like a tidal wave.The town was a little more crowded than Jamie remembered, but the appearance of the people was different.There were still plenty of diamond diggers, but there were also businessmen in suits and well-dressed ladies coming in and out of the shops.Criptlift has added decent atmosphere.

Jamie passed three new dance halls and half a dozen new bars, passed new churches and new barbershops, and a hotel that people called the Grand Hotel.He stopped in front of a bank, jumped out of the carriage, and casually handed it over to a local boy. "Give water to the animals." Jamie walked into the bank and said loudly to the manager, "I want to deposit a hundred thousand pounds in your bank." ※※※ Word spread quickly, just as Jamie expected.When he left the bank and walked into the Sunset Bar, he had become the center of attention.Not much has changed inside the bar, but it's surprisingly crowded.Jamie walked to the bar, many pairs of curious eyes stared at him, Smit greeted him graciously: "What would you like to drink, sir?" The bar owner showed no recognition of Jamie on his face.

"Whiskey, take the best." "Yes, sir." He filled his drink. "You just arrived in this town?" "yes." "Just passing by, isn't it?" "No. I've heard it's a good town and worth investing in here." The bar owner's eyes suddenly brightened. "You couldn't find a better place than here! There are a hundred...well, rich people who can do a good job. In fact, I might be able to serve you, sir." "Really? What's going on?" Smit leaned forward and said in a mysterious tone, "I know the man who runs this town. He's the chairman of the district council and the head of the citizens' committee. He's the most important man in the district. His name is Van der Merwe. "

Jamie took a sip of his drink. "Never heard of him." "He's got a big store just down the street. He can introduce you to good deals. It's worth meeting him." Jamie McGregor took another sip of his drink. "Invite him here." The barkeep glanced at the big diamond ring on Jamie's finger and the diamond brooch on his tie. "Well, sir. May I tell him your name?" "Travis. Ian Travis." "Okay. Mr. Travis. I'm sure Mr. van der Merwe would like to see you." He filled Jamie's glass again. "You drink, please wait a moment. This restaurant treats you."

Jamie sat at the bar sipping whiskey, knowing that everyone in the bar was watching him.There are people who leave Kripdrift with their pockets full, but this is the first time someone with such money has come here.This is something new in their experience. Fifteen minutes later the barman returned.With him is Salomon van der Merwe. Walking up to the bearded, white-haired stranger, Vandermerwe held out his hand and said with a smile, "Mr. Travis, I'm Salomon Vandermerwe." "Ian Travis." Jamie waited for a look on his face that seemed to recognize him, but there was nothing.But why should he recognize me?Jamie thought.The shadow of the naive and idealistic eighteen-year-old youth in the past has disappeared from him.Smit led them to a table near the corner, servilely.

As soon as they sat down, van der Merwe said, "I see you're going to invest in Cripdrift, Mr. Travis." "Maybe." "I may be of service to you. Be careful, there are many immoral people around." Jamie glanced at him and said, "There must be such a person." There was something unreal about Jamie sitting there having a polite conversation with a man who had scammed him out of money and tried to murder him.Hatred for van der Merwe had burned in his heart for the past year, and it was the will to revenge that kept him alive.Now van der Merwe is about to taste revenge.

"If you don't mind, Mr. Travis, may I ask how much you intend to invest?" "Oh, about £100,000 to start with," said Jamie nonchalantly.He saw van der Merwe lick his lips. "Maybe another £300,000 to £400,000 later." "Ah, with such an investment, you're going to do a great job, really, really. With the right direction, of course." He added quickly, "Where is the investment? , you may have some ideas?" "I want to find out and see what opportunities there are." "You are very wise." Van der Merwe nodded wisely, "Perhaps you would like to have a meal with us tonight and have a good discussion? My daughter's cooking is very good. It is my honor to invite you to dinner .”

Jamie smiled. "I'd love to, Mr. van der Merwe." You can't imagine how much I would, Jamie thought. it has started. ※※※ Traveling from the Namib diamond mines to Cape Town is not without twists and turns.Jamie and Banda hiked to a small village in the interior, where doctors healed his arm, before catching a carriage to Cape Town.Carriage travel was time-consuming and tiring, but they took the discomfort lightly.In Cape Town, Jamie checked into the opulent Royal Hotel on Plain Street - once visited by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. "I want you to send the best barber in town," Jamie told the manager, "and after that I want a tailor and a bootmaker, and I want them to come here."

"In a moment, sir." It's great that money can do anything, Jamie thought. ※※※ Taking a shower at the Royal Hotel is a real treat.Jamie lay in the hot water, soaking away his fatigue and thinking about the past few incredible weeks.Was it a few weeks ago that he and Banda had built that lifeboat?It just feels like a few years ago.Jamie thought again of the scene of the lifeboat sailing into the restricted area: the shark, the terrifying waves, the reef that split the lifeboat, the sea fog crawling on the mines, and the vicious dog that jumped on him... The strange, low cry will always be Ringing in his ears: Kruger...Brent...Kruger...Brent...

Of all things he missed most of all his friend Banda. When they arrived in Cape Town, Jamie persuaded: "Stay with me." Banda smiled, showing a mouthful of white and beautiful teeth. "Life is boring with you, Jamie. I gotta find a place and have some fun." "What are you going to do now?" "Oh, thank you, and thank you for your brilliant plan to make lifeboats go over rocks with ease. I'm going to buy a farm, get a wife, and have a lot of kids." "Very well. Let's go to the Diamond Registry so I can give you your share of the diamonds."

"No," Banda said, "I don't want to." Jamie frowned and said, "What are you talking about? Half the diamonds are yours. You're a millionaire now." "No. Look at my skin, Jamie. If I become a millionaire, my life won't be worth a penny." "You can hide some diamonds. You can..." "I just want to buy an acre farm, two bulls, and a wife. Two or three diamonds will get me all I need. The rest is yours." "That's impossible. You can't give me your share." "No. I can give it to you, Jamie. Because you want to avenge Van der Merwe for me." Jamie looked at Banda for a long time. "I promise you." "Then let me bid you farewell, my friend." The two slapped each other's palms. "We'll meet again," Banda said, "and think of something really fun to do next time." Banda carefully carried the three small diamonds on his body and left. ※※※ Jamie sent his parents a money order for twenty thousand pounds, bought the most expensive carriage he could find, and drove in the direction of Cripdrift. The time for revenge has come. When Jamie McGregor entered the van der Merwe shop that night, he was seized by a feeling of disgust so strong that he had to take a break to collect himself. Van der Merwe hurried out from behind the shop, and when he saw who was coming, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. "Mr. Travis!" he said, "you're welcome." "Thank you, sir, uh, sorry, I forgot your name..." "Van der Merwe, Salomon van der Merwe. No apologies. Dutch names are not easy to remember. Supper is ready. Marguerite!" he shouted, leading Jamie into the inner room.Nothing has changed.Margaret was standing by the stove frying something, her back turned to them. "Margaret, this is the guest I mentioned. Mr. Travis." Margaret turned around and said, "Hello." There was no flash of knowing his expression. "Nice to meet you." Jamie nodded. The doorbell rang and van der Merwe said, "Excuse me, I'll be right back. Take it easy, Mr. Travis." He hurried out. Margarita came to the table with a steaming bowl of meat and vegetables, and then she hurried to get the bread from the oven.Jamie stood there watching her without saying a word.Since meeting her a year ago, she has grown more mature.She was already a woman with an irresistible sexual allure that she hadn't had before. "I heard from your father that you can cook well." Margaret blushed, "I, I hope so, sir." "I haven't tasted home-cooked food for a long time. Just wanted to try it." Jamie took a large plate of butter from Margaret and helped her put it on the table.Marguerite was so surprised that she almost missed the plate.She had never heard of a man helping a woman while she was at work.She raised her eyes and stared at him in surprise.If it weren't for the broken nose bridge and the scars on the face, it would be an overly handsome face.The pale gray eyes shone with intelligence and fire.His white hair told her that he was no longer young, but he still exuded a strong youthful atmosphere.He was tall and strong--Marguerite was embarrassed by his look and turned around quickly. Van der Merwe hurried back to his room, rubbing his hands together. "My shop is closed," he said. "Let's sit down and have a good meal." Jamie was ushered to the guest table. "Let's pray," said van der Merwe. They closed their eyes.Marguerite opened her eyes furtively so that she could continue to survey the noble stranger.Her father read in a monotonous voice: "We are all sinful in your eyes. O Lord! We must be punished. Give us the strength to endure the sufferings of the world. Then when we When called to go, we may enjoy the fruit of the kingdom. Thank you, Lord. Help those who should get rich. Amen." Salomon van der Merwe entertained the guests.This time the meal he prepared for Jamie was too generous.They ate and talked. "Is this your first time taking this route, Mr. Travis?" "Yes," Jamie said, "for the first time." "You didn't bring Mrs. Travis, I hear." "There's no Mrs. Travis. I haven't found anyone who's interested in me yet," Jamie said, smiling. The woman who rejected him must be a big fool, right?Margaret was puzzled.She lowered her eyes, for fear that this stranger would guess her evil thoughts. "Cripdrift is an adventurer's paradise, Mr. Travis. Great opportunity." "I hope someone can take a look with me." He glanced at Margaret, who blushed again. "If it's not too presumptuous, Mr. Travis, may I ask how you have accumulated such wealth?" Margaret was embarrassed by her father's straightforward question, but the stranger didn't seem to mind. "I inherited my father's property." Jamie said nonchalantly. "Oh, but I'm sure you have a lot of business experience." "Not much experience, very limited. I need a lot of guidance." Van der Merwe was in high spirits. "Fate brought us together, Mr. Travis. I have some very lucrative connections. Really, very lucrative. I can assure you that within a few months your money will be doubled." ’” He leaned forward and patted Jamie on the arm. "I have a feeling today is a big day for both of us." Jamie just smiled. "I suppose you must be staying in a luxury hotel?" "Yes indeed." "It's expensive as hell. But I think for someone as rich as you..." He smiled at Jamie. Jamie said: "Someone told me that the surrounding countryside is very interesting. Please ask your daughter to take me to see it tomorrow. Is this not too much to ask?" Margaret felt her heart stop. Vandermerwe frowned and said, "I don't know. She..." It was an iron rule of Salomon van der Merwe that no man should be alone with his daughter.But, Mr. Travis, he decided that an exception could be made, and it probably wouldn't do any harm.He was reluctant to appear inhospitable in the face of such a huge gamble. "I can ask Margaret to spend some time with you. Margaret, can you go around with our guests?" "Father, if you wish," she said softly. "That's it," Jamie said with a smile. "We're at ten o'clock in the morning, okay?" ※※※ After the tall, richly dressed guest had left, Marguerite cleared the table and washed the dishes with an air of restlessness. "He must think I'm an idiot." She went over and over in her mind what she had said during the dinner.nothing.She couldn't speak.Why is this so?Hadn't she served hundreds of men in the shop without becoming a utterly stupid girl?Of course, they didn't look at her the way Ian Travis did. "Men have their own agendas, Margaret. I won't let them break your chastity." Her father's voice echoed in her head.With that weakness and trembling she felt when the stranger looked at her, was he destroying her chastity?The thought sent a strange shudder through her.She looked down at the dishes that had been wiped three times, and sat down at the table.She wished her mother was still alive. Mother will understand this.Margaret loved her father, but sometimes had a repressive sense that she was his slave.What worried her was that he never allowed a man to come near her. "I shall never marry," thought Margaret, "unless he dies." Her rebellious thoughts made her feel guilty, and she hurried out of the room and into the shop.Her father was sitting behind his desk, busy with accounts. "Good night, Father." Van der Merwe took off his gold-rimmed glasses, wiped his eyes, and said goodnight to his daughter with open arms again.Margaret didn't know why she had to break free. Marguerite was alone in the curtained alcove that served as her bedroom, looking at her face in the little round mirror on the wall.She has no particular thoughts about her looks.She was not pretty but lovely, with watery eyes, high cheekbones, and a slender figure.She leaned back towards the mirror again.What did Ian Travis see when he looked at her?She began to undress.Ian Travis seemed to be in her room, too, with her, staring at her, burning into her heart.Her muslin panties slipped from her legs, her tank top slipped off her body, and she stood naked in front of him, her hands caressing her breasts, touching her belly, moving down, touching , Mosuo, rubbing... until it brought her into the vortex of frenzied lust, she whispered his name and fell on the bed. ※※※ They set off in Jamie's carriage.Again he marveled at the changes that had taken place in the city.Where once there had been countless tents, now there were solid-looking wooden houses with corrugated-iron or straw roofs. "Cripdrift seems to be thriving," said Jamie as the carriage drove down Main Street. "I suppose it should be interesting to a newcomer," said Margaret, thinking, "I've always hated it, but not now." They left the town and headed for the mining settlement along the Vaal River.Seasonal rains transform the countryside into one vast, colorful garden of lush caro bushes, umbrella linaster bushes, and heather and mesa grasses found nowhere else in the world.As he passed a group of diamond miners, Jamie asked, "Have they dug up any big diamonds lately?" "Oh, yes, but very little. Every time the news spreads, hundreds of new miners flock in. Most leave penniless and very sad." Margaret felt that she should warn him dangerous situation in this regard. "Father doesn't like to hear me say that, but I think it's a terrible business, Mr. Travis." "To some people it might be," agreed Jamie, "to some people." "Are you going to stay for a while?" "yes." Margaret felt her heart fill with joy. "Great," she added hastily. "Father will be delighted." ※※※ All morning they drove around in the wagon, and Jamie stopped the wagon every now and then to chat casually with the diamond miners.Many people knew Margaret and spoke to her with respect.She has a warm, easy-going, friendly air about her, but it's hidden when she's around her father. As they drove on, Jamie said, "Looks like everyone knows you." She blushed. "It's because of their business with my father. He supplies most of the diamond miners." Jamie said nothing.He expressed great interest in everything he saw.The railways have changed dramatically.A new conglomerate is scrambling to merge hundreds of small businesses into one big monopoly (named after farmer De Bivas) after eating out a major rival named Barney Barnato, who started a motley crew. , since the first diamond was found in this field).Gold has recently been discovered not far from the Kimberley, along with manganese and zinc.Jamie believes this is just the beginning, convinced that South Africa is a treasure trove of mineral resources of all kinds and can offer incredible opportunities for a man of vision. It was nearly dusk when Jamie and Margaret came home.Jamie stopped the carriage in front of van der Merwe's shop, and continued, "It would be my honor to invite you to dinner with your lord." Margaret looked delighted. "I'll ask my father. I really hope he'll agree. Thank you for a great day with me, Mr. Travis." Then she hurried home. ※※※ The three of them sat down for dinner in the spacious, square dining room of the Grand Hotel. The dining room was crowded, and van der Merwe muttered, "I don't understand how these people can afford such expensive meals." Jamie picked up the menu and glanced at it.£1.40 for a steak, four for potatoes, ten for a plate of apple pie. "They're brigands!" said van der Merwe. "A few meals here can make a man poor!" Jamie didn't know what could make van der Merwe poor.He wanted to discover this.They start ordering.Jamie noticed that van der Merwe ordered the most expensive item on the menu.Marguerite ordered a clear soup.She was so excited that she couldn't eat anything.She looked at her hands and felt guilty remembering what she had done the night before. "I can afford dinner," Jamie teased her, "just order it." Her face turned red all of a sudden. "Thank you, but I... I really don't feel very hungry." Van der Merwe noticed her flushed face and gave Margaret and Jamie a hard look. "My daughter is a rare girl, a rare girl, Mr. Travis." Jamie nodded. "I couldn't agree more, Mr. van der Merwe." His words pleased Marguerite so much that when the meal was brought she could not even drink the soup.Ian Travis' influence on her is unimaginable.She paid close attention to every word and every hint of his, for their meaning.If he smiles at her, it means he likes her very much, and if he frowns, it means he hates her.Margaret's feelings are like an emotional thermometer that keeps rising and falling. "Did you see anything interesting today?" Van der Merwe asked Jamie. "No, nothing in particular," Jamie replied casually. Van der Merwe leaned forward and said, "Remember, sir, this is going to be the fastest growing region in the world. Anyone smart enough to invest in it right now. The new railroad will make this a second Cape Dun." "I don't know," Jamie said skeptically. "I've heard that a lot of cities that grew as quickly as this one go bust. I'm not interested in putting my money in a flash city." "That's not Kripdrift," van der Merwe assured him. "They're finding more diamonds all the time, and they're going to find gold." Jamie shrugged. "How long can this last?" "Well, no one's sure of that, of course, but..." "Yes." "Don't hesitate, it's time to make a decision," van der Merwe urged. "I don't want to see you lose a rare opportunity." Jamie thought for a while. "Maybe I'm being too hasty. Margaret, can you go out with me again tomorrow?" Van der Merwe was about to protest, but swallowed again.He remembered the words of the banker Torenson: "He walked into the bank and deposited a hundred thousand pounds at once. You can imagine the degree of carelessness. He also said that he would deposit more money." Greed got the upper hand.Van der Merwe said hastily: "Of course, she will accompany you." ※※※ The next morning, Margaret puts on her best attire for her meeting with Jamie.When her father came into the room and saw her, his face flushed. "You want this man to treat you like one of those depraved women—dressed up to seduce him? It's business, kid. Get that dress off and put on your overalls." "But, Dad..." "Do as I say!" She did not argue with him. "Okay, Dad." After watching Marguerite and Jamie drive out in the carriage for twenty minutes, van der Merwe suspected that he might have made a mistake. ※※※ This time, Jamie drove the carriage in the opposite direction.There is development and construction everywhere, an exciting scene.If mineral resources continued to be discovered, Jamie mused - and there was every reason to believe they would - then investing in real estate would be worth more than diamonds and gold.Kripdrift needs more banks, hotels, salons, shops, brothels... the things to do are endless, and the opportunities are endless. Jamie realized that Margaret was watching him. "Is there something wrong?" "Oh, no," she said, looking away quickly. Jamie paid more attention to her now, and found her radiant.Margaret sensed his closeness and masculine charm.He is aware of her emotions.She is a woman without a man. At noon, Jamie drove off the main road, headed for a wooded area next to a stream, and stopped under a big baobab tree.He had ordered the hotel to prepare a picnic lunch.Margaret spread a tablecloth, opened the food basket, and arranged the food one by one.There was cold roast lamb, roast chicken, saffron rice, quince puree, citrus, peach and almond biscuits. "It's a feast!" cried Margaret. "I'm afraid I don't deserve such a good reception, Mr. Travis." "You deserve better," Jamie assured her. Margaret turned away, busily arranging the food. Jamie cupped her face in his hands. "Margaret...look at me." "Oh! Please don't do this...I..." She trembled all over. "look at me." She raised her head shyly and looked into his eyes.He pulled her into his arms, kissed her, and held her tightly. After a while she broke free, shook her head, and said, "Oh my God. We must never do this. Oh, we must never do this. We're going to hell." "Into heaven." "I am afraid." "There's nothing to be afraid of. Can you see my eyes? They can see inside of you. You know what I see, don't you? You want me to fuck you. I want to fuck you too. There's nothing to be afraid of Yes, because you belong to me. You know that, don't you? You belong to me, Margaret. Say, I belong to Ian. Say, I... belong to... Ian." "I belong to... Ian." He kissed her again and began to unbuckle the back of her corset.For a moment, she was standing naked in the breeze.He gently pushed her down to the ground.The transition from virginity to womanhood was a thrilling, sublime experience, which made Margaret feel more alive than ever in her previous life. "I'll never forget this moment," she thought. "No woman loves anyone like I love this man." After they calmed down, Jamie held her close to his strong chest, which she hoped would last forever.She looked up at him and whispered softly: "What are you thinking?" He smiled, and replied in a whisper, "I'm starving to death." She laughed.Then they got up and ate their lunch in the shade of the trees.Swim again together, then lie down and let the hot sun dry their bodies.Jamie makes love to Margaret again.She thought, "I want this day to last forever." ※※※ That evening, Jamie and van der Merwe sat at a corner table in the Sentona Bar. "You're right," Jamie announced. "There's a lot more potential for investing here than I thought." Van der Merwe smiled. "I know a smart man like you can't fail to see that, Mr. Travis." "What on earth do you want me to do?" Jamie asked. Van der Merwe looked around and said in a low voice: "Just today, I heard some news that many new diamonds have been dug up in the north of Pornière. There are still ten diamond mines. We can divide them equally. I put £50,000 into five diamond mines and you can put £50,000 into another five diamond mines. Diamonds are measured in bushels there. We make millions overnight. What do you think? " Jamie knew exactly what his intentions were.Van der Merwe wanted to take the profitable shares, and Jamie could only get the leftovers.Besides, Jamie would bet his life that Van der Merwe would not come up with a shilling. "Sounds interesting," Jamie said. "How many diamond diggers do you need?" "Just two." "Why spend so much money?" he asked pretending to be confused. "Oh, that's a very sensible question." He leaned forward again. "You know, they understand the value of their share of the ownership, but they don't have the money to mine it. That's why you and I get involved. We give them £100,000 and give them 20 per cent ownership." He brings out that 20% so lightly that the listener barely notices it.Jamie concluded that these diamond diggers would be cheated out of diamonds and money.All of this will roll into van der Merwe's pockets. "We've got to act quickly," warned van der Merwe, "when word of this gets out..." "We can't pass up this opportunity," Jamie urged. Van der Merwe smiled, "Don't worry, I'll get someone to draft the contract right away." "Contracts in Afrikaans again," thought Jamie. "Besides, I found a couple of other deals very interesting, Ian." ※※※ Van der Merwe considered it essential to keep his new companion happy, so he no longer objected to Jamie's offer to have Margaret accompany him on a tour of the countryside.Margaret fell in love with Jamie more and more by the day.Thinking about him became the last thing on her mind when she went to bed every night, and the first thing on her mind when she opened her eyes every morning.Jamie unleashed the lust in her body, something she hadn't known before.It was as if she had suddenly discovered the usefulness of her body, and that everything she had been taught to be ashamed of had become a supreme gift that brought Jamie joy.The same goes for herself.Love is a wonderful kingdom to be discovered, a hidden paradise in the depths of the valley, and the place of the most lovely creeks and glens.She will never be satisfied. It was easy to find out-of-the-way places in the vast countryside for them to make love, and each one was as exciting and exciting to Margaret as the first. Guilt towards her father hung over her mind.Salomon van der Merwe was a devout member of the Dutch Reformed Church, and Margaret knew she would never be forgiven if he found out what she had done.Even on the outskirts of the wilderness where they live, where men roam around, people don't understand.There are only two kinds of women in the world—clean girls and brazen whores—and a clean girl won't let a man touch her until she's married.In this way, she can only be classified as a bitch. "It's so unfair," she thought, "to give and receive love is too good a thing to be evil." But her worries grew, and at last Marguerite thought of marriage. As they drove along the Vaal, Margaret said, "Ian, you don't know how much I miss..." She didn't know how to go on. "That is, you and I..." In embarrassment, she blurted out, "How do you feel about getting married?" Jamie laughed. "I'm for it, Margaret. I'm for it." She laughed with him.This is the happiest moment of her life. ※※※ On Sunday morning Salomon van der Merwe invited Jamie to accompany him and Margaret to church.Nudentus Movumt Cork is an impressive cathedral, although it doesn't quite look like a true Gothic building.The church has a pulpit at one end and a large organ at the other.They were greeted with great respect as they entered. "I funded the building of this church," he told Jamie proudly, "and I'm the deacon here!" There was brimstone and hellfire in the liturgical form, and van der Merwe sat fascinated, nodding his head, listening to every word the priest had to say. "On Sunday he's a man of God," thought Jamie, "and the rest of the week he's in league with the devil." Van der Merwe sat between the two young men, but Margaret was aware of Jaime's presence throughout the ceremony. Mi is by my side. "Fortunately"—she couldn't help smiling to herself—"the pastor doesn't know what I'm thinking." That night, Jamie stopped by the Sentona Bar.Smit was pouring drinks for customers behind the bar.When he saw Jamie, his face lit up. "Good evening, Mr. Travis. What would you like, sir? Or old fashioned?" "No drink tonight, Smit. I want to talk to you. In the back room." "Of course, sir." Smit could smell the money coming soon.He called out to his assistant, "Take care of the bar." Sundowner's back room was no more than a small room, but it was a place where private matters could be discussed.There was only a round table and four chairs in the room, and a lamp in the center of the table.Smith turned on the lights. "Sit down," Jamie said. Smith took a chair. "Well, sir. How can I be of service to you?" "I'm here to help you, Smit." Smit smiled. "Really, sir." "Yes." Jamie pulled out a stout cigar and lit it. "I decided to let you live." A look of unease crossed Smit's face, "I, I don't understand, Mr. Travis." "Not Travis. My name is McGregor, Jamie McGregor. Remember? You set me up to kill me a year ago. In the barn. For Van der Merwe." Smit frowned suddenly, and suddenly became alert, "I don't know what it is..." “闭嘴，听我说。”杰米的声音犹如一记鞭子。 杰米能够察觉斯密特脑筋的转动。他试图把面前这个满头白发的男人与一年前充满生气的青年人对上号。 “我还活着，而且我发了财——财富多得足以雇人把这块地方烧成灰，连你也在内。你听不听我的？斯密特？” 斯密特开始想为自己的无辜辩解，但当他窥视杰米·麦格雷戈的眼光时，意识到了危险。斯密特小心翼翼地回答说：“是的，先生。” “范德默韦给你钱，要你把挖钻石工人送到他那里，这样他就可以欺骗他们，把他们发现的东西据为己有。那真是一种有趣的合作。他付给你多少钱？” There was silence.斯密特处在两股强大的势力中间，没有自主的余地。他不知道怎样跳槽，选择哪条路。 "How many?" “百分之二。”他勉强地说。 “我给你百分之五。从现在开始，如果一个像样的挖钻石工人来到这儿，你就把他送到我那里去。我会资助他的。不同的是，他将得到公平的份额，你也会得到你的份额。你真的以为范德默韦会给你他所得到的百分之二？你真是个傻瓜。” 斯密特点点头。“是的，特拉维……麦格雷戈先生。我懂你的意思。” 杰米站了起来。“还没讲完。”他靠着桌子说，“你想跑到范德默韦那里，向他告密吗？这样，你就能从我们两人这里得到双份报酬。只有一个问题，斯密特。”他的声音变成了耳语，“如果你这样干的话，那你就休想活命。”