The Hidden Staircase Chapter II Part 1

Cerita sebelumnya The Hidden Saircase Chapter I Part 3

The Mysterious MishapSIPPING their tea, Helen Corning and her aunt waited for Nancy's decision. The young sleuth was in a dilemma. She wanted to start at once solving the mystery of the "ghost" of Twin Elms.

Misteri itu melupakan teh mereka, Helen Corning dan bibinya menunggu keputusan Nancy. Detektif muda itu tengah dilanda dilema. Dia ingin segera memcahkan misteri “hantu” Twin Elms.

But Nathan Comber's warning still rang in her ears and she felt that her first duty was to stay with her father. At last she spoke. "Mrs. Hayes—" she began.

Tapi peringatan Natham Comber’s masih terdengar di telinga Nancy dan dia merasa tugas utamanya adalah menjaga ayahnya. Akhirnya Nancy angkat bicara. “Nyonya Hayes—” mulai Nancy.

"Please call me Aunt Rosemary," the caller requested.

“Panggil saja aku bibi Rosemary,” pinta si tamu.

"All Helen's friends do. "Nancy smiled. "I'd love to. Aunt Rosemary, may I please let you know tonight or tomorrow? I really must speak to my father about the case. And something else came up just this afternoon which may keep me at home for a while at least."

“Begitu pula dengan semua teman Helen. “Nancy tersenyum. “Dengan senang hati. Bibi Rosemary, bolehkan saya memberitahu anda malam ini atau besok? Aku harus berbicara dengan ayah tentang kasus. Dan sesuatu hal terjadi sore ini yang membuat ku setidaknya tetap berada di rumah sementara.

 "I understand," Mrs. Hayes answered, trying to conceal her disappointment. Helen Corning did not take Nancy's announcement so calmly.

“Aku mengerti,” jawab Nyonya Hayes, mencoba menutupi kekecewaanya. Helen Corning tidak sabar menunggu jawaban Nancy.

"Oh, Nancy, you just must come. I'm sure your dad would want you to help us.  Can't you postpone the other thing until you get back?"

“Oh Nancy, kamu harus datang. Aku yakin ayah mu mengijinkan membantu kami. Bisa kah kau menunda hal lain itu sampai kamu kembali?”

"I'm afraid not," said Nancy. "I can't tell you all the details, but Dad has been threatened and I feel that I ought to stay close to him.

“Maaf aku tidak bisa,” kata Nancy. “Aku tidak bisa memberitahumu rinciannya, tapi ayah telah diancam dan aku rasa aku wajib menjaganya.

"Hannah Gruen added her fears. "Goodness only knows what they may do to Mr.Drew," she said. "Somebody could come up and hit him on the head, or poison his food in a restaurant, or—

“Ketakutan Hannah Gruen muncul. “Hanya Tuhan yang tahu apa yang mungkin mereka lakukan terhadap Tuan Drew,” katanya. “Seseorang bisa mendekati dan memukulnya di kepala, atau meracuni makanannya di restoran, atau--

"Helen and her aunt gasped. "It's that bad?" Helen asked, her eyes growing wide.

“Helen dan bibinya kaget. “Apakah seburuk itu?” tanya Helen, matanya melebar.

Nancy explained that she would talk to her father when he returned home. "I hate to disappoint you," she said, "but you can see what a quandary I'm in."

Nancy menjelaskan dia akan berbicara dengan ayahnya setibanya di rumah. “Aku tak ingin mengecewakan mu, “ kata Nancy, “tapi lihatlah kebingungan ku saat ini.”

"You poor girl!" said Mrs. Hayes sympathetically. "Now don't you worry about us.

“Alangkah malangnya dirimu!” kata Nyonya Hayes bersimpati. “Sekarang tak perlu kau menghawatirkan diri kami.

"Nancy smiled. "I'll worry whether I come or not," she said. "Anyway, I'll talk to  my dad tonight.

“Nancy tersenyum. “Aku akan khawatir apakah aku bisa datang atau tidak, katanya. “Lagi pula, Aku akan berbicara dengan ayah ku malam ini.

"The callers left shortly. When the door had closed behind them, Hannah put an arm around Nancy's shoulders. "I'm sure everything will come out all right for everybody," she said.

“Para tamu kemudian pulang. Ketik pintu tertutup di belakang Nancy dan Hannah Gruen, Hannah meletakkan lengannya di sekitar bahu Nancy. “Aku yakin semua akan baik-baik saja untuk semua orang, “katanya.

"I'm sorry I talked about those dreadful things that might happen to your father. I let my imagination run away with me, just like they say Miss Flora's does with her."

“Aku minta maaf aku bicara tentang hal-hal yang mengerikan tadi yang mungkin terjadi kepada ayah mu. Aku biarkan imajinasiku melintas, sama seperti yang Helen dan bibinya katakan tentang apa yang terjadi dengan Miss Flora.

"You're a great comfort, Hannah dear," said Nancy. "To tell the truth, I have thought of all kinds of horrible things myself." She began to pace the floor.

“Anda adalah penenang terbaik, Hannah sayang,”kata Nancy. “Sejujurnya, Aku sendiri memiliki pikiran tentang berbagai macam hal buruk.” Nancy mulai melangkah.

"I wish Dad would get home. "During the next hour she went to the window at least a dozen times, hoping to see her father's car coming up the street.

 It was not until six o'clock that she heard the crunch of wheels on the driveway and saw Mr. Drew's sedan pull into the garage.

“Aku berharap ayah pulang. “Selama berjam-jam berikutnya Nancy melihat ke jendela puluhan kali, berharap melihat mobil ayahnya tiba di jalan. Hampir jam 6 dia mendengar gemersik roda di jalanan dan melihat mobil sedan Tuan Drew diparkit di garasi.

"He's safe!" she cried out to Hannah, who was testing potatoes that were  baking in the oven.

“Dia selamat!” Nancy  bertangisan dengan Hannah, yang mencoba kentang yang dipanggan di oven.

In a flash Nancy was out the back door and running to meet her father. "Oh, Dad, I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed.

Dengan segera Nancy menuju pintu belakang dan berlari menemui ayahnya. “Oh Ayah, aku senang sekali bertemu dengan mu! Seru Nancy.

She gave him a tremendous hug and a resounding kiss.

Nancy memberi pelukan hangat dan ciuman yang bertubi-tubi.

He responded affectionately, but gave a little chuckle. "What have I done to rate this extra bit of attention?" he teased. With a wink he added, "I know. Your date for tonight is off and you want me to substitute."

Ayah Nancy membalasnya dengan sepenuh hati, tapi sembil terkekeh. “Apa yang telah ku lakukan untuk mendapatkan perhatian lebih seperti ini?” goda ayah. Dengan tambahan kedipan mata, “Aku tahu. Pasangan kencan mu untuk malam ini tak bisa hadir dan kamu ingin ayah menggantikannya.”

"Oh, Dad," Nancy replied. "Of course my date's not off. But I'm just about to call it off."

“Oh, Ayah,” jawab Nancy. “Tentu saja pasangan kencan ku bisa hadir. Tapi aku baru saja akan membatalkannya.”

"Why?" Mr. Drew questioned. "Isn't Dirk going to stay on your list?

“Kenapa?” tanya Tuan Drew. “Apakah Dirk akan tetap ada di daftar mu?

"It's not that," Nancy replied. "It's because— because you're in terrible danger, Dad. I've been warned not to leave you."

“Bukan begitu,” balas Nancy. “Hanya saja—karena ayah berada dalam bahaya mengerikan. Aku telah diperingatkan untuk menjagamu.”

Instead of looking alarmed, the lawyer burst out laughing. "In terrible danger of what? Are you going to make a raid on my wallet?"

Alih-alih terlihat waspada, pengacara itu tertawa terbahak-bahak. “Dalam bahaya mengerikan apanya? Apa kamu akan menggeledah dompet ku?

"Dad, be serious! I really mean what I'm saying. Nathan Comber was here and told me that you're in great danger and I'd better stay with you at all times."

“Ayah, serius dong! Perkataan ku sungguh-sungguh. Natham Comber tadi ke sini dan mengatakan kepada ku kalau ayah dalam bahaya dan aku lebih baik menjaga ayah setiap saat.

The lawyer sobered at once. "That pest again!" he exclaimed. "There are times when I'd like to thrash the man till he begged for mercy!" Mr. Drew suggested that they postpone their discussion about Nathan Comber until dinner was over. Then he would tell his daughter the true facts in the case. After they had finished dinner, Hannah insisted upon tidying up alone while father and daughter talked.

Pengacara itu seketika sadar. “Serangga itu lagi! seru ayah. “kapan-kapan aku akan membuang orang itu sampai dia memohon maaf!” Tuan Drew menyarankan menunda diskusi mereka sampai makan malam selesai. Kemudian dia akan mengatakan kepada putrinya fakta yang benar dari kasus itu. Setelah mereka selesai makan malam Hanna bersikeras membereskan meja sendirian sementara ayah dan anak berbicara.

"I will admit that there is a bit of a muddle about the railroad bridge," Mr. Drew began. "What happened was that the lawyer who went to get Willie Wharton's signature was very ill at the time. Unfortunately, he failed to have the signature witnessed or have the attached certificate of acknowledgment executed. The poor man passed away a few hours later."

“Aku akan mengakui adanya sedikit kekacauan tentang jembatan rel kereta api, “tuan Drew memulai. “Kejadiannya adalah pengacara yang mencari tanda tangan Willie Wharton sakit parah waktu itu.  Sayangnya, dia gagal untuk menyaksikan penandatanganan atau memiliki lampiran tanda tangan pengakuan sertifikat. Laki-laki malang itu meninggal beberapa jam kemudian.”

"And the other railroad lawyers failed to notice that the signature hadn't been witnessed or the certificate notarized?" Nancy asked.

“Dan pengacara rel kereta api lainnya gagal menyadari bahwa tanda tangan itu belum disaksikan atau sertifikat dinotarisasikan?” tanya Nancy.

"Not right away. The matter did not come to light until the man's widow turned his brief case over to the railroad.

“Belum sadar saat itu juga. Masalah itu tidak muncul ke permukaan sampai janda laki-laki itu mengantarkan koper berkas ke kantor rel kereta api.

To be continued to Chapter II part 2

Bersambung ke Chapter II part 2