第23章 法官的房子〔8〕

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enMrs.Withamwasherselfagainshealmostassailedthedoctorwithangryquestionsastowhathemeantbyuttingsuchhorribleideasintotheooryoungman'smind.

"Hehasquiteenoughtherealreadytousethim,

"sheadded.Dr.Thornhillrelied:

"Mydearmadam,Ihadadistincturoseinit!Iwantedtodrawhisattentiontothebellroe,andtofixitthere.Itmaybethatheisinahighlyoverwroughtstate,andhasbeenstudyingtoomuch,althoughIamboundtosaythatheseemsassoundandhealthyayoungman,mentallyandbodily,aseverIsaw—butthentherats—andthatsuggestionofthedevil.

"Thedoctorshookhisheadandwenton.

"IwouldhaveofferedtogoandstaythefirstnightwithhimbutIfeltsureitwouldhavebeenacauseofoffence.Hemaygetinthenightsomestrangefrightorhallucination;andifhedoesIwanthimtoullthatroe.Allaloneasheisitwillgiveuswarning,andwemayreachhimintimetobeofservice.Ishallbesittingurettylatetonightandshallkeemyearsoen.DonotbealarmedifBenchurchgetsasurrisebeforemorning.

"

"Oh,Doctor,whatdoyoumean?Whatdoyoumean?

"

"Imeanthis;thatossibly—nay,morerobably—weshallhearthegreatalarmbellfromtheJudge'sHousetonight,

"andthedoctormadeaboutaseffectiveanexitascouldbethoughtof.

WhenMalcolmsonarrivedhomehefoundthatitwasalittleafterhisusualtime,andMrs.Demsterhadgoneaway—therulesofGreenhow'sCharitywerenottobeneglected.Hewasgladtoseethatthelacewasbrightandtidywithacheerfulfireandawell-trimmedlam.TheeveningwascolderthanmighthavebeenexectedinAril,andaheavywindwasblowingwithsuchraidlyincreasingstrengththattherewaseveryromiseofastormduringthenight.Forafewminutesafterhisentrancethenoiseoftheratsceased;butsosoonastheybecameaccustomedtohisresencetheybeganagain.Hewasgladtohearthem,forhefeltoncemorethefeelingofcomanionshiintheirnoise,andhismindranbacktothestrangefactthattheyonlyceasedtomanifestthemselveswhenthatother—thegreatratwiththebalefuleyes—cameuonthescene.Thereading—lamonlywaslitanditsgreenshadekettheceilingandtheuerartoftheroomindarkness,sothatthecheerfullightfromthehearthsreadingoverthefloorandshiningonthewhiteclothlaidovertheendofthetablewaswarmandcheery.Malcolmsonsatdowntohisdinnerwithagoodaetiteandabuoyantsirit.Afterhisdinnerandacigarettehesatsteadilydowntowork,determinednottoletanythingdisturbhim,forherememberedhisromisetothedoctor,andmadeuhismindtomakethebestofthetimeathisdisosal.

Foranhourorsoheworkedallright,andthenhisthoughtsbegantowanderfromhisbooks.Theactualcircumstancesaroundhim,thecallsonhishysicalattention,andhisnervoussuscetibilitywerenottobedenied.Bythistimethewindhadbecomeagale,andthegaleastorm.Theoldhouse,solidthoughitwas,seemedtoshaketoitsfoundations,andthestormroaredandragedthroughitsmanychimneysanditsqueeroldgables,roducingstrange,unearthlysoundsintheemtyroomsandcorridors.Eventhegreatalarmbellontheroofmusthavefelttheforceofthewind,fortheroeroseandfellslightly,asthoughthebellweremovedalittlefromtimetotime,andthelimberroefellontheoakfloorwithahardandhollowsound.

AsMalcolmsonlistenedtoithebethoughthimselfofthedoctor'swords,

"ItistheroewhichthehangmanusedforthevictimsoftheJudge'sjudicialrancour,

"andhewentovertothecornerofthefirelaceandtookitinhishandtolookatit.Thereseemedasortofdeadlyinterestinit,andashestoodtherehelosthimselfforamomentinseculationastowhothesevictimswere,andthegrimwishoftheJudgetohavesuchaghastlyreliceverunderhiseyes.Ashestoodtheretheswayingofthebellontheroofstillliftedtheroenowandagain;butresentlytherecameanewsensation—asortoftremorintheroe,asthoughsomethingwasmovingalongit.

LookinguinstinctivelyMalcolmsonsawthegreatratcomingslowlydowntowardshim,glaringathimsteadily.Hedroedtheroeandstartedbackwithamutteredcurse,andtheratturningranutheroeagainanddisaeared,andatthesameinstantMalcolmsonbecameconsciousthatthenoiseoftherats,whichhadceasedforawhile,beganagain.

Allthissethimthinking,anditoccurredtohimthathehadnotinvestigatedthelairoftheratorlookedattheictures,ashehadintended.Helittheotherlamwithouttheshade,and,holdingituwentandstoodoositethethirdicturefromthefirelaceontheright-handsidewherehehadseentheratdisaearonthereviousnight.

Atthefirstglancehestartedbacksosuddenlythathealmostdroedthelam,andadeadlyalloroversreadhisface.Hiskneesshook,andheavydrosofsweatcameonhisforehead,andhetrembledlikeanasen.Buthewasyoungandlucky,andulledhimselftogether,andaftertheauseofafewsecondssteedforwardagain,raisedthelam,andexaminedtheicturewhichhadbeendustedandwashed,andnowstoodoutclearly.

Itwasofajudgedressedinhisrobesofscarletandermine.Hisfacewasstrongandmerciless,evil,crafty,andvindictive,withasensualmouth,hookednoseofruddycolour,andshaedlikethebeakofabirdofrey.Therestofthefacewasofacadaverouscolour.Theeyeswereofeculiarbrillianceandwithaterriblymalignantexression.Ashelookedatthem,Malcolmsongrewcold,forhesawtheretheverycounterartoftheeyesofthegreatrat.Thelamalmostfellfromhishand,hesawtheratwithitsbalefuleyeseeringoutthroughtheholeinthecorneroftheicture,andnotedthesuddencessationofthenoiseoftheotherrats.However,heulledhimselftogether,andwentonwithhisexaminationoftheicture.