第25章 法官的房子〔10〕

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e,onthegreathigh-backedcarvedoakchairsattheJudgeinhisrobesofscarletandermine,withhisbalefuleyesglaringvindictively,andasmileoftriumhontheresolute,cruelmouth,asheliftedwithhishandsablackca.Malcolmsonfeltasifthebloodwasrunningfromhisheart,asonedoesinmomentsofrolongedsusense.Therewasasinginginhisearswithout,hecouldheartheroarandhowlofthetemest,andthroughit,swetonthestorm,camethestrikingofmidnightbythegreatchimesinthemarketlace.Hestoodforasaceoftimethatseemedtohimendlessstillasastatue,andwithwide-oen,horror-struckeyes,breathless.Astheclockstruck,sothesmileoftriumhontheJudge'sfaceintensified,andatthelaststrokeofmidnighthelacedtheblackcaonhishead.

SlowlyanddeliberatelytheJudgerosefromhischairandickedutheieceoftheroeofthealarmbellwhichlayonthefloor,drewitthroughhishandsasifheenjoyeditstouch,andthendeliberatelybegantoknotoneendofit,fashioningitintoanoose.Thishetightenedandtestedwithhisfoot,ullinghardatittillhewassatisfiedandthenmakingarunningnooseofit,whichheheldinhishand.ThenhebegantomovealongthetableontheoositesidetoMalcolmson,keeinghiseyesonhimuntilhehadassedhim,whenwithaquickmovementhestoodinfrontofthedoor.Malcolmsonthenbegantofeelthathewastraed,andtriedtothinkofwhatheshoulddo.TherewassomefascinationintheJudge'seyes,whichhenevertookoffhim,andhehad,erforce,tolook.HesawtheJudgearoach—stillkeeingbetweenhimandthedoor—andraisethenooseandthrowittowardshimasiftoentanglehim.Withagreatefforthemadeaquickmovementtooneside,andsawtheroefallbesidehim,andhearditstriketheoakenfloor.AgaintheJudgeraisedthenooseandtriedtoensnarehim,everkeeinghisbalefuleyesfixedonhim,andeachtimebyamightyeffortthestudentjustmanagedtoevadeit.Sothiswentonformanytimes,theJudgeseemingneverdiscouragednordiscomosedatfailure,butlayingasacatdoeswithamouse.Atleastindesair,whichhadreacheditsclimax,Malcolmsoncastaquickglanceroundhim.Thelamseemedtohaveblazedu,andtherewasafairlygoodlightintheroom.Atthemanyrat-holesandinthechinksandcranniesofthewainscothesawtherats'eyes;andthisasect,thatwasurelyhysical,gavehimagleamofcomfort.Helookedaroundandsawthattheroeofthegreatalarmbellwasladenwithrats.Everyinchofitwascoveredwiththem;andmoreandmorewereouringthroughthesmallcircularholeintheceilingwhenceitemerged,sothatwiththeirweightthebellwasbeginningtosway.

Hark!Ithadswayedtilltheclaerhadtouchedthebell.Thesoundwasbutatinyone,butthebellwasonlybeginningtosway,anditwouldincrease.

AtthesoundtheJudge,whohadbeenkeeinghiseyesfixedonMalcolmson,lookedu,andascowlofdiabolicalangeroversreadhisface.Hiseyesfairlyglowedlikehotcoals,andhestamedhisfootwithasoundthatseemedtomakethehouseshake.Adreadfulealofthunderbrokeoverheadasheraisedtheroeagain,whilsttheratsketrunninguanddowntheroeasthoughworkingagainsttime.Thistime,insteadofthrowingit,hedrewclosetohisvictim,andheldoenthenooseashearoached.Ashecamecloserthereseemedsomethingaralyzinginhisveryresence,andMalcolmsonstoodrigidasacorse.HefelttheJudge'sicyfingerstouchhisthroatasheadjustedtheroe.Thenoosetightened—tightened.ThentheJudge,takingtherigidformofthestudentinhisarms,carriedhimoverandlacedhimstandingintheoakchair,andsteingubesidehim,uthishanduandcaughttheendoftheswayingroeofthealarmbell.Asheraisedhishandtheratsfledsqueaking,anddisaearedthroughtheholeintheceiling.TakingtheendofthenoosewhichwasroundMalcolmson'sneckhetiedittothehanging-bellroe,andthendescendingulledawaythechair.

WhenthealarmbelloftheJudge'sHousebegantosoundacrowdsoonassembled.Lightsandtorchesofvariouskindsaeared,andsoonasilentcrowdwashurryingtothesot.Theyknockedloudlyatthedoor,buttherewasnorely.Thentheyburstinthedoor,andouredintothegreatdining-room,thedoctoratthehead.

Thereattheendoftheroeofthegreatalarmbellhungthebodyofthestudent,andonthefaceoftheJudgeintheicturewasamalignantsmile.