the grey room(灰房间)-第23节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
knowledge of him； recollect； extends over only a short time … eight or ten
months； I suppose。 I shall visit his ship and his cabin in H。 M。 S。
Indomitable also； and learn all that his fellow officers can tell me。
Sir Walter looked at his watch。
〃It is now nearly one o'clock；〃 he said； 〃and at two we usually take
luncheon。 What would you wish to do between now and then？ None
here but ourselves and my butler … an old friend in all my secrets … knows
you have come professionally。 I concealed the fact and called you
'Forbes；' at your wish； though they cannot fail to suspect； I fear。〃
〃Thank you。 I will see the room； then； and look round the place。
Perhaps after luncheon； if she feels equal to the task； Mrs。 May will give
me a private interview。 I want to learn everything possible concerning
your late son…in…law … his career before Jutland； his philosophy of life； his
habits and his friends。〃
〃She will very gladly tell you everything she can。〃
They ascended to the Grey Room。
〃Not the traditional haunt of spooks； certainly；〃 said Peter Hardcastle
as they entered the bright and cheerful chamber。 The day was clear； and
76
… Page 77…
THE GREY ROOM
from the southern window unclouded sunshine came。
〃Nothing is changed？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing。 The room remains as it has been for many years。〃
〃Kindly describe exactly where Captain May was found。 Perhaps Mr。
Lennox will imitate his posture； if he remembers it？〃
〃Remember it！ I shall never forget it；〃 said Henry。 〃I first saw him
from below。 He was looking out of the open window and kneeling here
on this seat。〃
〃Let us open the window then。〃
The situation and attitude of the dead on discovery were imitated； and
Hardcastle examined the spot。 Then he himself occupied the position
and looked out。
〃I will ask for a ladder presently； and examine the face of the wall。
Ivy； I see。 Ivy has told me some very interesting secrets before to…day；
Sir Walter。〃
〃I dare say it has。〃
〃If you will remind me at luncheon； I can tell you a truly amazing
story about ivy … a story of life and death。 A man could easily go and
come by this window。〃
〃Not easily I think；〃 said Henry。 〃It is rather more than thirty…five
feet to the ground。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
〃The police； who made the original inquiry and were stopped； as you
will remember； from Scotland Yard； measured it the second morning
afterwards … on Monday。〃
〃But they did not examine the face of the wall？〃
〃I think not。 They dropped a measure from the window。〃
The other pursued his examination of the room。 〃Old furniture；〃 he
said； 〃very old evidently。〃
It was collected in Spain by my grandfather many years ago。〃
〃Valuable； no doubt？〃
〃I understand so。〃
〃Wonderful carving。 And this door？〃
〃It is not a door； but a cupboard in the solid wall。〃
77
… Page 78…
THE GREY ROOM
Sir Walter opened the receptacle as he spoke。 The cupboard … some
six and a half feet high … was empty。 At the back of it appeared a row of
pegs for clothes。
〃I can finish with the room for the present at any rate； in an hour；
gentlemen；〃 said Hardcastle。 〃I'll spend the time here till luncheon。
Had your son…in…law any interest in old furniture； Sir Walter？〃
〃None whatever to my knowledge。 He was interested； poor fellow；
not in the contents； but in the evil reputation of the room。 Its bad name
dated back far beyond the occupation of my family。 Captain May laughed
at my mistrust； and； as you know； he came here； contrary to my express
wishes； in order that he might chaff me next morning over my superstition。
He wanted 'to clear its character；' as he said。〃
Hardcastle was turning over the stack of old oil…paintings in tarnished
frames。
〃Family portraits？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You mistrusted the room yourself； Sir Walter？〃
〃After Nurse Forrester's death I did。 Not before。 But while
attaching no importance myself to the tradition； I respected it。〃
〃Nobody else ever spent a night here after the lady's death？〃
〃Nobody。 Of that I am quite certain。〃
〃Have you not left the house since？〃 〃Frequently。 I generally spend
March； April； and May on the Continent … in France or Italy。 But the
house is never closed； and my people are responsible to me。 The room is
always locked； and when I am not in residence Abraham Masters； my
butler； keeps the key。 He shares my own feelings so far as the Grey
Room is concerned。〃
The detective nodded。 He was standing in the middle of the room
with his hands in his pockets。
〃A strange fact … the force of superstition；〃 he said。 〃It seems to feed
on night； where ghosts are involved。 What； I suppose； credulous people
call 'the powers of darkness。' But have you ever asked yourself why the
spiritualists must work in the dark？〃
〃To simplify their operations； no doubt； and make it easier for the
78
… Page 79…
THE GREY ROOM
spirits。〃
〃And themselves！ But why is the night sacred to apparitions and
supernatural phenomena generally？〃
〃Tradition associates them with those hours。 Spiritualists say it is
easier for spectres to appear in the dark by reason of their material
composition。 It is then that we find the most authentic accounts of their
manifestations。〃
〃Yes； because at that time human vitality is lowest and human reason
weakest。 Darkness itself has a curious and depressing effect on the
minds of many people。 I have won my advantage from that more than
once。 I once proved a very notorious crime by the crude expedient of
impersonating the criminal's victim … a murdered woman … and appearing
to him at night before a concealed witness。 But spirits are doomed。 The
present extraordinary wave of superstition and the immense prosperity of
the dealers in the 'occult' is a direct result of the war。 They are profiteers
… every one of them…crystal gazers； mediums； fortune tellers； and the rest。
They are reaping a rare harvest for the moment。 We punish the humbler
rogues； but we don't punish the fools who go to see them。 If I had my
way； the man or woman who visited the modern witch or wizard should
get six months in the second division。 Fools should be punished oftener
for their folly。 But education will sweep these things into the limbo of
man's ignorance and mental infancy。 Ghosts cannot stand the light of
knowledge any better than they can operate in the light of day。〃
〃You are very positive； Mr。 Hardcastle。〃
〃Not often … on this subject…yes； Sir Walter Lennox。 I have seen too
much of the practitioners。 Metaphysics is largely to blame。 Physics； the
strong； you will find far too merciful to metaphysics； the weak。〃
Sir Walter found himself regarding Hardcastle with dislike。 He spoke
quietly； yet there was something mocking and annoying in his dogmatism。
〃You must discuss the subject with Mr。 May； who breakfasted with us。
He will； I think； have no difficulty in maintaining the contrary opinion。〃
〃They never have any difficulty … clergymen I mean … and argument
with them is vain； because we cannot find common ground to start from。
What is the reverend gentleman's theory？〃
79
… Page 80…
THE GREY ROOM
〃He believes that the room holds an invisible and conscious presence
permitted to exercise powers of a physical character antagonistic to human
life。 He is guarded； you see； and will not go so far as to say whether this
being is w
