the grey room(灰房间)-第6节
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Michell。
They gazed round them； and Ernest Travers expressed admiration at
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the old furniture。
〃My dear Walter； why hide these things here？〃 he asked。 〃They are
beautiful； and may be valuable； too。〃
〃I've been asked the same question before；〃 answered the owner。 〃And
they are valuable。 Lord Bolsover offered me a thousand guineas for
those two chairs； but the things are heirlooms in a sort of way； and I
shouldn't feel justified in parting with them。 My grandfather was furniture
mad…spent half his time collecting old stuff on the Continent。 Spain was
his happy hunting ground。〃
〃It's positively a shame to doom these chairs to a haunted room；
uncle；〃 declared Henry。
But the other shook his head and smothered a yawn。
〃The house is too full as it is。〃 he said。
〃Mary wants you to scrap dozens of things；〃 replied his nephew。 〃Then
there'd be plenty of room。〃
〃You'll do what you please when your turn comes； and no doubt cast
out my tusks and antlers and tiger…skins； which I know you don't admire。
Wait in patience； Henry。 And we will now go to bed；〃 answered the elder。
〃I am fatigued； and it must be nearly midnight。〃
Then Tom May brought their thoughts back to the reason of the visit。
〃Look here； governor；〃 he said。 〃It's a scandal to give a champion
room like this a bad name and shut it up。 You've fallen into the habit； but
you know it's all nonsense。 Mary loves this room。 I'll make you a
sporting offer。 Let me sleep in it to…night； and then； when I report a clean
bill tomorrow； you can throw it open again and announce it is forgiven
without a stain on its character。 You've just said you don't believe spooks
have the power to hurt anybody。 Then let me turn in here。〃
Sir Walter； however； refused。
〃No； Tom； most certainly not。 It's far too late to go over the ground
again and explain why； but I don't wish it。〃
〃A milder…mannered room was never seen； said Ernest Travers。 〃You
must let me look at it by daylight； and bring Nelly。 The ceiling； too； is
evidently very fine…finer even than the one in my room。〃
〃The ceilings here were all the work of Italians in Tudor times；〃
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explained his friend。 〃They are Elizabethan。 The plaster is certainly
wonderful； and my ceilings are considered as good as anything in the
country； I believe。〃
He turned； and the rest followed him。
Henry removed the electric bulb； and restored it to its place outside。
Then his uncle gave him the key。
〃Put it back in the cabinet；〃 he said。 〃I won't go down again。〃
The party broke up； and all save Lennox and the sailor went to their
rooms。 The two younger men descended together and； when out of ear…
shot of his uncle； Henry spoke。
〃Look here； Tom；〃 he said； 〃you've given me a tip。 I'm going to
camp out in the Grey Room to…night。 Then； in the morning； I'll tell Uncle
Walter I have done so； and the ghost's number will be up。〃 〃Quite all
right； old man … only the plan must be modified。 I'll sleep there。 I'm
death on it； and the brilliant inspiration was mine； remember。〃
〃You can't。 He refused to let you。〃
〃I didn't hear him。〃
〃Oh； yes； you did…everybody did。 Besides； this is fairly my task … you
won't deny that。 Chadlands will be mine； some day； so it's up to me to
knock this musty yarn on the head once and for all。 Could anything be
more absurd than shutting up a fine room like that？ I'm really rather
ashamed of Uncle Walter。〃
〃Of course it's absurd but； honestly； I'm rather keen about this。 I'd
dearly love to add a medieval phantom to my experiences； and only wish I
thought anything would show up。 I beg you'll raise no objection。 It was
my idea； and I very much wish to make the experiment。 Of course； I
don't believe in anything supernatural。〃
They went back to the billiard…room； dismissed Fred Caunter； the
footman； who was waiting to put out the lights； and continued their
discussion。 The argument began to grow strenuous； for each proved
determined； and who owned the stronger will seemed a doubtful question。
For a time； since no conclusion could satisfy both； they abandoned the
centre of contention and debated； as their elders had done； on the general
question。 Henry declared himself not wholly convinced。 He adopted an
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agnostic attitude； while Tom frankly disbelieved。 The one preserved an
open mind； the other scoffed at apparitions in general。
〃It's humbug to say sailors are superstitious now；〃 he asserted。 〃They
might have been； but my experience is that they are no more credulous
than other people in these days。 Anyway； I'm not。 Life is a matter of
chemistry。 There's no mumbo jumbo about it； in my opinion。 Chemical
analysis has reached down to hormones and enzymes and all manner of
subtle secretions discovered by this generation of inquirers； but it's all
organic。 Nobody has ever found anything that isn't。 Existence depends
on matter； and when the chemical process breaks down； the organism
perishes and leaves nothing。 When a man can't go on breathing； he's
dead； and there's an end of him。〃
But Henry had read modern science also。
〃What about the vital spark； then？ Biologists don't turn down the
theory of vitalism； do they？〃
〃Most of them do； who count； my dear chap。 The presence of a vital
spark…a spark that cannot be put out … is merely a theory with nothing to
prove it。 When he dies； the animating principle doesn't leave a man； and
go off on its own。 It dies too。 It was part of the man…as much as his
heart or brain。〃
〃That's only an opinion。 Nobody can be positive。 We don't know
anything about what life really means； and we haven't got the machinery
to find out。〃
〃By analogy we can；〃 argued Tom。 〃Where are you going to draw
the line？ Life is life； and a sponge is just as much alive as a herring； a
nettle is just as much alive as an oak…tree； and an oak…tree is just as much
alive as you are。 What becomes of its vital spark when you eat an
oyster？〃
〃You wouldn't believe in a life after death at all； then？〃
〃It's a pure assumption； Henry。 I'd like to believe in it … who wouldn't？
Because； if you honestly did； it would transform this life into something
infinitely different from what it is。〃
〃It ought to…yet it doesn't seem to。〃
〃It ought to； certainly。 If you believe this life is only the portal to
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another of much greater importance； then…well； there you are。 Nothing
matters but trying to make everybody else believe t； too。 But as a matter
of fact； the people who do believe it； or think they do； seem to me just as
concentrated on this life and just as much out to get the very best they can
from it； and wring it dry； as I am； who reckon it's all。〃
〃They believe as a matter of course； and don't seem to realize how
much their belief ought to imply；〃 confessed Henry。
〃Why do they believe？ Because most of them haven't really thought
about it more than a turnip thinks。 They dwell in a foggy sort of way on
the future life when they go to church on Sundays； then they return home
and forget all about it till next Sunday。〃
Lennox brought him back to the present difference。
〃Well； seeing you laugh at ghosts； and I remain doubtfu
