the yellow god-第7节

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him。

He　uttered　a　sound；　half　whistle　and　half　groan；　and　fell　back；　as　it
chanced　on　to　a　morocco…covered　seat　behind　him。　For　a　moment　or　two
the　gleaming；　golden　mask　floated　in　the　air。　Then　it　turned　very
deliberately；　rose　a　little　way；　and　moving　sidelong　to　where　Sir
Robert　stood；　hung　in　front　of　/his/　face。

Presently　Aylward　staggered　to　the　mantelpiece　and　began　to　fumble　for
the　switch；　in　the　silence　his　nails　scratching　at　the　panelling　made
a　sound　like　to　that　of　a　gnawing　mouse。　He　found　it　at　last；　and　next
instant　the　office　broke　into　a　blaze　of　light；　showing　Mr。　Haswell；
his　rubicund　face　quite　pale；　his　hat　and　umbrella　on　the　floor；
gasping　like　a　dying　man　upon　the　couch；　and　Sir　Robert　himself
clinging　to　the　mantel…shelf　as　a　person　might　do　who　had　received　a
mortal　wound；　while　the　golden　fetish　reposed　calmly　on　its　pillar；　to
all　appearance　as　immovable　and　undisturbed　as　the　antique　Venus　which
matched　it　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。　For　a　while　there　was
silence。　Then　Sir　Robert；　recovering　himself；　asked：

〃Did　you　notice　anything　unusual　just　now；　Haswell？〃

〃Yes；〃　whispered　his　partner。　〃I　thought　that　hideous　African　thing
which　Vernon　brought　here；　came　sliding　across　the　floor　and　stared
into　my　face　with　its　glittering　eyes；　and　in　the　eyes〃

〃Well；　what　was　in　the　eyes？〃

〃I　can't　remember。　It　was　a　kind　of　picture　and　the　meaning　of　it　was
Sudden　Deathoh　Lord！　Sudden　Death。　Tell　me　it　was　a　fancy　bred　of
that　ill…omened　talk　of　yours？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　anything　of　the　sort；〃　answered　Aylward　in　a　hollow
voice；　〃for　I　saw　something　also。〃

〃What？〃　asked　his　partner。

〃Death　that　wasn't　sudden；　and　other　things。〃

Again　the　silence　fell　till　it　was　broken　by　Aylward。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃we　have　been　over…workingtoo　much　strain；　and　now
the　reaction。　Keep　this　rubbish　to　yourself；　or　they　will　lock　you　up
in　an　asylum。〃

〃Certainly；　Aylward；　certainly。　But　can't　you　get　rid　of　that　beastly
image？〃

〃Not　on　any　account；　Haswell；　even　if　it　haunts　us　all　day。　Here　it
shall　stop　until　the　Saharas　are　floated　on　Monday；　if　I　have　to　lock
it　in　the　strongroom　and　throw　the　keys　into　the　Thames。　Afterwards
Vernon　can　take　it；　as　he　has　a　right　to　do；　and　I　am　sure　that　with
it　will　go　our　luck。〃

〃Then　the　sooner　our　luck　goes；　the　better；〃　replied　Haswell；　with　a
mere　ghost　of　his　former　whistle。　〃Life　is　better　than　luck；　and
Aylward；　that　Yellow　God　you　are　so　fond　of　means　to　murder　us。　We　are
being　fatted　for　the　sacrifice；　that　is　all。　I　remember　now；　that　was
one　of　the　things　I　saw　written　in　its　eyes！〃



CHAPTER　III

JEEKIE　TELLS　A　TALE

The　Court；　Mr。　Champers…Haswell's　place；　was　a　very　fine　house　indeed；
of　a　sort。　That　is；　it　contained　twenty…nine　bedrooms；　each　of　them
with　a　bathroom　attached；　a　large　number　of　sitting…rooms；　ample
garages；　stables；　and　offices；　the　whole　surrounded　by　several　acres
of　newly…planted　gardens。　Incidentally　it　may　be　mentioned　that　it　was
built　in　the　most　atrocious　taste　and　looked　like　a　suburban　villa
seen　through　a　magnifying　glass。

It　was　in　this　matter　of　taste　that　it　differed　from　Sir　Robert
Aylward's　home；　Old　Hall；　a　few　miles　away。　Not　that　this　was　old
either；　for　the　original　house　had　fallen　down　or　been　burnt　a　hundred
years　before。　But　Sir　Robert；　being　gifted　with　artistic　perception；
had　reared　up　in　place　of　it　a　smaller　but　really　beautiful　dwelling
of　soft　grey　stone；　long　and　low；　and　built　in　the　Tudor　style　with
many　gables。

This　house；　charming　as　it　was；　could　not　of　course　compare　with
Yarleys；　the　ancient　seat　of　the　Vernons　in　the　same　neighbourhood。
Yarleys　was　pure　Elizabethan；　although　it　contained　an　oak…roofed　hall
which　was　said　to　date　back　to　the　time　of　King　John；　a　remnant　of　a
former　house。　There　was　no　electric　light　or　other　modern　convenience
at　Yarleys；　yet　it　was　a　place　that　everyone　went　to　see　because　of
its　exceeding　beauty　and　its　historical　associations。　The　moat　by
which　it　was　surrounded；　the　grass　court　within；　for　it　was　built　on
three　sides　of　a　square；　the　mullioned　windows；　the　towered　gateway　of
red　brick；　the　low…panelled　rooms　hung　with　the　portraits　of　departed
Vernons；　the　sloping　park　and　the　splendid　oaks　that　stood　about；
singly　or　in　groups；　were　all　of　them　perfect　in　their　way。　It　was　one
of　the　most　lovely　of　English　homes；　and　oddly　enough　its　neglected
gardens　and　the　air　of　decay　that　pervaded　it；　added　to　rather　than
decreased　its　charm。

But　it　is　with　The　Court　that　we　have　to　do　at　present；　not　with
Yarleys。　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　had　a　week…end　party。　There　were　ten
guests；　all　men；　and　with　the　exception　of　Alan；　who　it　will　be
remembered　was　one　of　them；　all　rich　and　in　business。　They　included
two　French　bankers　and　three　Jews；　everyone　a　prop　of　the　original
Sahara　Syndicate　and　deeply　interested　in　the　forthcoming　flotation。
To　describe　them　is　unnecessary；　for　they　have　no　part　in　our　story；
being　only　financiers　of　a　certain　class；　remarkable　for　the　riches
they　had　acquired　by　means　that　for　the　most　part　would　not　bear
examination。　The　riches　were　evident　enough。　Ever　since　the　morning
the　owners　of　this　wealth　had　arrived　by　ones　or　twos　in　their　costly
motorcars；　attended　by　smart　chauffeurs　and　valets。　Their　fur　coats；
their　jewelled　studs　and　rings；　something　in　their　very　faces
suggested　money；　which　indeed　was　the　bond　that　brought　and　held　them
together。

Alan　did　not　come　until　it　was　time　to　dress　for　dinner；　for　he　knew
that　Barbara　would　not　appear　before　that　meal；　and　it　was　her　society
he　sought；　not　that　of　his　host　or　fellow　guests。　Accompanied　by　his
negro　servant；　Jeekie；　for　in　a　house　like　this　it　was　necessary　to
have　someone　to　wait　upon　him；　he　drove　over　from　Yarleys；　a　distance
of　ten　miles；　arriving　about　eight　o'clock。

〃Mr。　Haswell　as　gone　up　to　dress；　Major；　and　so　have　the　other
gentlemen；〃　said　the　head　butler；　Mr。　Smith；　〃but　Miss　Champers　told
me　to　give　you　this　note　and　to　say　that　dinner　is　at　half…past
eight。〃

Alan　took　the　note　and　asked　to　be　shown　to　his　room。　Once　there；
although　he　had　only　five　and　twenty　minutes；　he　opened　it　eagerly；
while　Jeekie　unpacked　his　bag。

　〃Dear　Alan；〃　it　ran：　〃Don't　be　late　for　dinner；　or　I　may　not　be
　　able　to　keep　a　place　next　to　me。　Of　course　Sir　Robert　takes　me　in。
　　They　are　a　worse　lot　than　usual　this　time；　odiousodious！and　I
　　can't　stand　one　on　the　left　hand　as　well　as　on　the　right。　Yours；

〃B。


　〃P。S。　What　/have/　you　been　doing？　Our　distinguished　guests；　to　say
　　nothing　of　my　uncle；　seem　to　be　in　a　great　fuss　about　you。　I
　　overheard　them　talking　when　I　was　pretending　to　arrange　some
　　flowers。　One　of　them　called　you　a　sanctimonious　prig　and　an
　　obstinate　donkey；　and　another　answeredI　think　it　was　Sir　Robert
　　'No　doubt；　but　obstinate　donkeys　can　kick　and　have　been　known　to
　　upset　other　people's　applecarts　ere　now。'　Is　the　Sahara　Syndicate
　　the　applecart？　If　so；　I'll　forgive　you。

　〃P。P。S。　Remember　that　we　will　walk　to　church　together　to…morrow；
　　but　come　down　to　breakfast　in　knickerbockers　or　something　to　put
　　them　off；　and　I'll　do　the　sameI　mean　I'll　dress　as　if　I　were
　　going　to　golf。　We　can　turn　into　Christians　later。　If　we　don't
　　dress　like　that；　I　meanthey'll　guess　and　all　want　to　come　to
　　church；　except　the　Jews；　which　would　bring　the　judgment　of　Heaven
　　on　us。

　〃P。P。P。S。　Don't　be　careless　and　leave　this　note　lying　about；　for
　　the　under…footman　who　waits　upon　you　reads　all　the　letters。　He
　　steams　them　over　a　kettle。　Smith　the　butler　is　the　only
　　respectable　man　in　this　house。〃

Alan　laughed　outright　as　he　finished　this　peculiar　and　outspoken
epistle；　which　somehow　revived　his　spirits；　that　since　the　previous
day　had　been　low　enough。　It　refreshed　him。　It　was　like　a　breath　of
frosty　air　from　an　open　window　blowing　clean　and　cold　into　a　scented；
overheated　room。　He　would　have　liked　to　keep　it；　but　remembering
Barbara's　injunctions　and　the　under…footman；　threw　it　onto　the　fire
and　watched　it　burn。　Jeekie　coughed　to　intimate　that　it　was　time　for
his　master　to　dress；　and　Alan　turned　and　looked　at　him　in　an　absent…
minded　fashion。

He　was　worth　looking　at；　was　Jeekie。　Let　the　reader　imagine　a　very
tall　and　powerfully…built　negro　with　a　skin　as　black　as　a　well…
polished　boot；　woolly　hair　as　white　as　snow；　a　little　tufted　beard
also　white；　a　hand　like　a　leg　of　mutton；　but　with　long　delicate
fingers　and　pink；　filbert…shaped　nails；　an　immovable　countenance；　but
set　in　it　beneath　a　massive　brow；　two　extraordinary　humorous　and
eloquent　black　eyes　which　expressed　every　emotion　passing　through　the
brain　behind　them；　that　is　when　their　owner　chose　to　allow　them　to　do
so。　Such　was　Jeekie。

〃Shall　I　unlace　your　boots；　Major？〃　he　said　in　his　full；　melodious
voice　and　speaking　the　most　perfect　English。　〃I　expect　that　the　gong
will　sound　in　nine　and　a　half　minutes。〃

〃Then　let　it　sound　and　be　hanged　to　it；〃　answered　Alan；　〃no；　I　forgot
I　must　hurry。　Jeekie；　put　that　fire　out　and　open　all　the　windows　as
soon　as　I　go　down。　This　room　is　like　a　hot…house。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　the　fire　shall　be　extinguished　and　the　s