the ruby of kishmoor-第4节

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which　they　had　quitted。　　Tall　brick　houses　stood　upon　either　side；
between　which　stretched　a　narrow；　crooked　roadway；　with　a　kennel
running　down　the　centre。

In　front　of　one　of　these　housesa　tall　and　gloomy　structureour
hero's　conductor　stopped　and；　opening　the　door　with　a　key；
beckoned　for　him　to　enter。　　Jonathan　having　complied；　his
new…found　friend　led　the　way　up　a　flight　of　steps；　against　which
Jonathan's　feet　beat　noisily　in　the　darkness；　and　at　length；
having　ascended　two　stairways　and　having　reached　a　landing；　he
opened　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage　and　ushered　Jonathan　into
an　apartment；　unlighted；　except　for　the　Moonshine；　which；　coming
in　through　a　partly　open　shutter；　lay　in　a　brilliant　patch　of
light　upon　the　floor。

His　conductor　having　struck　a　light　with　a　flint　and　steel；　our
hero　by　the　illumination　of　a　single　candle　presently　discovered
himself　to　be　in　a　bedchamber　furnished　with　no　small　degree　of
comfort；　and　even　elegance；　and　having　every　appearance　of　a
bachelor's　chamber。

〃You　will　pardon　me；〃　said　his　new　acquaintance；　〃if　I　shut　these
shutters　and　the　window；　for　that　devilish　fever　of　which　I　spoke
is　of　such　a　sort　that　I　must　keep　the　night　air　even　out　from　my
room；　or　else　I　shall　be　shaking　the　bones　out　of　my　joints　and
chattering　the　teeth　out　of　my　head　by　to…morrow　morning。〃

So　saying　he　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　not　only　drew　the
shutters　to；　but　shot　the　heavy　iron　bolt　into　its　place。　　Having
accomplished　this　he　bade　our　hero　to　be　seated；　and　placing
before　him　some　exceedingly　superior　rum；　together　with　some
equally　excellent　tobacco；　they　presently　fell　into　the
friendliest　discourse　imaginable。　　In　the　course　of　their　talk；
which　after　awhile　became　exceedingly　confidential；　Jonathan
confided　to　his　new　friend　the　circumstances　of　the　adventure
into　which　he　had　been　led　by　the　beautiful　stranger；　and　to　all
that　he　said　concerning　his　adventure　his　interlocutor　listened
with　the　closest　and　most　scrupulously　riveted　attention。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　he；　when　Jonathan　had　concluded；　〃I　hope
that　you　may　not　have　been　made　the　victim　of　some　foolish　hoax。
Let　me　see　what　it　is　she　has　confided　to　you。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　replied　Jonathan。　　And　thereupon　he　thrust　his　hand
into　his　breeches…pocket　and　brought　forth　the　ivory　ball。

No　sooner　did　the　one　eye　of　the　little　gentleman　in　black　light
upon　the　object　than　a　most　singular　and　extraordinary　convulsion
appeared　to　seize　upon　him。　　Had　a　bullet　penetrated　his　heart　he
could　not　have　started　more　violently；　nor　have　sat　more　rigidly
and　breathlessly　staring。

Mastering　his　emotion　with　the　utmost　difficulty　as　Jonathan
replaced　the　ball　in　his　pocket；　he　drew　a　deep　and　profound
breath　and　wiped　the　palm　of　his　hand　across　his　forehead　as
though　arousing　himself　from　a　dream。

〃And　you；〃　he　said；　of　a　sudden；　〃are；　I　understand　it；　a　Quaker。
Do　you；　then；　never　carry　a　weapon；　even　in　such　a　place　as　this；
where　at　any　moment　in　the　dark　a　Spanish　knife　may　be　stuck
betwixt　your　ribs？〃

〃Why；　no；〃　said　Jonathan；　somewhat　surprised　that　so　foreign　a
topic　should　have　been　so　suddenly　introduced　into　the　discourse。
〃I　am　a　man　of　peace　and　not　of　blood。　　The　people　of　the　Society
of　Friends　never　carry　weapons；　either　of　offence　or　defence。〃

As　Jonathan　concluded　his　reply　the　little　gentleman　suddenly
arose　from　his　chair　and　moved　briskly　around　to　the　other　side
of　the　room。　　Our　hero；　watching　him　with　some　surprise；　beheld
him　clap　to　the　door　and　with　a　single　movement　shoot　the　bolt
and　turn　the　key　therein。　　The　next　instant　he　turned　to　Jonathan
a　visage　transformed　as　suddenly　as　though　he　had　dropped　a　mask
from　his　face。　　The　gossiping　and　polite　little　old　bachelor　was
there　no　longer；　but　in　his　stead　a　man　with　a　countenance
convulsed　with　some　furious　and　nameless　passion。

〃That　ball！〃　he　cried；　in　a　hoarse　and　raucous　voice。　　〃That　ivory
ball！　　Give　it　to　me　upon　the　instant！〃

As　he　spoke　he　whipped　out　from　his　bosom　a　long；　keen　Spanish
knife　that　in　its　every　appearance　spoke　without　equivocation　of
the　most　murderous　possibilities。

The　malignant　passions　that　distorted　every　lineament　of　the
countenance　of　the　little　old　gentleman　in　black　filled　our　hero
with　such　astonishment　that　he　knew　not　whether　he　were　asleep　or
awake；　but　when　he　beheld　the　other　advancing　with　the　naked　and
shining　knife　in　his　hand　his　reason　returned　to　him　like　a
flash。　　Leaping　to　his　feet；　he　lost　no　time　in　putting　the　table
between　himself　and　his　sudden　enemy。

〃Indeed；　friend；〃　he　cried；　in　a　voice　penetrated　with
terror〃indeed；　friend；　thou　hadst　best　keep　thy　distance　from
me；　for　though　I　am　a　man　of　peace　and　a　shunner　of　bloodshed；　I
promise　thee　that　I　will　not　stand　still　to　be　murdered　without
outcry　or　without　endeavoring　to　defend　my　life！〃

〃Cry　as　loud　as　you　please！〃　exclaimed　the　other。　　〃No　one　is　near
this　place　to　hear　you！　　Cry　until　you　are　hoarse；　no　one　in　this
neighborhood　will　stop　to　ask　what　is　the　matter　with　you。　　I　tell
you　I　am　determined　to　possess　myself　of　that　ivory　ball；　and
have　it　I　shall；　even　though　I　am　obliged　to　cut　out　your　heart
to　get　it！〃　　As　he　spoke　he　grinned　with　so　extraordinary　and
devilish　a　distortion　of　his　countenance；　and　with　such　an
appearance　of　every　intention　of　carrying　out　his　threat　as　to
send　the　goose…flesh　creeping　like　icy　fingers　up　and　down　our
hero's　spine　with　the　most　incredible　rapidity　and　acuteness。

Nevertheless；　mastering　his　fears；　Jonathan　contrived　to　speak　up
with　a　pretty　good　appearance　of　spirit。　　〃Indeed；　friend；〃　he
said；　〃thou　appearest　to　forget　that　I　am　a　man　of　twice　thy　bulk
and　half　thy　years；　and　that　though　thou　hast　a　knife　I　am
determined　to　defend　myself　to　the　last　extremity。　　I　am　not　going
to　give　thee　that　which　thou　demandest　of　me；　and　for　thy　sake　I
advise　thee　to　open　the　door　and　let　me　go　free　as　I　entered；　or
else　harm　may　befall　thee。〃

〃Fool！〃　cried　the　other；　hardly　giving　him　time　to　end。　　〃Do　you；
then；　think　that　I　have　time　to　chatter　with　you　while　two
villains　are　lying　in　wait　for　me；　perhaps　at　the　very　door？
Blame　your　own　self　for　your　death！〃　　And；　gnashing　his　teeth　with
an　indescribable　menace；　and　resting　his　hand　upon　the　table；　he
vaulted　with　incredible　agility　clean　across　it　and　upon　our
hero；　who；　entirely　unprepared　for　such　an　extraordinary　attack；
was　flung　back　against　the　wall；　with　an　arm　as　strong　as　steel
clutching　his　throat　and　a　knife　flashing　in　his　very　eyes　with
dreadful　portent　of　instant　death。

With　an　instinct　to　preserve　his　life；　he　caught　his　assailant　by
the　wrist；　and；　bending　it　away　from　himself；　set　every　fibre　of
his　body　in　a　superhuman　effort　to　guard　and　protect　himself。　　The
other；　though　so　much　older　and　smaller；　seemed　to　be　composed
entirely　of　fibres　of　steel；　and；　in　his　murderous　endeavors；　put
forth　a　strength　so　extraordinary　that　for　a　moment　our　hero　felt
his　heart　melt　within　him　with　terror　for　his　life。　　The　spittal
appeared　to　dry　up　within　his　mouth；　and　his　hair　to　creep　and
rise　upon　his　head。　　With　a　vehement　cry　of　despair　and　anguish；
he　put　forth　one　stupendous　effort　for　defence；　and；　clapping　his
heel　behind　the　other's　leg；　and　throwing　his　whole　weight
forward；　he　fairly　tripped　his　antagonist　backward　as　he　stood。
Together　they　fell　upon　the　floor；　locked　in　the　most　desperate
embrace；　and　overturning　a　chair　with　a　prodigious　clatter　in
their　descentour　hero　upon　the　top　and　the　little　gentleman　in
black　beneath　him。

As　they　struck　the　floor　the　little　man　in　black　emitted　a　most
piercing　and　terrible　scream；　and　instantly　relaxing　his　efforts
of　attack；　fell　to　beating　the　floor　with　the　back　of　his　hands
and　drubbing　with　his　heels　upon　the　rug　in　which　he　had　become
entangled。

Our　hero　leaped　to　his　feet；　and　with　dilating　eyes　and　expanding
brain　and　swimming　sight　stared　down　upon　the　other　like　one
turned　to　a　stone。

He　beheld　instantly　what　had　occurred；　and　that　he　had；　without
so　intending；　killed　a　fellow…man。　　The　knife；　turned　away　from
his　own　person；　had　in　their　fall　been　plunged　into　the　bosom　of
the　other；　and　he　now　lay　quivering　in　the　last　throes　of　death。
As　Jonathan　gazed　he　beheld　a　thin　red　stream　trickle　out　from
the　parted　and　grinning　lips；　he　beheld　the　eyes　turn　inward；　he
beheld　the　eyelids　contract；　he　beheld　the　figure　stretch　itself；
he　beheld　it　become　still　in　death。




IV。　The　Momentous　Adventure　with　the　Stranger　with　the　Silver
Ear…rings



So　our　hero　stood　stunned　and　bedazed；　gazing　down　upon　his
victim；　like　a　man　turned　into　a　stone。　　His　brain　appeared　to　him
to　expand　like　a　bubble；　the　blood　surged　and　bummed　in　his　ears
with　every　gigantic　beat　of　his　heart；　his　vision　swam；　and　his
trembling　hands　were　bedewed　with　a　cold　and　repugnant　sweat。　　The
dead　figure　upon　the　floor　at　his　feet　gazed　at　him　with　a　wide；
glassy　stare；　and　in　the　confusion　of　his　mind　it　appeared　to
Jonathan　that　he　was；　indeed；　a　murderer。

What　monstrous　thing　was　this　that　had　befallen　him　who；　but　a
moment　before；　had　been　so　entir