the law and the lady-第42节

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groveling　age。　I　keep　my　house；　gentlemen；　as　a　useful　lesson　to
you。　Look　at　it　while　you　are　building　around　me；　and　blush；　if
you　can；　for　your　work。'　Was　there　ever　such　an　absurd　letter
written　yet？　Hush！　I　hear　footsteps　in　the　garden。　Here　comes　his
cousin。　His　cousin　is　a　woman。　I　may　as　well　tell　you　that；　or
you　might　mistake　her　for　a　man　in　the　dark。〃

A　rough；　deep　voice；　which　I　should　certainly　never　have　supposed
to　be　the　voice　of　a　woman；　hailed　us　from　the　inner　side　of　the
paling。

〃Who's　there？〃

〃Mrs。　Macallan；〃　answered　my　mother…in…law。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃We　want　to　see　Dexter。〃

〃You　can't　see　him。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃What　did　you　say　your　name　was？〃

〃Macallan。　Mrs。　Macallan。　Eustace　Macallan's　mother。　_Now_　do　you
understand？〃

The　voice　muttered　and　grunted　behind　the　paling；　and　a　key
turned　in　the　lock　of　the　gate。

Admitted　to　the　garden；　in　the　deep　shadow　of　the　shrubs；　I　could
see　nothing　distinctly　of　the　woman　with　the　rough　voice；　except
that　she　wore　a　man's　hat。　Closing　the　gate　behind　us；　without　a
word　of　welcome　or　explanation；　she　led　the　way　to　the　house。
Mrs。　Macallan　followed　her　easily；　knowing　the　place；　and　I
walked　in　Mrs。　Macallan's　footsteps　as　closely　as　I　could。　〃This
is　a　nice　family；〃　my　mother…in…law　whispered　to　me。　〃Dexter's
cousin　is　the　only　woman　in　the　houseand　Dexter's　cousin　is　an
idiot。〃

We　entered　a　spacious　hall　with　a　low　ceiling；　dimly　lighted　at
its　further　end　by　one　small　oil…lamp。　I　could　see　that　there
were　pictures　on　the　grim；　brown　walls；　but　the　subjects
represented　were　invisible　in　the　obscure　and　shadowy　light。

Mrs。　Macallan　addressed　herself　to　the　speechless　cousin　with　the
man's　hat。

〃Now　tell　me；〃　she　said。　〃Why　can't　we　see　Dexter？〃

The　cousin　took　a　sheet　of　paper　off　the　table；　and　handed　it　to
Mrs。　Macallan。

〃The　Master's　writing；〃　said　this　strange　creature；　in　a　hoarse
whisper；　as　if　the　bare　idea　of　〃the　Master〃　terrified　her。　〃Read
it。　And　stay　or　go；　which　you　please。〃

She　opened　an　invisible　side　door　in　the　wall；　masked　by　one　of
the　picturesdisappeared　through　it　like　a　ghostand　left　us
together　alone　in　the　hall。

Mrs。　Macallan　approached　the　oil…lamp；　and　looked　by　its　light　at
the　sheet　of　paper　which　the　woman　had　given　to　her。　I　followed
and　peeped　over　her　shoulder　without　ceremony。　The　paper
exhibited　written　characters；　traced　in　a　wonderfully　large　and
firm　handwriting。　Had　I　caught　the　infection　of　madness　in　the
air　of　the　house？　Or　did　I　really　see　before　me　these　words？

　〃NOTICE。My　immense　imagination　is　at　work。　Visions　of　heroes
unroll　themselves　before　me。　I　reanimate　in　myself　the　spirits　of
the　departed　great。　My　brains　are　boiling　in　my　head。　Any　persons
who　disturb　me；　under　existing　circumstances；　will　do　it　at　the
peril　of　their　lives。DEXTER。〃

　Mrs。　Macallan　looked　around　at　me　quietly　with　her　sardonic
smile。

〃Do　you　still　persist　in　wanting　to　be　introduced　to　him？〃　she
asked。

The　mockery　in　the　tone　of　the　question　roused　my　pride。　I
determined　that　I　would　not　be　the　first　to　give　way。

〃Not　if　I　am　putting　you　in　peril　of　your　life；　ma'am；〃　I
answered；　pertly　enough；　pointing　to　the　paper　in　her　hand。

My　mother…in…law　returned　to　the　hall　table；　and　put　the　paper
back　on　it　without　condescending　to　reply。　She　then　led　the　way
to　an　arched　recess　on　our　right　hand；　beyond　which　I　dimly
discerned　a　broad　flight　of　oaken　stairs。

〃Follow　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Macallan；　mounting　the　stairs　in　the　dark。
〃I　know　where　to　find　him。〃

We　groped　our　way　up　the　stairs　to　the　first　landing。　The　next
flight　of　steps；　turning　in　the　reverse　direction；　was　faintly
illuminated；　like　the　hall　below；　by　one　oil…lamp；　placed　in　some
invisible　position　above　us。　Ascending　the　second　flight　of
stairs　and　crossing　a　short　corridor；　we　discovered　the　lamp；
through　the　open　door　of　a　quaintly　shaped　circular　room；　burning
on　the　mantel…piece。　Its　light　illuminated　a　strip　of　thick
tapestry；　hanging　loose　from　the　ceiling　to　the　floor；　on　the
wall　opposite　to　the　door　by　which　we　had　entered。

Mrs。　Macallan　drew　aside　the　strip　of　tapestry；　and；　signing　me
to　follow　her；　passed　behind　it。

〃Listen！〃　she　whispered。

Standing　on　the　inner　side　of　the　tapestry；　I　found　myself　in　a
dark　recess　or　passage；　at　the　end　of　which　a　ray　of　light　from
the　lamp　showed　me　a　closed　door。　I　listened；　and　heard　on　the
other　side　of　the　door　a　shouting　voice；　accompanied　by　an
extraordinary　rumbling　and　whistling　sound；　traveling　backward
and　forward；　as　well　as　I　could　judge；　over　a　great　space。　Now
the　rumbling　and　the　whistling　would　reach　their　climax　of
loudness；　and　would　overcome　the　resonant　notes　of　the　shouting
voice。　Then　again　those　louder　sounds　gradually　retreated　into
distance；　and　the　shouting　voice　made　itself　heard　as　the　more
audible　sound　of　the　two。　The　door　must　have　been　of　prodigious
solidity。　Listen　as　intently　as　I　might；　I　failed　to　catch　the
articulate　words　（if　any）　which　the　voice　was　pronouncing；　and　I
was　equally　at　a　loss　to　penetrate　the　cause　which　produced　the
rumbling　and　whistling　sounds。

〃What　can　possibly　be　going　on；〃　I　whispered　to　Mrs。　Macallan；
〃on　the　other　side　of　that　door？〃

〃Step　softly；〃　my　mother…in…law　answered；　〃and　come　and　see。〃

She　arranged　the　tapestry　behind　us　so　as　completely　to　shut　out
the　light　in　the　circular　room。　Then　noiselessly　turning　the
handle；　she　opened　the　heavy　door。

We　kept　ourselves　concealed　in　the　shadow　of　the　recess；　and
looked　through　the　open　doorway。

I　saw　（or　fancied　I　saw；　in　the　ob　scurity）　a　long　room　with　a
low　ceiling。　The　dying　gleam　of　an　ill…kept　fire　formed　the　only
light　by　which　I　could　judge　of　objects　and　distances。　Redly
illuminating　the　central　portion　of　the　room；　opposite　to　which
we　were　standing；　the　fire…light　left　the　extremities　shadowed　in
almost　total　darkness。　I　had　barely　time　to　notice　this　before　I
heard　the　rumbling　and　whistling　sounds　approaching　me。　A　high
chair　on　wheels　moved　by；　through　the　field　of　red　light；
carrying　a　shadowy　figure　with　floating　hair；　and　arms　furiously
raised　and　lowered　working　the　machinery　that　propelled　the　chair
at　its　utmost　rate　of　speed。　〃I　am　Napoleon；　at　the　sunrise　of
Austerlitz！〃　shouted　the　man　in　the　chair　as　he　swept　past　me　on
his　rumbling　and　whistling　wheels；　in　the　red　glow　of　the
fire…light。　〃I　give　the　word；　and　thrones　rock；　and　kings　fall；
and　nations　tremble；　and　men　by　tens　of　thousands　fight　and　bleed
and　die！〃　The　chair　rushed　out　of　sight；　and　the　shouting　man　in
it　became　another　hero。　〃I　am　Nelson！〃　the　ringing　voice　cried
now。　〃I　am　leading　the　fleet　at　Trafalgar。　I　issue　my　commands；
prophetically　conscious　of　victory　and　death。　I　see　my　own
apotheosis；　my　public　funeral；　my　nation's　tears；　my　burial　in
the　glorious　church。　The　ages　remember　me；　and　the　poets　sing　my
praise　in　immortal　verse！〃　The　strident　wheels　turned　at　the　far
end　of　the　room　and　came　back。　The　fantastic　and　frightful
apparition；　man　and　machinery　blended　in　onethe　new　Centaur；
half　man；　half　chairflew　by　me　again　in　the　dying　light。　〃I　am
Shakespeare！〃　cried　the　frantic　creature　now。　〃I　am　writing
'Lear；'　the　tragedy　of　tragedies。　Ancients　and　moderns；　I　am　the
poet　who　towers　over　them　all。　Light！　light！　the　lines　flow　out
like　lava　from　the　eruption　of　my　volcanic　mind。　Light！　light！
for　the　poet　of　all　time　to　write　the　words　that　live　forever！〃
He　ground　and　tore　his　way　back　toward　the　middle　of　the　room。　As
he　approached　the　fire…place　a　last　morsel　of　unburned　coal　（or
wood）　burst　into　momentary　flame；　and　showed　the　open　doorway。　In
that　moment　he　saw　us！　The　wheel…chair　stopped　with　a　shock　that
shook　the　crazy　old　floor　of　the　room；　altered　its　course；　and
flew　at　us　with　the　rush　of　a　wild　animal。　We　drew　back；　just　in
time　to　escape　it；　against　the　wall　of　the　recess。　The　chair
passed　on；　and　burst　aside　the　hanging　tapestry。　The　light　of　the
lamp　in　the　circular　room　poured　in　through　the　gap。　The　creature
in　the　chair　checked　his　furious　wheels；　and　looked　back　over　his
shoulder　with　an　impish　curiosity　horrible　to　see。

〃Have　I　run　over　them？　Have　I　ground　them　to　powder　for　presuming
to　intrude　on　me？〃　he　said　to　himself。　As　the　expression　of　this
amiable　doubt　passed　his　lips　his　eyes　lighted　on　us。　His　mind
instantly　veered　back　again　to　Shakespeare　and　King　Lear。
〃Goneril　and　Regan！〃　he　cried。　〃My　two　unnatural　daughters；　my
she…devil　children　come　to　mock　at　me！〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　my　mother…in…law；　as　quietly　as　if
she　were　addressing　a　perfectly　reasonable　being。　〃I　am　your　old
friend；　Mrs。　Macallan；　and　I　have　brought　Eustace　Macallan's
second　wife　to　see　you。〃

The　instant　she　pronounced　those　last　words；　〃Eustace　Macallan's
second　wife；〃　the　man　in　the　chair　sprang　out　of　it　with　a　shrill
cry　of　horror；　as　if　she　had　shot　him。　For　one　moment　we　saw　a
head　and　body　in　the　air；　absolutely　deprived　of　the　lower　limbs。
The　moment　after；　the　terrible　creature　touched　the　floor　as
lightly　as　a　monkey；　on　his　hands。　The　grotesque　horror　of　the
scene　culminated　in　his　hopping　away　on　hi