the law and the lady-第69节

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would　he　set　his　cunning　at　work　to　mislead　me　by　some　new
stratagem？　This　latter　course　was　the　course　which　my　past
experience　of　him　suggested　that　he　would　take。　But；　to　my
surprise　and　alarm；　I　found　my　past　experience　at　fault。　Ariel
succeeded　in　diverting　his　mind　from　the　subject　which　had　been
in　full　possession　of　it　the　moment　before　she　spoke！　He　showed
his　face　again。　It　was　overspread　by　a　broad　smile　of　gratified
self…esteem。　He　was　weak　enough　now　to　let　even　Ariel　find　her
way　to　his　vanity。　I　saw　it　with　a　sense　of　misgiving；　with　a
doubt　whether　I　had　not　delayed　my　visit　until　too　late；　which
turned　me　cold　from　head　to　foot。

Miserrimus　Dexter　spoketo　Ariel；　not　to　me。

〃Poor　devil！〃　he　said；　patting　her　head　complacently。　〃You　don't
understand　a　word　of　my　stories；　do　you？　And　yet　I　can　make　the
flesh　creep　on　your　great　clumsy　bodyand　yet　I　can　hold　your
muddled　mind；　and　make　you　like　it。　Poor　devil！〃　He　leaned　back
serenely　in　his　chair；　and　looked　my　way　again。　Would　the　sight
of　me　remind　him　of　the　words　that　had　passed　between　us　not　a
minute　since？　No！　There　was　the　pleasantly　tickled　self…conceit
smiling　at　me　exactly　as　it　had　smiled　at　Ariel。　〃I　excel　in
dramatic　narrative；　Mrs。　Valeria；〃　he　said。　〃And　this　creature
here　on　the　stool　is　a　remarkable　proof　of　it。　She　is　quite　a
psychological　study　when　I　tell　her　one　of　my　stories。　It　is
really　amusing　to　see　the　half…witted　wretch's　desperate　efforts
to　understand　me。　You　shall　have　a　specimen。　I　have　been　out　of
spirits　while　you　were　awayI　haven't　told　her　a　story　for　weeks
past；　I　will　tell　her　one　now。　Don't　suppose　it's　any　effort　to
me！　My　invention　is　inexhaustible。　You　are　sure　to　be　amusedyou
are　naturally　seriousbut　you　are　sure　to　be　amused。　I　am
naturally　serious　too；　and　I　always　laugh　at　her。〃

Ariel　clapped　her　great　shapeless　hands。　〃He　always　laughs　at
me！〃　she　said；　with　a　proud　look　of　superiority　directed　straight
at　me。

I　was　at　a　loss；　seriously　at　a　loss；　what　to　do。

The　outbreak　which　I　had　provoked　in　leading　him　to　speak　of　the
late　Mrs。　Eustace　warned　me　to　be　careful；　and　to　wait　for　my
opportunity　before　I　reverted　to　_that_　subject。　How　else　could　I
turn　the　conversation　so　as　to　lead　him；　little　by　little；　toward
the　betrayal　of　the　secrets　which　he　was　keeping　from　me？　In　this
uncertainty；　one　thing　only　seemed　to　be　plain。　To　let　him　tell
his　story　would　be　simply　to　let　him　waste　the　precious　minutes。
With　a　vivid　remembrance　of　Ariel's　〃ten　claws；〃　I　decided；
nevertheless　on　discouraging　Dexter's　new　whim　at　every　possible
opportunity　and　by　every　means　in　my　power。

〃Now；　Mrs。　Valeria；〃　he　began；　loudly　and　loftily；　〃listen。　Now；
Ariel；　bring　your　brains　to　a　focus。　I　improvise　poetry；　I
improvise　fiction。　We　will　begin　with　the　good　old　formula　of　the
fairy　stories。　Once　upon　a　time〃

I　was　waiting　for　my　opportunity　to　interrupt　him　when　he
interrupted　himself。　He　stopped；　with　a　bewildered　look。　He　put
his　hand　to　his　head；　and　passed　it　backward　and　forward　over　his
forehead。　He　laughed　feebly。

〃I　seem　to　want　rousing；〃　he　said

Was　his　mind　gone。？　There　had　been　no　signs　of　it　until　I　had
unhappily　stirred　his　memory　of　the　dead　mistress　of　Gleninch。
Was　the　weakness　which　I　had　already　noticed；　was　the
bewilderment　which　I　now　saw；　attributable　to　the　influence　of　a
passing　disturbance　only？　In　other　words；　had　I　witnessed　nothing
more　serious　than　a　first　warning　to　him　and　to　us？　Would　he　soon
recover　himself；　if　we　were　patient；　and　gave　him　time？　Even
Benjamin　was　interested　at　last；　I　saw　him　trying　to　look　at
Dexter　around　the　corner　of　the　chair。　Even　Ariel　was　surprised
and　uneasy。　She　had　no　dark　glances　to　cast　at　me　now。

We　all　waited　to　see　what　he　would　do；　to　hear　what　he　would　say；
next。

〃My　harp！〃　he　cried。　〃Music　will　rouse　me。〃

Ariel　brought　him　his　harp。

〃Master；〃　she　said；　wonderingly；　〃what's　come　to　you？〃

He　waved　his　hand；　commanding　her　to　be　silent。

〃Ode　to　Invention；〃　he　announced；　loftily；　addressing　himself　to
me。　〃Poetry　and　music　improvised　by　Dexter。　Silence！　Attention！〃

His　fingers　wandered　feebly　over　the　harpstrings；　awakening　no
melody；　suggesting　no　words。　In　a　little　while　his　hand　dropped；
his　head　sank　forward　gently；　and　rested　on　the　frame　of　the
harp。　I　started　to　my　feet；　and　approached　him。　Was　it　a　sleep？
or　was　it　a　swoon？

I　touched　his　arm；　and　called　to　him　by　his　name。

Ariel　instantly　stepped　between　us；　with　a　threatening　look　at
me。　At　the　same　moment　Miserrimus　Dexter　raised　his　head。　My
voice　had　reached　him。　He　looked　at　me　with　a　curious
contemplative　quietness　in　his　eyes　which　I　had　never　seen　in
them　before。

〃Take　away　the　harp；〃　he　said　to　Ariel；　speaking　in　languid
tones；　like　a　man　who　was　very　weary。

The　mischievous；　half…witted　creaturein　sheer　stupidity　or　in
downright　malice；　I　am　not　sure　whichirritated　him　once　more。

〃Why；　Master？〃　she　asked；　staring　at　him　with　the　harp　hugged　in
her　arms。　〃What's　come　to　you？　where　is　the　story？〃

〃We　don't　want　the　story；〃　I　interposed。　〃I　have　many　things　to
say　to　Mr。　Dexter　which　I　have　not　said　yet。〃

Ariel　lifted　her　heavy　hand。　〃You　will　have　it！〃　she　said；　and
advanced　toward　me。　At　the　same　moment　the　Master's　voice　stopped
her。

〃Put　away　the　harp；　you　fool！〃　he　repeated；　sternly。　〃And　wait
for　the　story　until　I　choose　to　tell　it。〃

She　took　the　harp　submissively　back　to　its　place　at　the　end　of
the　room。　Miserrimus　Dexter　moved　his　chair　a　little　closer　to
mine。　〃I　know　what　will　rouse　me；〃　he　said；　confidentially。
〃Exercise　will　do　it。　I　have　had　no　exercise　lately。　Wait　a
little；　and　you　will　see。〃

He　put　his　hands　on　the　machinery　of　the　chair；　and　started　on
his　customary　course　down　the　room。　Here　again　the　ominous　change
in　him　showed　itself　under　a　new　form。　The　pace　at　which　he
traveled　was　not　the　furious　pace　that　I　remembered；　the　chair　no
longer　rushed　under　him　on　rumbling　and　whistling　wheels。　It
went；　but　it　went　slowly。　Up　the　room　and　down　the　room　he
painfully　urged　itand　then　he　stopped　for　want　of　breath。

We　followed　him。　Ariel　was　first；　and　Benjamin　was　by　my　side。　He
motioned　impatiently　to　both　of　them　to　stand　back；　and　to　let　me
approach　him　alone。

〃I'm　out　of　practice；〃　he　said；　faintly。　〃I　hadn't　the　heart　to
make　the　wheels　roar　and　the　floor　tremble　while　you　were　away。〃

Who　would　not　have　pitied　him？　Who　would　have　remembered　his
misdeeds　at　that　moment？　Even　Ariel　felt　it。　I　heard　her
beginning　to　whine　and　whimper　behind　me。　The　magician　who　alone
could　rouse　the　dormant　sensibilities　in　her　nature　had　awakened
them　now　by　his　neglect。　Her　fatal　cry　was　heard　again；　in
mournful；　moaning　tones

〃What's　come　to　you；　Master？　Where's　the　story？〃

〃Never　mind　her；〃　I　whispered　to　him。　〃You　want　the　fresh　air。
Send　for　the　gardener。　Let　us　take　a　drive　in　your　pony…chaise。〃

It　was　useless。　Ariel　would　be　noticed。　The　mournful　cry　came
once　more

〃Where's　the　story？　where's　the　story？〃

The　　sinking　spirit　leaped　up　in　Dexter　again。

〃You　wretch　！　you　fiend！〃　he　cried；　whirling　his　chair　around；
and　facing　her。　〃The　story　is　coming。　I　_can_　tell　it！　I　_will_
tell　it！　Wine！　You　whimpering　idiot；　get　me　the　wine。　Why　didn't
I　think　of　it　before？　The　kingly　Burgundy！　that's　what　I　want；
Valeria；　to　set　my　invention　alight　and　flaming　in　my　head。
Glasses　for　everybody！　Honor　to　the　King　of　the　Vintagesthe
Royal　Clos　Vougeot！〃

Ariel　opened　the　cupboard　in　the　alcove；　and　produced　the　wine
and　the　high　Venetian　glasses。　Dexter　drained　his　gobletful　of
Burgundy　at　a　draught；　he　forced　us　to　drink　（or　at　least　to
pretend　to　drink）　with　him。　Even　Ariel　had　her　share　this　time；
and　emptied　her　glass　in　rivalry　with　her　master。　The　powerful
wine　mounted　almost　instantly　to　her　weak　head。　She　began　to　sing
hoarsely　a　song　of　her　own　devising；　in　imitation　of　Dexter。　It
was　nothing　but　the　repetition；　the　endless　mechanical
repetition；　of　her　demand　for　the　story〃Tell　us　the　story。
Master！　master！　tell　us　the　story！〃　Absorbed　over　his　wine；　the
Master　silently　filled　his　goblet　for　the　second　time。　Benjamin
whispered　to　me　while　his　eye　was　off　us；　〃Take　my　advice；
Valeria；　for　once；　let　us　go。〃

〃One　last　effort；〃　I　whispered　back。　〃Only　one！〃

Ariel　went　drowsily　on　with　her　song

〃Tell　us　the　story。　Master！　master！　tell　us　the　story。〃

Miserrimus　Dexter　looked　up　from　his　glass。　The　generous
stimulant　was　beginning　to　do　its　work。　I　saw　the　color　rising　in
his　face。　I　saw　the　bright　intelligence　flashing　again　in　his
eyes。　The　Burgundy　_had_　roused　him！　The　good　wine　stood　my
friend；　and　offered　me　a　last　chance！

〃No　story；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　Mr。　Dexter。　I　am　not
in　the　humor　for　a　story。〃

〃Not　in　the　humor？〃　he　repeated；　with　a　gleam　of　the　old　impish
irony　showing　itself　again　in　his　face。　〃That's　an　excuse。　I　see
what　it　is！　You　think　my　invention　is　goneand　you　are　not　frank
enough　to　confess　it。　I'll　show　you　you're　wrong。　I'll　show　you
that　Dexter　is　himself　again。　Silence；　you　Ariel；　or　you　shall
leave　the　room！　I　have　got　it；　Mrs。　Valeria；　all　la