the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第21节
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sitting…room table； preparatory to doing them up。 She could think of but
one thing more which she must take … a cabinet photograph of her father。
This was upon the top of the piano in the room where he had met his death。
She knew its exact location and could have put her hand right upon it had
it been perfectly dark； which it was not。 She arose； therefore； and；
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without taking a light with her； went into the parlour。 A faint afterglow
illumined the windows and suffused the room with an uncertain； dim；
ghostly light which lent to all its objects that vague flatness from which
the imagination carves what shapes。 it lists。 As Gwen reached for the
picture； a sudden conviction possessed her that her father stood just behind
her in the exact spot where he had met his death； … that if she turned she
would see him again with his hand clutching his throat and his eyes
starting from their sockets with that never…to…be…forgotten look of frenzied
helplessness。
It would be difficult to find a woman upon whom superstition has so
slight a hold as it has upon Gwen Darrow； yet； for all that； it required an
effort for her to turn and gaze toward the centre of the room。 A dim； ill…
defined stain of light fell momentarily upon the chair in which the dead
man had sat； and then flickered unsteadily across the room and； as it
seemed to her； out through its western side； the while a faint； rustling
sound caught her ear。 She was plainly conscious； too； of a something
swishing by her； as if a strong draught had just fallen upon her。 She was
not naturally superstitious； as I have said before； yet there was something
in the gloom； the deserted house； and this fatal room with its untold story
of death which； added to her weird perceptions and that indescribable
conviction of an unseen presence； caused even Gwen to press her hand
convulsively upon her throbbing heart。 For the first time in her life the
awful possibilities of darkness were fully borne in upon her and she knew
just how her father had felt。
In a moment； however； she had recovered from her first shock and had
begun to reason。 Might not the sound she had heard； and the movement
she had felt； both be explained by an open window？ She knew she had
closed and locked all the windows of the room when she had finished
airing it after the funeral； and she was not aware that anyone had been
there since； yet she said to herself that perhaps one of the servants had
come in and opened a window without her knowledge。 She turned and
looked。 The lower sash of the eastern window … the one through which
she felt sure death had approached her father … was raised to its utmost。
〃How=20fortunate；〃 she murmured； 〃that I discovered this before
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leaving。〃
She was all but fully reassured now； as she stepped to the window to
close it。 Remembering how the sash stuck in the casing she raised both
hands to forcibly lower it。 As she did so a strong arm caught the sash
from the outer side； and a stalwart masculine form arose directly in front
of her。 His great height brought his head almost to a level with her own；
despite the fact that he was standing upon the ground outside。 He was so
near that she could feel his breath upon her face。 His eyes； like two great
coals of fire； blazed into hers with a sinister and threatening light。 His
countenance seemed to utterly surpass any personal malignancy and to
exhibit itself as a type of all the hatreds that ever poisoned human hearts。
Only a moment before Gwen had felt a creepy； sickening sensation
stealing over her as the result of an ill…defined and apparently causeless
dread。 Now an actual； imminent； and fearful peril confronted her。
Under such circumstances most women would have fainted； and； indeed；
if Gwen had herself been asked how she would have acted under such a
supreme test； she would have prophesied the same maidenly course as her
own； yet； in the real exigency … how little do we know of ourselves； save
what actual experience has taught us！ … this is precisely what she did not
do。 When the horrible apparition first rose in her very face； as it were； a
momentary weakness caught her and she clung to the sash for support。
Then the wonderful fire of the malignant eyes； green； serpentine；
opalescent； with the wave…like flux of a glowworm's light seen under a
glass； riveted her attention。 She had ceased to tremble。 Our fear of death
varies with our desire for life。 Dulled by a great grief； she did not so very
much care what became of her。 The future's burden was heavy； and if it
were necessary she now put it down； there would still be a sense of relief。
As this thought passed like a shadow over her consciousness she felt
herself irresistibly attracted to the awful face before her。 Her assailant's
gaze seemed to have wound itself about her own till she could not
disentangle it。 She was dimly conscious that she was falling under a
spell and summoned all her remaining strength to break it。 Quick as the
uncoiling of a released spring； and without the slightest movement of
warning； she threw her entire weight upon the sash in a last endeavour to
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close the window； but the man's upraised arm held both her weight and it；
as if its muscles had been rods of steel。 Gwen saw a long knife in his
free hand； … saw the light shimmer along its blade； saw him raise it aloft to
plunge it into her bosom； yet made no movement to withdraw beyond his
reach and uttered no cry for help。 It seemed to her that all this was
happening to another and that she herself was only a fascinated spectator。
She was wondering whether or not the victim would try to defend herself
when the knife began its descent。 It seemed ages in its downward
passage； … so long； indeed； that it gave her time to think of most of the
main experiences of her life。 At last it paused irresolutely within an inch
of her bosom。 She wondered that the victim made no attempt to escape；
uttered no cry for help。 Suddenly she felt something whirling and buzzing
in her brain； while a wild fluttering filled both her ears； then the swirling；
fluttering torment rose in a swift and awful crescendo which seemed to
involve all creation in its vortex； then a pang like a lightning…thrust and a
crash like the thunder that goes with it； and she saw a tall man striding
rapidly from the window。 She was still sure it was no personal concern
of hers； yet an idle curiosity noted his great height； his dark； mulatto…like
skin； and a slight halt in his walk as he passed through a narrow beam of
light and off into the engulfing darkness。
It was many minutes before Gwen regained any considerable
command of her faculties； and she afterwards told me that she was even
then more than half inclined to consider the whole thing as a weird dream
of an overwrought mind。 At length； however； she realised that she had
had an actual experience； and that it was of sufficient importance to make
it known at once。 She accordingly hastened to lay the whole matter
before me； and I； in my turn； notified the police； who； at once instituted as
thorough a search as Gwen's description made possible。 She had told me
that her assailant was dark…skinned； yet with straight hair； and a cast of
features that gave no hint of any Ethiopian taint。 This； and his halting
gait and great stature； were all the police had in the way of
