barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第86节
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were silent now。
Mr Willet had got by this time into such a complication of knots；
that it was perfectly clear he must wake or die。 He chose the
former alternative； and opened his eyes。
‘If he don’t come in five minutes；’ said John； ‘I shall have
supper without him。’
The antecedent of this pronoun had been mentioned for the last
time at eight o’clock。 Messrs Parkes and Cobb being used to this
style of conversation； replied without difficulty that to be sure
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Solomon was very late； and they wondered what had happened to
detain him。 ‘He an’t blown away； I suppose；’ said Parkes。 ‘It’s
enough to carry a man of his figure off his legs； and easy too。 Do
you hear it？ It blows great guns； indeed。 There’ll be many a crash
in the Forest to…night； I reckon； and many a broken branch upon
the ground to…morrow。’
‘It won’t break anything in the Maypole； I take it； sir；’ returned
old John。 ‘Let it try。 I give it leave—what’s that？’
‘The wind；’ cried Parkes。 ‘It’s howling like a Christian； and has
been all night long。’
‘Did you ever； sir；’ asked John； after a minute’s contemplation；
‘hear the wind say “Maypole”？’
‘Why； what man ever did？’ said Parkes。
‘Nor “ahoy；” perhaps？’ added John。
‘No。 Nor that neither。’
‘Very good； sir；’ said Mr Willet； perfectly unmoved； ‘then if that
was the wind just now； and you’ll wait a little time without
speaking； you’ll hear it say both words very plain。’
Mr Willet was right。 After listening for a few moments； they
could clearly hear； above the roar and tumult out of doors； this
shout repeated； and that with a shrillness and energy； which
denoted that it came from some person in great distress or terror。
They looked at each other； turned pale； and held their breath。 No
man stirred。
It was in this emergency that Mr Willet displayed something of
that strength of mind and plenitude of mental resource； which
rendered him the admiration of all his friends and neighbours。
After looking at Messrs Parkes and Cobb for some time in silence；
he clapped his two hands to his cheeks； and sent forth a roar
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which made the glasses dance and rafters ring—a long…sustained；
discordant bellow； that rolled onward with the wind； and startling
every echo； made the night a hundred times more boisterous—a
deep； loud； dismal bray； that sounded like a human gong。 Then；
with every vein in his head and face swollen with the great
exertion； and his countenance suffused with a lively purple； he
drew a little nearer to the fire； and turning his back upon it； said
with dignity：
‘If that’s any comfort to anybody； they’re welcome to it。 If it an’t；
I’m sorry for ’em。 If either of you two gentlemen likes to go out and
see what’s the matter； you can。 I’m not curious； myself。’
While he spoke the cry drew nearer and nearer； footsteps
passed the window； the latch of the door was raised； it opened；
was violently shut again； and Solomon Daisy； with a lighted
lantern in his hand； and the rain streaming from his disordered
dress； dashed into the room。
A more complete picture of terror than the little man presented；
it would be difficult to imagine。 The perspiration stood in beads
upon his face； his knees knocked together； his every limb
trembled； the power of articulation was quite gone； and there he
stood； panting for breath； gazing on them with such livid ashy
looks； that they were infected with his fear； though ignorant of its
occasion； and； reflecting his dismayed and horror…stricken visage；
stared back again without venturing to question him； until old
John Willet； in a fit of temporary insanity； made a dive at his
cravat； and； seizing him by that portion of his dress； shook him to
and fro until his very teeth appeared to rattle in his head。
‘Tell us what’s the matter； sir；’ said John； ‘or I’ll kill you。 Tell us
what’s the matter； sir； or in another second I’ll have your head
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under the biler。 How dare you look like that？ Is anybody a…
following of you？ What do you mean？ Say something； or I’ll be the
death of you； I will。’
Mr Willet； in his frenzy； was so near keeping his word to the
very letter （Solomon Daisy’s eyes already beginning to roll in an
alarming manner； and certain guttural sounds； as of a choking
man； to issue from his throat）； that the two bystanders； recovering
in some degree； plucked him off his victim by main force； and
placed the little clerk of Chigwell in a chair。 Directing a fearful
gaze all round the room； he implored them in a faint voice to give
him some drink； and above all to lock the house…door and close
and bar the shutters of the room； without a moment’s loss of time。
The latter request did not tend to reassure his hearers； or to fill
them with the most comfortable sensations； they complied with it；
however； with the greatest expedition； and having handed him a
bumper of brandy…and…water； nearly boiling hot； waited to hear
what he might have to tell them。
‘Oh； Johnny；’ said Solomon； shaking him by the hand。 ‘Oh；
Parkes。 Oh； Tommy Cobb。 Why did I leave this house to…night！ On
the nineteenth of March—of all nights in the year； on the
nineteenth of March！’
They all drew closer to the fire。 Parkes； who was nearest to the
door； started and looked over his shoulder。 Mr Willet； with great
indignation； inquired what the devil he meant by that—and then
said； ‘God forgive me；’ and glanced over his own shoulder； and
came a little nearer。
‘When I left here to…night；’ said Solomon Daisy； ‘I little thought
what day of the month it was。 I have never gone alone into the
church after dark on this day； for seven…and…twenty years。 I have
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heard it said that as we keep our birthdays when we are alive； so
the ghosts of dead people； who are not easy in their graves； keep
the day they died upon。—How the wind roars！’
Nobody spoke。 All eyes were fastened on Solomon。
‘I might have known；’ he said； ‘what night it was； by the foul
weather。 There’s no such night in the whole year round as this is；
always。 I never sleep quietly in my bed on the nineteenth of
March。’
‘Go on；’ said Tom Cobb； in a low voice。 ‘Nor I neither。’
Solomon Daisy raised his glass to his lips； put it down upon the
floor with such a trembling hand that the spoon tinkled in it like a
little bell； and continued thus：
‘Have I ever said that we are always brought back to this
subject in some strange way； when the nineteenth of this month
comes round？ Do you suppose it was by accident； I forgot to wind
up the church…clock？ I never forgot it at any other time； though it’s
such a clumsy thing that it has to be wound up every day。 Why
should it escape my memory on this day of all others？
‘I made as much haste down there as I could when I went from
here； but I had to go home first for the keys； and the wind and rain
being dead against me all the way； it was pretty well as much as I
could do at times to keep my legs。 I got there at last； opened the
church…do
