classic mystery and detective stories-第52节

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the　strange　glamour　was　ended。　　It　seemed　to　me　that；　when　I　was　so

fixed；　so　transfixed　in　the　broken　chair；　the　man　floated　up　to　the

ceiling；　crossed　his　legs；　folded　his　arms　as　if　he　was　lying　on　a

sofa；　and　grinned　down　at　me。　　When　I　came　to　myself　he　was　down

from　the　ceiling；　and；　taking　me　out　of　the　broken　cane…bottomed

chair；　kindly　enough〃Bah！〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　smell　of　my

medicine。　　It　often　gives　the　vertigo。　　I　thought　you　would　have

had　a　little　fit。　　Come　into　the　open　air。〃　　And　we　went　down　the

steps；　and　into　Shepherd's　Inn；　where　the　setting　sun　was　just

shining　on　the　statue　of　Shepherd；　the　laundresses　were　traipsing

about；　the　porters　were　leaning　against　the　railings；　and　the

clerks　were　playing　at　marbles；　to　my　inexpressible　consolation。



〃You　said　you　were　going　to　dine　at　the　'Gray's…Inn　Coffee…House；'〃

he　said。　　I　was。　　I　often　dine　there。　　There　is　excellent　wine　at

the　〃Gray's…Inn　Coffee…House〃；　but　I　declare　I　NEVER　SAID　so。　　I

was　not　astonished　at　his　remark；　no　more　astonished　than　if　I　was

in　a　dream。　　Perhaps　I　WAS　in　a　dream。　　Is　life　a　dream？　　Are

dreams　facts？　　Is　sleeping　being　really　awake？　　I　don't　know。　　I

tell　you　I　am　puzzled。　　I　have　read　〃The　Woman　in　White；〃　　〃The

Strange　Story〃not　to　mention　that　story　〃Stranger　than　Fiction〃

in　the　Cornhill　Magazinethat　story　for　which　THREE　credible

witnesses　are　ready　to　vouch。　　I　have　had　messages　from　the　dead；

and　not　only　from　the　dead；　but　from　people　who　never　existed　at

all。　　I　own　I　am　in　a　state　of　much　bewilderment：　but；　if　you

please；　will　proceed　with　my　simple；　my　artless　story。



Well；　then。　　We　passed　from　Shepherd's　Inn　into　Holborn；　and　looked

for　a　while　at　Woodgate's　bric…a…brac　shop；　which　I　never　can　pass

without　delaying　at　the　windowsindeed；　if　I　were　going　to　be

hung；　I　would　beg　the　cart　to　stop；　and　let　me　have　one　look　more

at　that　delightful　omnium　gatherum。　　And　passing　Woodgate's；　we

come　to　Gale's　little　shop；　〃No。　47；〃　which　is　also　a　favorite

haunt　of　mine。



Mr。　Gale　happened　to　be　at　his　door；　and　as　we　exchanged

salutations；　〃Mr。　Pinto；〃　I　said；　〃will　you　like　to　see　a　real

curiosity　in　this　curiosity　shop？　　Step　into　Mr。　Gale's　little　back

room。〃



In　that　little　back　parlor　there　are　Chinese　gongs；　there　are　old

Saxe　and　Sevres　plates；　there　is　Furstenberg；　Carl　Theodor；

Worcester；　Amstel；　Nankin　and　other　jimcrockery。　　And　in　the　corner

what　do　you　think　there　is？　　There　is　an　actual　GUILLOTINE。　　If　you

doubt　me；　go　and　seeGale；　High　Holborn；　No。　47。　　It　is　a　slim

instrument；　much　slighter　than　those　which　they　make　now；some

nine　feet　high；　narrow；　a　pretty　piece　of　upholstery　enough。　　There

is　the　hook　over　which　the　rope　used　to　play　which　unloosened　the

dreadful　ax　above；　and　look！　dropped　into　the　orifice　where　the

head　used　to　gothere　is　THE　AX　itself；　all　rusty；　with　A　GREAT

NOTCH　IN　THE　BLADE。



As　Pinto　looked　at　itMr。　Gale　was　not　in　the　room；　I　recollect；

happening　to　have　been　just　called　out　by　a　customer　who　offered

him　three　pound　fourteen　and　sixpence　for　a　blue　Shepherd　in　pate

tendre；Mr。　Pinto　gave　a　little　start；　and　seemed　crispe　for　a

moment。　　Then　he　looked　steadily　toward　one　of　those　great

porcelain　stools　which　you　see　in　gardensandit　seemed　to　meI

tell　you　I　won't　take　my　affidavitI　may　have　been　maddened　by　the

six　glasses　I　took　of　that　pink　elixirI　may　have　been　sleep…

walking：　perhaps　am　as　I　write　nowI　may　have　been　under　the

influence　of　that　astounding　MEDIUM　into　whose　hands　I　had　fallen

but　I　vow　I　heard　Pinto　say；　with　rather　a　ghastly　grin　at　the

porcelain　stool；





　　　　　〃Nay；　nefer　shague　your　gory　locks　at　me；

　　　　　　Dou　canst　not　say　I　did　it。〃





（He　pronounced　it；　by　the　way；　I　DIT　it；　by　which　I　KNOW　that　Pinto

was　a　German。）



I　heard　Pinto　say　those　very　words；　and　sitting　on　the　porcelain

stool　I　saw；　dimly　at　first；　then　with　an　awful　distinctnessa

ghostan　EIDOLONa　formA　HEADLESS　MAN　seated　with　his　head　in

his　lap；　which　wore　an　expression　of　piteous　surprise。



At　this　minute；　Mr。　Gale　entered　from　the　front　shop　to　show　a

customer　some　Delft　plates；　and　he　did　not　seebut　WE　DIDthe

figure　rise　up　from　the　porcelain　stool；　shake　its　head；　which　it

held　in　its　hand；　and　which　kept　its　eyes　fixed　sadly　on　us；　and

disappear　behind　the　guillotine。



〃Come　to　the　'Gray's…Inn　Coffee…House；'〃　Pinto　said；　〃and　I　will

tell　you　how　the　notch　came　to　the　ax。〃　　And　we　walked　down　Holborn

at　about　thirty…seven　minutes　past　six　o'clock。



If　there　is　anything　in　the　above　statement　which　astonishes　the

reader；　I　promise　him　that　in　the　next　chapter　of　this　little　story

he　will　be　astonished　still　more。





II





〃You　will　excuse　me；〃　I　said　to　my　companion；　〃for　remarking　that

when　you　addressed　the　individual　sitting　on　the　porcelain　stool；

with　his　head　in　his　lap；　your　ordinarily　benevolent　features〃

（this　I　confess　was　a　bouncer；　for　between　ourselves　a　more

sinister　and　ill…looking　rascal　than　Mons。　P。　I　have　seldom　set

eyes　on）〃your　ordinarily　handsome　face　wore　an　expression　that

was　by　no　means　pleasing。　　You　grinned　at　the　individual　just　as

you　did　at　me　when　you　went　up　to　the　cei；　pardon　me；　as　I

THOUGHT　you　did；　when　I　fell　down　in　a　fit　in　your　chambers〃；　and　I

qualified　my　words　in　a　great　flutter　and　tremble；　I　did　not　care

to　offend　the　manI　did　not　DARE　to　offend　the　man。　　I　thought

once　or　twice　of　jumping　into　a　cab；　and　flying；　of　taking　refuge

in　Day　and　Martin's　Blacking　Warehouse；　of　speaking　to　a　policeman；

but　not　one　would　come。　　I　was　this　man's　slave。　　I　followed　him

like　his　dog。　　I　COULD　not　get　away　from　him。　　So；　you　see；　I　went

on　meanly　conversing　with　him；　and　affecting　a　simpering

confidence。　　I　remember；　when　I　was　a　little　boy　at　school；　going

up　fawning　and　smiling　in　this　way　to　some　great　hulking　bully　of　a

sixth…form　boy。　　So　I　said　in　a　word；　〃Your　ordinarily　handsome

face　wore　a　disagreeable　expression；〃　&c。



〃It　is　ordinarily　VERY　handsome；〃　said　he；　with　such　a　leer　at　a

couple　of　passers…by；　that　one　of　them　cried；　〃Oh；　crickey；　here's

a　precious　guy！〃　and　a　child；　in　its　nurse's　arms；　screamed　itself

into　convulsions。　　〃Oh；　oui；　che　suis　tres…choli　garcon；　bien　peau；

cerdainement；〃　continued　Mr。　Pinto；　〃but　you　were　right。　　That

that　person　was　not　very　well　pleased　when　he　saw　me。　　There　was　no

love　lost　between　us；　as　you　say：　and　the　world　never　knew　a　more

worthless　miscreant。　　I　hate　him；　voyez…vous？　　I　hated　him　alife；　I

hate　him　dead。　　I　hate　him　man；　I　hate　him　ghost：　and　he　know　it；

and　tremble　before　me。　　If　I　see　him　twenty　tausend　years　hence

and　why　not？I　shall　hate　him　still。　　You　remarked　how　he　was

dressed？〃



〃In　black　satin　breeches　and　striped　stockings；　a　white　pique

waistcoat；　a　gray　coat；　with　large　metal　buttons；　and　his　hair　in

powder。　　He　must　have　worn　a　pigtailonly〃



〃Only　it　was　CUT　OFF！　　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　　Mr。　Pinto　cried；　yelling　a

laugh；　which　I　observed　made　the　policeman　stare　very　much。　　〃Yes。

It　was　cut　off　by　the　same　blow　which　took　off　the　scoundrel's

headho；　ho；　ho！〃　　And　he　made　a　circle　with　his　hook…nailed

finger　round　his　own　yellow　neck；　and　grinned　with　a　horrible

triumph。　　〃I　promise　you　that　fellow　was　surprised　when　he　found

his　head　in　the　pannier。　　Ha！　ha！　　Do　you　ever　cease　to　hate　those

whom　you　hate？〃fire　flashed　terrifically　from　his　glass　eye　as　he

spoke〃or　to　love　dose　whom　you　once　loved？　　Oh；　never；　never！〃

And　here　his　natural　eye　was　bedewed　with　tears。　　〃But　here　we　are

at　the　'Gray's…Inn　CoffeeHouse。'　　James；　what　is　the　joint？〃



That　very　respectful　and　efficient　waiter　brought　in　the　bill　of

fare；　and　I；　for　my　part；　chose　boiled　leg　of　pork；　and　pease

pudding；　which　my　acquaintance　said　would　do　as　well　as　anything

else；　though　I　remarked　he　only　trifled　with　the　pease　pudding；　and

left　all　the　pork　on　the　plate。　　In　fact；　he　scarcely　ate　anything。

But　he　drank　a　prodigious　quantity　of　wine；　and　I　must　say　that　my

friend　Mr。　Hart's　port　wine　is　so　good　that　I　myself　tookwell；　I

should　think；　I　took　three　glasses。　　Yes；　three；　certainly。　　HEI

mean　Mr。　P。the　old　rogue；　was　insatiable：　for　we　had　to　call　for

a　second　bottle　in　no　time。　　When　that　was　gone；　my　companion

wanted　another。　　A　little　red　mounted　up　to　his　yellow　cheeks　as　he

drank　the　wine；　and　he　winked　at　it　in　a　strange　manner。　　〃I

remember；〃　said　he；　musing；　〃when　port　wine　was　scarcely　drunk　in

this　countrythough　the　Queen　liked　it；　and　so　did　Hurley；　but

Bolingbroke　didn'the　drank　Florence　and　Champagne。　　Dr。　Swift　put

water　to　his　wine。　　'Jonathan；'　I　once　said　to　himbut　bah！　autres

temps；　autres　moeurs。　　Another　magnum；　James。〃



This　was　all　very　well。　　〃My　good　sir；〃　I　said；　〃it　may　suit　YOU　to

order　bottles　of　'20　port；　at　a　guinea　a　bottle；　but　that　kind　of

price　does　not　suit　me。　　I　only　happen　to　have　thirty…four　and

sixp