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第52节

classic mystery and detective stories-第52节

小说: classic mystery and detective stories 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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