classic mystery and detective stories-第74节

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though　the　pattern　still　looked　as　if　it　was　formed　out　of

characters　of　the　alphabet　curiously　entwined　together；　you　found

yourself　unable　to　fix　upon　any　definite　word；　or　even　letter。　　You

looked　again　and　again；　and　the　longer　that　you　looked　the　more

certain　became　your　belief　that　you　were　on　the　verge　of　discovery。

If　you　could　approach　the　mysterious　legend　from　a　slightly

different　point　of　view；　or　look　at　it　from　another　distance；　the

clew　to　the　puzzle　would　be　seized；　and　the　words　would　stand　forth

clear　and　legible　in　your　sight。　　But　the　clew　never　had　been

discovered；　and　the　motto；　if　there　was　one；　remained　unread。



For　a　few　minutes　we　stood　looking　at　the　cabinet　in　silence；　and

then　Lucy　gave　a　discontented　little　sigh。　　〃There's　another

tiresome　piece　of　superstition；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃by　far　the

handsomest　piece　of　furniture　in　the　house　stuck　away　here　in　a

bedroom　which　is　hardly　ever　used。　　Again　and　again　have　I　asked

George　to　let　me　have　it　moved　downstairs；　but　he　won't　hear　of

it。〃



〃Was　it　not　placed　here　by　Dame　Alice　herself？〃　I　inquired　a　little

reproachfully；　for　I　felt　that　Lucy　was　not　treating　the　cabinet

with　the　respect　which　it　really　deserved。



〃Yes；　so　they　say；〃　she　answered；　and　the　tone　of　light　contempt　in

which　she　spoke　was　now　pierced　by　a　not　unnatural　pride　in　the

romantic　mysteries　of　her　husband's　family。　　〃She　placed　it　here；

and　it　is　said；　you　know；　that　when　the　closed　cabinet　is　opened；

and　the　mysterious　motto　is　read；　the　curse　will　depart　from　the

Mervyn　family。〃



〃But　why　don't　they　break　it　open？〃　I　asked；　impatiently。　　〃I　am

sure　that　I　would　never　have　remained　all　my　life　in　a　house　with　a

thing　like　that；　and　not　found　out　in　some　way　or　another　what　was

inside　it。〃



〃Oh；　but　that　would　be　quite　fatal；〃　answered　she。　　〃The　curse　can

only　be　removed　when　the　cabinet　is　opened　as　Dame　Alice　intended

it　to　be；　in　an　orthodox　fashion。　　If　you　were　to　force　it　open；

that　could　never　happen；　and　the　curse　would　therefore　remain　for

ever。〃



〃And　what　is　the　curse？〃　I　asked；　with　very　different　feelings　to

those　with　which　I　had　timidly　approached　the　same　subject　with

Alan。　　Lucy　was　not　a　Mervyn；　and　not　a　person　to　inspire　awe　under

any　circumstances。　　My　instincts　were　right　again；　for　she　turned

away　with　a　slight　shrug　of　her　shoulders。



〃I　have　no　idea；〃　she　said。　　〃George　and　Alan　always　look

portentously　solemn　and　gloomy　whenever　one　mentions　the　subject；

so　I　don't。　　If　you　ask　me　for　the　truth；　I　believe　it　to　be　a　pure

invention；　devised　by　the　Mervyns　for　the　purpose　of　delicately

accounting　for　some　of　the　disreputable　actions　of　their　ancestors。

For　you　know；　Evie；〃　she　added；　with　a　little　laugh；　〃the　less　said

about　the　character　of　the　family　into　which　your　aunt　and　I　have

married　the　better。〃



The　remark　made　me　angry；　I　don't　know　why；　and　I　answered　stiffly；

that　as　far　as　I　was　acquainted　with　them；　I　at　least　saw　nothing

to　complain　of。



〃Oh；　as　regards　the　present　generation；　no；except　for　that　poor；

wretched　Jack；〃　acquiesced　Lucy；　with　her　usual　imperturbable　good…

humor。



〃And　as　regards　the　next？〃　I　suggested；　smiling；　and　already

ashamed　of　my　little　temper。



〃The　next　is　perfect；　of　course；poor　dear　boys。〃　　She　sighed　as

she　spoke；　and　I　wondered　whether　she　was　really　as　unconscious　as

she　generally　appeared　to　be　of　the　strange　dissatisfaction　with

which　her　husband　seemed　to　regard　his　children。　　Anyhow　the

mention　of　them　had　evidently　changed　her　mood；　and　almost　directly

afterwards；　with　the　remark　that　she　must　go　and　look　after　her

guests；　who　had　all　arrived　by　now；　she　left　me　to　myself。



For　some　minutes　I　sat　by　the　bright　fire；　lost　in　aimless；

wandering　thought；　which　began　with　Dame　Alice　and　her　cabinet；　and

which　ended　somehow　with　Alan's　face；　as　I　had　last　seen　it　looking

up　at　me　in　front　of　the　hall…door。　　When　I　had　reached　that　point；

I　roused　myself　to　decide　that　I　had　dreamt　long　enough；　and　that

it　was　quite　time　to　go　down　to　the　guests　and　to　tea。　　I

accordingly　donned　my　best　teagown；　arranged　my　hair；　and　proceeded

towards　the　drawing…room。　　My　way　there　lay　through　the　great

central　hall。　　This　apartment　was　approached　from　most　of　the

bedrooms　in　the　house　through　a　large；　arched　doorway　at　one　end　of

it；　which　communicated　directly　with　the　great　staircase。　　My

bedroom；　however；　which；　as　I　have　said；　lay　among　the　private

apartments　of　the　house；　opened　into　a　passage　which　led　into　a

broad　gallery；　or　upper　chamber；　stretching　right　across　the　end　of

the　hall。　　From　this　you　descended　by　means　of　a　small　staircase　in

oak；　whose　carved　balustrade；　bending　round　the　corner　of　the　hall；

formed　one　of　the　prettiest　features　of　the　picturesque　old　room。

The　barrier　which　ran　along　the　front　of　the　gallery　was　in　solid

oak；　and　of　such　a　height　that；　unless　standing　close　up　to　it；　you

could　neither　see　nor　be　seen　by　the　occupants　of　the　room　below。

On　approaching　this　gallery　I　heard　voices　in　the　hall。　　They　were

George's　and　Alan's；　evidently　in　hot　discussion。　　As　I　issued　from

the　passage；　George　was　speaking；　and　his　voice　had　that

exasperated　tone　in　which　an　angry　man　tries　to　bring　to　a　close　an

argument　in　which　he　has　lost　his　temper。　　〃For　heaven's　sake　leave

it　alone；　Alan；　I　neither　can　nor　will　interfere。　　We　have　enough

to　bear　from　these　cursed　traditions　as　it　is；　without　adding　one

which　has　no　foundation　whatever　to　justify　ita　mere　contemptible

piece　of　superstition。〃



〃No　member　of　our　family　has　a　right　to　call　any　tradition

contemptible　which　is　connected　with　that　place；　and　you　know　it；〃

answered　Alan；　and　though　he　spoke　low；　his　voice　trembled　with

some　strong　emotion。　　A　first　impulse　of　hesitation　which　I　had　had

I　checked；　feeling　that　as　I　had　heard　so　much　it　was　fairer　to　go

on；　and　I　advanced　to　the　top　of　the　staircase。　　Alan　stood　by　the

fireplace　facing　me；　but　far　too　occupied　to　see　me。　　His　last

speech　had　seemingly　aroused　George　to　fury；　for　the　latter　turned

on　him　now　with　savage　passion。



〃Damn　it　all；　Alan！〃　he　cried；　〃can't　you　be　quiet？　　I　will　be

master　in　my　own　house。　　Take　care；　I　tell　you；　the　curse　may　not

be　quite　fulfilled　yet　after　all。〃



As　George　uttered　these　words；　Alan　lifted　his　eyes　to　him　with　a

glance　of　awful　horror：　his　face　turned　ghastly　white；　his　lips

trembled　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　answered　back　with　one　half…

whispered　word　of　supreme　appeal〃George！〃　　There　was　a　long…

drawn；　unutterable　anguish　in　his　tone；　and　his　voice；　though

scarcely　audible；　penetrated　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　and

seemed　to　hang　quivering　in　the　air　around　one　after　the　sound　had

ceased。　　Then　there　was　a　terrible　stillness。　　Alan　stood　trembling

in　every　limb；　incapable　apparently　of　speech　or　action；　and　George

faced　him；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　he　was。　　For　an　instant　they

remained　thus；　while　I　looked　breathlessly　on。　　Then　George；　with　a

muttered　imprecation；　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　the　room。　　Alan

followed　him　as　he　went　with　dull　lifeless　eyes；　and　as　the　door

closed　he　breathed　deeply；　with　a　breath　that　was　almost　a　groan。



Taking　my　courage　in　both　hands；　I　now　descended　the　stairs；　and　at

the　sound　of　my　footfall　he　glanced　up；　started；　and　then　came

rapidly　to　meet　me。



〃Evie！　you　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　notice　you。　　How　long　have

you　been　here？〃　　He　was　still　quite　white；　and　I　noticed　that　he

panted　for　breath　as　he　spoke。



〃Not　long；〃　I　answered；　timidly；　and　rather　spasmodically；　〃I　only

heard　a　sentence　or　two。　　You　wanted　George　to　do　something　about

some　tradition　or　other；and　he　was　angry；and　he　said　something

about　the　curse。〃



While　I　spoke　Alan　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　reading　through

them；　as　I　knew；　into　my　mind。　　When　I　had　finished　he　turned　his

gaze　away　satisfied；　and　answered　very　quietly；　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃

Then　he　went　back　to　the　fireplace；　rested　his　arm　against　the　high

mantelpiece　above　it；　and　leaning　his　forehead　on　his　arm；　remained

silently　looking　into　the　fire。　　I　could　see　by　his　bent　brow　and

compressed　lips　that　he　was　engaged　upon　some　earnest　train　of

thought　or　reasoning；　and　I　stood　waitingworried；　puzzled；

curious；　but　above　all　things；　pitiful；　and　oh！　longing　so

intensely　to　help　him　if　I　could。　　Presently　he　straightened

himself　a　little；　and　addressed　me　more　in　his　ordinary　tone　of

voice；　though　without　looking　round。　　〃So　I　hear　they　have　changed

your　room。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　And　then；　flushing　rather；　〃Is　that　what　you

and　George　have　been　quarreling　about？〃　　I　received　no　reply；　and

taking　this　silence　for　assent；　I　went　on　deprecatingly；　〃Because

you　know；　if　it　was；　I　think　you　are　rather　foolish；　Alan。　　As　I

understand；　two　girls　are　said　to　have　died　in　that　room　more　than

a　hundred　years　ago；