classic mystery and detective stories-第75节

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

a　hundred　years　ago；　and　for　that　reason　there　is　a　prejudice

against　putting　a　girl　to　sleep　there。　　That　is　all。　　Merely　a

vague；　unreasonable　tradition。〃



Alan　took　a　moment　to　answer。



〃Yes；〃　he　said　at　length；　speaking　slowly；　and　as　if　replying　to

arguments　in　his　own　mind　as　much　as　to　those　which　I　had　uttered。

〃Yes；　it　is　nothing　but　a　tradition　after　all；　and　that　of　the　very

vaguest　and　most　unsupported　kind。〃



〃Is　there　even　any　proof　that　girls　have　not　slept　there　since

those　two　died？〃　I　asked。　　I　think　that　the　suggestion　conveyed　in

this　question　was　a　relief　to　him；　for　after　a　moment's　pause；　as

if　to　search　his　memory；　he　turned　round。



〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　think　that　there　is　any　such　proof；　and

I　have　no　doubt　that　you　are　right；　and　that　it　is　a　mere　prejudice

that　makes　me　dislike　your　sleeping　there。〃



〃Then；〃　I　said；　with　a　little　assumption　of　sisterly　superiority；

〃I　think　George　was　right；　and　that　you　were　wrong。〃



Alan　smiled；a　smiled　which　sat　oddly　on　the　still　pale　face；　and

in　the　wearied；　worn…looking　eyes。　　〃Very　likely；〃　he　said；　〃I

daresay　that　I　am　superstitious。　　I　have　had　things　to　make　me　so。〃

Then　coming　nearer　to　me；　and　laying　his　hands　on　my　shoulders；　he

went　on；　smiling　more　brightly；　〃We　are　a　queer…tempered；　bad…

nerved　race；　we　Mervyns；　and　you　must　not　take　us　too　seriously；

Evie。　　The　best　thing　that　you　can　do　with　our　odd　ways　is　to

ignore　them。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　I　answered；　laughing；　too　glad　to　have　won　him

back　to　even　temporary　brightness；　〃as　long　as　you　and　George　don't

come　to　blows　over　the　question　of　where　I　am　to　sleep；　which　after

all　is　chiefly　my　concern；and　Lucy's。〃



〃Well；　perhaps　it　is；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　tone；　〃and　now　be

off　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　is　defending　the　tea…table

single…handed　all　this　time。〃



I　obeyed；　and　should　have　gone　more　cheerfully　had　I　not　turned　at

the　doorway　to　look　back　at　him；　and　caught　one　glimpse　of　his　face

as　he　sank　heavily　down　into　the　large　arm…chair　by　the　fireside。



However；　by　dinner…time　he　appeared　to　have　dismissed　all　painful

reflections　from　his　mind；　or　to　have　buried　them　too　deep　for

discovery。　　The　people　staying　in　the　house　were；　in　spite　of　my

sense　of　grievance　at　their　arrival；　individually　pleasant；　and

after　dinner　I　discovered　them　to　be　socially　well　assorted。　　For

the　first　hour　or　two；　indeed；　after　their　arrival；　each　glared　at

the　other　across　those　triple　lines　of　moral　fortification　behind

which　every　well…bred　Briton　takes　refuge　on　appearing　at　a

friend's　country…house。　　But　flags　of　truce　were　interchanged　over

the　soup；　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　during　the　roast；　and　the

terms　of　a　treaty　of　peace　and　amity　were　finally　ratified　under

the　sympathetic　influence　of　George's　best　champagne。　　For　the

achievement　of　this　happy　result　Alan　certainly　worked　hard；　and

received　therefor　many　a　grateful　glance　from　his　sister…in…law。

He　was　more　excited　than　I　had　ever　seen　him　before；　and　talked

brilliantly　and　wellthough　perhaps　not　as　exclusively　to　his

neighbors　as　they　may　have　wished。　　His　eyes　and　his　attention

seemed　everywhere　at　once：　one　moment　he　was　throwing　remarks

across　to　some　despairing　couple　opposite；　and　the　next　he　was

breaking　an　embarrassing　pause　in　the　conversation　by　some　rapid

sally　of　nonsense　addressed　to　the　table　in　general。　　He　formed　a

great　contrast　to　his　brother；　who　sat　gloomy　and　dejected；　making

little　or　no　response　to　the　advances　of　the　two　dowagers　between

whom　he　was　placed。　　After　dinner　the　younger　members　of　the　party

spent　the　evening　by　Alan's　initiative；　and　chiefly　under　his

direction；　in　a　series　of　lively　and　rather　riotous　games　such　as

my　nursery　days　had　delighted　in；　and　my　schoolroom　ones　had

disdained。　　It　was　a　great　and　happy　surprise　to　discover　that；

grown　up；　I　might　again　enjoy　them。　　I　did　so；　hugely；　and　when

bedtime　came　all　memories　more　serious　than　those　of　〃musical

chairs〃　or　〃follow　my　leader〃　had　vanished　from　my　mind。　　I　think；

from　Alan's　glance　as　he　handed　me　my　bed　candle；　that　the　pleasure

and　excitement　must　have　improved　my　looks。



〃I　hope　you　have　enjoyed　your　first　evening　of　gayety；　Evie；〃　he

said。



〃I　have；〃　I　answered；　with　happy　conviction；　〃and　really　I　believe

that　it　is　chiefly　owing　to　you；　Alan。〃　　He　met　my　smile　by

another；　but　I　think　that　there　must　have　been　something　in　his

look　which　recalled　other　thoughts；　for　as　I　started　up　the　stairs

I　threw　a　mischievous　glance　back　at　him　and　whispered；　〃Now　for

the　horrors　of　the　haunted　chamber。〃



He　laughed　rather　loudly；　and　saying　〃Good…night；　and　good…luck；〃

turned　to　attend　to　the　other　ladies。



His　wishes　were　certainly　fulfilled。　　I　got　to　bed　quickly；　andas

soon　as　my　happy　excitement　was　sufficiently　calmed　to　admit　of　it

to　sleep。　　The　only　thing　which　disturbed　me　was　the　wind；　which

blew　fiercely　and　loudly　all　the　earlier　portion　of　the　night；　half

arousing　me　more　than　once。　　I　spoke　of　it　at　breakfast　the　next

morning；　but　the　rest　of　the　world　seemed　to　have　slept　too　heavily

to　have　been　aware　of　it。





IV





The　men　went　out　shooting　directly　after　breakfast；　and　we　women

passed　the　day　in　orthodox　country…house　fashion；working　and

eating；　walking　and　riding；　driving　and　playing　croquet；　and　above；

beyond；　and　through　all　things；　chattering。　　Beyond　a　passing　sigh

while　I　was　washing　my　hands；　or　a　moment　of　mournful　remembrance

while　I　changed　my　dress；　I　had　scarcely　time　even　to　regret　the

quiet　happiness　of　the　week　that　was　past。　　In　the　evening　we

danced　in　the　great　hall。　　I　had　two　valses　with　Alan。　　During　a

pause　for　breath；　I　found　that　we　were　standing　near　the　fireplace；

on　the　very　spot　where　he　and　George　had　stood　on　the　previous

afternoon。　　The　recollection　made　me　involuntarily　glance　up　at　his

face。　　It　looked　sad　and　worried；　and　the　thought　suddenly　struck

me　that　his　extravagant　spirits　of　the　night　before；　and　even　his

quieter；　careful　cheerfulness　of　to…night；　had　been　but　artificial

moods　at　best。　　He　turned；　and　finding　my　eyes　fixed　on　him；　at

once　plunged　into　conversation；　discussed　the　peculiarities　of　one

of　the　guests；　good…humoredly　enough；　but　with　so　much　fun　as　to

make　me　laugh　in　spite　of　myself。　　Then　we　danced　again。　　The

plaintive　music；　the　smooth　floor；　and　the　partner　were　all　alike

perfect；　and　I　experienced　that　entire　delight　of　physical

enjoyment　which　I　believe　nothing　but　a　valse　under　such

circumstances　can　give。　　When　it　was　over　I　turned　to　Alan；　and

exclaimed　with　impulsive　appeal；　〃Oh；　I　am　so　happy；you　must　be

happy　too！〃　　He　smiled　rather　uncertainly；　and　answered；　〃Don't

bother　yourself　about　me；　Evie；　I　am　all　right。　　I　told　you　that　we

Mervyns　had　bad　nerves；　and　I　am　rather　tired。　　That's　all。〃　　I　was

too　passionately　determined　just　then　upon　happiness；　and　his　was

too　necessary　to　mine　for　me　not　to　believe　that　he　was　speaking

the　truth。



We　kept　up　the　dancing　till　Lucy　discovered　with　a　shock　that

midnight　had　struck；　and　that　Sunday　had　begun；　and　we　were　all

sent　off　to　bed。　　I　was　not　long　in　making　my　nightly　preparations；

and　had　scarcely　inserted　myself　between　the　sheets　when；　with　a

few　long　moans；　the　wind　began　again；　more　violently　even　than　the

night　before。　　It　had　been　a　calm；　fine　day；　and　I　made　wise

reflections　as　I　listened　upon　the　uncertainty　of　the　north…country

climate。　　What　a　tempest　it　was！　　How　it　moaned；　and　howled；　and

shrieked！　　Where　had　I　heard　the　superstition　which　now　came　to　my

mind；　that　borne　upon　the　wind　come　the　spirits　of　the　drowned；

wailing　and　crying　for　the　sepulture　which　had　been　denied　them？

But　there　were　other　sounds　in　that　wind；　too。　　Evil；　murderous

thoughts；　perhaps；　which　had　never　taken　body　in　deeds；　but　which；

caught　up　in　the　air；　now　hurled　themselves　in　impotent　fury

through　the　world。　　How　I　wished　the　wind　would　stop。　　It　seemed

full　of　horrible　fancies；　and　it　kept　knocking　them　into　my　head；

and　it　wouldn't　leave　off。　　Fancies；　or　memorieswhich？and　my

mind　reverted　with　a　flash　to　the　fearful　thoughts　which　had

haunted　it　the　day　before　in　Dame　Alice's　tower。　　It　was　dark　now。

Those　ghastly　intangible　shapes　must　have　taken　full　form　and

color；　peopling　the　old　ruin　with　their　ageless　hideousness。　　And

the　storm　had　found　them　there　and　borne　them　along　with　it　as　it

blew　through　the　creviced　walls。　　That　was　why　the　wind's　sound

struck　so　strangely　on　my　brain。　　Ah！　I　could　hear　them　now；　those

still　living　memories　of　dead　horror。　　Through　the　window　crannies

they　came　shrieking　and　wailing。　　They　filled　the　chimney　with

spirit　sobs；　and　now　they　were　pressing　on；　crowding　through　the

room；eager；　eager　to　reach　their　prey。　　Nearer　they　came；nearer