classic mystery and detective stories-第78节

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surrounded　perhaps　in　their　turn　by　worlds　as　large　or　larger　than

our　own。　　Worlds　beyond　worlds；　and　others　farther　still；　which　no

man　might　number　or　even　descry。　　And　about　the　distance　of　those

wonderful　suns　too；that　one；　for　instance；　at　which　I　was

looking；what　was　it　that　I　had　been　told？　　That　our　world　was　not

yet　peopled；　perhaps　not　yet　formed；　when　the　actual　spot　of　light

which　now　struck　my　sight　first　started　from　the　star's　surface！

While　it　flashed　along；　itself　the　very　symbol　of　speed；　the　whole

of　mankind　had　had　time　to　be　born；　and　live；　and　die！



My　gaze　dropped；　and　fell　upon　the　dim；　half…seen　outline　of　the

Dead　Stone。　　That　woman　too。　　While　that　one　ray　speeded　towards　me

her　life　had　been　lived　and　ended；　and　her　body　had　rotted　away

into　the　ground。　　How　close　together　we　all　were！　　Her　life　and

mine；　our　joys；　sufferings；　deathsall　crowded　together　into　the

space　of　one　flash　of　light！　　And　yet　there　was　nothing　there　but　a

horrible　skeleton　of　dead　bones；　while　I！



I　stopped　with　a　shudder；　and　turned　back　into　the　room。　　I　wished

that　Alan　had　not　told　me　what　lay　under　the　stone；　I　wished　that　I

had　never　asked　him。　　It　was　a　ghastly　thing　to　think　about；　and

spoilt　all　the　beauty　of　the　night　to　me。



I　got　quickly　into　bed；　and　soon　dropped　asleep。　　I　do　not　know　how

long　I　slept；　but　when　I　woke　it　was　with　the　consciousness　again

of　that　haunting　wind。



It　was　worse　than　ever。　　The　world　seemed　filled　with　its　din。

Hurling　itself　passionately　against　the　house；　it　gathered　strength

with　every　gust；　till　it　seemed　as　if　the　old　walls　must　soon　crash

in　ruins　round　me。　　Gust　upon　gust；　blow　upon　blow；　swelling；

lessening；　never　ceasing。　　The　noise　surrounded　me；　it　penetrated

my　inmost　being；　as　all…pervading　as　silence　itself；　and　wrapping

me　in　a　solitude　even　more　complete。　　There　was　nothing　left　in　the

world　but　the　wind　and　I；　and　then　a　weird　intangible　doubt　as　to

my　own　identity　seized　me。　　The　wind　was　real；　the　wind　with　its

echoes　of　passion　and　misery　from　the　eternal　abyss；　but　was　there

anything　else？　　What　was；　and　what　had　been；　the　world　of　sense　and

of　knowledge；　my　own　consciousness；　my　very　self；all　seemed

gathered　up　and　swept　away　in　that　one　sole…existent　fury　of　sound。



I　pulled　myself　together；　and　getting　out　of　bed；　groped　my　way　to

the　table　which　stood　between　the　bed　and　the　fireplace。　　The

matches　were　there；　and　my　half…burnt　candle；　which　I　lit。　　The

wind　penetrating　the　rattling　casement　circled　round　the　room；　and

the　flame　of　my　candle　bent　and　flared　and　shrank　before　it；

throwing　strange　moving　lights　and　shadows　in　every　corner。　　I

stood　there　shivering　in　my　thin　nightdress；　half　stunned　by　the

cataract　of　noise　beating　on　the　walls　outside；　and　peered

anxiously　around　me。　　The　room　was　not　the　same。　　Something　was

changed。　　What　was　it？　　How　the　shadows　leaped　and　fell；　dancing　in

time　to　the　wind's　music。　　Everything　seemed　alive。　　I　turned　my

head　slowly　to　the　left；　and　then　to　the　right；　and　then　roundand

stopped　with　a　sudden　gasp　of　fear。



The　cabinet　was　open！



I　looked　away；　and　back；　and　again。　　There　was　no　room　for　doubt。

The　doors　were　thrown　back；　and　were　waving　gently　in　the　draught。

One　of　the　lower　drawers　was　pulled　out；　and　in　a　sudden　flare　of

the　candle…light　I　could　see　something　glistening　at　its　bottom。

Then　the　light　dwindled　again；　the　candle　was　almost　out；　and　the

cabinet　showed　a　dim　black　mass　in　the　darkness。　　Up　and　down　went

the　flame；　and　each　returning　brightness　flashed　back　at　me　from

the　thing　inside　the　drawer。　　I　stood　fascinated；　my　eyes　fixed

upon　the　spot；　waiting　for　the　fitful　glitter　as　it　came　and　went。

What　was　there　there？　　I　knew　that　I　must　go　and　see；　but　I　did　not

want　to。　　If　only　the　cabinet　would　close　again　before　I　looked；

before　I　knew　what　was　inside　it。　　But　it　stood　open；　and　the

glittering　thing　lay　there；　dragging　me　towards　itself。



Slowly　at　last；　and　with　infinite　reluctance；　I　went。　　The　drawer

was　lined　with　soft　white　satin；　and　upon　the　satin　lay　a　long；

slender　knife；　hilted　and　sheathed　in　antique　silver；　richly　set

with　jewels。　　I　took　it　up　and　turned　back　to　the　table　to　examine

it。　　It　was　Italian　in　workmanship；　and　I　knew　that　the　carving　and

chasing　of　the　silver　were　more　precious　even　than　the　jewels　which

studded　it；　and　whose　rough　setting　gave　so　firm　a　grasp　to　my

hand。　　Was　the　blade　as　fair　as　the　covering；　I　wondered？　　A　little

resistance　at　first；　and　then　the　long　thin　steel　slid　easily　out。

Sharp；　and　bright；　and　finely　tempered　it　looked　with　its　deadly；

tapering　point。　　Stains；　dull　and　irregular；　crossed　the　fine

engraving　on　its　surface　and　dimmed　its　polish。　　I　bent　to　examine

them　more　closely；　and　as　I　did　so　a　sudden　stronger　gust　of　wind

blew　out　the　candle。　　I　shuddered　a　little　at　the　darkness　and

looked　up。　　But　it　did　not　matter：　the　curtain　was　still　drawn　away

from　the　window　opposite　my　bedside；　and　through　it　a　flood　of

moonlight　was　pouring　in　upon　floor　and　bed。



Putting　the　sheath　down　upon　the　table；　I　walked　to　the　window　to

examine　the　knife　more　closely　by　that　pale　light。　　How　gloriously

brilliant　it　was！　darkened　now　and　again　by　the　quickly　passing

shadows　of　wind…driven　clouds。　　At　least　so　I　thought；　and　I

glanced　up　and　out　of　the　window　to　see　them。　　A　black　world　met　my

gaze。　　Neither　moon　was　there　nor　moonlight：　the　broad　silver　beam

in　which　I　stood　stretched　no　farther　than　the　window。　　I　caught　my

breath；　and　my　limbs　stiffened　as　I　looked。　　No　moon；　no　cloud；　no

movement　in　the　clear；　calm；　starlit　sky；　while　still　the　ghastly

light　stretched　round　me；　and　the　spectral　shadows　drifted　across

the　room。



But　it　was　not　all　dark　outside：　one　spot　caught　my　eye；　bright

with　a　livid　unearthly　brightnessthe　Dead　Stone　shining　out　into

the　night　like　an　ember　from　hell's　furnace！　　There　was　a　horrid

semblance　of　life　in　the　light；a　palpitating；　breathing　glow；

and　my　pulses　beat　in　time　to　it；　till　I　seemed　to　be　drawing　it

into　my　veins。　　It　had　no　warmth；　and　as　it　entered　my　blood　my

heart　grew　colder；　and　my　muscles　more　rigid。　　My　fingers　clutched

the　dagger…hilt　till　its　jeweled　roughness　pressed　painfully　into

my　palm。　　All　the　strength　of　my　strained　powers　seemed　gathered　in

that　grasp；　and　the　more　tightly　I　held　the　more　vividly　did　the

rock　gleam　and　quiver　with　infernal　life。　　The　dead　woman！　　The

dead　woman！　　What　had　I　to　do　with　her？　　Let　her　bones　rest　in　the

filth　of　their　own　decay；out　there　under　the　accursed　stone。



And　now　the　noise　of　the　wind　lessens　in　my　ears。　　Let　it　go　on；

yes；　louder　and　wilder；　drowning　my　senses　in　its　tumult。　　What　is

there　with　me　in　the　roomthe　great　empty　room　behind　me？

Nothing；　only　the　cabinet　with　its　waving　doors。　　They　are　waving

to　and　fro；　to　and　froI　know　it。　　But　there　is　no　other　life　in

the　room　but　thatno；　no；　no　other　life　in　the　room　but　that。



Oh！　don't　let　the　wind　stop。　　I　can't　hear　anything　while　it　goes

on；but　if　it　stops！　　Ah！　the　gusts　grow　weaker；　struggling；

forced　into　rest。　　Nownowthey　have　ceased。



Silence！



A　fearful　pause。



What　is　that　that　I　hear？　　There；　behind　me　in　the　room？



Do　I　hear　it？　　Is　there　anything？



The　throbbing　of　my　own　blood　in　my　ears。



No；　no！　　There　is　something　as　well；something　outside　myself。



What　is　it？



Low；　heavy；　regular。



God！　it　isit　is　the　breath　of　a　living　creature！　　A　living

creature！　hereclose　to　mealone　with　me！



The　numbness　of　terror　conquers　me。　　I　can　neither　stir　nor　speak。

Only　my　whole　soul　strains　at　my　ears　to　listen。



Where　does　the　sound　come　from？



Close　behind　meclose。



Ah…h！



It　is　from　therefrom　the　bed　where　I　was　lying　a　moment　ago！　。　。　。



I　try　to　shriek；　but　the　sound　gurgles　unuttered　in　my　throat。　　I

clutch　the　stone　mullions　of　the　window；　and　press　myself　against

the　panes。　　If　I　could　but　throw　myself　out！anywhere；　anywhere

away　from　that　dreadful　soundfrom　that　thing　close　behind　me　in

the　bed！　　But　I　can　do　nothing。　　The　wind　has　broken　forth　again

now；　the　storm　crashes　round　me。　　And　still　through　it　all　I　hear

the　ghastly　breathingeven；　low；　scarcely　audiblebut　I　hear　it。

I　shall　hear　it　as　long　as　I　live！　。　。　。



Is　the　thing　moving？



Is　it　coming　nearer？



No；　no；　not　that；that　was　but　a　fancy　to　freeze　me　dead。



But　to　stand　here；　with　that　creature　behind　me；　listening；　waiting

for　the　warm　horror　of　its　breath　to　touch　my　neck！　　Ah！　I　cannot。

I　will　look。　　I　will　see　it　face　to　face。　　Better　any　agony　than

this　one。



Slowly；　with　held　breath；　and　eyes　aching　in　their　stretched

fixity；　I　turn。　　There　it　is！　　Clear　in　the　moonlight　I　see　the

monstrous　form　within　the　bed；the　dark　coverlet　rises　and　falls

with　its　heaving　breath。　。　。　。　　Ah！　heaven　have　mercy！　　Is