the man who was thursday-第23节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
loyal companions standing by。 Perhaps he had been chosen as a champion of all these fresh and kindly things to cross swords with the enemy of all creation。 〃After all；〃 he said to himself； 〃I am more than a devil； I am a man。 I can do the one thing which Satan himself cannot doI can die；〃 and as the word went through his head； he heard a faint and far…off hoot； which would soon be the roar of the Paris train。
He fell to fighting again with a supernatural levity； like a Mohammedan panting for Paradise。 As the train came nearer and nearer he fancied he could see people putting up the floral arches in Paris； he joined in the growing noise and the glory of the great Republic whose gate he was guarding against Hell。 His thoughts rose higher and higher with the rising roar of the train； which ended； as if proudly； in a long and piercing whistle。 The train stopped。
Suddenly； to the astonishment of everyone the Marquis sprang back quite out of sword reach and threw down his sword。 The leap was wonderful； and not the less wonderful because Syme had plunged his sword a moment before into the man's thigh。
〃Stop！〃 said the Marquis in a voice that compelled a momentary obedience。 〃I want to say something。〃
〃What is the matter？〃 asked Colonel Ducroix； staring。 〃Has there been foul play？〃
〃There has been foul play somewhere；〃 said Dr。 Bull； who was a little pale。 〃Our principal has wounded the Marquis four times at least； and he is none the worse 。〃
The Marquis put up his hand with a curious air of ghastly patience。
〃Please let me speak；〃 he said。 〃It is rather important。 Mr。 Syme；〃 he continued； turning to his opponent； 〃we are fighting today； if I remember right； because you expressed a wish （which I thought irrational） to pull my nose。 Would you oblige me by pulling my nose now as quickly as possible？ I have to catch a train。〃
〃I protest that this is most irregular；〃 said Dr。 Bull indignantly。
〃It is certainly somewhat opposed to precedent；〃 said Colonel Ducroix； looking wistfully at his principal。 〃There is； I think； one case on record （Captain Bellegarde and the Baron Zumpt） in which the weapons were changed in the middle of the encounter at the request of one of the combatants。 But one can hardly call one's nose a weapon。〃
〃Will you or will you not pull my nose？〃 said the Marquis in exasperation。 〃Come； come； Mr。 Syme！ You wanted to do it； do it！ You can have no conception of how important it is to me。 Don't be so selfish！ Pull my nose at once； when I ask you！〃 and he bent slightly forward with a fascinating smile。 The Paris train； panting and groaning； had grated into a little station behind the neighbouring hill。
Syme had the feeling he had more than once had in these adventures the sense that a horrible and sublime wave lifted to heaven was just toppling over。 Walking in a world he half understood； he took two paces forward and seized the Roman nose of this remarkable nobleman。 He pulled it hard； and it came off in his hand。
He stood for some seconds with a foolish solemnity； with the pasteboard proboscis still between his fingers； looking at it； while the sun and the clouds and the wooded hills looked down upon this imbecile scene。
The Marquis broke the silence in a loud and cheerful voice。
〃If anyone has any use for my left eyebrow；〃 he said； 〃he can have it。 Colonel Ducroix； do accept my left eyebrow！ It's the kind of thing that might come in useful any day；〃 and he gravely tore off one of his swarthy Assyrian brows； bringing about half his brown forehead with it； and politely offered it to the Colonel； who stood crimson and speechless with rage。
〃If I had known；〃 he spluttered； 〃that I was acting for a poltroon who pads himself to fight〃
〃Oh； I know； I know！〃 said the Marquis； recklessly throwing various parts of himself right and left about the field。 〃You are making a mistake； but it can't be explained just now。 I tell you the train has come into the station！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dr。 Bull fiercely； 〃and the train shall go out of the station。 It shall go out without you。 We know well enough for what devil's work〃
The mysterious Marquis lifted his hands with a desperate gesture。 He was a strange scarecrow standing there in the sun with half his old face peeled off； and half another face glaring and grinning from underneath。
〃Will you drive me mad？〃 he cried。 〃The train〃
〃You shall not go by the train；〃 said Syme firmly； and grasped his sword。
The wild figure turned towards Syme； and seemed to be gathering itself for a sublime effort before speaking。
〃You great fat； blasted； blear…eyed； blundering； thundering； brainless； Godforsaken； doddering； damned fool！〃 he said without taking breath。 〃You great silly； pink…faced； towheaded turnip！ You〃
〃You shall not go by this train；〃 repeated Syme。
〃And why the infernal blazes；〃 roared the other； 〃should I want to go by the train？〃
〃We know all；〃 said the Professor sternly。 〃You are going to Paris to throw a bomb！〃
〃Going to Jericho to throw a Jabberwock！〃 cried the other； tearing his hair； which came off easily。
〃Have you all got softening of the brain； that you don't realise what I am？ Did you really think I wanted to catch that train？ Twenty Paris trains might go by for me。 Damn Paris trains！〃
〃Then what did you care about？〃 began the Professor。
〃What did I care about？ I didn't care about catching the train； I cared about whether the train caught me； and now； by God！ it has caught me。〃
〃I regret to inform you；〃 said Syme with restraint； 〃that your remarks convey no impression to my mind。 Perhaps if you were to remove the remains of your original forehead and some portion of what was once your chin； your meaning would become clearer。 Mental lucidity fulfils itself in many ways。 What do you mean by saying that the train has caught you？ It may be my literary fancy； but somehow I feel that it ought to mean something。〃
〃It means everything；〃 said the other； 〃and the end of everything。 Sunday has us now in the hollow of his hand。〃
〃Us！〃 repeated the Professor； as if stupefied。 〃What do you mean by 'us'？〃
〃The police； of course！〃 said the Marquis； and tore off his scalp and half his face。
The head which emerged was the blonde； well brushed； smooth…haired head which is common in the English constabulary； but the face was terribly pale。
〃I am Inspector Ratcliffe；〃 he said； with a sort of haste that verged on harshness。 〃My name is pretty well known to the police； and I can see well enough that you belong to them。 But if there is any doubt about my position； I have a card〃 and he began to pull a blue card from his pocket。
The Professor gave a tired gesture。
〃Oh； don't show it us；〃 he said wearily； 〃we've got enough of them to equip a paper…chase。〃
The little man named Bull； had； like many men who seem to be of a mere vivacious vulgarity； sudden movements of good taste。 Here he certainly saved the situation。 In the midst of this staggering transformation scene he stepped forward with all the gravity and responsibility of a second； and addressed the two seconds of the Marquis。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃we all owe you a serious apology； but I assure you that you have not been made the victims of such a low joke as you imagine； or indeed of anything undignified in a man of honour。 You have not wasted your time； you have helped to save the world。 We are not buffoons； but very desperate men at war with a vast conspiracy。 A secret society of anarchists is hunting us like hares； not such unfortunate madmen as may here or there throw a bomb through starvation or German philosophy； but a rich and powerful and fanatical church； a church of eastern pessimism； which holds it holy to destroy mankind like vermin。 How hard they hunt us you can gather from the fact that we are driven to such disguises as those for which I apologise； and to such pranks as this one by which you suffer。 〃
The younger second of the Marquis； a short man with a black moustache； bowed politely； and said
〃Of course； I accept the apology； but you will in your turn forgive me if I decline to follow you further into your difficulties； and permit myself to say good morning！ The sight of an acquaintance and distinguished fellow…townsman coming to pieces in the open air is unusual； and； upon the whole； sufficient for one day。 Colonel Ducroix； I would in no way influence your actions； but if you feel with me that our present society is a little abnormal； I am now going to walk back to the town。〃
Colonel Ducroix moved mechanically； but then tugged abruptly at his white moustache and broke out
〃No； by George！ I won't。 If these gentlemen are really in a mess with a lot of low wreckers like that； I'll see them through it。 I have fought for France； and it is hard if I can't fight for civilization。〃
Dr。 Bull took off his hat and waved it； cheering as at a public meeting。
〃Don't make too much noise；〃 said Inspector Ratcliffe； 〃Sunday may hear you。〃
〃Sunday！〃 cried Bull； and dropped his hat。
〃Yes；〃 retorted Ratcliffe； 〃he may be with them。〃
〃With whom？〃 asked Syme。
〃With the people out of that train；〃 said the other。
〃What you say seems utterly wild；〃 began Syme。 〃Why； as a matter of factBut； my God；〃 he cried out suddenly； lik
