the man who was thursday-第28节

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isn't。〃

Syme　turned　his　bright　blue　eyes　on　Bull　with　an　earnestness　which　he　did　not　commonly　make　clear。

〃You　are　a　very　fine　fellow；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　believe　in　a　sanity　which　is　not　merely　your　sanity。　And　you're　right　enough　about　humanity；　about　peasants　and　people　like　that　jolly　old　innkeeper。　But　you're　not　right　about　Renard。　I　suspected　him　from　the　first。　He's　rationalistic；　and；　what's　worse；　he's　rich。　When　duty　and　religion　are　really　destroyed；　it　will　be　by　the　rich。〃

〃They　are　really　destroyed　now；〃　said　the　man　with　a　cigarette；　and　rose　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　〃The　devils　are　coming　on！〃

The　men　in　the　motor…car　looked　anxiously　in　the　direction　of　his　dreamy　gaze；　and　they　saw　that　the　whole　regiment　at　the　end　of　the　road　was　advancing　upon　them；　Dr。　Renard　marching　furiously　in　front；　his　beard　flying　in　the　breeze。

The　Colonel　sprang　out　of　the　car　with　an　intolerant　exclamation。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　cried；　〃the　thing　is　incredible。　It　must　be　a　practical　joke。　If　you　knew　Renard　as　I　doit's　like　calling　Queen　Victoria　a　dynamiter。　If　you　had　got　the　man's　character　into　your　head〃

〃Dr。　Bull；〃　said　Syme　sardonically；　〃has　at　least　got　it　into　his　hat。〃

〃I　tell　you　it　can't　be！〃　cried　the　Colonel；　stamping。

〃Renard　shall　explain　it。　He　shall　explain　it　to　me；〃　and　he　strode　forward。

〃Don't　be　in　such　a　hurry；〃　drawled　the　smoker。　〃He　will　very　soon　explain　it　to　all　of　us。〃

But　the　impatient　Colonel　was　already　out　of　earshot；　advancing　towards　the　advancing　enemy。　The　excited　Dr。　Renard　lifted　his　pistol　again；　but　perceiving　his　opponent；　hesitated；　and　the　Colonel　came　face　to　face　with　him　with　frantic　gestures　of　remonstrance。

〃It　is　no　good；〃　said　Syme。　〃He　will　never　get　anything　out　of　that　old　heathen。　I　vote　we　drive　bang　through　the　thick　of　them；　bang　as　the　bullets　went　through　Bull's　hat。　We　may　all　be　killed；　but　we　must　kill　a　tidy　number　of　them。〃

〃I　won't　'ave　it；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　growing　more　vulgar　in　the　sincerity　of　his　virtue。　〃The　poor　chaps　may　be　making　a　mistake。　Give　the　Colonel　a　chance。〃

〃Shall　we　go　back；　then？〃　asked　the　Professor。

〃No；〃　said　Ratcliffe　in　a　cold　voice；　〃the　street　behind　us　is　held　too。　In　fact；　I　seem　to　see　there　another　friend　of　yours；　Syme。〃

Syme　spun　round　smartly；　and　stared　backwards　at　the　track　which　they　had　travelled。　He　saw　an　irregular　body　of　horsemen　gathering　and　galloping　towards　them　in　the　gloom。　He　saw　above　the　foremost　saddle　the　silver　gleam　of　a　sword；　and　then　as　it　grew　nearer　the　silver　gleam　of　an　old　man's　hair。　The　next　moment；　with　shattering　violence；　he　had　swung　the　motor　round　and　sent　it　dashing　down　the　steep　side　street　to　the　sea；　like　a　man　that　desired　only　to　die。

〃What　the　devil　is　up？〃　cried　the　Professor；　seizing　his　arm。

〃The　morning　star　has　fallen！〃　said　Syme；　as　his　own　car　went　down　the　darkness　like　a　falling　star。

The　others　did　not　understand　his　words；　but　when　they　looked　back　at　the　street　above　they　saw　the　hostile　cavalry　coming　round　the　corner　and　down　the　slopes　after　them；　and　foremost　of　all　rode　the　good　innkeeper；　flushed　with　the　fiery　innocence　of　the　evening　light。

〃The　world　is　insane！〃　said　the　Professor；　and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　Bull　in　adamantine　humility；　〃it　is　I。〃

〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃　asked　the　Professor。

〃At　this　moment；〃　said　Syme；　with　a　scientific　detachment；　〃I　think　we　are　going　to　smash　into　a　lamppost。〃

The　next　instant　the　automobile　had　come　with　a　catastrophic　jar　against　an　iron　object。　The　instant　after　that　four　men　had　crawled　out　from　under　a　chaos　of　metal；　and　a　tall　lean　lamp…post　that　had　stood　up　straight　on　the　edge　of　the　marine　parade　stood　out；　bent　and　twisted；　like　the　branch　of　a　broken　tree。

〃Well；　we　smashed　something；〃　said　the　Professor；　with　a　faint　smile。　〃That's　some　comfort。〃

〃You're　becoming　an　anarchist；〃　said　Syme；　dusting　his　clothes　with　his　instinct　of　daintiness。

〃Everyone　is；〃　said　Ratcliffe。

As　they　spoke；　the　white…haired　horseman　and　his　followers　came　thundering　from　above；　and　almost　at　the　same　moment　a　dark　string　of　men　ran　shouting　along　the　sea…front。　Syme　snatched　a　sword；　and　took　it　in　his　teeth；　he　stuck　two　others　under　his　arm…pits；　took　a　fourth　in　his　left　hand　and　the　lantern　in　his　right；　and　leapt　off　the　high　parade　on　to　the　beach　below。

The　others　leapt　after　him；　with　a　common　acceptance　of　such　decisive　action；　leaving　the　debris　and　the　gathering　mob　above　them。

〃We　have　one　more　chance；〃　said　Syme；　taking　the　steel　out　of　his　mouth。　〃Whatever　all　this　pandemonium　means；　I　suppose　the　police　station　will　help　us。　We　can't　get　there；　for　they　hold　the　way。　But　there's　a　pier　or　breakwater　runs　out　into　the　sea　just　here；　which　we　could　defend　longer　than　anything　else；　like　Horatius　and　his　bridge。　We　must　defend　it　till　the　Gendarmerie　turn　out。　Keep　after　me。〃

They　followed　him　as　he　went　crunching　down　the　beach；　and　in　a　second　or　two　their　boots　broke　not　on　the　sea　gravel；　but　on　broad；　flat　stones。　They　marched　down　a　long；　low　jetty；　running　out　in　one　arm　into　the　dim；　boiling　sea；　and　when　they　came　to　the　end　of　it　they　felt　that　they　had　come　to　the　end　of　their　story。　They　turned　and　faced　the　town。

That　town　was　transfigured　with　uproar。　All　along　the　high　parade　from　which　they　had　just　descended　was　a　dark　and　roaring　stream　of　humanity；　with　tossing　arms　and　fiery　faces；　groping　and　glaring　towards　them。　The　long　dark　line　was　dotted　with　torches　and　lanterns；　but　even　where　no　flame　lit　up　a　furious　face；　they　could　see　in　the　farthest　figure；　in　the　most　shadowy　gesture；　an　organised　hate。　It　was　clear　that　they　were　the　accursed　of　all　men；　and　they　knew　not　why。

Two　or　three　men；　looking　little　and　black　like　monkeys；　leapt　over　the　edge　as　they　had　done　and　dropped　on　to　the　beach。　These　came　ploughing　down　the　deep　sand；　shouting　horribly；　and　strove　to　wade　into　the　sea　at　random。　The　example　was　followed；　and　the　whole　black　mass　of　men　began　to　run　and　drip　over　the　edge　like　black　treacle。

Foremost　among　the　men　on　the　beach　Syme　saw　the　peasant　who　had　driven　their　cart。　He　splashed　into　the　surf　on　a　huge　cart…horse；　and　shook　his　axe　at　them。

〃The　peasant！〃　cried　Syme。　〃They　have　not　risen　since　the　Middle　Ages。〃

〃Even　if　the　police　do　come　now；〃　said　the　Professor　mournfully；　〃they　can　do　nothing　with　this　mob。〃

〃Nonsence！〃　said　Bull　desperately；　〃there　must　be　some　people　left　in　the　town　who　are　human。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　hopeless　Inspector；　〃the　human　being　will　soon　be　extinct。　We　are　the　last　of　mankind。〃

〃It　may　be；〃　said　the　Professor　absently。　Then　he　added　in　his　dreamy　voice；　〃What　is　all　that　at　the　end　of　the　'Dunciad'？

'Nor　public　flame；　nor　private；　dares　to　shine；　Nor　human　light　is　left；　nor　glimpse　divine！　Lo！　thy　dread　Empire；　Chaos；　is　restored；　Light　dies　before　thine　uncreating　word：　Thy　hand；　great　Anarch；　lets　the　curtain　fall；　And　universal　darkness　buries　all。〃'

〃Stop！〃　cried　Bull　suddenly；　〃the　gendarmes　are　out。〃

The　low　lights　of　the　police　station　were　indeed　blotted　and　broken　with　hurrying　figures；　and　they　heard　through　the　darkness　the　clash　and　jingle　of　a　disciplined　cavalry。

〃They　are　charging　the　mob！〃　cried　Bull　in　ecstacy　or　alarm。

〃No；〃　said　Syme；　〃they　are　formed　along　the　parade。〃

〃They　have　unslung　their　carbines；〃　cried　Bull　dancing　with　excitement。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃and　they　are　going　to　fire　on　us。〃

As　he　spoke　there　came　a　long　crackle　of　musketry；　and　bullets　seemed　to　hop　like　hailstones　on　the　stones　in　front　of　them。

〃The　gendarmes　have　joined　them！〃　cried　the　Professor；　and　struck　his　forehead。

〃I　am　in　the　padded　cell；〃　said　Bull　solidly。

There　was　a　long　silence；　and　then　Ratcliffe　said；　looking　out　over　the　swollen　sea；　all　a　sort　of　grey　purple

〃What　does　it　matter　who　is　mad　or　who　is　sane？　We　shall　all　be　dead　soon。〃

Syme　turned　to　him　and　said

〃You　are　quite　hopeless；　then？〃

Mr。　Ratcliffe　kept　a　stony　silence；　then　at　last　he　said　quietly

〃No；　oddly　enough　I　am　not　quite　hopeless。　There　is　one　insane　little　hope　that　I　cannot　get　out　of　my　mind。　The　power　of　this　whole　planet　is　against　us；　yet　I　cannot　help　wondering　whether　this　one　silly　little　hope　is　hopeless　yet。〃

〃In　what　or　whom　is　your　hope？〃　asked　Syme　with　curiosity。

〃In　a　man　I　never　saw；〃　said　the　other；　looking　at　the　leaden　sea。

〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Syme　in　a　low　voice；　〃the　man　in　the　dark　room。　But　Sunday　must　have　killed　him　by　now。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　other　steadily；　〃but　if　so；　he　was　the　only　man　whom　Sunday　found　it　hard　to　kill。〃

〃I　heard　what　you　said；〃　said　the　Professor；　with　his　back　turned。　〃I　also　am　holding　hard　on　to　the　thing　I　never　saw。〃

All　of　a　sudden　Syme；　who　was　standing　as　if　blind　with　introspective　thought；　swung　round　and　cried　out；　like　a　man　waking　from　sleep

〃Where　is　the　Colonel？　I　thought　he　was　with　us！〃

〃The　Colonel！　Yes；〃　cried　Bull；　〃where　on　earth　is　the　Colonel？〃

〃He　went　to　speak　to　Renard；〃　said　the　Professor。

〃We　cannot　leave　him　among　all　those　beasts；〃　cried　Syme。　〃Let　us　die　like　gentlemen　if〃