a laodicean-第75节

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circumstancestell　her　that；　by　marrying　Sir　William；　she
allies　herself　with　an　unhappy　gentleman　in　the　power　of　a
criminal　son　who　makes　his　life　a　burden　to　him　by　perpetual
demands　upon　his　purse；　who　will　increase　those　demands　with
his　accession　to　wealth；　threaten　to　degrade　her　by　exposing
her　husband's　antecedents　if　she　opposes　his　extortions；　and
who　will　make　her　miserable　by　letting　her　know　that　her　old
lover　was　shamefully　victimized　by　a　youth　she　is　bound　to
screen　out　of　respect　to　her　husband's　feelings。　　Now　a　man
does　not　care　to　let　his　own　flesh　and　blood　incur　the　danger
of　such　anguish　as　that；　and　I　shall　do　what　I　say　to　prevent
it。　　Knowing　what　a　lukewarm　sentiment　hers　is　for　Sir　William
at　best；　I　shall　not　have　much　difficulty。'

'Well；　I　don't　feel　inclined　to　go　to　Peru。'

'Neither　do　I　want　to　break　off　the　match；　though　I　am　ready
to　do　it。　　But　you　care　about　your　personal　freedom；　and　you
might　be　made　to　wear　the　broad　arrow　for　your　tricks　on
Somerset。'

'Mr。　Power；　I　see　you　are　a　hard　man。'

'I　am　a　hard　man。　　You　will　find　me　one。　　Well；　will　you　go　to
Peru？　　Or　I　don't　mind　Australia　or　California　as
alternatives。　　As　long　as　you　choose　to　remain　in　either　of
those　wealth…producing　places；　so　long　will　Cunningham　Haze　go
uninformed。'

'Mr。　Power；　I　am　overcome。　　Will　you　allow　me　to　sit　down？
Suppose　we　go　into　the　vestry。　　It　is　more　comfortable。'

They　entered　the　vestry；　and　seated　themselves　in　two　chairs；
one　at　each　end　of　the　table。

'In　the　meantime；'　continued　Dare；　'to　lend　a　little　romance
to　stern　realities；　I'll　tell　you　a　singular　dream　I　had　just
before　you　returned　to　England。'　　Power　looked　contemptuous；
but　Dare　went　on：　　'I　dreamt　that　once　upon　a　time　there　were
two　brothers；　born　of　a　Nonconformist　family；　one　of　whom
became　a　railway…contractor；　and　the　other　a　mechanical
engineer。'

'A　mechanical　engineergood；'　said　Power；　beginning　to
attend。

'When　the　first　went　abroad　in　his　profession；　and　became
engaged　on　continental　railways；　the　second；　a　younger　man；
looking　round　for　a　start；　also　betook　himself　to　the
continent。　　But　though　ingenious　and　scientific；　he　had　not
the　business　capacity　of　the　elder；　whose　rebukes　led　to　a
sharp　quarrel　between　them；　and　they　parted　in　bitter
estrangementnever　to　meet　again　as　it　turned　out；　owing　to
the　dogged　obstinacy　and　self…will　of　the　younger　man。　　He；
after　this；　seemed　to　lose　his　moral　ballast　altogether；　and
after　some　eccentric　doings　he　was　reduced　to　a　state　of
poverty；　and　took　lodgings　in　a　court　in　a　back　street　of　a
town　we　will　call　Geneva；　considerably　in　doubt　as　to　what
steps　he　should　take　to　keep　body　and　soul　together。'

Abner　Power　was　shooting　a　narrow　ray　of　eyesight　at　Dare　from
the　corner　of　his　nearly　closed　lids。　　'Your　dream　is　so
interesting；'　he　said；　with　a　hard　smile；　'that　I　could　listen
to　it　all　day。'

'Excellent！'　said　Dare；　and　went　on：　　'Now　it　so　happened　that
the　house　opposite　to　the　one　taken　by　the　mechanician　was
peculiar。　　It　was　a　tall　narrow　building；　wholly　unornamented；
the　walls　covered　with　a　layer　of　white　plaster　cracked　and
soiled　by　time。　　I　seem　to　see　that　house　now！　　Six　stone
steps　led　up　to　the　door；　with　a　rusty　iron　railing　on　each
side；　and　under　these　steps　were　others　which　went　down　to　a
cellarin　my　dream　of　course。'

'Of　coursein　your　dream；'　said　Power；　nodding
comprehensively。

'Sitting　lonely　and　apathetic　without　a　light；　at　his　own
chamber…window　at　night　time；　our　mechanician　frequently
observed　dark　figures　descending　these　steps　and　ultimately
discovered　that　the　house　was　the　meeting…place　of　a
fraternity　of　political　philosophers；　whose　object　was　the
extermination　of　tyrants　and　despots；　and　the　overthrow　of
established　religions。　　The　discovery　was　startling　enough；
but　our　hero　was　not　easily　startled。　　He　kept　their　secret
and　lived　on　as　before。　　At　last　the　mechanician　and　his
affairs　became　known　to　the　society；　as　the　affairs　of　the
society　had　become　known　to　the　mechanician；　and；　instead　of
shooting　him　as　one　who　knew　too　much　for　their　safety；　they
were　struck　with　his　faculty　for　silence；　and　thought　they
might　be　able　to　make　use　of　him。'

'To　be　sure；'　said　Abner　Power。

'Next；　like　friend　Bunyan；　I　saw　in　my　dream　that　denunciation
was　the　breath　of　life　to　this　society。　　At　an　earlier　date　in
its　history；　objectionable　persons　in　power　had　been　from　time
to　time　murdered；　and　curiously　enough　numbered；　that　is；　upon
the　body　of　each　was　set　a　mark　or　seal；　announcing　that　he
was　one　of　a　series。　　But　at　this　time　the　question　before　the
society　related　to　the　substitution　for　the　dagger；　which　was
vetoed　as　obsolete；　of　some　explosive　machine　that　would　be
both　more　effectual　and　less　difficult　to　manage；　and　in
short；　a　large　reward　was　offered　to　our　needy　Englishman　if
he　would　put　their　ideas　of　such　a　machine　into　shape。'

Abner　Power　nodded　again；　his　complexion　being　peculiarwhich
might　partly　have　been　accounted　for　by　the　reflection　of
window…light　from　the　green…baize　table…cloth。

'He　agreed；　though　no　politician　whatever　himself；　to　exercise
his　wits　on　their　account；　and　brought　his　machine　to　such　a
pitch　of　perfection；　that　it　was　the　identical　one　used　in　the
memorable　attempt'　（Dare　whispered　the　remainder　of　the
sentence　in　tones　so　low　that　not　a　mouse　in　the　corner　could
have　heard。）　　'Well；　the　inventor　of　that　explosive　has
naturally　been　wanted　ever　since　by　all　the　heads　of　police　in
Europe。　　But　the　most　curiousor　perhaps　the　most　natural
part　of　my　story　is；　that　our　hero；　after　the　catastrophe；
grew　disgusted　with　himself　and　his　comrades；　acquired；　in　a
fit　of　revulsion；　quite　a　conservative　taste　in　politics；
which　was　strengthened　greatly　by　the　news　he　indirectly
received　of　the　great　wealth　and　respectability　of　his
brother；　who　had　had　no　communion　with　him　for　years；　and
supposed　him　dead。　　He　abjured　his　employers　and　resolved　to
abandon　them；　but　before　coming　to　England　he　decided　to
destroy　all　trace　of　his　combustible　inventions　by　dropping
them　into　the　neighbouring　lake　at　night　from　a　boat。　　You
feel　the　room　close；　Mr。　Power？'

'No；　I　suffer　from　attacks　of　perspiration　whenever　I　sit　in　a
consecrated　edificethat's　all。　　Pray　go　on。'

'In　carrying　out　this　project；　an　explosion　occurred；　just　as
he　was　throwing　the　stock　overboardit　blew　up　into　his　face；
wounding　him　severely；　and　nearly　depriving　him　of　sight。　　The
boat　was　upset；　but　he　swam　ashore　in　the　darkness；　and
remained　hidden　till　he　recovered；　though　the　scars　produced
by　the　burns　had　been　set　on　him　for　ever。　　This　accident；
which　was　such　a　misfortune　to　him　as　a　man；　was　an　advantage
to　him　as　a　conspirators'　engineer　retiring　from　practice；　and
afforded　him　a　disguise　both　from　his　own　brotherhood　and　from
the　police；　which　he　has　considered　impenetrable；　but　which　is
getting　seen　through　by　one　or　two　keen　eyes　as　time　goes　on。
Instead　of　coming　to　England　just　then；　he　went　to　Peru；
connected　himself　with　the　guano　trade；　I　believe；　and　after
his　brother's　death　revisited　England；　his　old　life
obliterated　as　far　as　practicable　by　his　new　principles。　　He
is　known　only　as　a　great　traveller　to　his　surviving　relatives；
though　he　seldom　says　where　he　has　travelled。　　Unluckily　for
himself；　he　is　WANTED　by　certain　European　governments　as　badly
as　ever。'

Dare　raised　his　eyes　as　he　concluded　his　narration。　　As　has
been　remarked；　he　was　sitting　at　one　end　of　the　vestry…table；
Power　at　the　other；　the　green　cloth　stretching　between　them。
On　the　edge　of　the　table　adjoining　Mr。　Power　a　shining　nozzle
of　metal　was　quietly　resting；　like　a　dog's　nose。　　It　was
directed　point…blank　at　the　young　man。

Dare　started。　　'Aha　revolver？'　he　said。

Mr。　Power　nodded　placidly；　his　hand　still　grasping　the　pistol
behind　the　edge　of　the　table。　　'As　a　traveller　I　always　carry
one　of　'em；'　he　returned；　'and　for　the　last　five　minutes　I
have　been　closely　considering　whether　your　numerous　brains　are
worth　blowing　out　or　no。　　The　vault　yonder　has　suggested
itself　as　convenient　and　snug　for　one　of　the　same　family；　but
the　mental　problem　that　stays　my　hand　is；　how　am　I　to　despatch
and　bury　you　there　without　the　workmen　seeing？'

''Tis　a　strange　problem；　certainly；'　replied　Dare；　'and　one　on
which　I　fear　I　could　not　give　disinterested　advice。　　Moreover；
while　you；　as　a　traveller；　always　carry　a　weapon　of　defence；
as　a　traveller　so　do　I。　　And　for　the　last　three…quarters　of　an
hour　I　have　been　thinking　concerning　you；　an　intensified　form
of　what　you　have　been　thinking　of　me；　but　without　any　concern
as　to　your　interment。　　See　here　for　a　proof　of　it。'　　And　a
second　steel　nose　rested　on　the　edge　of　the　table　opposite　to
the　first；　steadied　by　Dare's　right　hand。

They　remained　for　some　time　motionless；　the　tick　of　the　tower
clock　distinctly　audible。

Mr。　Power　spoke　first。

'Well；　'twould　be　a　pity　to　make　a　mess　here　under　such
dubious　circumstances。　　Mr。　Dare；　I　perceive　that　a　mean
vagabond　can　be　as　sharp　as　a　political　regenerator。　　I　cry
quits；　if　you　care　to　do　the　same？'

D