the club of queer trades-第21节

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t　danced　away　with　his　eyes　on　the　horizon。

The　doctor　put　on　his　glasses　again；　looked　severely　at　the　two　for　some　seconds；　with　his　head　on　one　side　like　a　bird's；　and　then　saying；　shortly；　〃All　right；〃　strutted　away　into　the　house；　where　the　three　Misses　Chadd　were　all　looking　out　from　the　parlour　window　on　to　the　garden。　They　looked　out　on　it　with　hungry　eyes　for　a　full　hour　without　moving；　and　they　saw　a　sight　which　was　more　extraordinary　than　madness　itself。

Basil　Grant　addressed　a　few　questions　to　the　madman；　without　succeeding　in　making　him　do　anything　but　continue　to　caper；　and　when　he　had　done　this　slowly　took　a　red　note…book　out　of　one　pocket　and　a　large　pencil　out　of　another。

He　began　hurriedly　to　scribble　notes。　When　the　lunatic　skipped　away　from　him　he　would　walk　a　few　yards　in　pursuit；　stop；　and　make　notes　again。　Thus　they　followed　each　other　round　and　round　the　foolish　circle　of　turf；　the　one　writing　in　pencil　with　the　face　of　a　man　working　out　a　problem；　the　other　leaping　and　playing　like　a　child。

After　about　three…quarters　of　an　hour　of　this　imbecile　scene；　Grant　put　the　pencil　in　his　pocket；　but　kept　the　note…book　open　in　his　hand；　and　walking　round　the　mad　professor；　planted　himself　directly　in　front　of　him。

Then　occurred　something　that　even　those　already　used　to　that　wild　morning　had　not　anticipated　or　dreamed。　The　professor；　on　finding　Basil　in　front　of　him；　stared　with　a　blank　benignity　for　a　few　seconds；　and　then　drew　up　his　left　leg　and　hung　it　bent　in　the　attitude　that　his　sister　had　described　as　being　the　first　of　all　his　antics。　And　the　moment　he　had　done　it　Basil　Grant　lifted　his　own　leg　and　held　it　out　rigid　before　him；　confronting　Chadd　with　the　flat　sole　of　his　boot。　The　professor　dropped　his　bent　leg；　and　swinging　his　weight　on　to　it　kicked　out　the　other　behind；　like　a　man　swimming。　Basil　crossed　his　feet　like　a　saltire　cross；　and　then　flung　them　apart　again；　giving　a　leap　into　the　air。　Then　before　any　of　the　spectators　could　say　a　word　or　even　entertain　a　thought　about　the　matter；　both　of　them　were　dancing　a　sort　of　jig　or　hornpipe　opposite　each　other；　and　the　sun　shone　down　on　two　madmen　instead　of　one。

They　were　so　stricken　with　the　deafness　and　blindness　of　monomania　that　they　did　not　see　the　eldest　Miss　Chadd　come　out　feverishly　into　the　garden　with　gestures　of　entreaty；　a　gentleman　following　her。　Professor　Chadd　was　in　the　wildest　posture　of　a　pas…de…quatre；　Basil　Grant　seemed　about　to　turn　a　cart…wheel；　when　they　were　frozen　in　their　follies　by　the　steely　voice　of　Adelaide　Chadd　saying；　〃Mr　Bingham　of　the　British　Museum。〃

Mr　Bingham　was　a　slim；　well…clad　gentleman　with　a　pointed　and　slightly　effeminate　grey　beard；　unimpeachable　gloves；　and　formal　but　agreeable　manners。　He　was　the　type　of　the　over…civilized；　as　Professor　Chadd　was　of　the　uncivilized　pedant。　His　formality　and　agreeableness　did　him　some　credit　under　the　circumstances。　He　had　a　vast　experience　of　books　and　a　considerable　experience　of　the　more　dilettante　fashionable　salons。　But　neither　branch　of　knowledge　had　accustomed　him　to　the　spectacle　of　two　grey…haired　middle…class　gentlemen　in　modern　costume　throwing　themselves　about　like　acrobats　as　a　substitute　for　an　after…dinner　nap。

The　professor　continued　his　antics　with　perfect　placidity；　but　Grant　stopped　abruptly。　The　doctor　had　reappeared　on　the　scene；　and　his　shiny　black　eyes；　under　his　shiny　black　hat；　moved　restlessly　from　one　of　them　to　the　other。

〃Dr　Colman；〃　said　Basil；　turning　to　him；　〃will　you　entertain　Professor　Chadd　again　for　a　little　while？　I　am　sure　that　he　needs　you。　Mr　Bingham；　might　I　have　the　pleasure　of　a　few　moments'　private　conversation？　My　name　is　Grant。〃

Mr　Bingham；　of　the　British　Museum；　bowed　in　a　manner　that　was　respectful　but　a　trifle　bewildered。

〃Miss　Chadd　will　excuse　me；〃　continued　Basil　easily；　〃if　I　know　my　way　about　the　house。〃　And　he　led　the　dazed　librarian　rapidly　through　the　back　door　into　the　parlour。

〃Mr　Bingham；〃　said　Basil；　setting　a　chair　for　him；　〃I　imagine　that　Miss　Chadd　has　told　you　of　this　distressing　occurrence。〃

〃She　has；　Mr　Grant；〃　said　Bingham；　looking　at　the　table　with　a　sort　of　compassionate　nervousness。　〃I　am　more　pained　than　I　can　say　by　this　dreadful　calamity。　It　seems　quite　heart…rending　that　the　thing　should　have　happened　just　as　we　have　decided　to　give　your　eminent　friend　a　position　which　falls　far　short　of　his　merits。　As　it　is；　of　coursereally；　I　don't　know　what　to　say。　Professor　Chadd　may；　of　course；　retainI　sincerely　trust　he　willhis　extraordinarily　valuable　intellect。　But　I　am　afraidI　am　really　afraidthat　it　would　not　do　to　have　the　curator　of　the　Asiatic　manuscriptserdancing　about。〃

〃I　have　a　suggestion　to　make；〃　said　Basil；　and　sat　down　abruptly　in　his　chair；　drawing　it　up　to　the　table。

〃I　am　delighted；　of　course；〃　said　the　gentleman　from　the　British　Museum；　coughing　and　drawing　up　his　chair　also。

The　clock　on　the　mantelpiece　ticked　for　just　the　moments　required　for　Basil　to　clear　his　throat　and　collect　his　words；　and　then　he　said：

〃My　proposal　is　this。　I　do　not　know　that　in　the　strict　use　of　words　you　could　altogether　call　it　a　compromise；　still　it　has　something　of　that　character。　My　proposal　is　that　the　Government　（acting；　as　I　presume；　through　your　Museum）　should　pay　Professor　Chadd　L800　a　year　until　he　stops　dancing。〃

〃Eight　hundred　a　year！〃　said　Mr　Bingham；　and　for　the　first　time　lifted　his　mild　blue　eyes　to　those　of　his　interlocutorand　he　raised　them　with　a　mild　blue　stare。　〃I　think　I　have　not　quite　understood　you。　Did　I　understand　you　to　say　that　Professor　Chadd　ought　to　be　employed；　in　his　present　state；　in　the　Asiatic　manuscript　department　at　eight　hundred　a　year？〃

Grant　shook　his　head　resolutely。

〃No；〃　he　said　firmly。　〃No。　Chadd　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and　I　would　say　anything　for　him　I　could。　But　I　do　not　say；　I　cannot　say；　that　he　ought　to　take　on　the　Asiatic　manuscripts。　I　do　not　go　so　far　as　that。　I　merely　say　that　until　he　stops　dancing　you　ought　to　pay　him　L800　Surely　you　have　some　general　fund　for　the　endowment　of　research。〃

Mr　Bingham　looked　bewildered。

〃I　really　don't　know；〃　he　said；　blinking　his　eyes；　〃what　you　are　talking　about。　Do　you　ask　us　to　give　this　obvious　lunatic　nearly　a　thousand　a　year　for　life？〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　cried　Basil；　keenly　and　triumphantly。　〃I　never　said　for　life。　Not　at　all。〃

〃What　for；　then？〃　asked　the　meek　Bingham；　suppressing　an　instinct　meekly　to　tear　his　hair。　〃How　long　is　this　endowment　to　run？　Not　till　his　death？　Till　the　Judgement　day？〃

〃No；〃　said　Basil；　beaming；　〃but　just　what　I　said。　Till　he　has　stopped　dancing。〃　And　he　lay　back　with　satisfaction　and　his　hands　in　his　pockets。

Bingham　had　by　this　time　fastened　his　eyes　keenly　on　Basil　Grant　and　kept　them　there。

〃Come；　Mr　Grant；〃　he　said。　〃Do　I　seriously　understand　you　to　suggest　that　the　Government　pay　Professor　Chadd　an　extraordinarily　high　salary　simply　on　the　ground　that　he　has　（pardon　the　phrase）　gone　mad？　That　he　should　be　paid　more　than　four　good　clerks　solely　on　the　ground　that　he　is　flinging　his　boots　about　in　the　back　yard？〃

〃Precisely；〃　said　Grant　composedly。

〃That　this　absurd　payment　is　not　only　to　run　on　with　the　absurd　dancing；　but　actually　to　stop　with　the　absurd　dancing？〃

〃One　must　stop　somewhere；〃　said　Grant。　〃Of　course。〃

Bingham　rose　and　took　up　his　perfect　stick　and　gloves。

〃There　is　really　nothing　more　to　be　said；　Mr　Grant；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃What　you　are　trying　to　explain　to　me　may　be　a　jokea　slightly　unfeeling　joke。　It　may　be　your　sincere　view；　in　which　case　I　ask　your　pardon　for　the　former　suggestion。　But；　in　any　case；　it　appears　quite　irrelevant　to　my　duties。　The　mental　morbidity；　the　mental　downfall；　of　Professor　Chadd；　is　a　thing　so　painful　to　me　that　I　cannot　easily　endure　to　speak　of　it。　But　it　is　clear　there　is　a　limit　to　everything。　And　if　the　Archangel　Gabriel　went　mad　it　would　sever　his　connection；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　with　the　British　Museum　Library。〃

He　was　stepping　towards　the　door；　but　Grant's　hand；　flung　out　in　dramatic　warning；　arrested　him。

〃Stop！〃　said　Basil　sternly。　〃Stop　while　there　is　yet　time。　Do　you　want　to　take　part　in　a　great　work；　Mr　Bingham？　Do　you　want　to　help　in　the　glory　of　Europein　the　glory　of　science？　Do　you　want　to　carry　your　head　in　the　air　when　it　is　bald　or　white　because　of　the　part　that　you　bore　in　a　great　discovery？　Do　you　want〃

Bingham　cut　in　sharply：

〃And　if　I　do　want　this；　Mr　Grant〃

〃Then；〃　said　Basil　lightly；　〃your　task　is　easy。　Get　Chadd　L800　a　year　till　he　stops　dancing。〃

With　a　fierce　flap　of　his　swinging　gloves　Bingham　turned　impatiently　to　the　door；　but　in　passing　out　of　it　found　it　blocked。　Dr　Colman　was　coming　in。

〃Forgive　me；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　in　a　nervous；　confidential　voice；　〃the　fact　is；　Mr　Grant；　Ierhave　made　a　most　disturbing　discovery　about　Mr　Chadd。〃

Bingham　looked　at　him　with　grave　eyes。

〃I　was　afraid　so；〃　he　said。　〃Drink；　I　imagine。〃

〃Drink！〃　echoed　Colman；　as　if　that　were　a　much　milder　affair。　〃Oh；　no；　it's　not　drink。〃

Mr　Bingham　became　somewhat　agitated；　and　his　voice　grew　hurried　and　vague。　〃Homicidal　mania〃　he　began。

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　medical　man　impatiently。

〃Thinks　he's　made　of　glass；〃　said　Bingham　feverishly；