the queen of hearts-第36节
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time to consider what I had better do next； partly from an
unaccountable curiosity that urged me； strangely to myself； to
see all I could of the outside of the place before I attempted to
gain admission at the gate。
At the back of the convent I found an outhouse； built on to the
walla clumsy； decayed building； with the greater part of the
roof fallen in； and with a jagged hole in one of its sides； where
in all probability a window had once been。 Behind the outhouse
the trees grew thicker than ever。 As I looked toward them I could
not determine whether the ground beyond me rose or fellwhether
it was grassy； or earthy； or rocky。 I could see nothing but the
all…pervading leaves； brambles； ferns； and long grass。
Not a sound broke the oppressive stillness。 No bird's note rose
from the leafy wilderness around me； no voices spoke in the
convent garden behind the scowling wall； no clock struck in the
chapel…tower； no dog barked in the ruined outhouse。 The dead
silence deepened the solitude of the place inexpressibly。 I began
to feel it weighing on my spiritsthe more； because woods were
never favorite places with me to walk in。 The sort of pastoral
happiness which poets often represent when they sing of life in
the woods never； to my mind； has half the charm of life on the
mountain or in the plain。 When I am in a wood； I miss the
boundless loveliness of the sky； and the delicious softness that
distance gives to the earthly view beneath。 I feel oppressively
the change which the free air suffers when it gets imprisoned
among leaves； and I am always awed； rather than pleased； by that
mysterious still light which shines with such a strange dim
luster in deep places among trees。 It may convict me of want of
taste and absence of due feeling for the marvelous beauties of
vegetation； but I must frankly own that I never penetrate far
into a wood without finding that the getting out of it again is
the pleasantest part of my walkthe getting out on to the barest
down； the wildest hill…side； the bleakest mountain topthe
getting out anywhere； so that I can see the sky over me and the
view before me as far as my eye can reach。
After such a confession as I have now made； it will appear
surprising to no one that I should have felt the strongest
possible inclination； while I stood by the ruined outhouse； to
retrace my steps at once； and make the best of my way out of the
wood。 I had； indeed； actually turned to depart； when the
remembrance of the er rand which had brought me to the convent
suddenly stayed my feet。 It seemed doubtful whether I should be
admitted into the building if I rang the bell； and more than
doubtful； if I were let in； whether the inhabitants would be able
to afford me any clew to the information of which I was in
search。 However； it was my duty to Monkton to leave no means of
helping him in his desperate object untried； so I resolved to go
round to the front of the convent again； and ring at the
gate…bell at all hazards。
By the merest chance I looked up as I passed the side of the
outhouse where the jagged hole was； and noticed that it was
pierced rather high in the wall。
As I stopped to observe this； the closeness of the atmosphere in
the wood seemed to be affecting me more unpleasantly than ever。
I waited a minute and untied my cravat。
Closeness？ surely it was something more than that。 The air was
even more distasteful to my nostrils than to my lungs。 There was
some faint； indescribable smell loading itsome smell of which I
had never had any previous experiencesome smell which I thought
（now that my attention was directed to it） grew more and more
certainly traceable to its source the nearer I advanced to the
outhouse；
By the time I had tried the experiment two or three times； and
had made myself sure of this fact； my curiosity became excited。
There were plenty of fragments of stone and brick lying about me。
I gathered some of them together； and piled them up below the
hole； then mounted to the top； and； feeling rather ashamed of
what I was doing； peeped into the outhouse。
The sight of horror that met my eyes the instant I looked through
the hole is as present to my memory now as if I had beheld it
yesterday。 I can hardly write of it at this distance of time
without a thrill of the old terror running through me again to
the heart。
The first impression conveyed to me； as I looked in； was of a
long； recumbent object； tinged with a lightish blue color all
over； extended on trestles； and bearing a certain hideous；
half…formed resemblance to the human face and figure。 I looked
again； and felt certain of it。 There were the prominences of the
forehead； nose； and chin； dimly shown as under a veilthere； the
round outline of the chest and the hollow below itthere； the
points of the knees； and the stiff； ghastly； upturned feet。 I
looked again； yet more attentively。 My eyes got accustomed to the
dim light streaming in through the broken roof； and I satisfied
myself； judging by the great length of the body from head to
foot； that I was looking at the corpse of a mana corpse that
had apparently once had a sheet spread over it； and that had lain
rotting on the trestles under the open sky long enough for the
linen to take the livid； light…blue tinge of mildew and decay
which now covered it。
How long I remained with my eyes fixed on that dread sight of
death； on that tombless； terrible wreck of humanity； poisoning
the still air； and seeming even to stain the faint descending
light that disclosed it； I know not。 I remember a dull； distant
sound among the trees； as if the breeze were risingthe slow
creeping on of the sound to near the place where I stoodthe
noiseless whirling fall of a dead leaf on the corpse below me；
through the gap in the outhouse roofand the effect of awakening
my energies； of relaxing the heavy strain on my mind； which even
the slight change wrought in the scene I beheld by the falling
leaf produced in me immediately。 I descended to the ground； and；
sitting down on the heap of stones； wiped away the thick
perspiration which covered my face； and which I now became aware
of for the first time。 It was something more than the hideous
spectacle unexpectedly offered to my eyes which had shaken my
nerves as I felt that they were shaken now。 Monkton's prediction
that； if we succeeded in discovering his uncle's body； we should
find it unburied； recurred to me the instant I saw the trestles
and their ghastly burden。 I felt assured on the instant that I
had found the dead manthe old prophecy recurred to my memorya
strange yearning sorrow； a vague foreboding of ill； an
inexplicable terror； as I thought of the poor lad who was
awaiting my return in the distant town； struck through me with a
chill of superstitious dread； robbed me of my judgment and
resolution； and left me when I had at last recovered myself； weak
and dizzy； as if I had just suffered under some pang of
overpowering physical pain。
I hastened round to the convent gate and rang impatiently at the
bellwaited a little while and rang againthen heard footsteps。
In the middle of the gate； just opposite my face； there was a
small sliding panel； not more than a few inches long； this was
presently pushed aside from within。 I saw； through a bit of iron
grating； two dull； light gray eyes staring vacantly at me； and
heard a feeble husky voice saying：
〃What may you please to want？'
〃I am a traveler〃 I began。
〃We live in a miserable place。 We have nothing to show travelers
here。〃
〃I don't come to see anything。 I have an important question to
ask； which I believe some one in this convent will be able to
answer。 If you are not willing to let me in； at least come out
and speak to me here。〃
〃Are you alone？〃
〃Quite alone。〃
〃Are there no women with you？〃
〃None。〃
The gate was slowly unbarred； and an old Capuchin； very infirm；
very suspicious； and very dirty； stood before me。 I was far too
excited and impatient to waste any time in prefatory phrases； so；
telling the monk at once how I had looked through the hole in the
outhouse； and what I had seen inside； I asked him； in plain
terms； who the man had been whose corpse I had beheld； and why
the body was left unburied？
The old Capuchin listened to me with watery eyes that twinkled
suspiciously。 He had a battered tin snuff…box in his hand； and
his finger and thumb slowly chased a few scattered grains of
snuff round and round the inside of the box all the time I was
speaking。 When I had done； he shook his head and said： 〃That was
certainly an ugly sight in their outhouse； one of the ugliest
sights； he felt sure； that ever I had seen in all my life！〃
〃I don't want to talk of the sight；〃 I rejoined； impatiently； 〃I
want to know who the man was； how he died； and why he is not
decently buried。 Can you tell me？〃
The monk's finger and thumb having captured three or four grains
of snuff at last； he slowly drew them into his nostrils； holding
the box open under his nose the while； to prevent the possibility
of wasting even one grain； sniffed once or twice
luxuriouslyclosed the boxthen looked at me again with his
eyes watering and twinkling more suspiciously than before
