the research magnificent-第40节

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ured　them　they　would　do　so　and　told　a　vivid　story　of　a　ride　to　Ipek；　a　delay　on　the　road　due　to　a　sudden　inexplicable　lameness　of　his　horse　after　a　halt　for　refreshment；　a　political　discussion　that　delayed　him；　his　hurry　through　the　still　twilight　to　make　up　for　lost　time；　the　coming　on　of　night　and　the　sudden　silent　apparition　out　of　the　darkness　of　the　woods　about　the　road　of　a　dozen　armed　men　each　protruding　a　gun　barrel。　　〃Sometimes　they　will　wait　for　you　at　a　ford　or　a　broken　bridge；〃　he　said。　　〃In　the　mountains　they　rob　for　arms。　　They　assassinate　the　Turkish　soldiers　even。　　It　is　better　to　go　unarmed　unless　you　mean　to　fight　for　it。　。　。　。　　Have　you　got　arms？〃　〃Just　a　revolver；〃　said　Benham。　But　it　was　after　that　that　he　closed　with　Giorgio。　If　they　found　no　robbers　in　Albania；　they　met　soon　enough　with　bloodshed。　　They　came　to　a　village　where　a　friend　of　a　friend　of　Giorgio's　was　discovered；　and　they　slept　at　his　house　in　preference　to　the　unclean　and　crowded　khan。　　Here　for　the　first　time　Amanda　made　the　acquaintance　of　Albanian　women　and　was　carried　off　to　the　woman's　region　at　the　top　of　the　house；　permitted　to　wash；　closely　examined；　shown　a　baby　and　confided　in　as　generously　as　gesture　and　some　fragments　of　Italian　would　permit。　　Benham　slept　on　a　rug　on　the　first　floor　in　a　corner　of　honour　beside　the　wood　fire。　　There　had　been　much　confused　conversation　and　some　singing；　he　was　dog…　tired　and　slept　heavily；　and　when　presently　he　was　awakened　by　piercing　screams　he　sat　up　in　a　darkness　that　seemed　to　belong　neither　to　time　nor　place。　。　。　。　Near　his　feet　was　an　ashen　glow　that　gave　no　light。　His　first　perplexity　gave　way　to　dismay　at　finding　no　Amanda　by　his　side。　　〃Amanda！〃　he　cried。　。　。　。　Her　voice　floated　down　through　a　chink　in　the　floor　above。　　〃What　can　it　be；　Cheetah？〃　Then：　〃It's　coming　nearer。〃　The　screaming　continued；　heart…rending；　eviscerating　shrieks。　Benham；　still　confused；　lit　a　match。　　All　the　men　about　him　were　stirring　or　sitting　up　and　listening；　their　faces　showing　distorted　and　ugly　in　the　flicker　of　his　light。　　〃CHE　E？〃　he　tried。　　No　one　answered。　　Then　one　by　one　they　stood　up　and　went　softly　to　the　ladder　that　led　to　the　stable…room　below。　　Benham　struck　a　second　match　and　a　third。　〃Giorgio！〃　he　called。　The　cavasse　made　an　arresting　gesture　and　followed　discreetly　and　noiselessly　after　the　others；　leaving　Benham　alone　in　the　dark。　Benham　heard　their　shuffling　patter；　one　after　the　other；　down　the　ladder；　the　sounds　of　a　door　being　unbarred　softly；　and　then　no　other　sound　but　that　incessant　shrieking　in　the　darkness。　Had　they　gone　out？　　Were　they　standing　at　the　door　looking　out　into　the　night　and　listening？　Amanda　had　found　the　chink　and　her　voice　sounded　nearer。　〃It's　a　woman；〃　she　said。　The　shrieking　came　nearer　and　nearer；　long；　repeated；　throat…tearing　shrieks。　　Far　off　there　was　a　great　clamour　of　dogs。　　And　there　was　another　sound；　a　whisper？　〃RAIN！〃　The　shrieks　seemed　to　turn　into　a　side　street　and　receded。　　The　tension　of　listening　relaxed。　　Men's　voices　sounded　below　in　question　and　answer。　　Dogs　close　at　hand　barked　shortly　and　then　stopped　enquiringly。　Benham　seemed　to　himself　to　be　sitting　alone　for　an　interminable　time。　　He　lit　another　match　and　consulted　his　watch。　　It　was　four　o'clock　and　nearly　dawn。　。　。　。　Then　slowly　and　stumbling　up　the　ladder　the　men　began　to　return　to　Benham's　room。　〃Ask　them　what　it　is；〃　urged　Amanda。　But　for　a　time　not　even　Giorgio　would　understand　Benham's　questions。　There　seemed　to　be　a　doubt　whether　he　ought　to　know。　　The　shrieking　approached　again　and　then　receded。　　Giorgio　came　and　stood；　a　vague　thoughtful　figure；　by　the　embers　of　the　fire。　　Explanation　dropped　from　him　reluctantly。　　It　was　nothing。　　Some　one　had　been　killed：　that　was　all。　　It　was　a　vendetta。　　A　man　had　been　missing　overnight；　and　this　morning　his　brother　who　had　been　prowling　and　searching　with　some　dogs　had　found　him；　or　rather　his　head。　　It　was　on　this　side　of　the　ravine；　thrown　over　from　the　other　bank　on　which　the　body　sprawled　stiffly；　wet　through；　and　now　growing　visible　in　the　gathering　daylight。　　Yesthe　voice　was　the　man's　wife。　　It　was　raining　hard。　。　。　。　　There　would　be　shrieking　for　nine　days。　　Yes；　nine　days。　　Confirmation　with　the　fingers　when　Benham　still　fought　against　the　facts。　　Her　friends　and　relatives　would　come　and　shriek　too。　　Two　of　the　dead　man's　aunts　were　among　the　best　keeners　in　the　whole　land。　　They　could　keen　marvellously。　　It　was　raining　too　hard　to　go　on。　。　。　。　　The　road　would　be　impossible　in　rain。　。　。　。　　Yes　it　was　very　melancholy。　　Her　house　was　close　at　hand。　　Perhaps　twenty　or　thirty　women　would　join　her。　　It　was　impossible　to　go　on　until　it　had　stopped　raining。　　It　would　be　tiresome；　but　what　could　one　do？　。　。　。

7

As　they　sat　upon　the　parapet　of　a　broken　bridge　on　the　road　between　Elbassan　and　Ochrida　Benham　was　moved　to　a　dissertation　upon　the　condition　of　Albania　and　the　politics　of　the　Balkan　peninsula。　〃Here　we　are；〃　he　said；　〃not　a　week　from　London；　and　you　see　the　sort　of　life　that　men　live　when　the　forces　of　civilization　fail。　　We　have　been　close　to　two　murders〃　〃Two？〃　〃That　little　crowd　in　the　square　at　Scutari　　That　was　a　murder。　　I　didn't　tell　you　at　the　time。〃　〃But　I　knew　it　was；〃　said　Amanda。　〃And　you　see　the　filth　of　it　all；　the　toiling　discomfort　of　it　all。　There　is　scarcely　a　house　here　in　all　the　land　that　is　not　filthier　and　viler　than　the　worst　slum　in　London。　　No　man　ventures　far　from　his　village　without　arms；　everywhere　there　is　fear。　　The　hills　are　impassable　because　of　the　shepherd's　dogs。　　Over　those　hills　a　little　while　ago　a　stranger　was　torn　to　pieces　by　dogsand　partially　eaten。　　Amanda；　these　dogs　madden　me。　　I　shall　let　fly　at　the　beasts。　　The　infernal　indignity　of　it！　　But　that　is　by　the　way。　You　see　how　all　this　magnificent　country　lies　waste　with　nothing　but　this　crawling；　ugly　mockery　of　human　life。〃　〃They　sing；〃　said　Amanda。　〃Yes；〃　said　Benham　and　reflected；　〃they　do　sing。　　I　suppose　singing　is　the　last　thing　left　to　men。　　When　there　is　nothing　else　you　can　still　sit　about　and　sing。　　Miners　who　have　been　buried　in　mines　will　sing；　people　going　down　in　ships。〃　〃The　Sussex　labourers　don't　sing；〃　said　Amanda。　　〃These　people　sing　well。〃　〃They　would　probably　sing　as　well　if　they　were　civilized。　　Even　if　they　didn't　I　shouldn't　care。　　All　the　rest　of　their　lives　is　muddle　and　cruelty　and　misery。　　Look　at　the　women。　　There　was　that　party　of　bent　creatures　we　met　yesterday；　carrying　great　bundles；　carrying　even　the　men's　cloaks　and　pipes；　while　their　rascal　husbands　and　brothers　swaggered　behind。　　Look　at　the　cripples　we　have　seen　and　the　mutilated　men。　　If　we　have　met　one　man　without　a　nose；　we　have　met　a　dozen。　　And　stunted　people。　　All　these　people　are　like　evil　schoolboys；　they　do　nothing　but　malicious　mischief；　there　is　nothing　adult　about　them　but　their　voices；　they　are　like　the　heroic　dreams　of　young　ruffians　in　a　penitentiary。　　You　saw　that　man　at　Scutari　in　the　corner　of　the　bazaar；　the　gorgeous　brute；　you　admired　him。〃　〃The　man　with　the　gold　inlaid　pistols　and　the　diamonds　on　his　yataghan。　　He　wanted　to　show　them　to　us。〃　〃Yes。　　You　let　him　see　you　admired　him。〃　〃I　liked　the　things　on　his　stall。〃　〃Well；　he　has　killed　nearly　thirty　people。〃　〃In　duels？〃　〃Good　Lord！　　NO！　　Assassinations。　　His　shoemaker　annoyed　him　by　sending　in　a　bill。　　He　went　to　the　man's　stall；　found　him　standing　with　his　child　in　his　arms　and　blew　out　his　brains。　　He　blundered　against　a　passer…by　in　the　road　and　shot　him。　　Those　are　his　feats。　Sometimes　his　pistols　go　off　in　the　bazaar　just　by　accident。〃　〃Does　nobody　kill　him？〃　〃I　wanted　to；〃　said　Benham　and　became　thoughtful　for　a　time。　　〃I　think　I　ought　to　have　made　some　sort　of　quarrel。　　But　then　as　I　am　an　Englishman　he　might　have　hesitated。　　He　would　have　funked　a　strange　beast　like　me。　　And　I　couldn't　have　shot　him　if　he　had　hesitated。　　And　if　he　hadn't〃　〃But　doesn't　a　blood　feud　come　down　on　him？〃　〃It　only　comes　down　on　his　family。　　The　shoemaker's　son　thought　the　matter　over　and　squared　accounts　by　putting　the　muzzle　of　a　gun　into　the　small　of　the　back　of　our　bully's　uncle。　　It　was　easier　that　way。　。　。　。　　You　see　you're　dealing　with　men　of　thirteen　years　old　or　thereabouts；　the　boy　who　doesn't　grow　up。〃　〃But　doesn't　the　law？〃　〃There's　no　law。　　Only　custom　and　the　Turkish　tax　collector。　〃You　see　this　is　what　men　are　where　there　is　no　power；　no　discipline；　no　ruler；　no　responsibility。　　This　is　a　masterless　world。　　This　is　pure　democracy。　　This　is　the　natural　state　of　men。　This　is　the　world　of　the　bully　and　the　brigand　and　assassin；　the　world　of　the　mud…pelter　and　brawler；　the　world　of　the　bent　woman；　the　world　of　the　flea　and　the　fly；　the　open　drain　and　the　baying　dog。　　This　is　what　the　British　sentimentalist　thinks　a　noble　state　for　men。〃　〃They　fight　for　freedom。〃　〃They　fight　among　each　other。　　There　are　their　private　feuds　and　their　village　feuds　and　above　all　that　great　feud　religion。　　In　Albania　there　is　only　one　religion　and　that　is　hate。　　But　there　are　three　churches　for　the　better　cultivation　of　hate　and　cruelty；　the　Latin；　the　Greek　and　the　Mahometan。〃　〃But　no　one　has　ever　conquered　these　people。〃　〃Any　one　could；　the　Servians；　the　Bulgarians；　the　Greeks；　the　Italians；　the　Austrians。