classic mystery and detective stories- 第50部分

penetrate　all　his　thoughts；　as　well　as　to　know　his　acts。　　Then　he

became　a　slave　to　a　horrible　fear。　　He　fled　in　abject　terror　to　a

convent。　　They　still　existed　in　Paris；　and　behind　the　walls　of

Jacobins　the　wretch　thought　himself　secure。　　Poor　fool！　　I　had　but

to　set　one　of　my　somnambulists　to　sleep。　　Her　spirit　went　forth　and

spied　the　shuddering　wretch　in　his　cell。　　She　described　the　street；

the　gate；　the　convent；　the　very　dress　which　he　wore；　and　which　you

saw　to…day。



〃And　now　THIS　is　what　happened。　　In　his　chamber　in　the　Rue　St。

Honore；　at　Paris；　sat　a　man　ALONEa　man　who　has　been　maligned；　a

man　who　has　been　called　a　knave　and　charlatan；　a　man　who　has　been

persecuted　even　to　the　death；　it　is　said；　in　Roman　Inquisitions；

forsooth；　and　elsewhere。　　Ha！　ha！　　A　man　who　has　a　mighty　will。



〃And　looking　toward　the　Jacobins　Convent　（of　which；　from　his

chamber；　he　could　see　the　spires　and　trees）；　this　man　WILLED。　　And

it　was　not　yet　dawn。　　And　he　willed；　and　one　who　was　lying　in　his

cell　in　the　convent　of　Jacobins；　awake　and　shuddering　with　terror

for　a　crime　which　he　had　committed；　fell　asleep。



〃But　though　he　was　asleep　his　eyes　were　open。



〃And　after　tossing　and　writhing；　and　clinging　to　the　pallet；　and

saying　'No；　I　will　not　go；'　he　rose　up　and　donned　his　clothesa

gray　coat；　a　vest　of　white　pique；　black　satin　small…clothes；　ribbed

silk　stockings；　and　a　white　stock　with　a　steel　buckle；　and　he

arranged　his　hair；　and　he　tied　his　queue；　all　the　while　being　in

that　strange　somnolence　which　walks；　which　moves；　which　FLIES

sometimes；　which　sees；　which　is　indifferent　to　pain；　which　OBEYS。

And　he　put　on　his　hat；　and　he　went　forth　from　his　cell：　and　though

the　dawn　was　not　yet；　he　trod　the　corridors　as　seeing　them。　　And　he

passed　into　the　cloister；　and　then　into　the　garden　where　lie　the

ancient　dead。　　And　he　came　to　the　wicket；　which　Brother　Jerome　was

opening　just　at　the　dawning。　　And　the　crowd　was　already　waiting

with　their　cans　and　bowls　to　receive　the　alms　of　the　good　brethren。



〃And　he　passed　through　the　crowd　and　went　on　his　way；　and　the　few

people　then　abroad　who　marked　him；　said；　'Tiens！　　How　very　odd　he

looks！　　He　looks　like　a　man　walking　in　his　sleep！'　　This　was　said

by　various　persons：



〃By　milk　women；　with　their　cans　and　carts；　coming　into　the　town。



〃By　roysterers　who　had　been　drinking　at　the　taverns　of　the　Barrier；

for　it　was　Mid…Lent。



〃By　the　sergeants　of　the　watch；　who　eyed　him　sternly　as　he　passed

near　their　halberds。



〃But　he　passed　on　unmoved　by　their　halberds；



〃Unmoved　by　the　cries　of　the　roysterers；



〃By　the　market　women　coming　with　their　milk　and　eggs。



〃He　walked　through　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　I　say：



〃By　the　Rue　Rambuteau；



〃By　the　Rue　St。　Antoine；



〃By　the　King's　Chateau　of　the　Bastille；



〃By　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine。



〃And　he　came　to　No。　29　in　the　Rue　Picpusa　house　which　then　stood

between　a　court　and　garden



〃That　is；　there　was　a　building　of　one　story；　with　a　great　coach

door。



〃Then　there　was　a　court；　around　which　were　stables；　coach…houses；

offices。



〃Then　there　was　a　housea　two…storied　house；　with　a　perron　in

front。



〃Behind　the　house　was　a　gardena　garden　of　two　hundred　and　fifty

French　feet　in　length。



〃And　as　one　hundred　feet　of　France　equal　one　hundred　and　six　feet

of　England；　this　garden；　my　friend；　equaled　exactly　two　hundred　and

sixty…five　feet　of　British　measure。



〃In　the　center　of　the　garden　was　a　fountain　and　a　statueor；　to

speak　more　correctly；　two　statues。　　One　was　recumbent；a　man。

Over　him；　saber　in　hand；　stood　a　Woman。



〃The　man　was　Olofernes。　　The　woman　was　Judith。　　From　the　head；　from

the　trunk；　the　water　gushed。　　It　was　the　taste　of　the　doctor：was

it　not　a　droll　of　taste？



〃At　the　end　of　the　garden　was　the　doctor's　cabinet　of　study。　　My

faith；　a　singular　cabinet；　and　singular　pictures！



〃Decapitation　of　Charles　Premier　at　Vitehall。



〃Decapitation　of　Montrose　at　Edimbourg。



〃Decapitation　of　Cinq　Mars。　　When　I　tell　you　that　he　was　a　man　of

taste；　charming！



〃Through　this　garden；　by　these　statues；　up　these　stairs；　went　the

pale　figure　of　him　who；　the　porter　said；　knew　the　way　of　the　house。

He　did。　　Turning　neither　right　nor　left；　he　seemed　to　walk　THROUGH

the　statues；　the　obstacles；　the　flower　beds；　the　stairs；　the　door；

the　tables；　the　chairs。



〃In　the　corner　of　the　room　was　THAT　INSTRUMENT；　which　Guillotin　had

just　invented　and　perfected。　　One　day　he　was　to　lay　his　own　head

under　his　own　ax。　　Peace　be　to　his　name！　　With　him　I　deal　not！



〃In　a　frame　of　mahogany；　neatly　worked；　was　a　board　with　a　half

circle　in　it；　over　which　another　board　fitted。　　Above　was　a　heavy

ax；　which　fellyou　know　how。　　It　was　held　up　by　a　rope；　and　when

this　rope　was　untied；　or　cut；　the　steel　fell。



〃To　the　story　which　I　now　have　to　relate；　you　may　give　credence；　or

not；　as　you　will。　　The　sleeping　man　went　up　to　that　instrument。



〃He　laid　his　head　in　it；　asleep。〃



〃Asleep？〃



〃He　then　took　a　little　penknife　out　of　the　pocket　of　his　white

dimity　waistcoat。



〃He　cut　the　rope　asleep。



〃The　ax　descended　on　the　head　of　the　traitor　and　villain。　　The

notch　in　it　was　made　by　the　steel　buckle　of　his　stock；　which　was

cut　through。



〃A　strange　legend　has　got　abroad　that　after　the　deed　was　done；　the

figure　rose；　took　the　head　from　the　basket；　walked　forth　through

the　garden；　and　by　the　screaming　porters　at　the　gate；　and　went　and

laid　itself　down　at　the　Morgue。　　But　for　this　I　will　not　vouch。

Only　of　this　be　sure。　　'There　are　more　things　in　heaven　and　earth；

Horatio；　than　are　dreamed　of　in　your　philosophy。'　　More　and　more

the　light　peeps　through　the　chinks。　　Soon；　amidst　music　ravishing；

the　curtain　will　rise；　and　the　glorious　scene　be　displayed。　　Adieu！

Remember　me。　　Ha！　'tis　dawn；〃　Pinto　said。　　And　he　was　gone。



I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　my　first　movement　was　to　clutch　the　check

which　he　had　left　with　me；　and　which　I　was　determined　to　present

the　very　moment　the　bank　opened。　　I　know　the　importance　of　these

things；　and　that　men　change　their　mind　sometimes。　　I　sprang　through

the　streets　to　the　great　banking　house　of　Manasseh　in　Duke　Street。

It　seemed　to　me　as　if　I　actually　flew　as　I　walked。　　As　the　clock

struck　ten　I　was　at　the　counter　and　laid　down　my　check。



The　gentleman　who　received　it；　who　was　one　of　the　Hebrew

persuasion；　as　were　the　other　two　hundred　clerks　of　the

establishment；　having　looked　at　the　draft　with　terror　in　his

countenance；　then　looked　at　me；　then　called　to　himself　two　of　his

fellow　clerks；　and　queer　it　was　to　see　all　their　aquiline　beaks

over　the　paper。



〃Come；　come！〃　said　I；　〃don't　keep　me　here　all　day。　　Hand　me　over

the　money；　short；　if　you　please！〃　for　I　was；　you　see；　a　little

alarmed；　and　so　determined　to　assume　some　extra　bluster。



〃Will　you　have　the　kindness　to　step　into　the　parlor　to　the

partners？〃　the　clerk　said；　and　I　followed　him。



〃What；　AGAIN？〃　shrieked　a　bald…headed；　red…whiskered　gentleman；

whom　I　knew　to　be　Mr。　Manasseh。　　〃Mr。　Salathiel；　this　is　too　bad！

Leave　me　with　this　gentleman；　S。〃　　And　the　clerk　disappeared。



〃Sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　how　you　came　by　this：　the　Count　de　Pinto

gave　it　you。　　It　is　too　bad！　　I　honor　my　parents；　I　honor　THEIR

parents；　I　honor　their　bills！　　But　this　one　of　grandma's　is　too

badit　is；　upon　my　word；　now！　　She've　been　dead　these　five…and…

thirty　years。　　And　this　last　four　months　she　has　left　her　burial

place　and　took　to　drawing　on　our　'ouse！　　It's　too　bad；　grandma；　it

is　too　bad！〃　and　he　appealed　to　me；　and　tears　actually　trickled

down　his　nose。



〃Is　it　the　Countess　Sidonia's　check　or　not？〃　I　asked；　haughtily。



〃But；　I　tell　you；　she's　dead！　　It's　a　shame！it's　a　shame！it　is；

grandmamma！〃　and　he　cried；　and　wiped　his　great　nose　in　his　yellow

pocket　handkerchief。　　〃Look　yearwill　you　take　pounds　instead　of

guineas？　　She's　dead；　I　tell　you！　　It's　no　go！　　Take　the　pounds

one　tausend　pound！ten　nice；　neat；　crisp　hundred…pound　notes；　and

go　away　vid　you；　do！〃



〃I　will　have　my　bond；　sir；　or　nothing；〃　I　said；　and　I　put　on　an

attitude　of　resolution　which　I　confess　surprised　even　myself。



〃Wery　veil；〃　he　shrieked；　with　many　oaths；　〃then　you　shall　have

notingha；　ha；　ha！noting　but　a　policeman！　　Mr。　Abednego；　call　a

policeman！　　Take　that；　you　humbug　and　impostor！〃　and　here　with　an

abundance　of　frightful　language　which　I　dare　not　repeat；　the

wealthy　banker　abused　and　defied　me。



Au　bout　du　compte；　what　was　I　to　do；　if　a　banker　did　not　choose　to

honor　a　check　drawn　by　his　dead　grandmother？　　I　began　to　wish　I　had

my　snuff…box　back。　　I　began　to　think　I　was　a　fool　for　changing　that

little　old…fashioned　gold　for

this　slip　of　strange　paper。



Meanwhile　the　banker　had　passed　from　his　fit　of　anger　to　a　paroxysm

of　despair。　　He　seemed　to　be　addressing　some　person　invisible；　but

in　the　room：　〃Look　here；　ma'am；　you've　really　been　coming　it　too

strong。　　A　hundred　thousand　in　six　months；　and　now　a　thousand　more！

The　'ouse　can't　stand　it；　it　WON'T　stand　it；　I　say！　　What？　　Oh！

mercy；　mercy！



As　he　uttered　these　words；　A　HAND　fluttered　over　the　table　in　the

air！　　It　was　a　female　hand：　that　which　I　had　seen　the　night　before。

That　female　hand　took　a　pen　from　the　green　baize　table；　dipped　it

in　a　silver　inkstand；　and　wrote　on　a　quarter　of　a　sheet　of　foolscap

on　the　blotting　book；　〃How　about　the　diamond　robbery？　　If　you　do

not　pay；　I　will　tell　him　where　they　are。〃



What　diamonds？　what　robbery？　what　was　this　mystery？　　That　will

never　be　ascertained；　for　the　wretched　man's　demeanor　instantly

changed。　　〃Certainly；　sir；oh；　certainly；〃　he　said；　forcing　a

grin。　　〃How　will　you　have　the　money；　sir？　　All　right；　Mr。　Abednego。

This　way　out。〃



〃I　hope　I　shall　often　see　you　again；〃　I　said；　on　which　I　own　poor

Manasseh　gave　a　dreadful　grin；　and　shot　back　into　his　parlor。