the club of queer trades-第18部分

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〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　he　said；　and　flattened　out　the　wire　in　front　of　me。

It　ran：　〃Please　come　at　once。　James'　mental　state　dangerous。　Chadd。〃

〃What　does　the　woman　mean？〃　I　said　after　a　pause；　irritably。　〃Those　women　have　been　saying　that　the　poor　old　professor　was　mad　ever　since　he　was　born。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　said　Grant　composedly。　〃It　is　true　that　all　sensible　women　think　all　studious　men　mad。　It　is　true；　for　the　matter　of　that；　all　women　of　any　kind　think　all　men　of　any　kind　mad。　But　they　don't　put　it　in　telegrams；　any　more　than　they　wire　to　you　that　grass　is　green　or　God　all…merciful。　These　things　are　truisms；　and　often　private　ones　at　that。　If　Miss　Chadd　has　written　down　under　the　eye　of　a　strange　woman　in　a　post…office　that　her　brother　is　off　his　head　you　may　be　perfectly　certain　that　she　did　it　because　it　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death；　and　she　can　think　of　no　other　way　of　forcing　us　to　come　promptly。〃

〃It　will　force　us　of　course；〃　I　said；　smiling。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃there　is　a　cab…rank　near。〃

Basil　scarcely　said　a　word　as　we　drove　across　Westminster　Bridge；　through　Trafalgar　Square；　along　Piccadilly；　and　up　the　Uxbridge　Road。　Only　as　he　was　opening　the　gate　he　spoke。

〃I　think　you　will　take　my　word　for　it；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　one　of　the　most　queer　and　complicated　and　astounding　incidents　that　ever　happened　in　London　or；　for　that　matter；　in　any　high　civilization。〃

〃I　confess　with　the　greatest　sympathy　and　reverence　that　I　don't　quite　see　it；〃　I　said。　〃Is　it　so　very　extraordinary　or　complicated　that　a　dreamy　somnambulant　old　invalid　who　has　always　walked　on　the　borders　of　the　inconceivable　should　go　mad　under　the　shock　of　great　joy？　Is　it　so　very　extraordinary　that　a　man　with　a　head　like　a　turnip　and　a　soul　like　a　spider's　web　should　not　find　his　strength　equal　to　a　confounding　change　of　fortunes？　Is　it；　in　short；　so　very　extraordinary　that　James　Chadd　should　lose　his　wits　from　excitement？〃

〃It　would　not　be　extraordinary　in　the　least；〃　answered　Basil；　with　placidity。　〃It　would　not　be　extraordinary　in　the　least；〃　he　repeated；　〃if　the　professor　had　gone　mad。　That　was　not　the　extraordinary　circumstance　to　which　I　referred。〃

〃What；〃　I　asked；　stamping　my　foot；　〃was　the　extraordinary　thing？〃

〃The　extraordinary　thing；〃　said　Basil；　ringing　the　bell；　〃is　that　he　has　not　gone　mad　from　excitement。〃

The　tall　and　angular　figure　of　the　eldest　Miss　Chadd　blocked　the　doorway　as　the　door　opened。　Two　other　Miss　Chadds　seemed　in　the　same　way　to　be　blocking　the　narrow　passage　and　the　little　parlour。　There　was　a　general　sense　of　their　keeping　something　from　view。　They　seemed　like　three　black…clad　ladies　in　some　strange　play　of　Maeterlinck；　veiling　the　catastrophe　from　the　audience　in　the　manner　of　the　Greek　chorus。

〃Sit　down；　won't　you？〃　said　one　of　them；　in　a　voice　that　was　somewhat　rigid　with　pain。　〃I　think　you　had　better　be　told　first　what　has　happened。〃

Then；　with　her　bleak　face　looking　unmeaningly　out　of　the　window；　she　continued；　in　an　even　and　mechanical　voice：

〃I　had　better　state　everything　that　occurred　just　as　it　occurred。　This　morning　I　was　clearing　away　the　breakfast　things；　my　sisters　were　both　somewhat　unwell；　and　had　not　come　down。　My　brother　had　just　gone　out　of　the　room；　I　believe；　to　fetch　a　book。　He　came　back　again；　however；　without　it；　and　stood　for　some　time　staring　at　the　empty　grate。　I　said；　‘Were　you　looking　for　anything　I　could　get？'　He　did　not　answer；　but　this　constantly　happens；　as　he　is　often　very　abstracted。　I　repeated　my　question；　and　still　he　did　not　answer。　Sometimes　he　is　so　wrapped　up　in　his　studies　that　nothing　but　a　touch　on　the　shoulder　would　make　him　aware　of　one's　presence；　so　I　came　round　the　table　towards　him。　I　really　do　not　know　how　to　describe　the　sensation　which　I　then　had。　It　seems　simply　silly；　but　at　the　moment　it　seemed　something　enormous；　upsetting　one's　brain。　The　fact　is；　James　was　standing　on　one　leg。〃

Grant　smiled　slowly　and　rubbed　his　hands　with　a　kind　of　care。

〃Standing　on　one　leg？〃　I　repeated。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　dead　voice　of　the　woman　without　an　inflection　to　suggest　that　she　felt　the　fantasticality　of　her　statement。　〃He　was　standing　on　the　left　leg　and　the　right　drawn　up　at　a　sharp　angle；　the　toe　pointing　downwards。　I　asked　him　if　his　leg　hurt　him。　His　only　answer　was　to　shoot　the　leg　straight　at　right　angles　to　the　other；　as　if　pointing　to　the　other　with　his　toe　to　the　wall。　He　was　still　looking　quite　gravely　at　the　fireplace。

〃‘James；　what　is　the　matter？'　　I　cried；　for　I　was　thoroughly　frightened。　James　gave　three　kicks　in　the　air　with　the　right　leg；　flung　up　the　other；　gave　three　kicks　in　the　air　with　it　also　and　spun　round　like　a　teetotum　the　other　way。　‘Are　you　mad？'　I　cried。　‘Why　don't　you　answer　me？'　He　had　come　to　a　standstill　facing　me；　and　was　looking　at　me　as　he　always　does；　with　his　lifted　eyebrows　and　great　spectacled　eyes。　When　I　had　spoken　he　remained　a　second　or　two　motionless；　and　then　his　only　reply　was　to　lift　his　left　foot　slowly　from　the　floor　and　describe　circles　with　it　in　the　air。　I　rushed　to　the　door　and　shouted　for　Christina。　I　will　not　dwell　on　the　dreadful　hours　that　followed。　All　three　of　us　talked　to　him；　implored　him　to　speak　to　us　with　appeals　that　might　have　brought　back　the　dead；　but　he　has　done　nothing　but　hop　and　dance　and　kick　with　a　solemn　silent　face。　It　looks　as　if　his　legs　belonged　to　some　one　else　or　were　possessed　by　devils。　He　has　never　spoken　to　us　from　that　time　to　this。〃

〃Where　is　he　now？〃　I　said；　getting　up　in　some　agitation。　〃We　ought　not　to　leave　him　alone。〃

〃Doctor　Colman　is　with　him；〃　said　Miss　Chadd　calmly。　〃They　are　in　the　garden。　Doctor　Colman　thought　the　air　would　do　him　good。　And　he　can　scarcely　go　into　the　street。〃

Basil　and　I　walked　rapidly　to　the　window　which　looked　out　on　the　garden。　It　was　a　small　and　somewhat　smug　suburban　garden；　the　flower　beds　a　little　too　neat　and　like　the　pattern　of　a　coloured　carpet；　but　on　this　shining　and　opulent　summer　day　even　they　had　the　exuberance　of　something　natural；　I　had　almost　said　tropical。　In　the　middle　of　a　bright　and　verdant　but　painfully　circular　lawn　stood　two　figures。　One　of　them　was　a　small；　sharp…looking　man　with　black　whiskers　and　a　very　polished　hat　（I　presume　Dr　Colman）；　who　was　talking　very　quietly　and　clearly；　yet　with　a　nervous　twitch；　as　it　were；　in　his　face。　The　other　was　our　old　friend；　listening　with　his　old　forbearing　expression　and　owlish　eyes；　the　strong　sunlight　gleaming　on　his　glasses　as　the　lamplight　had　gleamed　the　night　before；　when　the　boisterous　Basil　had　rallied　him　on　his　studious　decorum。　But　for　one　thing　the　figure　of　this　morning　might　have　been　the　identical　figure　of　last　night。　That　one　thing　was　that　while　the　face　listened　reposefully　the　legs　were　industriously　dancing　like　the　legs　of　a　marionette。　The　neat　flowers　and　the　sunny　glitter　of　the　garden　lent　an　indescribable　sharpness　and　incredibility　to　the　prodigythe　prodigy　of　the　head　of　a　hermit　and　the　legs　of　a　harlequin。　For　miracles　should　always　happen　in　broad　daylight。　The　night　makes　them　credible　and　therefore　commonplace。

The　second　sister　had　by　this　time　entered　the　room　and　came　somewhat　drearily　to　the　window。

〃You　know；　Adelaide；〃　she　said；　〃that　Mr　Bingham　from　the　Museum　is　coming　again　at　three。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Adelaide　Chadd　bitterly。　〃I　suppose　we　shall　have　to　tell　him　about　this。　I　thought　that　no　good　fortune　would　ever　come　easily　to　us。〃

Grant　suddenly　turned　round。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said。　〃What　will　you　have　to　tell　Mr　Bingham？〃

〃You　know　what　I　shall　have　to　tell　him；〃　said　the　professor's　sister；　almost　fiercely。　〃I　don't　know　that　we　need　give　it　its　wretched　name。　Do　you　think　that　the　keeper　of　Asiatic　manuscripts　will　be　allowed　to　go　on　like　that？〃　And　she　pointed　for　an　instant　at　the　figure　in　the　garden；　the　shining；　listening　face　and　the　unresting　feet。

Basil　Grant　took　out　his　watch　with　an　abrupt　movement。　〃When　did　you　say　the　British　Museum　man　was　coming？〃　he　said。

〃Three　o'clock；〃　said　Miss　Chadd　briefly。

〃Then　I　have　an　hour　before　me；〃　said　Grant；　and　without　another　word　threw　up　the　window　and　jumped　out　into　the　garden。　He　did　not　walk　straight　up　to　the　doctor　and　lunatic；　but　strolling　round　the　garden　path　drew　near　them　cautiously　and　yet　apparently　carelessly。　He　stood　a　couple　of　feet　off　them；　seemingly　counting　halfpence　out　of　his　trousers　pocket；　but；　as　I　could　see；　looking　up　steadily　under　the　broad　brim　of　his　hat。

Suddenly　he　stepped　up　to　Professor　Chadd's　elbow；　and　said；　in　a　loud　familiar　voice；　〃Well；　my　boy；　do　you　still　think　the　Zulus　our　inferiors？〃

The　doctor　knitted　his　brows　and　looked　anxious；　seeming　to　be　about　to　speak。　The　professor　turned　his　bald　and　placid　head　towards　Grant　in　a　friendly　manner；　but　made　no　answer；　idly　flinging　his　left　leg　about。

〃Have　you　converted　Dr　Colman　to　your　views？〃　Basil　continued；　still　in　the　same　loud　and　lucid　tone。

Chadd　only　shuffled　his　feet　and　kicked　a　little　with　the　other　leg；　his　expression　still　benevolent　and　inquiring。　The　doctor　cut　in　rather　sharply。　〃Shall　we　go　inside；　professor？〃　he　said。　〃Now　you　have　shown　me　the　garden。　A　beautiful　garden。　A　most　beautiful　garden。　Let　us　go　in；〃　and　he　tried　to　draw　the　kicking　ethnologist　by　the　elbow；　at　the　same　time　whispering　to　Grant：　〃I　must　ask　you　not　to　trouble　him　with　questions。　Most　risky。　He　must　be　soothed。〃

Basil　answered　in　the　same　tone；　with　great　coolness：

〃Of　course　your　directions　must　be　followed　out；　doctor。　I　will　endeavour　to　do　so；　but　I　hope　it　will　not　be　inconsistent　with　them　if　you　will　leave　me　alone　with　my　poor　friend　in　this　garden　for　an　hour。　I　want　to　watch　him。　I　assure　you；　Dr　Colman；　that　I　shall　say　very　little　to　him；　and　that　little　shall　be　as　soothing　asas　syrup。〃

The　doctor　wiped　his　eyeglass　thoughtfully。

〃It　is　rather　dangerous　for　him；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　long　in　the　strong　sun　without　his　hat。　With　his　bald　head；　too。〃

〃That　is　soon　settled；〃　said　Basil　composedly；　and　took　off　his　own　big　hat　and　clapped　it　on　the　egglike　skull　of　the　professor。　The　latter　did　not　turn　round　but　danced　away　with　his　eyes　on　the　horizon。

The　doctor　put　on　his　gla