the law and the lady-第38部分
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that she wore a man's hat。 Closing the gate behind us； without a
word of welcome or explanation； she led the way to the house。
Mrs。 Macallan followed her easily； knowing the place； and I
walked in Mrs。 Macallan's footsteps as closely as I could。 〃This
is a nice family；〃 my mother…in…law whispered to me。 〃Dexter's
cousin is the only woman in the houseand Dexter's cousin is an
idiot。〃
We entered a spacious hall with a low ceiling； dimly lighted at
its further end by one small oil…lamp。 I could see that there
were pictures on the grim； brown walls； but the subjects
represented were invisible in the obscure and shadowy light。
Mrs。 Macallan addressed herself to the speechless cousin with the
man's hat。
〃Now tell me；〃 she said。 〃Why can't we see Dexter？〃
The cousin took a sheet of paper off the table； and handed it to
Mrs。 Macallan。
〃The Master's writing；〃 said this strange creature； in a hoarse
whisper； as if the bare idea of 〃the Master〃 terrified her。 〃Read
it。 And stay or go； which you please。〃
She opened an invisible side door in the wall； masked by one of
the picturesdisappeared through it like a ghostand left us
together alone in the hall。
Mrs。 Macallan approached the oil…lamp； and looked by its light at
the sheet of paper which the woman had given to her。 I followed
and peeped over her shoulder without ceremony。 The paper
exhibited written characters； traced in a wonderfully large and
firm handwriting。 Had I caught the infection of madness in the
air of the house？ Or did I really see before me these words？
〃NOTICE。My immense imagination is at work。 Visions of heroes
unroll themselves before me。 I reanimate in myself the spirits of
the departed great。 My brains are boiling in my head。 Any persons
who disturb me； under existing circumstances； will do it at the
peril of their lives。DEXTER。〃
Mrs。 Macallan looked around at me quietly with her sardonic
smile。
〃Do you still persist in wanting to be introduced to him？〃 she
asked。
The mockery in the tone of the question roused my pride。 I
determined that I would not be the first to give way。
〃Not if I am putting you in peril of your life； ma'am；〃 I
answered； pertly enough； pointing to the paper in her hand。
My mother…in…law returned to the hall table； and put the paper
back on it without condescending to reply。 She then led the way
to an arched recess on our right hand； beyond which I dimly
discerned a broad flight of oaken stairs。
〃Follow me；〃 said Mrs。 Macallan； mounting the stairs in the dark。
〃I know where to find him。〃
We groped our way up the stairs to the first landing。 The next
flight of steps； turning in the reverse direction； was faintly
illuminated； like the hall below； by one oil…lamp； placed in some
invisible position above us。 Ascending the second flight of
stairs and crossing a short corridor； we discovered the lamp；
through the open door of a quaintly shaped circular room； burning
on the mantel…piece。 Its light illuminated a strip of thick
tapestry； hanging loose from the ceiling to the floor； on the
wall opposite to the door by which we had entered。
Mrs。 Macallan drew aside the strip of tapestry； and； signing me
to follow her； passed behind it。
〃Listen！〃 she whispered。
Standing on the inner side of the tapestry； I found myself in a
dark recess or passage； at the end of which a ray of light from
the lamp showed me a closed door。 I listened； and heard on the
other side of the door a shouting voice； accompanied by an
extraordinary rumbling and whistling sound； traveling backward
and forward； as well as I could judge； over a great space。 Now
the rumbling and the whistling would reach their climax of
loudness； and would overcome the resonant notes of the shouting
voice。 Then again those louder sounds gradually retreated into
distance； and the shouting voice made itself heard as the more
audible sound of the two。 The door must have been of prodigious
solidity。 Listen as intently as I might； I failed to catch the
articulate words （if any） which the voice was pronouncing； and I
was equally at a loss to penetrate the cause which produced the
rumbling and whistling sounds。
〃What can possibly be going on；〃 I whispered to Mrs。 Macallan；
〃on the other side of that door？〃
〃Step softly；〃 my mother…in…law answered； 〃and come and see。〃
She arranged the tapestry behind us so as completely to shut out
the light in the circular room。 Then noiselessly turning the
handle； she opened the heavy door。
We kept ourselves concealed in the shadow of the recess； and
looked through the open doorway。
I saw （or fancied I saw； in the ob scurity） a long room with a
low ceiling。 The dying gleam of an ill…kept fire formed the only
light by which I could judge of objects and distances。 Redly
illuminating the central portion of the room； opposite to which
we were standing； the fire…light left the extremities shadowed in
almost total darkness。 I had barely time to notice this before I
heard the rumbling and whistling sounds approaching me。 A high
chair on wheels moved by； through the field of red light；
carrying a shadowy figure with floating hair； and arms furiously
raised and lowered working the machinery that propelled the chair
at its utmost rate of speed。 〃I am Napoleon； at the sunrise of
Austerlitz！〃 shouted the man in the chair as he swept past me on
his rumbling and whistling wheels； in the red glow of the
fire…light。 〃I give the word； and thrones rock； and kings fall；
and nations tremble； and men by tens of thousands fight and bleed
and die！〃 The chair rushed out of sight； and the shouting man in
it became another hero。 〃I am Nelson！〃 the ringing voice cried
now。 〃I am leading the fleet at Trafalgar。 I issue my commands；
prophetically conscious of victory and death。 I see my own
apotheosis； my public funeral； my nation's tears； my burial in
the glorious church。 The ages remember me； and the poets sing my
praise in immortal verse！〃 The strident wheels turned at the far
end of the room and came back。 The fantastic and frightful
apparition； man and machinery blended in onethe new Centaur；
half man； half chairflew by me again in the dying light。 〃I am
Shakespeare！〃 cried the frantic creature now。 〃I am writing
'Lear；' the tragedy of tragedies。 Ancients and moderns； I am the
poet who towers over them all。 Light！ light！ the lines flow out
like lava from the eruption of my volcanic mind。 Light！ light！
for the poet of all time to write the words that live forever！〃
He ground and tore his way back toward the middle of the room。 As
he approached the fire…place a last morsel of unburned coal （or
wood） burst into momentary flame； and showed the open doorway。 In
that moment he saw us！ The wheel…chair stopped with a shock that
shook the crazy old floor of the room； altered its course； and
flew at us with the rush of a wild animal。 We drew back； just in
time to escape it； against the wall of the recess。 The chair
passed on； and burst aside the hanging tapestry。 The light of the
lamp in the circular room poured in through the gap。 The creature
in the chair checked his furious wheels； and looked back over his
shoulder with an impish curiosity horrible to see。
〃Have I run over them？ Have I ground them to powder for presuming
to intrude on me？〃 he said to himself。 As the expression of this
amiable doubt passed his lips his eyes lighted on us。 His mind
instantly veered back again to Shakespeare and King Lear。
〃Goneril and Regan！〃 he cried。 〃My two unnatural daughters； my
she…devil children come to mock at me！〃
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 said my mother…in…law； as quietly as if
she were addressing a perfectly reasonable being。 〃I am your old
friend； Mrs。 Macallan； and I have brought Eustace Macallan's
second wife to see you。〃
The instant she pronounced those last words； 〃Eustace Macallan's
second wife；〃 the man in the chair sprang out of it with a shrill
cry of horror； as if she had shot him。 For one moment we saw a
head and body in the air； absolutely deprived of the lower limbs。
The moment after； the terrible creature touched the floor as
lightly as a monkey； on his hands。 The grotesque horror of the
scene culminated in his hopping away on his hands； at a
prodigious speed； until he reached the fire…place in the long
room。 There he crouched over the dying embers； shuddering and
shivering； and muttering； 〃Oh； pity me； pity me！〃 dozens and
dozens of times to himself。
This was the man whose advice I had come to askwho assistance I
had confidently counted on in my hour of need。
CHAPTER XXV。
MISERRIMUS DEXTERSECOND VIEW
THOROUGHLY disheartened and disgusted； and （if I must honestly
confess it） thoroughly frightened too； I whispered to Mrs。
Macallan； 〃I was wrong； and you were right。 Let us go。〃
The ears of Miserrimus Dexter must have been as sensitive as the
ears of a dog。 He heard me say； 〃Let us go。〃
〃No！〃 he called out。 〃Bring Eustace Macallan's second wife in
here。 I am a gentlemanI must apologize to her。 I am a student
of human characterI wish to see her。〃
The whole man appeared to have undergone a complete
transformation。 He spoke in the gentlest of voices； and he sighed
hysterically when he had done； like a woman recovering from a
burst of tears。 Was it reviving courage or reviving curiosity？
When Mrs。 Macallan said to me； 〃The fit is over now； do you still
wish to go away？〃 I answered； 〃No； I am ready to go in。〃
〃Have you recovered your belief in him already？〃 asked my
mother…in…law； in her mercilessly satirical way。
〃I have recovered from my terror of him；〃 I replied。
〃I am sorry I terrified you；〃 said the soft voice at the
fire…place。 〃Some people think I am a little mad at times。 You
came； I suppose； at one of the timesif some people are right。 I
admit that I am a visionary。 My imagination runs away with me；
and I say and do strange things。 On those occasions； anybody who
reminds me of that horrible Trial throws me back again into the
past； and causes me unutterable nervous suffering。 I am a very
tender…hearted man。 As the necessary consequence （in such a world
as this）； I am a miserable wretch。 Accept my excuses。 Come in；
both of you。 Come in and pity me。〃
A child would not have
