the queen of hearts-第39部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
THE TWO ROBINS。
Arthur turned into the court without hesitation to see what The
Two Robins could do for him。 Four or five men were standing
together round the door of the house； which was at the bottom of
the court； facing the entrance from the street。 The men were all
listening to one other man； better dressed than the rest； who was
telling his audience something； in a low voice； in which they
were apparently very much interested。
On entering the passage； Arthur was passed by a stranger with a
knapsack in his hand； who was evidently leaving the house。
〃No；〃 said the traveler with the knapsack； turning round and
addressing himself cheerfully to a fat； sly…looking； bald…headed
man； with a dirty white apron on； who had followed him down the
passage； 〃no； Mr。 Landlord； I am not easily scared by trifles；
but I don't mind confessing that I can't quite stand _that_。〃
It occurred to young Holliday； the moment he heard these words；
that the stranger had been asked an exorbitant price for a bed at
The Two Robins； and that he was unable or unwilling to pay it。
The moment his back was turned； Arthur； comfortably conscious of
his own well…filled pockets； addressed himself in a great hurry；
for fear any other benighted traveler should slip in and
forestall him； to the sly…looking landlord with the dirty apron
and the bald head。
〃If you have got a bed to let；〃 he said； 〃and if that gentleman
who has just gone out won't pay your price for it； I will。〃
The sly landlord looked hard at Arthur。 〃Will you； sir？〃 he
asked； in a meditative； doubtful way。
〃Name your price；〃 said young Holliday； thinking that the
landlord's hesitation sprang from some boorish distrust of him。
〃Name your price； and I'll give you the money at once； if you
like。〃
〃Are you game for five shillings？〃 inquired the landlord； rubbing
his stubby double chin and looking up thoughtfully at the ceiling
above him。
Arthur nearly laughed in the man's face； but； thinking it prudent
to control himself； offered the five shillings as seriously as he
could。 The sly landlord held out his hand； then suddenly drew it
back again。
〃You're acting all fair and aboveboard by me；〃 he said； 〃and；
before I take your money； I'll do the same by you。 Look here；
this is how it stands。 You can have a bed all to yourself for
five shillings； but you can't have more than a half share of the
room it stands in。 Do you see what I mean； young gentleman？〃
〃Of course I do；〃 returned Arthur； a little irritably。 〃You mean
that it is a double…bedded room； and that one of the beds is
occupied？〃
The land lord nodded his head； and rubbed his double chin harder
than ever。 Arthur hesitated； and mechanically moved back a step
or two toward the door。 The idea of sleeping in the same room
with a total stranger did not present an attractive prospect to
him。 He felt more than half inclined to drop his five shillings
into his pocket and to go out into the street once more。
〃Is it yes or no？〃 asked the landlord。 〃Settle it as quick as you
can； because there's lots of people wanting a bed at Doncaster
to…night besides you。〃
Arthur looked toward the court and heard the rain falling heavily
in the street outside。 He thought he would ask a question or two
before he rashly decided on leaving the shelter of The Two
Robins。
〃What sort of man is it who has got the other bed？〃 he inquired。
〃Is he a gentleman？ I mean； is he a quiet； well…behaved person？〃
〃The quietest man I ever came across；〃 said the landlord； rubbing
his fat hands stealthily one over the other。 〃As sober as a
judge； and as regular as clock…work in his habits。 It hasn't
struck nine； not ten minutes ago； and he's in his bed already。 I
don't know whether that comes up to your notion of a quiet man：
it goes a long way ahead of mine； I can tell you。〃
〃Is he asleep； do you think？〃 asked Arthur。
〃I know he's asleep；〃 returned the landlord； 〃and； what's more；
he's gone off so fast that I'll warrant you don't wake him。 This
way； sir；〃 said the landlord； speaking over young Holliday's
shoulder； as if he was addressing some new guest who was
approaching the house。
〃Here you are；〃 said Arthur； determined to be beforehand with the
stranger； whoever he might be。 〃I'll take the bed。〃 And he handed
the five shillings to the landlord； who nodded； dropped the money
carelessly into his waistcoat pocket； and lighted a candle。
〃Come up and see the room；〃 said the host of The Two Robins；
leading the way to the staircase quite briskly； considering how
fat he was。
They mounted to the second floor of the house。 The landlord half
opened a door fronting the landing； then stopped； and turned
round to Arthur。
〃It's a fair bargain； mind； on my side as well as on yours；〃 he
said。 〃You give me five shillings； and I give you in return a
clean； comfortable bed； and I warrant； beforehand； that you won't
be interfered with； or annoyed in anyway； by the man who sleeps
in the same room with you。〃 Saying those words； he looked hard；
for a moment； in young Holliday's face； and then led the way into
the room。
It was larger and cleaner than Arthur had expected it would be。
The two beds stood parallel with each other； a space of about six
feet intervening between them。 They were both of the same medium
size； and both had the same plain white curtains； made to draw；
if necessary； all round them。
The occupied bed was the bed nearest the window。 The curtains
were all drawn round it except the half curtain at the bottom； on
the side of the bed furthest from the window。 Arthur saw the feet
of the sleeping man raising the scanty clothes into a sharp
little eminence； as if he was lying flat on his back。 He took the
candle； and advanced softly to draw the curtainstopped half
way； and listened for a momentthen turned to the landlord。
〃He is a very quiet sleeper；〃 said Arthur。 〃Yes；〃 said the
landlord； 〃very quiet。〃 Young Holliday advanced with the candle；
and looked in at the man cautiously。
〃How pale he is；〃 said Arthur。
〃Yes；〃 returned the landlord； 〃pale enough； isn't he？〃
Arthur looked closer at the man。 The bedclothes were drawn up to
his chin； and they lay perfectly still over the region of his
chest。 Surprised and vaguely startled as he noticed this； Arthur
stooped down closer over the stranger； looked at his ashy； parted
lips； listened breathlessly for an instant； looked again at the
strangely still face； and the motionless lips and chest； and
turned round suddenly on the landlord with his own cheeks as pale
for the moment as the hollow cheeks of the man on the bed。
〃Come here；〃 he whispered； under his breath。 〃Come here； for
God's sake！ The man's not asleephe is dead。〃
〃You have found that out sooner than I thought you would；〃 said
the landlord； composedly。 〃Yes； he's dead； sure enough。 He died
at five o'clock to…day。〃
〃How did he die？ Who is he？〃 asked Arthur； staggered for the
moment by the audacious coolness of the answer。
〃As to who is he；〃 rejoined the landlord； 〃I know no more about
him than you do。 There are his books； and letters； and things all
sealed up in that brown paper parcel for the coroner's inquest to
open to…morrow or next day。 He's been here a week； paying his way
fairly enough； and stopping indoors； for the most part； as if he
was ailing。 My girl brought him up his tea at five to…day； and as
he was pouring of it out； he fell down in a faint； or a fit； or a
compound of both； for anything I know。 We couldn't bring him to；
and I said he was dead。 And； the doctor couldn't bring him to；
and the doctor said he was dead。 And there he is。 And the
coroner's inquest's coming as soon as it can。 And that's as much
as I know about it。〃
Arthur held the candle close to the man's lips。 The flame still
burned straight up as steadily as ever。 There was a moment of
silence； and the rain pattered drearily through it against the
panes of the window。
〃If you haven't got nothing more to say to me；〃 continued the
landlord； 〃I suppose I may go。 You don't expect your five
shillings back； do you？ There's the bed I promised you； clean and
comfortable。 There's the man I warranted not to disturb you；
quiet in this world forever。 If you're frightened to stop alone
with him； that's not my lookout。 I've kept my part of the
bargain； and I mean to keep the money。 I'm not Yorkshire myself；
young gentleman； but I've lived long enough in these parts to
have my wits sharpened； and I shouldn't wonder if you found out
the way to brighten up yours next time you come among us。〃
With these words the landlord turned toward the door； and laughed
to himself softly； in high satisfaction at his own sharpness。
Startled and shocked as he was； Arthur had by this time
sufficiently recovered himself to feel indignant at the trick
that had been played on him； and at the insolent manner in which
the landlord exulted in it。
〃Don't laugh；〃 he said sharply； 〃till you are quite sure you have
got the laugh against me。 You shan't have the five shillings for
nothing； my man。 I'll keep the bed。〃
〃Will you？〃 said the landlord。 〃Then I wish you a good night's
rest。〃 With that brief farewell he went out and shut the door
after him。
A good night's rest！ The words had hardly been spoken； the door
had hardly been closed； before Arthur half repented the hasty
words that had just escaped him。 Though not naturally
over…sensitive； and not wanting in courage of the moral as well
as the physical sort； the presence of the dead man had an
instantaneously chilling effect on his mind when he found himself
alone in the roomalone； and bound by his own rash words to stay
there till the next morning。 An older man would have thought
nothing of those words； and would have acted； without reference
to them； as his calmer sense suggested。 But Arthur was too young
to treat the ridicule even of his inferiors with contempttoo
young not to fear the momentary humiliation of falsifying his own
foolish boast more than he feared the trial of watching out the
long night in the same chamber with the dead。
〃It is but a few hours；〃 he thought to himself； 〃and I can get
away the first thing in the morning。〃
He was looking toward the occupied bed as th
