novel notes-第17部分

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〃Travellers　were　few　and　far　between　in　those　days；　and　this　made　the　trail　easy　to　follow。　　The　first　man；　never　knowing　how　far　or　how　near　the　other　was　behind　him；　and　hoping　now　and　again　that　he　might　have　baffled　him；　would　rest　for　a　while。　　The　second　man；　knowing　always　just　how　far　the　first　one　was　before　him；　never　paused；　and　thus　each　day　the　man　who　was　spurred　by　Hate　drew　nearer　to　the　man　who　was　spurred　by　Fear。

〃At　this　town　the　answer　to　the　never…varied　question　would　be：…

〃'At　seven　o'clock　last　evening；　M'sieur。'

〃'Sevenah；　eighteen　hours。　　Give　me　something　to　eat；　quick；　while　the　horses　are　being　put　to。'

〃At　the　next　the　calculation　would　be　sixteen　hours。

〃Passing　a　lonely　chalet；　Monsieur　puts　his　head　out　of　the　window：…

〃'How　long　since　a　carriage　passed　this　way；　with　a　tall；　fair　man　inside？'

〃'Such　a　one　passed　early　this　morning；　M'sieur。'

〃'Thanks；　drive　on；　a　hundred　francs　apiece　if　you　are　through　the　pass　before　daybreak。'

〃'And　what　for　dead　horses；　M'sieur？'

〃'Twice　their　value　when　living。'

〃One　day　the　man　who　was　ridden　by　Fear　looked　up；　and　saw　before　him　the　open　door　of　a　cathedral；　and；　passing　in；　knelt　down　and　prayed。　　He　prayed　long　and　fervently；　for　men；　when　they　are　in　sore　straits；　clutch　eagerly　at　the　straws　of　faith。　　He　prayed　that　he　might　be　forgiven　his　sin；　and；　more　important　still；　that　he　might　be　pardoned　the　consequences　of　his　sin；　and　be　delivered　from　his　adversary；　and　a　few　chairs　from　him；　facing　him；　knelt　his　enemy；　praying　also。

〃But　the　second　man's　prayer；　being　a　thanksgiving　merely；　was　short；　so　that　when　the　first　man　raised　his　eyes；　he　saw　the　face　of　his　enemy　gazing　at　him　across　the　chair…tops；　with　a　mocking　smile　upon　it。

〃He　made　no　attempt　to　rise；　but　remained　kneeling；　fascinated　by　the　look　of　joy　that　shone　out　of　the　other　man's　eyes。　　And　the　other　man　moved　the　high…backed　chairs　one　by　one；　and　came　towards　him　softly。

〃Then；　just　as　the　man　who　had　been　wronged　stood　beside　the　man　who　had　wronged　him；　full　of　gladness　that　his　opportunity　had　come；　there　burst　from　the　cathedral　tower　a　sudden　clash　of　bells；　and　the　man；　whose　opportunity　had　come；　broke　his　heart　and　fell　back　dead；　with　that　mocking　smile　still　playing　round　his　mouth。

〃And　so　he　lay　there。

'Then　the　man　who　had　done　the　wrong　rose　up　and　passed　out；　praising　God。

〃What　became　of　the　body　of　the　other　man　is　not　known。　　It　was　the　body　of　a　stranger　who　had　died　suddenly　in　the　cathedral。　　There　was　none　to　identify　it；　none　to　claim　it。

〃Years　passed　away；　and　the　survivor　in　the　tragedy　became　a　worthy　and　useful　citizen；　and　a　noted　man　of　science。

〃In　his　laboratory　were　many　objects　necessary　to　him　in　his　researches；　and；　prominent　among　them；　stood　in　a　certain　corner　a　human　skeleton。　　It　was　a　very　old　and　much…mended　skeleton；　and　one　day　the　long…expected　end　arrived；　and　it　tumbled　to　pieces。

〃Thus　it　became　necessary　to　purchase　another。

〃The　man　of　science　visited　a　dealer　he　well　knewa　little　parchment…faced　old　man　who　kept　a　dingy　shop；　where　nothing　was　ever　sold；　within　the　shadow　of　the　towers　of　Notre　Dame。

〃The　little　parchment…faced　old　man　had　just　the　very　thing　that　Monsieur　wanteda　singularly　fine　and　well…proportioned　'study。'　It　should　be　sent　round　and　set　up　in　Monsieur's　laboratory　that　very　afternoon。

〃The　dealer　was　as　good　as　his　word。　　When　Monsieur　entered　his　laboratory　that　evening；　the　thing　was　in　its　place。

〃Monsieur　seated　himself　in　his　high…backed　chair；　and　tried　to　collect　his　thoughts。　　But　Monsieur's　thoughts　were　unruly；　and　inclined　to　wander；　and　to　wander　always　in　one　direction。

〃Monsieur　opened　a　large　volume　and　commenced　to　read。　　He　read　of　a　man　who　had　wronged　another　and　fled　from　him；　the　other　man　following。　　Finding　himself　reading　this；　he　closed　the　book　angrily；　and　went　and　stood　by　the　window　and　looked　out。　　He　saw　before　him　the　sun…pierced　nave　of　a　great　cathedral；　and　on　the　stones　lay　a　dead　man　with　a　mocking　smile　upon　his　face。

〃Cursing　himself　for　a　fool；　he　turned　away　with　a　laugh。　　But　his　laugh　was　short…lived；　for　it　seemed　to　him　that　something　else　in　the　room　was　laughing　also。　　Struck　suddenly　still；　with　his　feet　glued　to　the　ground；　he　stood　listening　for　a　while：　　then　sought　with　starting　eyes　the　corner　from　where　the　sound　had　seemed　to　come。　　But　the　white　thing　standing　there　was　only　grinning。

〃Monsieur　wiped　the　damp　sweat　from　his　head　and　hands；　and　stole　out。

〃For　a　couple　of　days　he　did　not　enter　the　room　again。　　On　the　third；　telling　himself　that　his　fears　were　those　of　a　hysterical　girl；　he　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　　To　shame　himself；　he　took　his　lamp　in　his　hand；　and　crossing　over　to　the　far　corner　where　the　skeleton　stood；　examined　it。　　A　set　of　bones　bought　for　three　hundred　francs。　　Was　he　a　child；　to　be　scared　by　such　a　bogey！

〃He　held　his　lamp　up　in　front　of　the　thing's　grinning　head。　　The　flame　of　the　lamp　flickered　as　though　a　faint　breath　had　passed　over　it。

〃The　man　explained　this　to　himself　by　saying　that　the　walls　of　the　house　were　old　and　cracked；　and　that　the　wind　might　creep　in　anywhere。　　He　repeated　this　explanation　to　himself　as　he　recrossed　the　room；　walking　backwards；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　thing。　　When　he　reached　his　desk；　he　sat　down　and　gripped　the　arms　of　his　chair　till　his　fingers　turned　white。

〃He　tried　to　work；　but　the　empty　sockets　in　that　grinning　head　seemed　to　be　drawing　him　towards　them。　　He　rose　and　battled　with　his　inclination　to　fly　screaming　from　the　room。　　Glancing　fearfully　about　him；　his　eye　fell　upon　a　high　screen；　standing　before　the　door。　　He　dragged　it　forward；　and　placed　it　between　himself　and　the　thing；　so　that　he　could　not　see　itnor　it　see　him。　　Then　he　sat　down　again　to　his　work。　　For　a　while　he　forced　himself　to　look　at　the　book　in　front　of　him；　but　at　last；　unable　to　control　himself　any　longer；　he　suffered　his　eyes　to　follow　their　own　bent。

〃It　may　have　been　an　hallucination。　　He　may　have　accidentally　placed　the　screen　so　as　to　favour　such　an　illusion。　　But　what　he　saw　was　a　bony　hand　coming　round　the　corner　of　the　screen；　and；　with　a　cry；　he　fell　to　the　floor　in　a　swoon。

〃The　people　of　the　house　came　running　in；　and　lifting　him　up；　carried　him　out；　and　laid　him　upon　his　bed。　　As　soon　as　he　recovered；　his　first　question　was；　where　had　they　found　the　thing　where　was　it　when　they　entered　the　room？　and　when　they　told　him　they　had　seen　it　standing　where　it　always　stood；　and　had　gone　down　into　the　room　to　look　again；　because　of　his　frenzied　entreaties；　and　returned　trying　to　hide　their　smiles；　he　listened　to　their　talk　about　overwork；　and　the　necessity　for　change　and　rest；　and　said　they　might　do　with　him　as　they　would。

〃So　for　many　months　the　laboratory　door　remained　locked。　　Then　there　came　a　chill　autumn　evening　when　the　man　of　science　opened　it　again；　and　closed　it　behind　him。

〃He　lighted　his　lamp；　and　gathered　his　instruments　and　books　around　him；　and　sat　down　before　them　in　his　high…backed　chair。　　And　the　old　terror　returned　to　him。

〃But　this　time　he　meant　to　conquer　himself。　　His　nerves　were　stronger　now；　and　his　brain　clearer；　he　would　fight　his　unreasoning　fear。　　He　crossed　to　the　door　and　locked　himself　in；　and　flung　the　key　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；　where　it　fell　among　jars　and　bottles　with　an　echoing　clatter。

〃Later　on；　his　old　housekeeper；　going　her　final　round；　tapped　at　his　door　and　wished　him　good…night；　as　was　her　custom。　　She　received　no　response；　at　first；　and；　growing　nervous；　tapped　louder　and　called　again；　and　at　length　an　answering　'good…night'　came　back　to　her。

〃She　thought　little　about　it　at　the　time；　but　afterwards　she　remembered　that　the　voice　that　had　replied　to　her　had　been　strangely　grating　and　mechanical。　　Trying　to　describe　it；　she　likened　it　to　such　a　voice　as　she　would　imagine　coming　from　a　statue。

〃Next　morning　his　door　remained　still　locked。　　It　was　no　unusual　thing　for　him　to　work　all　night　and　far　into　the　next　day；　so　no　one　thought　to　be　surprised。　　When；　however；　evening　came；　and　yet　he　did　not　appear；　his　servants　gathered　outside　the　room　and　whispered；　remembering　what　had　happened　once　before。

〃They　listened；　but　could　hear　no　sound。　　They　shook　the　door　and　called　to　him；　then　beat　with　their　fists　upon　the　wooden　panels。　But　still　no　sound　came　from　the　room。

〃Becoming　alarmed；　they　decided　to　burst　open　the　door；　and；　after　many　blows；　it　gave　way；　and　they　crowded　in。

He　sat　bolt　upright　in　his　high…backed　chair。　　They　thought　at　first　he　had　died　in　his　sleep。　　But　when　they　drew　nearer　and　the　light　fell　upon　him；　they　saw　the　livid　marks　of　bony　fingers　round　his　throat；　and　in　his　eyes　there　was　a　terror　such　as　is　not　often　seen　in　human　eyes。〃


Brown　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence　that　followed。　　He　asked　me　if　I　had　any　brandy　on　board。　　He　said　he　felt　he　should　like　just　a　nip　of　brandy　before　going　to　bed。　　That　is　one　of　the　chief　charms　of　Jephson's　stories：　　they　always　make　you　feel　you　want　a　little　brandy。



CHAPTER　VI



〃Cats；〃　remarked　Jephson　to　me；　one　afternoon；　as　we　sat　in　the　punt　discussing　the　plot　of　our　novel；　〃cats　are　animals　for　whom　I　entertain　a　very　great　respect。　　Cats　and　Nonconformists　seem　to　me　the　only　things　in　this　world　possessed　of　a　practicable　working　conscience。　　Watch　a　cat　doing　something　mean　and　wrongif　ever　one　gives　you　the　chance；　notice　how　anxious　she　is　that　nobody　should　see　her　doing　it；　and　how　prompt；　if　detected；　to　pretend　that　she　was　not　doing　itthat　she　was　not　even　thinking　of　doing　itthat；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　was　just　about　to　do　something　else；　quite　different。　　You　might　almost　think　they　had　a　soul。

〃Only　this　morning　I　was　watching　that　tortoise…shell　of　yours　on　the　houseboat。　　She　was　creeping　along　the　roof；　behind　the　flower…　boxes；　stalking　a　young　thrush　that　had　perched　upon　a　coil　of　rope。　Murder　gleamed　from　her　eye；　assassination　lurked　in　every　twitching　muscle　of　her　body。　　As　she　crouched　to　spring；　Fate；　for　once　favouring　the　weak；　directed　her　attention　to　myself；　and　she　became；　for　the　first　time；　aware　of　my　presence。　　It　a