condensed novels-第16部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


bred；　and　has　some　consideration　for　the　feelings　of　servants；　and
is　not　above　rewarding　them　for　their　trouble；　which　is　more　than
you　can　say　for　some　who　ask　questions　and　gets　short　answers
enough；　gracious　knows；　to　tell　what　I　know　about　them。　　I　have
been　requested　to　tell　my　story　in　my　own　langwidge；　though；　being
no　schollard；　mind　cannot　conceive。　　I　think　my　master　is　a　brute。
Do　not　know　that　he　has　ever　attempted　to　poison　my　missus；which
is　too　good　for　him；　and　how　she　ever　came　to　marry　him；　heart　only
can　tell；but　believe　him　to　be　capable　of　any　such　hatrosity。
Have　heard　him　swear　dreadful　because　of　not　having　his　shaving…
water　at　nine　o'clock　precisely。　　Do　not　know　whether　he　ever
forged　a　will　or　tried　to　get　my　missus'　property；　although；　not
having　confidence　in　the　man；　should　not　be　surprised　if　he　had
done　so。　　Believe　that　there　was　always　something　mysterious　in　his
conduct。　　Remember　distinctly　how　the　family　left　home　to　go
abroad。　　Was　putting　up　my　back　hair；　last　Saturday　morning；　when　I
heard　a　ring。　　Says　cook；　〃That's　missus'　bell；　and　mind　you　hurry
or　the　master　'ill　know　why。〃　　Says　I；　〃Humbly　thanking　you；　mem；
but　taking　advice　of　them　as　is　competent　to　give　it；　I'll　take　my
time。〃　　Found　missus　dressing　herself　and　master　growling　as　usual。
Says　missus；　quite　calm　and　easy　like；　〃Mary；　we　begin　to　pack　to…
day。〃　　〃What　for；　mem？〃　says　I；　taken　aback。　　〃What's　that　hussy
asking？〃　says　master　from　the　bedclothes　quite　savage　like。　　〃For
the　ContinentItaly；〃　says　missus〃Can　you　go　Mary？〃　　Her　voice
was　quite　gentle　and　saintlike；　but　I　knew　the　struggle　it　cost；
and　says　I；　〃With　YOU　mem；　to　India's　torrid　clime；　if　required；
but　with　African　Gorillas；〃　says　I；　looking　toward　the　bed；
〃never。〃　　〃Leave　the　room；〃　says　master；　starting　up　and　catching
of　his　bootjack。　　〃Why　Charles！〃　says　missus；　〃how　you　talk！〃
affecting　surprise。　　〃Do　go　Mary；〃　says　she；　slipping　a　half…crown
into　my　hand。　　I　left　the　room　scorning　to　take　notice　of　the
odious　wretch's　conduct。

Cannot　say　whether　my　master　and　missus　were　ever　legally　married。
What　with　the　dreadful　state　of　morals　nowadays　and　them　stories　in
the　circulating　libraries；　innocent　girls　don't　know　into　what
society　they　might　be　obliged　to　take　situations。　　Never　saw
missus'　marriage　certificate；　though　I　have　quite　accidental…like
looked　in　her　desk　when　open；　and　would　have　seen　it。　　Do　not　know
of　any　lovers　missus　might　have　had。　　Believe　she　had　a　liking　for
John　Thomas；　footman；　for　she　was　always　spiteful…likepoor　lady
when　we　were　togetherthough　there　was　nothing　between　us；　as　Cook
well　knows；　and　dare　not　deny；　and　missus　needn't　have　been
jealous。　　Have　never　seen　arsenic　or　Prussian　acid　in　any　of　the
private　drawersbut　have　seen　paregoric　and　camphor。　　One　of　my
master's　friends　was　a　Count　Moscow；　a　Russian　papistwhich　I
detested。


CHAPTER　II。

THE　SLIM　YOUNG　MAN'S　STORY。


I　am　by　profession　a　reporter；　and　writer　for　the　press。　　I　live　at
Pultneyville。　　I　have　always　had　a　passion　for　the　marvellous；　and
have　been　distinguished　for　my　facility　in　tracing　out　mysteries；
and　solving　enigmatical　occurrences。　　On　the　night　of　the　17th
June；　1845；　I　left　my　office　and　walked　homeward。　　The　night　was
bright　and　starlight。　　I　was　revolving　in　my　mind　the　words　of　a
singular　item　I　had　just　read　in　the　〃Times。〃　　I　had　reached　the
darkest　portion　of　the　road；　and　found　my　self　mechanically
repeating：　〃An　elderly　gentleman　a　week　ago　left　his　lodgings　on
the　Kent　Road；〃　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　step　behind　me。

I　turned　quickly；　with　an　expression　of　horror　in　my　face；　and　by
the　light　of　the　newly　risen　moon　beheld　an　elderly　gentleman；　with
green　cotton　umbrella；　approaching　me。　　His　hair；　which　was　snow
white；　was　parted　over　a　broad；　open　forehead。　　The　expression　of
his　face；　which　was　slightly　flushed；　was　that　of　amiability
verging　almost　upon　imbecility。　　There　was　a　strange；　inquiring
look　about　the　widely　opened　mild　blue　eye；a　look　that　might　have
been　intensified　to　insanity；　or　modified　to　idiocy。　　As　he　passed
me；　he　paused　and　partly　turned　his　face；　with　a　gesture　of
inquiry。　　I　see　him　still；　his　white　locks　blowing　in　the　evening
breeze；　his　hat　a　little　on　the　back　of　his　head；　and　his　figure
painted　in　relief　against　the　dark　blue　sky。

Suddenly　he　turned　his　mild　eye　full　upon　me。　　A　weak　smile　played
about　his　thin　lips。　　In　a　voice　which　had　something　of　the
tremulousness　of　age　and　the　self…satisfied　chuckle　of　imbecility
in　it；　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　rising　moon；　〃Why？hush！〃

He　had　dodged　behind　me；　and　appeared　to　be　looking　anxiously　down
the　road。　　I　could　feel　his　aged　frame　shaking　with　terror　as　he
laid　his　thin　hands　upon　my　shoulders　and　faced　me　in　the　direction
of　the　supposed　danger。

〃Hush！　did　you　not　hear　them　coming？〃

I　listened；　there　was　no　sound　but　the　soughing　of　the　roadside
trees　in　the　evening　wind。　　I　endeavored　to　reassure　him；　with　such
success　that　in　a　few　moments　the　old　weak　smile　appeared　on　his
benevolent　face。

〃Why？〃　　But　the　look　of　interrogation　was　succeeded　by　a　hopeless
blankness。

〃Why！〃　I　repeated　with　assuring　accents。

〃Why；〃　he　said；　a　gleam　of　intelligence　flickering　over　his　face；
〃is　yonder　moon；　as　she　sails　in　the　blue　empyrean；　casting　a　flood
of　light　o'er　hill　and　dale；　like　　Why；〃　he　repeated；　with　a
feeble　smile；　〃is　yonder　moon；　as　she　sails　in　the　blue　empyrean〃
He　hesitated；stammered；and　gazed　at　me　hopelessly；　with　the
tears　dripping　from　his　moist　and　widely　opened　eyes。

I　took　his　hand　kindly　in　my　own。　　〃Casting　a　shadow　o'er　hill　and
dale；〃　I　repeated　quietly；　leading　him　up　the　subject；　〃like
Come；　now。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　pressing　my　hand　tremulously；　〃you　know　it？〃

〃I　do。　　Why　is　it　liketheehthe　commodious　mansion　on　the
Limehouse　Road？〃

A　blank　stare　only　followed。　　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　　〃Like　the
young　men　wanted　for　a　light；　genteel　employment？〃

He　wagged　his　feeble　old　head　cunningly。

〃Or；　Mr。　Ward；〃　I　said；　with　bold　confidence；　〃like　the　mysterious
disappearance　from　the　Kent　Road？〃

The　moment　was　full　of　suspense。　　He　did　not　seem　to　hear　me。
Suddenly　he　turned。

〃Ha！〃

I　darted　forward。　　But　he　had　vanished　in　the　darkness。


CHAPTER　III。

NO。　27　LIMEHOUSE　ROAD。


It　was　a　hot　midsummer　evening。　　Limehouse　Road　was　deserted　save
by　dust　and　a　few　rattling　butchers'　carts；　and　the　bell　of　the
muffin　and　crumpet　man。　　A　commodious　mansion；　which　stood　on　the
right　of　the　road　as　you　enter　Pultneyville；　surrounded　by　stately
poplars　and　a　high　fence　surmounted　by　a　chevaux　de　frise　of　broken
glass；　looked　to　the　passing　and　footsore　pedestrian　like　the
genius　of　seclusion　and　solitude。　　A　bill　announcing　in　the　usual
terms　that　the　house　was　to　let；　hung　from　the　bell　at　the
servants'　entrance。

As　the　shades　of　evening　closed；　and　the　long　shadows　of　the
poplars　stretched　across　the　road；　a　man　carrying　a　small　kettle
stopped　and　gazed；　first　at　the　bill　and　then　at　the　house。　　When
he　had　reached　the　corner　of　the　fence；　he　again　stopped　and　looked
cautiously　up　and　down　the　road。　　Apparently　satisfied　with　the
result　of　his　scrutiny；　he　deliberately　sat　himself　down　in　the
dark　shadow　of　the　fence；　and　at　once　busied　himself　in　some
employment；　so　well　concealed　as　to　be　invisible　to　the　gaze　of
passers…by。　　At　the　end　of　an　hour　he　retired　cautiously。

But　not　altogether　unseen。　　A　slim　young　man；　with　spectacles　and
note…book；　stepped　from　behind　a　tree　as　the　retreating　figure　of
the　intruder　was　lost　in　the　twilight；　and　transferred　from　the
fence　to　his　note…book　the　freshly　stencilled　inscription；　〃ST
1860X。〃


CHAPTER　IV。

COUNT　MOSCOW'S　NARRATIVE。


I　am　a　foreigner。　　Observe！　　To　be　a　foreigner　in　England　is　to　be
mysterious；　suspicious；　intriguing。　　M。　Collins　has　requested　the
history　of　my　complicity　with　certain　occurrences。　　It　is　nothing；
bah！　absolutely　nothing。

I　write　with　ease　and　fluency。　　Why　should　I　not　write？　　Tra　la　la？
I　am　what　you　English　call　corpulent。　　Ha；　ha！　　I　am　a　pupil　of
Macchiavelli。　　I　find　it　much　better　to　disbelieve　everything；　and
to　approach　my　subject　and　wishes　circuitously；　than　in　a　direct
manner。　　You　have　observed　that　playful　animal；　the　cat。　　Call　it；
and　it　does　not　come　to　you　directly；　but　rubs　itself　against　all
the　furniture　in　the　room；　and　reaches　you　finallyand　scratches。
Ah；　ha；　scratches！　　I　am　of　the　feline　species。　　People　call　me　a
villainbah！

I　know　the　family；　living　No。　27　Limehouse　Road。　　I　respect　the
gentleman；a　fine；　burly　specimen　of　your　Englishman；and　madame；
charming；　ravishing；　delightful。　　When　it　became　known　to　me　that
they　designed　to　let　their　delightful　residence；　and　visit　foreign
shores；　I　at　once　called　upon　them。　　I　kissed　the　hand　of　madame。
I　embraced　the　great　Englishman。　　Madame　blushed　slightly。　　The
great　Englishman　shook　my　hand　like　a　mastiff。

I　began　in　that　dexterous；　insinuating　manner；　of　which　I　am　truly
proud。　　I　thought　madame　was　ill。　　Ah；　no。　　A　change；　then；　was　all
that　was　required。　　I　sat　down　at　the　piano　and　sang。　　In　a　few
minutes　madame　retired。　　I　was　alone　with　my　friend。

Seizing　his　hand；　I　began　with　every　demonstration　of　courteous
sympathy。　　I　do　not　repeat　my　words；　for　my　intention　was　conveyed
more　in　accent；　emphasis；　and　manner；　than　speech。　　I　hinted　to　him
that　he　had　another　wife　living。　　I　suggested　that　this　was
balancedha！by　his　wife's　lover。　　That；　possibly；　he　wished　to
fly；　hence　the　letting　of　his　delightful　mansion。　　That　he
regularly　and　systematically　beat　his　wife　in　the　English　manner；
and　that　she　repeatedly　deceived　me。　　I　talked　of　hope；　of
consolation；　of　remedy。　　I　carelessly　produced　a　bottle　of
strychnine　and　a　small　vial　of　stramonium　from　my　pocket；　and
enlarged　on　the　efficiency　of　drugs。　　His　face；　which　had　gradually
become　convulsed；　suddenly　became　fixed　with　a　frightful
expression。　　He　started　to　his　feet；　and　roared：　〃You　dd
Frenchman！〃

I　instantly　changed　my　tactics；　and　endeavored　to　embrace　him。　　He
kicked　me　twice；　violently。　　I　begged　permission　to　kiss　madame's
ha