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！
open； I could see a magnificent gilt dressing case； with some
splendid diamond and ruby shirt studs lying by it； and a chest of
drawers； and a cupboard apparently full of clothes。
Remembering him in Baden…Baden in great magnificence I wondered at
his present denuded state。 〃You have a house elsewhere； Mr。
Pinto？〃 I said。
〃Many；〃 says he。 〃I have apartments in many cities。 I lock dem
up； and do not carry mosh logish。〃
I then remembered that his apartment at Baden； where I first met
him； was bare； and had no bed in it。
〃There is； then； a sleeping room beyond？〃
〃This is the sleeping room。〃 （He pronounces it DIS。 Can this； by
the way； give any clew to the nationality of this singular man？）
〃If you sleep on these two old chairs you have a rickety couch； if
on the floor； a dusty one。〃
〃Suppose I sleep up dere？〃 said this strange man； and he actually
pointed up to the ceiling。 I thought him mad or what he himself
called 〃an ombog。〃 〃I know。 You do not believe me； for why should
I deceive you？ I came but to propose a matter of business to you。
I told you I could give you the clew to the mystery of the Two
Children in Black； whom you met at Baden； and you came to see me。
If I told you you would not believe me。 What for try and convinz
you？ Ha hey？〃 And he shook his hand once； twice； thrice； at me；
and glared at me out of his eye in a peculiar way。
Of what happened now I protest I cannot give an accurate account。
It seemed to me that there shot a flame from his eye into my brain；
while behind his GLASS eye there was a green illumination as if a
candle had been lit in it。 It seemed to me that from his long
fingers two quivering flames issued； sputtering； as it were； which
penetrated me； and forced me back into one of the chairsthe
broken oneout of which I had much difficulty in scrambling； when
the strange glamour was ended。 It seemed to me that； when I was so
fixed； so transfixed in the broken chair； the man floated up to the
ceiling； crossed his legs； folded his arms as if he was lying on a
sofa； and grinned down at me。 When I came to myself he was down
from the ceiling； and； taking me out of the broken cane…bottomed
chair； kindly enough〃Bah！〃 said he； 〃it is the smell of my
medicine。 It often gives the vertigo。 I thought you would have
had a little fit。 Come into the open air。〃 And we went down the
steps； and into Shepherd's Inn； where the setting sun was just
shining on the statue of Shepherd； the laundresses were traipsing
about； the porters were leaning against the railings； and the
clerks were playing at marbles； to my inexpressible consolation。
〃You said you were going to dine at the 'Gray's…Inn Coffee…House；'〃
he said。 I was。 I often dine there。 There is excellent wine at
the 〃Gray's…Inn Coffee…House〃； but I declare I NEVER SAID so。 I
was not astonished at his remark； no more astonished than if I was
in a dream。 Perhaps I WAS in a dream。 Is life a dream？ Are
dreams facts？ Is sleeping being really awake？ I don't know。 I
tell you I am puzzled。 I have read 〃The Woman in White；〃 〃The
Strange Story〃not to mention that story 〃Stranger than Fiction〃
in the Cornhill Magazinethat story for which THREE credible
witnesses are ready to vouch。 I have had messages from the dead；
and not only from the dead； but from people who never existed at
all。 I own I am in a state of much bewilderment： but； if you
please； will proceed with my simple； my artless story。
Well； then。 We passed from Shepherd's Inn into Holborn； and looked
for a while at Woodgate's bric…a…brac shop； which I never can pass
without delaying at the windowsindeed； if I were going to be
hung； I would beg the cart to stop； and let me have one look more
at that delightful omnium gatherum。 And passing Woodgate's； we
come to Gale's little shop； 〃No。 47；〃 which is also a favorite
haunt of mine。
Mr。 Gale happened to be at his door； and as we exchanged
salutations； 〃Mr。 Pinto；〃 I said； 〃will you like to see a real
curiosity in this curiosity shop？ Step into Mr。 Gale's little back
room。〃
In that little back parlor there are Chinese gongs； there are old
Saxe and Sevres plates； there is Furstenberg； Carl Theodor；
Worcester； Amstel； Nankin and other jimcrockery。 And in the corner
what do you think there is？ There is an actual GUILLOTINE。 If you
doubt me； go and seeGale； High Holborn； No。 47。 It is a slim
instrument； much slighter than those which they make now；some
nine feet high； narrow； a pretty piece of upholstery enough。 There
is the hook over which the rope used to play which unloosened the
dreadful ax above； and look！ dropped into the orifice where the
head used to gothere is THE AX itself； all rusty； with A GREAT
NOTCH IN THE BLADE。
As Pinto looked at itMr。 Gale was not in the room； I recollect；
happening to have been just called out by a customer who offered
him three pound fourteen and sixpence for a blue Shepherd in pate
tendre；Mr。 Pinto gave a little start； and seemed crispe for a
moment。 Then he looked steadily toward one of those great
porcelain stools which you see in gardensandit seemed to meI
tell you I won't take my affidavitI may have been maddened by the
six glasses I took of that pink elixirI may have been sleep…
walking： perhaps am as I write nowI may have been under the
influence of that astounding MEDIUM into whose hands I had fallen
but I vow I heard Pinto say； with rather a ghastly grin at the
porcelain stool；
〃Nay； nefer shague your gory locks at me；
Dou canst not say I did it。〃
（He pronounced it； by the way； I DIT it； by which I KNOW that Pinto
was a German。）
I heard Pinto say those very words； and sitting on the porcelain
stool I saw； dimly at first； then with an awful distinctnessa
ghostan EIDOLONa formA HEADLESS MAN seated with his head in
his lap； which wore an expression of piteous surprise。
At this minute； Mr。 Gale entered from the front shop to show a
customer some Delft plates； and he did not seebut WE DIDthe
figure rise up from the porcelain stool； shake its head； which it
held in its hand； and which kept its eyes fixed sadly on us； and
disappear behind the guillotine。
〃Come to the 'Gray's…Inn Coffee…House；'〃 Pinto said； 〃and I will
tell you how the notch came to the ax。〃 And we walked down Holborn
at about thirty…seven minutes past six o'clock。
If there is anything in the above statement which astonishes the
reader； I promise him that in the next chapter of this little story
he will be astonished still more。
II
〃You will excuse me；〃 I said to my companion； 〃for remarking that
when you addressed the individual sitting on the porcelain stool；
with his head in his lap； your ordinarily benevolent features〃
（this I confess was a bouncer； for between ourselves a more
sinister and ill…looking rascal than Mons。 P。 I have seldom set
eyes on）〃your ordinarily handsome face wore an expression that
was by no means pleasing。 You grinned at the individual just as
you did at me when you went up to the cei； pardon me； as I
THOUGHT you did； when I fell down in a fit in your chambers〃； and I
qualified my words in a great flutter and tremble； I did not care
to offend the manI did not DARE to offend the man。 I thought
once or twice of jumping into a cab； and flying； of taking refuge
in Day and Martin's Blacking Warehouse； of speaking to a policeman；
but not one would come。 I was this man's slave。 I followed him
like his dog。 I COULD not get away from him。 So； you see； I went
on meanly conversing with him； and affecting a simpering
confidence。 I remember； when I was a little boy at school； going
up fawning and smiling in this way to some great hulking bully of a
sixth…form boy。 So I said in a word； 〃Your ordinarily handsome
face wore a disagreeable expression；〃 &c。
〃It is ordinarily VERY handsome；〃 said he； with such a leer at a
couple of passers…by； that one of them cried； 〃Oh； crickey； here's
a precious guy！〃 and a child； in its nurse's arms； screamed itself
into convulsions。 〃Oh； oui； che suis tres…choli garcon； bien peau；
cerdainement；〃 continued Mr。 Pinto； 〃but you were right。 That
that person was not very well pleased when he saw me。 There was no
love lost between us； as you say： and the world never knew a more
worthless miscreant。 I hate him； voyez…vous？ I hated him alife； I
hate him dead。 I hate him man； I hate him ghost： and he know it；
and tremble before me。 If I see him twenty tausend years hence
and why not？I shall hate him still。 You remarked how he was
dressed？〃
〃In black satin breeches and striped stockings； a white pique
waistcoat； a gray coat； with large metal buttons； and his hair in
powder。 He must have worn a pigtailonly〃
〃Only it was CUT OFF！ Ha； ha； ha！〃 Mr。 Pinto cried； yelling a
laugh； which I observed made the policeman stare very much。 〃Yes。
It was cut off by the same blow which took off the scoundrel's
headho； ho； ho！〃 And he made a circle with his hook…nailed
finger round his own yellow neck； and grinned with a horrible
triumph。 〃I promise you that fellow was surprised when he found
his head in the pannier。 Ha！ ha！ Do you ever cease to hate those
whom you hate？〃fire flashed terrifi