the queen of hearts-第40章

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He　became　first　fretful　and　capricious；　then　silent　and
desponding。　Finally；　he　sank　into　a　lethargy　of　body　and　mind
that　seriously　alarmed　me。　On　the　morning　after　our　return　to
Fondi　he　showed　a　strange　tendency　to　sleep　incessantly；　which
made　me　suspect　the　existence　of　some　physical　malady　in　his
brain。　The　whole　day　he　hardly　exchanged　a　word　with　me；　and
seemed　to　be　never　fairly　awake。　Early　the　next　morning　I　went
into　his　room；　and　found　him　as　silent　and　lethargic　as　ever。　His
servant；　who　was　with　us；　informed　me　that　Alfred　had　once　or
twice　before　exhibited　such　physical　symptoms　of　mental
exhaustion　as　we　were　now　observing　during　his　father's　lifetime
at　Wincot　Abbey。　This　piece　of　information　made　me　feel　easier；
and　left　my　mind　free　to　return　to　the　consideration　of　the
errand　which　had　brought　us　to　Fondi。

I　resolved　to　occupy　the　time　until　my　companion　got　better　in
prosecuting　our　search　by　myself。　That　path　to　the　right　hand
which　led　to　the　convent　had　not　yet　been　explored。　If　I　set　off
to　trace　it；　I　need　not　be　away　from　Monkton　more　than　one　night；
and　I　should　at　least　be　able；　on　my　return；　to　give　him　the
satisfaction　of　knowing　that　one　more　uncertainty　regarding　the
place　of　the　duel　had　been　cleared　up。　These　considerations
decided　me。　I　left　a　message　for　my　friend　in　case　he　asked　where
I　had　gone；　and　set　out　once　more　for　the　village　at　which　we　had
halted　when　starting　on　our　first　expedition。

Intending　to　walk　to　the　convent；　I　parted　company　with　the　guide
and　the　mules　where　the　track　branched　off；　leaving　them　to　go
back　to　the　village　and　await　my　return。

For　the　first　four　miles　the　path　gently　ascended　through　an　open
country；　then　became　abruptly　much　steeper；　and　led　me　deeper　and
deeper　among　thickets　and　endless　woods。　By　the　time　my　watch
informed　me　that　I　must　have　nearly　walked　my　appointed　distance；
the　view　was　bounded　on　all　sides　and　the　sky　was　shut　out
overhead　by　an　impervious　screen　of　leaves　and　branches。　I　still
followed　my　only　guide；　the　steep　path；　and　in　ten　minutes；
emerging　suddenly　on　a　plot　of　tolerably　clear　and　level　ground；
I　saw　the　convent　before　me。

It　was　a　dark；　low；　sinister…looking　place。　Not　a　sign　of　life　or
movement　was　visible　anywhere　about　it。　Green　stains　streaked　the
once　white　facade　of　the　chapel　in　all　directions。　Moss　clustered
thick　in　every　crevice　of　the　heavy　scowling　wall　that　surrounded
the　convent。　Long　lank　weeds　grew　out　of　the　fissures　of　roof　and
parapet；　and；　drooping　far　downward；　waved　wearily　in　and　out　of
the　barred　dormitory　windows。　The　very　cross　opposite　the
entrance…gate；　with　a　shocking　life…sized　figure　in　wood　nailed
to　it；　was　so　beset　at　the　base　with　crawling　creatures；　and
looked　so　slimy；　green；　and　rotten　all　the　way　up；　that　I
absolutely　shrank　from　it。

A　bell…rope　with　a　broken　handle　hung　by　the　gate。　I　approached
ithesitated；　I　hardly　knew　whylooked　up　at　the　convent　again；
and　then　walked　round　to　the　back　of　the　building；　partly　to　gain
time　to　consider　what　I　had　better　do　next；　partly　from　an
unaccountable　curiosity　that　urged　me；　strangely　to　myself；　to
see　all　I　could　of　the　outside　of　the　place　before　I　attempted　to
gain　admission　at　the　gate。

At　the　back　of　the　convent　I　found　an　outhouse；　built　on　to　the
walla　clumsy；　decayed　building；　with　the　greater　part　of　the
roof　fallen　in；　and　with　a　jagged　hole　in　one　of　its　sides；　where
in　all　probability　a　window　had　once　been。　Behind　the　outhouse
the　trees　grew　thicker　than　ever。　As　I　looked　toward　them　I　could
not　determine　whether　the　ground　beyond　me　rose　or　fellwhether
it　was　grassy；　or　earthy；　or　rocky。　I　could　see　nothing　but　the
all…pervading　leaves；　brambles；　ferns；　and　long　grass。

Not　a　sound　broke　the　oppressive　stillness。　No　bird's　note　rose
from　the　leafy　wilderness　around　me；　no　voices　spoke　in　the
convent　garden　behind　the　scowling　wall；　no　clock　struck　in　the
chapel…tower；　no　dog　barked　in　the　ruined　outhouse。　The　dead
silence　deepened　the　solitude　of　the　place　inexpressibly。　I　began
to　feel　it　weighing　on　my　spiritsthe　more；　because　woods　were
never　favorite　places　with　me　to　walk　in。　The　sort　of　pastoral
happiness　which　poets　often　represent　when　they　sing　of　life　in
the　woods　never；　to　my　mind；　has　half　the　charm　of　life　on　the
mountain　or　in　the　plain。　When　I　am　in　a　wood；　I　miss　the
boundless　loveliness　of　the　sky；　and　the　delicious　softness　that
distance　gives　to　the　earthly　view　beneath。　I　feel　oppressively
the　change　which　the　free　air　suffers　when　it　gets　imprisoned
among　leaves；　and　I　am　always　awed；　rather　than　pleased；　by　that
mysterious　still　light　which　shines　with　such　a　strange　dim
luster　in　deep　places　among　trees。　It　may　convict　me　of　want　of
taste　and　absence　of　due　feeling　for　the　marvelous　beauties　of
vegetation；　but　I　must　frankly　own　that　I　never　penetrate　far
into　a　wood　without　finding　that　the　getting　out　of　it　again　is
the　pleasantest　part　of　my　walkthe　getting　out　on　to　the　barest
down；　the　wildest　hill…side；　the　bleakest　mountain　topthe
getting　out　anywhere；　so　that　I　can　see　the　sky　over　me　and　the
view　before　me　as　far　as　my　eye　can　reach。

After　such　a　confession　as　I　have　now　made；　it　will　appear
surprising　to　no　one　that　I　should　have　felt　the　strongest
possible　inclination；　while　I　stood　by　the　ruined　outhouse；　to
retrace　my　steps　at　once；　and　make　the　best　of　my　way　out　of　the
wood。　I　had；　indeed；　actually　turned　to　depart；　when　the
remembrance　of　the　er　rand　which　had　brought　me　to　the　convent
suddenly　stayed　my　feet。　It　seemed　doubtful　whether　I　should　be
admitted　into　the　building　if　I　rang　the　bell；　and　more　than
doubtful；　if　I　were　let　in；　whether　the　inhabitants　would　be　able
to　afford　me　any　clew　to　the　information　of　which　I　was　in
search。　However；　it　was　my　duty　to　Monkton　to　leave　no　means　of
helping　him　in　his　desperate　object　untried；　so　I　resolved　to　go
round　to　the　front　of　the　convent　again；　and　ring　at　the
gate…bell　at　all　hazards。

By　the　merest　chance　I　looked　up　as　I　passed　the　side　of　the
outhouse　where　the　jagged　hole　was；　and　noticed　that　it　was
pierced　rather　high　in　the　wall。

As　I　stopped　to　observe　this；　the　closeness　of　the　atmosphere　in
the　wood　seemed　to　be　affecting　me　more　unpleasantly　than　ever。

I　waited　a　minute　and　untied　my　cravat。

Closeness？　surely　it　was　something　more　than　that。　The　air　was
even　more　distasteful　to　my　nostrils　than　to　my　lungs。　There　was
some　faint；　indescribable　smell　loading　itsome　smell　of　which　I
had　never　had　any　previous　experiencesome　smell　which　I　thought
（now　that　my　attention　was　directed　to　it）　grew　more　and　more
certainly　traceable　to　its　source　the　nearer　I　advanced　to　the
outhouse；

By　the　time　I　had　tried　the　experiment　two　or　three　times；　and
had　made　myself　sure　of　this　fact；　my　curiosity　became　excited。
There　were　plenty　of　fragments　of　stone　and　brick　lying　about　me。
I　gathered　some　of　them　together；　and　piled　them　up　below　the
hole；　then　mounted　to　the　top；　and；　feeling　rather　ashamed　of
what　I　was　doing；　peeped　into　the　outhouse。

The　sight　of　horror　that　met　my　eyes　the　instant　I　looked　through
the　hole　is　as　present　to　my　memory　now　as　if　I　had　beheld　it
yesterday。　I　can　hardly　write　of　it　at　this　distance　of　time
without　a　thrill　of　the　old　terror　running　through　me　again　to
the　heart。

The　first　impression　conveyed　to　me；　as　I　looked　in；　was　of　a
long；　recumbent　object；　tinged　with　a　lightish　blue　color　all
over；　extended　on　trestles；　and　bearing　a　certain　hideous；
half…formed　resemblance　to　the　human　face　and　figure。　I　looked
again；　and　felt　certain　of　it。　There　were　the　prominences　of　the
forehead；　nose；　and　chin；　dimly　shown　as　under　a　veilthere；　the
round　outline　of　the　chest　and　the　hollow　below　itthere；　the
points　of　the　knees；　and　the　stiff；　ghastly；　upturned　feet。　I
looked　again；　yet　more　attentively。　My　eyes　got　accustomed　to　the
dim　light　streaming　in　through　the　broken　roof；　and　I　satisfied
myself；　judging　by　the　great　length　of　the　body　from　head　to
foot；　that　I　was　looking　at　the　corpse　of　a　mana　corpse　that
had　apparently　once　had　a　sheet　spread　over　it；　a