the queen of hearts-第49章
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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 that idea passed
through his mind； and the sharp； angular eminence made in the
clothes by the dead man's upturned feet again caught his eye。 He
advanced and drew the curtains； purposely abstaining； as he did
so； from looking at the face of the corpse； lest he might unnerve
himself at the outset by fastening some ghastly impression of it
on his mind。 He drew the curtain very gently； and sighed
involuntarily as he closed it。
〃Poor fellow；〃 he said； almost as sadly as if he had known the
man。 〃Ah！ poor fellow！〃
He went next to the window。 The night was black； and he could see
nothing from it。 The rain still pattered heavily agai nst the
glass。 He inferred； from hearing it； that the window was at the
back of the house； remembering that the front was sheltered from
the weather by the court and the buildings over it。
While he was still standing at the windowfor even the dreary
rain was a relief； because of the sound it made； a relief； also；
because it moved； and had some faint suggestion； in consequence；
of life and companionship in itwhile he was standing at the
window； and looking vacantly into the black darkness outside； he
heard a distant church clock strike ten。 Only ten！ How was he to
pass the time till the house was astir the next morning？
Under any other circumstances he would have gone down to the
public…house parlor； would have called for his grog； and would
have laughed and talked with the company assembled as familiarly
as if he had known them all his life。 But the very thought of
whiling away the time in this manner was now distasteful to him。
The new situation in which he was placed seemed to have altered
him to himself already。 Thus far his life had been the common；
trifling； prosaic； surface…life of a prosperous young man； with
no troubles to conquer and no trials to face。 He had lost no
relation whom he loved； no friend whom he treasured。 Till this
night； what share he had of the immortal inheritance that is
divided among us all had lain dormant within him。 Till this
night； Death an
