paul the peddler-第22章

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〃that　this　will　please　my　friend。　　From　the　instructions　he　gave

me；　it　is　precisely　what　he　wanted。〃



While　uttering　these　words；　he　had　drawn　a　sponge　and　a　vial　of

chloroform　from　his　side　pocket。　　He　saturated　the　former　from

the　vial；　and　then；　turning　quickly；　seized　Paul；　too　much　taken

by　surprise　to　make　immediate　resistance；　and　applied　the　sponge

to　his　nose。　　When　he　realized　that　foul　play　was　meditated；　he

began　to　struggle；　but　he　was　in　a　firm　grasp；　and　the　chloroform

was　already　beginning　to　do　its　work。　　His　head　began　to　swim；

and　he　was　speedily　in　a　state　of　insensibility。　　When　this　was

accomplished；　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery；　eyeing　the　insensible　boy

with　satisfaction；　put　on　his　hat；　walked　quickly　to　the　door；

which　he　locked　on　the　outside；　and　made　his　way　rapidly

downstairs。　　Leaving　the　key　at　the　desk；　he　left　the　hotel　and

disappeared。



Meanwhile　Paul　slowly　recovered　consciousness。　　As　he　came　to

himself；　he　looked　about　him　bewildered；　not　at　first

comprehending　where　he　was。　　All　at　once　it　flashed　upon　him；　and

he　jumped　up　eagerly　and　rushed　to　the　door。　　He　tried　in　vain　to

open　it。



〃I　am　regularly　trapped！〃　　he　thought；　with　a　feeling　of　mingled

anger　and　vexation。　　〃What　a　fool　I　was　to　let　myself　be　swindled

so　easily！　　I　wonder　how　long　I　have　been　lying　here　insensible？〃



Paul　was　not　a　boy　to　give　up　easily。　　He　meant　to　get　back　the

ring　if　it　was　a　possible　thing。　　The　first　thing　was；　of　course；

to　get　out　of　his　present　confinement。　　He　was　not　used　to　hotel

arrangements　and　never　thought　of　the　bell；　but；　as　the　only

thing　he　could　think　of；　began　to　pound　upon　the　door。　　But　it　so

happened　that　at　this　time　there　were　no　servants　on　that　floor；

and　his　appeals　for　help　were　not　heard。　　Every　moment　that　he

had　to　wait　seemed　at　least　five；　for　no　doubt　the　man　who　had

swindled　him　was　improving　the　time　to　escape　to　a　place　of

safety。　　Finding　that　his　blows　upon　the　door　produced　no　effect；

he　began　to　jump　up　and　down　upon　the　floor；　making；　in　his　heavy

boots；　a　considerable　noise。



The　room　directly　under　No。　237　was　occupied　by　an　old　gentleman

of　a　very　nervous　and　irascible　temper；　Mr。　Samuel　Piper；　a

country　merchant；　who；　having　occasion　to　be　in　the　city　on

business　for　a　few　days；　had　put　up　at　Lovejoy's　Hotel。　　He　had

fatigued　himself　by　some　business　calls；　and　was　now　taking　a

little　rest　upon　the　bed；　when　he　was　aroused　from　half…sleep　by

the　pounding　overhead。



〃I　wish　people　would　have　the　decency　to　keep　quiet；〃　he　said　to

himself；　peevishly。　　〃How　can　I　rest　with　such　a　confounded

racket　going　on　above！〃



He　lay　back；　thinking　the　noise　would　cease；　but　Paul；　finding

the　knocking　on　the　door　ineffectual；　began　to　jump　up　and　down；

as　I　have　already　said。　　Of　course　this　noise　was　heard

distinctly　in　the　room　below。



〃This　is　getting　intolerable！〃　　exclaimed　Mr。　Piper；　becoming

more　and　more　excited。　　〃The　man　ought　to　be　indicted　as　a　common

nuisance。　　How　they　can　allow　such　goings…on　in　a　respectable

hotel；　I　can't　understand。　　I　should　think　the　fellow　was

splitting　wood　upstairs。〃



He　took　his　cane；　and；　standing　on　the　bed；　struck　it　furiously

against　the　ceiling；　intending　it　as　signal　to　the　man　above　to

desist。　　But　Paul；　catching　the　response；　began　to　jump　more

furiously　than　ever；　finding　that　he　had　attracted　attention。



Mr。　Piper　became　enraged。



〃The　man　must　be　a　lunatic　or　overcome　by　drink；〃　he　exclaimed。　

〃I　can't　and　I　won't　stand　it。〃



But　the　noise　kept　on。



Mr。　Piper　put　on　his　shoes　and　his　coat；　and；　seizing　his　cane；

emerged　upon　the　landing。　　He　espied　a　female　servant　just　coming

upstairs。



〃Here；　you　Bridget；　or　Nancy；　or　whatever　your　name　is；〃　he

roared；　〃there's　a　lunatic　upstairs；　making　a　tremendous　row　in

the　room　over　mine。　　If　you　don't　stop　him　I'll　leave　the　hotel。　

Hear　him　now！〃



Bridget　let　fall　her　duster　in　fright。



〃Is　it　a　crazy　man？〃　she　asked。



〃Of　course　he　must　be。　　I　want　you　to　go　up　and　stop　him。〃



〃Is　it　me　that　would　go　near　a　crazy　man？〃　exclaimed　Bridget；

horror…struck；　〃I　wouldn't　do　it　for　a　million　dollars；　no；　I

wouldn't。〃



〃I　insist　upon　your　going　up；〃　said　Mr。　Piper；　irritably。　　〃He

must　be　stopped。　　Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　stand　such　an

infernal　thumping　over　my　head？〃



〃I　wouldn't　do　it　if　you'd　go　down　on　your　knees　to　me；〃　said

Bridget；　fervently。



〃Come　along；　I'll　go　with　you。〃



But　the　terrified　girl　would　not　budge。



〃Then　you　go　down　and　tell　your　master　there's　a　madman　up　here。　

If　you　don't；　I　will。〃



This　Bridget　consented　to　do；　and；　going　downstairs；　gave　a　not

very　coherent　account　of　the　disturbance。　　Three　male　servants

came　back　with　her。



〃Is　that　the　man？〃　asked　the　first；　pointing　to　Mr。　Piper；　who

certainly　looked　half　wild　with　irritation。



〃Yes；〃　said　Bridget；　stupidly。



Immediately　Mr。　Piper　found　himself　pinioned　on　either　side　by　a

stout　servant。



〃What　have　you　been　kickin'　up　a　row　for？〃　demanded　the　first。



〃Let　me　alone；　or　I'll　have　the　law　take　care　of　you；〃　screamed

the　outraged　man。　　〃Can't　you　hear　the　fellow　that's　making　the

racket？〃



Paul；　tired　with　thumping；　had　desisted　for　a　moment；　but　now　had

recommenced　with　increased　energy。　　The　sounds　could　be

distinctly　heard　on　the　floor　below。



〃Excuse　me；　sir。　　I　made　a　mistake；〃　said　the　first　speaker；

releasing　his　hold。　　〃We'll　go　up　and　see　what's　the　matter。〃



So　the　party　went　upstairs；　followed　at　a　distance　by　Bridget；

who；　influenced　alike　by　fear　and　curiosity；　did　not　know　whether

to　go　up　or　retreat。



The　sounds　were　easily　traced　to　room　No。　237。　　In　front　of

this；　therefore；　the　party　congregated。



〃What's　the　matter　in　there？〃　asked　James；　the　first　servant；

putting　his　lips　to　the　keyhole。



〃Yes；〃　chimed　in　Mr。　Piper；　irritably；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　such

an　infernal　hubbub？〃



〃Open　the　door；　and　let　me　out；〃　returned　Paul；　eagerly。



The　party　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise。　　They　did　not　expect

to　find　the　desperate　maniac　a　boy。



〃Perhaps　there's　more　than　one　of　them；〃　suggested　the　second

servant；　prudently。



〃Why　don't　you　come　out　yourself？〃　asked　James。　　〃I　am　locked

in。〃



The　door　was　opened　with　a　passkey　and　Paul　confronted　the　party。



〃Now；　young　man；　what　do　you　mean　by　making　such　a　disturbance？〃　

demanded　Mr。　Piper；　excitably。　　〃My　room　is　just　below；　and　I

expected　every　minute　you　would　come　through。〃



〃I　am　sorry　if　I　disturbed　you；　sir；〃　said　Paul；　politely；　〃but

it　was　the　only　way　I　could　attract　attention。〃



〃How　came　you　locked　up　here？〃



〃Yes；〃　chimed　in　James；　suspiciously；　〃how　came　you　locked　up

here？〃



〃I　was　drugged　with　chloroform；　and　locked　in；〃　said　Paul。



〃Who　did　it？〃



〃Mr。　Felix　Montgomery；　or　that's　what　he　called　himself。　　I　came

here　by　appointment　to　meet　him。〃



〃What　did　he　do　that　for？〃



〃He　has　carried　off　a　diamond　ring　which　I　came　up　here　to　sell

him。〃



〃A　very　improbable　story；〃　said　Mr。　Piper；　suspiciously。　　〃What

should　such　a　boy　have　to　do　with　a　diamond　ring？〃



Nothing　is　easier　than　to　impart　suspicion。　　Men　are　prone　to

believe　evil　of　each　other；　and　Paul　was　destined　to　realize

this。　　The　hotel　servants；　ignorant　and　suspicious；　caught　the

suggestion。



〃It's　likely　he's　a'　thafe；〃　said　Bridget；　from　a　safe　distance。



〃If　I　were；〃　said　Paul；　coolly；　〃I　shouldn't　be　apt　to　call　your

attention　by　such　a　noise。　　I　can　prove　to　you　that　I　am　telling

the　truth。　　I　stopped　at　the　office；　and　the　bookkeeper　sent　a

servant　to　show　me　up　here。〃



〃If　this　is　true；〃　said　Mr。　Piper；　〃why；　when　you　found　yourself

locked　in；　didn't　you　ring　the　bell；　instead　of　making　such　a

confounded　racket？　　My　nerves　won't　get　over　it　for　a　week。〃



〃I　didn't　think　of　the　bell；〃