crome yellow(克罗姆·耶娄)-第24章
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dining…room door。 Sir Hercules tiptoed across the hall towards it。 Just
as he approached the door there was another terrific crash of breaking
glass and jangled metal。 What could they be doing？ Standing on tiptoe
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he managed to look through the keyhole。 In the middle of the ravaged
table old Simon； the butler； so primed with drink that he could scarcely
keep his balance； was dancing a jig。 His feet crunched and tinkled
among the broken glass； and his shoes were wet with spilt wine。 The
three young men sat round； thumping the table with their hands or with the
empty wine bottles； shouting and laughing encouragement。 The three
servants leaning against the wall laughed too。 Ferdinando suddenly
threw a handful of walnuts at the dancer's head； which so dazed and
surprised the little man that he staggered and fell down on his back；
upsetting a decanter and several glasses。 They raised him up； gave him
some brandy to drink； thumped him on the back。 The old man smiled
and hiccoughed。 'To…morrow；' said Ferdinando； 'we'll have a concerted
ballet of the whole household。' 'With father Hercules wearing his club
and lion…skin；' added one of his companions； and all three roared with
laughter。
〃Sir Hercules would look and listen no further。 He crossed the hall
once more and began to climb the stairs； lifting his knees painfully high at
each degree。 This was the end； there was no place for him now in the
world； no place for him and Ferdinando together。
〃His wife was still awake； to her questioning glance he answered；
'They are making mock of old Simon。 To…morrow it will be our turn。'
They were silent for a time。
〃At last Filomena said； 'I do not want to see to…morrow。'
〃'It is better not；' said Sir Hercules。 Going into his closet he wrote in
his day…book a full and particular account of all the events of the evening。
While he was still engaged in this task he rang for a servant and ordered
hot water and a bath to be made ready for him at eleven o'clock。 When
he had finished writing he went into his wife's room； and preparing a dose
of opium twenty times as strong as that which she was accustomed to take
when she could not sleep； he brought it to her； saying； 'Here is your
sleeping…draught。'
〃Filomena took the glass and lay for a little time； but did not drink
immediately。 The tears came into her eyes。 'Do you remember the
songs we used to sing； sitting out there sulla terrazza in the summer…time？'
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She began singing softly in her ghost of a cracked voice a few bars from
Stradella's 'Amor amor； non dormir piu。' 'And you playing on the violin；
it seems such a short time ago； and yet so long； long； long。 Addio； amore；
a rivederti。' She drank off the draught and； lying back on the pillow；
closed her eyes。 Sir Hercules kissed her hand and tiptoed away； as
though he were afraid of waking her。 He returned to his closet； and
having recorded his wife's last words to him； he poured into his bath the
water that had been brought up in accordance with his orders。 The water
being too hot for him to get into the bath at once； he took down from the
shelf his copy of Suetonius。 He wished to read how Seneca had died。
He opened the book at random。 'But dwarfs；' he read； 'he held in
abhorrence as being lusus naturae and of evil omen。' He winced as
though he had been struck。 This same Augustus； he remembered； had
exhibited in the amphitheatre a young man called Lucius； of good family；
who was not quite two feet in height and weighed seventeen pounds； but
had a stentorian voice。 He turned over the pages。 Tiberius； Caligula；
Claudius； Nero： it was a tale of growing horror。 'Seneca his preceptor；
he forced to kill himself。' And there was Petronius； who had called his
friends about him at the last； bidding them talk to him； not of the
consolations of philosophy； but of love and gallantry； while the life was
ebbing away through his opened veins。 Dipping his pen once more in the
ink he wrote on the last page of his diary： 'He died a Roman death。'
Then； putting the toes of one foot into the water and finding that it was not
too hot； he threw off his dressing…gown and； taking a razor in his hand； sat
down in the bath。 With one deep cut he severed the artery in his left
wrist； then lay back and composed his mind to meditation。 The blood
oozed out； floating through the water in dissolving wreaths and spirals。
In a little while the whole bath was tinged with pink。 The colour deepened；
Sir Hercules felt himself mastered by an invincible drowsiness； he was
sinking from vague dream to dream。 Soon he was sound asleep。 There
was not much blood in his small body。〃
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CHAPTER XIV。
For their after…luncheon coffee the party generally adjourned to the
library。 Its windows looked east； and at this hour of the day it was the
coolest place in the whole house。 It was a large room； fitted； during the
eighteenth century； with white painted shelves of an elegant design。 In
the middle of one wall a door； ingeniously upholstered with rows of
dummy books； gave access to a deep cupboard； where； among a pile of
letter…files and old newspapers； the mummy…case of an Egyptian lady；
brought back by the second Sir Ferdinando on his return from the Grand
Tour； mouldered in the darkness。 From ten yards away and at a first
glance； one might almost have mistaken this secret door for a section of
shelving filled with genuine books。 Coffee…cup in hand； Mr。 Scogan was
standing in front of the dummy book…shelf。 Between the sips he
discoursed。
〃The bottom shelf；〃 he was saying； 〃is taken up by an Encyclopaedia
in fourteen volumes。 Useful； but a little dull； as is also Caprimulge's
'Dictionary of the Finnish Language'。 The 'Biographical Dictionary'
looks more promising。 'Biography of Men who were Born Great'；
'Biography of Men who Achieved Greatness'； 'Biography of Men who had
Greatness Thrust upon Them'； and 'Biography of Men who were Never
Great at All'。 Then there are ten volumes of 'Thom's Works and
Wanderings'； while the 'Wild Goose Chase； a Novel'； by an anonymous
author； fills no less than six。 But what's this； what's this？〃
