hunted down-第6章
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!
was sufficiently cold and quiet。 He was white; he was haggard; he
was changed; but only as a sharper who had played for a great stake
and had been outwitted and had lost the game。
'Listen to me; you villain;' said Beckwith; 'and let every word you
hear me say be a stab in your wicked heart。 When I took these
rooms; to throw myself in your way and lead you on to the scheme
that I knew my appearance and supposed character and habits would
suggest to such a devil; how did I know that? Because you were no
stranger to me。 I knew you well。 And I knew you to be the cruel
wretch who; for so much money; had killed one innocent girl while
she trusted him implicitly; and who was by inches killing another。'
Slinkton took out a snuff…box; took a pinch of snuff; and laughed。
'But see here;' said Beckwith; never looking away; never raising
his voice; never relaxing his face; never unclenching his hand。
'See what a dull wolf you have been; after all! The infatuated
drunkard who never drank a fiftieth part of the liquor you plied
him with; but poured it away; here; there; everywhere … almost
before your eyes; who bought over the fellow you set to watch him
and to ply him; by outbidding you in his bribe; before he had been
at his work three days … with whom you have observed no caution;
yet who was so bent on ridding the earth of you as a wild beast;
that he would have defeated you if you had been ever so prudent …
that drunkard whom you have; many a time; left on the floor of this
room; and who has even let you go out of it; alive and undeceived;
when you have turned him over with your foot … has; almost as
often; on the same night; within an hour; within a few minutes;
watched you awake; had his hand at your pillow when you were
asleep; turned over your papers; taken samples from your bottles
and packets of powder; changed their contents; rifled every secret
of your life!'
He had had another pinch of snuff in his hand; but had gradually
let it drop from between his fingers to the floor; where he now
smoothed it out with his foot; looking down at it the while。
'That drunkard;' said Beckwith; 'who had free access to your rooms
at all times; that he might drink the strong drinks that you left
in his way and be the sooner ended; holding no more terms with you
than he would hold with a tiger; has had his master…key for all
your locks; his test for all your poisons; his clue to your cipher…
writing。 He can tell you; as well as you can tell him; how long it
took to complete that deed; what doses there were; what intervals;
what signs of gradual decay upon mind and body; what distempered
fancies were produced; what observable changes; what physical pain。
He can tell you; as well as you can tell him; that all this was
recorded day by day; as a lesson of experience for future service。
He can tell you; better than you can tell him; where that journal
is at this moment。'
Slinkton stopped the action of his foot; and looked at Beckwith。
'No;' said the latter; as if answering a question from him。 'Not
in the drawer of the writing…desk that opens with a spring; it is
not there; and it never will be there again。'
'Then you are a thief!' said Slinkton。
Without any change whatever in the inflexible purpose; which it was
quite terrific even to me to contemplate; and from the power of
which I had always felt convinced it was impossible for this wretch
to escape; Beckwith returned;
'And I am your niece's shadow; too。'
With an imprecation Slinkton put his hand to his head; tore out
some hair; and flung it to the ground。 It was the end of the
smooth walk; he destroyed it in the action; and it will soon be
seen that his use for it was past。
Beckwith went on: 'Whenever you left here; I left here。 Although I
understood that you found it necessary to pause in the completion
of that purpose; to avert suspicion; still I watched you close;
with the poor confiding girl。 When I had the diary; and could read
it word by word; … it was only about the night before your last
visit to Scarborough; … you remember the night? you slept with a
small flat vial tied to your wrist; … I sent to Mr。 Sampson; who
was kept out of view。 This is Mr。 Sampson's trusty servant
standing by the door。 We three saved your niece among us。'
Slinkton looked at us all; took an uncertain step or two from the
place where he had stood; returned to it; and glanced about him in
a very curious way; … as one of the meaner reptiles might; looking
for a hole to hide in。 I noticed at the same time; that a singular
change took place in the figure of the man; … as if it collapsed
within his clothes; and they consequently became ill…shapen and
ill…fitting。
'You shall know;' said Beckwith; 'for I hope the knowledge will be
bitter and terrible to you; why you have been pursued by one man;
and why; when the whole interest that Mr。 Sampson represents would
have expended any money in hunting you down; you have been tracked
to death at a single individual's charge。 I hear you have had the
name of Meltham on your lips sometimes?'
I saw; in addition to those other changes; a sudden stoppage come
upon his breathing。
'When you sent the sweet girl whom you murdered (you know with what
artfully made…out surroundings and probabilities you sent her) to
Meltham's office; before taking her abroad to originate the
transaction that doomed her to the grave; it fell to Meltham's lot
to see her and to speak with her。 It did not fall to his lot to
save her; though I know he would freely give his own life to have
done it。 He admired her; … I would say he loved her deeply; if I
thought it possible that you could understand the word。 When she
was sacrificed; he was thoroughly assured of your guilt。 Having
lost her; he had but one object left in life; and that was to
avenge her and destroy you。'
I saw the villain's nostrils rise and fall convulsively; but I saw
no moving at his mouth。
'That man Meltham;' Beckwith steadily pursued; 'was as absolutely
certain that you could never elude him in this world; if he devoted
himself to your destruction with his utmost fidelity and
earnestness; and if he divided the sacred duty with no other duty
in life; as he was certain that in achieving it he would be a poor
instrument in the hands of Providence; and would do well before
Heaven in striking you out from among living men。 I am that man;
and I thank God that I have done my work!'
If Slinkton had been running for his life from swift…footed
savages; a dozen miles; he could not have shown more emphatic signs
of being oppressed at heart and labouring for breath; than he
showed now; when he looked at the pursuer who had so relentlessly
hunted him down。
'You never saw me under my right name before; you see me under my
right name now。 You shall see me once again in the body; when you
are tried for your life。 You shall see me once again in the
spirit; when the cord is round your neck; and the crowd are crying
against you!'
When Meltham had spoken these last words; the miscreant suddenly
turned away his face; and seemed to strike his mouth with his open
hand。 At the same instant; the room was filled with a new and
powerful odour; and; almost at the same instant; he broke into a
crooked run; leap; start; … I have no name for the spasm; … and
fell; with a dull weight that shook the heavy old doors and windows
in their frames。
That was the fitting end of him。
When we saw that he was dead; we drew away from the room; and
Meltham; giving me his hand; said; with a weary air;
'I have no more work on earth; my friend。 But I shall see her
again elsewhere。'
It was in vain that I tried to rally him。 He might have saved her;
he said; he had not saved her; and he reproached himself; he had
lost her; and he was broken…hearted。
'The purpose that sustained me is over; Samp