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第6章

hunted down-第6章

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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

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