sally dows-第37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！



〃I　think　so。　　I　think　we　all　escapedthat　is；　except　Thompson；　if
his　name　WAS　Thompson；　it　might　have　been　Parker；〃　continued　Uncle
Sylvester；　gazing　with　a　certain　languid　astonishment　on　the　eager
faces　around　him。

〃But　HOW　did　you　escape？〃

〃Oh；　somehow！　　I　don't　remember　exactly。　　I　don't　think；〃　he　went
on　reflectively；　〃that　we　had　to　eat　Thompsonif　it　was　HIMat
least　not　then。　　No〃with　a　faint　effort　of　recollection〃that
would　have　been　another　affair。　　Yes；〃　assuringly　to　the　eager；
frightened　eyes　of　Cousin　Jane；　〃you　are　quite　right；　that　was
something　altogether　different。　　Dear　me；　one　quite　mixes　up　these
things。　　Eh？〃

A　servant　had　entered；　and　after　a　hurried　colloquy　with　Gabriel；
the　latter　turned　to　Uncle　Sylvester

〃Excuse　me；　but　I　think　there　must　be　some　mistake！　　We　brought　up
your　luggage　with　youtwo　trunksin　the　station　wagon。　　A　man　has
just　arrived　with　three　more；　which　he　says　are　yours。〃

〃There　should　be　five　in　all；　I　think；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester
thoughtfully。

〃Maybe　there　are；　sir；　I　didn't　count　exactly；〃　said　the　servant。

〃All　right；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester　cheerfully；　turning　to　his
brother。　　〃You　can　put　them　in　my　room　or　on　the　landing；　except
two　marked　'L'　in　a　triangle。　　They　contain　some　things　I　picked　up
for　you　and　the　girls。　　We'll　look　them　over　in　the　morning。　　And；
if　you　don't　mind；　I'll　excuse　myself　now　and　go　to　bed。〃

〃But　it's　only　half　past　ten；〃　said　Gabriel　remonstratingly。　　〃You
don't；　surely；　go　to　bed　at　half　past　ten？〃

〃I　do　when　I　travel。　　Travel　is　SO　exhausting。　　Good…night！　　Don't
let　anybody　disturb　themselves　to　come　with　me。〃

He　bowed　languidly　to　the　company；　and　disappeared　with　a　yawn
gracefully　disguised　into　a　parting　smile。

〃Well！〃　said　Cousin　Jane；　drawing　a　long　breath。

〃I　don't　believe　it's　your　Uncle　Sylvester　at　all！〃　said　Marie
vivaciously。　　〃It's　some　trick　that　Gabriel　is　playing　upon　us。
And　he's　not　even　a　good　actorhe　forgets　his　part。〃

〃And；　then；　five　trunks　for　one　single　man！　　Heavens！　what　can　he
have　in　them〃　said　Cousin　Emma。

〃Perhaps　his　confederates；　to　spring　out　upon　us　at　night；　after
everybody's　asleep。〃

〃Are　you　sure　you　remembered　him；　papa？〃　said　Kitty　sotto　voce。

〃Certainly。　　And；　my　dear　child；　he　knows　all　the　family　history　as
well　as　you　do；　and〃continued　her　father　with　a　slight　laugh　that
did　not；　however；　conceal　a　certain　seriousness　that　was　new　to
him〃I　only　wish　I　understood　as　much　about　the　property　as　he
does。　　By　the　way；　Amos；〃　he　broke　off　suddenly；　turning　to　the
young　man；　〃he　seemed　to　know　your　people。〃

〃Most　men　in　the　financial　world　do；〃　said　Gunn　a　little
superciliously。

〃Yes；　but　he　asked　me　if　you　hadn't　a　relative　of　some　kind　in
Southern　California　or　Mexico。〃

A　slight　flushso　slight　that　only　the　keen；　vivaciously　observant
eyes　of　Marie　noticed　itpassed　over　the　young　man's　face。

〃I　believe　it　is　a　known　fact　that　our　branch　of　the　family　never
emigrated　from　their　native　town；〃　he　said　emphatically。　　〃The
Gunns　were　rather　peculiar　and　particular　in　that　respect。〃

〃Then　there　were　no　offshoots　from　the　old　STOCK；〃　said　Gabriel。

Nevertheless；　this　pet　joke　of　Gabriel's　did　not　dissipate　the
constraint　and　disappointment　left　upon　the　company　by　Uncle
Sylvester's　unsatisfying　performance　and　early　withdrawal；　and　they
separated　soon　after；　Kitty　and　Marie　being　glad　to　escape　upstairs
together。　　On　the　landing　they　met　two　of　the　Irish　housemaids　in　a
state　of　agitated　exhaustion。　　It　appeared　that　the　〃sthrange
gintleman〃　had　requested　that　his　bed　be　remade　from　bedclothes
and　bedding　ALWAYS　CARRIED　WITH　HIM　IN　HIS　TRUNKS！　　From　their
apologetic　tone　it　was　evident　that　he　had　liberally　rewarded　them。
〃Shure；　Miss；〃　protested　Norah；　in　deprecation　of　Kitty's　flashing
eye；　〃there's　thim　that's　lived　among　shnakes　and　poysin　riptiles
and　faverous　disayses　that's　particklar　av　the　beds　and　sheets　they
lie　on。　　Hisht！　　Howly　Mother！　it's　something　else　he's　wanting
now！〃

The　door　of　Uncle　Sylvester's　room　had　slowly　opened；　and　a　blue
pyjama'd　sleeve　appeared；　carefully　depositing　the　sheaf　of　bows
and　arrows　outside　the　door。　　〃I　say；　Norah；　or　Bridget　there；　some
of　you　take　those　infernal　things　away。　　And　look　out；　will　you；
for　the　arrowheads　are　deadly　poison。　　The　fool　who　got　'em　didn't
know　they　were　African；　and　not　Indian　at　all！　　And　hold　on！〃　　The
hand　vanished；　and　presently　reappeared　holding　two　rifles。　　〃And
take　these　away；　too！　　They're　loaded；　capped；　and　NOT　on　the　half…
cock！　　A　jar；　a　fall；　the　slightest　shock　is　enough　to　send　them
off！〃

〃I'm　dreadfully　sorry　that　you　should　find　it　so　uncomfortable　in
our　house；　Uncle　Sylvester；〃　said　Kitty；　with　a　flushed　cheek　and
vibrating　voice。

〃Oh；　it's　youis　it？〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester's　voice　cheerfully。　　〃I
thought　it　was　Bridget　out　there。　　No；　I　don't　intend　to　find　it
uncomfortable。　　That's　why　I'm　putting　these　things　outside。　　But；
for　Heaven's　sake；　don't　YOU　touch　them。　　Leave　that　to　the
ineffable　ass　who　put　them　there。　　Good…night！〃

The　door　closed；　the　whispering　voices　of　the　girls　faded　from　the
corridor；　the　lights　were　lowered　in　the　central　hall；　only　the　red
Cyclopean　eye　of　an　enormous　columnar　stove；　like　a　lighthouse；
gleamed　through　the　darkness。　　Outside；　the　silent　night　sparkled；
glistened；　and　finally　paled。　　Towards　morning；　having　invested　the
sturdy　wooden　outer　walls　of　the　house　and　filmed　with　delicate
tracery　every　available　inch　of　window　pane；　it　seemed　stealthily
to　invade　the　house　itself；　stilling　and　chilling　it　as　it　drew
closer　around　its　central　heart　of　warmth　and　life。　　Only　once　the
frigid　stillness　was　broken　by　the　opening　of　a　door　and　steps
along　the　corridor。　　This　was　preceded　by　an　acrid　smell　of　burning
bark。

It　was　subtle　enough　to　permeate　the　upper　floor　and　the　bedroom
of　Marie　du　Page；　who　was　that　night　a　light　and　nervous　sleeper。
Peering　from　her　door；　she　could　see；　on　the　lower　corridor；　the
extraordinary　spectacle　of　Uncle　Sylvester；　robed　in　a　gorgeous
Japanese　dressing…gown　of　quilted　satin　trimmed　with　the　fur　of
the　blue　fox；　candle　in　hand；　leisurely　examining　the　wall　of　the
passage。　　Presently；　drawing　out　a　footrule　from　his　pocket；　he
actually　began　to　measure　it！　　Miss　Du　Page　saw　no　more。　　Hurriedly
closing　her　door；　she　locked　and　bolted　it；　firmly　convinced　that
Gabriel　Lane　was　harboring　in　the　guise　of　Uncle　Sylvester　a
somnambulist；　a　maniac；　or　an　impostor。


PART　II。


〃It　doesn't　seem　as　if　Uncle　Sylvester　was　any　the　more　comfortable
for　having　his　own　private　bedding　with　him；〃　said　Kitty　Lane；
entering　Marie's　room　early　the　next　morning。　　〃Bridget　found　him
curled　up　in　his　furs　like　a　cat　asleep　on　the　drawing…room　sofa
this　morning。〃

Marie　started；　she　remembered　her　last　night's　vision。　　But　some
instinctshe　knew　not　whatkept　her　from　revealing　it　at　this
moment。　　She　only　said　a　little　ironically：

〃Perhaps　he　missed　the　wild　freedom　of　his　barbaric　life　in　a　small
bedroom。〃

〃No。　　Bridget　says　he　said　something　about　being　smoked　out　of　his
room　by　a　ridiculous　wood　fire。　　The　idea！　　As　if　a　man　brought　up
in　the　woods　couldn't　stand　a　little　smoke。　　Nothat's　his　excuse！
Marie！do　you　know　what　I　firmly　believe？〃

〃No；〃　said　Marie　quickly。

〃I　firmly　believe　that　poor　man　is　ashamed　of　his　past　rough　life；
and　does　everything　he　can　to　forget　it。　　That's　why　he　affects
those　ultra…civilized　and　effeminate　ways；　and　goes　to　the　other
extreme；　as　people　always　do。〃

〃Then　you　think　he's　really　reformed；　and　isn't　likely　to　take　an
impulse　to　rob　and　murder　anybody　again？〃

〃Why；　Marie；　what　nonsense！〃

Nevertheless；　Uncle　Sylvester　appeared　quite　fresh　and　cheerful　at
breakfast。　　It　seemed　that　he　had　lit　the　fire　before　undressing；
but　the　green　logs　were　piled　so　far　into　the　room　that　the　smoke
nearly　suffocated　him。　　Fearful　of　alarming　the　house　by　letting
the　smoke　escape　through　the　door；　he　opened　the　window；　and　when
it　had　partly　dispersed；　sought　refuge　himself　from　the　arctic　air
of　his　bedroom　in　the　drawing…room。　　So　far　the　act　did　not　seem