adventure09-第3章

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of　some　size　and　hung　with　pictures。　　In　the　dim　light

I　could　make　out　that　the　person　who　had　opened　the

door　was　a　small；　mean…looking；　middle…aged　man　with

rounded　shoulders。　　As　he　turned　towards　us　the　glint

of　the　light　showed　me　that　he　was　wearing　glasses。



〃'Is　this　Mr。　Melas；　Harold？'　said　he。



〃'Yes。'



〃'Well　done；　well　done！　　No　ill…will；　Mr。　Melas；　I

hope；　but　we　could　not　get　on　without　you。　　If　you

deal　fair　with　us　you'll　not　regret　it；　but　if　you　try

any　tricks；　God　help　you！'　　He　spoke　in　a　nervous；

jerky　fashion；　and　with　little　giggling　laughs　in

between；　but　somehow　he　impressed　me　with　fear　more

than　the　other。



〃'What　do　you　want　with　me？'　I　asked。



〃'Only　to　ask　a　few　questions　of　a　Greek　gentleman　who

is　visiting　us；　and　to　let　us　have　the　answers。　　But

say　no　more　than　you　are　told　to　say；　or'　here　came

the　nervous　giggle　again'you　had　better　never　have

been　born。'



〃As　he　spoke　he　opened　a　door　and　showed　the　way　into

a　room　which　appeared　to　be　very　richly　furnished；　but

again　the　only　light　was　afforded　by　a　single　lamp

half…turned　down。　　The　chamber　was　certainly　large；

and　the　way　in　which　my　feet　sank　into　the　carpet　as　I

stepped　across　it　told　me　of　its　richness。　　I　caught

glimpses　of　velvet　chairs；　a　high　white　marble

mantel…piece；　and　what　seemed　to　be　a　suit　of　Japanese

armor　at　one　side　of　it。　　There　was　a　chair　just　under

the　lamp；　and　the　elderly　man　motioned　that　I　should

sit　in　it。　　The　younger　had　left　us；　but　he　suddenly

returned　through　another　door；　leading　with　him　a

gentleman　clad　in　some　sort　of　loose　dressing…gown　who

moved　slowly　towards　us。　　As　he　came　into　the　circle

of　dim　light　which　enables　me　to　see　him　more　clearly

I　was　thrilled　with　horror　at　his　appearance。　　He　was

deadly　pale　and　terribly　emaciated；　with　the

protruding；　brilliant　eyes　of　a　man　whose　spirit　was

greater　than　his　strength。　　But　what　shocked　me　more

than　any　signs　of　physical　weakness　was　that　his　face

was　grotesquely　criss…crossed　with　sticking…plaster；

and　that　one　large　pad　of　it　was　fastened　over　his

mouth。



〃'Have　you　the　slate；　Harold？'　cried　the　older　man；　as

this　strange　being　fell　rather　than　sat　down　into　a

chair。　　'Are　his　hands　loose？　　Now；　then；　give　him　the

pencil。　　You　are　to　ask　the　questions；　Mr。　Melas；　and

he　will　write　the　answers。　　Ask　him　first　of　all

whether　he　is　prepared　to　sign　the　papers？'



〃The　man's　eyes　flashed　fire。



〃'Never！'　he　wrote　in　Greek　upon　the　slate。



〃'On　no　condition？'　I　asked；　at　the　bidding　of　our

tyrant。



〃'Only　if　I　see　her　married　in　my　presence　by　a　Greek

priest　whom　I　know。'



〃The　man　giggled　in　his　venomous　way。



〃'You　know　what　awaits　you；　then？'



〃'I　care　nothing　for　myself。'



〃These　are　samples　of　the　questions　and　answers　which

made　up　our　strange　half…spoken；　half…written

conversation。　　Again　and　again　I　had　to　ask　him

whether　he　would　give　in　and　sign　the　documents。　

Again　and　again　I　had　the　same　indignant　reply。　　But

soon　a　happy　thought　came　to　me。　　I　took　to　adding　on

little　sentences　of　my　own　to　each　question；　innocent

ones　at　first；　to　test　whether　either　of　our

companions　knew　anything　of　the　matter；　and　then；　as　I

found　that　they　showed　no　signs　I　played　a　more

dangerous　game。　　Our　conversation　ran　something　like

this：



〃'You　can　do　no　good　by　this　obstinacy。　　Who　are　you？'



〃'I　care　not。　　I　am　a　stranger　in　London。'



〃'Your　fate　will　be　upon　your　own　head。　　How　long　have

you　been　here？'



〃'Let　it　be　so。　　Three　weeks。'



〃'The　property　can　never　be　yours。　　What　ails　you？'



〃'It　shall　not　go　to　villains。　　They　are　starving　me。'



〃'You　shall　go　free　if　you　sign。　　What　house　is　this？'



〃'I　will　never　sign。　　I　do　not　know。'



〃'You　are　not　doing　her　any　service。　　What　is　your

name？'



〃'Let　me　hear　her　say　so。　　Kratides。'



〃'You　shall　see　her　if　you　sign。　　Where　are　you　from？'



〃'Then　I　shall　never　see　her。　　Athens。'



〃Another　five　minutes；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　should　have

wormed　out　the　whole　story　under　their　very　noses。　　My

very　next　question　might　have　cleared　the　matter　up；

but　at　that　instant　the　door　opened　and　a　woman

stepped　into　the　room。　　I　could　not　see　her　clearly

enough　to　know　more　than　that　she　was　tall　and

graceful；　with　black　hair；　and　clad　in　some　sort　of

loose　white　gown。



〃'Harold；'　said　she；　speaking　English　with　a　broken

accent。　　'I　could　not　stay　away　longer。　　It　is　so

lonely　up　there　with　onlyOh；　my　God；　it　is　Paul！'



〃These　last　words　were　in　Greek；　and　at　the　same

instant　the　man　with　a　convulsive　effort　tore　the

plaster　from　his　lips；　and　screaming　out　'Sophy！　

Sophy！'　rushed　into　the　woman's　arms。　　Their　embrace

was　but　for　an　instant；　however；　for　the　younger　man

seized　the　woman　and　pushed　her　out　of　the　room；　while

the　elder　easily　overpowered　his　emaciated　victim；　and

dragged　him　away　through　the　other　door。　　For　a　moment

I　was　left　alone　in　the　room；　and　I　sprang　to　my　feet

with　some　vague　idea　that　I　might　in　some　way　get　a

clue　to　what　this　house　was　in　which　I　found　myself。　

Fortunately；　however；　I　took　no　steps；　for　looking　up

I　saw　that　the　older　man　was　standing　in　the　door…way

with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　me。



〃'That　will　do；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　he。　　'You　perceive

that　we　have　taken　you　into　our　confidence　over　some

very　private　business。　　We　should　not　have　troubled

you；　only　that　our　friend　who　speaks　Greek　and　who

began　these　negotiations　has　been　forced　to　return　to

the　East。　　It　was　quite　necessary　for　us　to　find　some

one　to　take　his　place；　and　we　were　fortunate　in

hearing　of　your　powers。'



〃I　bowed。



〃'There　are　five　sovereigns　here；'　said　he；　walking　up

to　me；　'which　will；　I　hope；　be　a　sufficient　fee。　　But

remember；'　he　added；　tapping　me　lightly　on　the　chest

and　giggling；　'if　you　speak　to　a　human　soul　about

thisone　human　soul；　mindwell；　may　God　have　mercy

upon　your　soul！〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you　the　loathing　and　horror　with　which

this　insignificant…looking　man　inspired　me。　　I　could

see　him　better　now　as　the　lamp…light　shone　upon　him。　

His　features　were　peaky　and　sallow；　and　his　little

pointed　beard　was　thready　and　ill…nourished。　　He

pushed　his　face　forward　as　he　spoke　and　his　lips　and

eyelids　were　continually　twitching　like　a　man　with　St。

Vitus's　dance。　　I　could　not　help　thinking　that　his

strange；　catchy　little　laugh　was　also　a　symptom　of

some　nervous　malady。　　The　terror　of　his　face　lay　in

his　eyes；　however；　steel　gray；　and　glistening　coldly

with　a　malignant；　inexorable　cruelty　in　their　depths。



〃'We　shall　know　if　you　speak　of　this；'　said　he。　　'We

have　our　own　means　of　information。　　Now　you　will　find

the　carriage　waiting；　and　my　friend　will　see　you　on

your　way。'



〃I　was　hurried　through　the　hall　and　into　the　vehicle；

again　obtaining　that　momentary　glimpse　of　trees　and　a

garden。　　Mr。　Latimer　followed　closely　at　my　heels；　and

took　his　place　opposite　to　me　without　a　word。　　In

silence　we　again　drove　for　an　interminable　distance

with　the　windows　raised；　until　at　last；　just　after

midnight；　the　carriage　pulled　up。



〃'You　will　get　down　here；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　my

companion。　　'I　am　sorry　to　leave　you　so　far　from　your

house；　but　there　is　no　alternative。　　Any　attempt　upon

your　part　to　follow　the　carriage　can　only　end　in

injury　to　yourself。'



〃He　opened　the　door　as　he　spoke；　and　I　had　hardly　time

to　spring　out　when　the　coachman　lashed　the　horse　and

the　carriage　rattled　away。　　I　looked　around　me　in

astonishment。　　I　was　on　some　sort　of　a　heathy　common

mottled　over　with　dark　clumps　of　furze…bushes。　　Far

away　stretched　a　line　of　houses；　with　a　light　here　and

there　in　the　upper　windows。　　On　the　other　side　I　saw

the　red　signal…lamps　of　a　railway。



〃The　carriage　which　had　brought　me　was　already　out　of

sight。　　I　stood　gazing　round　and　wondering　where　on