classic mystery and detective stories-第11章

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the　house　has　not　been　inhabited　for　weeks；　make　up　a　good　fire；

air　the　bed　well；see；　of　course；　that　there　are　candles　as　well

as　fuel。　　Take　with　you　my　revolver　and　my　dagger；so　much　for　my

weapons；　arm　yourself　equally　well；　and　if　we　are　not　a　match　for　a

dozen　ghosts；　we　shall　be　but　a　sorry　couple　of　Englishmen。



I　was　engaged　for　the　rest　of　the　day　on　business　so　urgent　that　I

had　not　leisure　to　think　much　on　the　nocturnal　adventure　to　which　I

had　plighted　my　honor。　　I　dined　alone；　and　very　late；　and　while

dining；　read；　as　is　my　habit。　　I　selected　one　of　the　volumes　of

Macaulay's　Essays。　　I　thought　to　myself　that　I　would　take　the　book

with　me；　there　was　so　much　of　healthfulness　in　the　style；　and

practical　life　in　the　subjects；　that　it　would　serve　as　an　antidote

against　the　influences　of　superstitious　fancy。



Accordingly；　about　half…past　nine；　I　put　the　book　into　my　pocket；

and　strolled　leisurely　toward　the　haunted　house。　　I　took　with　me　a

favorite　dog：　an　exceedingly　sharp；　bold；　and　vigilant　bull

terrier；a　dog　fond　of　prowling　about　strange；　ghostly　corners　and

passages　at　night　in　search　of　rats；　a　dog　of　dogs　for　a　ghost。



I　reached　the　house；　knocked；　and　my　servant　opened　with　a　cheerful

smile。



We　did　not　stay　long　in　the　drawing…rooms；in　fact；　they　felt　so

damp　and　so　chilly　that　I　was　glad　to　get　to　the　fire　upstairs。　　We

locked　the　doors　of　the　drawing…rooms；a　precaution　which；　I

should　observe；　we　had　taken　with　all　the　rooms　we　had　searched

below。　　The　bedroom　my　servant　had　selected　for　me　was　the　best　on

the　floor；a　large　one；　with　two　windows　fronting　the　street。　　The

four…posted　bed；　which　took　up　no　inconsiderable　space；　was

opposite　to　the　fire；　which　burned　clear　and　bright；　a　door　in　the

wall　to　the　left；　between　the　bed　and　the　window；　communicated　with

the　room　which　my　servant　appropriated　to　himself。　　This　last　was　a

small　room　with　a　sofa　bed；　and　had　no　communication　with　the

landing　place；no　other　door　but　that　which　conducted　to　the

bedroom　I　was　to　occupy。　　On　either　side　of　my　fireplace　was　a

cupboard　without　locks；　flush　with　the　wall；　and　covered　with　the

same　dull…brown　paper。　　We　examined　these　cupboards；only　hooks　to

suspend　female　dresses；　nothing　else；　we　sounded　the　walls；

evidently　solid；　the　outer　walls　of　the　building。　　Having　finished

the　survey　of　these　apartments；　warmed　myself　a　few　moments；　and

lighted　my　cigar；　I　then；　still　accompanied　by　F；　went　forth　to

complete　my　reconnoiter。　　In　the　landing　place　there　was　another

door；　it　was　closed　firmly。　　〃Sir；〃　said　my　servant；　in　surprise；

〃I　unlocked　this　door　with　all　the　others　when　I　first　came；　it

cannot　have　got　locked　from　the　inside；　for〃



Before　he　had　finished　his　sentence；　the　door；　which　neither　of　us

then　was　touching；　opened　quietly　of　itself。　　We　looked　at　each

other　a　single　instant。　　The　same　thought　seized　both；some　human

agency　might　be　detected　here。　　I　rushed　in　first；　my　servant

followed。　　A　small；　blank；　dreary　room　without　furniture；　a　few

empty　boxes　and　hampers　in　a　corner；　a　small　window；　the　shutters

closed；　not　even　a　fireplace；　no　other　door　but　that　by　which　we

had　entered；　no　carpet　on　the　floor；　and　the　floor　seemed　very　old；

uneven；　worm…eaten；　mended　here　and　there；　as　was　shown　by　the

whiter　patches　on　the　wood；　but　no　living　being；　and　no　visible

place　in　which　a　living　being　could　have　hidden。　　As　we　stood

gazing　round；　the　door　by　which　we　had　entered　closed　as　quietly　as

it　had　before　opened；　we　were　imprisoned。



For　the　first　time　I　felt　a　creep　of　indefinable　horror。　　Not　so　my

servant。　　〃Why；　they　don't　think　to　trap　us；　sir；　I　could　break

that　trumpery　door　with　a　kick　of　my　foot。〃



〃Try　first　if　it　will　open　to　your　hand；〃　said　I；　shaking　off　the

vague　apprehension　that　had　seized　me；　〃while　I　unclose　the

shutters　and　see　what　is　without。〃



I　unbarred　the　shutters；the　window　looked　on　the　little　back　yard

I　have　before　described；　there　was　no　ledge　without；nothing　to

break　the　sheer　descent　of　the　wall。　　No　man　getting　out　of　that

window　would　have　found　any　footing　till　he　had　fallen　on　the

stones　below。



F；　meanwhile；　was　vainly　attempting　to　open　the　door。　　He　now

turned　round　to　me　and　asked　my　permission　to　use　force。　　And　I

should　here　state；　in　justice　to　the　servant；　that；　far　from

evincing　any　superstitious　terrors；　his　nerve；　composure；　and　even

gayety　amidst　circumstances　so　extraordinary；　compelled　my

admiration；　and　made　me　congratulate　myself　on　having　secured　a

companion　in　every　way　fitted　to　the　occasion。　　I　willingly　gave

him　the　permission　he　required。　　But　though　he　was　a　remarkably

strong　man；　his　force　was　as　idle　as　his　milder　efforts；　the　door

did　not　even　shake　to　his　stoutest　kick。　　Breathless　and　panting；

he　desisted。　　I　then　tried　the　door　myself；　equally　in　vain。　　As　I

ceased　from　the　effort；　again　that　creep　of　horror　came　over　me；

but　this　time　it　was　more　cold　and　stubborn。　　I　felt　as　if　some

strange　and　ghastly　exhalation　were　rising　up　from　the　chinks　of

that　rugged　floor；　and　filling　the　atmosphere　with　a　venomous

influence　hostile　to　human　life。　　The　door　now　very　slowly　and

quietly　opened　as　of　its　own　accord。　　We　precipitated　ourselves

into　the　landing　place。　　We　both　saw　a　large；　pale　lightas　large

as　the　human　figure；　but　shapeless　and　unsubstantialmove　before

us；　and　ascend　the　stairs　that　led　from　the　landing　into　the

attics。　　I　followed　the　light；　and　my　servant　followed　me。　　It

entered；　to　the　right　of　the　landing；　a　small　garret；　of　which　the

door　stood　open。　　I　entered　in　the　same　instant。　　The　light　then

collapsed　into　a　small　globule；　exceedingly　brilliant　and　vivid；

rested　a　moment　on　a　bed　in　the　corner；　quivered；　and　vanished。　　We

approached　the　bed　and　examined　it；a　half…tester；　such　as　is

commonly　found　in　attics　devoted　to　servants。　　On　the　drawers　that

stood　near　it　we　perceived　an　old　faded　silk　kerchief；　with　the

needle　still　left　in　a　rent　half　repaired。　　The　kerchief　was

covered　with　dust；　probably　it　had　belonged　to　the　old　woman　who

had　last　died　in　that　house；　and　this　might　have　been　her　sleeping

room。　　I　had　sufficient　curiosity　to　open　the　drawers：　there　were　a

few　odds　and　ends　of　female　dress；　and　two　letters　tied　round　with

a　narrow　ribbon　of　faded　yellow。　　I　took　the　liberty　to　possess

myself　of　the　letters。　　We　found　nothing　else　in　the　room　worth

noticing；nor　did　the　light　reappear；　but　we　distinctly　heard；　as

we　turned　to　go；　a　pattering　footfall　on　the　floor；　just　before　us。

We　went　through　the　other　attics　（in　all　four）；　the　footfall　still

preceding　us。　　Nothing　to　be　seen；nothing　but　the　footfall　heard。

I　had　the　letters　in　my　hand；　just　as　I　was　descending　the　stairs　I

distinctly　felt　my　wrist　seized；　and　a　faint；　soft　effort　made　to

draw　the　letters　from　my　clasp。　　I　only　held　them　the　more　tightly；

and　the　effort　ceased。



We　regained　the　bedchamber　appropriated　to　myself；　and　I　then

remarked　that　my　dog　had　not　followed　us　when　we　had　left　it。　　He

was　thrusting　himself　close　to　the　fire；　and　trembling。　　I　was

impatient　to　examine　the　letters；　and　while　I　read　them；　my　servant

opened　a　little　box　in　which　he　had　deposited　the　weapons　I　had

ordered　him　to　bring；　took　them　out；　placed　them　on　a　table　close

at　my　bed　head；　and　then　occupied　himself　in　soothing　the　dog；　who；

however；　seemed　to　heed　him　very　little。



The　letters　were　short；they　were　dated；　the　dates　exactly　thirty…

five　years　ago。　　They　were　evidently　from　a　lover　to　his　mistress；

or　a　husband　to　some　young　wife。　　Not　only　the　terms　of　expression；

but　a　distinct　reference　to　a　former　voyage；　indicated　the　writer

to　have　been　a　seafarer。　　The　spelling　and　handwriting　were　those

of　a　man　imperfectly　educated；　but　still　the　language　itself　was

forcible。　　In　the　expressions　of　endearment　there　was　a　kind　of

rough；　wild　love；　but　here　and　there　were　dark　u