classic mystery and detective stories-第5章

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established　and　as　common　a　state　of　mind　as　any　with　which

observers　are　acquainted；　and　that　it　is　one　of　the　first　elements；

above　all　others；　rationally　to　be　suspected　in；　and　strictly

looked　for；　and　separated　from；　any　question　of　this　kind。



To　return　to　our　party。　　The　first　thing　we　did　when　we　were　all

assembled；　was；　to　draw　lots　for　bedrooms。　　That　done；　and　every

bedroom；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　house；　having　been　minutely

examined　by　the　whole　body；　we　allotted　the　various　household

duties；　as　if　we　had　been　on　a　gipsy　party；　or　a　yachting　party；　or

a　hunting　party；　or　were　shipwrecked。　　I　then　recounted　the

floating　rumors　concerning　the　hooded　lady；　the　owl；　and　Master　B。：

with　others；　still　more　filmy；　which　had　floated　about　during　our

occupation；　relative　to　some　ridiculous　old　ghost　of　the　female

gender　who　went　up　and　down；　carrying　the　ghost　of　a　round　table；

and　also　to　an　impalpable　Jackass；　whom　nobody　was　ever　able　to

catch。　　Some　of　these　ideas　I　really　believe　our　people　below　had

communicated　to　one　another　in　some　diseased　way；　without　conveying

them　in　words。　　We　then　gravely　called　one　another　to　witness；　that

we　were　not　there　to　be　deceived；　or　to　deceivewhich　we

considered　pretty　much　the　same　thingand　that；　with　a　serious

sense　of　responsibility；　we　would　be　strictly　true　to　one　another；

and　would　strictly　follow　out　the　truth。　　The　understanding　was

established；　that　any　one　who　heard　unusual　noises　in　the　night；

and　who　wished　to　trace　them；　should　knock　at　my　door；　lastly；　that

on　Twelfth　Night；　the　last　night　of　holy　Christmas；　all　our

individual　experiences　since　that　then　present　hour　of　our　coming

together　in　the　haunted　house；　should　be　brought　to　light　for　the

good　of　all；　and　that　we　would　hold　our　peace　on　the　subject　till

then；　unless　on　some　remarkable　provocation　to　break　silence。



We　were；　in　number　and　in　character；　as　follows：



Firstto　get　my　sister　and　myself　out　of　the　waythere　were　we

two。　　In　the　drawing　of　lots；　my　sister　drew　her　own　room；　and　I

drew　Master　B。's。　　Next；　there　was　our　first　cousin　John　Herschel；

so　called　after　the　great　astronomer：　than　whom　I　suppose　a　better

man　at　a　telescope　does　not　breathe。　　With　him；　was　his　wife：　a

charming　creature　to　whom　he　had　been　married　in　the　previous

spring。　　I　thought　it　（under　the　circumstances）　rather　imprudent　to

bring　her；　because　there　is　no　knowing　what　even　a　false　alarm　may

do　at　such　a　time；　but　I　suppose　he　knew　his　own　business　best；　and

I　must　say　that　if　she　had　been　MY　wife；　I　never　could　have　left

her　endearing　and　bright　face　behind。　　They　drew　the　Clock　Room。

Alfred　Starling；　an　uncommonly　agreeable　young　fellow　of　eight…and…

twenty　for　whom　I　have　the　greatest　liking；　was　in　the　Double　Room；

mine；　usually；　and　designated　by　that　name　from　having　a　dressing…

room　within　it；　with　two　large　and　cumbersome　windows；　which　no

wedges　I　was　ever　able　to　make；　would　keep　from　shaking；　in　any

weather；　wind　or　no　wind。　　Alfred　is　a　young　fellow　who　pretends　to

be　〃fast〃　（another　word　for　loose；　as　I　understand　the　term）；　but

who　is　much　too　good　and　sensible　for　that　nonsense；　and　who　would

have　distinguished　himself　before　now；　if　his　father　had　not

unfortunately　left　him　a　small　independence　of　two　hundred　a　year；

on　the　strength　of　which　his　only　occupation　in　life　has　been　to

spend　six。　　I　am　in　hopes；　however；　that　his　Banker　may　break；　or

that　he　may　enter　into　some　speculation　guaranteed　to　pay　twenty

per　cent。；　for；　I　am　convinced　that　if　he　could　only　be　ruined；　his

fortune　is　made。　　Belinda　Bates；　bosom　friend　of　my　sister；　and　a

most　intellectual；　amiable；　and　delightful　girl；　got　the　Picture

Room。　　She　has　a　fine　genius　for　poetry；　combined　with　real

business　earnestness；　and　〃goes　in〃to　use　an　expression　of

Alfred'sfor　Woman's　mission；　Woman's　rights；　Woman's　wrongs；　and

everything　that　is　woman's　with　a　capital　W；　or　is　not　and　ought　to

be；　or　is　and　ought　not　to　be。　　〃Most　praiseworthy；　my　dear；　and

Heaven　prosper　you！〃　I　whispered　to　her　on　the　first　night　of　my

taking　leave　of　her　at　the　Picture…Room　door；　〃but　don't　overdo　it。

And　in　respect　of　the　great　necessity　there　is；　my　darling；　for

more　employments　being　within　the　reach　of　Woman　than　our

civilisation　has　as　yet　assigned　to　her；　don't　fly　at　the

unfortunate　men；　even　those　men　who　are　at　first　sight　in　your　way；

as　if　they　were　the　natural　oppressors　of　your　sex；　for；　trust　me；

Belinda；　they　do　sometimes　spend　their　wages　among　wives　and

daughters；　sisters；　mothers；　aunts；　and　grandmothers；　and　the　play

is；　really；　not　ALL　Wolf　and　Red　Riding…Hood；　but　has　other　parts

in　it。〃　　However；　I　digress。



Belinda；　as　I　have　mentioned；　occupied　the　Picture　Room。　　We　had

but　three　other　chambers：　the　Corner　Room；　the　Cupboard　Room；　and

the　Garden　Room。　　My　old　friend；　Jack　Governor；　〃slung　his

hammock；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　the　Corner　Room。　　I　have　always

regarded　Jack　as　the　finest…looking　sailor　that　ever　sailed。　　He　is

gray　now；　but　as　handsome　as　he　was　a　quarter　of　a　century　ago

nay；　handsomer。　　A　portly；　cheery；　well…built　figure　of　a　broad…

shouldered　man；　with　a　frank　smile；　a　brilliant　dark　eye；　and　a

rich　dark　eyebrow。　　I　remember　those　under　darker　hair；　and　they

look　all　the　better　for　their　silver　setting。　　He　has　been　wherever

his　Union　namesake　flies；　has　Jack；　and　I　have　met　old　shipmates　of

his；　away　in　the　Mediterranean　and　on　the　other　side　of　the

Atlantic；　who　have　beamed　and　brightened　at　the　casual　mention　of

his　name；　and　have　cried；　〃You　know　Jack　Governor？　　Then　you　know　a

prince　of　men！〃　　That　he　is！　　And　so　unmistakably　a　naval　officer；

that　if　you　were　to　meet　him　coming　out　of　an　Esquimaux　snow…hut　in

seal's　skin；　you　would　be　vaguely　persuaded　he　was　in　full　naval

uniform。



Jack　once　had　that　bright　clear　eye　of　his　on　my　sister；　but；　it

fell　out　that　he　married　another　lady　and　took　her　to　South

America；　where　she　died。　　This　was　a　dozen　years　ago　or　more。　　He

brought　down　with　him　to　our　haunted　house　a　little　cask　of　salt

beef；　for；　he　is　always　convinced　that　all　salt　beef　not　of　his　own

pickling；　is　mere　carrion；　and　invariably；　when　he　goes　to　London；

packs　a　piece　in　his　portmanteau。　　He　had　also　volunteered　to　bring

with　him　one　〃Nat　Beaver；〃　an　old　comrade　of　his；　captain　of　a

merchantman。　　Mr。　Beaver；　with　a　thick…set　wooden　face　and　figure；

and　apparently　as　hard　as　a　block　all　over；　proved　to　be　an

intelligent　man；　with　a　world　of　watery　experiences　in　him；　and

great　practical　knowledge。　　At　times；　there　was　a　curious

nervousness　about　him；　apparently　the　lingering　result　of　some　old

illness；　but；　it　seldom　lasted　many　minutes。　　He　got　the　Cupboard

Room；　and　lay　there　next　to　Mr。　Undery；　my　friend　and　solicitor：

who　came　down；　in　an　amateur　capacity；　〃to　go　through　with　it；〃　as

he　said；　and　who　plays　whist　better　than　the　whole　Law　List；　from

the　red　cover　at　the　beginning　to　the　red　cover　at　the　end。



I　never　was　happier　in　my　life；　and　I　believe　it　was　the　universal

feeling　among　us。　　Jack　Governor；　always　a　man　of　wonderful

resources；　was　Chief　Cook；　and　made　some　of　the　best　dishes　I　ever

ate；　including　unapproachable　curries。　　My　sister　was　pastry　cook

and　confectioner。　　Starling　and　I　were　Cook's　Mate；　turn　and　turn

about；　and　on　special　occasions　the　chief　cook　〃pressed〃　Mr。

Beaver。　　We　had　a　great　deal　of　outdoor　sport　and　exercise；　but

nothing　was　neglected　within；　and　there　was　no　ill…humor　or

misunderstanding　among　us；　and　our　evenings　were　so　delightful　that

we　had　at　least　one　good　reason　for　being　reluctant　to　go　to　bed。



We　had　a　few　night　alarms　in　the　beginning。　　On　the　first　night；　I

was　knocked　up　by　Jack　with　a　most　wonderful　ship's　lantern　in　his

hand；　like　the　gills　of　some　monster　of　the　deep；　who　informed　me

that　he　〃was　going　aloft　to　the　main　truck；〃　to　have　the

weathercock　down。　　It　was　a　stormy　night