classic mystery and detective stories-第84章

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in　every　limb；　incapable　apparently　of　speech　or　action；　and　George

faced　him；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　he　was。　　For　an　instant　they

remained　thus；　while　I　looked　breathlessly　on。　　Then　George；　with　a

muttered　imprecation；　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　the　room。　　Alan

followed　him　as　he　went　with　dull　lifeless　eyes；　and　as　the　door

closed　he　breathed　deeply；　with　a　breath　that　was　almost　a　groan。



Taking　my　courage　in　both　hands；　I　now　descended　the　stairs；　and　at

the　sound　of　my　footfall　he　glanced　up；　started；　and　then　came

rapidly　to　meet　me。



〃Evie！　you　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　notice　you。　　How　long　have

you　been　here？〃　　He　was　still　quite　white；　and　I　noticed　that　he

panted　for　breath　as　he　spoke。



〃Not　long；〃　I　answered；　timidly；　and　rather　spasmodically；　〃I　only

heard　a　sentence　or　two。　　You　wanted　George　to　do　something　about

some　tradition　or　other；and　he　was　angry；and　he　said　something

about　the　curse。〃



While　I　spoke　Alan　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　reading　through

them；　as　I　knew；　into　my　mind。　　When　I　had　finished　he　turned　his

gaze　away　satisfied；　and　answered　very　quietly；　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃

Then　he　went　back　to　the　fireplace；　rested　his　arm　against　the　high

mantelpiece　above　it；　and　leaning　his　forehead　on　his　arm；　remained

silently　looking　into　the　fire。　　I　could　see　by　his　bent　brow　and

compressed　lips　that　he　was　engaged　upon　some　earnest　train　of

thought　or　reasoning；　and　I　stood　waitingworried；　puzzled；

curious；　but　above　all　things；　pitiful；　and　oh！　longing　so

intensely　to　help　him　if　I　could。　　Presently　he　straightened

himself　a　little；　and　addressed　me　more　in　his　ordinary　tone　of

voice；　though　without　looking　round。　　〃So　I　hear　they　have　changed

your　room。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　And　then；　flushing　rather；　〃Is　that　what　you

and　George　have　been　quarreling　about？〃　　I　received　no　reply；　and

taking　this　silence　for　assent；　I　went　on　deprecatingly；　〃Because

you　know；　if　it　was；　I　think　you　are　rather　foolish；　Alan。　　As　I

understand；　two　girls　are　said　to　have　died　in　that　room　more　than

a　hundred　years　ago；　and　for　that　reason　there　is　a　prejudice

against　putting　a　girl　to　sleep　there。　　That　is　all。　　Merely　a

vague；　unreasonable　tradition。〃



Alan　took　a　moment　to　answer。



〃Yes；〃　he　said　at　length；　speaking　slowly；　and　as　if　replying　to

arguments　in　his　own　mind　as　much　as　to　those　which　I　had　uttered。

〃Yes；　it　is　nothing　but　a　tradition　after　all；　and　that　of　the　very

vaguest　and　most　unsupported　kind。〃



〃Is　there　even　any　proof　that　girls　have　not　slept　there　since

those　two　died？〃　I　asked。　　I　think　that　the　suggestion　conveyed　in

this　question　was　a　relief　to　him；　for　after　a　moment's　pause；　as

if　to　search　his　memory；　he　turned　round。



〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　think　that　there　is　any　such　proof；　and

I　have　no　doubt　that　you　are　right；　and　that　it　is　a　mere　prejudice

that　makes　me　dislike　your　sleeping　there。〃



〃Then；〃　I　said；　with　a　little　assumption　of　sisterly　superiority；

〃I　think　George　was　right；　and　that　you　were　wrong。〃



Alan　smiled；a　smiled　which　sat　oddly　on　the　still　pale　face；　and

in　the　wearied；　worn…looking　eyes。　　〃Very　likely；〃　he　said；　〃I

daresay　that　I　am　superstitious。　　I　have　had　things　to　make　me　so。〃

Then　coming　nearer　to　me；　and　laying　his　hands　on　my　shoulders；　he

went　on；　smiling　more　brightly；　〃We　are　a　queer…tempered；　bad…

nerved　race；　we　Mervyns；　and　you　must　not　take　us　too　seriously；

Evie。　　The　best　thing　that　you　can　do　with　our　odd　ways　is　to

ignore　them。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　I　answered；　laughing；　too　glad　to　have　won　him

back　to　even　temporary　brightness；　〃as　long　as　you　and　George　don't

come　to　blows　over　the　question　of　where　I　am　to　sleep；　which　after

all　is　chiefly　my　concern；and　Lucy's。〃



〃Well；　perhaps　it　is；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　tone；　〃and　now　be

off　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　is　defending　the　tea…table

single…handed　all　this　time。〃



I　obeyed；　and　should　have　gone　more　cheerfully　had　I　not　turned　at

the　doorway　to　look　back　at　him；　and　caught　one　glimpse　of　his　face

as　he　sank　heavily　down　into　the　large　arm…chair　by　the　fireside。



However；　by　dinner…time　he　appeared　to　have　dismissed　all　painful

reflections　from　his　mind；　or　to　have　buried　them　too　deep　for

discovery。　　The　people　staying　in　the　house　were；　in　spite　of　my

sense　of　grievance　at　their　arrival；　individually　pleasant；　and

after　dinner　I　discovered　them　to　be　socially　well　assorted。　　For

the　first　hour　or　two；　indeed；　after　their　arrival；　each　glared　at

the　other　across　those　triple　lines　of　moral　fortification　behind

which　every　well…bred　Briton　takes　refuge　on　appearing　at　a

friend's　country…house。　　But　flags　of　truce　were　interchanged　over

the　soup；　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　during　the　roast；　and　the

terms　of　a　treaty　of　peace　and　amity　were　finally　ratified　under

the　sympathetic　influence　of　George's　best　champagne。　　For　the

achievement　of　this　happy　result　Alan　certainly　worked　hard；　and

received　therefor　many　a　grateful　glance　from　his　sister…in…law。

He　was　more　excited　than　I　had　ever　seen　him　before；　and　talked

brilliantly　and　wellthough　perhaps　not　as　exclusively　to　his

neighbors　as　they　may　have　wished。　　His　eyes　and　his　attention

seemed　everywhere　at　once：　one　moment　he　was　throwing　remarks

across　to　some　despairing　couple　opposite；　and　the　next　he　was

breaking　an　embarrassing　pause　in　the　conversation　by　some　rapid

sally　of　nonsense　addressed　to　the　table　in　general。　　He　formed　a

great　contrast　to　his　brother；　who　sat　gloomy　and　dejected；　making

little　or　no　response　to　the　advances　of　the　two　dowagers　between

whom　he　was　placed。　　After　dinner　the　younger　members　of　the　party

spent　the　evening　by　Alan's　initiative；　and　chiefly　under　his

direction；　in　a　series　of　lively　and　rather　riotous　games　such　as

my　nursery　days　had　delighted　in；　and　my　schoolroom　ones　had

disdained。　　It　was　a　great　and　happy　surprise　to　discover　that；

grown　up；　I　might　again　enjoy　them。　　I　did　so；　hugely；　and　when

bedtime　came　all　memories　more　serious　than　those　of　〃musical

chairs〃　or　〃follow　my　leader〃　had　vanished　from　my　mind。　　I　think；

from　Alan's　glance　as　he　handed　me　my　bed　candle；　that　the　pleasure

and　excitement　must　have　improved　my　looks。



〃I　hope　you　have　enjoyed　your　first　evening　of　gayety；　Evie；〃　he

said。



〃I　have；〃　I　answered；　with　happy　conviction；　〃and　really　I　believe

that　it　is　chiefly　owing　to　you；　Alan。〃　　He　met　my　smile　by

another；　but　I　think　that　there　must　have　been　something　in　his

look　which　recalled　other　thoughts；　for　as　I　started　up　the　stairs

I　threw　a　mischievous　glance　back　at　him　and　whispered；　〃Now　for

the　horrors　of　the　haunted　chamber。〃



He　laughed　rather　loudly；　and　saying　〃Good…night；　and　good…luck；〃

turned　to　attend　to　the　other　ladies。



His　wishes　were　certainly　fulfilled。　　I　got　to　bed　quickly；　andas

soon　as　my　happy　excitement　was　sufficiently　calmed　to　admit　of　it

to　sleep。　　The　only　thing　which　disturbed　me　was　the　wind；　which

blew　fiercely　and　loudly　all　the　earlier　portion　of　the　night；　half

arousing　me　more　than　once。　　I　spoke　of　it　at　breakfast　the　next

morning；　but　the　rest　of　the　world　seemed　to　have　slept　too　heavily

to　have　been　aware　of　it。





IV





The　men　went　out　shooting　directly　after　breakfast；　and　we　women

passed　the　day　in　orthodox　country…house　fashion；working　and

eating；　walking　and　riding；　driving　and　playing　croquet；　and　above；

beyond；　and　through　all　things；　chattering。　　Beyond　a　passing　sigh

while　I　was　washing　my　hands；　or　a　moment　of　mournful　remembrance

while　I　changed　my　dress；　I　had　scarcely　time　even　to　regret　the

quiet　happiness　of　the　week　that　was　past。　　In　the　evening　we

danced　in　the　great　hall。　　I　had　two　valses　with　Alan。　　During　a

pause　for　breath；　I　found　that　we　were　standing　near　the　fireplace；

on　the　very　spot　where　he　and　George　had　stood　on　the　previous

afternoon。　　The　r