round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第42章
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He had sat reading for about an hour； and the hands of the noisy
carriage clock upon the side table were rapidly closing together upon the
twelve； when a sudden sound fell upon the student's eara sharp； rather
shrill sound； like the hissing intake of a man's breath who gasps under
some strong emotion。 Smith laid down his book and slanted his ear to
listen。 There was no one on either side or above him； so that the
interruption came certainly from the neighbour beneaththe same
neighbour of whom Hastie had given so unsavoury an account。 Smith
knew him only as a flabby； pale…faced man of silent and studious habits； a
man； whose lamp threw a golden bar from the old turret even after he had
extinguished his own。 This community in lateness had formed a certain
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silent bond between them。 It was soothing to Smith when the hours stole
on towards dawning to feel that there was another so close who set as
small a value upon his sleep as he did。 Even now； as his thoughts turned
towards him； Smith's feelings were kindly。 Hastie was a good fellow； but
he was rough； strong…fibred； with no imagination or sympathy。 He could
not tolerate departures from what he looked upon as the model type of
manliness。 If a man could not be measured by a public…school standard；
then he was beyond the pale with Hastie。 Like so many who are
themselves robust； he was apt to confuse the constitution with the
character； to ascribe to want of principle what was really a want of
circulation。 Smith； with his stronger mind； knew his friend's habit； and
made allowance for it now as his thoughts turned towards the man beneath
him。
There was no return of the singular sound； and Smith was about to turn
to his work once more； when suddenly there broke out in the silence of the
night a hoarse cry； a positive screamthe call of a man who is moved and
shaken beyond all control。 Smith sprang out of his chair and dropped his
book。 He was a man of fairly firm fibre； but there was something in this
sudden； uncontrollable shriek of horror which chilled his blood and
pringled in his skin。 Coming in such a place and at such an hour； it
brought a thousand fantastic possibilities into his head。 Should he rush
down； or was it better to wait？ He had all the national hatred of making a
scene； and he knew so little of his neighbour that he would not lightly
intrude upon his affairs。 For a moment he stood in doubt and even as he
balanced the matter there was a quick rattle of footsteps upon the stairs；
and young Monkhouse Lee； half dressed and as white as ashes； burst into
his room。
〃Come down！〃 he gasped。 〃Bellingham's ill。〃
Abercrombie Smith followed him closely down stairs into the sitting…
room which was beneath his own； and intent as he was upon the matter in
hand； he could not but take an amazed glance around him as he crossed
the threshold。 It was such a chamber as he had never seen beforea
museum rather than a study。 Walls and ceiling were thickly covered with
a thousand strange relics from Egypt and the East。 Tall； angular figures
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bearing burdens or weapons stalked in an uncouth frieze round the
apartments。 Above were bull…headed； stork…headed； cat…headed； owl…
headed statues； with viper…crowned； almond…eyed monarchs； and strange；
beetle…like deities cut out of the blue Egyptian lapis lazuli。 Horus and
Isis and Osiris peeped down from every niche and shelf； while across the
ceiling a true son of Old Nile； a great； hanging…jawed crocodile； was slung
in a double noose。
In the centre of this singular chamber was a large； square table； littered
with papers； bottles； and the dried leaves of some graceful； palm…like plant。
These varied objects had all been heaped together in order to make room
for a mummy case； which had been conveyed from the wall； as was
evident from the gap there； and laid across the front of the table。 The
mummy itself； a horrid； black； withered thing； like a charred head on a
gnarled bush； was lying half out of the case； with its clawlike hand and
bony forearm resting upon the table。 Propped up against the sarcophagus
was an old yellow scroll of papyrus； and in front of it； in a wooden
armchair； sat the owner of the room； his head thrown back； his widely…
opened eyes directed in a horrified stare to the crocodile above him； and
his blue； thick lips puffing loudly with every expiration。
〃My God！ he's dying！〃 cried Monkhouse Lee distractedly。
He was a slim； handsome young fellow； olive… skinned and dark…eyed；
of a Spanish rather than of an English type； with a Celtic intensity of
manner which contrasted with the Saxon phlegm of Abercombie Smith。
〃Only a faint； I think；〃 said the medical student。 〃Just give me a hand
with him。 You take his feet。 Now on to the sofa。 Can you kick all
those little wooden devils off？ What a litter it is！ Now he will be all
right if we undo his collar and give him some water。 What has he been
up to at all？〃
〃I don't know。 I heard him cry out。 I ran up。 I know him pretty
well； you know。 It is very good of you to come down。〃
〃His heart is going like a pair of castanets；〃 said Smith； laying his hand
on the breast of the unconscious man。 〃He seems to me to be frightened
all to pieces。 Chuck the water over him！ What a face he has got on
him！〃
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It was indeed a strange and most repellent face； for colour and outline
were equally unnatural。 It was white； not with the ordinary pallor of fear
but with an absolutely bloodless white； like the under side of a sole。 He
was very fat； but gave the impression of having at some time been
considerably fatter； for his skin hung loosely in creases and folds； and was
shot with a meshwork of wrinkles。 Short； stubbly brown hair bristled up
from his scalp； with a pair of thick； wrinkled ears protruding on either side。
His light grey eyes were still open； the pupils dilated and the balls
projecting in a fixed and horrid stare。 It seemed to Smith as he looked
down upon him that he had never seen nature's danger signals flying so
plainly upon a man's countenance； and his thoughts turned more seriously
to the warning which Hastie had given him an hour before。
〃What the deuce can have frightened him so？〃 he asked。
〃It's the mummy。〃
〃The mummy？ How； then？〃
〃I don't know。 It's beastly and morbid。 I wish he would drop it。
It's the second fright he has given me。 It was the
