the notch on the ax and on being found out-第76章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
when I tell you that the iron in your hands once floated in the
circulation of a man。 It is made from human blood。〃
〃Human blood！〃 I murmured。
He went on expounding the physiological wonders of the blood；how
it carried； dissolved in its currents； a proportion of iron and
earths； how this iron was extracted by chemists and exhibited as a
curiosity； and how this chain had been manufactured from such
extracts。 I heard every word； but my thoughts were hurrying to and
fro in the agitation of a supreme moment。 That there was a dagger
underneath that coatthat in a few moments it would flash forth
that a death…struggle was at hand；I knew well。 My safety
depended on presence of mind。 That incalculable rapidity with
which； in critical moments； the mind surveys all the openings and
resources of an emergency； had assured me that there was no weapon
within reachthat before I could give an alarm the tiger would be
at my throat； and that my only chance was to keep my eyes fixed
upon him； ready to spring on him the moment the next fastening was
undone； and before he could use his arm。
At last the idea occurred to me； that as； with a wild beast； safety
lies in attacking him just before he attacks you； so with this
beast my best chance was audacity。 Looking steadily into his face；
I said slowly：
〃And you would like to have such a chain made from my blood。〃 I
rose as I spoke。 He remained sitting； but was evidently taken
aback。
〃What do you mean？〃 he said。
〃I mean；〃 said I； sternly； 〃that your coat is unfastened； and that
if another fastening is loosened in my presence； I fell you to the
earth。〃
〃You're a fool！〃 he exclaimed。
I moved towards the door； keeping my eye fixed upon him as he sat
pale and glaring at me。
〃YOU are a fool；〃 I said〃 and worse； if you stir。〃
At this moment； I know not by what sense； as if I had eyes at the
back of my head； I was aware of some one moving behind me； yet I
dared not look aside。 Suddenly two mighty folds of darkness seemed
to envelop me like arms。 A powerful scent ascended my nostrils。
There was a ringing in my ears； a beating at my heart。 Darkness
came on； deeper and deeper； like huge waves。 I seemed growing to
gigantic stature。 The waves rolled on faster and faster。 The
ringing became a roaring。 The beating became a throbbing。 Lights
flashed across the darkness。 Forms moved before me。 On came the
waves hurrying like a tide； and I sank deeper and deeper into this
mighty sea of darkness。 Then all was silent。 Consciousness was
still。
。 。 。 。 。 。
How long I remained unconscious； I cannot tell。 But it must have
been some considerable time。 When consciousness once more began to
dawn within me； I found myself lying on a bed surrounded by a group
of eager； watching faces； and became aware of a confused murmur of
whispering going on around me。 〃Er Lebt〃 （he lives） were the words
which greeted my opening eyeswords which I recognized as coming
from my landlord。
I had had a very narrow escape。 Another moment and I should not
have lived to tell the tale。 The dagger that had already immolated
two of Bourgonef's objects of vengeance would have been in my
breast。 As it was； at the very moment when the terrible Ivan had
thrown his arms around me and was stifling me with chloroform； one
of the servants of the hotel； alarmed or attracted by curiosity at
the sound of high words within the room； had ventured to open the
door to see what was going on。 The alarm had been given； and
Bourgonef had been arrested and handed over to the police。 Ivan；
however； had disappeared； nor were the police ever able to find
him。 This mattered comparatively little。 Ivan without his master
was no more redoubtable than any other noxious animal。 As an
accomplice； as an instrument to execute the will of a man like
Bourgonef； he was a danger to society。 The directing intelligence
withdrawn； he sank to the level of the brute。 I was not uneasy；
therefore； at his having escaped。 Sufficient for me that the real
criminal； the mind that had conceived and directed those fearful
murders； was at last in the hands of justice。 I felt that my task
had been fully accomplished when Bourgonef's head fell on the
scaffold。
The Closed Cabinet
I
It was with a little alarm and a good deal of pleasurable
excitement that I looked forward to my first grown…up visit to
Mervyn Grange。 I had been there several times as a child； but
never since I was twelve years old； and now I was over eighteen。
We were all of us very proud of our cousins the Mervyns： it is not
everybody that can claim kinship with a family who are in full and
admitted possession of a secret； a curse； and a mysterious cabinet；
in addition to the usual surplusage of horrors supplied in such
cases by popular imagination。 Some declared that a Mervyn of the
days of Henry VIII had been cursed by an injured abbot from the
foot of the gallows。 Others affirmed that a dissipated Mervyn of
the Georgian era was still playing cards for his soul in some
remote region of the Grange。 There were stories of white ladies
and black imps； of bloodstained passages and magic stones。 We；
proud of our more intimate acquaintance with the family； naturally
gave no credence to these wild inventions。 The Mervyns； indeed；
followed the accepted precedent in such cases； and greatly disliked
any reference to the reputed mystery being made in their presence；
with the inevitable result that there was no subject so
pertinaciously discussed by their friends in their absence。 My
father's sister had married the late Baronet； Sir Henry Mervyn； and
we always felt that she ought to have been the means of imparting
to us a very complete knowledge of the family secret。 But in this
connection she undoubtedly failed of her duty。 We knew that there
had been a terrible tragedy in the family some two or three hundred
years agothat a peculiarly wicked owner of Mervyn； who flourished
in the latter part of the sixteenth century； had been murdered by
his wife who subsequently committed suicide。 We knew that the
mysterious curse had some connection with this crime； but what the
curse exactly was we had never been able to discover。 The history
of the family since that time had indeed in one sense been full of
misfortune。 Not in every sense。 A coal mine had been discovered
in one part of the estate； and a populous city had grown over the
corner of another part； and the Mervyns of to…day； in spite of the
usual percentage of extravagant heirs and political mistakes； were
three times as rich as their ancestors had been。 But still their
story was full of bloodshed and shame； of tales of duels and
suicides； broken hearts and broken honor。 Only these calamities
seemed to have little or no relation to each other； and what the
precise curse was that was supposed to connect or account for them
we could not learn。 When she first married； my aunt was told
nothing about it。 Later on in life； when my father asked her for
the story； she begged him to talk upon a pleasanter subject； and
being unluckily a man of much courtesy and little curiosity； he
complied with her request。 This； however； was the only part of the
ghostly traditions of her husband's home upon which she was so
reticent。 The haunted chamber； for instancewhich； of course；
existed at the Grangeshe treated with the greatest contempt。
Various friends and relations had slept in it at different times；
and no approach to any kind of authenticated ghost…story； even of
the most trivial description； had they been able to supply。 Its
only claim to respect； indeed； was that it contained the famous
Mervyn cabinet； a fascinating puzzle of which I will speak later；
but which certainly had nothing haunting or horrible about its
appearance。
My uncle's family consisted of three sons。 The eldest； George； the
present baronet； was now in his thirties； married； and with
children of his own。 The second； Jack； was the black…sheep of the
family。 He had been in the Guards； but； about five years back； had
got into some very disgraceful scrape； and had been obliged to
leave the c
