the grey room(灰房间)-第30章
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soon as they arrive。
〃And they will be welcome。 I would myself willingly pull down
Chadlands to the foundations if by so doing I could discover the truth。〃
〃It demands no such sacrifice；〃 declared May； who had listened to
these facts。 〃Bricks and mortar； stone and timber are innocent things。
One might as soon dissect a thunder…cloud to find the lightning as destroy
material substances to discover what is hidden in this house。 The
unknown being； about his Master's business here； will no more yield its
secret to four detectives； or an army of them； than it did to one。 'What I
do thou knowest not now。' It is all summed up in that。〃
He turned to Mannering and asked a sudden question。
〃Why did you object to Mary hearing these facts？ In what way
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should they distress her particularly？〃
〃Can you。 not see？ Indeed； one might fairly have objected to your
presence also。 But you are a man。 There is an implied horror of the
darkest sort for poor Mary in the suggestion that Hardcastle may still live。
If he can be brought back to life； then she would surely think that perhaps
her husband and your son might have been。 Imagine the agony of that。 I
speak plainly； indeed； there is no rational or sentimental reason why I
should not； for the truth is； of course； that the signs of death were clearly
evident on your poor boy before what we had to do was done。 But the
bare thought must have shocked Mary。 We know emphatically that
Hardcastle is dead； and we need not mention to her this fantastic theory
from London。
〃I appreciate your consideration；〃 said Sir Walter； and the clergyman
also acknowledged it。
〃There can be no shadow of doubt concerning my son；〃 he said； 〃nor
is there any in the matter of this unfortunate man。〃
Henry Lennox went to prepare for the journey。 Then； obeying the
doctor's directions and treating the dead man as though he were merely
unconscious； they carried him to the ambulance car。 It was an unseemly
farce in Mannering 's opinion； and he only realized the painful nature of
his task when he came to undertake it； but he carried it through in every
particular as directed； conveyed the corpse to Newton after dark； and had
the ambulance bed； in which it reposed； borne to the saloon carriage when
the night mail arrived from Plymouth； between eleven and twelve。 He
was able to regulate the temperature with hot steam； and kept hot bottles to
the feet and sides of the dead。
He felt impatient and resentful； he poured scorn on the superior
authority for the benefit of the inspector and Henry Lennox； who
accompanied him； but in secret he experienced emotions of undoubted
satisfaction that life had broken from its customary monotonous round to
furnish him with an adventure so unique。 He pointed out a fact to the
policeman before they had started。
〃You will observe；〃 he said； with satire； 〃that； despite the heat we are
directed to apply to this unfortunate man； rigor mortis has set in。
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Whether the authority in London regards that as an evidence of death； of
course I cannot pretend to say。 Perhaps not。 I may be behind the times。〃
Neither Mannering nor Lennox had spared much thought for those left
behind them at Chadlands。 The extraordinary character of the task put
upon them sufficed to fill their minds； and it was not until the small hours；
when they sat with their hands in their pockets and the train ran steadily
through darkness and storm； that the younger spoke of his cousin。
〃I hope those old men won't bully Mary tonight；〃 he said。 〃I'd meant
to ask you to give Uncle Walter a caution。 May's not quite all there； in
my opinion； and very likely； now you're out of the way； he'll get round Sir
Walter about that infernal room。〃
Mannering became interested。
〃D'you mean for an instant he wants to try his luck after what's
happened？〃
〃You forget。 Your day has been so full that you forget what did
happen。〃
〃I do not； Lennox。 Mary begged me to tackle the man。 I calmed
him； and he came down to his luncheon。 He must have thought over the
matter since then； and seen that he was playing with death。〃
〃Far from it； 'The future is mine！' That's what he said。 And that
means he'll try and be in the Grey Room alone to…night。〃
〃I wish to Heaven you'd made this clear before we'd started。 But
surely we can trust Sir Walter； he knows what this means； even if that
superstitious lunatic doesn't。〃
〃I don't want to bother you；〃 answered Henry； 〃but； looking back； I'm
none so sure that we can trust my uncle。 He's been pretty wild to…day；
and who shall blame him？ Things like this crashing into his life leave
him guessing。 He's very shaken； and has lost his mental grip； too。
Reality's played him such ugly tricks that he may be tempted to fall back
on unreality now。〃
〃You don't mean he'll let May go into that room to…night？〃
〃I hope not。 He was firm enough last night when the clergyman
clamored to do so。 In fact； he made me keep watch to see he didn't。
But I think he's weakened a lot since Hardcastle came to grief in broad
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daylight。 And I sha'n't be there to do anything。〃
〃All this comes too late；〃 answered the other。 〃If harm has happened
… it has happened。 We can only pray they've preserved some sanity
among them。〃
〃That's why I say I hope they're not bullying Mary；〃 answered Lennox。
〃Of course； she'd be dead against her father…in…law's idea。 But she won't
count。 She can't control him if Sir Walter goes over to his side。〃
〃Let us not imagine anything so unreasonable。 We'll telegraph to
hear if all's well at the first moment we can。〃
The storm sent a heavy wash of rain against the side of the carriage。 It
was a famous tempest； that punished the South of England from Land's
End to the North Foreland。
They were distracted from their thoughts by the terrific impact of the
wind。
〃Wonder we can stop on the rails；〃 said Mannering。 〃This is a fifty…
knot gale； or I'm mistaken。〃
〃I'm thinking of the Chadlands trees；〃 answered the other。 〃It's rum
how； in the middle of such an awful business as this； the mind switches off
to trifles。 Does it on purpose； I suppose； to relieve the strain。 Yes； the
trees will catch it tonight。 I expect I shall hear a grim tale of fallen
timber from Sir Walter by the time I get back to…morrow。〃
〃If nothing's fallen but timber； I sha'n't mind；〃 answered Mannering；
〃but yo
