the grey room(灰房间)-第13节
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she asked her to dispatch the telegram as quickly as possible。 Her old
nurse； an elderly spinster； to whom Mary was the first consideration in
existence； had brought her a cup of soup and some toast。 It had seemed
to Jane the right thing to do。
Mary thanked her and drank a little。 She passed through a mental
phase as of dreaming … a sensation familiar in sleep； but she knew that this
was not a sleeping but a waking experience。 She waited for her father；
yet dreaded to hear him return。 She thought of human footsteps and the
difference between them。 She remembered that she would never hear
Tom's long stride again。
It often broke into a run； she remembered； as he approached her； and
she would often run toward him； too … to banish the space that separated
them。 She blamed herself bitterly that she had decreed to sleep in her old
nursery。 She had loved it so； and the small bed that had held her from
childhood； yet； if she had slept with him； this might not have happened。
〃To think that only a wall separated us！〃 she kept saying to herself。
〃And I sleeping and dreaming of him； and he dying only a few yards
away。〃
Death was no disaster for Tom； so the doctor had said。 What
worthless wisdom！ And perhaps not even wisdom。 Who knows what a
disaster death may be？ And who would ever know what he had felt at
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the end； or what his mind had suffered if time had been given him to
understand that he was going to die？ She worked herself into agony； lost
self…control at last and wept； with Jane Bond's arms round her。
〃And I was so troubled； because I thought he had been called back to
his ship！〃 she said。
〃He's called to a better place than a ship； dear love；〃 sobbed Jane。
After they left her； Sir Walter and Dr。 Mannering had entered the Grey
Room for a moment and； standing there； spoke together。
〃I have a strange consciousness that I am living over the past again；〃
declared the physician。 〃Things were just so when that poor woman；
Nurse Forrester … you remember。〃
〃Yes。 I felt the same when Caunter was breaking open the door。 I
faced the worst from the beginning； for the moment I heard what he had
done； I somehow knew that my unfortunate son…in…law was dead。 I
directly negatived his suggestion last night； and never dreamed that he
would have gone on with it when he knew my wish。〃
〃Doubtless he did not realize how much in earnest you were on the
subject。 This may well prove as impossible to understand as the nurse's
death。 I do not say it will； but I suspect it will。 A perfectly healthy
creature cut off in a moment and nothing to show us why … absolutely
nothing。〃
〃A death without a cause … a negation of science surely？〃
〃There is a cause； but I do not think this dreadful tragedy will reveal
it；〃 answered the doctor。 〃I pray it may； however； for all our sakes；〃 he
continued。 〃It is impossible to say how deeply I feel this for her； but also
for you； and myself； too。 He was one of the best； a good sportsman and a
good man。〃
〃And a great loss to the Service；〃 added Sir Walter。 〃I have not
considered all this means yet。 My thoughts are centred on Mary。〃
〃You must let me spare you all I can； my friend。 There will be an
inquest； of course； and an inquiry。 Also a post…mortem。 Shall I
communicate with Dr。 Mordred to…day； or would you prefer that somebody
else …〃
〃Somebody else。 The most famous man you know。 From no
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disrespect to Dr。 Mordred； or to you； Mannering。 You understand that。
But I should like an independent examination by some great authority；
some one who knew nothing of the former case。 This is an appalling
thing to happen。 I don't know where to begin thinking。〃
〃Do not put too great a strain upon yourself。 Leave it to those who
will come to the matter with all their wits and without your personal
sorrow。 An independent inquirer is certainly best； one who； as you say；
knows nothing about the former case。''
〃I don't know where to begin thinking；〃 repeated the other。 〃Such a
thing upsets one's preconceived opinions。 I had always regarded my
aversion to this room as a human weakness … a thing to be conquered。
Look round you。 Would it be possible to imagine an apartment with less
of evil suggestion？〃
The other made a perfunctory examination； went into every corner；
tapped the walls and stared at the ceiling。 The clean morning light
showed its intricate pattern of interwoven circles converging from the
walls to the centre； and so creating a sense of a lofty dome instead of a flat
surface。 In the centre was a boss of a conventional lily flower opening its
petals。
〃The room should not be touched till after the inquest； I think。 Indeed；
if I may advise； you will do well to leave it just as it is for the police to
see。〃
〃They will want to see it； I imagine？〃
〃Unless you commumcate direct with Scotland Yard； ask for a special
inquiry； and beg that the local men are not employed。 There is reason in
that； for it is quite certain that nobody here would be of any greater use to
you than they were before。〃
〃Act for me then； please。 Explain that money is no object； and ask
them to send the most accomplished and experienced men in the service。
But they are only concerned with crime。 This may be outside their
scope。〃
〃We cannot say as to that。 We cannot even assert that this is not a
crime。 We know nothing。〃
〃A crime needs a criminal； Mannering。〃
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〃That is so； but what would be criminal； if human agency were
responsible for it； might； nevertheless； be the work of forces to which the
word criminal cannot be applied。〃
Sir Walter stared at him。
〃Is it possible you suggest a supernatural cause for this？〃
The doctor shook his head。
〃Emphatically not； though I am not a materialist； as you are aware。 My
generation of practitioners has little difficulty in reconciling our creed with
our cult； though few of the younger men are able to do so； I admit。 But
science is science； and not for a moment do I imagine anything
supernatural here。 I think； however； there are unconscious forces at work；
and those responsible for setting those forces in action would be criminals
without a doubt； if they knew what they were doing。 The man who fires
a rifle at an animal； if he hits and kills it； is the destroyer； though he may
operate from half a mile away。 On the other hand； the agents may be
unconscious of what they are doing。〃
'There is no human being in this house for whom I would not answer。〃
〃 I know it。 We beat the wind。 It will be time enough to consider
presently。 Indeed； I should rather that you strove to relieve your mind of
the problem。 You have enough to do without that。 Leave it to those
professionally trained in such mysteries。 If a man is responsible for this
atrocious thing； then it should be within the reach of man's wits to find
him。 We failed before； but this time no casual examination of this place；
or the antecedents of your son…in…law's life； will serve the purpose。 We
must go to the bottom； or； rather； skilled minds； trained to do so； must go
to the bottom。 They will approach the subject from a different angle。
They will come unprejudiced and unperturbed。 If there has been f
