the grey room(灰房间)-第27节
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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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THE GREY ROOM
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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THE GREY ROOM
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 you've made me devilish uneasy now。 If anything further went
wrong … well； to put it mildly； they would say your uncle ought to have
known a great deal better。〃
〃He does know a great deal better。 It's only that temporarily he's
knocked off his balance。 But I hardly feel as anxious as you do。 There's
Mary against May； and even if my uncle were for him； on a general； vague
theory of something esoteric and outside nature； which you can't fairly call
unreasonable any more； Mannering； seeing what's happened … even if Sir
Walter felt tempted to let him have his way； I don't believe he'd really
consent when it came to the point。〃
〃I hope not…I hope not；〃 answered the other。 〃Such a concession would
take a lot of explanation if the result were another of these disasters。
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There ought to be an official guard over the room。〃
〃After to…morrow there certainly will be；〃 replied Henry。 〃You may
be sure the police won't leave it again till they've satisfied themselves。
All the same； I don't see how a dozen of them will be any safer than one …
even if it's some material and physical thing that happens； as we must
suppose。 And for that matter； if it's really supernatural； why should a
dozen be safer than one？ Obviously they wouldn't。 Whatever it is； it can
strike as it likes and without being struck back。〃
But Dr。 Mannering did not answer these questions。 He was
considering a little book in his pocket； which he would hand over to the
police in London next morning。
〃Poor chap … if he could have begun by taking the problem by the
throat； as he has written here。 But； instead； it took him by the throat！〃
He took Hardcastle's notebook from his pocket and read again the last
few pages。
〃He was dreaming of his theories to the last； when he should surely
have been girt up in every limb to face facts；〃 said Lennox。 〃He never
realized the horrible danger。〃
Perusal of the detective's data had revealed an interesting fact。 It was
known by his colleagues that he designed a book on the theory and
practice of criminal investigations； and in many of his pocket…books；
subsequently examined； were found memoranda and jottings； doubtless
destined to be worked out at another time。 It was clear that he had； for a
few moments； drifted away from the Grey Room in thought when his
death overtook him。 Past events；
