the grey room(灰房间)-第47节
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of our forefathers are echoed on the lips of our children as great
discoveries。〃
Henry Lennox ventured to bring him back to the point。
〃What knowledge … what particular branch of information should a
man possess； signor； to find out what you have found？〃
〃Merely an adornment； my young friend； a side branch of withered
learning； not cultivated； I fear； by your Scotland Yard。 Yet I have known
country gentlemen to be skilled in it。 The practice of heraldry。 I
marked your arms on your Italian gates。 I must look at those gates again
… they are not very good； I fear。 But the arms … a chevron between three
lions … a fine coat； yet probably not so ancient as the gates。〃
〃It was such a thing as bothered me in Florence；〃 said Sir Walter。 〃I'd
seen it before somewhere； but where I know not … a bull's head of gold on
a red field。〃
Signor Mannetti started and laughed。
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〃Ha …ha！ We will come to the golden bull presently； Sir Walter。 You
shall meet him I promise you！〃
Then he broke off and patted his forehead。
〃But I go too quickly … far too quickly indeed。 I must rest my poor
brain now； or it will rattle in my head like a dry walnut。 When it begins
to rattle； I know that I have done enough for the present。 May I walk in the
garden again … not alone； but with your companionship？〃
〃Of course； unless you would like to retire and rest for a while。〃
〃Presently I shall do so。 And please permit nobody to enter the Grey
Room but myself。 Not a soul must go or come without me。〃
Sir Walter spoke。
〃You still believe the peril is material then … an active； physical thing；
controlled by a conscious human intelligence？〃
〃If I am right； it certainly is active enough。〃
They went into the garden； and Signor Mannetti； finding a snug seat in
the sun； decided to stop there。 Henry and his uncle exchanged glances；
and the latter found his faith weakening； for the Italian's mind appeared to
wander。 He became more and more irrelevant； as it seemed。 He spoke
again of the old dog who was at his master's feet。
〃Euthanasia for the aged。 Why not？ For that matter； I have
considered it for myself in dark moments。 Have you ever wondered why
we destroy our pets； for love of them； yet suffer our fellow creatures to
exist and endure to the very dregs Nature's most fiendish methods of
dissolution？ Again one of those terrible problems where mercy and
religion cannot see eye to eye。〃
They uttered appropriate sentiments； and again the old man changed
the subject and broke new ground。
〃There was a prince … not your old dog … but a royal lad of the East …
Prince Djem； the brother of the Sultan Bajazet。 Do you know that story？
Possibly not … it is unimportant enough； and to this day the sequel of the
incident is buried in a mystery as profound as that of the Grey Room。
Our later historians whitewash Alexander VI。 concerning the matter of
Prince Djem； but then it is so much the habit of later historians to
whitewash everybody。 A noble quality in human nature perhaps … to try
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and see the best； even while one can only do so by ignoring the worst。
Certainly； as your poet says； 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder'； or； at
any rate； softer。 There is a tendency to side with the angels where we are
dealing with historic dead。 Nero； Caligula； Calvin； Alva； Napoleon；
Torquemada … all these monsters and portents； and a thousand such blood…
bespattered figures are growing whiter as they grow fainter。 They will
have wings and haloes presently。 Yet not for me。 I am a good hater； my
friends。 But Prince Djem … I wander so。 You should be more severe with
me and keep me to my point。 Sultan Bajazet wanted his younger brother
out of the way； and he paid the Papacy forty thousand ducats a year to
keep the young fellow a prisoner in Italy。 It was a gilded captivty and
doubtless the dissolute Oriental enjoyed himself quite as well at Rome as
he would have done in Constantinople。 But after Alexander had achieved
the triple tiara； Bajazet refused to pay his forty thousand ducats any longer。
The Pope； therefore； wrote strongly to the Sultan； telling him that the King
of France designed to seize Prince Djem and go to war on his account
against the Turks。 This does not weary you？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 declared Mary。
〃Alexander added； that to enable him to resist the French and spare
Bajazet's realms the threatened invasion； a sum of forty thousand ducats
must be immediately forthcoming。 The Sultan； doubtless appalled by
such a threat； despatched the money with a private letter。 He was as great
a diplomat as the Pope himself； and saw a way to evade this gigantic
annual impost by compounding on the death of Djem。 Unfortunately for
him； however； both the papal envoy and Bajazet's own messenger were
captured upon their return journey by the brother of Cardinal della Rovere
… Alexander's bitterest enemy。 Thus the contents of the secret letter
became known； and the Christian world heard with horror how Bajazet
had offered the occupant of St。 Peter's throne three hundred thousand
ducats to assassinate Prince Djem！
〃Time passed； and the Pope triumphed over his enemies。 He
prepared to abandon the person of the young Turk to Charles of France；
and effectively checkmated the formidable Rovere for a season。 But then；
as we know； Prince Djem suddenly perished； and while latest writers
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declare that he actually reached France； only to die there； ruined by his
own debaucheries； I； for one； have not accepted that story。 He never
reached France； my friends； for be sure Alexander VI。 was not the man to
let any human life stand between his treasury and three hundred thousand
ducats。〃
Signor Mannetti preserved silence for a time； then he returned in very
surprising fashion to the subject that had brought him to Chadlands。 He
had been reflecting and now proceeded with his thoughts aloud。
〃You must； however； restrain your natural impatience a little longer；
until another night has passed。 I will； if you please； myself spend some
hours in the Grey Room after dark； and learn what the medieval spirits
have to tell me。 Shall I see the wraith of Prince Djem； think you？ Or
the ghost of Pinturicchio hovering round his little picture？ Or those
bygone； cunning workers in plaster who built the ceiling？ They will at
least talk the language of Tuscany； and I shall be at home among them。〃
Sir Walter protested。
〃That； indeed； is the last thing I could permit； signor；〃 he said。
〃That is the first thing that must happen； nevertheless；〃 replied the old
gentleman calmly。 〃You need not fear for me； Sir Walter。 I jest about the
spirits。 There are no spirits in the Grey Room； or； if there are； they are
not such as can quarrel with you； or me。 There is； however； something
much worse than any spirit lurking in the heart of your house … a potent；
sleepless； fiendish thing； and far from wondering at all that has happened；
I only marvel that worse did not befall。 But I have the magic talisman；
the 'open sesame。' I am safe enough even if I am mistaken。 Though my
fires are burning low； it will take more than your Grey Room to extinguish
them。 I hold the clue of the labyrinth； and shall pass safely in and out
again。 To…morrow I can tell you if I am right。〃
〃I
