the grey room(灰房间)-第52节
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！
room and exhausts its more obvious peculiarities。 Would that he had
known the meaning of the golden bull！ Presently he strikes a train of
thought and sits down to develop it。 Or he may not have finished with
the room and have taken a seat from which he could survey everything
around him。 He sits at the foot of the bed … there on the right side。 He
makes his notes； then his last thoughts enter his mind … abstract reflection
on the subject of his trade。 For a moment he forgets the matter
immediately in hand and writes his ideas in his book。 He has been sitting
on the bed now for some while … how long we know not； but long enough
to create the heightened temperature which is all the watchful fiend within
the mattress requires to summon him。 Then ascends the spirit of death；
and Hardcastle； surprised as Captain May was surprised； leaps to his feet。
He takes two or three steps forward； his book and pen fall from his hand
and he drops upon his face … a dead man。 He is； of course； still warm
when Mr。 Lennox finds him； but the bed he leaped from is cold again and
harmless … its work done。
〃There remains the priest； the Rev。 Septimus May。 He neither lay on
the bed； nor sat upon it。 But what did he do？ He clearly knelt beside it
a long time； engaged in prayer。 Nothing more natural than that he should
stretch his arms over the mattress； bury his face in his hands； and so
remain in commune with the Almighty； uttering petition after petition for
the being he conceived as existing in the Grey Room； without power to
escape from it。 Thus leaning upon the bed with his arms stretched upon
it and his head perhaps sunk between them； he presently creates that
heightened temperature sufficient to arouse the destroyer。 It enters into
him … how； we know not yet … and he sinks unconscious to the floor； while
the bed is quickly cold again。
175
… Page 176…
THE GREY ROOM
〃As to the four detectives … Inspector Frith and his men…pure chance
saved the life of at least one of them； and by so doing； chance also
prevented them from discovering that the bed in their midst was the seat of
all the trouble。 Had one among them taken up his watch upon it； he
would certainly have died in the presence of his collaborators； but the men
sat on chairs in the corners of the room； and the chairs were harmless。
Whether their gas masks would indeed have saved them remains； of
course； to be proved。 I doubt it。
〃Such； my friends； were the masterpieces of the Borgia； for whom the
profoundest chemists worked willingly enough and by doing so doubtless
made their fortunes。 Their poisons were so designed to act that； by their
very operation； the secrets of them were concealed； and all clues
obliterated。 Chemistry knows nothing of the supernatural； yet can； as in
this case； achieve results that may well appear to be black magic。
〃And if we； of this day； fail to find them out； it is easy to guess that in
their own times； much that they caused to be done was set down to the
operations of Heaven alone。
〃Science will be deeply interested in your Borgia mattress； Sir Walter。
Science； I doubt not； will carefully unpick it and make a series of very
remarkable experiments； yet I make bold to believe that science may be
baffled by the cunning and forgotten knowledge of men long dust。 We
shall see as to that。〃
He rose and bade Masters call Stephano。 Then； with a few words；
they parted； and each shook the old man's hand and expressed a deep and
genuine gratitude before they did so。
〃A little remains to add；〃 said Signor Mannetti。 〃You shall hear what
it is to…morrow。 For the moment； 'Good…night！' It has been a crowning
joy to my long life that I was able to do this service to new and valued
friends。〃
In the servants' hall next morning Masters related what he had heard。
〃And if you ask me；〃 he concluded； 〃I draw back what I thought about
him being younger than he pretends。 He's older … old as the hills … older
than that horror in the Grey Boom。 He's a demon； and he's killed the old
dog； and I believe he's a Borge himself if the truth was known。〃
176
… Page 177…
THE GREY ROOM
177
… Page 178…
THE GREY ROOM
CHAPTER XIII
TWO NOTES
They walked in the garden next morning； and Sir Walter delayed to
write to Scotland Yard until after seeing Signor Mannetti again。 The old
gentleman descended to them presently； and declared himself over…
fatigued。
〃I must sit in the sun and go to sleep again after lunch；〃 he said。
〃Stephano is annoyed with me； and hints at the doctor。〃
〃Mannering will be here to lunch。 You will understand that nobody is
more deeply interested in these things than he。〃
〃But yourself；〃 said Mary。 〃Come and sit down and rest。 You are
looking very tired today。〃
〃A little reaction … no more。 It was worth it。〃 He then proceeded
where he had broken off on the preceding night。
〃There remains only to tell you how I found myself caught up in your
sad story。 It had not occurred to you to wonder？〃
〃I confess I had never thought of that； signor。 You made us forget
such a trifling detail。〃
〃But； none the less； you will want to know； Sir Walter。 Our common
friend； Colonel Vane； put the first thought in my head。 He laid the train
to which I set the match so well。 He it was who described the Grey
Room very exactly； and the moment that I heard of the ancient carved
furniture； I knew that he spoke of curios concerning which I already had
heard。 The name of Lennox completed the clue； for that had already
stirred memories in my ancient mind。 I had listened to my father； when I
was young； telling a story in which a bed and chairs and a gentleman
named Lennox were connected。 He spoke of an ancient Italian suite of
three pieces； the work of craftsmen at Rome in the fifteenth century。 It
was papal furniture of the early Renaissance； well known to him as being
in a Spanish collection … a hundred and fifty years ago that is now … and
when these things came into the market； he rejoiced and hurried off to
Valencia； where it was to be sold。 For he was even such a man as your
grandfather … a connoisseur and an enthusiastic collector。 But； alas； his
178
… Page 179…
THE GREY ROOM
hopes were short…lived； he found himself in opposition to a deeper purse
than his own； and it was Sir John Lennox； not my father； who secured the
bed and the two chairs that go with it。 These things； as I tell you；
returned to my recollection； and； remembering them； I guessed myself
upon the right track。 The arms of the Borgia； and the successful
experiment with the dog； Prince； proved that I was correct in guessing
where the poison lay hidden。〃
〃It is impossible to express my sense of your amazing goodness； or my
gratitude； or my admiration for your genius；〃 declared Sir Walter； but the
other contradicted him。
〃Genius is a great word to which I can lay no claim。 I have done
nothing at all that you yourself might not have done； given the same
knowledge。 As for gratitude； if indeed that is not too strong an
expression also； you can show gratitude in a very simple manner； dear
friend。 I am a practical； old man and； to be honest； I very greatly covet
the Borgia bed and chairs。 Now； if indeed you feel that I am not asking
too grand a fav
