stories by english authors in france(旅法英国作家的故事)-第21节
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Without stopping to draw my breath； without wiping the cold sweat
from my face； I rose instantly on my knees to watch the bedtop。 I was
literally spellbound by it。 If I had heard footsteps behind me； I could not
have turned round； if a means of escape had been miraculously provided
for me； I could not have moved to take advantage of it。 The whole life in
me was； at that moment； concentrated in my eyes。
It descendedthe whole canopy； with the fringe round it； came down
downclose down； so close that there was not room now to squeeze my
finger between the bedtop and the bed。 I felt at the sides； and discovered
that what had appeared to me from beneath to be the ordinary light canopy
of a four…post bed was in reality a thick； broad mattress； the substance of
which was concealed by the valance and its fringe。 I looked up and saw
the four posts rising hideously bare。 In the middle of the bedtop was a
huge wooden screw that had evidently worked it down through a hole in
the ceiling； just as ordinary presses are worked down on the substance
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selected for compression。 The frightful apparatus moved without making
the faintest noise。 There had been no creaking as it came down； there was
now not the faintest sound from the room above。 Amid a dead and awful
silence I beheld before mein the nineteenth century； and in the civilized
capital of Francesuch a machine for secret murder by suffocation as
might have existed in the worst days of the Inquisition； in the lonely inns
among the Harz Mountains； in the mysterious tribunals of Westphalia！
Still； as I looked on it； I could not move； I could hardly breathe； but I
began to recover the power of thinking； and in a moment I discovered the
murderous conspiracy framed against me in all its horror。
My cup of coffee had been drugged； and drugged too strongly。 I had
been saved from being smothered by having taken an overdose of some
narcotic。 How I had chafed and fretted at the fever…fit which had preserved
my life by keeping me awake！ How recklessly I had confided myself to
the two wretches who had led me into this room； determined； for the sake
of my winnings； to kill me in my sleep by the surest and most horrible
contrivance for secretly accomplishing my destruction！ How many men；
winners like me； had slept； as I had proposed to sleep； in that bed； and had
never been seen or heard of more！ I shuddered at the bare idea of it。
But； ere long； all thought was again suspended by the sight of the
murderous canopy moving once more。 After it had remained on the bed
as nearly as I could guessabout ten minutes； it began to move up again。
The villains who worked it from above evidently believed that their
purpose was now accomplished。 Slowly and silently； as it had descended；
that horrible bedtop rose towards its former place。 When it reached the
upper extremities of the four posts； it reached the ceiling； too。 Neither hole
nor screw could be seen； the bed became in appearance an ordinary bed
againthe canopy an ordinary canopyeven to the most suspicious eyes。
Now； for the first time； I was able to moveto rise from my kneesto
dress myself in my upper clothingand to consider of how I should escape。
If I betrayed by the smallest noise that the attempt to suffocate me had
failed； I was certain to be murdered。 Had I made any noise already？ I
listened intently； looking towards the door。
No！ no footsteps in the passage outsideno sound of a tread； light or
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heavy； in the room aboveabsolute silence everywhere。 Besides locking
and bolting my door； I had moved an old wooden chest against it； which I
had found under the bed。 To remove this chest （my blood ran cold as I
thought of what its contents might be！） without making some disturbance
was impossible； and； moreover； to think of escaping through the house；
now barred up for the night； was sheer insanity。 Only one chance was left
methe window。 I stole to it on tiptoe。
My bedroom was on the first floor； above an entresol； and looked into
a back street。 I raised my hand to open the window； knowing that on that
action hung； by the merest hairbreadth； my chance of safety。 They keep
vigilant watch in a house of murder。 If any part of the frame cracked； if the
hinge creaked； I was a lost man！ It must have occupied me at least five
minutes； reckoning by timefive /hours/； reckoning by suspenseto open
that window。 I succeeded in doing it silentlyin doing it with all the
dexterity of a house…breakerand then looked down into the street。 To leap
the distance beneath me would be almost certain destruction！ Next； I
looked round at the sides of the house。 Down the left side ran a thick
water…pipeit passed close by the outer edge of the window。 The moment I
saw the pipe I knew I was saved。 My breath came and went freely for the
first time since I had seen the canopy of the bed moving down upon me！
To some men the means of escape which I had discovered might have
seemed difficult and dangerous enoughto /me/ the prospect of slipping
down the pipe into the street did not suggest even a thought of peril。 I had
always been accustomed； by the practice of gymnastics； to keep up my
school…boy powers as a daring and expert climber； and knew that my head；
hands； and feet would serve me faithfully in any hazards of ascent or
descent。 I had already got one leg over the window…sill； when I
remembered the handkerchief filled with money under my pillow。 I could
well have afforded to leave it behind me； but I was revengefully
determined that the miscreants of the gambling…house should miss their
plunder as well as their victim。 So I went back to the bed and tied the
heavy handkerchief at my back by my cravat。
Just as I had made it tight and fixed it in a comfortable place； I thought
I heard a sound of breathing outside the door。 The chill feeling of horror
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ran through me again as I listened。 No！ dead silence still in the passageI
had only heard the night air blowing softly into the room。 The next
moment I was on the window…sill； and the next I had a firm grip on the
water…pipe with my hands and knees。
I slid down into the street easily and quietly； as I thought I should； and
immediately set off at the top of my speed to a branch 〃prefecture〃 of
Police； which I knew was situated in the immediate neighbourhood。 A
〃subprefect；〃 and several picked men among his subordinates； happened to
be up； maturing； I believe； some scheme for discovering the perpetrator of
a mysterious murder which all Paris was talking of just then。 When I
began my story； in a breathless hurry and in very bad French； I could see
that the subprefect suspected me of being a drunken Englishman who had
robbed somebody； but he soon altered his opinion as I went on； and before
I had anything like concluded； he shoved all the papers before him into a
drawer； put on his hat； supplied me with another （for I was bareheaded）；
ordered a file of soldiers； desired his expert followers to get ready all sorts
of tools for breaking open doors and ripping up brick flooring； and took
my arm； in the most friendly and familiar manner possible； to lead me
with him out of the house。 I will venture to say that when the subprefect
was a little boy； and was taken for the first time to the play； he was not half
as much pleased as he was now at the job in prospect for him at the
gambling… house！
Away we went through the streets； the subprefect cross…examining and
congratulating me in the same breath as we marched at the head of our
formidable posse comitatus。 Sentinels were placed at the back and front of
the house the moment we got to it； a tremendous battery of knocks was
