stories by modern american authors-第22节

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and　he　unconsciously　lowered　his　book　without　altering　the

direction　of　his　eyes。　　As　soon　as　the　volume　had　gone　below　the

line　of　sight；　something　in　an　obscure　corner　of　the　room　recalled

his　attention　to　his　surroundings。　　What　he　saw；　in　the　shadow

under　his　bed；　were　two　small　points　of　light；　apparently　about　an

inch　apart。　　They　might　have　been　reflections　of　the　gas　jet　above

him；　in　metal　nail　heads；　he　gave　them　but　little　thought　and

resumed　his　reading。　　A　moment　later　somethingsome　impulse　which

it　did　not　occur　to　him　to　analyzeimpelled　him　to　lower　the　book

again　and　seek　for　what　he　saw　before。　　The　points　of　light　were

still　there。　　They　seemed　to　have　become　brighter　than　before；

shining　with　a　greenish　luster　which　he　had　not　at　first　observed。

He　thought；　too；　that　they　might　have　moved　a　triflewere　somewhat

nearer。　　They　were　still　too　much　in　the　shadow；　however；　to　reveal

their　nature　and　origin　to　an　indolent　attention；　and　he　resumed

his　reading。　　Suddenly　something　in　the　text　suggested　a　thought

which　made　him　start　and　drop　the　book　for　the　third　time　to　the

side　of　the　sofa；　whence；　escaping　from　his　hand；　it　fell　sprawling

to　the　floor；　back　upward。　　Brayton；　half…risen；　was　staring

intently　into　the　obscurity　beneath　the　bed；　where　the　points　of

light　shone　with；　it　seemed　to　him；　an　added　fire。　　His　attention

was　now　fully　aroused；　his　gaze　eager　and　imperative。　　It

disclosed；　almost　directly　beneath　the　foot　rail　of　the　bed；　the

coils　of　a　large　serpentthe　points　of　light　were　its　eyes！　　Its

horrible　head；　thrust　flatly　forth　from　the　innermost　coil　and

resting　upon　the　outermost；　was　directed　straight　toward　him；　the

definition　of　the　wide；　brutal　jaw　and　the　idiotlike　forehead

serving　to　show　the　direction　of　its　malevolent　gaze。　　The　eyes

were　no　longer　merely　luminous　points；　they　looked　into　his　own

with　a　meaning；　a　malign　significance。





II





A　snake　in　a　bedroom　of　a　modern　city　dwelling　of　the　better　sort

is；　happily；　not　so　common　a　phenomenon　as　to　make　explanation

altogether　needless。　　Harker　Brayton；　a　bachelor　of　thirty…five；　a

scholar；　idler；　and　something　of　an　athlete；　rich；　popular；　and　of

sound　health；　had　returned　to　San　Francisco　from　all　manner　of

remote　and　unfamiliar　countries。　　His　tastes；　always　a　trifle

luxurious；　had　taken　on　an　added　exuberance　from　long　privation；

and　the　resources　of　even　the　Castle　Hotel　being　inadequate　for

their　perfect　gratification；　he　had　gladly　accepted　the　hospitality

of　his　friend；　Dr。　Druring；　the　distinguished　scientist。　　Dr。

Druring's　house；　a　large；　old…fashioned　one　in　what　was　now　an

obscure　quarter　of　the　city；　had　an　outer　and　visible　aspect　of

reserve。　　It　plainly　would　not　associate　with　the　contiguous

elements　of　its　altered　environment；　and　appeared　to　have　developed

some　of　the　eccentricities　which　come　of　isolation。　　One　of　these

was　a　〃wing；〃　conspicuously　irrelevant　in　point　of　architecture；

and　no　less　rebellious　in　the　matter　of　purpose；　for　it　was　a

combination　of　laboratory；　menagerie；　and　museum。　　It　was　here　that

the　doctor　indulged　the　scientific　side　of　his　nature　in　the　study

of　such　forms　of　animal　life　as　engaged　his　interest　and　comforted

his　tastewhich；　it　must　be　confessed；　ran　rather　to　the　lower

forms。　　For　one　of　the　higher　types　nimbly　and　sweetly　to　recommend

itself　unto　his　gentle　senses；　it　had　at　least　to　retain　certain

rudimentary　characteristics　allying　it　to　such　〃dragons　of　the

prime〃　as　toads　and　snakes。　　His　scientific　sympathies　were

distinctly　reptilian；　he　loved　nature's　vulgarians　and　described

himself　as　the　Zola　of　zoology。　　His　wife　and　daughters；　not　having

the　advantage　to　share　his　enlightened　curiosity　regarding　the

works　and　ways　of　our　ill…starred　fellow…creatures；　were；　with

needless　austerity；　excluded　from　what　he　called　the　Snakery；　and

doomed　to　companionship　with　their　own　kind；　though；　to　soften　the

rigors　of　their　lot；　he　had　permitted　them；　out　of　his　great

wealth；　to　outdo　the　reptiles　in　the　gorgeousness　of　their

surroundings　and　to　shine　with　a　superior　splendor。



Architecturally；　and　in　point　of　〃furnishing；〃　the　Snakery　had　a

severe　simplicity　befitting　the　humble　circumstances　of　its

occupants；　many　of　whom；　indeed；　could　not　safely　have　been

intrusted　with　the　liberty　which　is　necessary　to　the　full　enjoyment

of　luxury；　for　they　had　the　troublesome　peculiarity　of　being　alive。

In　their　own　apartments；　however；　they　were　under　as　little

personal　restraint　as　was　compatible　with　their　protection　from　the

baneful　habit　of　swallowing　one　another；　and；　as　Brayton　had

thoughtfully　been　apprised；　it　was　more　than　a　tradition　that　some

of　them　had　at　divers　times　been　found　in　parts　of　the　premises

where　it　would　have　embarrassed　them　to　explain　their　presence。

Despite　the　Snakery　and　its　uncanny　associationsto　which；　indeed；

he　gave　little　attentionBrayton　found　life　at　the　Druring　mansion

very　much　to　his　mind。





III





Beyond　a　smart　shock　of　surprise　and　a　shudder　of　mere　loathing；

Mr。　Brayton　was　not　greatly　affected。　　His　first　thought　was　to

ring　the　call　bell　and　bring　a　servant；　but；　although　the　bell　cord

dangled　within　easy　reach；　he　made　no　movement　toward　it；　it　had

occurred　to　his　mind　that　the　act　might　subject　him　to　the

suspicion　of　fear；　which　he　certainly　did　not　feel。　　He　was　more

keenly　conscious　of　the　incongruous　nature　of　the　situation　than

affected　by　its　perils；　it　was　revolting；　but　absurd。



The　reptile　was　of　a　species　with　which　Brayton　was　unfamiliar。

Its　length　he　could　only　conjecture；　the　body　at　the　largest

visible　part　seemed　about　as　thick　as　his　forearm。　　In　what　way　was

it　dangerous；　if　in　any　way？　　Was　it　venomous？　　Was　it　a

constrictor？　　His　knowledge　of　nature's　danger　signals　did　not

enable　him　to　say；　he　had　never　deciphered　the　code。



If　not　dangerous；　the　creature　was　at　least　offensive。　　It　was　de

trop〃matter　out　of　place〃an　impertinence。　　The　gem　was　unworthy

of　the　setting。　　Even　the　barbarous　taste　of　our　time　and　country；

which　had　loaded　the　walls　of　the　room　with　pictures；　the　floor

with　furniture；　and　the　furniture　with　bric…a…brac；　had　not　quite

fitted　the　place　for　this　bit　of　the　savage　life　of　the　jungle。

Besidesinsupportable　thought！the　exhalations　of　its　breath

mingled　with　the　atmosphere　which　he　himself　was　breathing！



These　thoughts　shaped　themselves　with　greater　or　less　definition　in

Brayton's　mind；　and　begot　action。　　The　process　is　what　we　call

consideration　and　decision。　　It　is　thus　that　we　are　wise　and

unwise。　　It　is　thus　that　the　withered　leaf　in　an　autumn　breeze

shows　greater　or　less　intelligence　than　its　fellows；　falling　upon

the　land　or　upon　the　lake。　　The　secret　of　human　action　is　an　open

onesomething　contracts　our　muscles。　　Does　it　matter　if　we　give　to

the　preparatory　molecular　changes　the　name　of　will？



Brayton　rose　to　his　feet　and　prepared　to　back　softly　away　from　the

snake；　without　disturbing　it；　if　possible；　and　through　the　door。

People　retire　so　from　the　presence　of　the　great；　for　greatness　is

power；　and　power　is　a　menace。　　He　knew　that　he　could　walk　backward

without　obstruction；　and　find　the　door　without　error。　　Should　the

monster　follow；　the　taste　which　had　plastered　the　walls　with

paintings　had　consistently　supplied　a　rack　of　murderous　Oriental

weapons　from　which　he　could　snatch　one　to　suit　the　occasion。　　In

the　meantime　the　snake's　eyes　burned　with　a　more　pitiless

malevolence　than　ever。



Brayton　lifted　his　right　foot　free　of　the　floor　to　step　backward。

That　moment　he　felt　a　strong　aversion　to　doing　so。



〃I　am　accounted　brave；〃　he　murmured；　〃is　bravery；　then；　no　more

than　pride？　　Because　there　are　none　to　witness　the　shame　shall　I

retreat？〃



He　was　steadying　himself　with　his　right　hand　upon　the　back　of　a

chair；　his　foot　suspended。



〃Nonsense！〃　he　said　aloud；　〃I　am　not　so　great　a　coward　as　to　fear

to　seem　to　myself　afraid。〃



He　lifted　the　foot　a　little　higher　by　slightly　bending　the　knee；

and　thrust　it　sharply　to　the　flooran　inch　in　front　of　the　other！

He　could　not　think　how　that　occurred。　　A　trial　with　the　left　foot

had　the　same　result；　it　was　again　in　advance　of　the　right。　　The

hand　upon　the　chair　back　was　grasping　it；　the　arm　was　straight；

reaching　somewhat　backward。　　One　might　have　seen　that　he　was

reluctant　to　lose　his　hold。　　The　snake's　malignant　head　was　still

thrust　forth　from　the　inner　coil　as　before；　the　neck　level。　　It　had

not　moved；　but　its　eyes　were　now　electric　sparks；　radiating　an

infinity　of　luminous　needles。



The　man　had　an　ashy　pallor。　　Again　he　took　a　step　forward；　and

another；　partly　dragging　the　chair；　which；　when　finally　released；

fell　upon　the　floor　with　a　crash。　　The　man　groaned；　the　snake　made

neither　sound　nor　motion；　but　its　eyes　were　two　dazzling　suns。　　The

reptile　itself　was　wholly　concealed　by　them。　　Th