the club of queer trades-第18章

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〃Precisely；〃　said　Grant　composedly。

〃That　this　absurd　payment　is　not　only　to　run　on　with　the　absurd　dancing；　but　actually　to　stop　with　the　absurd　dancing？〃

〃One　must　stop　somewhere；〃　said　Grant。　〃Of　course。〃

Bingham　rose　and　took　up　his　perfect　stick　and　gloves。

〃There　is　really　nothing　more　to　be　said；　Mr　Grant；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃What　you　are　trying　to　explain　to　me　may　be　a　jokea　slightly　unfeeling　joke。　It　may　be　your　sincere　view；　in　which　case　I　ask　your　pardon　for　the　former　suggestion。　But；　in　any　case；　it　appears　quite　irrelevant　to　my　duties。　The　mental　morbidity；　the　mental　downfall；　of　Professor　Chadd；　is　a　thing　so　painful　to　me　that　I　cannot　easily　endure　to　speak　of　it。　But　it　is　clear　there　is　a　limit　to　everything。　And　if　the　Archangel　Gabriel　went　mad　it　would　sever　his　connection；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　with　the　British　Museum　Library。〃

He　was　stepping　towards　the　door；　but　Grant's　hand；　flung　out　in　dramatic　warning；　arrested　him。

〃Stop！〃　said　Basil　sternly。　〃Stop　while　there　is　yet　time。　Do　you　want　to　take　part　in　a　great　work；　Mr　Bingham？　Do　you　want　to　help　in　the　glory　of　Europein　the　glory　of　science？　Do　you　want　to　carry　your　head　in　the　air　when　it　is　bald　or　white　because　of　the　part　that　you　bore　in　a　great　discovery？　Do　you　want〃

Bingham　cut　in　sharply：

〃And　if　I　do　want　this；　Mr　Grant〃

〃Then；〃　said　Basil　lightly；　〃your　task　is　easy。　Get　Chadd　L800　a　year　till　he　stops　dancing。〃

With　a　fierce　flap　of　his　swinging　gloves　Bingham　turned　impatiently　to　the　door；　but　in　passing　out　of　it　found　it　blocked。　Dr　Colman　was　coming　in。

〃Forgive　me；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　in　a　nervous；　confidential　voice；　〃the　fact　is；　Mr　Grant；　Ierhave　made　a　most　disturbing　discovery　about　Mr　Chadd。〃

Bingham　looked　at　him　with　grave　eyes。

〃I　was　afraid　so；〃　he　said。　〃Drink；　I　imagine。〃

〃Drink！〃　echoed　Colman；　as　if　that　were　a　much　milder　affair。　〃Oh；　no；　it's　not　drink。〃

Mr　Bingham　became　somewhat　agitated；　and　his　voice　grew　hurried　and　vague。　〃Homicidal　mania〃　he　began。

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　medical　man　impatiently。

〃Thinks　he's　made　of　glass；〃　said　Bingham　feverishly；　〃or　says　he's　Godor〃

〃No；〃　said　Dr　Colman　sharply；　〃the　fact　is；　Mr　Grant；　my　discovery　is　of　a　different　character。　The　awful　thing　about　him　is〃

〃Oh；　go　on；　sir；〃　cried　Bingham；　in　agony。

〃The　awful　thing　about　him　is；〃　repeated　Colman；　with　deliberation；　〃that　he　isn't　mad。〃

〃Not　mad！〃

〃There　are　quite　well…known　physical　tests　of　lunacy；〃　said　the　doctor　shortly；　〃he　hasn't　got　any　of　them。〃

〃But　why　does　he　dance？〃　cried　the　despairing　Bingham。　〃Why　doesn't　he　answer　us？　Why　hasn't　he　spoken　to　his　family？〃

〃The　devil　knows；〃　said　Dr　Colman　coolly。　〃I'm　paid　to　judge　of　lunatics；　but　not　of　fools。　The　man's　not　mad。〃

〃What　on　earth　can　it　mean？　Can't　we　make　him　listen？〃　said　Mr　Bingham。　〃Can　none　get　into　any　kind　of　communication　with　him？〃

Grant's　voice　struck　in　sudden　and　clear；　like　a　steel　bell：

〃I　shall　be　very　happy；〃　he　said；　〃to　give　him　any　message　you　like　to　send。〃

Both　men　stared　at　him。

〃Give　him　a　message？〃　they　cried　simultaneously。　〃How　will　you　give　him　a　message？〃

Basil　smiled　in　his　slow　way。

〃If　you　really　want　to　know　how　I　shall　give　him　your　message；〃　he　began；　but　Bingham　cried：

〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　with　a　sort　of　frenzy。

〃Well；〃　said　Basil；　〃like　this。〃　And　he　suddenly　sprang　a　foot　into　the　air；　coming　down　with　crashing　boots；　and　then　stood　on　one　leg。

His　face　was　stern；　though　this　effect　was　slightly　spoiled　by　the　fact　that　one　of　his　feet　was　making　wild　circles　in　the　air。

〃You　drive　me　to　it；〃　he　said。　〃You　drive　me　to　betray　my　friend。　And　I　will；　for　his　own　sake；　betray　him。〃

The　sensitive　face　of　Bingham　took　on　an　extra　expression　of　distress　as　of　one　anticipating　some　disgraceful　disclosure。　〃Anything　painful；　of　course〃　he　began。

Basil　let　his　loose　foot　fall　on　the　carpet　with　a　crash　that　struck　them　all　rigid　in　their　feeble　attitudes。

〃Idiots！〃　he　cried。　〃Have　you　seen　the　man？　Have　you　looked　at　James　Chadd　going　dismally　to　and　fro　from　his　dingy　house　to　your　miserable　library；　with　his　futile　books　and　his　confounded　umbrella；　and　never　seen　that　he　has　the　eyes　of　a　fanatic？　Have　you　never　noticed；　stuck　casually　behind　his　spectacles　and　above　his　seedy　old　collar；　the　face　of　a　man　who　might　have　burned　heretics；　or　died　for　the　philosopher's　stone？　It　is　all　my　fault；　in　a　way：　I　lit　the　dynamite　of　his　deadly　faith。　I　argued　against　him　on　the　score　of　his　famous　theory　about　languagethe　theory　that　language　was　complete　in　certain　individuals　and　was　picked　up　by　others　simply　by　watching　them。　I　also　chaffed　him　about　not　understanding　things　in　rough　and　ready　practice。　What　has　this　glorious　bigot　done？　He　has　answered　me。　He　has　worked　out　a　system　of　language　of　his　own　（it　would　take　too　long　to　explain）；　he　has　made　up；　I　say；　a　language　of　his　own。　And　he　has　sworn　that　till　people　understand　it；　till　he　can　speak　to　us　in　this　language；　he　will　not　speak　in　any　other。　And　he　shall　not。　I　have　understood；　by　taking　careful　notice；　and；　by　heaven；　so　shall　the　others。　This　shall　not　be　blown　upon。　He　shall　finish　his　experiment。　He　shall　have　L800　a　year　from　somewhere　till　he　has　stopped　dancing。　To　stop　him　now　is　an　infamous　war　on　a　great　idea。　It　is　religious　persecution。〃

Mr　Bingham　held　out　his　hand　cordially。

〃I　thank　you；　Mr　Grant；〃　he　said。　〃I　hope　I　shall　be　able　to　answer　for　the　source　of　the　L800　and　I　fancy　that　I　shall。　Will　you　come　in　my　cab？〃

〃No；　thank　you　very　much；　Mr　Bingham；〃　said　Grant　heartily。　〃I　think　I　will　go　and　have　a　chat　with　the　professor　in　the　garden。〃

The　conversation　between　Chadd　and　Grant　appeared　to　be　personal　and　friendly。　They　were　still　dancing　when　I　left。



Chapter　6

The　Eccentric　Seclusion　of　the　Old　Lady

The　conversation　of　Rupert　Grant　had　two　great　elements　of　interestfirst；　the　long　fantasias　of　detective　deduction　in　which　he　was　engaged；　and；　second；　his　genuine　romantic　interest　in　the　life　of　London。　His　brother　Basil　said　of　him：　〃His　reasoning　is　particularly　cold　and　clear；　and　invariably　leads　him　wrong。　But　his　poetry　comes　in　abruptly　and　leads　him　right。〃　Whether　this　was　true　of　Rupert　as　a　whole；　or　no；　it　was　certainly　curiously　supported　by　one　story　about　him　which　I　think　worth　telling。

We　were　walking　along　a　lonely　terrace　in　Brompton　together。　The　street　was　full　of　that　bright　blue　twilight　which　comes　about　half　past　eight　in　summer；　and　which　seems　for　the　moment　to　be　not　so　much　a　coming　of　darkness　as　the　turning　on　of　a　new　azure　illuminator；　as　if　the　earth　were　lit　suddenly　by　a　sapphire　sun。　In　the　cool　blue　the　lemon　tint　of　the　lamps　had　already　begun　to　flame；　and　as　Rupert　and　I　passed　them；　Rupert　talking　excitedly；　one　after　another　the　pale　sparks　sprang　out　of　the　dusk。　Rupert　was　talking　excitedly　because　he　was　trying　to　prove　to　me　the　nine　hundred　and　ninety…ninth　of　his　amateur　detective　theories。　He　would　go　about　London；　with　this　mad　logic　in　his　brain；　seeing　a　conspiracy　in　a　cab　accident；　and　a　special　providence　in　a　falling　fusee。　His　suspicions　at　the　moment　were　fixed　upon　an　unhappy　milkman　who　walked　in　front　of　us。　So　arresting　were　the　incidents　which　afterwards　overtook　us　that　I　am　really　afraid　that　I　have　forgotten　what　were　the　main　outlines　of　the　milkman's　crime。　I　think　it　had　something　to　do　with　the　fact　that　he　had　only　one　small　can　of　milk　to　carry；　and　that　of　that　he　had　left　the　lid　loose　and　walked　so　quickly　that　he　spilled　milk　on　the　pavement。　This　showed　that　he　was　not　thinking　of　his　small　burden；　and　this　again　showed　that　he　anticipated　some　other　than　lacteal　business　at　the　end　of　his　walk；　and　this　（taken　in　conjunction　with　something　about　muddy　boots）　showed　something　else　that　I　have　entirely　forgotten。　I　am　afraid　that　I　derided　this　detailed　revelation　unmercifully；　and　I　am　afraid　that　Rupert　Grant；　who；　though　the　best　of　fellows；　had　a　good　deal　of　the　sensitiveness　of　the　artistic　temperament；　slightly　resented　my　derision。　He　endeavoured　to　take　a　whiff　of　his　cigar；　with　the　placidity　which　he　associated　with　his　profession；　but　the　cigar；　I　think；　was　nearly　bitten　through。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　said　acidly；　〃I'll　bet　you　half　a　crown　that　wherever　that　milkman　comes　to　a　real　stop　I'll　find　out　something　curious。〃

〃My　resources　are　equal　to　that　risk；〃　I　said；　laughing。　〃Done。〃

We　walked　on　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　in　silence　in　the　trail　of　the　mysterious　milkman。　He　walked　quicker　and　quicker；　and　we　had　some　ado　to　keep　up　with　him；　and　every　now　and　then　he　left　a　splash　of　milk；　silver　in　the　lamplight。　Suddenly；　almost　before　we　could　note　it；　he　disappeared　down　the　area　steps　of　a　house。　I　believe　Rupert　really　believed　that　the　milkman　was　a　fairy；　for　a　second　he　seemed　to　accept　him　as　having　vanished。　Then　calling　something　to　me　which　somehow　took　no　hold　on　my　mind；　he　darted　after　the　mystic　milkman；　and　disappeared　himself　into　the　area。

I　waited　for　at　least　five　minutes；　leaning　against　a　lamp…post　in　the　lonely　street。　Then　the　milkman　came　swinging　up　the　steps　without　his　can　and　hurried　off　clattering　down　the　road。　Two　or　three　minutes　more　elapsed；　and　then　Rupert　came　bounding　up　also；　his　face　pale　but　yet　laughing；　a　not　uncommon　contradiction　in　him；　denoting　excitement。

〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃so　much　for　all　your　scepticism。　So　much　for　your　philistine　ignorance　of　the　possibilities　of　a　romantic　city。　Two　and　sixpence；　my　boy；　is　the　form　in　which　your　prosaic　good　nature　will　have　to　express　itself。〃

〃What？〃　I　said　incredulously；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　really　did　find　anything　the　matter　with　the　poor　milkman？〃

His　face　fell。

〃Oh；　the　milkman；〃　he　said；　with　a　miserable　affectation　at　having　misunderstood　me。　〃No；　IIdidn't　exactly　bring　anything　home　to　the　milkman　himself；　I〃

〃What　did　the　milkman　say　and　do？〃　I　said；　with　inexorable　sternness。

〃Well；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　said　Rupert；　shifting　restlessly　from　one　foot　to　another；　〃the　milkman　himself；　as　far　as　merely　physical　appearances　went；　just　said；　‘Milk；　Miss；'　and　handed　in　the　can。　That　is　not　to　say；　of　course；　that　he　did　not　make　some　secret　sign　or　some〃

I　broke　into　a　violent　laugh。　〃You　idiot；〃　I　said；　〃why　don't　you　own　yourself　wrong　and　have　done　with　it？　Why　should　he　have　made　a　secret　sign　any　more　than　any　one　else？　You　own　he　said　nothing　and　did　nothing　worth　mentioning。　You　own　that；　don't　you？〃

His　face　grew　grave。

〃Well；　since　you　ask　me；　I　must　admit　that　I　do。　It　is　possible　that　the　milkman　did　not　betray　himself。　It　is　even　possible　that　I　was　wrong　about　him。〃

〃Then　come　along　with　you；〃　I　said；　with　a　certain　amicable　anger；　〃and　remember　that　you　owe　me　half　a　crown。〃

〃As　to　that；　I　differ　from　you；〃　said　Rupert　coolly。　〃The　milkman's　remarks　may　have　been　quite　innocent。　Even　the　milkman　may　have　been。　But　I　do　not　owe　you　half　a　crown。　For　the　terms　of　the　bet　were；　I　think；　as　follows；　as　I　propounded　them；　that　wherever　that　milkman　came　to　a　real　stop　I　should　find　out　something　curious。〃

〃Well？〃　I　said。

〃Well；〃　he　answered