the club of queer trades-第20章

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！


aurant　in　Sloane　Square。〃

〃I　sometimes　think　you　play　the　fool　to　frighten　us；〃　I　said　irritably。　〃How　can　we　leave　that　woman　locked　up？　How　can　it　be　a　mere　private　affair？　How　can　crime　and　kidnapping　and　murder；　for　all　I　know；　be　private　affairs？　If　you　found　a　corpse　in　a　man's　drawing…room；　would　you　think　it　bad　taste　to　talk　about　it　just　as　if　it　was　a　confounded　dado　or　an　infernal　etching？〃

Basil　laughed　heartily。

〃That's　very　forcible；〃　he　said。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　though；　I　know　it's　all　right　in　this　case。　And　there　comes　the　green　omnibus。〃

〃How　do　you　know　it's　all　right　in　this　ease？〃　persisted　his　brother　angrily。

〃My　dear　chap；　the　thing's　obvious；〃　answered　Basil；　holding　a　return　ticket　between　his　teeth　while　he　fumbled　in　his　waistcoat　pocket。　〃Those　two　fellows　never　committed　a　crime　in　their　lives。　They're　not　the　kind。　Have　either　of　you　chaps　got　a　halfpenny？　I　want　to　get　a　paper　before　the　omnibus　comes。〃

〃Oh；　curse　the　paper！〃　cried　Rupert；　in　a　fury。　〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me；　Basil　Grant；　that　you　are　going　to　leave　a　fellow　creature　in　pitch　darkness　in　a　private　dungeon；　because　you've　had　ten　minutes'　talk　with　the　keepers　of　it　and　thought　them　rather　good　men？〃

〃Good　men　do　commit　crimes　sometimes；〃　said　Basil；　taking　the　ticket　out　of　his　mouth。　〃But　this　kind　of　good　man　doesn't　commit　that　kind　of　crime。　Well；　shall　we　get　on　this　omnibus？〃

The　great　green　vehicle　was　indeed　plunging　and　lumbering　along　the　dim　wide　street　towards　us。　Basil　had　stepped　from　the　curb；　and　for　an　instant　it　was　touch　and　go　whether　we　should　all　have　leaped　on　to　it　and　been　borne　away　to　the　restaurant　and　the　theatre。

〃Basil；〃　I　said；　taking　him　firmly　by　the　shoulder；　〃I　simply　won't　leave　this　street　and　this　house。〃

〃Nor　will　I；〃　said　Rupert；　glaring　at　it　and　biting　his　fingers。　〃There's　some　black　work　going　on　there。　If　I　left　it　I　should　never　sleep　again。〃

Basil　Grant　looked　at　us　both　seriously。

〃Of　course　if　you　feel　like　that；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　investigate　further。　You'll　find　it's　all　right；　though。　They're　only　two　young　Oxford　fellows。　Extremely　nice；　too；　though　rather　infected　with　this　pseudo…Darwinian　business。　Ethics　of　evolution　and　all　that。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Rupert　darkly；　ringing　the　bell；　〃that　we　shall　enlighten　you　further　about　their　ethics。〃

〃And　may　I　ask；〃　said　Basil　gloomily；　〃what　it　is　that　you　propose　to　do？〃

〃I　propose；　first　of　all；〃　said　Rupert；　〃to　get　into　this　house；　secondly；　to　have　a　look　at　these　nice　young　Oxford　men；　thirdly；　to　knock　them　down；　bind　them；　gag　them；　and　search　the　house。〃

Basil　stared　indignantly　for　a　few　minutes。　Then　he　was　shaken　for　an　instant　with　one　of　his　sudden　laughs。

〃Poor　little　boys；〃　he　said。　〃But　it　almost　serves　them　right　for　holding　such　silly　views；　after　all；〃　and　he　quaked　again　with　amusement　〃there's　something　confoundedly　Darwinian　about　it。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean　to　help　us？〃　said　Rupert。

〃Oh；　yes；　I'll　be　in　it；〃　answered　Basil；　〃if　it's　only　to　prevent　your　doing　the　poor　chaps　any　harm。〃

He　was　standing　in　the　rear　of　our　little　procession；　looking　indifferent　and　sometimes　even　sulky；　but　somehow　the　instant　the　door　opened　he　stepped　first　into　the　hall；　glowing　with　urbanity。

〃So　sorry　to　haunt　you　like　this；〃　he　said。　〃I　met　two　friends　outside　who　very　much　want　to　know　you。　May　I　bring　them　in？〃

〃Delighted；　of　course；〃　said　a　young　voice；　the　unmistakable　voice　of　the　Isis；　and　I　realized　that　the　door　had　been　opened；　not　by　the　decorous　little　servant　girl；　but　by　one　of　our　hosts　in　person。　He　was　a　short；　but　shapely　young　gentleman；　with　curly　dark　hair　and　a　square；　snub…nosed　face。　He　wore　slippers　and　a　sort　of　blazer　of　some　incredible　college　purple。

〃This　way；〃　he　said；　〃mind　the　steps　by　the　staircase。　This　house　is　more　crooked　and　old…fashioned　than　you　would　think　from　its　snobbish　exterior。　There　are　quite　a　lot　of　odd　corners　in　the　place　really。〃

〃That；〃　said　Rupert；　with　a　savage　smile；　〃I　can　quite　believe。〃

We　were　by　this　time　in　the　study　or　back　parlour；　used　by　the　young　inhabitants　as　a　sitting…room；　an　apartment　littered　with　magazines　and　books　ranging　from　Dante　to　detective　stories。　The　other　youth；　who　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire　smoking　a　corncob；　was　big　and　burly；　with　dead　brown　hair　brushed　forward　and　a　Norfolk　jacket。　He　was　that　particular　type　of　man　whose　every　feature　and　action　is　heavy　and　clumsy；　and　yet　who　is；　you　would　say；　rather　exceptionally　a　gentleman。

〃Any　more　arguments？〃　he　said；　when　introductions　had　been　effected。　〃I　must　say；　Mr　Grant；　you　were　rather　severe　upon　eminent　men　of　science　such　as　we。　I've　half　a　mind　to　chuck　my　D。Sc。　and　turn　minor　poet。〃

〃Bosh；〃　answered　Grant。　〃I　never　said　a　word　against　eminent　men　of　science。　What　I　complain　of　is　a　vague　popular　philosophy　which　supposes　itself　to　be　scientific　when　it　is　really　nothing　but　a　sort　of　new　religion　and　an　uncommonly　nasty　one。　When　people　talked　about　the　fall　of　man　they　knew　they　were　talking　about　a　mystery；　a　thing　they　didn't　understand。　Now　that　they　talk　about　the　survival　of　the　fittest　they　think　they　do　understand　it；　whereas　they　have　not　merely　no　notion；　they　have　an　elaborately　false　notion　of　what　the　words　mean。　The　Darwinian　movement　has　made　no　difference　to　mankind；　except　that；　instead　of　talking　unphilosophically　about　philosophy；　they　now　talk　unscientifically　about　science。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　said　the　big　young　man；　whose　name　appeared　to　be　Burrows。　〃Of　course；　in　a　sense；　science；　like　mathematics　or　the　violin；　can　only　be　perfectly　understood　by　specialists。　Still；　the　rudiments　may　be　of　public　use。　Greenwood　here；〃　indicating　the　little　man　in　the　blazer；　〃doesn't　know　one　note　of　music　from　another。　Still；　he　knows　something。　He　knows　enough　to　take　off　his　hat　when　they　play　‘God　save　the　King'。　He　doesn't　take　it　off　by　mistake　when　they　play　‘Oh；　dem　Golden　Slippers'。　Just　in　the　same　way　science〃

Here　Mr　Burrows　stopped　abruptly。　He　was　interrupted　by　an　argument　uncommon　in　philosophical　controversy　and　perhaps　not　wholly　legitimate。　Rupert　Grant　had　bounded　on　him　from　behind；　flung　an　arm　round　his　throat；　and　bent　the　giant　backwards。

〃Knock　the　other　fellow　down；　Swinburne；〃　he　called　out；　and　before　I　knew　where　I　was　I　was　locked　in　a　grapple　with　the　man　in　the　purple　blazer。　He　was　a　wiry　fighter；　who　bent　and　sprang　like　a　whalebone；　but　I　was　heavier　and　had　taken　him　utterly　by　surprise。　I　twitched　one　of　his　feet　from　under　him；　he　swung　for　a　moment　on　the　single　foot；　and　then　we　fell　with　a　crash　amid　the　litter　of　newspapers；　myself　on　top。

My　attention　for　a　moment　released　by　victory；　I　could　hear　Basil's　voice　finishing　some　long　sentence　of　which　I　had　not　heard　the　beginning。

〃。　。　。　wholly；　I　must　confess；　unintelligible　to　me；　my　dear　sir；　and　I　need　not　say　unpleasant。　Still　one　must　side　with　one's　old　friends　against　the　most　fascinating　new　ones。　Permit　me；　therefore；　in　tying　you　up　in　this　antimacassar；　to　make　it　as　commodious　as　handcuffs　can　reasonably　be　while。　。　。〃

I　had　staggered　to　my　feet。　The　gigantic　Burrows　was　toiling　in　the　garotte　of　Rupert；　while　Basil　was　striving　to　master　his　mighty　hands。　Rupert　and　Basil　were　both　particularly　strong；　but　so　was　Mr　Burrows；　how　strong；　we　knew　a　second　afterwards。　His　head　was　held　back　by　Rupert's　arm；　but　a　convulsive　heave　went　over　his　whole　frame。　An　instant　after　his　head　plunged　forward　like　a　bull's；　and　Rupert　Grant　was　slung　head　over　heels；　a　catherine　wheel　of　legs；　on　the　floor　in　front　of　him。　Simultaneously　the　bull's　head　butted　Basil　in　the　chest；　bringing　him　also　to　the　ground　with　a　crash；　and　the　monster；　with　a　Berserker　roar；　leaped　at　me　and　knocked　me　into　the　corner　of　the　room；　smashing　the　waste…paper　basket。　The　bewildered　Greenwood　sprang　furiously　to　his　feet。　Basil　did　the　same。　But　they　had　the　best　of　it　now。

Greenwood　dashed　to　the　bell　and　pulled　it　violently；　sending　peals　through　the　great　house。　Before　I　could　get　panting　to　my　feet；　and　before　Rupert；　who　had　been　literally　stunned　for　a　few　moments；　could　even　lift　his　head　from　the　floor；　two　footmen　were　in　the　room。　Defeated　even　when　we　were　in　a　majority；　we　were　now　outnumbered。　Greenwood　and　one　of　the　footmen　flung　themselves　upon　me；　crushing　me　back　into　the　corner　upon　the　wreck　of　the　paper　basket。　The　other　two　flew　at　Basil；　and　pinned　him　against　the　wall。　Rupert　lifted　himself　on　his　elbow；　but　he　was　still　dazed。

In　the　strained　silence　of　our　helplessness　I　heard　the　voice　of　Basil　come　with　a　loud　incongruous　cheerfulness。

〃Now　this；〃　he　said；　〃is　what　I　call　enjoying　oneself。〃

I　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　face；　flushed　and　forced　against　the　bookcase；　from　between　the　swaying　limbs　of　my　captors　and　his。　To　my　astonishment　his　eyes　were　really　brilliant　with　pleasure；　like　those　of　a　child　heated　by　a　favourite　game。

I　made　several　apoplectic　efforts　to　rise；　but　the　servant　was　on　top　of　me　so　heavily　that　Greenwood　could　afford　to　leave　me　to　him。　He　turned　quickly　to　come　to　reinforce　the　two　who　were　mastering　Basil。　The　latter's　head　was　already　sinking　lower　and　lower；　like　a　leaking　ship；　as　his　enemies　pressed　him　down。　He　flung　up　one　hand　just　as　I　thought　him　falling　and　hung　on　to　a　huge　tome　in　the　bookcase；　a　volume；　I　afterwards　discovered；　of　St　Chrysostom's　theology。　Just　as　Greenwood　bounded　across　the　room　towards　the　group；　Basil　plucked　the　ponderous　tome　bodily　out　of　the　shelf；　swung　it；　and　sent　it　spinning　through　the　air；　so　that　it　struck　Greenwood　flat　in　the　face　and　knocked　him　over　like　a　rolling　ninepin。　At　the　same　instant　Basil's　stiffness　broke；　and　he　sank；　his　enemies　closing　over　him。

Rupert's　head　was　clear；　but　his　body　shaken；　he　was　hanging　as　best　he　could　on　to　the　half…prostrate　Greenwood。　They　were　rolling　over　each　other　on　the　floor；　both　somewhat　enfeebled　by　their　falls；　but　Rupert　certainly　the　more　so。　I　was　still　successfully　held　down。　The　floor　was　a　sea　of　torn　and　trampled　papers　and　magazines；　like　an　immense　waste…paper　basket。　Burrows　and　his　companion　were　almost　up　to　the　knees　in　them；　as　in　a　drift　of　dead　leaves。　And　Greenwood　had　his　leg　stuck　right　through　a　sheet　of　the　Pall　Mall　Gazette；　which　clung　to　it　ludicrously；　like　some　fantastic　trouser　frill。

Basil；　shut　from　me　in　a　human　prison；　a　prison　of　powerful　bodies；　might　be　dead　for　all　I　knew。　I　fancied；　however；　that　the　broad　back　of　Mr　Burrows；　which　was　turned　towards　me；　had　a　certain　bend　of　effort　in　it　as　if　my　friend　still　needed　some　holding　down。　Suddenly　that　broad　back　swayed　hither　and　thither。　It　was　swaying　on　one　leg；　Basil；　somehow；　had　hold　of　the　other。　Burrows'　huge　fists　and　those　of　the　footman　were　battering　Basil's　sunken　head　like　an　anvil；　but　nothing　could　get　the　giant's　ankle　out　of　his　sudden　and　savage　grip。　While　his　own　head　was　forced　slowly　down　in　darkness　and　great　pain；　the　right　leg　of　his　captor　was　being　forced　in　the　air。　Burrows　swung　to　and　fro　with　a　purple　face。　Then　suddenly　the　floor　and　the　walls　and　the　ceiling　shook　together；　as　the　colossus　fell；　all　his　length　seeming　to　fill