the grey room(灰房间)-第42章
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inhibition of the heart' as 'shock'； but we know； in our cases； that if a shock；
it was not a painful one … perhaps not even an unpleasant one。 Since all
other emotions can be pleasant or unpleasant； why must we assume that
the supreme emotion of death may not be pleasant also； did we know how
to make it so？ Perhaps the Borgia； among their secrets； had discovered
this。 At least the familiar signs of death were wholly absent from the
countenances of the dead。 The jaws were not set； the familiar；
expressions were not changed； as usually happens from rigidity of facial
muscles； their faces were not sallow； their temples were not sunk； their
brows were not contracted。
〃We will now take the victims； one by one； and show how death
happened to each of them； yet left no sign that it had happened。 Frankly；
the first case alone presented any difficulties to me。 For a time I despaired
of proving how the bed had destroyed Sir Walter's ancestor； because she
had not entered it。 But the difficulty becomes clear to one possessing our
present knowledge； for once prove the properties of the bed； and the rest
follows。 You will say that they were not proved； only guessed。 That was
true； until Prince died。 His death crowned my edifice of theory and
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converted it to fact。 As to why the bed has these properties； that is for
science to find out presently。
〃To return； then； to the old lady； the ancient woman of your race； who
came unexpectedly to the Christmas re…union and was put to sleep in the
Grey Room at her own wish。 She was found dead next morning on the
floor。 She had not entered the bed。 The exact facts have long
disappeared from human knowledge； and it is only possible to re…construct
them by inference and the support of those straightforward events that
followed。 I conceive； then； that though the old lady did not create the
warmth that liberated the evil spirit of the bed and so destroyed her； that
warmth was nevertheless artificially created。 What must have happened；
think you？ The bed is made up in haste and the fire lighted。 But the
fire is a long way from the bed； and would have no effect to create the
necessary temperature。 There is； however； a hot…water bottle in the bed；
or a hot brick wrapped in flannel。 The old lady is about to enter her bed。
She has extinguished her candie； but the flame of the fire gives light。 She
has prayed； she throws off her dressing…gown and flings back the covering
of the bed； to fall an instant victim to the miasma。 She drops backward
and is found dead next morning； by which time the bottle and bed are also
cold。
〃Taken alone； I grant this explanation may fail to win your sympathy；
but consider the cumulative evidence in store。 The old lady may； of
course； have died a natural death。 She may not have turned down the bed。
There is nobody living to tell us。 All that Sir Walter can recollect is that
she was found on the floor of the room dead。 Exactly where； he does not
remember。 But for my own part I have no doubt whatever that her death
took place in that way。
〃We are on safer ground with the other tragic happenings； though； save
in the case of Nurse Forrester； there is nothing on the surface of events to
connect their deaths with the accursed bed。 You will see； however； that it is
very easy to do so。 In the lady's case all is clear enough。 She goes to
bed tired and she sleeps peacefully into death without waking。 She is
probably asleep within ten minutes； before her own warmth has penetrated
through sheet and blanket to the mattress beneath and so destroyed her。
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Suppose that she is dead in half an hour。 She retired to rest at ten o'clock；
she is called at seven； the room is presently broken into and she is then not
only dead； but cold。 The demon has gone to sleep again under its lifeless
burden。 Now had she been stout and well covered； there had hardly been
time for her to grow cold； and those who came to her assistance might
even have perished； too。 But she is a little； thin thing； and the heat has
gone out of her。 This assured the safety of those who came to the bedside。
One can make no laws as to the time necessary for a dead body to grow as
cold as its surroundings。 The bodies of the old and the young cool more
quickly than those of adult persons。 If the conditions are favorable a
body may cool in six to eight hours。 Prince took but five； poor little bag
of bones。
〃In the case of Captain May the conditions are altogether different。 Let
me speak with all tenderness and spare you pain。 Be sure that he
suffered no more than the others。 The bed is now no longer made； the
mattress is bare。 That matters not to him。 Clad in his pyjamas； with a
railway rug to cover him and his dressing…gown for a pillow； he flings
himself down； and from his powerful and sanguine frame warmth is
instantly communicated to the mattress that supports him。 Probably but a
few minutes were sufficient to liberate the poison。 He is not asleep； but
on the edge of sleep when he becomes suddenly conscious of physical
sensations beyond his experience。 He had breathed death； but yet he is
not dead。 His brain works； and can send a message to his limbs； which are
still able to obey。 But his hour has come。 He leaps from the bed in no
suffering； but conscious； perhaps of an oppression； or an unfamiliar odor …
we cannot say what。 We only know that he feels intense surprise； not
pain for in that dying moment his emotions are fixed for ever by the
muscles of his face。 He needs air and seeks it。 He hurries to the recess；
kneels on the cushion； and throws open the window。 Or the window may
have been already open … we cannot tell。 To reach it is his last conscious
act； and in another moment he is dead。 The bed is not suspected。 Why
should it be？ Who could prove that he had even laid down upon it？
Indeed it was believed and reported at the inquest that he had not done so。
Yet that is what unquestionably happened。 Otherwise his candle would
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have burned to the socket。 He had blown it out and settled to rest； be
sure。
〃We have now to deal with the detective； and here again there was
nothing to associate his death with the bed of the Borgia。 Yet you will
see without my aid how easily he came by his death。 Peter Hardcastle
desires to be alone； that he may study the Grey Room and everything in it。
He is left as he wishes； walks here and there； sketches a ground plan of the
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。
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〃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 masterp
