the grey room(灰房间)-第43章
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course； to be proved。 I doubt it。
〃Such； my friends； were the masterpieces of the Borgia； for whom the
profoundest chemists worked willingly enough and by doing so doubtless
made their fortunes。 Their poisons were so designed to act that； by their
very operation； the secrets of them were concealed； and all clues
obliterated。 Chemistry knows nothing of the supernatural； yet can； as in
this case； achieve results that may well appear to be black magic。
〃And if we； of this day； fail to find them out； it is easy to guess that in
their own times； much that they caused to be done was set down to the
operations of Heaven alone。
〃Science will be deeply interested in your Borgia mattress； Sir Walter。
Science； I doubt not； will carefully unpick it and make a series of very
remarkable experiments； yet I make bold to believe that science may be
baffled by the cunning and forgotten knowledge of men long dust。 We
shall see as to that。〃
He rose and bade Masters call Stephano。 Then； with a few words；
they parted； and each shook the old man's hand and expressed a deep and
genuine gratitude before they did so。
〃A little remains to add；〃 said Signor Mannetti。 〃You shall hear what
it is to…morrow。 For the moment； 'Good…night！' It has been a crowning
joy to my long life that I was able to do this service to new and valued
friends。〃
In the servants' hall next morning Masters related what he had heard。
〃And if you ask me；〃 he concluded； 〃I draw back what I thought about
him being younger than he pretends。 He's older … old as the hills … older
than that horror in the Grey Boom。 He's a demon； and he's killed the old
dog； and I believe he's a Borge himself if the truth was known。〃
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CHAPTER XIII
TWO NOTES
They walked in the garden next morning； and Sir Walter delayed to
write to Scotland Yard until after seeing Signor Mannetti again。 The old
gentleman descended to them presently； and declared himself over…
fatigued。
〃I must sit in the sun and go to sleep again after lunch；〃 he said。
〃Stephano is annoyed with me； and hints at the doctor。〃
〃Mannering will be here to lunch。 You will understand that nobody is
more deeply interested in these things than he。〃
〃But yourself；〃 said Mary。 〃Come and sit down and rest。 You are
looking very tired today。〃
〃A little reaction … no more。 It was worth it。〃 He then proceeded
where he had broken off on the preceding night。
〃There remains only to tell you how I found myself caught up in your
sad story。 It had not occurred to you to wonder？〃
〃I confess I had never thought of that； signor。 You made us forget
such a trifling detail。〃
〃But； none the less； you will want to know； Sir Walter。 Our common
friend； Colonel Vane； put the first thought in my head。 He laid the train
to which I set the match so well。 He it was who described the Grey
Room very exactly； and the moment that I heard of the ancient carved
furniture； I knew that he spoke of curios concerning which I already had
heard。 The name of Lennox completed the clue； for that had already
stirred memories in my ancient mind。 I had listened to my father； when I
was young； telling a story in which a bed and chairs and a gentleman
named Lennox were connected。 He spoke of an ancient Italian suite of
three pieces； the work of craftsmen at Rome in the fifteenth century。 It
was papal furniture of the early Renaissance； well known to him as being
in a Spanish collection … a hundred and fifty years ago that is now … and
when these things came into the market； he rejoiced and hurried off to
Valencia； where it was to be sold。 For he was even such a man as your
grandfather … a connoisseur and an enthusiastic collector。 But； alas； his
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hopes were short…lived； he found himself in opposition to a deeper purse
than his own； and it was Sir John Lennox； not my father； who secured the
bed and the two chairs that go with it。 These things； as I tell you；
returned to my recollection； and； remembering them； I guessed myself
upon the right track。 The arms of the Borgia； and the successful
experiment with the dog； Prince； proved that I was correct in guessing
where the poison lay hidden。〃
〃It is impossible to express my sense of your amazing goodness； or my
gratitude； or my admiration for your genius；〃 declared Sir Walter； but the
other contradicted him。
〃Genius is a great word to which I can lay no claim。 I have done
nothing at all that you yourself might not have done； given the same
knowledge。 As for gratitude； if indeed that is not too strong an
expression also； you can show gratitude in a very simple manner； dear
friend。 I am a practical； old man and； to be honest； I very greatly covet
the Borgia bed and chairs。 Now； if indeed you feel that I am not asking
too grand a favor … a favor out of all keeping with my good offices on your
behalf … then let me purchase the bed and chairs； and convey them with me
home to Rome。 It is seemly that they should return to Rome； is it not？
Rome would welcome them。 I much desire to sleep in that bed … to be
where I am so sure Prince Djem lay when he breathed his last。 Yes； believe
me； he received your bed as a gracious present from Alexander VI。 The
Borgia were generous of such gifts。〃
The bed and chairs are yours； my dear signor； and the rest of the
contents of the Grey Room； also； if you esteem them in any way。〃
〃Positively I could not； Sir Walter。〃
〃Indeed you shall。 It is done； and leaves me greatly your debtor still。〃
〃Then be it so。 I thank you from the bottom of my heart。 Nor will I
say that you oppress me with such extraordinary generosity； for is it not
more blessed to give than receive？ Heavens knows what dark evils the
bed may have committed in the course of its career； but its activities are at
an end。 For me it shall bring no more than honest slumber。 But the
mattress … no。 I do not want the mattress。 That will be a nice present
for the museum of your Royal College of Surgeons。
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A week later the old man was sufficiently rested； and he returned home；
taking his treasures with him。 But he did not depart until he had won a
promise that Sir Walter and Mary would visit him at Rome within the year。
Experts again descended upon Chadlands； packed the source of
tribulation with exceeding care； and conveyed it to London for
examination。 Those destined to make the inquiry were much alive to
their perils； and took no risk。
Six weeks later letters passed between England and Rome； and Sir
Walter wrote to Signor Mannetti； sending such details as he was able to
furnish。
〃A thin； supple wire was found to run between the harmless flock of
the mattress and the satin casing；〃 wrote Sir Walter。 〃Experiments showed
that neither the stuffing nor the outer case contained any harmful
substance。 But the wire； of which fifty miles wound over the upper and
lower surfaces of the mattress under its satin upholstery； proved infinitely
sensitive to heat； and gave off； or ejected at tremendous speed； an invisible；
highly poisonous matter even at a lower temperature than that of a normal
human being。 Insects placed upon it perished in the course of a few
hours； and it destroyed microscopic life and fish and frogs in water at
comparatively low temperatures； that caused the living organisms no
inconvenience until portions of the wire were introduced。 A cat died in
eight minutes； a monkey in ten。 No pain or discomfort marked the
operation of the wire on unconscious creatures。 They sank into death as
into sudden sleep； and examination revealed no physical effects whatever。
The wire is an alloy； and the constituent metals have not yet been
determined； but it is not an amalgam； for mercury is absent。 The wire
contains thallium and helium as the spectroscope shows； but its awful
radioactivity and deadly emanation has yet to be explained。 The
chemical experts have a startling theory。 They suspect there is a new
element here … probably destined to occupy one of the last unfilled places
of the Periodic Table； which chronicles all the elements known to science。
Chemical analysis fails to reach the radio…active properties； and for their
examination the electroscope and spinthariscope are needful。 With these
the radio…chemists are at work。 The wire melted at a lower temperature
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than lead； but melting did not destroy its potency。 After cooling； the
metal retained its properties and was still responsive； as before； to warmth。
But experiment shows that in a molten state； the metal of the wire
increases in effect； and any living thing brought within a yard of it under
this condition succumbs instantly。 Its properties cannot be extracted； so
far； from the actual
