the queen of hearts-第35章

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However　that　might　be；　the　number　drawn　was　certainly　Seven；　and
the　story　to　be　read　was　consequently　the　story　which　my　brother
had　finished　only　two　days　before。

If　I　had　not　known　that　it　was　part　of　Morgan's　character　always
to　do　exactly　the　reverse　of　what　might　be　expected　from　him；　I
should　have　been　surprised　at　the　extraordinary　docility　he
exhibited　the　moment　his　manuscript　was　placed　i　n　his　hands。

〃My　turn　again？〃　he　said。　〃How　very　satisfactory！　I　was　anxious
to　escape　from　this　absurd　position　of　mine　as　soon　as　possible；
and　here　is　the　opportunity　most　considerately　put　into　my　hands。
Look　out；　all　of　you！　I　won't　waste　another　moment。　I　mean　to
begin　instantly。〃

〃Do　tell　me；〃　interposed　Jessie；　mischievously；　〃shall　I　be　very
much　interested　to…night'？'

〃Not　you！〃　retorted　Morgan。　〃You　will　be　very　much　frightened
instead。　You　hair　is　uncommonly　smooth　at　the　present　moment；　but
it　will　be　all　standing　on　end　before　I've　done。　Don't　blame　me；
miss；　if　you　are　an　object　when　you　go　to　bed　to…night！〃

With　this　curious　introductory　speech　he　began　to　read。　I　was
obliged　to　interrupt　him　to　say　the　few　words　of　explanation
which　the　story　needed。

〃Before　my　brother　begins；〃　I　said；　〃it　may　be　as　well　to　mention
that　he　is　himself　the　doctor　who　is　supposed　to　relate　this
narrative。　The　events　happened　at　a　time　of　his　life　when　he　had
left　London；　and　had　established　himself　in　medical　practice　in
one　of　our　large　northern　towns。〃

With　that　brief　explanation；　I　apologized　for　interrupting　the
reader；　and　Morgan　began　once　more。


BROTHER　MORGAN'S　STORY

of

THE　DEAD　HAND


WHEN　this　present　nineteenth　century　was　younger　by　a　good　many
years　than　it　is　now；　a　certain　friend　of　mine；　named　Arthur
Holliday；　happened　to　arrive　in　the　town　of　Doncaster　exactly　in
the　middle　of　the　race…week；　or；　in　other　words；　in　the　middle　of
the　month　of　September。

He　was　one　of　those　reckless；　rattle…pated；　open…hearted；　and
open…mouthed　young　gentlemen　who　possess　the　gift　of　familiarity
in　its　highest　perfection；　and　who　scramble　carelessly　along　the
journey　of　life；　making　friends；　as　the　phrase　is；　wherever　they
go。　His　father　was　a　rich　manufacturer；　and　had　bought　landed
property　enough　in　one　of　the　midland　counties　to　make　all　the
born　squires　in　his　neighborhood　thoroughly　envious　of　him。
Arthur　was　his　only　son；　possessor　in　prospect　of　the　great
estate　and　the　great　business　after　his　father's　death；　well
supplied　with　money；　and　not　too　rigidly　looked　after　during　his
father's　lifetime。　Report；　or　scandal；　whichever　you　please；　said
that　the　old　gentleman　had　been　rather　wild　in　his　youthful　days；
and　that；　unlike　most　parents；　he　was　not　disposed　to　be
violently　indignant　when　he　found　that　his　son　took　after　him。
This　may　be　true　or　not。　I　myself　only　knew　the　elder　Mr。
Holliday　when　he　was　getting　on　in　years；　and　then　he　was　as
quiet　and　as　respectable　a　gentleman　as　ever　I　met　with。

Well；　one　September；　as　I　told　you；　young　Arthur　comes　to
Doncaster；　having　decided　all　of　a　sudden；　in　his　hare…brained
way；　that　he　would　go　to　the　races。　He　did　not　reach　the　town
till　toward　the　close　of　evening；　and　he　went　at　once　to　see
about　his　dinner　and　bed　at　the　principal　hotel。　Dinner　they　were
ready　enough　to　give　him；　but　as　for　a　bed；　they　laughed　when　he
mentioned　it。　In　the　race…week　at　Doncaster　it　is　no　uncommon
thing　for　visitors　who　have　not　bespoken　apartments　to　pass　the
night　in　their　carriages　at　the　inn　doors。　As　for　the　lower　sort
of　strangers；　I　myself　have　often　seen　them；　at　that　full　time；
sleeping　out　on　the　doorsteps　for　want　of　a　covered　place　to
creep　under。　Rich　as　he　was；　Arthur's　chance　of　getting　a　night's
lodging　（seeing　that　he　had　not　written　beforehand　to　secure　one）
was　more　than　doubtful。　He　tried　the　second　hotel；　and　the　third
hotel；　and　two　of　the　inferior　inns　after　that；　and　was　met
everywhere　with　the　same　form　of　answer。　No　accommodation　for　the
night　of　any　sort　was　left。　All　the　bright　golden　sovereigns　in
his　pocket　would　not　buy　him　a　bed　at　Doncaster　in　the　race…week。

To　a　young　fellow　of　Arthur's　temperament；　the　novelty　of　being
turned　away　into　the　street　like　a　penniless　vagabond；　at　every
house　where　he　asked　for　a　lodging；　presented　itself　in　the　light
of　a　new　and　highly　amusing　piece　of　experience。　He　went　on　with
his　carpet…bag　in　his　hand；　applying　for　a　bed　at　every　place　of
entertainment　for　travelers　that　he　could　find　in　Doncaster；
until　he　wandered　into　the　outskirts　of　the　town。

By　this　time　the　last　glimmer　of　twilight　had　faded　out；　the　moon
was　rising　dimly　in　a　mist；　the　wind　was　getting　cold；　the　clouds
were　gathering　heavily；　and　there　was　every　prospect　that　it　was
soon　going　to　rain！

The　look　of　the　night　had　rather　a　lowering　effect　on　young
Holliday's　spirits。　He　began　to　contemplate　the　houseless
situation　in　which　he　was　placed　from　the　serious　rather　than　the
humorous　point　of　view；　and　he　looked　about　him　for　another
public　house　to　inquire　at　with　something　very　like　downright
anxiety　in　his　mind　on　the　subject　of　a　lodging　for　the　night。
The　suburban　part　of　the　town　toward　which　he　had　now　strayed　was
hardly　lighted　at　all；　and　he　could　see　nothing　of　the　houses　as
he　passed　them；　except　that　they　got　progressively　smaller　and
dirtier　the　further　he　went。　Down　the　winding　road　before　him
shone　the　dull　gleam　of　an　oil　lamp；　the　one　faint　lonely　light
that　struggled　ineffectually　with　the　foggy　darkness　all　round
him。　He　resolved　to　go　on　as　far　as　this　lamp；　and　then；　if　it
showed　him　nothing　in　the　shape　of　an　inn；　to　return　to　the
central　part　of　the　town；　and　to　try　if　he　could　not　at　least
secure　a　chair　to　sit　down　on　through　the　night　at　one　of　the
principal　hotels。

As　he　got　near　the　lamp　he　heard　voices；　and；　walking　close　under
it；　found　that　it　lighted　the　entrance　to　a　narrow　court；　on　the
wall　of　which　was　painted　a　long　hand　in　faded　flesh…color；
pointing；　with　a　lean　forefinger；　to　this　inscription：

THE　TWO　ROBINS。

Arthur　turned　into　the　court　without　hesitation　to　see　what　The
Two　Robins　could　do　for　him。　Four　or　five　men　were　standing
together　round　the　door　of　the　house；　which　was　at　the　bottom　of
the　court；　facing　the　entrance　from　the　street。　The　men　were　all
listening　to　one　other　man；　better　dressed　than　the　rest；　who　was
telling　his　audience　something；　in　a　low　voice；　in　which　they
were　apparently　very　much　interested。

On　entering　the　passage；　Arthur　was　passed　by　a　stranger　with　a
knapsack　in　his　hand；　who　was　evidently　leaving　the　house。

〃No；〃　said　the　traveler　with　the　knapsack；　turning　round　and
addressing　himself　cheerfully　to　a　fat；　sly…looking；　bald…headed
man；　with　a　dirty　white　apron　on；　who　had　followed　him　down　the
passage；　〃no；　Mr。　Landlord；　I　am　not　easily　scared　by　trifles；
but　I　don't　mind　confessing　that　I　can't　quite　stand　_that_。〃

It　occurred　to　young　Holliday；　the　moment　he　heard　these　words；
that　the　stranger　had　been　asked　an　exorbitant　price　for　a　bed　at
The　Two　Robins；　and　that　he　was　unable　or　unwilling　to　pay　it。
The　moment　his　back　was　turned；　Arthur；　comfortably　conscious　of
his　own　well…filled　pockets；　addressed　himself　in　a　great　hurry；
for　fear　any　other　benighted　traveler　should　slip　in　and
forestall　him；　to　the　sly…looking　landlord　with　the　dirty　apron
and　the　bald　head。

〃If　you　have　got　a　bed　to　let；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　that　gentleman
who　has　just　gone　out　won't　pay　your　price　for　it；　I　will。〃

The　sly　landlord　looked　hard　at　Arthur。　〃Will　you；　sir？〃　he
asked；　in　a　meditative；　doubtful　way。

〃Name　your　price；〃　said　young　Holliday；　thinking　that　the
landlord's　hesitation　sprang　from　some　boorish　distrust　of　him。
〃Name　your　price；　and　I'll　give　you　the　money　at　once；　if　you
like。〃

〃Are　you　game　for　five　shillings？〃　inquired　the　landlord；　rubbing
his　stubby　double　chin　and　looking　up　thoughtfully　at　the　ceiling
above　him。

Arthur　nearly　laughed　in　the　man's　face；　but；　thinking　it　prudent
to　control　himself；　offered　the　five　shillings　as　seriously　as　he
could。　The　sly　landlord　held　out　his　hand；　then　suddenly　drew　it
back　again。

〃You're　acting　all　fair　and　aboveboard　by　me；〃　he　said；　〃and；
before　I　take　your　money；　I'll　do　the　same　by　you。　Look　here；
this　is　how　it　stands。　You　can　have　a　bed　all　to　yourself　for
five　shillings；　but　you　can't　have　more　than　a　half　share　of　the
room　it　stands　in。　Do　you　see　what　I　mean；　young　gentleman？〃

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　returned　Arthur；　a　little　irritably。　〃You　mean
that　it　is　a　double…bedded　room；　and　that　one　of　the　beds　is
occupied？〃

The　land　lord　nodded　his　head；　and　rubbed　his　double　chin　harder
than　ever。　Arthur　hesitated；　and　mechanically　moved　back　a　step
or　two　toward　the　door。　The　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room
with　a　total　stranger　did　not　present　an　attractive　prospect　to
him。　He　felt　more　than　half　inclined　to　drop　his　five　shillings
into　his　pocket　and　to　go　out　into　the　street　once　more。

〃Is　it　yes　or　no？〃　asked　the　landlord。　〃Settle　it　as　quick　as　you
can；　because　there's　lots　of　people　wanting　a　bed　at　Doncaster
to…night　besides　you。〃

Arthur　looked　toward　the　court　and　heard　the　rain　falling　heavily
in　the　street　outside。　He　thought　he　would　ask　a　question　or　two
before　he　rashly　decided　on　leaving　the　shelter　of　The　Two
Robins。

〃What　sort　of　man　is　it　who　has　got　the　other　bed？〃　he　inquired。
〃Is　he　a　gentleman？　I　mean；　is　he　a　quiet；　well…behaved　person？〃

〃The　quietest　man　I　ever　came　across；〃　said　the　landlord；　rubbing
his　fat　hands　stealthily　one　over　the　other。　〃As　sober　as　a
judge；　and　as　regular　as　clock…work　in　his　habits。　It　hasn't
struck　nine；　not　ten　minutes　ago；　and　he's　in　his　bed　already。　I
don't　know　whether　that　comes　up　to　your　notion　of　a　quiet　man：
it　goes　a　long　way　ahead　of　mine；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃Is　he　asleep；　do　you　think？〃　asked　Arthur。

〃I　know　he's　asleep；〃　returned　the　landlord；　〃and；　what's　more；
he's　gone　off　so　fast　that　I'll　warrant　you　don't　wake　him。　This
way；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　speaking　over　young　Holliday's
shoulder；　as　if　he　was　addressing　some　new　guest　who　was
approaching　the　house。

〃Here　you　are；〃　said　Arthur；　determined　to　be　beforehand　with　the
stranger；　whoever　he　might　be。　〃I'll　take　the　bed。〃　And　he　handed
the　five　shillings　to　the　landlord；　who　nodded；　dropped　the　money
carelessly　into　his　waistcoat　pocket；　and　lighted　a　candle。

〃Come　up　and　see　the　room；〃　said　the　host　of　The　Two　Robins；
leading　the　way　to　the　staircase　quite　briskly；　considering　how
fat　he　was。

They　mounted　to　the　second　floor　of　the　house。　The　landlord　half
opened　a　door　fronting　the　landing；　then　stopped；　and　turned
round　to　Arthur。

〃It's　a　fair　bargain；　mind；　on　my　side　as　well　as　on　yours；〃　he
said。　〃You　give　me　five　shillings；　and　I　give　you　in　return　a
clean；　comfortable　bed；　and　I　warrant；　beforehand；　that　you　won't
be　interfered　with；　or　annoyed　in　anyway；　by　the　man　who　sleeps
in　the　same　room　with　you。〃　Saying　those　words；　he　looked　hard；
for　a　moment；　in　young　Holliday's　face；　and　then　led　the　way　into
the　room。

It　was　larger　and　cleaner　than　Arthur　had　expected　it　woul