round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第36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！
ROUND THE RED LAMP
crouching figure； dimly visible against the black background。 Even as he
gazed back at it； it had lessened its distance by twenty paces； and was fast
closing upon him。 Out of the darkness he had a glimpse of a scraggy
neck； and of two eyes that will ever haunt him in his dreams。 He turned；
and with a cry of terror he ran for his life up the avenue。 There were the
red lights； the signals of safety； almost within a stone's throw of him。 He
was a famous runner； but never had he run as he ran that night。
The heavy gate had swung into place behind him； but he heard it dash
open again before his pursuer。 As he rushed madly and wildly through
the night； he could hear a swift； dry patter behind him； and could see； as he
threw back a glance； that this horror was bounding like a tiger at his heels；
with blazing eyes and one stringy arm outthrown。 Thank God； the door
was ajar。 He could see the thin bar of light which shot from the lamp in
the hall。 Nearer yet sounded the clatter from behind。 He heard a hoarse
gurgling at his very shoulder。 With a shriek he flung himself against the
door； slammed and bolted it behind him； and sank half…fainting on to the
hall chair。
〃My goodness； Smith； what's the matter？〃 asked Peterson； appearing at
the door of his study。
〃Give me some brandy！〃
Peterson disappeared； and came rushing out again with a glass and a
decanter。
〃You need it；〃 he said； as his visitor drank off what he poured out for
him。 〃Why； man； you are as white as a cheese。〃
Smith laid down his glass； rose up； and took a deep breath。
〃I am my own man again now；〃 said he。 〃I was never so unmanned
before。 But； with your leave； Peterson； I will sleep here to…night； for I
don't think I could face that road again except by daylight。 It's weak； I
know； but I can't help it。〃
Peterson looked at his visitor with a very questioning eye。
〃Of course you shall sleep here if you wish。 I'll tell Mrs。 Burney to
make up the spare bed。 Where are you off to now？〃
〃Come up with me to the window that overlooks the door。 I want
you to see what I have seen。〃
152
… Page 153…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
They went up to the window of the upper hall whence they could look
down upon the approach to the house。 The drive and the fields on either
side lay quiet and still； bathed in the peaceful moonlight。
〃Well； really； Smith；〃 remarked Peterson； 〃it is well that I know you to
be an abstemious man。 What in the world can have frightened you？〃
〃I'll tell you presently。 But where can it have gone？ Ah； now look；
look！ See the curve of the road just beyond your gate。〃
〃Yes； I see； you needn't pinch my arm off。 I saw someone pass。 I
should say a man； rather thin； apparently； and tall； very tall。 But what of
him？ And what of yourself？ You are still shaking like an aspen leaf。〃
〃I have been within hand…grip of the devil； that's all。 But come down
to your study； and I shall tell you the whole story。〃
He did so。 Under the cheery lamplight； with a glass of wine on the
table beside him； and the portly form and florid face of his friend in front；
he narrated； in their order； all the events； great and small； which had
formed so singular a chain； from the night on which he had found
Bellingham fainting in front of the mummy case until his horrid
experience of an hour ago。
〃There now；〃 he said as he concluded； 〃that's the whole black business。
It is monstrous and incredible； but it is true。〃
Dr。 Plumptree Peterson sat for some time in silence with a very
puzzled expression upon his face。
〃I never heard of such a thing in my life； never！〃 he said at last。 〃You
have told me the facts。 Now tell me your inferences。〃
〃You can draw your own。〃
〃But I should like to hear yours。 You have thought over the matter；
and I have not。〃
〃Well； it must be a little vague in detail； but the main points seem to
me to be clear enough。 This fellow Bellingham； in his Eastern studies；
has got hold of some infernal secret by which a mummyor possibly only
this particular mummycan be temporarily brought to life。 He was
trying this disgusting business on the night when he fainted。 No doubt
the sight of the creature moving had shaken his nerve； even though he had
expected it。 You remember that almost the first words he said were to
153
… Page 154…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
call out upon himself as a fool。 Well； he got more hardened afterwards；
and carried the matter through without fainting。 The vitality which he
could put into it was evidently only a passing thing； for I have seen it
continually in its case as dead as this table。 He has some elaborate
process； I fancy； by which he brings the thing to pass。 Having done it； he
naturally bethought him that he might use the creature as an agent。 It has
intelligence and it has strength。 For some purpose he took Lee into his
confidence； but Lee； like a decent Christian； would have nothing to do
with such a business。 Then they had a row； and Lee vowed that he would
tell his sister of Bellingham's true character。 Bellingham's game was to
prevent him； and he nearly managed it； by setting this creature of his on
his track。 He had already tried its powers upon another manNorton
towards whom he had a grudge。 It is the merest chance that he has not
two murders upon his soul。 Then； when I taxed him with the matter； he
had the strongest reasons for wishing to get me out of the way before I
could convey my knowledge to anyone else。 He got his chance when I
went out； for he knew my habits； and where I was bound for。 I have had
a narrow shave； Peterson； and it is mere luck you didn't find me on your
doorstep in the morning。 I'm not a nervous man as a rule； and I never
thought to have the fear of death put upon me as it was to… night。〃
〃My dear boy； you take the matter too seriously；〃 said his companion。
〃Your nerves are out of order with your work； and you make too much of
it。 How could such a thing as this stride about the streets of Oxford； even
at night； without being seen？〃
〃It has been seen。 There is quite a scare in the town about an escaped
ape； as they imagine the creature to be。 It is the talk of the place。〃
〃Well； it's a striking chain of events。 And yet； my dear fellow； you
must allow that each incident in itself is capable of a more natural
explanation。〃
〃What！ even my adventure of to…night？〃
〃Certainly。 You come out with your nerves all unstrung； and your
head full of this theory of yours。 Some gaunt； half…famished tramp steals
after you； and seeing you run； is emboldened to pursue you。 Your fears
and imagination do the rest。〃
154
… Page 155…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃It won't do； Peterson； it won't do。〃
〃And again； in the instance of your finding the mummy case empty；
and then a few moments later with an occupant； you know that it was
lamplight； that the lamp was half turned down； and that you had no special
reason to look hard at the case。 It is quite possible that you may have
overlooked the creature in the first instance。〃
〃No； no； it is out of the question。〃
〃And then Lee may have fallen into the river； and Norton been
garrotted。 It is certainly a formidable indictment that you have against
Bellingham； but if you were to place it before a police magistrate； he
would simply laugh in your face。〃
〃I know he would。 That is why I mean to take the matter into my
own hands。〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Yes； I feel that a public duty rests upon me； and； besides； I must do it
for my own safety； unless I choose to allow myself to be hunted by this
beast out of the college； and that would be a little too feeble。 I have quite
made up my mind what I shall do。 And first of all； may I use your paper
and pens for an hour？〃
〃Most certainly。 You will find all that you want upon that side table。〃
Abercrombie Smith sat down before a sheet of foolscap； and for an
hour； and then for a second hour his pen travelled swiftly over it。 Page
after page was finished and tossed aside while his friend leaned back in his
arm…chair； looking across at him with patient curiosity。 At last； with an
exclamation of satisfaction； Smith sprang to his feet； gathered his papers
up into order； and laid the last one upon Peterson's desk。
〃Kindly sign this as a witness；〃 he said。
〃A witness？ Of what？〃
〃Of my signature； and of the date。 The date is the most important。
Why； Peterson； my life might hang upon it。〃
〃My dear Smith； you are talking wildly。 Let me beg you to go to
bed。〃
〃On the contrary； I never spoke so deliberately in my life。 And I will
promise to go to bed the moment you have signed it。〃
155
… Page 156…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃But what is it？〃
〃It is a statement of all that I have been telling you to…night。 I wish
you to witness it。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Peterson； signing his name under that of his
companion。 〃There you are！ But what is the idea？〃
〃You will kindly retain it； and produce it in case I am arrested。〃
〃Arrested？ For what？〃
〃For murder。 It is quite on the cards。 I
