stories by english authors in france(旅法英国作家的故事)-第17章
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house of the most suspicious character； in a situation of uncertainty； and
even of peril； which might seem to make the cool exercise of my
recollection almost out of the question； nevertheless； remembering； quite
involuntarily； places； people； conversations； minute circumstances of
every kind； which I had thought forgotten for ever； which I could not
possibly have recalled at will； even under the most favourable auspices。
And what cause had produced in a moment the whole of this strange；
complicated； mysterious effect？ Nothing but some rays of moonlight
shining in at my bedroom window。
I was still thinking of the picnicof our merriment on the drive home
of the sentimental young lady who /would quote/ 〃Childe Harold〃 because
it was moonlight。 I was absorbed by these past scenes and past
amusements； when； in an instant； the thread on which my memories hung
snapped asunder； my attention immediately came back to present things
more vividly than ever； and I found myself； I neither knew why nor
wherefore； looking hard at the picture again。
Looking for what？
Good God！ the man had pulled his hat down on his brows！ No！ the hat
itself was gone！ Where was the conical crown？ Where the feathersthree
white； two green？ Not there！ In place of the hat and feathers； what dusky
object was it that now hid his forehead； his eyes； his shading hand？
Was the bed moving？
I turned on my back and looked up。 Was I mad？ drunk？ dreaming？
giddy again？ or was the top of the bed really moving downsinking
slowly； regularly； silently； horribly； right down throughout the whole of its
length and breadthright down upon me； as I lay underneath？
My blood seemed to stand still。 A deadly paralysing coldness stole all
over me as I turned my head round on the pillow and determined to test
whether the bedtop was really moving or not； by keeping my eye on the
man in the picture。
The next look in that direction was enough。 The dull； black； frowzy
outline of the valance above me was within an inch of being parallel with
his waist。 I still looked breathlessly。 And steadily and slowly very
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slowlyI saw the figure； and the line of frame below the figure； vanish； as
the valance moved down before it。
I am； constitutionally； anything but timid。 I have been on more than
one occasion in peril of my life； and have not lost my self…possession for
an instant； but when the conviction first settled on my mind that the bed…
top was really moving； was steadily and continuously sinking down upon
me； I looked up shuddering； helpless； panic…stricken； beneath the hideous
machinery for murder； which was advancing closer and closer to suffocate
me where I lay。
I looked up； motionless； speechless； breathless。 The candle； fully spent；
went out； but the moonlight still brightened the room。 Down and down；
without pausing and without sounding； came the bedtop； and still my
panic terror seemed to bind me faster and faster to the mattress on which I
laydown and down it sank； till the dusty odour from the lining of the
canopy came stealing into my nostrils。
At that final moment the instinct of self…preservation startled me out of
my trance； and I moved at last。 There was just room for me to roll myself
sideways off the bed。 As I dropped noiselessly to the floor； the edge of the
murderous canopy touched me on the shoulder。
Without stopping to draw my breath； without wiping the cold sweat
from my face； I rose instantly on my knees to watch the bedtop。 I was
literally spellbound by it。 If I had heard footsteps behind me； I could not
have turned round； if a means of escape had been miraculously provided
for me； I could not have moved to take advantage of it。 The whole life in
me was； at that moment； concentrated in my eyes。
It descendedthe whole canopy； with the fringe round it； came down
downclose down； so close that there was not room now to squeeze my
finger between the bedtop and the bed。 I felt at the sides； and discovered
that what had appeared to me from beneath to be the ordinary light canopy
of a four…post bed was in reality a thick； broad mattress； the substance of
which was concealed by the valance and its fringe。 I looked up and saw
the four posts rising hideously bare。 In the middle of the bedtop was a
huge wooden screw that had evidently worked it down through a hole in
the ceiling； just as ordinary presses are worked down on the substance
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selected for compression。 The frightful apparatus moved without making
the faintest noise。 There had been no creaking as it came down； there was
now not the faintest sound from the room above。 Amid a dead and awful
silence I beheld before mein the nineteenth century； and in the civilized
capital of Francesuch a machine for secret murder by suffocation as
might have existed in the worst days of the Inquisition； in the lonely inns
among the Harz Mountains； in the mysterious tribunals of Westphalia！
Still； as I looked on it； I could not move； I could hardly breathe； but I
began to recover the power of thinking； and in a moment I discovered the
murderous conspiracy framed against me in all its horror。
My cup of coffee had been drugged； and drugged too strongly。 I had
been saved from being smothered by having taken an overdose of some
narcotic。 How I had chafed and fretted at the fever…fit which had preserved
my life by keeping me awake！ How recklessly I had confided myself to
the two wretches who had led me into this room； determined； for the sake
of my winnings； to kill me in my sleep by the surest and most horrible
contrivance for secretly accomplishing my destruction！ How many men；
winners like me； had slept； as I had proposed to sleep； in that bed； and had
never been seen or heard of more！ I shuddered at the bare idea of it。
But； ere long； all thought was again suspended by the sight of the
murderous canopy moving once more。 After it had remained on the bed
as nearly as I could guessabout ten minutes； it began to move up again。
The villains who worked it from above evidently believed that their
purpose was now accomplished。 Slowly and silently； as it had descended；
that horrible bedtop rose towards its former place。 When it reached the
upper extremities of the four posts； it reached the ceiling； too。 Neither hole
nor screw could be seen； the bed became in appearance an ordinary bed
againthe canopy an ordinary canopyeven to the most suspicious eyes。
Now； for the first time； I was able to moveto rise from my kneesto
dress myself in my upper clothingand to consider of how I should escape。
If I betrayed by the smallest noise that the attempt to suffocate me had
failed； I was certain to be murdered。 Had I made any noise already？ I
listened intently； looking towards the door。
No！ no footsteps in the passage outsideno sound of a tread； light or
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heavy； in the room aboveabsolute silence everywhere。 Besides locking
and bolting my door； I had moved an old wooden chest against it； which I
had found under the bed。 To remove this chest （my blood ran cold as I
thought of what its contents might be！） without making some disturbance
was impossible； and； moreover； to think of escaping through the house；
now barred up for the night； was sheer insanity。 Only one chance was left
methe window。 I stole to it on tiptoe。
My bedroom was on the first floor； above an entresol； and looked into
a back street。 I raised my hand to open the window； knowing that on that
action hung； by the merest hairbreadth； my chance of safety。 They keep
vigilant watch in a house of murder。 If any part of the frame cracked； if the
hinge creaked； I was a lost man！ It must have occupied me at least five
minutes； reckoning by timefive /hours/； reckoning by suspenseto open
that window。 I succeeded in doing it silentlyin doing it with all the
dexterity of a house…breakerand then looked down into the street。 To leap
the distance beneath me would be almost certain destruction！ Next； I
looked round at the sides of the house。 Down the left side ran a thick
water…pipeit passed close by the outer edge of the window。 The moment I
saw the pipe I knew I was saved。 My breath came and went freely for the
first time since I had seen the canopy of the bed moving down upon me！
To some men the means of escape which I had discovered might have
seemed difficult and dangerous enoughto /me/ the prospect of slipping
down the pipe into the street did not suggest even a thought of peril。 I had
always been accustomed； by the practice of gymnastics； to keep up my
school…boy powers as a daring and expert climber； and knew that my head；
hands； and feet would serve me faithfully in any hazards of ascent or
descent。 I had already got one leg over the window…sill； when I
remembered the handkerchief filled with money under my pillow。 I could
well have afforded to leave it behind me； but I was revengefully
determined that the miscreants of the gambling…house should miss their
plunder as well as their victim。 So I went back to the bed and tied the
heavy handkerchief at my back by my cravat。
Just as I had made it tight and fixed it in a comfortable place； I thought
I heard a sound of breathing outside the door。 The chill feeling of horror
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ran through me again as I listened。 No！ dead silence
