classic mystery and detective stories-第61章

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that　as　far　as　I　was　acquainted　with　them；　I　at　least　saw　nothing

to　complain　of。



〃Oh；　as　regards　the　present　generation；　no；except　for　that　poor；

wretched　Jack；〃　acquiesced　Lucy；　with　her　usual　imperturbable　good…

humor。



〃And　as　regards　the　next？〃　I　suggested；　smiling；　and　already

ashamed　of　my　little　temper。



〃The　next　is　perfect；　of　course；poor　dear　boys。〃　　She　sighed　as

she　spoke；　and　I　wondered　whether　she　was　really　as　unconscious　as

she　generally　appeared　to　be　of　the　strange　dissatisfaction　with

which　her　husband　seemed　to　regard　his　children。　　Anyhow　the

mention　of　them　had　evidently　changed　her　mood；　and　almost　directly

afterwards；　with　the　remark　that　she　must　go　and　look　after　her

guests；　who　had　all　arrived　by　now；　she　left　me　to　myself。



For　some　minutes　I　sat　by　the　bright　fire；　lost　in　aimless；

wandering　thought；　which　began　with　Dame　Alice　and　her　cabinet；　and

which　ended　somehow　with　Alan's　face；　as　I　had　last　seen　it　looking

up　at　me　in　front　of　the　hall…door。　　When　I　had　reached　that　point；

I　roused　myself　to　decide　that　I　had　dreamt　long　enough；　and　that

it　was　quite　time　to　go　down　to　the　guests　and　to　tea。　　I

accordingly　donned　my　best　teagown；　arranged　my　hair；　and　proceeded

towards　the　drawing…room。　　My　way　there　lay　through　the　great

central　hall。　　This　apartment　was　approached　from　most　of　the

bedrooms　in　the　house　through　a　large；　arched　doorway　at　one　end　of

it；　which　communicated　directly　with　the　great　staircase。　　My

bedroom；　however；　which；　as　I　have　said；　lay　among　the　private

apartments　of　the　house；　opened　into　a　passage　which　led　into　a

broad　gallery；　or　upper　chamber；　stretching　right　across　the　end　of

the　hall。　　From　this　you　descended　by　means　of　a　small　staircase　in

oak；　whose　carved　balustrade；　bending　round　the　corner　of　the　hall；

formed　one　of　the　prettiest　features　of　the　picturesque　old　room。

The　barrier　which　ran　along　the　front　of　the　gallery　was　in　solid

oak；　and　of　such　a　height　that；　unless　standing　close　up　to　it；　you

could　neither　see　nor　be　seen　by　the　occupants　of　the　room　below。

On　approaching　this　gallery　I　heard　voices　in　the　hall。　　They　were

George's　and　Alan's；　evidently　in　hot　discussion。　　As　I　issued　from

the　passage；　George　was　speaking；　and　his　voice　had　that

exasperated　tone　in　which　an　angry　man　tries　to　bring　to　a　close　an

argument　in　which　he　has　lost　his　temper。　　〃For　heaven's　sake　leave

it　alone；　Alan；　I　neither　can　nor　will　interfere。　　We　have　enough

to　bear　from　these　cursed　traditions　as　it　is；　without　adding　one

which　has　no　foundation　whatever　to　justify　ita　mere　contemptible

piece　of　superstition。〃



〃No　member　of　our　family　has　a　right　to　call　any　tradition

contemptible　which　is　connected　with　that　place；　and　you　know　it；〃

answered　Alan；　and　though　he　spoke　low；　his　voice　trembled　with

some　strong　emotion。　　A　first　impulse　of　hesitation　which　I　had　had

I　checked；　feeling　that　as　I　had　heard　so　much　it　was　fairer　to　go

on；　and　I　advanced　to　the　top　of　the　staircase。　　Alan　stood　by　the

fireplace　facing　me；　but　far　too　occupied　to　see　me。　　His　last

speech　had　seemingly　aroused　George　to　fury；　for　the　latter　turned

on　him　now　with　savage　passion。



〃Damn　it　all；　Alan！〃　he　cried；　〃can't　you　be　quiet？　　I　will　be

master　in　my　own　house。　　Take　care；　I　tell　you；　the　curse　may　not

be　quite　fulfilled　yet　after　all。〃



As　George　uttered　these　words；　Alan　lifted　his　eyes　to　him　with　a

glance　of　awful　horror：　his　face　turned　ghastly　white；　his　lips

trembled　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　answered　back　with　one　half…

whispered　word　of　supreme　appeal〃George！〃　　There　was　a　long…

drawn；　unutterable　anguish　in　his　tone；　and　his　voice；　though

scarcely　audible；　penetrated　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　and

seemed　to　hang　quivering　in　the　air　around　one　after　the　sound　had

ceased。　　Then　there　was　a　terrible　stillness。　　Alan　stood　trembling

in　every　limb；　incapable　apparently　of　speech　or　action；　and　George

faced　him；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　he　was。　　For　an　instant　they

remained　thus；　while　I　looked　breathlessly　on。　　Then　George；　with　a

muttered　imprecation；　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　the　room。　　Alan

followed　him　as　he　went　with　dull　lifeless　eyes；　and　as　the　door

closed　he　breathed　deeply；　with　a　breath　that　was　almost　a　groan。



Taking　my　courage　in　both　hands；　I　now　descended　the　stairs；　and　at

the　sound　of　my　footfall　he　glanced　up；　started；　and　then　came

rapidly　to　meet　me。



〃Evie！　you　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　notice　you。　　How　long　have

you　been　here？〃　　He　was　still　quite　white；　and　I　noticed　that　he

panted　for　breath　as　he　spoke。



〃Not　long；〃　I　answered；　timidly；　and　rather　spasmodically；　〃I　only

heard　a　sentence　or　two。　　You　wanted　George　to　do　something　about

some　tradition　or　other；and　he　was　angry；and　he　said　something

about　the　curse。〃



While　I　spoke　Alan　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　reading　through

them；　as　I　knew；　into　my　mind。　　When　I　had　finished　he　turned　his

gaze　away　satisfied；　and　answered　very　quietly；　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃

Then　he　went　back　to　the　fireplace；　rested　his　arm　against　the　high

mantelpiece　above　it；　and　leaning　his　forehead　on　his　arm；　remained

silently　looking　into　the　fire。　　I　could　see　by　his　bent　brow　and

compressed　lips　that　he　was　engaged　upon　some　earnest　train　of

thought　or　reasoning；　and　I　stood　waitingworried；　puzzled；

curious；　but　above　all　things；　pitiful；　and　oh！　longing　so

intensely　to　help　him　if　I　could。　　Presently　he　straightened

himself　a　little；　and　addressed　me　more　in　his　ordinary　tone　of

voice；　though　without　looking　round。　　〃So　I　hear　they　have　changed

your　room。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　And　then；　flushing　rather；　〃Is　that　what　you

and　George　have　been　quarreling　about？〃　　I　received　no　reply；　and

taking　this　silence　for　assent；　I　went　on　deprecatingly；　〃Because

you　know；　if　it　was；　I　think　you　are　rather　foolish；　Alan。　　As　I

understand；　two　girls　are　said　to　have　died　in　that　room　more　than

a　hundred　years　ago；　and　for　that　reason　there　is　a　prejudice

against　putting　a　girl　to　sleep　there。　　That　is　all。　　Merely　a

vague；　unreasonable　tradition。〃



Alan　took　a　moment　to　answer。



〃Yes；〃　he　said　at　length；　speaking　slowly；　and　as　if　replying　to

arguments　in　his　own　mind　as　much　as　to　those　which　I　had　uttered。

〃Yes；　it　is　nothing　but　a　tradition　after　all；　and　that　of　the　very

vaguest　and　most　unsupported　kind。〃



〃Is　there　even　any　proof　that　girls　have　not　slept　there　since

those　two　died？〃　I　asked。　　I　think　that　the　suggestion　conveyed　in

this　question　was　a　relief　to　him；　for　after　a　moment's　pause；　as

if　to　search　his　memory；　he　turned　round。



〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　think　that　there　is　any　such　proof；　and

I　have　no　doubt　that　you　are　right；　and　that　it　is　a　mere　prejudice

that　makes　me　dislike　your　sleeping　there。〃



〃Then；〃　I　said；　with　a　little　assumption　of　sisterly　superiority；

〃I　think　George　was　right；　and　that　you　were　wrong。〃



Alan　smiled；a　smiled　which　sat　oddly　on　the　still　pale　face；　and

in　the　wearied；　worn…looking　eyes。　　〃Very　likely；〃　he　said；　〃I

daresay　that　I　am　superstitious。　　I　have　had　things　to　make　me　so。〃

Then　coming　nearer　to　me；　and　laying　his　hands　on　my　shoulders；　he

went　on；　smiling　more　brightly；　〃We　are　a　queer…tempered；　bad…

nerved　race；　we　Mervyns；　and　you　must　not　take　us　too　seriously；

Evie。　　The　best　thing　that　you　can　do　with　our　odd　ways　is　to

ignore　them。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　I　answered；　laughing；　too　glad　to　have　won　him

back　to　even　temporary　brightness；　〃as　long　as　you　and　George　don't

come　to　blows　over　the　question　of　where　I　am　to　sleep；　which　after

all　is　chiefly　my　concern；and　Lucy's。〃



〃Well；　perhaps　it　is；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　tone；　〃and　now　be

off　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　is　defending　the　tea…table

single…handed　all　this　time。〃



I　obeyed；　and　should　have　gone　more　cheerfully　had　I　not　turned　at

the　doorway　to　look　back　at　him；　and　caught　one　glimpse　of　his　face

as　he　sank　heavily　down　into　the　large　arm…chair　by　the　fireside。



However；　by　dinner…time　he　appeared　to　have　dismissed　all　painful

reflections　from　his　mind；　or　to　have　buried　them　too　deep　for

discovery。　　The　people　staying　in　the　house　were；　in　spite　of　my

sense　of　grievance　at　their　arrival；　individually　pleasant；　and

after　dinner　I　discovered　them　to　be　socially　well　assorted。　　For

the　first　hour　or　two；　indeed；　after　their　arrival；　each　glared　at

the　other　across　those　triple　lines　of　moral　fortification　behind

which　every　well…bred　Briton　takes　refuge　on　appearing　at　a

friend's　country…house。　　But　flags　of　truce　were　interchanged　over

the　soup；　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　during　the　roast；　and　the

terms　of　a　treaty　of　peace　and　amity　were　finally　ratified　under

the　sympathetic　influence　of　George's　best　champagne。　　For　the

achievement　of　this　happy　result　Alan　certainly　worked　hard；　and

received　therefor　many　a　grateful　glance　from　his　sister…in…law。

He　was　more　excited　than　I　had　ever　seen　him　before；　and　talked

brilliantly　and　wellthough　perhaps　not　as　exclusively　to　his

neighbors　as　they　may　have　wished。　　His　eyes　and　his　attention

seemed　everywhere　at　once：　one　moment　he　was　throwing　remarks

across　to　some　despairing　couple　opposite；　and　the　next　he　was

breaking　an　embarrassing　pause　in　the　conversation　by　some　rapid

sally　of　nonsense　addressed　to　the　table　in　general。　　He　formed　a

great　contrast　to　his　brother；　who　sat　gloomy　and　dejected；　making

little　or　no　response　to　the　advances　of　the　two　dowagers　between

whom　he　was　placed。　　After　dinner　the　younger　members　of　the　party

spent　the　evening　by　Alan's　initiative；　and　chiefly　under　his

direction；　in　a　series　of　lively　and　rather　riotous　games　such　as

my　nursery　days　had　delighted　in；　and　my　schoolroom　ones　had

disdained。　　It　was　a　great　and　happy　surprise　to　discover　that；

grown　up；　I　might　again　enjoy　them。　　I　did　so；　hugely；　and　when

bedtime　came　all　memories　more　serious　than　those　of　〃musical

chairs〃　or　〃follow　my　leader〃　had　vanished　from　my　mind。　　I　think；

from　Alan's　glance　as　he　handed　me　my　bed　candle；　that　the　pleasure

and　excitement　must　have　improved　my　looks。



〃I　hope　you　have　enjoyed　your　first　evening　of　gayety；　Evie；〃　he

said。



〃I　have；〃　I　answered；　with　happy　conviction；　〃and　really　I　believe

that　it　is　chiefly　owing　to　you；　Alan。〃　　He　met　my　smile　by

another；　but　I　think　that　there　must　have　been　something　in　his

look　which　recalled　other　thoughts；　for　as　I　started　up　the　stairs

I　threw　a　mischievous　glance　back　at　him　and　whispered；　〃Now　for

the　horrors　of　the　haunted　chamber。〃



He　laughed　rather　loudly；　and　saying　〃Good…night；　and　good…luck；〃

turned　to　attend　to　the　other　ladies。



His　wishes　were　certainly　fulfilled。　　I　got　to　bed　quickly；　andas

soon　as　my　happy　excitement　was　sufficiently　calmed　to　admit　of　it

to　sleep。　　The　only　thing　which