Mrs. Barnes had supplied me with a latchkey; I had been accustomed to let myself in with it when I was late. My surprise was therefore considerable when, directly I inserted the key in the lock, the door was opened from within, and there confronting me stood the ubiquitous new waiter, with the inevitable5 smile upon his face.
“What are you sitting up for at this hour of the night? You know very well that I have a key of my own.”
He continued to stand in the stiff, poker-like attitude which always reminded me of a soldier rather than of a waiter. Not a muscle of his countenance6 moved.
“I have been accustomed to act as a night porter, sir.”
“Then you needn’t trouble yourself to act as a night porter to me. Let me take this opportunity to speak to you a word of a sort. What is the nature of the interest you take in my proceedings7, I do not know. That you do take a peculiar8 interest is a little too obvious. While I remain in this house I intend to come, and to go, and to do exactly as I please. The next time I have cause to suspect you of spying upon my movements you will be the recipient9 of the best licking you ever had in all your life. You understand? I shall keep my word, so you had better make a note of it.”
The fellow said nothing in return; his lips were closely pursed together. I might have been speaking to a dummy10, except that there came a gleam into his eyes which scarcely suggested that his heart was filled with the milk of human kindness.
When I had reached my bedroom, and, having undressed, was opening my night shirt preparatory to putting it on, there fell from one of the folds of the garment a scrap11 of paper.
“What now?” I asked myself, as I watched it go fluttering to the floor. I picked it up; it only contained four words, and they were in Mrs. Barnes’s writing: “You are in danger.”
This, veritably, was an hotel of all the mysteries. Whether the husband or the wife was the more curious character, was, certainly, an open question. For days she had avoided me. In spite of my attempts to induce her to enter into conversation I had scarcely been able to get a word out of her edgeways. Why had she chosen this eccentric method of conveying to me such an enigmatic message? I was in danger! Of what? It struck me forcibly, and not for the first time, that if I remained much longer an inmate12 of Barnes’s hotel I should be in distinct danger of one thing—of going mad!
I had still some papers left to copy, out of the last batch13 which Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor had given me. I had been accustomed to do my work in her private sitting-room14, it being my habit, as I understood it, in accordance with her wish, first to have breakfast, and then to go upstairs and ask her if she was prepared for me to commence my duties. The next morning I followed the ordinary course of procedure, and was at her door, if anything, rather before the usual hour. But instead of vouchsafing15 me a courteous16 greeting, as it was her wont17 to do, she commenced to rate me soundly, asking me if I thought that her time was of no account, since I kept her waiting till it suited me to give her my attention.
I made no attempt to excuse myself, imagining that she was suffering from an attack of indigestion, or from some other complaint which female flesh is peculiarly heir to, contenting myself with repeating my inquiry18 as to whether she was ready to avail herself of my proffered19 services. The fashion of her rejoinder hardly suggested that the lady who made it was stamped with the stamp which is, poetically21, supposed to mark the caste of Vere de Vere.
“Don’t ask me such absurd questions! You don’t suppose that I’m the servant, and you’re the master. Sit down, and begin your work at once, and don’t try any of your airs with me!”
I sat down, and began my work at once. It was not for me to argue with a lady. Beggars may not be choosers, and I could only hope that the infirmities of a feminine temper might not be too frequently in evidence as a sort of honorary addition to the charms of my salary.
That the lady meant to be disagreeable I could have no doubt as the minutes went by; and scarcely had I commenced to write than she began at me again. She found fault with my work, with what I had done, with what I had left undone22, as it seemed to me, quite causelessly. I bore her reproaches as meekly23 as the mildest mortal could have done.
My meekness24 seemed to inflame25 rather than to appease26 her. She said things which were altogether uncalled for, and which beyond doubt an office boy would have resented. That I should keep my temper in face of her continued provocation27 evidently annoyed her. Suddenly springing out of her chair, she bounced from the room.
“I trust,” I said, apostrophising her when she had gone, “that when you do return your temperature will be appreciably28 lower. In any case, I fancy, Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor, that you and I shall not long stand towards each other in the position of employee and employer. Even by a lady one does not care to be called over the coals—and such coals!—for nothing at all. One had almost better starve than be treated, in and out of season, as a whipping boy.”
The papers which I was engaged in copying comprised all sorts of odds29 and ends, more worthy30, I should have thought, of the rubbish heap than of transcription. They were about all sorts of things, and were in no sort of order, and why they should be deemed worthy of being enshrined in the beautiful manuscript book with which Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor had supplied me was beyond my comprehension.
I had finished transcribing31 one paper. Laying it down, I drew towards me another. It was a letter, and was in a hand which I had not previously32 encountered. The caligraphy, even the paper on which the letter was written, filled me with a strange sense of familiarity. Where had I seen that carefully crabbed33, characteristic handwriting before?—every letter as plain as copperplate, yet the whole conveying the impression of coming from an unlettered man. I had had a previous acquaintance with it, and that quite recently.
I had it—it came to me in a flash of memory!
The writing was that which had come to me in the communication which had been signed Duncan Rothwell. This letter and that letter had emanated34 from the same scribe. I could have sworn to it. Even the paper was the same. I remembered taking particular notice of the large sheet of post, with the unusually coarse grain; here was that sheet’s twin brother!
What was a letter from Duncan Rothwell doing among Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor’s papers?
It was my duty to copy the thing. It was, therefore, necessary that I should read it. It bore no date and no address. It began:—“My dearest Amelia.” Who was my dearest Amelia? A glance sufficed to show me that it was a love-letter, and a love-letter of an uncommon35 kind. Clearly, there had been some blunder. Such an epistle could not intentionally36 have been lumped with that olla podrida of scraps37 and scrawls38. It was out of place in such a gallery. What was I to do?
The question was answered for me. While I still hesitated, Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor reappeared. I said nothing, but I daresay that the expression of my features and the gingerly style in which I held the letter out in front of me, conveyed a hint that I had lighted on something out of the way. Probably, too, she recognised the letter directly she caught sight of it, even from the other side of the room. Anyhow, she came striding forward—she was a woman who could stride—and, without any sort of ceremony, leaning across the table, she snatched it from my hand. For an instant I expected she would strike me—she was in such a passion. The veins39 stood out on her brow like bands; her lips gave convulsive twitches40.
Since it seemed that rage had deprived her of the faculty41 of speech, I endeavoured to explain the situation by feigning42 ignorance that there was a situation to explain.
“Do you wish me to copy this letter in the same way as the others?”
My voice was suave43; hers, when it came, was not.
“You beast!” That was the epithet44 which she was pleased to hurl45 at me. “I might have guessed you were a thief!”
“Madam!”
Her language was so atrocious, and her anger, so far as I was concerned, so unjustifiable, that I knew not what to make of her.
“Where did you steal that letter?”
I stood up. “Mrs. Lascelles–Trevor, you go too far. You appear to be under the, I assure you, erroneous impression that, in engaging a man to fill the honourable46 post of your secretary, you buy him body and soul to do as you will.”
“You smooth-tongued hound! Don’t think to play the hypocrite with me, or you will find yourself in custody47 on a charge of theft.”
I looked her steadily48 in the face—fury seemed to have distended49 her naturally generous proportions.
“I fear, madam, that this morning you are suffering from ill-health. When you are yourself again, I feel sure you will tender your apologies.”
I moved towards the door. But she would not let me go. She placed herself in front of me.
“Don’t think that you deceive me! Don’t think that your attitudinising can impose on me! If you do, you are in error. I have known you from the first—yes, before I saw you in the actual flesh. I knew Jonas Hartopp as well as you, and when he fell I swore that I would gibbet the wretch50 who slew51 him. All this time I have been watching you, the avenger52 of blood; I have been tracking you, step by step, playing the very sleuth-hound: It only needs a very little to enable me to prove your guilt53 up to the hilt; and you may be very sure of this, James Southam, that though you seek to hide yourself in the nethermost54 corners of the earth, I will have you brought back to hang!”
Her words were so wild, and the charge with which she sought to brand me such a monstrous55 birth of a diseased imagination, that the most charitable supposition could be that the woman was mentally unhinged. I treated her with the contempt she merited.
“Possibly, madam, when at your leisure you have credited me with all the vices20, you will suffer me to leave the room.”
“That is the tone you take up; you sneer56, and sneer, and sneer! I foresaw it. Do not suppose that this further proof of your deficiency in all sense of shame takes me by surprise. So black-hearted a villain57 was not likely to have a conscience which could be easily pricked58. You may go—still this once! It will not be for long; your wings will soon be clipped. I shall soon have you in a cage. Be sure of this: I will show you as little mercy as you showed your helpless victim when he had walked into the trap which you had set for him. You had best be careful. And never forget that wherever you go my emissaries keep you well in sight; whatever you do is known to me within the hour. I have no intention of letting the cord which holds you run too loose.”
When she stopped to take breath, I bowed. “I thank you, madam, for your permission to leave the room, and do protest that I esteem59 myself highly honoured, in that you should take so acute an interest, as you say you do, in my humble60 person.”
She let me go, though seemingly not a little against her will. Even at the last moment I should not have been surprised if she had assailed61 me with actual physical violence. But she retained sufficient vestiges62 of self-control to refrain from doing that. When I opened the door she caught hold of the handle to prevent my shutting it. As I went out she followed me on to the landing. I, supposing she desired to go downstairs, moved aside so as to permit of her passage. She took no notice of my action, so I went downstairs. As I went, she stood at the head of the flight, observing me as I descended63, and she said, in a tone of voice which was too audible to be pleasant for me —
“Murderer!”
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1
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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4
condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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6
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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7
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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8
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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10
dummy
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| n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头 | |
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11
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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12
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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13
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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14
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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15
vouchsafing
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的现在分词 )；允诺 | |
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16
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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17
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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18
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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21
poetically
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| adv.有诗意地，用韵文 | |
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22
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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23
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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24
meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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25
inflame
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| v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎 | |
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26
appease
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| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 | |
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27
provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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28
appreciably
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| adv.相当大地 | |
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29
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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30
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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31
transcribing
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| （用不同的录音手段）转录( transcribe的现在分词 )； 改编（乐曲）（以适应他种乐器或声部）； 抄写； 用音标标出（声音） | |
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32
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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33
crabbed
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| adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
emanated
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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35
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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36
intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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37
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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38
scrawls
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| 潦草的笔迹( scrawl的名词复数 ) | |
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39
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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40
twitches
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| n.（使）抽动， （使）颤动， （使）抽搐( twitch的名词复数 ) | |
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41
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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42
feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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43
suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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44
epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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45
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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46
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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47
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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48
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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49
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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51
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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52
avenger
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| n. 复仇者 | |
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53
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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54
nethermost
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| adj.最下面的 | |
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55
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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56
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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57
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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58
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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59
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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60
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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61
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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62
vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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63
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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