So we commenced our ghostly business in the house of the murdered man—a house from which, but a few hours since, his body had been removed. This was such a vigil as I had endured once before, when, with Nayland Smith and another, I had waited for the coming of one of Fu-Manchu's death agents.
Of all the sounds which one by one now began to detach themselves from the silence, there was a particular sound, homely2 enough at another time,
[77]
which spoke3 to me more dreadfully than the rest. It was the ticking of the clock upon the mantelpiece; and I thought how this sound must have been familiar to Abel Slattin, how it must have formed part and parcel of his life, as it were, and how it went on now—tick-tick-tick-tick—whilst he, for whom it had ticked, lay unheeding—would never heed5 it more.
As I grew more accustomed to the gloom, I found myself staring at the office chair; once I found myself expecting Abel Slattin to enter the room and occupy it. There was a little China Buddha6 upon a bureau in one corner, with a gilded7 cap upon its head, and as some reflection of the moonlight sought out this little cap, my thoughts grotesquely8 turned upon the murdered man's gold tooth.
Vague creakings from within the house, sounds as though of stealthy footsteps upon the stairs, set my nerves tingling9; but Nayland Smith gave no sign, and I knew that my imagination was magnifying these ordinary night sounds out of all proportion to their actual significance. Leaves rustled10 faintly outside the window at my back: I construed11 their sibilant whispers into the dreaded12 name—Fu-Manchu—Fu-Manchu—Fu-Manchu!
So wore on the night; and, when the ticking clock hollowly boomed the hour of one, I almost leapt out of my chair, so highly strung were my nerves, and so appallingly13 did the sudden clangour beat upon them. Smith, like a man of stone, showed no sign. He was capable of so subduing14 his constitutionally high-strung temperament15, at times, that temporarily he became immune from human dreads16. On such occasion he would be icily cool amid universal panic; but, his object accomplished17, I have seen him in such a state of collapse18, that utter nervous exhaustion19 is the only term by which I can describe it.
Tick-tick-tick-tick went the clock, and, my heart still thumping20 noisily in my breast, I began to count the tickings; one, two, three, four, five, and so
[78]
on to a hundred, and from one hundred to many hundreds.
Then, out from the confusion of minor21 noises, a new, arresting sound detached itself. I ceased my counting; no longer I noted22 the tick-tick of the clock, nor the vague creakings, rustlings and whispers. I saw Smith, shadowly, raise his hand in warning—in needless warning; for I was almost holding my breath in an effort of acute listening.
From high up in the house this new sound came—from above the topmost rooms, it seemed, up under the roof; a regular squeaking24, oddly familiar, yet elusive25. Upon it followed a very soft and muffled26 thud; then a metallic27 sound as of a rusty28 hinge in motion; then a new silence, pregnant with a thousand possibilities more eerie29 than any clamour.
My mind was rapidly at work. Lighting30 the topmost landing of the house was a sort of glazed31 trap, evidently set in the floor of a loft-like place extending over the entire building. Somewhere in the red-tiled roof above, there presumably existed a corresponding skylight or lantern.
So I argued; and, ere I had come to any proper decision, another sound, more intimate, came to interrupt me.
This time I could be in no doubt; some one was lifting the trap above the stairhead—slowly, cautiously, and all but silently. Yet to my ears, attuned32 to trifling33 disturbances34, the trap creaked and groaned36 noisily.
Nayland Smith waved to me to take a stand on the other side of the opened door—behind it, in fact, where I should be concealed37 from the view of any one descending38 the stair.
I stood up and crossed the floor to my new post.
A dull thud told of the trap fully4 raised and resting upon some supporting joist. A faint rustling23 (of discarded garments, I told myself) spoke to my
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newly awakened39, acute perceptions, of the visitor preparing to lower himself to the landing. Followed a groan35 of woodwork submitted to sudden strain—and the unmistakable pad of bare feet upon the linoleum40 of the top corridor.
I knew now that one of Dr. Fu-Manchu's uncanny servants had gained the roof of the house by some means, had broken through the skylight and had descended41 by means of the trap beneath on to the landing.
In such a tensed-up state as I cannot describe, nor, at this hour mentally reconstruct, I waited for the creaking of the stairs which should tell of the creature's descent.
I was disappointed. Removed scarce a yard from me as he was, I could hear Nayland Smith's soft, subdued43 breathing; but my eyes were all for the darkened hall-way, for the smudgy outline of the stair-rail with the faint patterning in the background, which, alone, indicated the wall.
It was amid an utter silence, unheralded by even so slight a sound as those which I had acquired the power of detecting—that I saw the continuity of the smudgy line of stair-rail to be interrupted.
A dark patch showed upon it, just within my line of sight, invisible to Smith on the other side of the doorway44, and some ten or twelve stairs up.
No sound reached me, but the dark patch vanished—and reappeared three feet lower down.
Still I knew that this phantom45 approach must be unknown to my companion—and I knew that it was impossible for me to advise him of it unseen by the dreaded visitor.
A third time the dark patch—the hand of one who, ghostly, silent, was creeping down into the hall-way—vanished and reappeared on a level with my eyes. Then a vague shape became visible; no more than a blur46 upon the dim design of the wall-paper ... and Nayland Smith got his first sight of the stranger.
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The clock on the mantelpiece boomed out the half-hour.
At that, such was my state (I blush to relate it), I uttered a faint cry!
It ended all secrecy—that hysterical47 weakness of mine. It might have frustrated48 our hopes; that it did not do so was in no measure due to me. But in a sort of passionate49 whirl, the ensuing events moved swiftly.
"The lights, Petrie!" he cried, "the lights! The switch is near the street door!"
I clenched51 my fists in a swift effort to regain52 control of my treacherous53 nerves, and, bounding past Smith, and past the foot of the stair, I reached out my hand to the switch, the situation of which, fortunately, I knew.
Around I came, in response to a shrill54 cry from behind me—an inhuman55 cry, less a cry than the shriek56 of some enraged57 animal....
With his left foot upon the first stair, Nayland Smith stood, his lean body bent58 perilously59 backward, his arms rigidly61 thrust out, and his sinewy62 fingers gripping the throat of an almost naked man—a man whose brown body glistened63 unctuously64, whose shaven head was apish low, whose bloodshot eyes were the eyes of a mad dog! His teeth, upper and lower, were bared; they glistened, they gnashed, and a froth was on his lips. With both his hands, he clutched a heavy stick, and once—twice, he brought it down upon Nayland Smith's head!
I leapt forward to my friend's aid; but as though the blows had been those of a feather, he stood like some figure of archaic65 statuary, nor for an instant relaxed the death-grip which he had upon his adversary's throat.
Thrusting my way up the stairs, I wrenched66 the stick from the hand of the dacoit—for in this glistening67
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brown man I recognized one of that deadly brotherhood68 who hailed Dr. Fu-Manchu their Lord and Master.
I cannot dwell upon the end of that encounter; I cannot hope to make acceptable to my readers an account of how Nayland Smith, glassy-eyed, and with consciousness ebbing69 from him instant by instant, stood there, a realization70 of Leighton's "Athlete," his arms rigid60 as iron bars even after Fu-Manchu's servant hung limply in that frightful71 grip.
In his last moment of consciousness, with the blood from his wounded head trickling72 down into his eyes, he pointed42 to the stick which I had torn from the grip of the dacoit, and which I still held in my hand.
"But," I began—and turned to the rack in which Slattin's favourite cane77 at that moment reposed78—had reposed at the time of his death.
Yes! There stood Slattin's cane; we had not moved it; we had disturbed nothing in that stricken house; there it stood, in company with an umbrella and a malacca.
I glanced at the cane in my hand. Surely there could not be two such in the world?
"Examine the one in the rack, Petrie," he whispered, almost inaudibly, "but do not touch it. It may not be yet...."
I propped80 him up against the foot of the stairs, and as the constable81 began knocking violently at the street door, crossed to the rack and lifted out the replica82 of the cane which I held in my hand.
A faint cry from Smith—and as if it had been a leprous thing, I dropped the cane instantly.
[82]
"Merciful God!" I groaned.
Although, in every other particular, it corresponded with that which I held—which I had taken from the dacoit—which he had come to substitute for the cane now lying upon the floor—in one dreadful particular it differed.
Up to the snake's head it was an accurate copy; but the head lived!
Either from pain, fear, or starvation, the thing confined in the hollow tube of this awful duplicate was become torpid83. Otherwise, no power on earth could have saved me from the fate of Abel Slattin; for the creature was an Australian death-adder.
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1
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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Buddha
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| n.佛；佛像；佛陀 | |
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7
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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grotesquely
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| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
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tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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construed
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| v.解释（陈述、行为等）( construe的过去式和过去分词 )；翻译，作句法分析 | |
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12
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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appallingly
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| 毛骨悚然地 | |
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subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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15
temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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dreads
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| n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 ) | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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21
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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24
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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26
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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30
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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31
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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32
attuned
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| v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 )；调音 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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disturbances
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| n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍 | |
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35
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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36
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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37
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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38
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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39
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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40
linoleum
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| n.油布，油毯 | |
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41
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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42
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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43
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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44
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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45
phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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46
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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47
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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48
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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49
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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50
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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51
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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53
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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54
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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55
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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56
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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57
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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58
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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59
perilously
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| adv.充满危险地，危机四伏地 | |
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60
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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61
rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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62
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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63
glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
unctuously
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| adv.油腻地，油腔滑调地；假惺惺 | |
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archaic
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| adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的 | |
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66
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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67
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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68
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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69
ebbing
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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70
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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71
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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72
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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73
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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74
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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75
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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76
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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77
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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78
reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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80
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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82
replica
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| n.复制品 | |
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83
torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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