He was apparently3 the last representative of a once great Spanish family, established for many generations in Cuba. His wealth was incalculable, although the value of his numerous estates had depreciated4 in recent years. His family had produced many men of subtle intellect and powerful administrative5 qualities; but allied6 to this they had all possessed7 traits of cruelty and debauchery which at one time had made the name of Menendez a by-word in the West Indies. That there were many people in that part of the world who would gladly have assassinated8 the Colonel, Paul Harley’s informant did not deny. But although this information somewhat enlarged our knowledge of my friend’s newest client, it threw no fresh light upon that side of his story which related to Voodoo and the extraordinary bat wing episodes.
“Of course,” said Harley, after a long silence, “there is one possibility of which we must not lose sight.”
“What possibility is that?” I asked.
“That Menendez may be mad. Remorse9 for crimes of cruelty committed in his youth, and beyond doubt he has been guilty of many, may have led to a sort of obsession10. I have known such cases.”
“That was my first impression,” I confessed, “but it faded somewhat as the Colonel’s story proceeded. I don’t think any such explanation would cover the facts.”
“Neither do I,” agreed my friend; “but it is distinctly possible that such an obsession exists, and that someone is deliberately11 playing upon it for his own ends.”
“You mean that someone who knows of these episodes in the earlier life of Menendez is employing them now for a secret purpose of his own?”
“Exactly.”
“It renders the case none the less interesting.”
“I quite agree, Knox. With you, I believe, that even if the Colonel is not quite sane12, at the same time his fears are by no means imaginary.”
He gingerly took up the bat wing from the arm of his chair where he had placed it after a detailed13 examination.
“It seems to be pretty certain,” he said, “that this thing is the wing of a Desmodus or Vampire14 Bat. Now, according to our authority”—he touched a work which lay open on the other arm of his chair—“these are natives of tropical America, therefore the presence of a living vampire bat in Surrey is not to be anticipated. I am personally satisfied, however, that this unpleasant fragment has been preserved in some way.”
“Quite possibly. But even a collection of such bats would be quite a novelty. I don’t know that I can recollect16 one outside the Museums. To follow this bat wing business further: there was one very curious point in the Colonel’s narrative17. You recollect his reference to a native girl who had betrayed certain information to the manager of the estate?”
I nodded rapidly.
“A bat wing was affixed18 to the wall of her hut and she died, according to our informant, of a lingering sickness. Now this lingering sickness might have been anæmia, and anæmia may be induced, either in man or beast, by frequent but unsuspected visits of a Vampire Bat.”
“Good heavens, Harley!” I exclaimed, “what a horrible idea.”
“It is a horrible idea, but in countries infested19 by these creatures such things happen occasionally. I distinctly recollect a story which I once heard, of a little girl in some district of tropical America falling into such a decline, from which she was only rescued in the nick of time by the discovery that one of these Vampire Bats, a particularly large one, had formed the habit of flying into her room at night and attaching itself to her bare arm which lay outside the coverlet.”
“The very point, Knox, which led to the discovery of the truth. The thing, exhibiting a sort of uncanny intelligence, used to work its way up under the edge of the netting. This disturbance22 of the curtains was noticed on several occasions by the nurse who occupied an adjoining room, and finally led to the detection of the bat!”
“On the contrary, it induces deeper sleep. But I have not yet come to my point, Knox. The vengeance25 of the High Priest of Voodoo, who figured in the Colonel’s narrative, was characteristic in the case of the native woman, since her symptoms at least simulated those which would result from the visits of a Vampire Bat, although of course they may have been due to a slow poison. But you will not have failed to note that the several attacks upon the Colonel personally were made with more ordinary weapons. On two occasions at least a rifle was employed.”
“Yes,” I replied, slowly. “You are wondering why the lingering sickness did not visit him?”
“I am, Knox. I can only suppose that he proved to be immune. You recall his statement that he made an almost miraculous26 recovery from the fever which attacked him after his visit to the Black Belt? This would seem to point to the fact that he possesses that rare type of constitution which almost defies organisms deadly to ordinary men.”
“So it would appear.”
“But, Harley,” I cried, “what appalling28 crime can the man have committed to call down upon his head a vengeance which has survived for so many years?”
“I doubt if the feud30 dates any earlier,” he replied, “than the time of Menendez’s last return to Cuba. On that occasion he evidently killed the High Priest of Voodoo.”
I uttered an exclamation31 of scorn.
“My dear Harley,” I said, “the whole thing is too utterly32 fantastic. I begin to believe again that we are dealing33 with a madman.”
Harley glanced down at the wing of the bat.
“We shall see,” he murmured. “Even if the only result of our visit is to make the acquaintance of the Colonel’s household our time will not have been wasted.”
“No,” said I, “that is true enough. I am looking forward to meeting Madame de Stämer—”
“And her companion, Miss Beverley.”
“Quite so. Nor must we forget the Spanish butler, and the Colonel himself, whose acquaintance I am extremely anxious to renew.”
“The whole thing is wildly bizarre, Harley.”
“My dear Knox,” he replied, stretching himself luxuriously35 in the long lounge chair, “the most commonplace life hovers36 on the edge of the bizarre. But those of us who overstep the border become preposterous37 in the eyes of those who have never done so. This is not because the unusual is necessarily the untrue, but because writers of fiction have claimed the unusual as their particular province, and in doing so have divorced it from fact in the public eye. Thus I, myself, am a myth, and so are you, Knox!”
“We owe our mythological40 existence to that American genius whose portrait hangs beside the Burmese cabinet and who indiscreetly created the character of C. Auguste Dupin. The doings of this amateur investigator41 were chronicled by an admirer, you may remember, since when no private detective has been allowed to exist outside the pages of fiction. My most trivial habits confirm my unreality.
“For instance, I have a friend who is good enough sometimes to record my movements. So had Dupin. I smoke a pipe. So did Dupin. I investigate crime, and I am sometimes successful. Here I differ from Dupin. Dupin was always successful. But my argument is this—you complain that the life of Colonel Don Juan Sarmiento Menendez, on his own showing, has been at least as romantic as his name. It would not be accounted romantic by the adventurous42, Knox; it is only romantic to the prosaic43 mind. In the same way his name is only unusual to our English ears. In Spain it would pass unnoticed.”
“I see your point,” I said, grudgingly44; “but think of I Voodoo in the Surrey Hills.”
“I am thinking of it, Knox, and it affords me much delight to think of it. You have placed your finger I upon the very point I was endeavouring to make. Voodoo in the Surrey Hills! Quite so. Voodoo in some island of the Caribbean Seas, yes, but Voodoo in the Surrey Hills, no. Yet, my dear fellow, there is a regular steamer service between South America and England. Or one may embark45 at Liverpool and disembark in the Spanish Main. Why, then, may not one embark in the West Indies and disembark at Liverpool? This granted, you will also grant that from Liverpool to Surrey is a feasible journey. Why, then, should you exclaim, ‘but Voodoo in the Surrey Hills!’ You would be surprised to meet an Esquimaux in the Strand46, but there is no reason why an Esquimaux should not visit the Strand. In short, the most annoying thing about fact is its resemblance to fiction. I am looking forward to the day, Knox, when I can retire from my present fictitious47 profession and become a recognized member of the community; such as a press agent, a theatrical48 manager, or some other dealer49 in Fact!”
He burst out laughing, and reaching over to a side-table refilled my glass and his own.
“There lies the wing of a Vampire Bat,” he said, pointing, “in Chancery Lane. It is impossible. Yet,” he raised his glass, “‘Pussyfoot’ Johnson has visited Scotland, the home of Whisky!”
We were silent for a while, whilst I considered his remarks.
“The conclusion to which I have come,” declared Harley, “is that nothing is so strange as the commonplace. A rod and line, a boat, a luncheon50 hamper51, a jar of good ale, and the peculiar52 peace of a Norfolk river—these joys I willingly curtail53 in favour of the unknown things which await us at Cray’s Folly54. Remember, Knox,” he stared at me queerly, “Wednesday is the night of the full moon.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
cosy
|
|
| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
chambers
|
|
| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
depreciated
|
|
| v.贬值，跌价，减价( depreciate的过去式和过去分词 )；贬低，蔑视，轻视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
administrative
|
|
| adj.行政的，管理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
allied
|
|
| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
assassinated
|
|
| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
remorse
|
|
| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
obsession
|
|
| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
sane
|
|
| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
detailed
|
|
| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
vampire
|
|
| n.吸血鬼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
specimen
|
|
| n.样本，标本 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
recollect
|
|
| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
affixed
|
|
| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
infested
|
|
| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
penetrate
|
|
| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
enquired
|
|
| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
disturbance
|
|
| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
awaken
|
|
| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
sleeper
|
|
| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
vengeance
|
|
| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
miraculous
|
|
| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
dagger
|
|
| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
appalling
|
|
| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
feud
|
|
| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
invalid
|
|
| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
luxuriously
|
|
| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
hovers
|
|
| 鸟( hover的第三人称单数 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
preposterous
|
|
| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
mythological
|
|
| adj.神话的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
investigator
|
|
| n.研究者，调查者，审查者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
adventurous
|
|
| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
prosaic
|
|
| adj.单调的，无趣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
grudgingly
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
embark
|
|
| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
strand
|
|
| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
fictitious
|
|
| adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
theatrical
|
|
| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
dealer
|
|
| n.商人，贩子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
luncheon
|
|
| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
hamper
|
|
| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
curtail
|
|
| vt.截短，缩短；削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
folly
|
|
| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |