"Hullo, Rob! Do you wish to see me professionally?"
Robert Cairn seated himself upon a corner of the big table, shaking his head slowly.
"No, thanks sir; I'm fit enough; but I thought you might like to know about the will—"
"I do know. Since I was largely interested, Jermyn attended on my behalf; an urgent case detained me. He rang up earlier this morning."
"Oh, I see. Then perhaps I'm wasting your time; but it was a surprise—quite a pleasant one—to find that Sir Michael had provided for Myra—Miss Duquesne."
Dr. Cairn stared hard.
"What led you to suppose that he had not provided for his niece? She is an orphan5, and he was her guardian6."
"Of course, he should have done so; but I was not alone in my belief that during the—peculiar state of mind—which preceded his death, he had altered his will—"
"In favour of his adopted son, Antony?"
"Yes. I know you were afraid of it, sir! But as it turns out they inherit equal shares, and the house
[26]
"Indeed!"
"Rather. He was there in person, wearing one of his beastly fur coats—a fur coat, with the thermometer at Africa!—lined with civet-cat, of all abominations!"
Dr. Cairn turned to his table, tapping at the blotting-pad with the tube of a stethoscope.
"I regret your attitude towards young Ferrara, Rob."
His son started.
"Regret it! I don't understand. Why, you, yourself brought about an open rupture10 on the night of Sir Michael's death."
"Nevertheless, I am sorry. You know, since you were present, that Sir Michael has left his niece—to my care—"
"Thank God for that!"
"Keep an eye on Antony! Yes, yes—but, heavens! he didn't know him for what he is!"
Dr. Cairn turned to him again.
"He did not; by a divine mercy, he never knew—what we know. But"—his clear eyes were raised to his son's—"the charge is none the less sacred, boy!"
The younger man stared perplexedly.
"But he is nothing less than a ——"
His father's upraised hand checked the word on his tongue.
"I know what he is, Rob, even better than you do. But cannot you see how this ties my hands, seals my lips?"
Robert Cairn was silent, stupefied.
"Give me time to see my way clearly, Rob. At the moment I cannot reconcile my duty and my conscience; I confess it. But give me time. If only as a move—as a matter of policy—keep in touch with Ferrara. You loathe12 him, I know; but we must watch him! There are other interests—"
[27]
"Myra!" Robert Cairn flushed hotly. "Yes, I see. I understand. By heavens, it's a hard part to play, but—"
"Be advised by me, Rob. Meet stealth with stealth. My boy, we have seen strange ends come to those who stood in the path of someone. If you had studied the subjects that I have studied you would know that retribution, though slow, is inevitable13. But be on your guard. I am taking precautions. We have an enemy; I do not pretend to deny it; and he fights with strange weapons. Perhaps I know something of those weapons, too, and I am adopting—certain measures. But one defence, and the one for you, is guile—stealth!"
"Have you been there?"
"No."
"Call upon him. Take the first opportunity to do so. Had it not been for your knowledge of certain things which happened in a top set at Oxford18 we might be groping in the dark now! You never liked Antony Ferrara—no men do; but you used to call upon him in college. Continue to call upon him, in town."
Robert Cairn stood up, and lighted a cigarette.
"Right you are, sir!" he said. "I'm glad I'm not alone in this thing! By the way, about—?"
"Myra? For the present she remains19 at the house. There is Mrs. Hume, and all the old servants. We shall see what is to be done, later. You might run over and give her a look-up, though."
"I will, sir! Good-bye."
"Good-bye," said Dr. Cairn, and pressed the bell which summoned Marston to usher20 out the caller, and usher in the next patient.
In Half-Moon Street, Robert Cairn stood irresolute21; for he was one of those whose mental moods are physically22 reflected. He might call upon Myra Duquesne, in which event he would almost certainly be asked to stay to lunch; or he might call upon Antony Ferrara. He determined23 upon the latter, though less pleasant course.
[28]
Turning his steps in the direction of Piccadilly, he reflected that this grim and uncanny secret which he shared with his father was like to prove prejudicial to his success in journalism24. It was eternally uprising, demoniac, between himself and his work. The feeling of fierce resentment25 towards Antony Ferrara which he cherished grew stronger at every step. He was the spider governing the web, the web that clammily touched Dr. Cairn, himself, Robert Cairn, and—Myra Duquesne. Others there had been who had felt its touch, who had been drawn26 to the heart of the unclean labyrinth—and devoured27. In the mind of Cairn, the figure of Antony Ferrara assumed the shape of a monster, a ghoul, an elemental spirit of evil.
And now he was ascending28 the marble steps. Before the gates of the lift he stood and pressed the bell.
Ferrara's proved to be a first-floor suite29, and the doors were opened by an Eastern servant dressed in white.
"His beastly theatrical30 affectation again!" muttered Cairn. "The man should have been a music-hall illusionist!"
The visitor was salaamed31 into a small reception room. Of this apartment the walls and ceiling were entirely32 covered by a fretwork in sandalwood, evidently Oriental in workmanship. In niches33, or doorless cup-boards; stood curious-looking vases and pots. Heavy curtains of rich fabric34 draped the doors. The floor was of mosaic35, and a small fountain played in the centre. A cushioned divan36 occupied one side of the place, from which natural light was entirely excluded and which was illuminated37 only by an ornate lantern swung from the ceiling. This lantern had panes38 of blue glass, producing a singular effect. A silver mibkharah, or incense-burner, stood near to one corner of the divan and emitted a subtle perfume. As the servant withdrew:
"Good heavens!" muttered Cairn, disgustedly; "poor Sir Michael's fortune won't last long at this rate!" He glanced at the smoking mibkharah. "Phew! effeminate beast! Ambergris!"
No more singular anomaly could well be pictured than that afforded by the lean, neatly-groomed Scots
[29]
man, with his fresh, clean-shaven face and typically British air, in this setting of Eastern voluptuousness39.
The dusky servitor drew back a curtain and waved him to enter, bowing low as the visitor passed. Cairn found himself in Antony Ferrara's study. A huge fire was blazing in the grate, rendering40 the heat of the study almost insufferable.
It was, he perceived, an elaborated copy of Ferrara's room at Oxford; infinitely41 more spacious42, of course, and by reason of the rugs, cushions and carpets with which its floor was strewn, suggestive of great opulence43. But the littered table was there, with its nameless instruments and its extraordinary silver lamp; the mummies were there; the antique volumes, rolls of papyrus44, preserved snakes and cats and ibises, statuettes of Isis, Osiris and other Nile deities45 were there; the many photographs of women, too (Cairn had dubbed46 it at Oxford "the zenana"); above all, there was Antony Ferrara.
He wore the silver-grey dressing-gown trimmed with white swansdown in which Cairn had seen him before. His statuesque ivory face was set in a smile, which yet was no smile of welcome; the over-red lips smiled alone; the long, glittering dark eyes were joyless; almost, beneath the straightly-pencilled brows, sinister47. Save for the short, lustreless48 hair it was the face of a handsome, evil woman.
"My dear Cairn—what a welcome interruption. How good of you!"
There was strange music in his husky tones. He spoke unemotionally, falsely, but Cairn could not deny the charm of that unique voice. It was possible to understand how women—some women—would be as clay in the hands of the man who had such a voice as that.
His visitor nodded shortly. Cairn was a poor actor; already his rôle was oppressing him. Whilst Ferrara was speaking one found a sort of fascination49 in listening, but when he was silent he repelled50. Ferrara may have been conscious of this, for he spoke much, and well.
"You have made yourself jolly comfortable," said Cairn.
[30]
"Why not, my dear Cairn? Every man has within him something of the Sybarite. Why crush a propensity51 so delightful52? The Spartan53 philosophy is palpably absurd; it is that of one who finds himself in a garden filled with roses and who holds his nostrils54; who perceives there shady bowers55, but chooses to burn in the sun; who, ignoring the choice fruits which tempt56 his hand and court his palate, stoops to pluck bitter herbs from the wayside!"
"I see!" snapped Cairn. "Aren't you thinking of doing any more work, then?"
"Work!" Antony Ferrara smiled and sank upon a heap of cushions. "Forgive me, Cairn, but I leave it, gladly and confidently, to more robust57 characters such as your own."
He proffered58 a silver box of cigarettes, but Cairn shook his head, balancing himself on a corner of the table.
"My dear fellow!" Ferrara rose. "I have a wine which, I declare, you will never have tasted but which you will pronounce to be nectar. It is made in Cyprus—"
Cairn raised his hand in a way that might have reminded a nice observer of his father.
"Thank you, nevertheless. Some other time, Ferrara; I am no wine man."
There was a suggestion of laughter in the husky voice, now, of a sort of contemptuous banter63. But Cairn stolidly64 shook his head and forced a smile.
"Many thanks; but it's too early."
He stood up and began to walk about the room, inspecting the numberless oddities which it contained. The photographs he examined with supercilious65 curiosity. Then, passing to a huge cabinet, he began to peer in at the rows of amulets66, statuettes and other, unclassifiable, objects with which it was laden67. Ferrara's voice came.
"That head of a priestess on the left, Cairn, is of
[31]
great interest. The brain had not been removed, and quite a colony of Dermestes Beetles68 had propagated in the cavity. Those creatures never saw the light, Cairn. Yet I assure you that they had eyes. I have nearly forty of them in the small glass case on the table there. You might like to examine them."
Cairn shuddered69, but felt impelled70 to turn and look at these gruesome relics71. In a square, glass case he saw the creatures. They lay in rows on a bed of moss72; one might almost have supposed that unclean life yet survived in the little black insects. They were an unfamiliar73 species to Cairn, being covered with unusually long, black hair, except upon the root of the wing-cases where they were of brilliant orange.
"The perfect pupæ of this insect are extremely rare," added Ferrara informatively74.
"Indeed?" replied Cairn.
He found something physically revolting in that group of beetles whose history had begun and ended in the skull75 of a mummy.
"Who knows?" he answered enigmatically. "They might prove useful, some day."
A bell rang; and from Ferrara's attitude it occurred to Cairn that he was expecting a visitor.
"I must be off," he said accordingly.
And indeed he was conscious of a craving78 for the cool and comparatively clean air of Piccadilly. He knew something of the great evil which dwelt within this man whom he was compelled, by singular circumstances, to tolerate. But the duty began to irk.
The note of badinage80 was discernible again, but Cairn passed out into the mandarah without replying, where the fountain plashed coolly and the silver mibkharah sent up its pencils of vapour. The outer door was opened by the Oriental servant, and Ferrara stood and bowed to his departing visitor. He did not proffer59 his hand.
[32]
"Until our next meeting. Cairn, es-selâm aleykûm!" (peace be with you) he murmured, "as the Moslems say. But indeed I shall be with you in spirit, dear Cairn."
There was something in the tone wherein he spoke those last words that brought Cairn up short. He turned, but the doors closed silently. A faint breath of ambergris was borne to his nostrils.
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收听单词发音
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1
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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2
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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3
overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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4
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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5
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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6
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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7
accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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8
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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10
rupture
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| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
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11
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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13
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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14
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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15
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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16
palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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17
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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18
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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19
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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20
usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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21
irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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22
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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23
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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24
journalism
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| n.新闻工作，报业 | |
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25
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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26
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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27
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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28
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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31
salaamed
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| 行额手礼( salaam的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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33
niches
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| 壁龛( niche的名词复数 )； 合适的位置[工作等]； （产品的）商机； 生态位（一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位） | |
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34
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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35
mosaic
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| n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的 | |
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36
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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37
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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38
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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39
voluptuousness
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| n.风骚，体态丰满 | |
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40
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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41
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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42
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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43
opulence
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| n.财富，富裕 | |
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44
papyrus
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| n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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45
deities
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| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
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46
dubbed
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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47
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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48
lustreless
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| adj.无光泽的，无光彩的，平淡乏味的 | |
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49
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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50
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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51
propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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52
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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53
spartan
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| adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人 | |
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54
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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55
bowers
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| n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人 | |
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56
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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57
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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58
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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59
proffer
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| v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议 | |
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60
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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61
soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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62
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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63
banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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64
stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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65
supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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66
amulets
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| n.护身符( amulet的名词复数 ) | |
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67
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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68
beetles
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| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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69
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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70
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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72
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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73
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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74
informatively
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| adv.提供信息地 | |
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75
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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76
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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77
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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78
craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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badinage
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| n.开玩笑，打趣 | |
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