The swing of the shoulders, the aggressive turn of the head, were vaguely3 familiar, and while I was searching my memory and endeavouring to obtain a view of the man's face, he stared across in my direction.
It was Adderley.
He looked even more debauched than I remembered him, for whereas in Singapore he had had a tanned skin, now he looked unhealthily pallid4 and blotchy5. He raised his hand, and:
“Knox!” he cried, and ran across to greet me.
His boisterous6 manner and a sort of coarse geniality7 which he possessed8 had made him popular with a certain set in former days, but I, who knew that this geniality was forced, and assumed to conceal9 a sort of appalling10 animalism, had never been deceived by it. Most people found Adderley out sooner or later, but I had detected the man's true nature from the very beginning. His eyes alone were danger signals for any amateur psychologist. However, I greeted him civilly enough:
“Bless my soul, you are looking as fit as a fiddle11!” he cried. “Where have you been, and what have you been doing since I saw you last?”
“Nothing much,” I replied, “beyond trying to settle down in a reformed world.”
“Reformed world!” echoed Adderley. “More like a ruined world it has seemed to me.”
He laughed loudly. That he had already explored several bottles was palpable.
We were silent for a while, mentally weighing one another up, as it were. Then:
“Are you living in town?” asked Adderley.
“I am staying at the Carlton at the moment,” I replied. “My chambers12 are in the hands of the decorators. It's awkward. Interferes13 with my work.”
“Work!” cried Adderley. “Work! It's a nasty word, Knox. Are you doing anything now?”
“Nothing, until eight o'clock, when I have an appointment.”
“Come along to my place,” he suggested, “and have a cup of tea, or a whisky and soda14 if you prefer it.”
Probably I should have refused, but even as he spoke15 I was mentally translated to the lounge of the Hotel de l'Europe, and prompted by a very human curiosity I determined16 to accept his invitation. I wondered if Fate had thrown an opportunity in my way of learning the end of the peculiar17 story which had been related on that occasion.
I accompanied Adderley to his chambers, which were within a stone's throw of the spot where I had met him. That this gift for making himself unpopular with all and sundry18, high and low, had not deserted19 him, was illustrated20 by the attitude of the liftman as we entered the hall of the chambers. He was barely civil to Adderley and even regarded myself with marked disfavour.
We were admitted by Adderley's man, whom I had not seen before, but who was some kind of foreigner, I think a Portuguese21. It was characteristic of Adderley. No Englishman would ever serve him for long, and there had been more than one man in his old Company who had openly avowed22 his intention of dealing23 with Adderley on the first available occasion.
His chambers were ornately furnished; indeed, the room in which we sat more closely resembled a scene from an Oscar Asche production than a normal man's study. There was something unreal about it all. I have since thought that this unreality extended to the person of the man himself. Grossly material, he yet possessed an aura of mystery, mystery of an unsavoury sort. There was something furtive24, secretive, about Adderley's entire mode of life.
I had never felt at ease in his company, and now as I sat staring wonderingly at the strange and costly25 ornaments26 with which the room was overladen I bethought me of the object of my visit. How I should have brought the conversation back to our Singapore days I know not, but a suitable opening was presently offered by Adderley himself.
“Do you ever see any of the old gang?” he inquired.
“I was in Singapore about six months ago,” I replied, “and I met some of them again.”
“What! Had they drifted back to the East after all?”
“Two or three of them were taking what Dr. Matheson described as a Busman's Holiday.”
At mention of Dr. Matheson's name Adderley visibly started.
“So you know Matheson,” he murmured. “I didn't know you had ever met him.”
Plainly to hide his confusion he stood up, and crossing the room drew my attention to a rather fine silver bowl of early Persian ware27. He was displaying its peculiar virtues28 and showing a certain acquaintance with his subject when he was interrupted. A door opened suddenly and a girl came in. Adderley put down the bowl and turned rapidly as I rose from my seat.
It was the lady of Katong!
I recognized her at once, although she wore a very up-to-date gown. While it did not suit her dark good looks so well as the native dress which she had worn at Singapore, yet it could not conceal the fact that in a barbaric way she was a very beautiful woman. On finding a visitor in the room she became covered with confusion.
“Oh,” she said, speaking in Hindustani. “Why did you not tell me there was someone here?”
“Get out,” he said. “You fool.”
I turned to go, for I was conscious of an intense desire to attack my host. But:
“Don't go, Knox, don't go!” he cried. “I am sorry, I am damned sorry, I———”
He paused, and looked at me in a queer sort of appealing way. The girl, her big eyes widely open, retreated again to the door, with curious lithe30 steps, characteristically Oriental. The door regained31, she paused for a moment and extended one small hand in Adderley's direction.
“I hate you,” she said slowly, “hate you! Hate you!”
She went out, quietly closing the door behind her. Adderley turned to me with an embarrassed laugh.
“I know you think I am a brute32 and an outsider,” he said, “and perhaps I am. Everybody says I am, so I suppose there must be something in it. But if ever a man paid for his mistakes I have paid for mine, Knox. Good God, I haven't a friend in the world.”
“You probably don't deserve one,” I retorted.
“I know I don't, and that's the tragedy of it,” he replied. “You may not believe it, Knox; I don't expect anybody to believe me; but for more than a year I have been walking on the edge of Hell. Do you know where I have been since I saw you last?”
I shook my head in answer.
“I have been half round the world, Knox, trying to find peace.”
“You don't know where to look for it,” I said.
“If only you knew,” he whispered. “If only you knew,” and sank down upon the settee, ruffling33 his hair with his hands and looking the picture of haggard misery34. Seeing that I was still set upon departure:
“Hold on a bit, Knox,” he implored35. “Don't go yet. There is something I want to ask you, something very important.”
He crossed to a sideboard and mixed himself a stiff whisky-and-soda. He asked me to join him, but I refused.
“Won't you sit down again?”
I shook my head.
“You came to my place at Katong once,” he began abruptly36. “I was damned drunk, I admit it. But something happened, do you remember?”
I nodded.
“This is what I want to ask you: Did you, or did you not, see that shadow?”
I stared him hard in the face.
“I remember the episode to which you refer,” I replied. “I certainly saw a shadow.”
“But what sort of shadow?”
“To me it seemed an indefinite, shapeless thing, as though caused by someone moving behind the curtain.”
“It didn't look to you like—the shadow of a hand?”
“It might have been, but I could not be positive.”
“Knox,” he said, “money is a curse. It has been a curse to me. If I have had my fun, God knows I have paid for it.”
“Your idea of fun is probably a peculiar one,” I said dryly.
Let me confess that I was only suffering the man's society because of an intense curiosity which now possessed me on learning that the lady of Katong was still in Adderley's company.
Whether my repugnance38 for his society would have enabled me to remain any longer I cannot say. But as if Fate had deliberately39 planned that I should become a witness of the concluding phases of this secret drama, we were now interrupted a second time, and again in a dramatic fashion.
Adderley's nondescript valet came in with letters and a rather large brown paper parcel sealed and fastened with great care.
As the man went out:
“Surely that is from Singapore,” muttered Adderley, taking up the parcel.
He seemed to become temporarily oblivious40 of my presence, and his face grew even more haggard as he studied the writing upon the wrapper. With unsteady fingers he untied41 it, and I lingered, watching curiously42. Presently out from the wrappings he took a very beautiful casket of ebony and ivory, cunningly carved and standing43 upon four claw-like ivory legs.
“What the devil's this?” he muttered.
He opened the box, which was lined with sandal-wood, and thereupon started back with a great cry, recoiling44 from the casket as though it had contained an adder1. My former sentiments forgotten, I stepped forward and peered into the interior. Then I, in turn, recoiled45.
In the box lay a shrivelled yellow hand—with long tapering46 and well-manicured nails—neatly severed47 at the wrist!
The nail of the index finger was enclosed in a tiny, delicately fashioned case of gold, upon which were engraved48 a number of Chinese characters.
Adderley sank down again upon the settee.
“My God!” he whispered, “his hand! His hand! He has sent me his hand!”
He began laughing. Whereupon, since I could see that the man was practically hysterical49 because of his mysterious fears:
“Stop that,” I said sharply. “Pull yourself together, Adderley. What the deuce is the matter with you?”
“Take it away!” he moaned, “take it away. Take the accursed thing away!”
“I admit it is an unpleasant gift to send to anybody,” I said, “but probably you know more about it than I do.”
“Take it away,” he repeated. “Take it away, for God's sake, take it away, Knox!”
He was quite beyond reason, and therefore:
“Very well,” I said, and wrapped the casket in the brown paper in which it had come. “What do you want me to do with it?”
“Throw it in the river,” he answered. “Burn it. Do anything you like with it, but take it out of my sight!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
adder
|
|
| n.蝰蛇；小毒蛇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
infinitely
|
|
| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
vaguely
|
|
| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
pallid
|
|
| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
blotchy
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，有污渍的；斑污 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
boisterous
|
|
| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
geniality
|
|
| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
appalling
|
|
| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
fiddle
|
|
| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
chambers
|
|
| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
interferes
|
|
| vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
soda
|
|
| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
sundry
|
|
| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
illustrated
|
|
| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
Portuguese
|
|
| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
avowed
|
|
| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
furtive
|
|
| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
costly
|
|
| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
ornaments
|
|
| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ware
|
|
| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
virtues
|
|
| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
lithe
|
|
| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
regained
|
|
| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
ruffling
|
|
| 弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 )； 弄乱； 激怒； 扰乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
implored
|
|
| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
repugnance
|
|
| n.嫌恶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
oblivious
|
|
| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
untied
|
|
| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
recoiling
|
|
| v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
recoiled
|
|
| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
tapering
|
|
| adj.尖端细的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
severed
|
|
| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
engraved
|
|
| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
hysterical
|
|
| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |