Professor Deeping's "Assyrian Mythology2" lay open before me, beside it my notebook. A coal dropped from the fire, and I half started up out of my chair. My nerves were all awry3, and I had more than my horrible memories of the murdered man to thank for it. Let me explain what I mean.
When, after assisting, or endeavouring to assist, Bristol at his elaborate inquiries4, I had at last returned to my chambers5, I had become the victim of a singular delusion—though one common enough in the case of persons whose nerves are overwrought. I had thought myself followed.
During the latter part of my journey I found myself constantly looking from the little window at the rear of the cab. I had an impression that some vehicle was tracking us. Then, when I discharged the man and walked up the narrow passage to the court, it was fear of a skulking7 form that dodged8 from shadow to shadow which obsessed9 me.
Finally, as I entered the hall and mounted the darkened stair, from the first landing I glanced down into the black well beneath. Blazing yellow eyes, I thought, looked up at me!
I will confess that I leapt up the remaining flight of stairs to my door, and, safely within, found myself trembling as if with a palsy.
When I sat down to write (for sleep was an impossible proposition) I placed my revolver upon the table beside me. I cannot say why. It afforded me some sense of protection, I suppose. My conclusions, thus far, amounted to the following—
The apparition10 of the phantom11 scimitar was due to the presence of someone who, by means of the moonlight, or of artificial light, cast a reflection of such a weapon as that found in the oblong chest upon the wall of a darkened apartment—as, Deeping's stateroom on the Mandalay, his study, etc.
A group of highly efficient assassins, evidently Moslem12 fanatics13, who might or might not be of the ancient order of the Hashishin, had pursued the stolen slipper14 to England. They had severed15 any hand, other than that of a Believer, which had touched the case containing it. (The Coptic porter was a Christian16.)
Uncertain, possibly, of Deeping's faith, or fearful of endangering the success of their efforts by an outrage17 upon him en route, they had refrained from this until his arrival at his house. He had been warned of his impending18 end by Ahmad Ahmadeen.
Who was Ahmadeen? And who was his beautiful associate? I found myself unable, at present, to answer either of those questions. In order to gain access to Professor Deeping, who so carefully secluded19 himself, a box had been sent to him by ordinary carrier. (As I sat at my table, Scotland Yard was busy endeavouring to trace the sender.) Respecting this box we had made an extraordinary discovery.
It was of the kind used by Eastern conjurors for what is generally known as "the Box Trick." That is to say, it could only be opened (short of smashing it) from the inside! You will remember what we found within it? Consider this with the new fact, above, and to what conclusion do you come?
Something (it is not possible to speak of someone in connection with so small a box) had been concealed20 inside, and had killed Professor Deeping whilst he was actually engaged in endeavouring to force it open. This inconceivable creature had then searched the study for the slipper—or for the key of the safe. Interrupted and trapped by the arrival of the police, the creature had returned to the box, re-closed it, and had actually been there when the study was searched!
For a creature so small as the murderous thing in the box to slip out during the confusion, and at some time prior to Bristol's arrival, was no difficult matter. The inspector21 and I were certain that these were the facts.
But what was this creature?
I turned to the chapter in "Assyrian Mythology"—"The Tradition of the Hashishin."
The legends which the late Professor Deeping had collected relative to this sect22 of religious murderers were truly extraordinary. Of the cult's extinction23 at the time of writing he was clearly certain, but he referred to the popular belief, or Moslem legend, that, since Hassan of Khorassan, there had always been a Sheikh-al-jebal, and that a dreadful being known as Hassan of Aleppo was the present holder25 of the title.
He referred to the fact that De Sacy has shown the word Assassin to be derived26 from Hashishin, and quoted El-Idrisi to the same end. The Hashishin performed their murderous feats27 under the influence of hashish, or Indian hemp28; and during the state of ecstasy29 so induced, according to Deeping, they acquired powers almost superhuman. I read how they could scale sheer precipices30, pass fearlessly along narrow ledges31 which would scarce afford foothold for a rat, cast themselves from great heights unscathed, and track one marked for death in such a manner as to remain unseen not only by the victim but by others about him. At this point of my studies I started, in a sudden nervous panic, and laid my hand upon my revolver.
I thought of the eyes which had seemed to look up from the black well of the staircase—I thought of the horrible end of this man whose book lay upon the table ... and I thought I heard a faint sound outside my study door!
The key of Deeping's safe, and his letter to me, lay close by my hand. I slipped them into a drawer and locked it. With every nerve, it seemed, strung up almost to snapping point, I mechanically pursued my reading.
"At the time of the Crusades," wrote Deeping, "there was a story current of this awful Order which I propose to recount. It is one of the most persistent32 dealing33 with the Hashishin, and is related to-day of the apparently34 mythical35 Hassan of Aleppo. I am disposed to believe that at one time it had a solid foundation, for a similar practice was common in Ancient Egypt and is mentioned by Georg Ebers."
My door began very slowly to open!
Merciful God! What was coming into the room!
So very slowly, so gently, nay36, all but imperceptibly, did it move, that had my nerves been less keenly attuned37 I doubt not I should have remained unaware38 of the happening. Frozen with horror, I sat and watched. Yet my mental condition was a singular one.
My direct gaze never quitted the door, but in some strange fashion I saw the words of the next paragraph upon the page before me!
"As making peculiarly efficient assassins, when under the influence of the drug, and as being capable of concealing39 themselves where a normal man could not fail to be detected—"
(At this moment I remembered that my bathroom window was open, and that the waste-pipe passed down the exterior40 wall.)
"—the Sheikh-al-jebal took young boys of a certain desert tribe, and for eight hours of every day, until their puberty, confined them in a wooden frame—"
What looked like a reed was slowly inserted through the opening between door and doorpost! It was brought gradually around ... until it pointed41 directly toward me!
I seemed to put forth42 a mighty43 mental effort, shaking off the icy hand of fear which held me inactive in my chair. A saving instinct warned me—and I ducked my head.
Something whirred past me and struck the wall behind.
Revolver in hand, I leapt across the room, dashed the door open, and fired blindly—again—and again—and again—down the passage.
And in the brief gleams I saw it!
I cannot call it man, but I saw the thing which, I doubt not, had killed poor Deeping with the crescent-knife and had propelled a poison-dart at me.
It was a tiny dwarf44! Neither within nor without a freak exhibition had I seen so small a human being! A kind of supernatural dread24 gripped me by the throat at sight of it. As it turned with animal activity and bounded into my bathroom, I caught a three-quarter view of the creature's swollen45, incredible head—which was nearly as large as that of a normal man!
Never while my mind serves me can I forget that yellow, grinning face and those canine46 fangs—the tigerish, blazing eyes—set in the great, misshapen head upon the tiny, agile47 body.
Like nothing so much as a cat, the gleaming body (the dwarf was but scantily49 clothed) streaked50 through the open window!
Certain death, I thought, must be his lot upon the stones of the court far below. I ran and looked down, shaking in every limb, my mind filled with a loathing51 terror unlike anything I had ever known.
Brilliant moonlight flooded the pavement beneath; for twenty yards to left and right every stone was visible.
The court was empty!
Human, homely52 London moved and wrought6 intimately about me; but there, at sight of the empty court below, a great loneliness swept down like a mantle53—a clammy mantle of the fabric54 of dread. I stood remote from my fellows, in an evil world peopled with the creatures of Hassan of Aleppo.
Moved by some instinct, as that of a frightened child, I dropped to my knees and buried my face in trembling hands.
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1
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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2
mythology
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| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
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awry
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| adj.扭曲的，错的 | |
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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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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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6
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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7
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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8
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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obsessed
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| adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的 | |
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10
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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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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12
Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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fanatics
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| 狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 ) | |
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slipper
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| n.拖鞋 | |
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15
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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16
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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17
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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18
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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20
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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21
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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23
extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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25
holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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27
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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28
hemp
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| n.大麻；纤维 | |
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29
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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30
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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31
ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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32
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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33
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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34
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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35
mythical
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| adj.神话的；虚构的；想像的 | |
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36
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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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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38
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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39
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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40
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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41
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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42
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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43
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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44
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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45
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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46
canine
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| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
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47
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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48
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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49
scantily
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| adv.缺乏地；不充足地；吝啬地；狭窄地 | |
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50
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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51
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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52
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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53
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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54
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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