the notch on the ax and on being found out-第55章

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〃If　not　a　maniac；〃　said　I；　hoping　to　pique　him；　〃he　must　be　a　man
of　stupendous　and　pitiable　vanity；perhaps　one　of　your　constant…
minded　friends；　whom　you　refuse　to　call　bloodthirsty。〃

〃Constant…minded；　perhaps；　but　why　pitiably　vain？〃

〃Why？　　Because　only　a　diseased　atrocity　of　imagination；　stimulating
a　nature　essentially　base　and　weak　in　its　desire　to　make　itself
conspicuous；　would　or　could　suggest　such　things。　　The　silly　youth
who　'fired　the　Ephesian　dome；'　the　vain　idiot　who　set　fire　to　York
Minster；　the　miserable　Frenchmen　who　have　committed　murder　and
suicide　with　a　view　of　making　their　exit　striking　from　a　world　in
which　their　appearance　had　been　contemptible；　would　all　sink　into
insignificance　beside　the　towering　infamy　of　baseness　whichfor
the　mere　love　of　producing　an　effect　on　the　minds　of　men；　and　thus
drawing　their　attention　upon　him；　which　otherwise　would　never　have
marked　him　at　allcould　scheme　and　execute　crimes　so　horrible　and
inexcusable。　　In　common　charity　to　human　nature；　let　us　suppose　the
wretch　is　mad；　because　otherwise　his　miserable　vanity　would　be　too
loathsome。〃　　I　spoke　with　warmth　and　bitterness；　which　increased　as
I　perceived　him　wincing　under　the　degradation　of　my　contempt。

〃If　his　motive　WERE　vanity；〃　he　said；　〃no　doubt　it　would　be
horrible；　but　may　it　not　have　been　revenge？〃

〃Revenge！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃what！　on　innocent　women？〃

〃You　assume　their　innocence。〃

〃Good　God！　do　you　know　anything　to　the　contrary？〃

〃Not　I。　　But　as　we　are　conjecturing；　I　may　as　well　conjecture　it　to
have　been　the　desire　to　produce　a　startling　effect。〃

〃How　do　you　justify　your　conjecture？〃

〃Simply　enough。　　We　have　to　suppose　a　motive；　let　us　say　it　was
revenge；　and　see　whether　that　will　furnish　a　clue。〃

〃But　it　can't。　　The　two　victims　were　wholly　unconnected　with　each
other　by　any　intermediate　acquaintances；　consequently　there　can
have　been　no　common　wrong　or　common　enmity　in　existence　to　furnish
food　for　vengeance。〃

〃That　may　be　so；　it　may　also　be　that　the　avenger　made　them
vicarious　victims。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃It　is　human　nature。　　Did　you　ever　observe　a　thwarted　child
striking　in　its　anger　the　unoffending　nurse；　destroying　its　toys　to
discharge　its　wrath？　　Did　you　ever　see　a　schoolboy；　unable　to　wreak
his　anger　on　the　bigger　boy　who　has　just　struck　him；　turn　against
the　nearest　smaller　boy　and　beat　him？　　Did　you　ever　know　a
schoolmaster；　angered　by　one　of　the　boy's　parents；　vent　his　pent…up
spleen　upon　the　unoffending　class？　　Did　you　ever　see　a　subaltern
punished　because　an　officer　had　been　reprimanded？　　These　are
familiar　examples　of　vicarious　vengeance。　　When　the　soul　is　stung
to　fury；　it　must　solace　itself　by　the　discharge　of　that　furyit
must　relieve　its　pain　by　the　sight　of　pain　in　others。　　We　are　so
constituted。　　We　need　sympathy　above　all　things。　　In　joy　we　cannot
bear　to　see　others　in　distress；　in　distress　we　see　the　joy　of
others　with　dismal　envy　which　sharpens　our　pain。　　That　is　human
nature。〃

〃And；〃　I　exclaimed；　carried　away　by　my　indignation；　〃you　suppose
that　the　sight　of　these　two　happy　girls；　beaming　with　the　quiet　joy
of　brides；　was　torture　to　some　miserable　wretch　who　had　lost　his
bride。〃

I　had　gone　too　far。　　His　eyes　looked　into　mine。　　I　read　in　his　that
he　divined　the　whole　drift　of　my　suspicionthe　allusion　made　to
himself。　　There　often　passes　into　a　look　more　than　words　can
venture　to　express。　　In　that　look　he　read　that　he　was　discovered；
and　I　read　that　he　had　recognized　it。　　With　perfect　calmness；　but
with　a　metallic　ring　in　his　voice　which　was　like　the　clash　of
swords；　he　said：

〃I　did　not　say　that　I　supposed　this；　but　as　we　were　on　the　wide
field　of　conjectureutterly　without　evidence　one　way　or　the　other；
having　no　clue　either　to　the　man　or　his　motivesI　drew　from　the
general　principles　of　human　nature　a　conclusion　which　was　just　as
plausibleor　absurd　if　you　likeas　the　conclusion　that　the　motive
must　have　been　vanity。〃

〃As　you　say；　we　are　utterly　without　evidence；　and　conjecture　drifts
aimlessly　from　one　thing　to　another。　　After　all；　the　most　plausible
explanation　is　that　of　a　contagion　of　imitation。〃

I　said　this　in　order　to　cover　my　previous　imprudence。　　He　was　not
deceivedthough　for　a　few　moments　I　fancied　he　wasbut　replied：

〃I　am　not　persuaded　of　that　either。　　The　whole　thing　is　a　mystery；
and　I　shall　stay　here　some　time　in　the　hope　of　seeing　it　cleared
up。　　Meanwhile；　for　a　subject　of　conjecture；　let　me　show　you
something　on　which　your　ingenuity　may　profitably　be　employed。〃

He　rose　and　passed　into　his　bedroom。　　I　heard　him　unlocking　and
rummaging　the　drawers；　and　was　silently　reproaching　myself　for　my
want　of　caution　in　having　spoken　as　I　had　done；　though　it　was　now
beyond　all　doubt　that　he　was　the　murderer；　and　that　his　motive　had
been　rightly　guessed；　but　with　this　self…reproach　there　was　mingled
a　self…gratulation　at　the　way　I　had　got　out　of　the　difficulty；　as　I
fancied。

He　returned；　and　as　he　sat　down　I　noticed　that　the　lower　part　of
his　surtout　was　open。　　He　always　wore　a　long　frogged　and　braided
coat　reaching　to　the　kneesas　I　now　know；　for　the　purpose　of
concealing　the　arm　which　hung　（as　he　said；　withered）　at　his　side。
The　two　last　fastenings　were　now　undone。

He　held　in　his　hand　a　tiny　chain　made　of　very　delicate　wire。　　This
he　gave　me；　saying：

〃Now　what　would　you　conjecture　that　to　be？〃

〃Had　it　come　into　my　hands　without　any　remark；　I　should　have　said
it　was　simply　a　very　exquisite　bit　of　ironwork；　but　your　question
points　to　something　more　out　of　the　way。〃

〃It　IS　iron…work；〃　he　said。

Could　I　be　deceived？　　A　third　fastening　of　his　surtout　was　undone！
I　had　seen　but　two　a　moment　ago。

〃And　what　am　I　to　conjecture？〃　I　asked。

〃Where　that　iron　came　from？　　It　was　NOT　from　a　mine。〃　　I　looked　at
it　again；　and　examined　it　attentively。　　On　raising　my　eyes　in
inquiryfortunately　with　an　expression　of　surprise；　since　what　met
my　eyes　would　have　startled　a　cooler　manI　saw　the　fourth
fastening　undone！

〃You　look　surprised；〃　he　continued；　〃and　will　be　more　surprised
when　I　tell　you　that　the　iron　in　your　hands　once　floated　in　the
circulation　of　a　man。　　It　is　made　from　human　blood。〃

〃Human　blood！〃　I　murmured。

He　went　on　expounding　the　physiological　wonders　of　the　blood；how
it　carried；　dissolved　in　its　currents；　a　proportion　of　iron　and
earths；　how　this　iron　was　extracted　by　chemists　and　exhibited　as　a
curiosity；　and　how　this　chain　had　been　manufactured　from　such
extracts。　　I　heard　every　word；　but　my　thoughts　were　hurrying　to　and
fro　in　the　agitation　of　a　supreme　moment。　　That　there　was　a　dagger
underneath　that　coatthat　in　a　few　moments　it　would　flash　forth
that　a　death…struggle　was　at　hand；I　knew　well。　　My　safety
depended　on　presence　of　mind。　　That　incalculable　rapidity　with
which；　in　critical　moments；　the　mind　surveys　all　the　openings　and
resources　of　an　emergency；　had　assured　me　that　there　was　no　weapon
within　reachthat　before　I　could　give　an　alarm　the　tiger　would　be
at　my　throat；　and　that　my　only　chance　was　to　keep　my　eyes　fixed
upon　him；　ready　to　spring　on　him　the　moment　the　next　fastening　was
undone；　and　before　he　could　use　his　arm。

At　last　the　idea　occurred　to　me；　that　as；　with　a　wild　beast；　safety
lies　in　attacking　him　just　before　he　attacks　you；　so　with　this
beast　my　best　chance　was　audacity。　　Looking　steadily　into　his　face；
I　said　slowly：

〃And　you　would　like　to　have　such　a　chain　made　from　my　blood。〃　　I
rose　as　I　spoke。　　He　remained　sitting；　but　was　evidently　taken
aback。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said。

〃I　mean；〃　said　I；　sternly；　〃that　your　coat　is　unfastened；　and　that
if　another　fastening　is　loosened　in　my　presence；　I　fell　you　to　the
earth。〃

〃You're　a　fool！〃　he　exclaimed。

I　moved　towards　the　door；　keeping　my　eye　fixed　upon　him　as　he　sat
pale　and　glaring　at　me。

〃YOU　are　a　fool；〃　I　said〃　and　worse；　if　you　stir。〃

At　this　moment；　I　know　not　by　what　sense；　as　if　I　had　eyes　at　the
back　of　my　head；　I　was　aware　of　some　one　moving　behind　me；　yet　I
dared　not　look　aside。　　Suddenly　two　mighty　folds　of　darkness　seemed
to　envelop　me　like　arms。　　A　powerful　scent　ascended　my　nostrils。
There　was　a　ringing　in　my　ears；　a　beating　at　my　heart。　　Darkness
came　on；　deeper　and　deeper；　like　huge　waves。　　I　seemed　growing　to
gigantic　stature。　　The　waves　rolled　on　faster　and　faster。　　The
ringing　became　a　roaring。　　The　beating　became　a　throbbing。　　Lights
flashed　across　the　darkness。　　Forms　moved　before　me。　　On　came　the
waves　hurrying　like　a　tide；　and　I　sank　deeper　and　deeper　into　this
mighty　sea　of　darkness。　　Then　all　was　silent。　　Consciousness　was
still。

　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

How　long　I　remained　unconscious；　I　cannot　tell。　　But　it　must　have
been　some　considerable　time。　　When　consciousness　once　more　began　to
dawn　within　me；　I　found　myself　lying　on　a　bed　surrounded　by　a　group
of　eager；　watching　faces；　and　became　aware　of　a　confused　murmur　of
whispering　going　on　around　me。　　〃Er　Lebt〃　（he　lives）　were　the　words
which　greeted　my　opening　eyeswords　which　I　recognized　as　coming
from　my　landlord。

I　had　had　a　very　narrow　escape。　　Another　moment　and　I　should　not
have　lived　to　tell　the　tale。　　The　dagger　that　had　already　immolated
two　of　Bourgonef's　objects　of　vengeance　would　have　been　in　my
breast。　　As　it　was；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　terrible　Ivan　had
thrown　his　arms　around　me　and　was　stifling　me　with　chloroform；　one
of　the　servants　of　the　hotel；　alarmed　or　attracted　by　curiosity　at
the　sound　of　high　words　within　the　room；　had　ventured　to　open　the
door　to　see　what　was　going　on。　　The　alarm　had　been　given；　and
Bourgonef　had　been　arrested　and　handed　over　to　the　police。　　Ivan；
however；　had　disappeared；　nor　were　the　police　ever　able　to　find
him。　　This　mattered　comparatively　little。　　Ivan　without　his　master
was　no　more　redoubtable　than　any　other　noxious　animal。　　As　an
accomplice；　as　an　instrument　to　execute　the　will　of　a　man　like
Bourgonef；　he　was　a　danger　to　society。　　The　directing　intelligence
withdrawn；　he　sank　to　the　level　of　the　brute。　　I　was　not　uneasy；
therefore；　at　his　having　escaped。　　Sufficient　for　me　that　the　real
criminal；　the　mind　that　had　conceived　and　directed　those　fearful
murders；　was　at　last　in　the　hands　of　justice。　　I　felt　that　my　task
had　been　fully　accomplished　when　Bourgonef's　head　fell　on　the
scaffold。



The　Closed　Cabinet


I


It　was　with　a　little　alarm　and　a　good　deal　of　pleasurable
excitement　that　I　looked　forward　to　my　first　grown…up　visit　to
Mervyn　Grange。　　I　had　been　there　several　times　as　a　child；　but
never　since　I　was　twelve　years　old；　and　now　I　was　over　eighteen。
We　were　all　of　us　very　proud　of　our　cousins　the　Mervyns：　it　is　not
everybody　that　can　claim　kinship　with　a　family　who　are　in　full　and
admitted　possession　of　a　secret；　a　curse；　and　a　mysterious　cabinet；
in　addition　to　the　usual　surplusage　of　horrors　supplied　in　such
cases　by　popular　imagination。　　Some　declared　that　a　Mervyn　of　the
days　of　Henry　VIII　had　been　cursed　by　an　injured　abbot　from　the
foot　of　the　gallows。　　Others　affirmed　that　a　dissipated　Mervyn　of
the　Georgian　era　was　still　playing　cards　for　his　soul　in　some
remote　region　of　the　Grange。　　There　were　stories　of　whi