the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第3章
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man that the first casual gaze instantly returns to with sharpened focus。
You have seen gymnasts whose normal movements were slowly
performed springs； just as rust is a slow combustion and fire the same
thing in less time。 Well； Clinton Browne strongly suggested that sort of
athlete。 Add to this a regularly formed； clearly cut； and all…but…beautiful
face； with a pair of wonderfully piercing； albeit somewhat shifty； black
eyes； and one need not marvel that men as well as women stared at him。
I have spoken of his gaze as 〃somewhat shifty；〃 yet am not altogether sure
that in that term I accurately describe it。 What first fastened my attention
was this vague； unfocussed； roving； quasi…introspective vision flashing
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with panther…like suddenness into a directness that seemed to burn and
pierce one like the thrust of a hot stiletto； His face was clean…shaven； save
for a mere thumb…mark of black hair directly under the centre of his lower
lip。 This Iago…like tab and the almost fierce brilliancy of his concentrated
gaze gave to his countenance at times a sinister； Machiavellian expression
that was irresistible and which； to my thinking； seriously marred an
otherwise fine face。 Of=20course due allowance must be made for the
strong prejudice I have against any form of beard。 However； I'd wager a
box of my best liver…pills against any landscape Browne ever painted； … I
don't care if it's as big as a cyclorama； … that if he had known how
completely Gwen shared my views； … how she disliked the appearance of
bewhiskered men； … that delicately nurtured little imperial would soon
have been reduced to a tender memory； … that is to say； if a physician can
diagnose a case of love from such symptoms as devouring glances and an
attentiveness so marked that it quite disgusted Maitland； who repeatedly
measured his rival with the apparent cold precision of a mathematician；
albeit there was warmth enough underneath。
This singular self…poise is one of Maitland's most noticeable
characteristics and is； I think； rather remarkable in a man of such strong
emotional tendencies and lightning…like rapidity of thought。 No doubt
some small portion of it is the result of acquirement； for life can hardly fail
to teach us all something of this sort； still I cannot but think that the larger
part of it is native to him。 Born of well…to…do parents； he had never had the
splendid tuition of early poverty。 As soon as he had left college he had
studied law； and had been admitted to the bar。 This he had done more to
gratify the wishes of his father than to further any desires of his own； but
he had soon found the profession； so distasteful to him that he practically
abandoned it in favour of scientific research。 True； he still occasionally
took a legal case when it turned upon scientific points which interested
him； but； as he once confessed to me； he swallowed； at such times； the
bitter pill of the law for the sugar coating of science which enshrouded it。
This legal training could； therefore； it seems to me； have made no deep or
radical change in his character； which leads me to think that the self…
control he exhibited； despite the angry disgust with which I know
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Browne's so apparent attentions to Gwen inspired him； must； for the most
part； have been native to him rather than acquired。
Nothing worthy of record occurred until evening； at least nothing
which at the time impressed me as of import； though I afterward
remembered that Darrow's behaviour was somewhat strange。 He
appeared singularly preoccupied； and on one occasion started nervously
when I coughed behind him。 He explained that a disagreeable dream had
deprived him of his sleep the previous night and left his nerves somewhat
unstrung； and I thought no more of it。
When the light failed we were all invited into the parlour to listen to a
song by Miss Darrow。 The house； as you are perhaps aware； overlooks
Dorchester Bay。 The afternoon had been very hot； but at dusk a cold east
wind had sprung up； which； as it was still early in the season； was not
altogether agreeable to our host； sitting as he was； back to； though fully
eight feet from； an open window looking to the east。 Maitland； with his
usual quick observation； noticed his discomfort and asked if he should not
close the window。 The old gentleman did not seem to hear the question
until it was repeated； when； starting as if from a reverie； he said： 〃If it will
not be too warm for the rest of you； I would like to have it partly closed；
say to within six inches； for the wind is cold〃； and he seemed to relapse
again into his reverie。 Maitland was obliged to use considerable strength to
force the window down； as it stuck in the casing； and when it finally gave
way it closed with a loud shrieking sound ending in the bang of the
counterweights。 At the noise Darrow sprang to his feet； exclaiming：
〃Again！ The same sound！ I knew I could not mistake it！〃 but by this
time Gwen was at his side； pressing him gently back into his seat； as she
said to him in an undertone audible to all of us： 〃What is it； father？〃 The
old gentleman only pressed her closer by way of reply； while he said to us
apologetically： 〃You must excuse me； gentlemen。 I have a certain dream
which haunts me； … the dream of someone striking me out of the darkness。
Last night I had the same dream for the seventh time and awoke to hear
that window opened。 There is no mistaking the sound I heard just now； it
is identical with that I heard last night。 I sprang out of bed； took a light；
and rushed down here； for I am not afraid to meet anything I can see； but
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the window was closed and locked； as I had left it！ What do you think；
Doctor；〃 he said； turning to me； 〃are dreams ever prophetic？〃
〃I have never；〃 I replied； anxious to quiet him； 〃had any personal
experience justifying such a conclusion。〃 I did not tell him of certain
things which had happened to friends of mine； and so my reply reassured
him。
Maitland； who had been startled by the old gentleman's conduct； now
returned to the window and opened it about six inches。 There was no
other window open in the room； and yet so fresh was the air that we were
not uncomfortable。 Darrow； with ill…concealed pride； then asked his
daughter to sing； and she left him and went to the piano。 〃Shall I not
light the lamp？〃 I asked。 〃I think we shall not need it；〃 the old gentleman
replied； 〃music is always better in the gloaming。〃
In order that you may understand what follows； it will be necessary for
me to describe to you our several positions in the room。 The apartment is
large； nearly square； and occupies the southeast corner of the house。 The
eastern side of the room has one window； that which had been left open
about six inches； and on the southern side of the room there were two
windows； both of which were securely fastened and the blinds of which
had been closed by the painters who； that morning； had primed the eastern
and southern sides of the house； preparatory to giving it a thorough
repainting。 On the north side of the room； but much nearer to the western
than the eastern end； are folding doors。 These on this occasion were
closed and fastened。 On the western side of the room is the piano； and to
the left of it； near the southwest corner； is a door leading to the hallway。
This door was closed。 As I have already told you； Darrow sat in a high…
backed easy…chair facing the piano and almost in the centre of the room。
The partly opened window on the east side was directly behind him and
fully eight feet away。 Herne and Browne sat upon Darrow's right and a
little in front of him against the folding doors； while Maitland and I were
upon his left； between him and the hall door。 Gwen was at the piano。
There are no closets； draperies； or niches in the room。 I think you will now
be able to understand the situation fully。
Whether the gloom of the scene suggested it to her； or whether it was
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merely a coincidence； I do not know； but Miss Darrow began to sing 〃In
the Gloaming〃 in a deep； rich contralto voice which seemed fraught with a
weird； melancholy power。 When I say that her voice was ineffably
sympathetic I would not have you confound this quality either with the
sepulchral or the aspirated tone which usually is made to do duty for
sympathy； especially in contralto voices。 Every note was as distinct； as
brilliantly resonant； as a cello in a master's hand。 So clear； so full the
notes rang out that I could plainly feel the chair vibrate beneath me。
〃In the gloaming； 0 my darling！ When the lights are dim and
low； And the quiet shadows falling Softly come and softly go。
When the winds are sobbing faintly With a gentle unknown woe；
Will you think of me and love me As you did once； long ago？
〃In the gloaming； 0 my darling！ Think not bitterly of me；
Though I passed away in silence； Left you lonely； set you free。
For my heart was crushed with l
