the adventure of the red circle-第4章

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York。　Signor　Zamba　is　an　invalid；　and　our　new　friend　Castalotte　has

all　power　within　the　firm；　which　employs　more　than　three　hundred

men。　He　took　my　husband　into　his　employment；　made　him　head　of　a

department；　and　showed　his　good…will　towards　him　in　every　way。

Signor　Castalotte　was　a　bachelor；　and　I　believe　that　he　felt　as　if

Gennaro　was　his　son；　and　both　my　husband　and　I　loved　him　as　if　he　were

our　father。　We　had　taken　and　furnished　a　little　house　in　Brooklyn；　and

our　whole　future　seemed　assured　when　that　black　cloud　appeared　which

was　soon　to　overspread　our　sky。

　　〃One　night；　when　Gennaro　returned　from　his　work；　he　brought　a

fellow…countryman　back　with　him。　His　name　was　Gorgiano；　and　he　had

come　also　from　Posilippo。　He　was　a　huge　man；　as　you　can　testify；　for

you　have　looked　upon　his　corpse。　Not　only　was　his　body　that　of　a　giant

but　everything　about　him　was　grotesque；　gigantic；　and　terrifying。

His　voice　was　like　thunder　in　our　little　house。　There　was　scarce

room　for　the　whirl　of　his　great　arms　as　he　talked。　His　thoughts；　his

emotions；　his　passions；　all　were　exaggerated　and　monstrous。　He　talked；

or　rather　roared；　with　such　energy　that　others　could　but　sit　and

listen；　cowed　with　the　mighty　stream　of　words。　His　eyes　blazed　at

you　and　held　you　at　his　mercy。　He　was　a　terrible　and　wonderful　man。

I　thank　God　that　he　is　dead！

　　〃He　came　again　and　again。　Yet　I　was　aware　that　Gennaro　was　no　more

happy　than　I　was　in　his　presence。　My　poor　husband　would　sit　pale　and

listless；　listening　to　the　endless　raving　upon　politics　and　upon

social　questions　which　made　up　our　visitor's　conversation。　Gennaro

said　nothing；　but　I；　who　knew　him　so　well；　could　read　in　his　face　some

emotion　which　I　had　never　seen　there　before。　At　first　I　thought　that

it　was　dislike。　And　then；　gradually；　I　understood　that　it　was　more

than　dislike。　It　was　fear…　a　deep；　secret；　shrinking　fear。　That　night…

the　night　that　I　read　his　terror…　I　put　my　arms　round　him　and　I

implored　him　by　his　love　for　me　and　by　all　that　he　held　dear　to　hold

nothing　from　me；　and　to　tell　me　why　this　huge　man　overshadowed　him　so。

　　〃He　told　me；　and　my　own　heart　grew　cold　as　ice　as　I　listened。　My

poor　Gennaro；　in　his　wild　and　fiery　days；　when　all　the　world　seemed

against　him　and　his　mind　was　driven　half　mad　by　the　injustices　of

life；　had　joined　a　Neapolitan　society；　the　Red　Circle；　which　was

allied　to　the　old　Carbonari。　The　oaths　and　secrets　of　this　brotherhood

were　frightful；　but　once　within　its　rule　no　escape　was　possible。

When　we　had　fled　to　America　Gennaro　thought　that　he　had　cast　it　all

off　forever。　What　was　his　horror　one　evening　to　meet　in　the　streets

the　very　man　who　had　initiated　him　in　Naples；　the　giant　Gorgiano；　a

man　who　had　earned　the　name　of　'Death'　in　the　south　of　Italy；　for　he

was　red　to　the　elbow　in　murder！　He　had　come　to　New　York　to　avoid　the

Italian　police；　and　he　had　already　planted　a　branch　of　this　dreadful

society　in　his　new　home。　All　this　Gennaro　told　me　and　showed　me　a

summons　which　he　had　received　that　very　day；　a　Red　Circle　drawn　upon

the　head　of　it　telling　him　that　a　lodge　would　be　held　upon　a　certain

date；　and　that　his　presence　at　it　was　required　and　ordered。

　　〃That　was　bad　enough；　but　worse　was　to　come。　I　had　noticed　for

some　time　that　when　Gorgiano　came　to　us；　as　he　constantly　did；　in

the　evening；　he　spoke　much　to　me；　and　even　when　his　words　were　to　my

husband　those　terrible；　glaring；　wildbeast　eyes　of　his　were　always

turned　upon　me。　One　night　his　secret　came　out。　I　had　awakened　what

he　called　'love'　within　him…　the　love　of　a　brute…　a　savage。　Gennaro

had　not　yet　returned　when　he　came。　He　pushed　his　way　in；　seized　me

in　his　mighty　arms；　hugged　me　in　his　bear's　embrace；　covered　me　with

kisses；　and　implored　me　to　come　away　with　him。　I　was　struggling　and

screaming　when　Gennaro　entered　and　attacked　him。　He　struck　Gennaro

senseless　and　fled　from　the　house　which　he　was　never　more　to　enter。　It

was　a　deadly　enemy　that　we　made　that　night。

　　〃A　few　days　later　came　the　meeting。　Gennaro　returned　from　it　with

a　face　which　told　me　that　something　dreadful　had　occurred。　It　was

worse　than　we　could　have　imagined　possible。　The　funds　of　the　society

were　raised　by　blackmailing　rich　Italians　and　threatening　them　with

violence　should　they　refuse　the　money。　It　seems　that　Castalotte；　our

dear　friend　and　benefactor；　had　been　approached。　He　had　refused　to

yield　to　threats；　and　he　had　handed　the　notices　to　the　police。　It

was　resolved　how　that　such　an　example　should　be　made　of　him　as　would

prevent　any　other　victim；　from　rebelling。　At　the　meeting　it　was

arranged　that　he　and　his　house　should　be　blown　up　with　dynamite。　There

was　a　drawing　of　lots　as　to　who　should　carry　out　the　deed。　Gennaro　saw

our　enemy's　cruel　face；　smiling　at　him　as　he　dipped　his　hand　in　the

bag。　No　doubt　it　had　been　prearranged　in　some　fashion；　for　it　was

the　fatal　disc　with　the　Red　Circle　upon　it；　the　mandate　for　murder；

which　lay　upon　his　palm。　He　was　to　kill　his　best　friend；　or　he　was

to　expose　himself　and　me　to　the　vengeance　of　his　comrades。　It　was　part

of　their　fiendish　system　to　punish　those　whom　they　feared　or　hated

by　injuring　not　only　their　own　persons　but　those　whom　they　loved；

and　it　was　the　knowledge　of　this　which　hung　as　a　terror　over　my　poor

Gennaro's　head　and　drove　him　nearly　crazy　with　apprehension。

　　〃All　that　night　we　sat　together；　our　arms　round　each　other；　each

strengthening　each　for　the　troubles　that　lay　before　us。　The　very

next　evening　had　been　fixed　for　the　attempt。　By　midday　my　husband

and　I　were　on　our　way　to　London；　but　not　before　he　had　given　our

benefactor　full　warning　of　his　danger；　and　had　also　left　such

information　for　the　police　as　would　safeguard　his　life　for　the　future。

　　〃The　rest；　gentlemen；　you　know　for　yourselves。　We　were　sure　that　our

enemies　would　be　behind　us　like　our　own　shadows。　Gorgiano　had　his

private　reasons　for　vengence；　but　in　any　case　we　knew　how　ruthless；

cunning；　and　untiring　he　could　be。　Both　Italy　and　America　are　full

of　stories　of　his　dreadful　powers。　If　ever　they　were　exerted　it

would　be　now。　My　darling　made　use　of　the　few　clear　days　which　our

start　had　given　us　in　arranging　for　a　refuge　for　me　in　such　a

fashion　that　no　possible　danger　could　reach　me。　For　his　own　part；　he

wished　to　be　free　that　he　might　communicate　both　with　the　American　and

with　the　Italian　police。　I　do　not　myself　know　where　he　lived；　or

how。　All　that　I　learned　was　through　the　columns　of　a　newspaper。　But

once　as　I　looked　through　my　window；　I　saw　two　Italians　watching　the

house；　and　I　understood　that　in　some　way　Gorgiano　had　found　out　our

retreat。　Finally　Gennaro　told　me；　through　the　paper；　that　he　would

signal　to　me　from　a　certain　window；　but　when　the　signals　came　they

were　nothing　but　warnings；　which　were　suddenly　interrupted。　It　is　very

clear　to　me　now　that　he　knew　Gorgiano　to　be　close　upon　him；　and

that；　thank　God！　he　was　ready　for　him　when　he　came。　And　now；

gentlemen；　I　would　ask　you　whether　we　have　anything　to　fear　from　the

law；　or　whether　any　judge　upon　earth　would　condemn　my　Gennaro　for　what

he　has　done？〃

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Gregson；〃　said　the　American；　looking　across　at　the

official；　〃I　don't　know　what　your　British　point　of　view　may　be；　but

I　guess　that　in　New　York　this　lady's　husband　will　receive　a　pretty

general　vote　of　thanks。〃

　　〃She　will　have　to　come　with　me　and　see　the　chief；〃　Gregson　answered。

〃If　what　she　says　is　corroborated；　I　do　not　think　she　or　her　husband

has　much　to　fear。　But　what　I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of；　Mr。　Holmes；

is　how　on　earth　you　got　yourself　mixed　up　in　the　matter。〃

　　〃Education；　Gregson；　education。　Still　seeking　knowledge　at　the　old

university。　Well；　Watson；　you　have　one　more　specimen　of　the　tragic　and

grotesque　to　add　to　your　collection。　By　the　way；　it　is　not　eight

o'clock；　and　a　Wagner　night　at　Covent　Garden！　If　we　burry；　we　might　be

in　time　for　the　second　act。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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