the queen of hearts-第20部分

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knew　himself　to　be　some　fifteen　miles　from　home。　The　first　house
he　found　to　inquire　at　was　a　lonely　roadside　inn；　standing　on　the
outskirts　of　a　thick　wood。　Solitary　as　the　place　looked；　it　was
welcome　to　a　lost　man　who　was　also　hungry；　thirsty；　footsore　and
wet。　The　landlord　was　civil　and　respectable…looking；　and　the
price　he　asked　for　a　bed　was　reasonable　enough。　Isaac　therefore
decided　on　stopping　comfortably　at　the　inn　for　that　night。

He　was　constitutionally　a　temperate　man。

His　supper　consisted　of　two　rashers　of　bacon；　a　slice　of
home…made　bread　and　a　pint　of　ale。　He　did　not　go　to　bed
immediately　after　this　moderate　meal；　but　sat　up　with　the
landlord；　talking　about　his　bad　prospects　and　his　long　run　of
ill…luck；　and　diverging　from　these　topics　to　the　subjects　of
horse…flesh　and　racing。　Nothing　was　said　either　by　himself；　his
host；　or　the　few　laborers　who　strayed　into　the　tap…room；　which
could；　in　the　slightest　degree；　excite　the　very　small　and　very
dull　imaginative　faculty　which　Isaac　Scatchard　possessed。

At　a　little　after　eleven　the　house　was　closed。　Isaac　went　round
with　the　landlord　and　held　the　candle　while　the　doors　and　lower
windows　were　being　secured。　He　noticed　with　surprise　the　strength
of　the　bolts　and　bars；　and　iron…sheathed　shutters。

〃You　see；　we　are　rather　lonely　here；〃　said　the　landlord。　〃We
never　have　had　any　attempts　made　to　break　in　yet；　but　it's　always
as　well　to　be　on　the　safe　side。　When　nobody　is　sleeping　here；　I
am　the　only　man　in　the　house。　My　wife　and　daughter　are　timid；　and
the　servant…girl　takes　after　her　missuses。　Another　glass　of　ale
before　you　turn　in？　No！　Well；　how　such　a　sober　man　as　you　comes
to　be　out　of　place　is　more　than　I　can　make　out；　for　one。　Here's
where　you're　to　sleep。　You're　our　only　lodger　to…night；　and　I
think　you'll　say　my　missus　has　done　her　best　to　make　you
comfortable。　You're　quite　sure　you　won't　have　another　glass　of
ale？　Very　well。　Good…night。〃

It　was　half…past　eleven　by　the　clock　in　the　passage　as　they　went
upstairs　to　the　bedroom；　the　window　of　which　looked　on　to　the
wood　at　the　back　of　the　house。

Isaac　locked　the　door；　set　his　candle　on　the　chest　of　drawers；
and　wearily　got　ready　for　bed。

The　bleak　autumn　wind　was　still　blowing；　and　the　solemn；
monotonous；　surging　moan　of　it　in　the　wood　was　dreary　and　awful
to　hear　through　the　night…silence。　Isaac　felt　strangely　wakeful。

He　resolved；　as　he　lay　down　in　bed；　to　keep　the　candle　alight
until　he　began　to　grow　sleepy；　for　there　was　something
unendurably　depressing　in　the　bare　idea　of　lying　awake　in　the
darkness；　listening　to　the　dismal；　ceaseless　moaning　of　the　wind
in　the　wood。

Sleep　stole　on　him　before　he　was　aware　of　it。　His　eyes　closed；
and　he　fell　off　insensibly　to　rest　without　having　so　much　as
thought　of　extinguishing　the　candle。

The　first　sensation　of　which　he　was　conscious　after　sinking　into
slumber　was　a　strange　shivering　that　ran　through　him　suddenly
from　head　to　foot；　and　a　dreadful　sinking　pain　at　the　heart；　such
as　he　had　never　felt　before。　The　shivering　only　disturbed　his
slumbers；　the　pain　woke　him　instantly。　In　one　moment　he　passed
from　a　state　of　sleep　to　a　state　of　wakefulnesshis　eyes　wide
openhis　mental　perceptions　cleared　on　a　sudden；　as　if　by　a
miracle。

The　candle　had　burned　down　nearly　to　the　last　morsel　of　tallow；
but　the　top　of　the　unsnuffed　wick　had　just　fallen　off；　and　the
light　in　the　little　room　was；　for　the　moment；　fair　and　full。

Between　the　foot　of　his　bed　and　the　closed　door　there　stood　a
woman　with　a　knife　in　her　hand；　looking　at　him。

He　was　stricken　speechless　with　terror；　but　he　did　not　lose　the
preternatural　clearness　of　his　faculties；　and　he　never　took　his
eyes　off　the　woman。　She　said　not　a　word　as　they　stared　each　other
in　the　face；　but　she　began　to　move　slowly　toward　the　left…hand
side　of　the　bed。

His　eyes　followed　her。　She　was　a　fair；　fine　woman；　with　yellowish
flaxen　hair　and　light　gray　eyes；　with　a　droop　in　the　left　eyelid。
He　noticed　those　things　and　fixed　them　on　his　mind　before　she　was
round　at　the　side　of　the　bed。　Speechless；　with　no　expression　in
her　face；　with　no　noise　following　her　footfall；　she　came　closer
and　closerstoppedand　slowly　raised　the　knife。　He　laid　his
right　arm　over　his　throat　to　save　it；　but；　as　he　saw　the　knife
coming　down；　threw　his　hand　across　the　bed　to　the　right　side；　and
jerked　his　body　over　that　way　just　as　the　knife　descended　on　the
mattress　within　an　inch　of　his　shoulder。

His　eyes　fixed　on　her　arm　and　hand　as　she　slowly　drew　her　knife
out　of　the　bed：　a　white；　well…shaped　arm；　with　a　pretty　down
lying　lightly　over　the　fair　skina　delicate　lady's　hand；　with
the　crowning　beauty　of　a　pink　flush　under　and　round　the
finger…nails。

She　drew　the　knife　out；　and　passed　back　again　slowly　to　the　foot
of　the　bed；　stopped　there　for　a　moment　looking　at　him；　then　came
onstill　speechless；　still　with　no　expression　on　the　blank；
beautiful　face；　still　with　no　sound　following　the　stealthy
footfallscame　on　to　the　right　side　of　the　bed；　where　he　now
lay。

As　she　approached；　she　raised　the　knife　again；　and　he　drew
himself　away　to　the　left　side。　She　struck；　as　before；　right　into
the　mattress；　with　a　deliberate；　perpendicularly　downward　action
of　the　arm。　This　time　his　eyes　wandered　from　her　to　the　knife。　It
was　like　the　large　cla　sp…knives　which　he　had　often　seen　laboring
men　use　to　cut　their　bread　and　bacon　with。　Her　delicate　little
fingers　did　not　conceal　more　than　two…thirds　of　the　handle：　he
noticed　that　it　was　made　of　buck…horn；　clean　and　shining　as　the
blade　was；　and　looking　like　new。

For　the　second　time　she　drew　the　knife　out；　concealed　it　in　the
wide　sleeve　of　her　gown；　then　stopped　by　the　bedside；　watching
him。　For　an　instant　he　saw　her　standing　in　that　position；　then
the　wick　of　the　spent　candle　fell　over　into　the　socket；　the　flame
diminished　to　a　little　blue　point；　and　the　room　grew　dark。

A　moment；　or　less；　if　possible；　passed　so；　and　then　the　wick
flamed　up；　smokingly；　for　the　last　time。　His　eyes　were　still
looking　eagerly　over　the　right…hand　side　of　the　bed　when　the
final　flash　of　light　came；　but　they　discovered　nothing。　The　fair
woman　with　the　knife　was　gone。

The　conviction　that　he　was　alone　again　weakened　the　hold　of　the
terror　that　had　struck　him　dumb　up　to　this　time。　The
preternatural　sharpness　which　the　very　intensity　of　his　panic　had
mysteriously　imparted　to　his　faculties　left　them　suddenly。　His
brain　grew　confusedhis　heart　beat　wildlyhis　ears　opened　for
the　first　time　since　the　appearance　of　the　woman　to　a　sense　of
the　woeful　ceaseless　moaning　of　the　wind　among　the　trees。　With
the　dreadful　conviction　of　the　reality　of　what　he　had　seen　still
strong　within　him；　he　leaped　out　of　bed；　and　screaming　〃Murder！
Wake　up；　there！　wake　up！〃　dashed　headlong　through　the　darkness　to
the　door。

It　was　fast　locked；　exactly　as　he　had　left　it　on　going　to　bed。

His　cries　on　starting　up　had　alarmed　the　house。　He　heard　the
terrified；　confused　exclamations　of　women；　he　saw　the　master　of
the　house　approaching　along　the　passage　with　his　burning
rush…candle　in　one　hand　and　his　gun　in　the　other。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　landlord；　breathlessly。　Isaac　could　only
answer　in　a　whisper。　〃A　woman；　with　a　knife　in　her　hand；〃　he
gasped　out。　〃In　my　rooma　fair；　yellow…haired　woman；　she　jobbed
at　me　with　the　knife　twice　over。〃

The　landlord's　pale　cheeks　grew　paler。　He　looked　at　Isaac　eagerly
by　the　flickering　light　of　his　candle；　and　his　face　began　to　get
red　again；　his　voice　altered；　too；　as　well　as　his　complexion。

〃She　seems　to　have　missed　you　twice；〃　he　said。

〃I　dodged　the　knife　as　it　came　down；〃　Isaac　went　on；　in　the　same
scared　whisper。　〃It　struck　the　bed　each　time。〃

The　landlord　took　his　candle　into　the　bedroom　immediately。　In
less　than　a　minute　he　came　out　again　into　the　passage　in　a
violent　passion。

〃The　devil　fly　away　with　you　and　your　woman　with　the　knife！　There
isn't　a　mark　in　the　bedclothes　anywhere。　What　do　you　mean　by
coming　into　a　man's　place　and　frightening　his　family　out　of　their
wits　about　a　dream？〃

〃I'll　leave　your　house；〃　said　Isaac；　faintly。　〃Better　out　on　the
road；　in　rain　and　dark；　on　my　road　home；　than　back　again　in　that
room；　after　what　I've　seen　in　it。　Lend　me　a　light　to　get　my
clothes　by；　and　tell　me　what　I'm　to　pay。〃

〃Pay！〃　cried　the　landlord；　leading　the　way　with　his　light　sulkily
into　the　bedroom。　〃You'll　find　your　score　on　the　slate　when　you
go　downstairs。　I　wouldn't　have　taken　you　in　for　all　the　money
you've　got　about　you　if　I'd　known　your　dreaming；　screeching　ways
beforehand。　Look　at　the　bed。　Where's　the　cut　of　a　knife　in　it？
Look　at　the　windowis　the　lock　bursted？　Look　at　the　door　（which
I　heard　you　fasten　yourself）is　it　broke　in？　A　murdering　woman
with　a　knife　in　my　house！　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself！〃

Isaac　answered　not　a　word。　He　huddled　on　his　clothes；　and　then
they　went　downstairs　together。

〃Nigh　on　twenty　minutes　past　two！〃　said　the　landlord；　as　they
passed　the　clock。　〃A　nice　time　in　the　morning　to　frighten　honest
people　out　of　their　wits！〃

Isaac　paid　his　bill；　and　the　landlord　let　him　out　at　the　front
door；　asking；　with　a　grin　of　contempt；　as　he　undid　the　strong
fastenings；　whether　〃the　murdering　woman　got　in　that　way。〃

They　parted　without　a　word　on　either　side。　The　rain　had　ceased；
but　the　night　was　dark；　and　the　wind　bleaker　than　ever。　Little
did　the　darkness；　or　the　cold；　or　the　uncertainty　about　the　way
home　matter　to　Isaac。　If　he　had　been　turned　out　into　a　wilderness
in　a　thunder…storm　it　would　have　been　a　relief　after　what　he　had
suffered　in　the　bedroom　of　the　inn。

What　was　the　fair　woman　with　the　knife？　The　creature　of　a　dream；
or　that　other　creature　from　the　unknown　world　called　among　men　by
the　name　of　ghost？　He　could　make　nothing　of　the　mysteryhad　made
nothing　of　it；　even　when　it　was　midday　on　Wednesday；　and　when　he
stood；　at　last；　after　many　times　missing　his　road；　once　more　on
the　doorstep　of　home。

CHAPTER　III。

His　mother　came　out　eagerly　to　receive　him。

His　face　told　her　in　a　moment　that　something　was　wrong。

〃I've　lost　the　place；　but　that's　my　luck。　I　dreamed　an　ill　dream
last　night；　motheror　maybe　I　saw　a　ghost