tales and fantasies-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



his　next；　to　cover　his　face　with　his　hands。　　So　he　sat；　while

the　cabman　toasted　the　publican；　and　the　publican　toasted　the

cabman；　and　both　reviewed　the　affairs　of　the　nation；　so　he

still　sat；　when　his　master　condescended　to　return；　and　drive

off　at　last　down…hill；　along　the　curve　of　Lynedoch　Place；　but

even　so　sitting；　as　he　passed　the　end　of　his　father's　street；

he　took　one　glance　from　between　shielding　fingers；　and　beheld

a　doctor's　carriage　at　the　door。



'Well；　just　so；'　thought　he；　'I'll　have　killed　my　father！

And　this　is　Christmas…day！'



If　Mr。　Nicholson　died；　it　was　down　this　same　road　he　must

journey　to　the　grave；　and　down　this　road；　on　the　same　errand；

his　wife　had　preceded　him　years　before；　and　many　other

leading　citizens；　with　the　proper　trappings　and　attendance　of

the　end。　　And　now；　in　that　frosty；　ill…smelling；　straw…

carpeted；　and　ragged…cushioned　cab；　with　his　breath

congealing　on　the　glasses；　where　else　was　John　himself

advancing　to？



The　thought　stirred　his　imagination；　which　began　to

manufacture　many　thousand　pictures；　bright　and　fleeting；　like

the　shapes　in　a　kaleidoscope；　and　now　he　saw　himself；　ruddy

and　comfortered；　sliding　in　the　gutter；　and；　again；　a　little

woe…begone；　bored　urchin　tricked　forth　in　crape　and　weepers；

descending　this　same　hill　at　the　foot's　pace　of　mourning

coaches；　his　mother's　body　just　preceding　him；　and　yet　again；

his　fancy；　running　far　in　front；　showed　him　his　destination　…

now　standing　solitary　in　the　low　sunshine；　with　the　sparrows

hopping　on　the　threshold　and　the　dead　man　within　staring　at

the　roof　…　and　now；　with　a　sudden　change；　thronged　about　with

white…faced；　hand…uplifting　neighbours；　and　doctor　bursting

through　their　midst　and　fixing　his　stethoscope　as　he　went；

the　policeman　shaking　a　sagacious　head　beside　the　body。　　It

was　to　this　he　feared　that　he　was　driving；　in　the　midst　of

this　he　saw　himself　arrive；　heard　himself　stammer　faint

explanations；　and　felt　the　hand　of　the　constable　upon　his

shoulder。　　Heavens！　how　he　wished　he　had　played　the　manlier

part；　how　he　despised　himself　that　he　had　fled　that　fatal

neighbourhood　when　all　was　quiet；　and　should　now　be　tamely

travelling　back　when　it　was　thronging　with　avengers！



Any　strong　degree　of　passion　lends；　even　to　the　dullest；　the

forces　of　the　imagination。　　And　so　now　as　he　dwelt　on　what

was　probably　awaiting　him　at　the　end　of　this　distressful

drive　…　John；　who　saw　things　little；　remembered　them　less；

and　could　not　have　described　them　at　all；　beheld　in　his

mind's…eye　the　garden　of　the　Lodge；　detailed　as　in　a　map；　he

went　to　and　fro　in　it；　feeding　his　terrors；　he　saw　the

hollies；　the　snowy　borders；　the　paths　where　he　had　sought

Alan；　the　high；　conventual　walls；　the　shut　door　…　what！　was

the　door　shut？　　Ay；　truly；　he　had　shut　it　…　shut　in　his

money；　his　escape；　his　future　life　…　shut　it　with　these

hands；　and　none　could　now　open　it！　　He　heard　the　snap　of　the

spring…lock　like　something　bursting　in　his　brain；　and　sat

astonied。



And　then　he　woke　again；　terror　jarring　through　his　vitals。

This　was　no　time　to　be　idle；　he　must　be　up　and　doing；　he　must

think。　　Once　at　the　end　of　this　ridiculous　cruise；　once　at

the　Lodge　door；　there　would　be　nothing　for　it　but　to　turn　the

cab　and　trundle　back　again。　　Why；　then；　go　so　far？　why　add

another　feature　of　suspicion　to　a　case　already　so　suggestive？

why　not　turn　at　once？　　It　was　easy　to　say；　turn；　but　whither？

He　had　nowhere　now　to　go　to；　he　could　never　…　he　saw　it　in

letters　of　blood　…　he　could　never　pay　that　cab；　he　was

saddled　with　that　cab　for　ever。　　Oh　that　cab！　his　soul

yearned　and　burned；　and　his　bowels　sounded　to　be　rid　of　it。

He　forgot　all　other　cares。　　He　must　first　quit　himself　of

this　ill…smelling　vehicle　and　of　the　human　beast　that　guided

it　…　first　do　that；　do　that；　at　least；　do　that　at　once。



And　just　then　the　cab　suddenly　stopped；　and　there　was　his

persecutor　rapping　on　the　front　glass。　　John　let　it　down；　and

beheld　the　port…wine　countenance　inflamed　with　intellectual

triumph。



'I　ken　wha　ye　are！'　cried　the　husky　voice。　　'I　mind　ye　now。

Ye're　a　Nucholson。　　I　drove　ye　to　Hermiston　to　a　Christmas

party；　and　ye　came　back　on　the　box；　and　I　let　ye　drive。'



It　is　a　fact。　　John　knew　the　man；　they　had　been　even　friends。

His　enemy；　he　now　remembered；　was　a　fellow　of　great　good

nature　…　endless　good　nature　…　with　a　boy；　why　not　with　a

man？　　Why　not　appeal　to　his　better　side？　　He　grasped　at　the

new　hope。



'Great　Scott！　and　so　you　did；'　he　cried；　as　if　in　a　transport

of　delight；　his　voice　sounding　false　in　his　own　ears。　　'Well；

if　that's　so；　I've　something　to　say　to　you。　　I'll　just　get

out；　I　guess。　　Where　are　we；　any　way？'



The　driver　had　fluttered　his　ticket　in　the　eyes　of　the

branch…toll　keeper；　and　they　were　now　brought　to　on　the

highest　and　most　solitary　part　of　the　by…road。　　On　the　left；

a　row　of　fieldside　trees　beshaded　it；　on　the　right；　it　was

bordered　by　naked　fallows；　undulating　down…hill　to　the

Queensferry　Road；　in　front；　Corstorphine　Hill　raised　its

snow…bedabbled；　darkling　woods　against　the　sky。　　John　looked

all　about　him；　drinking　the　clear　air　like　wine；　then　his

eyes　returned　to　the　cabman's　face　as　he　sat；　not

ungleefully；　awaiting　John's　communication；　with　the　air　of

one　looking　to　be　tipped。



The　features　of　that　face　were　hard　to　read；　drink　had　so

swollen　them；　drink　had　so　painted　them；　in　tints　that　varied

from　brick…red　to　mulberry。　　The　small　grey　eyes　blinked；　the

lips　moved；　with　greed；　greed　was　the　ruling　passion；　and

though　there　was　some　good　nature；　some　genuine　kindliness；　a

true　human　touch；　in　the　old　toper；　his　greed　was　now　so　set

afire　by　hope；　that　all　other　traits　of　character　lay

dormant。　　He　sat　there　a　monument　of　gluttonous　desire。



John's　heart　slowly　fell。　　He　had　opened　his　lips；　but　he

stood　there　and　uttered　nought。　　He　sounded　the　well　of　his

courage；　and　it　was　dry。　　He　groped　in　his　treasury　of　words；

and　it　was　vacant。　　A　devil　of　dumbness　had　him　by　the

throat；　the　devil　of　terror　babbled　in　his　ears；　and

suddenly；　without　a　word　uttered；　with　no　conscious　purpose

formed　in　his　will；　John　whipped　about；　tumbled　over　the

roadside　wall；　and　began　running　for　his　life　across　the

fallows。



He　had　not　gone　far；　he　was　not　past　the　midst　of　the　first

afield；　when　his　whole　brain　thundered　within　him；　'Fool！

You　have　your　watch！'　　The　shock　stopped　him；　and　he　faced

once　more　toward　the　cab。　　The　driver　was　leaning　over　the

wall；　brandishing　his　whip；　his　face　empurpled；　roaring　like

a　bull。　　And　John　saw　（or　thought）　that　he　had　lost　the

chance。　　No　watch　would　pacify　the　man's　resentment　now；　he

would　cry　for　vengeance　also。　　John　would　be　had　under　the

eye　of　the　police；　his　tale　would　be　unfolded；　his　secret

plumbed；　his　destiny　would　close　on　him　at　last；　and　for

ever。



He　uttered　a　deep　sigh；　and　just　as　the　cabman；　taking　heart

of　grace；　was　beginning　at　last　to　scale　the　wall；　his

defaulting　customer　fell　again　to　running；　and　disappeared

into　the　further　fields。









CHAPTER　VIII　…　SINGULAR　INSTANCE　OF　THE　UTILITY　OF　PASS…KEYS







WHERE　he　ran　at　first；　John　never　very　clearly　knew；　nor　yet

how　long　a　time　elapsed　ere　he　found　himself　in　the　by…road

near　the　lodge　of　Ravelston；　propped　against　the　wall；　his

lungs　heaving　like　bellows；　his　legs　leaden…heavy；　his　mind

possessed　by　one　sole　desire　…　to　lie　down　and　be　unseen。　　He

remembered　the　thick　coverts　round　the　quarry…hole　pond；　an

untrodden　corner　of　the　world　where　he　might　surely　find

concealment　till　the　night　should　fall。　　Thither　he　passed

down　the　lane；　and　when　he　came　there；　behold！　he　had

forgotten　the　frost；　and　the　pond　was　alive　with　young　people

skating；　and　the　pond…side　coverts　were　thick　with　lookers…

on。　　He　looked　on　a　while　himself。　　There　was　one　tall；

graceful　maiden；　skating　hand　in　hand　with　a　youth；　on　whom

she　bestowed　her　bright　eyes　perhaps　too　patently；　and　it　was

strange　with　what　anger　John　beheld　her。　　He　could　have

broken　forth　in　curses；　he　could　have　stood　there；　like　a

mortified　tramp；　and　shaken　his　fist　and　vented　his　gall　upon

her　by　the　hour　…　or　so　he　thought；　and　the　next　moment　his

heart　bled　for　the　girl。　　'Poor　creature；　it's　little　she

knows！'　he　sighed。　　'Let　her　enjoy　herself　while　she　can！'

But　was　it　possible；　when　Flora　used　to　smile　at　him　on　the

Braid　ponds；　she　could　have　looked　so　fulsome　to　a　sick…

hearted　bystander？



The　thought　of　one　quarry；　in　his　frozen　wits；　suggested

another；　and　he　plodded　off　toward　Craigleith。　　A　wind　had

sprung　up　out　of　the　north…west；　it　was　cruel　keen；　it　dried

him　like　a　fire；　and　racked　his　finger…joints。　　It　brought

clouds；　too；　pale；　swift；　hurrying　clouds；　that　blotted

heaven　and　shed　gloom　upon　the　earth。　　He　scrambled　up　among

the　hazelled　rubbish　heaps　that　surround　the　caldron　of　the

quarry；　and　lay　flat　upon　the　stones。　　The　wind　searched

close　along　the　earth；　the　stones　were　cutting　and　icy；　the

bare　hazels　wailed　about　him；　and　soon　the　air　of　the

afternoon　began　to　be　vocal　with　those　strange　and　dismal

harpings　that　herald　snow。　　Pain　and　misery　turned　in　John's

limbs　to　a　harrowing　impatience　and　blind　desire　of　change；

now　he　would　roll　in　his　harsh　lair；　and　when　the　flints

abraded　him；　was　almost　pleased；　now　he　would　crawl　to　the

edge　of　the　huge　pit　and　look　dizzily　down。　　He　saw　the

spiral　of　the　descending　roadway；　the　steep　crags；　the

clinging　bushes；　the　peppering　of　snow…wreaths；　and　far　down

in　the　bottom；　the　diminished　crane。　　Here；　no　doubt；　was　a

way　to　end　it。　　But　it　somehow　did　not　take　his　fancy。



And　suddenly　he　was　aware　that　he　was　hungry；　ay；　even

through　the　tortures　of　the　cold；　even　through　the　frosts　of

despair；　a　gross；　desperate　longing　after　food；　no　matter

what；　no　matter　how；　began　to　wake