dh.theglasskey-第15部分

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as　wide　enough　to　show　that　the　teeth　were　not　natural。　He　went　over　and　stood　beside　Ned　Beaumont。
　Ned　Beaumont　was　tugging　at　the　door…knob。
　The　apish　man　said；　〃Now　there；　Houdini；〃　and　with　all　his　weight　behind　the　blow　drove　his　right　fist　into　Ned　Beaumont's　face。
　Ned　Beaumont　was　driven　back　against　the　wall。　The　back　of　his　head　struck　the　wall　first；　then　his　body　crashed　flat　against　the　wall；　and　he　slid　down　the　wall　to　the　floor。
　Rosy…checked　Rusty；　still　holding　his　cards　at　the　table；　said　gloomily；　but　without　emotion：　〃Jesus；　Jeff；　you'll　croak　him。〃
　Jeff　said：　〃Him？〃　He　indicated　the　man　at　his　feet　by　kicking　him　not　especially　hard　on　the　thigh。　〃You　can't　croak　him。　He's　tough。　He's　a　tough　baby。　He　likes　this。〃　He　bent　down；　grasped　one　of　the　unconscious　man's　lapels　in　each　hand　and　dragged　him　to　his　knees。　〃Don't　you　like　it；　baby？〃　he　asked　and　holding　Ned　Beaumont　up　on　his　knees　with　one　hand；　struck　his　face　with　the　other　fist。
　The　door…knob　was　rattled　from　the　outside。
　Jeff　called：　〃Who's　that？〃
　Shad　O'Rory's　pleasant　voice：　〃Me。〃
　Jeff　dragged　Ned　Beaumont　far　enough　from　the　door　to　let　it　open；　dropped　him　there；　and　unlocked　the　door　with　a　key　taken　from　his　pocket。
　O'Rory　and　Whisky　came　in。　ORory　looked　at　the　man　on　the　floor；　then　at　Jeff；　and　finally　at　Rusty。　His　blue…grey　eyes　were　clouded；　When　he　spoke　it　was　to　ask　Rusty：　〃Jeff　been　slapping　him　down　for　the　fun　of　it？〃
　The　rosy…checked　boy　shook　his　head。　〃This　Beaumont　is　a　son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said　sullenly。　〃Every　time　he　es　to　he　gets　up　and　starts　something。〃
　〃I　don't　want　him　killed；　not　yet；〃　O'Rory　said。　He　looked　down　at　Ned　Beaumont。　〃See　if　you　can　bring　him　around　again。　I　want　to　talk　to　him。〃
　Rusty　got　up　from　the　table。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃He's　pretty　far　gone。〃
　Jeff　was　more　optimistic。　〃Sure　we　can；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　show　you。　Take　his　feet；　Rusty。〃　He　put　his　hands　under　Ned　Beaumont's　armpits。
　They　carried　the　unconscious　man　into　the　bathroom　and　put　him　in　the　tub。　Jeff　put　the　stopper　in　and　turned　on　cold　water　from　both　the　faucet　below　and　the　shower　above。　〃That'll　have　him　up　and　singing　in　no　time；〃　he　predicted。
　Five　minutes　later；　when　they　hauled　him　dripping　from　the　tub　and　set　him　on　his　feet；　Ned　Beaumont　could　stand。　They　took　him　into　the　bedroom　again。　O'Rory　was　sitting　on　one　of　the　chairs　smoking　a　cigarette。　Whisky　had　gone。
　〃Put　him　on　the　bed；〃　O'Rory　ordered。
　Jeff　and　Rusty　led　their　charge　to　the　bed；　turned　him　around；　and　pushed　him　down　on　it。　When　they　took　their　hands　away　from　him　he　fell　straight　hack　on　the　bed。　They　pulled　him　into　a　sitting　position　again　and　Jeff　slapped　his　battered　face　with　an　open　hand；　saying：　〃e　on；　Rip　Van　Winkle；　e　to　life。〃
　〃A　swell　chance　of　him　ing　to　life；〃　the　sullen　Rusty　grumbled。
　〃You　think　he　won't？〃　Jeff　asked　cheerfully　and　slapped　Ned　Beaumont　again。
　Ned　Beaumont　opened　the　one　eye　not　too　swollen　to　be　opened。
　O'Rory　said：　〃Beaumont。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　raised　his　head　and　tried　to　look　around　the　room；　but　there　was　nothing　to　show　he　could　see　Shad　O'Rory。
　O'Rory　got　up　from　his　chair　and　stood　in　front　of　Ned　Beaumont；　bending　down　until　his　face　was　a　few　inches　from　the　other　man's。　He　asked：　〃Can　you　hear　me；　Beaumont？〃
　Ned　Beaumont's　open　eye　looked　dull　hate　into　O'Rory's　eyes。
　O'Rory　said：　〃This　is　O'Rory；　Beaumont。　Can　you　hear　what　I　say？〃
　Moving　his　swollen　lips　with　difficulty；　Ned　Beaumont　uttered　a　thick　〃Yes。〃
　O'Rory　said：　〃Good。　Now　listen　to　what　I　tell　you。　You're　going　to　give　me　the　dope　on　Paul。〃　He　spoke　very　distinctly　without　raising　his　voice；　without　his　voice　losing　any　of　its　musical　quality。　〃Maybe　you　think　you　won't；　but　you　will。　I'll　have　you　worked　on　from　now　till　you　do。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　Ned　Beaumont　smiled。　The　condition　of　his　face　made　the　smile　horrible。　He　said：　〃I　won't。〃
　O'Rory　stepped　back　and　said：　〃Work　on　him。〃
　While　Rusty　hesitated；　the　apish　Jeff　knocked　aside　Ned　Beaumont's　upraised　hand　and　pushed　him　down　on　the　bed。　〃I　got　something　to　try。〃　He　scooped　up　Ned　Beaumont's　legs　and　tumbled　them　on　the　bed。　He　leaned　over　Ned　Beaumont；　his　hands　busy　on　Ned　Beaumont's　body。
　Ned　Beaumont's　body　and　arms　and　legs　jerked　convulsively　and　three　times　he　groaned。　After　that　he　lay　still。
　Jeff　straightened　up　and　took　his　hands　away　from　the　man　on　the　bed。　He　was　breathing　heavily　through　his　ape's　mouth。　He　growled；　half　in　plaint；　half　in　apology：　〃It　ain't　no　good　now。　He's　throwed　another　joe。〃
　
　
　4
　
　When　Ned　Beaumont　recovered　consciousness　he　was　alone　in　the　room。　The　lights　were　on。　As　laboriously　as　before　he　got　himself　out　of　bed　and　across　the　room　to　the　door。　The　door　was　locked。　He　was　fumbling　with　the　knob　when　the　door　was　thrown　open；　pushing　him　back　against　the　wall。
　Jeff　in　his　underwear；　barefoot；　came　in。　〃Ain't　you　a　pip？〃　he　said。　〃Always　up　to　some　kind　of　tricks。　Don't　you　never　get　tired　of　being　bounced　on　the　floor？〃　He　took　Ned　Beaumont　by　the　throat　with　his　left　hand　and　struck　him　in　the　face　with　his　right　fist；　twice；　but　not　so　hard　as　he　had　hit　him　before。　Then　he　pushed　him　backwards　over　to　the　bed　and　threw　him　on　it。　〃And　stay　put　awhile　this　time；〃　he　growled。
　Ned　Beaumont　lay　still　with　closed　eyes。
　Jeff　went　out；　locking　the　door　behind　him。
　Painfully　Ned　Beaumont　climbed　out　of　bed　and　made　his　way　to　the　door。　He　tried　it。　Then　he　withdrew　two　steps　and　tried　to　hurl　himself　against　it；　succeeding　only　in　lurching　against　it。　He　kept　trying　until　the　door　was　flung　open　again　by　Jeff。
　Jeff　said：　〃I　never　seen　a　guy　that　liked　being　hit　so　much　or　that　I　liked　hitting　so　much。〃　He　leaned　far　over　to　one　side　and　swung　his　fist　up　from　below　his　knee。
　Ned　Beaumont　stood　blindly　in　the　fist's　path。　It　struck　his　cheek　and　knocked　him　the　full　length　of　the　room。　He　lay　still　where　he　fell。　He　was　lying　there　two　hours　later　when　Whisky　came　into　the　room。
　Whisky　awakened　him　with　water　from　the　bathroom　and　helped　him　to　the　bed。　〃Use　your　head；〃　Whisky　begged　him。　〃These　mugs'll　kill　you。　They've　got　no　sense。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　looked　dully　at　Whisky　through　a　dull　and　bloody　eye。　〃Let　'em；〃　he　managed　to　say。
　He　slept　then　until　he　was　awakened　by　O'Rory；　Jeff；　and　Rusty。　He　refused　to　tell　O'Rory　anything　about　Paul　Madvig's　affairs。　He　was　dragged　out　of　bed；　beaten　into　unconsciousness；　and　flung　into　bed　again。　This　was　repeated　a　few　hours　later。　No　food　was　brought　to　him。
　Going　on　hands　and　knees　into　the　bathroom　when　he　had　regained　consciousness　after　the　last　of　these　beatings；　he　saw；　on　the　floor　behind　the　wash…stand's　pedestal；　a　narrow　safety…razor…blade　red　with　the　rust　of　months。　Getting　it　out　from　behind　the　pedestal　was　a　task　that　took　him　all　of　ten　minutes　and　his　nerveless　fingers　failed　a　dozen　times　before　they　succeeded　in　picking　it　up　from　the　tiled　floor。　He　tried　to　cut　his　throat　with　it；　but　it　fell　out　of　his　hand　after　he　had　no　more　than　scratched　his　chin　in　three　places。　He　lay　down　on　the　bathroom…floor　and　sobbed　himself　to　sleep。
　When　he　awakened　again　he　could　stand；　and　did。　He　doused　his　head　in　cold　water　and　drank　four　glasses　of　water。　The　water　made　him　sick　and　after　that　he　began　to　shake　with　a　chill。　He　went　into　the　bedroom　and　lay　down　on　the　bare　blood…stained　mattress；　but　got　up　almost　immediately　to　go　stumbling　and　staggering　in　haste　back　to　the　bathroom；　where　he　got　down　on　hands　and　knees　and　searched　the　floor　until　he　had　found　the　rusty　razor…blade。　He　sat　on　the　floor　and　put　the　razorblade　into　his　vest…pocket。　Putting　it　in；　his　fingers　touched　his　lighter。　He　took　the　lighter　out　and　looked　at　it。　A　cunning　gleam　came　into　his　one　open　eye　as　he　looked　at　the　lighter。　The　gleam　was　not　sane。
　Shaking　so　that　his　teeth　rattled　together；　he　got　up　from　the　bathroom…floor　and　went　into　the　bedroom　again。　He　laughed　harshly　when　he　saw　the　newspaper　under　the　table　where　the　apish　dark　man　and　the　sullen　rosy…checked　boy　had　played　cards。　Tearing　and　rumpling　and　wadding　the　paper　in　his　hands；　he　carried　it　to　the　door　and　put　it　on　the　floor　there。　In　each　of　the　drawers　in　the　chest　of　drawers　he　found　a　piece　of　wrapping…paper　folded　to　cover　the　bottom。　He　rumpled　them　and　put　them　with　the　newspaper　against　the　door。　With　the　razor…blade　he　made　a　long　gash　in　the　mattress；　pulled　out　big　handfuls　of　the　coarse　grey　cotton　with　which　the　mattress　was　stuffed；　and　carried　them　to　the　door。　He　was　not　shaking　now；　nor　stumbling；　and　he　used　both　hands　dexterously；　but　presently　he　tired　of　gutting　the　mattress　and　dragged　what　was　left　of　ittick　and　allto　ti…me　door。
　He　giggled　then　and；　after　the　third　attempt；　got　his　lighter　ignited。　He　set　fire　to　the　bottom　of　the　heap　against　the　door。　At　first　he　stood　close　to　the　heap；　crouching　over　it；　but　as　the　smoke　increased　it　drove　him　back　step　by　step；　reluctantly；　coughing　as　he　retreated。　Presently　he　went　into　the　bathroom；　soaked　a　towel　with　water；　and　wrapped　it　around　his　head；　covering　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth。　He　came　stumbling　back　into　the　bedroom；　a　dim　figure　in　the　smoky　room；　fell　against　ti…me　bed；　and　sat　down　on　the　floor　beside　it。
　Jeff　found　him　there　when　he　came　in。
　Jeff　came　in　cursing　and　coughing　through　the　rag　he　held　against　nose　and　mouth。　In　opening　the　door　he　had　pushed　most　of　the　burning　heap　back　a　little。　He　kicked　some　more　out　of　the　way　and　stamped　through　the　rest　to　reach　Ned　Beaumont。　He　took　Ned　Beaumont　by　the　back　of　the　collar　and　dragged　him　out　of　the　room。
　Outside；　still　holding　Ned　Beaumont　by　the　back　of　the　collar；　Jeff　kicked　him　to　his　feet　and　ran　him　down　to　the　far　end　of　the　corridor。　There　he　pushed　him　through　an　open　doorway；　bawled；　〃I'm　going　to　eat　one　of　your　ears　when　I　e　back；　you　bastard；〃　at　him；　kicked　him　again；　stepped　back　into　the　corridor；　slammed　the　door；　and　turned　the　key　in　its　lock。
　Ned　Beaumont；　kicked　into　the　room；　saved　himself　from　a　fall　by　catching　hold　of　a　table。　He　pushed　himself　up　a　little　nearer　straight　and　looked　around。　The　towel　had　fallen　down　muffler…fashion　around　his　neck　and　shoul