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！
night； what share he had of the immortal inheritance that is
divided among us all had lain dormant within him。 Till this
night； Death and he had not once met； even in thought。
He took a few turns up and down the room； then stopped。 The noise
made by his boots on the poorly…carpeted floor jarred on his ear。
He hesitated a little； and ended by taking the boots off； and
walking backward and forward noiselessly。
All desire to sleep or to rest had left him。 The bare thought of
lying down on the unoccupied bed instantly drew the picture on
his mind of a dreadful mimicry of the position of the dead man。
Who was he？ What was the story of his past life？ Poor he must
have been； or he would not have stopped at such a place as the
Two Robins Inn； and weakened； probably； by long illness； or he
could hardly have died in the manner which the landlord had
described。 Poor； ill； lonelydead in a strange placedead； with
nobody but a stranger to pity him。 A sad story； truly； on the
mere face of it； a very sad story。
While these thoughts were passing through his mind； he had
stopped insensibly at the window； close to which stood the foot
of the bed with the closed curtains。 At first he looked at it
absently； then he became conscious that his eyes were fixed on
it； and then a perverse desire took possession of him to do the
very thing which he had resolved not to do up to this timeto
look at the dead man。
He stretched out his hand toward the curtains； but checked
himself in the very act of undrawing them； turned his back
sharply on the bed； and walked toward the chimney…piece； to see
what things were placed on it； and to try if he could keep the
dead man out of his mind in that way。
There was a pewter inkstand on the chimney…piece； with some
mildewed remains of ink in the bottle。 There were two coarse
china ornaments of the commonest kind； and there was a square of
embossed card； dirty and fly…blown； with a collection of wretched
riddles printed on it； in all sorts of zigzag directions； and in
variously colored inks。 He took the card and went away to read it
at the table on which the candle was placed； sitting down with
his back resolutely turned to the curtained bed。
He read the first riddle； the second； the third； all in one
corner of the card； then turned it round impatiently to look at
another。 Before he could begin reading the riddles printed here
the sound of the church clock stopped him。
Eleven。
He had got through an hour of the time in the room with the dead
man。
Once more he looked at the card。 It was not easy to make out the
letters printed on it in consequence of the dimness of the light
which the landlord had left hima common tallow candle；
furnished with a pair of heavy old…fashioned steel snuffers。 Up
to this time his mind had been too much occupied to think of the
light。 He had left the wick of the candle unsnuffed till it had
risen higher than the flame； and had burned into an odd
pent…house shape at the top； from which morsels of the charred
cotton fell off from time to time in little flakes。 He took up
the snuffers now and trimmed the wick。 The light brightened
directly； and the room became less dismal。
Again he turned to the riddles； reading them doggedly and
resolutely； now in one corner of the card； now in another。 All
his efforts； however； could not fix his attention on them。 He
pursued his occupation mechanically； deriving no sort of
impression from what he was reading。 It was as if a shadow from
the curtained bed had got between his mind and the gayly printed
lettersa shadow that nothing could dispel。 At last he gave up
the struggle； threw the card from him impatiently； and took to
walking softly up and down the room again。
The dead man； the dead man； the _hidden_ dead man on the bed！
There was the one persistent idea still haunting him。 Hidden！ Was
it only the body being there； or was it the body being there
_concealed；_ that was preying on his mind？ He stopped at the
window with that doubt in him； once more listening to the
pattering rain； once more looking out into the black darkness。
Still the dead man！
The darkness forced his mind back upon itself； and set his memory
at work； reviving with a painfully vivid distinctness the
momentary impression it had received from his first sight of the
corpse。 Before long the face seemed to be hovering out in the
middle of the darkness； confronting him through the window； with
the paleness whiterwith the dreadful dull line of light between
the imperfectly…closed eyelids broader than he had seen itwith
the parted lips slowly dropping further and further away from
each otherwith the features growing larger and moving closer；
till they seemed to fill the window； and to silence the rain； and
to shut out the night。
The sound of a voice shouting below stairs woke him suddenly from
the dream of his own distempered fancy。 He recognized it as the
voice of the landlord。
〃Shut up at twelve； Ben；〃 he heard it say。 〃I'm off to bed。〃
He wiped away the damp that had gathered on his forehead；
reasoned with himself for a little while； and resolved to shake
his mind free of the ghastly counterfeit which still clung to it
by forcing himself to confront； if it was only for a moment； the
solemn reality。 Without allowing himself an instant to hesitate；
he parted the curtains at the foot of the bed； and looked
through。
There was the sad； peaceful； white face； with the awful mystery
of stillness on it； laid back upon the pillow。 No stir； no change
there！ He only looked at it for a moment before he closed the
curtains again； but that moment steadied him； calmed him；
restored himmind and bodyto himself。 He returned to his old
occupation of walking up and down the room； persevering in it
this time till the clock struck again。
Twelve。
As the sound of the clock…bell died away； it was succeeded by the
confused noise downstairs of the drinkers in the taproom leaving
the house。 The next sound； after an interval of silence； was
caused by the barring of the door and the closing of the shutters
at the back of the inn。 Then the silence followed again； and was
disturbed no more。
He was alone nowabsolutely； hopelessly alone with the dead man
till the next morning。
The wick of the candle wanted trimming again。 He took up the
snuffers； but paused suddenly on the very point of using them；
and looked attentively at the candlethen back； over his
shoulder； at the curtained bedthen again at the candle。 It had
been lighted for the first time to show him the way upstairs； and
three parts of it； at least； were already consumed。 In another
hour it would be burned out。 In another hour； unless he called at
once to the man who had shut up the inn for a fresh candle； he
would be left in the dark。
Strongly as his mind had been affected since he had entered the
room； his unreasonable dread of encountering ridicule and of
exposing his courage to suspicion had not
altogether lost its influence over him even yet。
He lingered irresolutely by the table； waiting till he could
prevail on himself to open the door； and call from the landing；
to the man who had shut up the inn。 In hi