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！
me and this unfortunate man's violence。 However you came here； Mr。
Sampson； or with whatever motive you came here； at least I thank
you for that。'
'Boil the brandy；' muttered Beckwith。
Without gratifying his desire to know how I came there； I said；
quietly； 'How is your niece； Mr。 Slinkton？'
He looked hard at me； and I looked hard at him。
'I am sorry to say； Mr。 Sampson； that my niece has proved
treacherous and ungrateful to her best friend。 She left me without
a word of notice or explanation。 She was misled； no doubt； by some
designing rascal。 Perhaps you may have heard of it。'
'I did hear that she was misled by a designing rascal。 In fact； I
have proof of it。'
'Are you sure of that？' said he。
'Quite。'
'Boil the brandy；' muttered Beckwith。 'Company to breakfast；
Julius Caesar。 Do your usual office； … provide the usual
breakfast； dinner； tea； and supper。 Boil the brandy！'
The eyes of Slinkton looked from him to me； and he said； after a
moment's consideration；
'Mr。 Sampson； you are a man of the world； and so am I。 I will be
plain with you。'
'O no； you won't；' said I； shaking my head。
'I tell you； sir； I will be plain with you。'
'And I tell you you will not；' said I。 'I know all about you。 YOU
plain with any one？ Nonsense； nonsense！'
'I plainly tell you； Mr。 Sampson；' he went on； with a manner almost
composed； 'that I understand your object。 You want to save your
funds； and escape from your liabilities； these are old tricks of
trade with you Office…gentlemen。 But you will not do it； sir； you
will not succeed。 You have not an easy adversary to play against；
when you play against me。 We shall have to inquire； in due time；
when and how Mr。 Beckwith fell into his present habits。 With that
remark； sir； I put this poor creature； and his incoherent
wanderings of speech； aside； and wish you a good morning and a
better case next time。'
While he was saying this； Beckwith had filled a half…pint glass
with brandy。 At this moment； he threw the brandy at his face； and
threw the glass after it。 Slinkton put his hands up； half blinded
with the spirit； and cut with the glass across the forehead。 At
the sound of the breakage； a fourth person came into the room；
closed the door； and stood at it； he was a very quiet but very
keen…looking man； with iron…gray hair； and slightly lame。
Slinkton pulled out his handkerchief； assuaged the pain in his
smarting eyes； and dabbled the blood on his forehead。 He was a
long time about it； and I saw that in the doing of it； a tremendous
change came over him； occasioned by the change in Beckwith； … who
ceased to pant and tremble； sat upright； and never took his eyes
off him。 I never in my life saw a face in which abhorrence and
determination were so forcibly painted as in Beckwith's then。
'Look at me； you villain；' said Beckwith； 'and see me as I really
am。 I took these rooms； to make them a trap for you。 I came into
them as a drunkard； to bait the trap for you。 You fell into the
trap； and you will never leave it alive。 On the morning when you
last went to Mr。 Sampson's office； I had seen him first。 Your plot
has been known to both of us； all along； and you have been counter…
plotted all along。 What？ Having been cajoled into putting that
prize of two thousand pounds in your power； I was to be done to
death with brandy； and； brandy not proving quick enough； with
something quicker？ Have I never seen you； when you thought my
senses gone； pouring from your little bottle into my glass？ Why；
you Murderer and Forger； alone here with you in the dead of night；
as I have so often been； I have had my hand upon the trigger of a
pistol； twenty times； to blow your brains out！'
This sudden starting up of the thing that he had supposed to be his
imbecile victim into a determined man； with a settled resolution to
hunt him down and be the death of him； mercilessly expressed from
head to foot； was； in the first shock； too much for him。 Without
any figure of speech； he staggered under it。 But there is no
greater mistake than to suppose that a man who is a calculating
criminal； is； in any phase of his guilt； otherwise than true to
himself； and perfectly consistent with his whole character。 Such a
man commits murder； and murder is the natural culmination of his
course； such a man has to outface murder； and will do it with
hardihood and effrontery。 It is a sort of fashion to express
surprise that any notorious criminal； having such crime upon his
conscience； can so brave it out。 Do you think that if he had it on
his conscience at all； or had a conscience to have it upon； he
would ever have committed the crime？
Perfectly consistent with himself； as I believe all such monsters
to be； this Slinkton recovered himself； and showed a defiance that
was sufficiently cold and quiet。 He was white； he was haggard； he
was changed； but only as a sharper who had played for a great stake
and had been outwitted and had lost the game。
'Listen to me； you villain；' said Beckwith； 'and let every word you
hear me say be a stab in your wicked heart。 When I took these
rooms； to throw myself in your way and lead you on to the scheme
that I knew my appearance and supposed character and habits would
suggest to such a devil； how did I know that？ Because you were no
stranger to me。 I knew you well。 And I knew you to be the cruel
wretch who； for so much money； had killed one innocent girl while
she trusted him implicitly； and who was by inches killing another。'
Slinkton took out a snuff…box； took a pinch of snuff； and laughed。
'But see here；' said Beckwith； never looking away； never raising
his voice； never relaxing his face； never unclenching his hand。
'See what a dull wolf you have been； after all！ The infatuated
drunkard who never drank a fiftieth part of the liquor you plied
him with； but poured it away； here； there； everywhere … almost
before your eyes； who bought over the fellow you set to watch him
and to ply him； by outbidding you in his bribe； before he had been
at his work three days … with whom you have observed no caution；
yet who was so bent on ridding the earth of you as a wild beast；
that he would have defeated you if you had been ever so prudent …
that drunkard whom you have； many a time； left on the floor of this
room； and who has even let you go out of it； alive and undeceived；
when you have turned him over with your foot … has； almost as
often； on the same night； within an hour； within a few minutes；
watched you awake； had his hand at your pillow when you were
asleep； turned over your papers； taken samples from your bottles
and packets of powder； changed their contents； rifled every secret
of your life！'
He had had another pinch of snuff in his hand； but had gradually
let it drop from between his fingers to the floor； where he now
smoothed it out with his foot； looking down at it the w