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！
That's what Smith is； and you shall soon be quit of him。〃
He had already taken a step towards the house； and Warner was about
to follow him； when the glass doors were opened again and Diana Duke
came out with more than her usual quickness across the lawn。
Her face was aquiver with worry and excitement； and her dark earnest
eyes fixed only on the other girl。
〃Rosamund；〃 she cried in despair； 〃what shall I do with her？〃
〃With her？〃 cried Miss Hunt； with a violent jump。 〃O lord；
he isn't a woman too； is he？〃
〃No； no； no；〃 said Dr。 Pym soothingly； as if in common fairness。
〃A woman？ no； really； he is not so bad as that。〃
〃I mean your friend Mary Gray；〃 retorted Diana with equal tartness。
〃What on earth am I to do with her？〃
〃How can we tell her about Smith； you mean；〃 answered Rosamund； her face
at once clouded and softening。 〃Yes； it will be pretty painful。〃
〃But I HAVE told her；〃 exploded Diana； with more than her
congenital exasperation。 〃I have told her； and she doesn't seem to mind。
She still says she's going away with Smith in that cab。〃
〃But it's impossible！〃 ejaculated Rosamund。 〃Why； Mary is
really religious。 She〃
She stopped in time to realize that Mary Gray was comparatively
close to her on the lawn。 Her quiet companion had come down very
quietly into the garden； but dressed very decisively for travel。
She had a neat but very ancient blue tam…o'…shanter on her head；
and was pulling some rather threadbare gray gloves on to her hands。
Yet the two tints fitted excellently with her heavy copper…coloured hair；
the more excellently for the touch of shabbiness： for a woman's clothes
never suit her so well as when they seem to suit her by accident。
But in this case the woman had a quality yet more unique and attractive。
In such gray hours； when the sun is sunk and the skies are
already sad； it will often happen that one reflection at some
occasional angle will cause to linger the last of the light。
A scrap of window； a scrap of water； a scrap of looking…glass；
will be full of the fire that is lost to all the rest of the earth。
The quaint； almost triangular face of Mary Gray was like some
triangular piece of mirror that could still repeat the splendour
of hours before。 Mary； though she was always graceful；
could never before have properly been called beautiful； and yet
her happiness amid all that misery was so beautiful as to make
a man catch his breath。
〃O Diana；〃 cried Rosamund in a lower voice and altering her phrase；
〃but how did you tell her？〃
〃It is quite easy to tell her；〃 answered Diana sombrely；
〃it makes no impression at all。〃
〃I'm afraid I've kept everything waiting；〃 said Mary Gray apologetically；
〃and now we must really say good…bye。 Innocent is taking me to his aunt's
over at Hampstead； and I'm afraid she goes to bed early。〃
Her words were quite casual and practical； but there was a sort
of sleepy light in her eyes that was more baffling than darkness；
she was like one speaking absently with her eye on some
very distant object。
〃Mary； Mary；〃 cried Rosamund； almost breaking down； 〃I'm so sorry about it；
but the thing can't be at all。 Wewe have found out all about Mr。 Smith。〃
〃All？〃 repeated Mary； with a low and curious intonation；
〃why； that must be awfully exciting。〃
There was no noise for an instant and no motion except that
the silent Michael Moon； leaning on the gate； lifted his head；
as it might be to listen。 Then Rosamund remaining speechless；
Dr。 Pym came to her rescue in a definite way。
〃To begin with；〃 he said； 〃this man Smith is constantly attempting murder。
The Warden of Brakespeare College〃
〃I know；〃 said Mary； with a vague but radiant smile。
〃Innocent told me。〃
〃I can't say what he told you；〃 replied Pym quickly； 〃but I'm very much
afraid it wasn't true。 The plain truth is that the man's stained
with every known human crime。 I assure you I have all the documents。
I have evidence of his committing burglary； signed by a most eminent
English curate。 I have〃
〃Oh； but there were two curates；〃 cried Mary； with a certain gentle eagerness；
〃that was what made it so much funnier。〃
The darkened glass doors of the house opened once more；
and Inglewood appeared for an instant； making a sort of signal。
The American doctor bowed； the English doctor did not；
but they both set out stolidly towards the house。
No one else moved； not even Michael hanging on the gate；
but the back of his head and shoulders had still an indescribable
indication that he was listening to every word。
〃But don't you understand； Mary；〃 cried Rosamund in despair； 〃don't you
know that awful things have happened even before our very eyes。
I should have thought you would have heard the revolver shots upstairs。〃
〃Yes； I heard the shots；〃 said Mary almost brightly； 〃but I was busy packing
just then。 And Innocent had told me he was going to shoot at Dr。 Warner；
so it wasn't worth while to come down。〃
〃Oh； I don't understand what you mean；〃 cried Rosamund Hunt；
stamping； 〃but you must and shall understand what I mean。
I don't care how cruelly I put it； if only I can save you。
I mean that your Innocent Smith is the most awfully wicked
man in the world。 He has sent bullets at lots of other men
and gone off in cabs with lots of other women。 And he seems
to have killed the women too； for nobody can find them。〃
〃He is really rather naughty sometimes；〃 said Mary Gray；
laughing softly as she buttoned her old gray gloves。
〃Oh； this is really mesmerism； or something；〃 said Rosamund；
and burst into tears。
At the same moment the two black…clad doctors appeared out
of the house with their great green…clad captive between them。
He made no resistance； but was still laughing in a groggy
and half…witted style。 Arthur Inglewood followed in the rear；
a dark and red study in the last shades of distress and shame。
In this black； funereal； and painfully realistic style the exit
from Beacon House was made by a man whose entrance a day before
had been effected by the happy leaping of a wall and the hilarious
climbing of a tree。 No one moved of the groups in the garden
except Mary Gray； who stepped forward quite naturally；
calling out； 〃Are you ready； Innocent？ Our cab's been waiting
such a long time。〃
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 said Dr。 Warner firmly； 〃I must insist on asking
this lady to stand aside。 We shall have trouble enough as it is；
with the three of us in a cab。〃
〃But it IS our cab；〃 persisted Mary。 〃Why； there's Innocent's yellow
bag on the top of it。〃
〃Stand aside；〃 repeated Warner roughly。 〃And you； Mr。 Moon；
please be so obliging as to move a moment。 Come； come！ the sooner
this ugly business is over the betterand how can we open the gate
if you will keep leaning on it？〃
Michael Moon looked at his long lean forefinger； and seemed
to consider and reconsider this argument。 〃Yes； he said at last；
〃but how can I lean on this gate if you keep on opening it？〃
〃Oh； get out of the way！〃 cried Warner； almost good…humouredly。
〃You can lean on the gate any time。〃
〃No；〃 said Moon reflectively。 〃Seldom the time and the place
and the blue gate altogether； and it all depends w