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the grey room(灰房间)-第38部分

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     But Mr。 May had not finished。 He proceeded to the immediate point。 

     〃Shall it be denied that devils have been cast out in the name of God?〃 

he asked。      〃And if from human tenements; then why not from dwellings 

made with human hands also?              May not a house be similarly cleansed as 

well   as   a   soul?  This unknown   spirit   …   angel   or   fiend;  or other   sentient 

being     …  is  permitted   to   challenge    mankind     and    draw   attention    to  its 

existence。      A  mystery;   I   grant;  but   its   Maker  has   now   willed   that   some 

measure of this mystery shall be revealed to us。             We are called to play our 

part in this spirit's existence。 

     〃It   would   seem   that   it   has   endured   a   sort   of   imprisonment   in   this 

particular room for more years than we know; and it may actually be the 



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spirit of some departed human being condemned; for causes that humanity 

has forgotten; to remain within these walls。             The nameless and unknown 

thing cries passionately to be liberated; and is permitted by its Maker to 

draw     our  terrified   attention   upon    itself  by  the   exercise   of  destructive 

functions transcending our reason。 

     〃God; then; has willed that; through the agency of devout and living 

men; the unhappy phantom shall now be translated and moved from this 

environment   for   ever;   and   to   me   the   appointed   task   is   allotted。   So   I 

believe; as firmly as I believe in the death and resurrection of the   Lord。 

Is that clear to you; Sir Walter?〃 

     〃It is。  You have made it convincingly clear。〃 

     〃So be it; then。      I; too; Mary; am not dead to the meaning of science 

in its proper place。       We may take an illustration of what I have told you 

from astronomy。         As comets enter our system from realms of which we 

have no knowledge; dazzle us a little; awaken our speculations and then 

depart;   so   may   certain   immortal   spirits   also   be   supposed   to   act。    We 

entangle them possibly in our gross air and detain them for centuries; or 

moments; until their  Creator's purpose  in sending   them is   accomplished。 

Then   He   takes   the   means   to   liberate   them  and   set   them  on   their   eternal 

roads and to their eternal tasks once more。〃 

     The listening woman; almost against her reason; felt herself beginning 

to share these assumptions。          But that they were fantastic; unsupported by 

any human knowledge; and would presently involve an experiment full of 

awful peril to the   life   of   the   man   who   uttered them;   she   also   perceived。 

Yet her reasonable caution and conventional distrust began to give way a 

little under the priest's magnetic voice; his flaming eyes; his positive and 

triumphant certainty of truth。         He burned with his inspiration; and she felt 

herself   powerless   to   oppose   any   argument   founded   on   facts   against   the 

mystic enthusiasm of such religious faith。             His honesty and fervor could 

not; however; abate Mary's acute fear。            Her father had entirely gone over 

to the side of the devotee and she knew it。 

     〃It is   well   we   have   your   opportunity  to…night;〃   he   said;   〃for   had   the 

police arrived; out of their ignorance they might deny it to you。〃 

     Yet Mary fought on against them。            In despair she appealed to Masters。 



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He had been an officer's orderly in his day; and when he left the Army and 

came to Chadlands; he never departed again。                He was an intelligent man; 

who occupied a good part of his leisure in reading。 He set Sir Walter and 

Mary   first    in  his  affections;    and   that  Mary    should    have   won    him   so 

completely she always held to be a triumph; since Abraham Masters had 

no regard or admiration for women。 

     〃Can't   you   help   me;   Masters?〃   she   begged。     〃I'm  sure   you   know   as 

well as I do that this ought not to happen。〃 

     The butler eyed his master。         He was handing coffee; but none took it。 

     〃By  all   means speak;〃 said   Sir Walter。         〃You   know how  I   rate   your 

judgment; Masters。         You have heard Mr。 May upon this terrible subject; 

and should be convinced; as I am。〃 

     Masters was very guarded。 

     〃It's   not   for   me   to   pass   an   opinion;   Sir   Walter。 But   the   reverend 

gentleman; no doubt; understands such things。                Only there's the Witch of 

Endor;     if  I  may   mention     the  creature;   she   fetched   up   more    than   she 

bargained   for。     And   I   remember   a   proverb   as   I   heard   in   India;   from   a 

Hindoo。      I've   forgot   the   lingo   now;   but   I   remember   the   sense。   They 

Hindoos say that if you knock long enough at a closed door; the devil will 

open it … excuse my mentioning such a thing; but Hindoos are awful wise。〃 

     〃And what then; Masters?           I know not who may open the door of this 

mystery; but this I know; that; in the Name of the Most High God; I can 

face whatever opens it。〃 

     〃I   ain't   particular   frightened   neither;   your   reverence;〃   said   Masters。 

〃But I wouldn't chance it alone; being about average sinful and not near 

good   enough   to   tackle   that   unknown   horror   hid   up   there   single…handed。 

I'd chance it; though; in high company like yours。              And that's something。〃 

     〃It is; Masters; and much to your credit;〃 declared Sir Walter。 〃For that 

matter;   I   would   do   the   like。  Indeed;   I   am   willing   to   accompany   Mr。 

May。〃 

     While   Septimus   May   shook   his   head   and   Mary   trembled;   the   butler 

spoke again。 

     〃But there's nobody else in this house would。             Not even Fred Caunter; 

who doesn't know the meaning of fear; as you can testify; Sir Walter。                  But 



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he's fed up with the Grey Room; if I may say so; and so's the housekeeper; 

Mrs。 Forbes; and so's Jane Bond。            Not that they would desert the ship; but 

there's others that be going to do so。           I may mention that four maids and 

Jackson      intend    to  give   notice    to…morrow。      Ann      Maine;    the   second 

housemaid;       has   gone    to…night。    Her    father   fetched    her。   Excuse      me 

mentioning it; but Mrs。 Forbes will give you the particulars to…morrow; if 

you please。〃 

     〃Hysteria;〃 declared Sir Walter。           〃I don't blame them。         It is natural。 

Everybody is 
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