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the greek interpreter-第3部分
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〃His words were quiet but he had a rasping way of saying them; which
was very menacing。 I sat in silence wondering what on earth could be
his reason for kidnapping me in this extraordinary fashion。 Whatever
it might be; it was perfectly clear that there was no possible use
in my resisting; and that I could only wait to see what might befall。
〃For nearly two hours we drove without my having the least clue as
to where we were going。 Sometimes the rattle of the stones told of a
paved causeway; and at others our smooth; silent course suggested
asphalt; but; save by this variation in sound; there was nothing at
all which could in the remotest way help me to form a guess as to
where we were。 The paper over each window was impenetrable to light;
and a blue curtain was drawn across the glasswork in front。 It was a
quarter past seven when we left Pall Mall; and my watch showed me that
it was ten minutes to nine when we at last came to a standstill。 My
companion let down the window; and I caught a glimpse of a low; arched
doorway with a lamp burning above it。 As I was hurried from the
carriage it swung open; and I found myself inside the house; with a
vague impression of a lawn and trees on each side of me as I
entered。 Whether these were private grounds; however; or bona…fide
country was more than I could possibly venture to say。
〃There was a coloured gaslamp inside which was turned so low that
I could see little save that the hall was of some size and hung with
pictures。 In the dim light I could make out that the person who had
opened the door was a small; mean…looking; middle…aged man with
rounded shoulders。 As he turned towards us the glint of the light
showed me that he was wearing glasses。
〃'Is this Mr。 Melas; Harold?' said he。
〃'Yes。'
〃'Well done; well done! No ill…will; Mr。 Melas; I hope; but we could
not get on without you。 If you deal fair with us you'll not regret it;
but if you try any tricks; God help you!' He spoke in a nervous; jerky
fashion; and with little giggling laughs in between; but somehow he
impressed me with fear more than the other。
〃'What do you want with me?' I asked。
〃'Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman who is visiting
us; and to let us have the answers。 But say no more than you are
told to say; or…' here came the nervous giggle again…'you had better
never have been born。'
〃As he spoke he opened a door and showed the way into a room
which appeared to be very richly furnished; but again the only light
was afforded by a single lamp half…turned down。 The chamber was
certainly large; and the way in which my feet sank into the carpet
as I stepped across it told me of its richness。 I caught glimpses of
velvet chairs; a high white marble mantelpiece; and what seemed to
be a suit of Japanese armour at one side of it。 There was a chair just
under the lamp; and the elderly man motioned that I should sit in
it。 The younger had left us; but he suddenly returned through
another door; leading with him a gentleman clad in some sort of
loose dressing…gown who moved slowly towards us。 As he came into the
circle of dim light which enabled me to see him more clearly I was
thrilled with horror at his appearance。 He was deadly pale and
terribly emaciated; with the protruding; brilliant eyes of a man whose
spirit was greater than his strength。 But what shocked me more than
any signs of physical weakness was that his face was grotesquely
criss…crossed with sticking…plaster and that one large pad of it was
fastened over his mouth。
〃'Have you the slate; Harold?' cried the older man; as this
strange being fell rather than sat down into a chair。 'Are his hands
loose? Now; then; give him the pencil。 You are to ask the questions;
Mr。 Melas; and he will write the answers。 Ask him first of all whether
he is prepared to sign the papers?'
〃The man's eyes flashed fire。
〃'Never!' he wrote in Greek upon the slate。
〃'On no conditions?' I asked at the bidding of our tyrant。
〃'Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest whom
I know。'
〃The man giggled in his venomous way。
〃'You know what awaits you; then?'
〃'I care nothing for myself。'
〃These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our
strange half…spoken; half…written conversation。 Again and again I
had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents。
Again and again I had the same indignant reply。 But soon a happy
thought came to me。 I took to adding on little sentences of my own
to each question; innocent ones at first; to test whether either of
our companions knew anything of the matter; and then; as I found
that they showed no sign I played a more dangerous game。 Our
conversation ran something like this:
〃'You can do no good by this obstinacy。 Who are you?'
〃'I care not。 I am a stranger in London。'
〃'Your fate will be on your own head。 How long have you been here?'
〃'Let it be so。 Three weeks。'
〃'The property can never be yours。 What ails you?'
〃'It shall not go to villains。 They are。'
〃'You shall go free if you sign。 What house is this?'
〃'I will never sign。 I do not know。'
〃'You are not doing her any service。 What is your name?'
〃'Let me hear her say so。 Kratides。'
〃'You shall see her if you sign。 Where are you from?'
〃'Then I shall never see her。 Athens。'
〃Another five minutes; Mr。 Holmes; and I should have wormed out
the whole story under their very noses。 My very next question might
have cleared the matter up; but at that instant the door opened and
a woman stepped into the room。 I could not see her clearly enough to
know more than that she was tall and graceful with black hair; and
clad in some sort of loose white gown。
〃'Harold;' said she; speaking English with a broken accent。 'I could
not stay away longer。 It is so lonely up there with only…Oh; my God;
it is Paul!'
〃These last words were in Greek; and at the same instant the man
with a convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips; and screaming
out 'Sophy! Sophy!' rushed into the woman's arms。 Their embrace was
but for an instant; however; for the younger man seized the woman
and pushed her out of the room; while the elder easily overpowered his
emaciated victim and dragged him away through the other door。 For a
moment I was left alone in the room; and I sprang to my feet with some
vague idea that I might in some way get a clue to what this house
was in which I found myself。 Fortunately; however; I took no steps;
for looking up I saw that the older man was standing in the doorway;
with his eyes fixed upon me。
〃'That will do; Mr。 Melas;' said he。 'You perceive that we have
taken you into our confidence over some very private business。 We
should not have troubled you; only that our friend who speaks Greek
and who began these negotiations has been forced to return to the
East。 It was quite necessary for us to find someone to take his place;
and we were fortunate in hearing of your powers。'
〃I bowed。
〃'There are five sovereigns here;' said he; walking up to me; 'which
will; I hope;
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