法官的房子 The Judges House02

“Oh, Doctor, what do you mean?What do you mean?”

“I mean this；that possibly-nay, more probably-we shall hear the great alarm bell from the Judges House tonight，”and the doctor made about as effective an exit as could be thought of.

When Malcolmson arrived home he found that it was a little after his usual time, and Mrs. Dempster had gone away-the rules of Greenhows Charity were not to be neglected. He was glad to see that the place was bright and tidy with a cheerful fre and a well-trimmed lamp. The evening was colder than might have been expected in April, and a heavy wind was blowing with such rapidly increasing strength that there was every promise of a storm during the night. For a few minutes after his entrance the noise of the rats ceased；but so soon as they became accustomed to his presence they began again. He was glad to hear them, for he felt once more the feeling of companionship in their noise, and his mind ran back to the strange fact that they only ceased to manifest themselves when that other-the great rat with the baleful eyes-came upon the scene. The reading-lamp only was lit and its green shade kept the ceiling and the upper part of the room in darkness, so that the cheerful light from the hearth spreading over the foor and shining on the white cloth laid over the end of the table was warm and cheery. Malcolmson sat down to his dinner with a good appetite and a buoyant spirit. After his dinner and a cigarette he sat steadily down to work, determined not to let anything disturb him, for he remembered his promise to the doctor, and made up his mind tomake the best of the time at his disposal.

For an hour or so he worked all right, and then his thoughts began to wander from his books. The actual circumstances around him, the calls on his physical attention, and his nervous susceptibility were not to be denied. By this time the wind had become a gale, and the gale a storm. The old house, solid though it was, seemed to shake to its foundations, and the storm roared and raged through its many chimneys and its queer old gables, producing strange, unearthly sounds in the empty rooms and corridors. Even the great alarm bell on the roof must have felt the force of the wind, for the rope rose and fell slightly, as though the bell were moved a little from time to time, and the limber rope fell on the oak foor with a hard and hollow sound.

As Malcolmson listened to it he bethought himself of the doctors words，“It is the rope which the hangman used for the victims of the Judges judicial rancour，”and he went over to the corner of the freplace and took it in his hand to look at it. There seemed a sort of deadly interest in it, and as he stood there he lost himself for a moment in speculation as to who these victims were, and the grim wish of the Judge to have such a ghastly relic ever under his eyes. As he stood there the swaying of the bell on the roof still lifted the rope now and again；but presently there came a new sensation-a sort of tremor in the rope, as though something was moving along it.

Looking up instinctively Malcolmson saw the great rat coming slowly down towards him, glaring at him steadily. He dropped the rope and started back with a muttered curse, and the rat turning ran up the rope again and disappeared, and at the same instant Malcolmson became conscious that the noise of the rats, which had ceased for a while, began again.

All this set him thinking, and it occurred to him that he had notinvestigated the lair of the rat or looked at the pictures, as he had intended. He lit the other lamp without the shade, and, holding it up went and stood opposite the third picture from the fireplace on the right-hand side where he had seen the rat disappear on the previous night.

At the first glance he started back so suddenly that he almost dropped the lamp, and a deadly pallor overspread his face. His knees shook, and heavy drops of sweat came on his forehead, and he trembled like an aspen. But he was young and plucky, and pulled himself together, and after the pause of a few seconds stepped forward again, raised the lamp, and examined the picture which had been dusted and washed, and now stood out clearly.

It was of a judge dressed in his robes of scarlet and ermine. His face was strong and merciless, evil, crafty, and vindictive, with a sensual mouth, hooked nose of ruddy colour, and shaped like the beak of a bird of prey. The rest of the face was of a cadaverous colour. The eyes were of peculiar brilliance and with a terribly malignant expression. As he looked at them, Malcolmson grew cold, for he saw there the very counterpart of the eyes of the great rat. The lamp almost fell from his hand, he saw the rat with its baleful eyes peering out through the hole in the corner of the picture, and noted the sudden cessation of the noise of the other rats. However, he pulled himself together, and went on with his examination of the picture.

The Judge was seated in a great high-backed carved oak chair, on the right-hand side of a great stone freplace where, in the corner, a rope hung down from the ceiling, its end lying coiled on the foor. With a feeling of something like horror, Malcolmson recognized the scene of the room as it stood, and gazed around him in an awestruck manner as though he expected to fnd some strange presence behindhim. Then he looked over to the corner of the freplace-and with a loud cry he let the lamp fall from his hand.

There, in the Judge‘s arm-chair, with the rope hanging behind, sat the rat with the Judge’s baleful eyes, now intensifed and with a fiendish leer. Save for the howling of the storm without there was silence.

The fallen lamp recalled Malcolmson to himself. Fortunately it was of metal, and so the oil was not spilt. However, the practical need of attending to it settled at once his nervous apprehension. When he had turned it out, he wiped his brow and thought for a moment.

“This will not do，”he said to himself.“If I go on like this I shall become a crazy fool. This must stop！I promised the doctor I would not take tea. Faith, he was pretty right！My nerves must have been getting into a queer state. Funny I did not notice it. I never felt better in my life. However, it is all right now, and I shall not be such a fool again.”

Then he mixed himself a good stiff glass of brandy and water and resolutely sat down to his work.

It was nearly an hour when he looked up from his book, disturbed by the sudden stillness. Without, the wind howled and roared louder than ever, and the rain drove in sheets against the windows, beating like hail on the glass；but within there was no sound whatever save the echo of the wind as it roared in the great chimney, and now and then a hiss as a few raindrops found their way down the chimney in a lull of the storm. The fre had fallen low and had ceased to fame, though it threw out a red glow. Malcolmson listened attentively, and presently heard a thin, squeaking noise, very faint. It came from the corner of the room where the rope hung down, and he thought it was the creaking of the rope on the foor as the swaying of the bell raised and loweredit. Looking up, however, he saw in the dim light the great rat clinging to the rope and gnawing it. The rope was already nearly gnawed through-he could see the lighter colour where the strands were laid bare. As he looked the job was completed, and the severed end of the rope fell clattering on the oaken foor, whilst for an instant the great rat remained like a knob or tassel at the end of the rope, which now began to sway to and fro. Malcolmson felt for a moment another pang of terror as he thought that now the possibility of calling the outer world to his assistance was cut off, but an intense anger took its place, and seizing the book he was reading he hurled it at the rat. The blow was well aimed, but before the missile could reach him the rat dropped off and struck the foor with a soft thud. Malcolmson instantly rushed over towards him, but it darted away and disappeared in the darkness of the shadows of the room. Malcolmson felt that his work was over for the night, and determined then and there to vary the monotony of the proceedings by a hunt for the rat, and took off the green shade of the lamp so as to insure a wider spreading light. As he did so the gloom of the upper part of the room was relieved, and in the new food of light, great by comparison with the previous darkness, the pictures on the wall stood out boldly. From where he stood, Malcolmson saw right opposite to him the third picture on the wall from the right of the freplace. He rubbed his eyes in surprise, and then a great fear began to come upon him.

In the centre of the picture was a great irregular patch of brown canvas, as fresh as when it was stretched on the frame. The background was as before, with chair and chimney-corner and rope, but the fgure of the Judge had disappeared.

Malcolmson, almost in a chill of horror, turned slowly round, and then he began to shake and tremble like a man in a palsy. His strengthseemed to have left him, and he was incapable of action or movement, hardly even of thought. He could only see and hear.

There, on the great high-backed carved oak chair sat the Judge in his robes of scarlet and ermine, with his baleful eyes glaring vindictively, and a smile of triumph on the resolute, cruel mouth, as he lifted with his hands a black cap. Malcolmson felt as if the blood was running from his heart, as one does in moments of prolonged suspense. There was a singing in his ears without, he could hear the roar and howl of the tempest, and through it, swept on the storm, came the striking of midnight by the great chimes in the market place. He stood for a space of time that seemed to him endless still as a statue, and with wide-open, horror-struck eyes, breathless. As the clock struck, so the smile of triumph on the Judges face intensifed, and at the last stroke of midnight he placed the black cap on his head.

Slowly and deliberately the Judge rose from his chair and picked up the piece of the rope of the alarm bell which lay on the foor, drew it through his hands as if he enjoyed its touch, and then deliberately began to knot one end of it, fashioning it into a noose. This he tightened and tested with his foot, pulling hard at it till he was satisfed and then making a running noose of it, which he held in his hand. Then he began to move along the table on the opposite side to Malcolmson, keeping his eyes on him until he had passed him, when with a quick movement he stood in front of the door. Malcolmson then began to feel that he was trapped, and tried to think of what he should do. There was some fascination in the Judge‘s eyes, which he never took off him, and he had, perforce, to look. He saw the Judge approach-still keeping between him and the door-and raise the noose and throw it towards him as if to entangle him. With a great effort he made a quick movement to one side, and saw the rope fall beside him, andheard it strike the oaken foor. Again the Judge raised the noose and tried to ensnare him, ever keeping his baleful eyes fxed on him, and each time by a mighty effort the student just managed to evade it. So this went on for many times, the Judge seeming never discouraged nor discomposed at failure, but playing as a cat does with a mouse. At least in despair, which had reached its climax, Malcolmson cast a quick glance round him. The lamp seemed to have blazed up, and there was a fairly good light in the room. At the many rat-holes and in the chinks and crannies of the wainscot he saw the rats’eyes；and this aspect, that was purely physical, gave him a gleam of comfort. He looked around and saw that the rope of the great alarm bell was laden with rats. Every inch of it was covered with them；and more and more were pouring through the small circular hole in the ceiling whence it emerged, so that with their weight the bell was beginning to sway.

Hark！It had swayed till the clapper had touched the bell. The sound was but a tiny one, but the bell was only beginning to sway, and it would increase.

At the sound the Judge, who had been keeping his eyes fxed on Malcolmson, looked up, and a scowl of diabolical anger overspread his face. His eyes fairly glowed like hot coals, and he stamped his foot with a sound that seemed to make the house shake. A dreadful peal of thunder broke overhead as he raised the rope again, whilst the rats kept running up and down the rope as though working against time. This time, instead of throwing it, he drew close to his victim, and held open the noose as he approached. As he came closer there seemed something paralyzing in his very presence, and Malcolmson stood rigid as a corpse. He felt the Judge‘s icy fngers touch his throat as he adjusted the rope. The noose tightened-tightened. Then the Judge, taking the rigid form of the student in his arms, carried him over andplaced him standing in the oak chair, and stepping up beside him, put his hand up and caught the end of the swaying rope of the alarm bell. As he raised his hand the rats fled squeaking, and disappeared through the hole in the ceiling. Taking the end of the noose which was round Malcolmson’s neck he tied it to the hanging-bell rope, and then descending pulled away the chair.

When the alarm bell of the Judges House began to sound a crowd soon assembled. Lights and torches of various kinds appeared, and soon a silent crowd was hurrying to the spot. They knocked loudly at the door, but there was no reply. Then they burst in the door, and poured into the great dining-room, the doctor at the head.

There at the end of the rope of the great alarm bell hung the body of the student, and on the face of the Judge in the picture was a malignant smile.

随着考试日期的临近，马尔科姆逊决定找个清静的地方专心复习。他想去海边，又担心会被那儿的风景吸引而分心；他想去乡下，又担心自己忍受不了寂寞。想来想去，他最后还是决定去一个不知名的小镇，因为那里不会有什么事让自己分心。至于去哪个小镇，他决定不征求朋友的意见，因为他觉得他们可能会推荐一些自己很熟悉而且熟人很多的地方。马尔科姆逊想避开朋友们，也不愿意麻烦朋友们的朋友，因此，他决定自己找个地方。他只带了一些必要的衣服和书，买了当天的票就上路了，而他的目的地则是当地列车时刻表上的第一个自己没听说过的小镇。

三个小时后，就到了本切奇车站。他很满意这次旅程，因为迄今为止，他还没受到任何人的打扰，如此一来，他就可以静下心来复习功课了。他直接找了一家小旅店住了下来，准备过一夜。本切奇是个小集市，每月有一周是赶集的时间，在那个星期里，街上人声鼎沸，而在其余三周里，这个小镇冷清得就像沙漠。第二天，他在街上逛了逛，试图找一个比前一天晚上投宿的“好旅客”旅馆更僻静的住所。找来找去，只找到一家，就清静而言，这地方很合他的心意，事实上，用“偏僻”来形容这里更恰当。这一栋古老而厚重的房子，带有鲜明的詹姆斯一世时期的建筑风格，高高的三角墙和小小的窗户，周围是一圈高高的围墙。一眼望去，这座房子像一个戒备森严的城堡，而不是一个普通的住宅。但是，马尔科姆逊很喜欢，他想：“这就是我要找的地方，如果能有机会住在这里，那实在是再好不过了。”当他知道这个地方还没有人住时，简直高兴坏了。

通过邮局，他打听到了房子代理人的名字，叫卡恩福德。卡恩福德先生是当地的律师兼代理人，他是一位非常随和的老绅士。当知道马尔科姆想租下这座房子时，他感到非常惊讶也非常高兴。

他说：“实话对你说，我真为房东感到高兴，终于有人肯租这座房子了，哪怕是一间也好，这座房子已经空了很长时间了，因此也招来了许多荒谬的谣言，只要有人住进去，谣言就会不攻自破了。”他意味深长地看了看马尔科姆逊，又说道，“像你这样的读书人也正是看中了它的清静。”

马尔科姆逊觉得没有必要向代理人问清楚所谓的“荒谬的谣言”是什么意思。如果他想知道的话，以后肯定会知道的。他预交了三个月的租金，拿了收据，并从卡恩福德先生那里得知帮他做家务的老妇人的名字。他拿着钥匙去向旅店的老板娘咨询在哪儿可以买到所需的物品。老板娘是个好脾气且热心肠的人。当她得知他租了那座房子后，立刻一脸惊诧地举起双手。

“不要住进法官的房子里！”她叫道，脸色也变得苍白。他说，他不知道房东是谁，只好描述了那座房子的具体位置。听完他的描述，老板娘叫道：“对！那就是，那就是，那就是法官的房子，没错。”他请老板娘告诉他关于那座房子的具体情况，为什么叫它“法官的房子”，那儿究竟有什么不对劲的地方。老板娘告诉他，当地人之所以那么叫它，是因为很多年前——到底有多久她也说不上来，因为她也是个外地人，可能一百年前或更久——有个法官住在那里，那位法官办案严厉，对囚犯从不留情，令人生畏。至于那座房子到底有什么不对劲的地方，她也说不上来。她也问过很多人，但是没有人能讲明白。不过，她的直觉告诉她，那座房子肯定有问题，即使把德林克沃特银行的钱都给她，她也不愿在那里单独待上一小时。这话刚出口，她便觉得有些不妥，立即为她刚才所说的话向马尔科姆逊道歉：“是我不对，阁下，我不该那么说。但如果你是我的孩子的话，请原谅我这样说，我是绝不会让你一个人在那里过夜的。如果非得让我一个人待在那里的话，我一定会在屋顶上安个大大的报警器。”

老板娘说得那么真诚，而她说这些也的确是出于对他的关心，因此，尽管马尔科姆逊觉得有些好笑，但是他也很感动。他告诉她，自己非常感谢她的关心，并说：“我亲爱的威特汉夫人，您不必为我担心，对于一个在剑桥大学攻读数学学士学位的学生来说，需要考虑的事情实在太多了，所以我根本无暇顾及这所谓的神秘的‘不对劲的东西’，我的脑袋里装满了那些严密而枯燥的东西，已经装不下那些神秘的东西了。对我来说，调和级数、数字排列组合、椭圆函数已经够神秘了！”好心的威特汉夫人主动提出帮他办事，而他自己则去找那位卡恩福德先生介绍的老妇人。一两个小时后，他和那位老妇人一起回到了法官的房子，威特汉夫人正和一群人站在门口等他，那些人拎着大包小包，家具商也运来了一张床。威特汉夫人说：“桌椅可以先凑合着用，那张有五十多年历史的床可能生霉了，不适合年轻人睡。”显然，她对屋子里的一切都很好奇，但同时她也很害怕那所谓的“不对劲的东西”，她紧紧地抓着马尔科姆逊，一刻也不敢松手，就这样在整个屋子里转了一遍。

马尔科姆逊审视完房子后，决定住在那间大饭厅里，那里足够宽敞，能够满足他所有的需要。威特汉夫人和那位来做杂活的女工——登普斯特太太，已经开始收拾房间了。那些大包裹被搬进来，马尔科姆逊打开一看，发现威特汉夫人送来的食物足够他吃好多日子。离开前，威特汉夫人说了些祝福的客套话，出门时转过身子对他说：“先生，房子很大，而且很通风，晚上睡觉的时候最好在床前隔个屏风。说实话，如果我和那些‘东西’一起住在这里，晚上到处都是它们伸出的头，或它们从上面看着我，我一定会吓得半死。”一想到这儿，她吓得全身都紧张起来，于是，便飞也似的逃走了。

威特汉夫人离开后，登普斯特太太流露出了一种不屑的神态，并说她自己根本就不怕这些鬼怪。

“让我来告诉你他们都是些什么东西，阁下。”她说，“那些所谓的鬼怪其实就是老鼠、甲虫、嘎吱作响的门、松动的瓦片、破碎了的玻璃，还有不灵活的抽屉把手什么的，这些东西在晚上都有可能会引起响动。看那房间里的壁炉！都有一百多年的历史了，够古老了吧！你认为那里面就没有老鼠和虫子吗？你想一下，先生，你难道认为自己不会遇见这些小东西吗？老鼠就是鬼怪，我告诉你，鬼怪就是老鼠，不要往其他方面想。”

“登普斯特太太，”马尔科姆逊严肃地说，并朝她微微地鞠了个躬，“你很有智慧，为了表示对你的尊重，在我离开后，你还可以在这里住上两个月，租金由我来承担——我只在这里住一个月。”

“非常谢谢你的好意，先生！”她回答，“但是我不能在外过夜，我受格林豪慈善基金会的资助，如果我在外过夜，就会失去赖以生存的一切。那个基金会的规定非常严格，而且很多人都正觊觎我的位置，我可不能有任何闪失。你在这里的时候，我很乐意过来照顾你。”

“尊敬的太太，”马尔科姆逊急切地说道，“我来这里就是为了清静，请相信我，对于格林豪慈善基金会如此严明的纪律，我深表敬意。当然，我也绝不会让您做任何有违规定的事，您是如此虔诚，从这一点来说，您真是堪比严谨的圣·安东尼啊！”

老妇人笑了笑，说：“年轻人，不用担心，你在这里完全可以享受到你所希望的清静。”说完，她就去收拾房间了。黄昏的时候，马尔科姆逊散步回来了——散步的时候，他都会拿本书看。房间已经被收拾得干净整洁了，古老的壁炉里也生了火，房间里的灯亮着，餐桌上已经摆好了威特汉夫人为他准备的美味可口的晚餐。“真舒服！”他搓着手说道。

他吃完晚餐，把盘子移到餐桌的另一端。他拿出书来，给火炉里添了些新柴，调整了一下灯光，然后就坐下开始学习。不知不觉就到了11点，他这才停下来休息了一会儿，给壁炉里添了些柴，并给自己沏了杯茶。他向来喜欢喝茶，在大学里，他经常学习到很晚，茶就是他最好的伴侣。休息对他来说是种奢侈，他充分享受着这美妙、安逸的时刻。新添的柴迸发出小小的火花，古老的房子里晃动着奇怪的影子，他抿了口茶，沉浸在这种清静中。接着，他第一次听到老鼠弄出了些声响。

他想：“在我看书的时候，它们并不在这里。如果这样的话，我一定能察觉到。”不一会儿，响声越来越大，他确信这是刚刚才有的。显然，一开始，老鼠被这刚出现的陌生人和火光吓坏了，但过了一会儿，它们就变得大胆起来，开始像平时一样自娱自乐起来。

听，它们多忙啊！还发出奇怪的噪音！它们沿着古老的墙壁爬上爬下，爬到天花板上，又爬到地板上，还不停地啃咬、撕扯。马尔科姆逊不禁笑了笑，耳边回响起登普斯特太太的话——“鬼怪就是老鼠，老鼠就是鬼怪！”茶起了作用，让他兴奋起来，他又埋头苦读起来，一晚上就这么过去了。出于安全的考虑，中途休息时，他决定给自己一个环顾四周的机会，他一只手端着灯，绕着房间走了一圈，心中暗自纳闷，这么宁静而美丽的老房子，为什么长久以来一直空着呢。壁板上和门窗周围的橡木雕花非常精致。墙上挂着些古画，全都蒙上了厚厚的一层灰，尽管他高高地举起灯，但也无法看清画的是什么。房间里随处可见一些裂缝和小洞，老鼠从里面探出头来，它们的眼睛在灯光下显得格外亮，但它们立刻又把头缩了回去，发出吱吱声和窸窸窣窣声。他印象最深刻的还是屋顶上警钟的拉绳，它悬挂在壁炉左手边的墙角。他把一把高背雕花橡木椅拖到壁炉边坐下，继续喝他的茶。随后，他又往壁炉里添了些柴，坐在桌子的一边，继续看他的书。过了一会儿，老鼠又不断地发出了窸窸窣窣的声音，而他已经完全习惯了这种声音，就像习惯了钟的滴答声一样。他完全沉浸在书本里，仿佛除了正在做的题外，其他一切都与他无关。

他突然抬起头，题还没有做出来，但他似乎感觉到了某种黎明到来之前的黑暗。老鼠们也不再发出声响，虽然在他看来它们也确实该消停了，可这突如其来的安静让他有些不安。壁炉里的火越来越小，但仍发出深红色的火光。虽然他素以冷静大胆著称，可是再次环顾四周时，他还是吓了一跳。

在壁炉右边的高背雕花橡木椅上，趴着一只硕大的老鼠，它正恶狠狠地看着他。他做了个手势想吓跑它，但它一动不动，愤怒地露出了它大大的门牙，亮晶晶的眼睛在灯光下露出凶残的目光，好像要报复他一样。马尔科姆逊非常吃惊，抓起壁炉盘的拨火棍就去追打它。还没有打到，那只老鼠就发出满怀仇恨的尖叫声，一下子跳到地上，顺着警钟的拉绳跑了，消失在灯光照不到的黑暗中。说来也奇怪，壁板中立刻又响起老鼠们窸窸窣窣的声音。

这时，马尔科姆逊已经没有心思去想那些数学题了，外面传来公鸡打鸣报晓的声音，天要亮了，他要上床睡觉了。

他睡得很沉，登普斯特太太进来都没有吵醒他。她打扫好房间，做好早餐，才敲床前的屏风叫醒他。经过一夜辛苦的学习，他感觉很疲倦，但一杯浓茶过后，精神就来了，他拿了本书，便出去散步了。他还随身带了块三明治，这样即使中午不回来也不会饿。他走到城外，沿着榆树林散步，坐在草地上埋头看他的数学书，一直看到傍晚。回来时，他走到威特汉夫人的旅店向她表示谢意。威特汉夫人从窗户里看到他，便走出来迎接，请他进去坐坐。她仔细地打量了一下，摇摇头说：“你不要熬夜，今天早上你的脸色很苍白，熬夜工作对身体很不好。对了，请告诉我，昨天晚上你是怎么过的？都还好吧？今天早上登普斯特太太告诉我，她进去的时候你睡得正香，这我就放心了。”

“是啊，我很好。”他笑着回答，“那‘不对劲的东西’没有打扰我，只是老鼠太吵了，我跟你说，它们到处都是。有个目露凶光的老坏蛋趴在炉旁的椅子上，直到我拿拨火棍赶它，它才走。后来它沿着警钟的拉绳，不知是爬到墙上还是天花板上，反正不见了，当时太黑了，看不清楚。”

“上帝保佑我们，”威特汉夫人说，“一个老坏蛋趴在壁炉旁的椅子上！小心点儿，小心点儿，很多谣传都是真的。”

“什么意思？我不是很明白。”

“一个老坏蛋！说不定就是个老鬼怪。先生，不要笑。”因为马尔科姆逊忍不住大笑起来。“你们年轻人觉得好笑的事让我们老年人听了发抖，好吧，先生，好吧！但愿上帝能让你一直笑到最后，那样我也就没有什么好替你担心的了。”看到他很欢乐的样子，她也暂时抛开了忧虑。

“请原谅我！”马尔科姆逊立刻说道，“请不要把我当成一个鲁莽的人，但我真的很难接受——怎么会是老鬼怪在椅子上趴了一个晚上！”想到这儿，他又忍不住笑了，之后便回家吃晚饭了。

这天晚上，老鼠们窸窸窣窣的声音出现得很早，事实上，在马尔科姆逊回来之前，它们就已经开始活动了，他的出现反而打扰了它们，让它们停了下来。晚饭后，他在壁炉边坐下，抽了支烟，然后开始收拾桌子，像昨晚一样开始看书。老鼠们比昨晚闹多了，它们上蹿下跳，吱吱地叫着、撕扯着、啃咬着。它们更加肆无忌惮了，从洞口、裂缝处伸出头来，亮晶晶的眼睛随着壁炉中的火光闪烁着。而他，现在已经慢慢习惯了，它们的眼睛看起来也不那么邪恶了。他心想，它们也挺有意思。有时候，它们中胆子大的还会溜到地上或沿着壁炉边沿跑来跑去。它们一而再、再而三地打断马尔科姆逊，他不得不停下来敲打桌子或者凶狠地发出嘘嘘声来吓跑它们，这样，它们才会逃回到洞里。

前半夜就这样过去了，尽管很吵，马尔科姆逊还是专心致志地看书。

突然，他停了下来，就像昨天晚上一样，突如其来的安静打断了他。四周一点儿声音都没有，死一般地沉寂。他想起了昨天晚上发生的怪事，就不自觉地朝壁炉边的椅子望去。一个奇怪的念头从他的脑海里闪过。

在壁炉旁的高背雕花橡木椅上，还是趴着昨天那只硕大的老鼠，它正恶狠狠地看着他。

他本能地抓起手边的一本书，朝它扔去。这次没有打中，那只老鼠还是趴在那里一动不动。和昨天晚上一样，他又抓起拨火棍去追打那只老鼠，同样地，眼看就要打到的时候，那只老鼠又顺着警钟的拉绳溜走了。奇怪的是，那只老鼠刚一跑掉，其他老鼠又开始闹起来，和昨晚的情况一样。马尔科姆逊根本看不见那只老鼠溜到哪里去了，房间里灯和火光照不到的地方都是黑的。

他看了看手表，已经接近午夜了，他对刚才的小插曲并没有太在意，于是，他添了点儿柴，沏了壶茶，点了支烟，然后便在壁炉前的大橡木椅子上坐了下来，想好好休息一会儿。他一边抽着烟一边想着老鼠到底跑到哪里躲起来了，还想到明天是否需要买个老鼠夹来抓它。他又点亮了一盏灯，用它来照亮壁炉右边的墙角。他搬出了所有的书，把它们放在手边，准备当老鼠再出现的时候就用书砸它。最后，他把警钟拉绳的末端放到桌子上，并固定在灯座下。当他拉这根绳的时候才知道它有多软，尽管它看起来很粗。“它可以吊死一个人。”他自言自语。准备完毕后，他又环顾了一圈，沾沾自喜地说道：“嘿，我的朋友，让你们看看我的厉害！”接着他又看书去了，尽管老鼠们的吵闹声让他在刚开始的时候有点儿分神，不过，他很快就完全沉浸在解题中了。

他又一次被突然惊醒，而这一次不只是突如其来的安静，还有拉绳，拉绳轻轻地动了一下，灯也晃动了一下。他不动声色地看了看书是否放在手边，然后顺着拉绳向上看去。这时，他看到那只大老鼠顺着拉绳滑到橡木椅子上，趴在那里愤怒地看着他。他右手拿起一本书，朝那只老鼠扔去，它敏捷地躲开了。接着，他又拿起一本书，又没砸中，他就这样一本接一本地朝那只老鼠扔去，但都没有成功。最后，当他站起来拿着书准备朝它扔过去时，老鼠发出害怕的叫声。这使得马尔科姆逊越发想打中它，他用力地把书扔出去，狠狠地砸中了那只老鼠。它发出可怕的尖叫声，并回过头来凶恶地瞪了马尔科姆逊一眼，然后跑到椅背上，跳到警钟拉绳上闪电般逃跑了。灯摇晃着，不过，因为它很重，最终并没有翻倒。马尔科姆逊的目光紧跟着老鼠，借着灯光，他看到它沿着壁板的边缘跑了，然后钻进挂在墙上的画的一个洞里，那画上蒙了一层厚厚的灰尘，已经看不清它的真面目了。

“我早上可以好好看看它的藏身之地。”马尔科姆逊一边收拾地上的书一边说，“从壁炉数起，第三幅画那里，我记住了。”他一本一本地捡起地上的书，把它们摆好。“这本没有打中，这本没有，这本没有，这本也没有，对，是这本打中的！”马尔科姆逊捡起来看了看，他霎时惊呆了，脸刷地一下变得苍白，身子微微颤抖，喃喃自语：“是妈妈送给我的《圣经》，太巧了！”他坐下来继续看书，老鼠们又开始活动起来。它们并没有打扰他，相反，给了他一种很友好的感觉。在经过了刚才的事件之后，他已经无法再专心致志地看书了，经过几番努力，还是不行，他只好上床睡觉，这时东方已经露出鱼肚白了。

他睡得很沉但不安稳，老是做梦。快到中午的时候，登普斯特太太叫醒他，他有些心神不宁，几分钟之后才回过神来，他醒来后说的第一句话令这位老太太有些吃惊：“登普斯特太太，今天我出去后，请搬把梯子来，把画上的灰尘弄干净，尤其是从壁炉数起的第三幅——我想看看那上面究竟画的是什么。”

马尔科姆逊一直在树阴下看书，一直看到太阳快落山。这一天的学习进行得非常顺利，所有的难题都解开了。怀着愉快的心情，他去了威特汉夫人的“好旅客”旅店。有个陌生的客人和老板娘一起坐在舒适的客厅里，威特汉夫人介绍时，称他为“索恩希尔医生”。威特汉夫人的神情显得很不自然，而且这个医生又向他提出了一连串的问题，这一切都让马尔科姆逊感觉到，他的出现并非偶然，于是就开门见山地说：“索恩希尔医生，我很乐意回答你的问题，但你先要回答我一个问题。”

医生有些吃惊，但随后立刻笑着说道：“没问题，请问吧。”

“是不是威特汉夫人让您来这儿说服我？”

索恩希尔医生吃了一惊，威特汉夫人的脸也一下子变得通红，她把脸转了过去，不过，医生是个直率且反应很快的人，他随即直截了当地说：“是她安排的，不过她并不想让你知道。我想是因为我操之过急，让你察觉到了。她告诉我，她不希望你一个人住在那座房子里，而且，她认为你喝了太多的浓茶。事实上，她希望我劝告你不要喝茶熬夜了。我做学生的时候也是很用功的，我希望用我的亲身经历来劝告你，希望你不会见外。”

马尔科姆逊笑着伸出手来，说：“握个手吧，就像美国人那样，非常感谢你和威特汉夫人的好意。为了感谢你们的好意，我保证不再喝浓茶了，除非你让我喝，今天晚上我1点钟之前就睡，这样总可以了吧。”

“太好了！”医生说，“现在，跟我们说说那座老房子里发生的事吧。”马尔科姆逊迟疑了一下，便将前两天晚上发生的事情告诉了他们。威特汉夫人时不时地发出惊叹声打断他的话，当他最后讲到打到老鼠的那本书是《圣经》时，她忍不住尖叫起来，直到喝了一大杯加水的白兰地后，情绪才慢慢地平静下来。索恩希尔医生听着，表情慢慢变得越来越严肃，等他讲完，索恩希尔医生问道：“老鼠总是沿着那根警钟的拉绳逃跑吗？”

医生停顿了一下，说：“你知道那是根什么拉绳吗？”

“不知道。”

医生一字一句地说：“那是用来绞死法官判处死刑的犯人的绳子。”威特汉夫人的尖叫声再次打断了他的话，于是，他们只得想办法让她再次平静下来。马尔科姆逊看了一下手表，发现已经快到吃晚饭的时间了，他没来得及等她完全平静下来就先告辞了。

威特汉夫人缓过神来，便生气地对着医生吼叫道：“他一个人住在那里已经够受的了，为什么还要给他讲那么恐怖的事来吓他？”

索恩希尔医生回答道：“亲爱的夫人，我这样做自有我的道理。我是为了让他留意那根拉绳，不要无视它。或许是他神经高度紧张，或是学习过度——但我可以确定他的身体和心智都很健康，至少目前看来是这样的——才有了那些关于老鼠的故事，或是鬼怪的暗示。”医生摇了摇头，继续说：“本来我很想提议第一天晚上去陪他一起住的，但又怕他不高兴。晚上发生的事情可能是他因为害怕而产生的幻觉。如果真是那样的话，他可以拉那根绳子，那样可以发出警报，我们就可以及时赶到去帮他。今天晚上我会很晚才睡，并会提高警觉，随时注意他的动静。如果本切奇在黎明之前爆出大新闻，请不要感到惊恐。”

“哦，医生，你这是什么意思？到底是什么意思啊？”

“我的意思是，可能，很可能，我们今天晚上会听到从法官的房子里传出的大警钟的警鸣声。”医生说完就走了。

马尔科姆逊回到家，发现他这次比平时晚回来了一些。登普斯特太太已经走了——看来她确实很遵守他们的规定。他很高兴地看到，亮堂堂的房间被收拾得干干净净，壁炉里的火烧得旺旺的，灯也点得亮亮的。虽然已经四月份了，但是晚上还是比想象的要冷得多。窗外，风呼呼地刮着，越吹越大，预示着晚上很有可能会有一场暴风雨。他刚进屋后的几分钟，老鼠们的吵闹声停止了，但很快它们便又像往常一样开始闹了起来。听到吵闹声，他非常高兴，因为他再一次感觉到它们的吵闹声是友好的。这时，他又想起了那件怪事：只有当那只目露凶光的大老鼠出现时，它们才会停止活动，安静下来。他看书用的那盏灯已经点亮了，因为罩了个绿色的灯罩，天花板和房间的上方都是黑漆漆的。壁炉里的火光照在地板上，照在白色的桌布上，让整个屋子都笼罩在温暖、愉快的氛围中。马尔科姆逊坐下吃饭，他胃口很好，也觉得很放松。吃完饭后，他点了支烟，如往常般准备开始看书，不让任何事来打扰自己。他记得自己对医生的承诺，下决心要尽可能地充分利用时间。

这时，马尔科姆逊耳边回响起医生的话：“那是用来绞死被法官判处死刑的犯人的绳子。”他不由自主地走到壁炉边，抓起这根绳子，仔细地端详着。他感觉到它似乎有种可怕的魔力，他不禁开始琢磨，那些被绞死的到底是些什么人？为什么法官要把这么可怕的东西放在这里？他站在这里，晃动着的钟使拉绳来回晃着。突然，他感觉到拉绳在颤动，就好像有什么东西在它的上面爬一样。

马尔科姆逊本能地抬头看了看，只见那只大老鼠正在慢慢地朝他爬过来，还紧紧地盯着他。他慌忙丢掉拉绳，向后退了几步，嘴里咒骂着，老鼠转身又爬了回去，一下子就不见了。与此同时，马尔科姆逊听到，刚安静下来的老鼠们又开始吵闹起来。

这一幕让他不禁开始思索这到底是怎么回事，他突然想到还没有仔细看看他本打算要探究的那个老鼠洞和那幅画。于是他又点了一盏没有灯罩的灯，举得高高的，走到壁炉右边的第三幅画前。前两天晚上，老鼠就是从这里逃跑的。

他刚看了一眼，就吓了一大跳，差点儿把灯掉在地上，他的脸变得像白纸一样，没有一点儿血色。他的膝盖在发抖，前额也冒出大滴大滴的汗珠，他颤抖着，就像风中的杨柳树。毕竟是初生牛犊不怕虎，他马上定了定神，壮了壮胆，几秒钟后再次走到画前，举高灯，仔细地端详着那幅画，画面已经被擦得干干净净、清晰可见了。

画面上的人穿着一件紫红色的貂毛袍子，那是法官的制服。他的表情严肃冷酷，带有一点儿邪恶、狡猾和报复的意味，厚厚的嘴唇，红红的鹰钩鼻，看起来就像只凶猛的鹰，但面如死灰。画上的那个人双目炯炯有神，露出可怕的恶毒之意。看着看着，马尔科姆逊突然发现，那眼神竟然和那只大老鼠的眼神一模一样，他不由得浑身战栗。灯从他的手中滑落下来，他看见那只大老鼠正躲在画的角落里用恶狠狠的眼神看着他，其他老鼠又安静了下来。他又鼓起勇气，继续研究那幅画。

法官坐在壁炉右边的高背雕花橡木椅上，一根绳子从角落的天花板上垂下来，末端落在地板上。马尔科姆逊认出画中的背景正是他住的这个房间，不禁毛骨悚然。他觉得背后似乎有人，于是，他惊恐地环视了一下房间。随后，他又朝壁炉边看去，突然，他尖叫一声，灯又掉在了地上。

掉在地上的灯将马尔科姆逊的思绪拉了回来。幸好灯是金属的，油没有洒出来。先要把灯弄好，他镇定了一下紧张的神经。关了灯，他擦擦额头上的汗水，沉思了一会儿。

他自言自语：“不能这样，我再这样下去，肯定会变成个疯子，必须停下来。我答应过医生不再喝茶了。他是对的，我的神经太紧张了，有点儿不正常。我都没有注意到，还觉得自己再正常不过了。不过，我现在总算意识到了，不会再像个傻瓜那样了。”

他喝了一大杯兑水的白兰地，让自己平静下来，然后又坐下，静心看书。

他差不多又看了一个多小时的书，随后又被突如其来的寂静打断了。屋外的暴风雨还在继续咆哮着，甚至比之前更猛烈了。雨点打在窗户上，溅起冰雹大的水珠。屋子里还是一片寂静，除了风吹进烟囱里的回**声，就只有雨点打进烟囱所发出的哗哗声。壁炉里的火也慢慢小了，已看不见火星，只燃着暗红的余火。马尔科姆逊全神贯注地听着，只听到一丝轻微、模糊的声音。那是从房间的角落里发出的，那里正是拉绳摆动着的地方，他猜可能是风吹得大警钟摇摇晃晃，拉绳也跟着晃动，从而和地板摩擦发出了哗啦声。他抬起头，借着昏暗的灯光，看到那只大老鼠抓着那根拉绳，正在拼命地啃咬。拉绳快被咬断了，他看见被咬开的绳芯上的浅颜色。就在这时，拉绳被咬断了，下面的一截落在橡木地板上，发出“噗”的一声，而那只大老鼠仍趴在上半截拉绳的末端，像个流苏或小球一样，在上面**来**去。这时，马尔科姆逊突然意识到，他再也无法抓住拉绳向外面求助了，一种恐惧感油然而生，随之而来的便是难以遏制的愤怒，他抓起一本书就向那只大老鼠扔去。他砸得很准，但还是被老鼠躲过去了，老鼠从拉绳上跳下来，“咚”的一声落在地板上。马尔科姆逊立刻向它冲去，它一溜烟儿地跑了，消失在黑暗中。马尔科姆逊决定停下他手头的工作，全力去捕老鼠。他把绿灯罩取下，这样灯光可以照到房间的每个地方。房顶也被照亮了，那些原来黑漆漆的地方都变得亮堂起来，墙上的画也清晰可见。马尔科姆逊站在正对着壁炉右边第三幅画的地方。突然，他被眼前的一切惊呆了，随即恐惧便占据了他的大脑。

在画的中央，露出一大片不规则的褐色画布，其他地方还是和之前看到的一模一样，那些椅子、炉角、拉绳都在，但就是法官不见了。

马尔科姆逊吓得浑身冒冷汗，他慢慢地转过身来，浑身都在颤抖，就像一个中了风的病人。他已经吓得动不了了，手脚根本不听使唤，大脑也不受控制了，只能听和看。

法官缓慢地、从容不迫地站了起来，捡起掉在地上的那半段拉绳，放在手上摩挲着，好像他很喜欢这种感觉。然后，他不慌不忙地在绳的一端打了个结，穿成了套索，接着踩住拉紧它，直到他满意为止。之前的绳子现在已经变成了绳套，法官将它握在手里，接着，他沿着桌子向马尔科姆逊走去，并紧紧地盯着他，直到来到门口时才停了下来。马尔科姆逊感觉自己好像被捆住了一样，他思索着该怎么办。法官的眼睛好像有种特殊的魔力，把他的目光吸住了。他看见法官走近他（但仍站在他和门之间），举起绳套，朝他扔过来想要套住他。他用尽全力跳开了，回头一看，绳套落在了他的身后，发出“砰”的一声。法官再一次举起绳套想要套住他，并继续用凶残的眼神盯着他，这一次马尔科姆逊也用尽全力避开了。如此反复了几次，法官对此既不气馁也不生气，就像一只猫在逗老鼠一样。马尔科姆逊已经绝望至极，他迅速地看了看周围，灯很亮，房间被照得亮堂堂的。他可以看见老鼠洞和墙缝间老鼠们圆溜溜的眼睛，这让他稍微感到一丝安慰。他朝四周看了看，大警钟的拉绳上也挤满了老鼠，越来越多的老鼠从洞里爬到拉绳上，拉绳越来越沉，开始摇晃。

听，钟敲响了。只是开始时声音有点儿小，但随着钟的摇摆，声音越来越响。

听到钟响，一直盯着马尔科姆逊的法官抬起头看看警钟，脸上露出非常愤怒的表情，红了眼的他气得直跺脚，发出巨大的声音，整栋房子都在震动。当他再一次举起绳套的时候，一道霹雳震耳欲聋，拉绳上的老鼠上蹿下跳，像是在同时间赛跑。这一次法官没有扔绳套，而是走近马尔科姆逊，一边走一边拉开绳套。当他走近时，马尔科姆逊像被施了魔法一样，站在那里一动不动。他感到法官冰冷的手指正划过他的喉咙，给他套绳套，拉紧，把他抱到橡木椅上，让他站在上面，接着放开手，拉着这警钟拉绳的末端。当法官抬起手时，老鼠们尖叫着逃跑了，消失在天花板上的洞里。他把套在马尔科姆逊脖子上的绳套的末端绑到了警钟的绳子上。最后，他推开椅子，让马尔科姆逊吊在空中。当法官的房子里的警钟拉响时，大队人马迅速聚集了起来，他们擎着灯、举着火把，沉默不语，飞身朝着目的地奔了过去。他们使劲儿地敲门，却没有任何回应。最后，他们只好破门而入，医生带头冲进马尔科姆逊住的饭厅。

知识点

侦探小说是以案件的发生和推理侦破过程为主要描写对象的小说。侦探小说主要写具有惊人推理、判断智力的人物，根据一系列的线索，破解犯罪（多是凶杀）的疑案。它的结构、情节、人物甚至环境都有一定的格局和程式，因此它也是一种程式文学。由于传统侦探小说中的破案大多采取推理方式，所以也有人称它为推理小说。

W词汇笔记

obliterate[?blit?，reit]v.消灭；除去；擦掉；使忘掉

例 He obliterated all the words on the blackboard after class.

课后，把黑板上的字都擦掉了。

absurd[?bs?：d]adj.荒谬的；荒诞的；愚蠢的

例 His colleagues were surprised at his absurd behavior.

同事们对他那荒诞的行为感到吃惊。

prosaic[pr?uzeiik]adj.枯燥的；平淡的；散文体的

例 As a housewife, her life is prosaic.

作为一名家庭妇女，她的生活是平淡的。

wont[w?unt]n.习惯；惯常活动

例 She went for a walk after breakfast, as was her wont.

早饭后散散步是她的习惯。

S小试身手

他很满意这次旅程，因为迄今为止，他还没受到任何人的打扰，如此一来，他就可以静下心来复习功课了。

译________________________________________

它们并没有打扰他，相反，给了他一种很友好的感觉。

译________________________________________

突然，他被眼前的一切惊呆了，随即恐惧便占据了他的大脑。

译________________________________________

P短语家族

I should be only too happy, on behalf of the owners, to let anyone have the house rent free for a term of years if only to accustom the people here to see it inhabited.

on behalf of：代表……；为了……的利益。

造________________________________________

I have come here on purpose to obtain solitude.

on purpose：特地；故意地

造________________________________________