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第24章 法官的房子9（第1页）

偄Judgewasseatedinagreathigh-backedcarvedoakchair，ontheright-handsideofagreatstonefirelacewhere，inthecorner，aroehungdownfromtheceiling，itsendlyingcoiledonthefloor。Withafeelingofsomethinglikehorror，Malcolmsonrecognizedthesceneoftheroomasitstood，andgazedaroundhiminanawestruckmannerasthoughheexectedtofindsomestrangeresencebehindhim。Thenhelookedovertothecornerofthefirelace—andwithaloudcryheletthelamfallfromhishand。

There，intheJudgesarm-chair，withtheroehangingbehind，sattheratwiththeJudgesbalefuleyes，nowintensifiedandwithafiendishleer。Saveforthehowlingofthestormwithouttherewassilence。

ThefallenlamrecalledMalcolmsontohimself。Fortunatelyitwasofmetal，andsotheoilwasnotsilt。However，theracticalneedofattendingtoitsettledatoncehisnervousarehension。Whenhehadturneditout，hewiedhisbrowandthoughtforamoment。

"Thiswillnotdo，

"hesaidtohimself。

"IfIgoonlikethisIshallbecomeacrazyfool。Thismuststo!IromisedthedoctorIwouldnottaketea。Faith，hewasrettyright!Mynervesmusthavebeengettingintoaqueerstate。FunnyIdidnotnoticeit。Ineverfeltbetterinmylife。However，itisallrightnow，andIshallnotbesuchafoolagain。

"

Thenhemixedhimselfagoodstiffglassofbrandyandwaterandresolutelysatdowntohiswork。

Itwasnearlyanhourwhenhelookedufromhisbook，disturbedbythesuddenstillness。Without，thewindhowledandroaredlouderthanever，andtheraindroveinsheetsagainstthewindows，beatinglikehailontheglass;butwithintherewasnosoundwhateversavetheechoofthewindasitroaredinthegreatchimney，andnowandthenahissasafewraindrosfoundtheirwaydownthechimneyinalullofthestorm。Thefirehadfallenlowandhadceasedtoflame，thoughitthrewoutaredglow。Malcolmsonlistenedattentively，andresentlyheardathin，squeakingnoise，veryfaint。Itcamefromthecorneroftheroomwheretheroehungdown，andhethoughtitwasthecreakingoftheroeonthefloorastheswayingofthebellraisedandloweredit。Lookingu，however，hesawinthedimlightthegreatratclingingtotheroeandgnawingit。Theroewasalreadynearlygnawedthrough—hecouldseethelightercolourwherethestrandswerelaidbare。Ashelookedthejobwascomleted，andtheseveredendoftheroefellclatteringontheoakenfloor，whilstforaninstantthegreatratremainedlikeaknobortasselattheendoftheroe，whichnowbegantoswaytoandfro。Malcolmsonfeltforamomentanotherangofterrorashethoughtthatnowtheossibilityofcallingtheouterworldtohisassistancewascutoff，butanintenseangertookitslace，andseizingthebookhewasreadinghehurleditattherat。Theblowwaswellaimed，butbeforethemissilecouldreachhimtheratdroedoffandstruckthefloorwithasoftthud。Malcolmsoninstantlyrushedovertowardshim，butitdartedawayanddisaearedinthedarknessoftheshadowsoftheroom。Malcolmsonfeltthathisworkwasoverforthenight，anddeterminedthenandtheretovarythemonotonyoftheroceedingsbyahuntfortherat，andtookoffthegreenshadeofthelamsoastoinsureawidersreadinglight。Ashedidsothegloomoftheuerartoftheroomwasrelieved，andinthenewfloodoflight，greatbycomarisonwiththereviousdarkness，theicturesonthewallstoodoutboldly。Fromwherehestood，Malcolmsonsawrightoositetohimthethirdictureonthewallfromtherightofthefirelace。Herubbedhiseyesinsurrise，andthenagreatfearbegantocomeuonhim。

Inthecentreoftheicturewasagreatirregularatchofbrowncanvas，asfreshaswhenitwasstretchedontheframe。Thebackgroundwasasbefore，withchairandchimney-cornerandroe，butthefigureoftheJudgehaddisaeared。

Malcolmson，almostinachillofhorror，turnedslowlyround，andthenhebegantoshakeandtremblelikeamaninaalsy。Hisstrengthseemedtohavelefthim，andhewasincaableofactionormovement，hardlyevenofthought。Hecouldonlyseeandhear。