the club of queer trades-第29部分

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I　waited　for　at　least　five　minutes；　leaning　against　a　lamp…post　in　the　lonely　street。　Then　the　milkman　came　swinging　up　the　steps　without　his　can　and　hurried　off　clattering　down　the　road。　Two　or　three　minutes　more　elapsed；　and　then　Rupert　came　bounding　up　also；　his　face　pale　but　yet　laughing；　a　not　uncommon　contradiction　in　him；　denoting　excitement。

〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃so　much　for　all　your　scepticism。　So　much　for　your　philistine　ignorance　of　the　possibilities　of　a　romantic　city。　Two　and　sixpence；　my　boy；　is　the　form　in　which　your　prosaic　good　nature　will　have　to　express　itself。〃

〃What？〃　I　said　incredulously；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　really　did　find　anything　the　matter　with　the　poor　milkman？〃

His　face　fell。

〃Oh；　the　milkman；〃　he　said；　with　a　miserable　affectation　at　having　misunderstood　me。　〃No；　IIdidn't　exactly　bring　anything　home　to　the　milkman　himself；　I〃

〃What　did　the　milkman　say　and　do？〃　I　said；　with　inexorable　sternness。

〃Well；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　said　Rupert；　shifting　restlessly　from　one　foot　to　another；　〃the　milkman　himself；　as　far　as　merely　physical　appearances　went；　just　said；　‘Milk；　Miss；'　and　handed　in　the　can。　That　is　not　to　say；　of　course；　that　he　did　not　make　some　secret　sign　or　some〃

I　broke　into　a　violent　laugh。　〃You　idiot；〃　I　said；　〃why　don't　you　own　yourself　wrong　and　have　done　with　it？　Why　should　he　have　made　a　secret　sign　any　more　than　any　one　else？　You　own　he　said　nothing　and　did　nothing　worth　mentioning。　You　own　that；　don't　you？〃

His　face　grew　grave。

〃Well；　since　you　ask　me；　I　must　admit　that　I　do。　It　is　possible　that　the　milkman　did　not　betray　himself。　It　is　even　possible　that　I　was　wrong　about　him。〃

〃Then　come　along　with　you；〃　I　said；　with　a　certain　amicable　anger；　〃and　remember　that　you　owe　me　half　a　crown。〃

〃As　to　that；　I　differ　from　you；〃　said　Rupert　coolly。　〃The　milkman's　remarks　may　have　been　quite　innocent。　Even　the　milkman　may　have　been。　But　I　do　not　owe　you　half　a　crown。　For　the　terms　of　the　bet　were；　I　think；　as　follows；　as　I　propounded　them；　that　wherever　that　milkman　came　to　a　real　stop　I　should　find　out　something　curious。〃

〃Well？〃　I　said。

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃I　jolly　well　have。　You　just　come　with　me；〃　and　before　I　could　speak　he　had　turned　tail　once　more　and　whisked　through　the　blue　dark　into　the　moat　or　basement　of　the　house。　I　followed　almost　before　I　made　any　decision。

When　we　got　down　into　the　area　I　felt　indescribably　foolish　literally；　as　the　saying　is；　in　a　hole。　There　was　nothing　but　a　closed　door；　shuttered　windows；　the　steps　down　which　we　had　come；　the　ridiculous　well　in　which　I　found　myself；　and　the　ridiculous　man　who　had　brought　me　there；　and　who　stood　there　with　dancing　eyes。　I　was　just　about　to　turn　back　when　Rupert　caught　me　by　the　elbow。

〃Just　listen　to　that；〃　he　said；　and　keeping　my　coat　gripped　in　his　right　hand；　he　rapped　with　the　knuckles　of　his　left　on　the　shutters　of　the　basement　window。　His　air　was　so　definite　that　I　paused　and　even　inclined　my　head　for　a　moment　towards　it。　From　inside　was　coming　the　murmur　of　an　unmistakable　human　voice。

〃Have　you　been　talking　to　somebody　inside？〃　I　asked　suddenly；　turning　to　Rupert。

〃No；　I　haven't；〃　he　replied；　with　a　grim　smile；　〃but　I　should　very　much　like　to。　Do　you　know　what　somebody　is　saying　in　there？〃

〃No；　of　course　not；〃　I　replied。

〃Then　I　recommend　you　to　listen；〃　said　Rupert　sharply。

In　the　dead　silence　of　the　aristocratic　street　at　evening；　I　stood　a　moment　and　listened。　From　behind　the　wooden　partition；　in　which　there　was　a　long　lean　crack；　was　coming　a　continuous　and　moaning　sound　which　took　the　form　of　the　words：　〃When　shall　I　get　out？　When　shall　I　get　out？　Will　they　ever　let　me　out？〃　or　words　to　that　effect。

〃Do　you　know　anything　about　this？〃　I　said；　turning　upon　Rupert　very　abruptly。

〃Perhaps　you　think　I　am　the　criminal；〃　he　said　sardonically；　〃instead　of　being　in　some　small　sense　the　detective。　I　came　into　this　area　two　or　three　minutes　ago；　having　told　you　that　I　knew　there　was　something　funny　going　on；　and　this　woman　behind　the　shutters　（for　it　evidently　is　a　woman）　was　moaning　like　mad。　No；　my　dear　friend；　beyond　that　I　do　not　know　anything　about　her。　She　is　not；　startling　as　it　may　seem；　my　disinherited　daughter；　or　a　member　of　my　secret　seraglio。　But　when　I　hear　a　human　being　wailing　that　she　can't　get　out；　and　talking　to　herself　like　a　mad　woman　and　beating　on　the　shutters　with　her　fists；　as　she　was　doing　two　or　three　minutes　ago；　I　think　it　worth　mentioning；　that　is　all。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　I　said；　〃I　apologize；　this　is　no　time　for　arguing。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

Rupert　Grant　had　a　long　clasp…knife　naked　and　brilliant　in　his　hand。

〃First　of　all；〃　he　said；　〃house…breaking。〃　And　he　forced　the　blade　into　the　crevice　of　the　wood　and　broke　away　a　huge　splinter；　leaving　a　gap　and　glimpse　of　the　dark　window…pane　inside。　The　room　within　was　entirely　unlighted；　so　that　for　the　first　few　seconds　the　window　seemed　a　dead　and　opaque　surface；　as　dark　as　a　strip　of　slate。　Then　came　a　realization　which；　though　in　a　sense　gradual；　made　us　step　back　and　catch　our　breath。　Two　large　dim　human　eyes　were　so　close　to　us　that　the　window　itself　seemed　suddenly　to　be　a　mask。　A　pale　human　face　was　pressed　against　the　glass　within；　and　with　increased　distinctness；　with　the　increase　of　the　opening　came　the　words：

〃When　shall　I　get　out？〃

〃What　can　all　this　be？〃　I　said。

Rupert　made　no　answer；　but　lifting　his　walking…stick　and　pointing　the　ferrule　like　a　fencing　sword　at　the　glass；　punched　a　hole　in　it；　smaller　and　more　accurate　than　I　should　have　supposed　possible。　The　moment　he　had　done　so　the　voice　spouted　out　of　the　hole；　so　to　speak；　piercing　and　querulous　and　clear；　making　the　same　demand　for　liberty。

〃Can't　you　get　out；　madam？〃　I　said；　drawing　near　the　hole　in　some　perturbation。

〃Get　out？　Of　course　I　can't；〃　moaned　the　unknown　female　bitterly。　〃They　won't　let　me。　I　told　them　I　would　be　let　out。　I　told　them　I'd　call　the　police。　But　it's　no　good。　Nobody　knows；　nobody　comes。　They　could　keep　me　as　long　as　they　liked　only〃

I　was　in　the　very　act　of　breaking　the　window　finally　with　my　stick；　incensed　with　this　very　sinister　mystery；　when　Rupert　held　my　arm　hard；　held　it　with　a　curious；　still；　and　secret　rigidity　as　if　he　desired　to　stop　me；　but　did　not　desire　to　be　observed　to　do　so。　I　paused　a　moment；　and　in　the　act　swung　slightly　round；　so　that　I　was　facing　the　supporting　wall　of　the　front　door　steps。　The　act　froze　me　into　a　sudden　stillness　like　that　of　Rupert；　for　a　figure　almost　as　motionless　as　the　pillars　of　the　portico；　but　unmistakably　human；　had　put　his　head　out　from　between　the　doorposts　and　was　gazing　down　into　the　area。　One　of　the　lighted　lamps　of　the　street　was　just　behind　his　head；　throwing　it　into　abrupt　darkness。　Consequently；　nothing　whatever　could　be　seen　of　his　face　beyond　one　fact；　that　he　was　unquestionably　staring　at　us。　I　must　say　I　thought　Rupert's　calmness　magnificent。　He　rang　the　area　bell　quite　idly；　and　went　on　talking　to　me　with　the　easy　end　of　a　conversation　which　had　never　had　any　beginning。　The　black　glaring　figure　in　the　portico　did　not　stir。　I　almost　thought　it　was　really　a　statue。　In　another