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第18章 法官的房子3(第1页)

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第18章法官的房子(3)

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。

画里的法官此时就坐在高背雕花橡木椅上,穿着紫红色的貂毛法官袍,手拿一顶黑帽子正准备戴上,他目露凶光,坚毅、冷酷的嘴角扬起胜利的微笑。马尔科姆逊感觉到他的血正在涌向心脏,耳朵嗡嗡响,只听得到暴风雨呼啸的声音和从广场上传来的午夜的钟声,他就像尊雕像那样定在那里,眼睛睁得圆圆的,屏住了呼吸。听到钟声,法官胜利的微笑显得更得意了,当午夜的钟声敲到最后一下时,法官戴上了他的黑帽子。

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,法官对此又不气馁也不生气,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被拉响时,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。

警钟拉绳的末端吊着马尔科姆逊的尸体,油画上法官露出了邪恶的微笑。

&imeforhisexaminationdrewnearMaladeuphismindtogosomewheretoreadbyhimself。Hefearedtheattrasoftheseaside,andalsohefearedpletelyruralisolation,forofoldheksharms,aermiofientiouslittletowherewouldbenothingtodistracthim。Herefrainedfromaskiionsfromanyofhisfriends,fuedthateamendsomeplaceofwhichhehadknowledge,andwherehehadalreadyaces。AsMalsooavoidfriendshehadnowishtoencumberhimselfwiththeattentionoffriends'friends,aermiolookoutforaplaself。Hepaahsomedallthebooksherequired,aicketforthefirsthelocaltime-tablewhichhedidnotknow。

&heendofthreehours'jouredatBenchurch,hefeltsatisfiedthathehadsofarobliteratedhistracksastobesureofhavingapeacefulopportunityhisstudies。Hewentstraighttotheoneinnwhichthesleepylittleplaed,andputupfht。Benchurchwasamarkettown,ahreededtoexcess,butfortheremaihetwewasasattractiveasadesert。Malsonlookedarouerhisarrivaltotrytofindquartersmoreisolatedthaneveaninnas"TheGoodTraveller"afforded。Therewasonlyoookhisfanditlysatisfiedhiswildestideasregardi,quietwasnottheproperlytoit—desolatioermganysuitableideaofitsisolation。Itwasan,heavy-builthouseoftheJastyle,withheavygablesandwindows,unusuallysmall,ahigherthanwasaryinsuchhouses,andwassurrouhahighbrickwallmassivelybuilt。Indeed,oion,itlookedmorelikeafortifiedhousethananordiallthesethingspleasedMalson。"Here,"hethought,"istheveryspotIhavebeenlookingfor,andifIgetopportunityofusingitIshallbehappy。"Hisjoywasincreasedwhenherealisedbeyonddoubtthatitresentinhabited。

Fromthepost-offieoftheagentrisedattheapplitorentapartoftheoldhouse。Mr。ford,thelocallawyera,wasagenialoldgentleman,andfranklyfessedhisdelightatanyonebeingwillihehouse。

"Totellyouthetruth,"saidhe,"Ishouldbeonlytoohappy,oheowoletahehousereermofyearsifonlytoathepeopleheretoseeitihasbeensolosomekindofabsurdprejudicehasgrownupaboutit,andthisbebestputdownbyitso—ifonly,"headdedwithaslyglaMalson,"byascholarlikeyourself,whowantsitsquietforatime。"

Malsonthoughtitoasktheagentaboutthe"absurdprejudice";heknewhewouldgetmoreinformation,ifheshouldrequireit,onthatsubjeotherquarters。Hepaidhisthreemonths&#otaredthenameofanoldouldprobablyu;do"forhim,ahthekeysinhispocket。Hethehelandladyoftheinn,whowasacheerfulandmostkindlyperson,andaskedheradviceastosuchstoresandprovisionsashewouldbelikelytorequire。Shethrewupherhandsiwheoldherwherehewasgoilehimself。

章节目录

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