法官的房子 The Judges House (第1/6頁)

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布拉姆·斯托克

BramStoker

布拉姆·斯托克（BramStoker，1847—1912），愛爾蘭作家，出生于都柏林。因《德拉庫拉》而享有“吸血鬼之父”的稱號，由此成爲吸血鬼小說的鼻祖，影響了後世幾代作家。其作品被不斷翻拍，成爲經典電影。以其姓名命名的布拉姆·斯托克獎，是恐怖小說界的最高獎。

WhenthetimeforhisexaminationdrewnearMalcolmsonmadeuhismindtogosomewheretoreadbyhimself.Hefearedtheattractionsoftheseaside,andalsohefearedcomletelyruralisolation,forofoldheknewitsharms,andsohedeterminedtofindsomeunretentiouslittletownwheretherewouldbenothingtodistracthim.Herefrainedfromaskingsuggestionsfromanyofhisfriends,forhearguedthateachwouldrecommendsomelaceofwhichhehadknowledge,andwherehehadalreadyacquaintances.AsMalcolmsonwishedtoavoidfriendshehadnowishtoencumberhimselfwiththeattentionoffriendsfriends,andsohedeterminedtolookoutforalaceforhimself.Heackedaortmanteauwithsomeclothesandallthebooksherequired,andthentookticketforthefrstnameonthelocaltime-tablewhichhedidnotknow.

WhenattheendofthreehoursjourneyhealightedatBenchurch,hefeltsatisfedthathehadsofarobliteratedhistracksastobesureofhavingaeacefuloortunityofursuinghisstudies.Hewentstraighttotheoneinnwhichthesleeylittlelacecontained,andutuforthenight.Benchurchwasamarkettown,andonceinthreeweekswascrowdedtoexcess,butfortheremainderofthetwenty-onedaysitwasasattractiveasadesert.Malcolmsonlookedaroundthedayafterhisarrivaltotrytofndquartersmoreisolatedthanevensoquietaninnas“TheGoodTraveller”afforded.Therewasonlyonelacewhichtookhisfancy,anditcertainlysatisfedhiswildestideasregardingquiet；infact,quietwasnottheroerwordtoalytoit-desolationwastheonlytermconveyinganysuitableideaofitsisolation.Itwasanoldrambling,heavy-builthouseoftheJacobeanstyle,withheavygablesandwindows,unusuallysmall,andsethigherthanwascustomaryinsuchhouses,andwassurroundedwithahighbrickwallmassivelybuilt.Indeed,onexamination,itlookedmorelikeafortifiedhousethananordinarydwelling.ButallthesethingsleasedMalcolmson.“Here，”hethought，“istheverysotIhavebeenlookingfor,andifIcangetoortunityofusingitIshallbehay.”Hisjoywasincreasedwhenherealisedbeyonddoubtthatitwasnotatresentinhabited.

Fromtheost-officehegotthenameoftheagentwhowasrarelysurrisedatthealicationtorentaartoftheoldhouse.Mr.Carnford,thelocallawyerandagent,wasagenialoldgentleman,andfranklyconfessedhisdelightatanyonebeingwillingtoliveinthehouse.

“Totellyouthetruth，”saidhe，“Ishouldbeonlytoohay,onbehalfoftheowners,toletanyonehavethehouserentfreeforatermofyearsifonlytoaccustomtheeoleheretoseeitinhabited.Ithasbeensolongemtythatsomekindofabsurdrejudicehasgrownuaboutit,andthiscanbebestutdownbyitsoccuation-ifonly，”headdedwithaslyglanceatMalcolmson，“byascholarlikeyourself,whowantsitsquietforatime.”

Malcolmsonthoughtitneedlesstoasktheagentaboutthe“absurdrejudice”；heknewhewouldgetmoreinformation,ifheshouldrequireit,onthatsubjectfromotherquarters.Heaidhisthreemonthsrent,gotareceit,andthenameofanoldwomanwhowouldrobablyundertaketo“do”forhim,andcameawaywiththekeysinhisocket.Hethenwenttothelandladyoftheinn,whowasacheerfulandmostkindlyerson,andaskedheradviceastosuchstoresandrovisionsashewouldbelikelytorequire.Shethrewuherhandsinamazementwhenhetoldherwherehewasgoingtosettlehimself.

“NotintheJudgesHouse！”shesaid,andgrewaleasshesoke.Heexlainedthelocalityofthehouse,sayingthathedidnotknowitsname.Whenhehadfnishedsheanswered：“Aye,sureenough-sureenoughtheverylace！ItistheJudgesHousesureenough.”Heaskedhertotellhimaboutthelace,whysocalled,andwhattherewasagainstit.Shetoldhimthatitwassocalledlocallybecauseithadbeenmanyyearsbefore-howlongshecouldnotsay,asshewasherselffromanotherartofthecountry,butshethoughtitmusthavebeenahundredyearsormore-theabodeofajudgewhowasheldingreatterroronaccountofhisharshsentencesandhishostilitytorisonersatAssizes.Astowhattherewasagainstthehouse,itselfshecouldnottell.Shehadoftenasked,butnoonecouldinformher；buttherewasageneralfeelingthattherewassomething,andforherownartshewouldnottakeallthemoneyinDrinkwatersBankandstayinthehouseanhourbyherself.ThensheaologizedtoMalcolmsonforherdisturbingtalk.“Itistoobadofme,sir,andyou-andayounggentleman,too-ifyouwillardonmesayingit,goingtolivethereallalone.Ifyouweremyboy-andyou‘llexcusemeforsayingit-youwouldn’tsleethereanight,notifIhadtogotheremyselfandullthebigalarmbellthatsonthatroof！”