法官的房子 The Judges House (第3/6頁)

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“Surely，”hethought，“theycannothavebeenatitallthetimeIwasreading.Hadtheybeen,Imusthavenoticedit！”Presently,whenthenoiseincreased,hesatisfedhimselfthatitwasreallynew.Itwasevidentthatatfrsttheratshadbeenfrightenedattheresenceofastranger,andthelightoffreandlam；butthatasthetimewentontheyhadgrownbolderandwerenowdisortingthemselvesaswastheirwont.

Howbusytheywere！Andharktothestrangenoises！Uanddownbehindtheoldwainscot,overtheceilingandunderthefoortheyraced,andgnawed,andscratched！MalcolmsonsmiledtohimselfasherecalledtomindthesayingofMrs.Demster，“Bogiesisrats,andratsisbogies！”Theteabegantohaveitseffectofintellectualandnervousstimulus,hesawwithjoyanotherlongsellofworktobedonebeforethenightwasast,andinthesenseofsecuritywhichitgavehim,heallowedhimselftheluxuryofagoodlookroundtheroom.Hetookhislaminonehand,andwentallaround,wonderingthatsoquaintandbeautifulanoldhousehadbeensolongneglected.Thecarvingoftheoakontheanelsofthewainscotwasfne,andonandroundthedoorsandwindowsitwasbeautifulandofraremerit.Thereweresomeoldicturesonthewalls,buttheywerecoatedsothickwithdustanddirtthathecouldnotdistinguishanydetailofthem,thoughheheldhislamashighashecouldoverhishead.Hereandthereashewentroundhesawsomecrackorholeblockedforamomentbythefaceofaratwithitsbrighteyesglitteringinthelight,butinaninstantitwasgone,andasqueakandascamerfollowed.Thethingthatmoststruckhim,however,wastheroeofthegreatalarmbellontheroof,whichhungdowninacorneroftheroomontheright-handsideofthefrelace.Heulleduclosetothehearthagreathigh-backedcarvedoakchair,andsatdowntohislastcuoftea.Whenthiswasdonehemadeuthefre,andwentbacktohiswork,sittingatthecornerofthetable,havingthefretohisleft.Foralittlewhiletheratsdisturbedhimsomewhatwiththeireretualscamering,buthegotaccustomedtothenoiseasonedoestothetickingofaclockortotheroarofmovingwater,andhebecamesoimmersedinhisworkthateverythingintheworld,excettheroblemwhichhewastryingtosolve,assedawayfromhim.

Hesuddenlylookedu,hisroblemwasstillunsolved,andtherewasintheairthatsenseofthehourbeforethedawn,whichissodreadtodoubtfullife.Thenoiseoftheratshadceased.Indeeditseemedtohimthatitmusthaveceasedbutlatelyandthatitwasthesuddencessationwhichhaddisturbedhim.Thefrehadfallenlow,butstillitthrewoutadeeredglow.Ashelookedhestartedinsiteofhissangfroid.

Thereonthegreathigh-backedcarvedoakchairbytherightsideofthefrelacesatanenormousrat,steadilyglaringathimwithbalefuleyes.Hemadeamotiontoitasthoughtohuntitaway,butitdidnotstir.Thenhemadethemotionofthrowingsomething.Stillitdidnotstir,butshoweditsgreatwhiteteethangrily,anditscrueleyesshoneinthelamlightwithanaddedvindictiveness.

Malcolmsonfeltamazed,andseizingtheokerfromthehearthranatittokillit.Before,however,hecouldstrikeit,therat,withasqueakthatsoundedliketheconcentrationofhate,jumeduonthefoor,and,runningutheroeofthealarmbell,disaearedinthedarknessbeyondtherangeofthegreen-shadedlam.Instantly,strangetosay,thenoisyscameringoftheratsinthewainscotbeganagain.

BythistimeMalcolmsonsmindwasquiteofftheroblem；andasashrillcock-crowoutsidetoldhimofthearoachofmorning,hewenttobedandtoslee.

HesletsosoundthathewasnotevenwakedbyMrs.Demstercomingintomakeuhisroom.Itwasonlywhenshehadtidieduthelaceandgothisbreakfastreadyandtaedonthescreenwhichclosedinhisbedthathewoke.Hewasalittletiredstillafterhisnightshardwork,butastrongcuofteasoonfreshenedhimuand,takinghisbook,hewentoutforhismorningwalk,bringingwithhimafewsandwicheslestheshouldnotcaretoreturntilldinnertime.Hefoundaquietwalkbetweenhighelmssomewayoutsidethetown,andherehesentthegreaterartofthedaystudyinghisLalace.OnhisreturnhelookedintoseeMrs.Withamandtothankherforherkindness.Whenshesawhimcomingthroughthediamond-anedbaywindowofhersanctumshecameouttomeethimandaskedhimin.Shelookedathimsearchinglyandshookherheadasshesaid：

“Youmustnotoverdoit,sir.Youarealerthismorningthanyoushouldbe.Toolatehoursandtoohardworkonthebrainisntgoodforanyman！Buttellme,sir,howdidyouassthenight?Well,Ihoe?Butmyheart!sir,IwasgladwhenMrs.Demstertoldmethismorningthatyouwereallrightandsleeingsoundwhenshewentin.”

“Oh,Iwasallright，”heanswered,smiling，“the‘something’didn‘tworryme,asyet.Onlytherats；andtheyhadacircus,Itellyou,alloverthelace.Therewasonewicked-lookingolddevilthatsatuonmyownchairbythefre,andwouldn’tgotillItooktheokertohim,andthenheranutheroeofthealarmbellandgottosomewhereuthewallortheceiling-Icouldntseewhere,itwassodark.”