登陆注册
37816600000052

第52章 THE SUPERFLUOUS MANSION (CONTINUED)(4)

'For God's sake,' cried Zero, clutching hold of the young man, 'for God's sake command yourself! We stand upon the brink; death yawns around us; a man - a stranger in this foreign land - one whom you have called your friend - '

'Silence!' cried Somerset, 'you are no friend, no friend of mine. I look on you with loathing, like a toad: my flesh creeps with physical repulsion; my soul revolts against the sight of you.'

Zero burst into tears. 'Alas!' he sobbed, 'this snaps the last link that bound me to humanity. My friend disowns - he insults me. I am indeed accurst.'

Somerset stood for an instant staggered by this sudden change of front. The next moment, with a despairing gesture, he fled from the room and from the house. The first dash of his escape carried him hard upon half-way to the next police-office: but presently began to droop; and before he reached the house of lawful intervention, he fell once more among doubtful counsels. Was he an agnostic? had he a right to act? Away with such nonsense, and let Zero perish! ran his thoughts. And then again: had he not promised, had he not shaken hands and broken bread? and that with open eyes? and if so how could he take action, and not forfeit honour? But honour? what was honour? A figment, which, in the hot pursuit of crime, he ought to dash aside. Ay, but crime? A figment, too, which his enfranchised intellect discarded.

All day, he wandered in the parks, a prey to whirling thoughts; all night, patrolled the city; and at the peep of day he sat down by the wayside in the neighbourhood of Peckham and bitterly wept. His gods had fallen. He who had chosen the broad, daylit, unencumbered paths of universal scepticism, found himself still the bondslave of honour. He who had accepted life from a point of view as lofty as the predatory eagle's, though with no design to prey; he who had clearly recognised the common moral basis of war, of commercial competition, and of crime; he who was prepared to help the escaping murderer or to embrace the impenitent thief, found, to the overthrow of all his logic, that he objected to the use of dynamite. The dawn crept among the sleeping villas and over the smokeless fields of city; and still the unfortunate sceptic sobbed over his fall from consistency.

At length, he rose and took the rising sun to witness.

'There is no question as to fact,' he cried; 'right and wrong are but figments and the shadow of a word; but for all that, there are certain things that I cannot do, and there are certain others that I will not stand.' Thereupon he decided to return to make one last effort of persuasion, and, if he could not prevail on Zero to desist from his infernal trade, throw delicacy to the winds, give the plotter an hour's start, and denounce him to the police. Fast as he went, being winged by this resolution, it was already well on in the morning when he came in sight of the Superfluous Mansion.

Tripping down the steps, was the young lady of the various aliases; and he was surprised to see upon her countenance the marks of anger and concern.

'Madam,' he began, yielding to impulse and with no clear knowledge of what he was to add.

But at the sound of his voice she seemed to experience a shock of fear or horror; started back; lowered her veil with a sudden movement; and fled, without turning, from the square.

Here then, we step aside a moment from following the fortunes of Somerset, and proceed to relate the strange and romantic episode of THE BROWN BOX.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 纯阳灵异录

    纯阳灵异录

    中华上下五千年,从古至今的奇闻异事记载(外加一些小童话)
  • 师傅今日的血呢

    师傅今日的血呢

    本文讲述噬食族,灵族,魔族,之间的纠纷,还有主人公南宫羽到人间寻找妻子,在人间当老师,“调戏”学生的故事,敬请期待哦!
  • 我与时间I血泪双生

    我与时间I血泪双生

    世界给我呈现出最后的一面,世界给我呈现出最坏的一面。
  • 你是我右手边的温度

    你是我右手边的温度

    她是言家的小公主,被众人捧在手心里的宝,容不得受到半点委屈。然鹅,这个言家的小公举却是个性子邪肆又霸道的家伙,更是想要染指燕家大少!听到这个消息的帝都女人炸了,燕家大少却开心的不得了。他是军中上校,燕家大少,众人眼中神一样的存在,却偏偏爱上了个纨绔又萌(霸)态(气)十(侧)足(漏)的她,从此,燕家大少又多了一项任务,那就是——宠老婆,宠老婆,老婆要天上的星星也得摘下来!片段一:言七凉:“听说我想要染指你?”“不不不,是我想要染指你。”男人一脸严肃的说着这个不争的事实。“呵……”言七凉一个枕头砸了过去。(作者简介废,不喜勿喷)
  • 小花仙之希望拉贝尔大陆

    小花仙之希望拉贝尔大陆

    花仙魔法使者来到拉贝尔大陆,拯救朋友,拯救世界,与黑暗战斗,为了希望和朋友,永不放弃!
  • 花样男孩:校花完美蜕变日记

    花样男孩:校花完美蜕变日记

    什么啊,怎么会有这样的男人,长得比女人还美?呼啦拉,怎么一下子出现这么多美男!谁说她喜欢他们?
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 重生娱乐圈天后攻略

    重生娱乐圈天后攻略

    她是作家,,是演员,是歌星;也是节目制作人,导演,编剧,音乐制作人,更是娱乐圈的大佬。她写的小说,本本畅销,引人追捧,是改编电视电影的最好IP;她拍的电影,部部经典,要口碑有口碑,要票房有票房;她导的电视剧,开辟了电视剧新类型,每一部都被各大卫视打破头争抢,收视率爆表;她写的歌曲,曲曲经典,首首动人,千金难求;她制作的综艺节目,每每都是爆款,登上的人都会成为最火爆的明星……她不但自己红,还可以带着身边的人一块红。可以这么说,只要她夏诗宁愿意,就没有她捧不红的人!于是,大家都尊称她为——文娱天后。然而,夏诗宁却谦逊地说:“我不是文娱的创造者,我只是一个文娱的搬运工。”
  • 高尔夫平凡人生

    高尔夫平凡人生

    根据自己的高尔夫从业经历改编而成,为广大的高尔夫从业人员提供一份心灵的寄托,为广大他行的从业人员带去一份不一样的高尔夫从业盛宴。
  • 心有薇澜

    心有薇澜

    十年前满门被灭的若薇,那一天是生命中永远的伤,但是命运就是如此,总会有人来温暖她、治愈她……