Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           Thethreefacesseemedtochangebeforemyeyesandrevealtheirsecrets.Theyoungonewasthemurderer.NowIsawcrueltyandruthlessness,wherebeforeIhadonlyseengood-humour.Hisknife,Imadecertain,hadskeweredScuddertothefloor.HiskindhadputthebulletinKarolides.

           Theplumpman’sfeaturesseemedtodislimn,andformagain,asIlookedatthem.Hehadn’taface,onlyahundredmasksthathecouldassumewhenhepleased.Thatchapmusthavebeenasuperbactor.PerhapshehadbeenLordAlloaofthenightbefore;perhapsnot;itdidn’tmatter.IwonderedifhewasthefellowwhohadfirsttrackedScudder,andlefthiscardonhim.Scudderhadsaidhelisped,andIcouldimaginehowtheadoptionofalispmightaddterror.

           Buttheoldmanwasthepickofthelot.Hewassheerbrain,icy,cool,calculating,asruthlessasasteamhammer.NowthatmyeyeswereopenedIwonderedwhereIhadseenthebenevolence.Hisjawwaslikechilledsteel,andhiseyeshadtheinhumanluminosityofabird’s.Iwentonplaying,andeverysecondagreaterhatewelledupinmyheart.Italmostchokedme,andIcouldn’tanswerwhenmypartnerspoke.OnlyalittlelongercouldIenduretheircompany.

           “Whew!Bob!Lookatthetime,”saidtheoldman.“You’dbetterthinkaboutcatchingyourtrain.Bob’sgottogototowntonight,”headded,turningtome.Thevoicerangnowasfalseashell.Ilookedattheclock,anditwasnearlyhalf-pastten.

           “Iamafraidhemustputoffhisjourney,”Isaid.

           “Oh,damn,”saidtheyoungman.