Тридцять дев’ять ступенів
Chapter 6
“Idonotproposetoletyougo.Ifyouarewhatyousayyouare,youwillsoonhaveachanceofclearingyourself.IfyouarewhatIbelieveyouare,Idonotthinkyouwillseethelightmuchlonger.”
Herangabell,andathirdservantappearedfromtheveranda.
“IwanttheLanchesterinfiveminutes,”hesaid.“Therewillbethreetoluncheon.”
Thenhelookedsteadilyatme,andthatwasthehardestordealofall.
Therewassomethingweirdanddevilishinthoseeyes,cold,malignant,unearthly,andmosthellishlyclever.Theyfascinatedmelikethebrighteyesofasnake.Ihadastrongimpulsetothrowmyselfonhismercyandoffertojoinhisside,andifyouconsiderthewayIfeltaboutthewholethingyouwillseethatthatimpulsemusthavebeenpurelyphysical,theweaknessofabrainmesmerizedandmasteredbyastrongerspirit.ButImanagedtostickitoutandeventogrin.
“You’llknowmenexttime,guv’nor,”Isaid.
“Karl,”hespokeinGermantooneofthemeninthedoorway,“youwillputthisfellowinthestoreroomtillIreturn,andyouwillbeanswerabletomeforhiskeeping.”
Iwasmarchedoutoftheroomwithapistolateachear.
Thestoreroomwasadampchamberinwhathadbeentheoldfarmhouse.Therewasnocarpetontheunevenfloor,andnothingtositdownonbutaschoolform.Itwasblackaspitch,forthewindowswereheavilyshuttered.Imadeoutbygropingthatthewallswerelinedwithboxesandbarrelsandsacksofsomeheavystuff.Thewholeplacesmeltofmouldanddisuse.
