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第42章 法官的房子 4（第1页）

第42章法官的房子（4）

"Aheolddevil，perhaps。There!sir，youlaugh，"forMalsonhadbrokeniypeal。"Youyoungfolksthiolaughatthingsthatmakesolderonesshudder。Nevermind，sir!nevermind!PleaseGod，you'lllaughallthetime。It'swhatIwishyoumyself!"andthegoodladybeamedalloverinsympathywithhise，herfearsgoneforamoment。

&quiveme!"saidMalsoly。"Don'tthiheideawastoomue-thattheolddevilhimselfwasonthechairlastnight!"Ahelaughedagaihometodinner。

Thiseveningthesganearlier;ihadbeengoingonbeforehisarrival，andohispresesfreshurbedthem。Afterdihefireforawhileandhadasmoke;andthen，haviable，begantoworkasbefhttheratsdisturbedhimmorethantheyhaddohepreviousnight。Hoanddownandunderaheysqueaked，andscratdghey，gettingbrees，outhsoftheirholesandtotheddiesiingtilltheireyesshoinylampsasthefirelightroseaohim，nowdoubtlessaedtothem，theireyeswereheirplayfulouchedhim。Sometimestheboldestofthemmadesalliesoutontheflthemouldi。NowandagaiurbedhimMaladeashteiablewithhishandafierce"Hsh，hsh，"sothattheyfledstraightwaytotheirholes。

AndsotheearlypartofthenightitethenoiseMaloreandmoreimmersedinhiswork。

Allatoopped，asonthepreviousnight，beingoverebyasuddensenseofsilethefaisoundofgnaw，orscratch，orsqueak。Thesilencewasasofthegrave。Herememberedtheoddoceofthepreviousnight，andinstinctivelyhelookedatthedihefireside。Andthenaveryoddsensatiohroughhim。

&hegreatoldhigh-backedcarvedoakchairbesidethefireplacesatthesameenormousrat，steadilyglaringathimwithbalefuleyes。

Iookthehingtohishand，abookoflogarithms，andflungitatit。Thebookwasbadlyaimedadidnainthepokerperformahepreviousnighteated;andagai，beingcloselypursued，fleduptheropeofthealarmbell。Strahedepartureofthisratwasinstantlyfollowedbytherehehegeunity。Onthiso，asonthepreviousone，Malsonotseeatartoftheroomtheratdisappeared，freenshadeofhislamplefttheupperpartoftheroomihefirehadburnedlow。

Onlookingathiswatditwasidnight;and，notsorryforthedivertissement，hemadeuphisfireandmadehimselfhisnightlypotoftea。Hehadgoodspellofwork，andthoughthimselfeoacigarette;ahegreatoakchairbeforethefirea。Whilstsmokihinkthathewouldliketokdisappearedto，forhehadideasforthemorrowirelydisected。Aglyhelitanotherlampahatitwouldshiheright-hahewallbythefireplahegotallthebookshehadwithhim，ahemhandytothrowatthevermin。Fiheropeofthealarmbellaheendofitoable，fixiremeehelamp。Ashehaheothelpnotighowpliableiteciallyfarope，ai;Yougamanwithit，"hethoughttohimself。Wheionsweremadehelookedaround，andsaidplatly:"Therenow，myfriend，Ithinkweshalllearhingofyouthistime!"Hebeganhiswain，andthoughasbeforesomewhatdisturbedatfirstbytheherats，soonlosthimselfinhispropositionsandproblems。

Againhewasediatesurroundihistimeitmighthesuddensilenlywhichtookhisattention;therewasaslightmovementoftherope，andthelampmoved。With，helookedtoseeifhispileofbookswaswithihencasthiseyealongtherope。Ashelookedhesawthegreatratdropfromtheropeontheoakarmdsitthereglaringathim。Heraisedabookinhisrighthand，andtakingcarefulaim，flungitattherat。Thelatter，withaquient，sprangasideahemissile。Hethentookanotherbook，andathird，andflueraherat，buteasuccessfully。Atlast，ashestoodoisedinhishandtothrow，theratsqueakedandseemedafraid。ThismadeMalorethaostrike，andthebookflewandstrucktherataresoundingblow。Itgaveaterrifiedsqueak，andturningonhispursueralookofterriblemalevolenupthechair-badmadeagreatjumptotheropeofthealarmbellandranupitlikelightning。Thelamproderthesuddenstrain，butitwasaheavyoneanddidnottoppleover。Malsohiseyeso，andsawitbythelightofthesepleaptoamouldiahroughaholeihegreatpictureswhithewall，obsdihroughitsgofdirtanddust。