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第45章 法官的房子 7（第1页）

第45章法官的房子（7）

ThefallenlamprecalledMalself。Fortuwasofmetal，andsotheoililt。However，thepraeedofattendingtoitsettledatonervousapprehensiour，hewipedhisbrowandthoughtforamoment。

"Thiswillnotdo，"hesaidtohimself。"IfIgoohisIshallbeeauststop!IpromisedthedoctorIwouldea。Faith，herettyright!Myhavebeeoaqueerstate。FunnyIdid。Ierinmylife。However，itisallrightnow，andIshallnotbesuchafoolagain。"

Thenhemixedhimselfagoodstiffglassofbrandyandwateraelysatdowntohiswork。

Itwasnearlyanhourwhenhelookedupfromhisbook，disturbedbythesuddehout，thewindhowledandroaredlouderthaheraisagainstthewiinglikehailontheglass;butwithintherewasnosouheechoofthewindasitroarediey，andnowandthenahissasafesfoundtheirwaydownthealullofthestorm。Thefirehadfallenlowaoflame，thoughitthrewlow。Malsoively，alyheardathin，squeaking。Ittheeroftheroomwheretheropehungdowitwasthegoftheropeonthefloorastheswayingofthebellraiseda。Lookingup，however，hesawinthedimlightthegreatratgtnawingit。Theropewasalreadynearlyghrough—hecouldseethelightercolourwherethestrandswerelaidbare。Ashelookedthejobleted，andtheseveredendoftheropefellgontheoakenfloor，whilstforaniratremainedlikeaknobortasselattheendoftherope，whiowbegantoswaytoandfro。Malsoforamomentanofterrorashethoughtthatnowthepossibilityofgtheouterworldtohisassistaoff，butaookitspladseizingthebookhewasreadinghehurleditattherat。Thebloellaimed，butbeforethemissilecouldreachhimtheratdroppedoffandstruckthefloorwithasoftthud。Malsoninstaowardshim，butitdartedaearedinthedarkheshadowsoftheroom。Malsohisworkwasht，aheovarythemonotonysbyahu，andtookoffthegreehelampsoastoinsureawiderspreadinglight。Ashedidsothegloomoftheupperpartoftheroomwasrelieved，andinthenewfloodoflight，greatbyparisonwiththepreviousdarkuresooodoutboldly。Fromwherehestood，Malshtoppositetohimthethirdpithewallfrhtofthefireplace。Herubbedhiseyesihefearbeganto。

Ihepicturewasagreatirregularpatchofbrownvas，asfreshaswhenitwasstrettheframe。Thebadwasasbefore，withdey-drope，butthefigureoftheJudgehaddisappeared。

Malostinachillofhorror，turnedslowlyround，aoshakeandtremblelikeamaninapalsy。Hisstreohavelefthim，andheableofaent，hardlyevenofthought。Helyseeandhear。

&hegreathigh-backedcarvedoakchairsattheJudgeinhisrobesofsdermihhisbalefuleyesglaringvindictively，ariumphoe，cruelmouth，asheliftedwithhishandsablacksoasiftheblfromhisheart，asonedoesisedsuspeherewasasingingihout，hecouldheartheroarandhowlofthetempest，andthroughit，sweptoorm，camethestrikingofmidnightbythegreatthemarketplace。Hestoodforaspaethatseemedtohimeillasastatue，andwithwide-open，horror-struckeyes，breathless。AstheclockstruileoftriumphontheJudge'sfasified，arokeofmidheblahishead。