HALLOWEEN Boxed Set: 200+ Horror Classics & Supernatural Mysteries. Джек Лондон
it will," said I, "but come, we must go at once, if going you are.
"Yes, yes," he said hurriedly.
'"Well, then, come along; the horse is not yet unharnessed, and if we do not make haste, we shall be too late to obtain a lodging for the night."
'"That is very good," he said, somewhat wildly; "I am quite ready - quite."
'We left the house, and trotted off to the inn at a good rate, where we arrived in about ten minutes or less, and then I put up the horse, and saw him in the inn, and came back as quick as I could on foot. "Well, well," I thought, "this will do, I have had a good day of it - paid well for business, and haven't wanted for sport on the road."
'Well, I came to the conclusion that if the whole affair was to speedily end, it would be more in my pocket than if she were living, and she would be far happier in heaven than here, Mr Todd.'
'Undoubtedly,' said Mr Sweeney Todd, 'undoubtedly that is a very just observation of yours.'
'Well, then I set to work to find out how the matter could be managed, and I watched her until she awoke. She looked around her, and seemed much surprised, and confused, and did not seem to understand her position, while I remained near at hand.
'She sighed deeply, and put her hand to her head, and appeared for a time quite unable to comprehend what had happened to her, or where she was.
'I sent some tea to her, as I was not prepared to execute my purpose, and she seemed to recover, and asked some questions, but my man was dumb for the occasion, and would not speak, and the result was, she was very much frightened. I left her so for a week or two, and then, one day, I went into her cell. She had greatly altered in appearance, and looked very pale.
'"Well," said I, "how do you find yourself now?"
'She looked up into my face, and shuddered; but she said in a calm voice, looking round her, "Where am I?"
'"You are here!" said I, "and you'll be very comfortable if you only take on kindly, but you will have a straight waistcoat put on you if you do not."
'"Good God!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands, "have they put me here - in - in -"
'She could not finish the sentence, and I supplied the word which she did not utter, until I had done so, and then she screamed loudly, "A mad house!"
"Come," said I, "this will never do; you must learn to be quiet, or you'll have fearful consequences."
'"Oh, mercy, mercy! I will do no wrong! What have I done that I should be brought here - what have I done? They may have all I have if they will let me live in freedom. I care not where or how poor I may be. Oh! Henry, Henry! - if you knew where I was, would you not fly to my rescue? Yes, you would, you would!"
'"Ah," said I, "there is no Henry here, and you must be content to do without one."
'"I could not have believed that my brother would have acted such a base part. I did not think him wicked; although I knew him to be selfish, mean and stern, yet I did not think he intended such wickedness; but he thinks to rob me of all my property - yes, that is the object he has in sending me here."
'"No doubt," said I.
'"Shall I ever get out?" she enquired in a pitiful tone; "do not say my life is to be spent here."
'"Indeed it is," said I; "while he lives, you'll never leave these walls."
'"He shall not attain his end, for I have deeds about me that he will never be able to obtain; indeed he may kill me, but he cannot benefit by my death."
'"Well," said I, "it serves him right. And how did you manage that matter - how did you contrive to get the deeds away?"
'"Never mind that; it is a small deed, and I have secured it. I did not think he would have done this thing, but he may yet relent. Will you aid me? I shall be rich, and can pay you well."
'"But your brother?" said I.
'"Oh, he is rich without mine, but he is over-avaricious; but say you will help me - only help me to get out, and you shall be no loser by the affair."
'"Very well," said I. "Will you give me this deed as a security that you will keep your word?"
'"Yes," she replied, drawing forth the deed - a small parchment -from her bosom. "Take it, and now let me out; you shall be handsomely rewarded."
'"Ah!" said I, "but you must allow me first to settle this matter with my employers. You must really be mad. We do not hear of young ladies carrying deeds and parchments about them when they are in their senses."
'"You do not mean to betray me?" she said, springing up wildly, and running towards the deed, which I carefully placed in my breastcoat-pocket.
'"Oh dear no! but I shall retain the deed, and speak to your brother about this matter."
'"My God! my God!" she exclaimed, and then she sank back on her bed, and in another moment she was covered with blood. She had burst a blood vessel.
'I sent for a surgeon and physician, and they both gave it as their opinion that she could not be saved, and that a few hours would see the last of her.
'That was the fact. She was dead before another half hour, and then I sent to the authorities for the purpose of burial; and, producing the certificate of the medical men, I had no difficulty, and she was buried all comfortably without any trouble.
* * * * *
'"Well," thought I, "this is a very comfortable affair, but it will be more profitable than I had any idea of, and I must get my first reward first; and if there should be any difficulty, I have the deed to fall back upon."
'He came down next day, and appeared with rather a long face.
'"Well," said he, "how do matters go here?"
"Very well," said I; "how is your throat?"
'I thought he cast a malicious look at me, as much as to imply he laid it all to my charge.
'"Pretty well," he replied; "but I was ill for three days. How is the patient?"
'"As well as you could possibly wish," said I.
'"She takes it kindly, eh? Well, I hardly expected it - but no matter. She'll be a long while on hand, I perceive. You haven't tried the frightening system yet, then?"
'"Hadn't any need," I replied, putting the certificate of her burial in his hand.
'He jumped as if he had been stung by an adder, and turned pale; but he soon recovered, and smiled complaisantly as he said, "Ah! well, I see you have been diligent; but I should have liked to have seen her, to have asked her about a missing deed, but no matter."
'"Now, about the two hundred pounds," said I.
'"Why," said he, "I think one will do when you come to consider what you have received, and the short space of time and all: you have had a year's board in advance."
'"I know I had; but because I have done more than you expected, and in a shorter time, instead of giving me more, you have the conscience to offer me less."
'"No, no, not the - the - what did you call it? - we'll have nothing said about that - but here is a hundred pounds, and you are well paid."
"Well," said I, taking the money, "I must have five hundred pounds at any rate, and unless you give it me, I will tell other parties where a certain deed is to be found."
'"What deed?"
'"The one you were alluding to. Give me four hundred more, and you shall have the deed."
'After much conversation and trouble he gave it to me, and I gave him the deed, with which he was well pleased, but looked hard at the money, and seemed to grieve at it very much.
'Since that time I have heard that he was challenged by his sister's lover, and they went out to fight a duel, and he fell - and died. The lover went to the continent, where he has since lived.'
'Ah,'