“Oh, Doctor, what do you mean?What do you mean?”
“I mean this；that possibly-nay, more probably-we shall hear the great alarm bell from the Judges House tonight，”and the doctor made about as effective an exit as could be thought of.
When Malcolmson arrived home he found that it was a little after his usual time, and Mrs. Dempster had gone away-the rules of Greenhows Charity were not to be neglected. He was glad to see that the place was bright and tidy with a cheerful fre and a well-trimmed lamp. The evening was colder than might have been expected in April, and a heavy wind was blowing with such rapidly increasing strength that there was every promise of a storm during the night. For a few minutes after his entrance the noise of the rats ceased；but so soon as they became accustomed to his presence they began again. He was glad to hear them, for he felt once more the feeling of companionship in their noise, and his mind ran back to the strange fact that they only ceased to manifest themselves when that other-the great rat with the baleful eyes-came upon the scene. The reading-lamp only was lit and its green shade kept the ceiling and the upper part of the room in darkness, so that the cheerful light from the hearth spreading over the foor and shining on the white cloth laid over the end of the table was warm and cheery. Malcolmson sat down to his dinner with a good appetite and a buoyant spirit. After his dinner and a cigarette he sat steadily down to work, determined not to let anything disturb him, for he remembered his promise to the doctor, and made up his mind tomake the best of the time at his disposal.
For an hour or so he worked all right, and then his thoughts began to wander from his books. The actual circumstances around him, the calls on his physical attention, and his nervous susceptibility were not to be denied. By this time the wind had become a gale, and the gale a storm. The old house, solid though it was, seemed to shake to its foundations, and the storm roared and raged through its many chimneys and its queer old gables, producing strange, unearthly sounds in the empty rooms and corridors. Even the great alarm bell on the roof must have felt the force of the wind, for the rope rose and fell slightly, as though the bell were moved a little from time to time, and the limber rope fell on the oak foor with a hard and hollow sound.
As Malcolmson listened to it he bethought himself of the doctors words，“It is the rope which the hangman used for the victims of the Judges judicial rancour，”and he went over to the corner of the freplace and took it in his hand to look at it. There seemed a sort of deadly interest in it, and as he stood there he lost himself for a moment in speculation as to who these victims were, and the grim wish of the Judge to have such a ghastly relic ever under his eyes. As he stood there the swaying of the bell on the roof still lifted the rope now and again；but presently there came a new sensation-a sort of tremor in the rope, as though something was moving along it.
Looking up instinctively Malcolmson saw the great rat coming slowly down towards him, glaring at him steadily. He dropped the rope and started back with a muttered curse, and the rat turning ran up the rope again and disappeared, and at the same instant Malcolmson became conscious that the noise of the rats, which had ceased for a while, began again.
All this set him thinking, and it occurred to him that he had notinvestigated the lair of the rat or looked at the pictures, as he had intended. He lit the other lamp without the shade, and, holding it up went and stood opposite the third picture from the fireplace on the right-hand side where he had seen the rat disappear on the previous night.
At the first glance he started back so suddenly that he almost dropped the lamp, and a deadly pallor overspread his face. His knees shook, and heavy drops of sweat came on his forehead, and he trembled like an aspen. But he was young and plucky, and pulled himself together, and after the pause of a few seconds stepped forward again, raised the lamp, and examined the picture which had been dusted and washed, and now stood out clearly.
It was of a judge dressed in his robes of scarlet and ermine. His face was strong and merciless, evil, crafty, and vindictive, with a sensual mouth, hooked nose of ruddy colour, and shaped like the beak of a bird of prey. The rest of the face was of a cadaverous colour. The eyes were of peculiar brilliance and with a terribly malignant expression. As he looked at them, Malcolmson grew cold, for he saw there the very counterpart of the eyes of the great rat. The lamp almost fell from his hand, he saw the rat with its baleful eyes peering out through the hole in the corner of the picture, and noted the sudden cessation of the noise of the other rats. However, he pulled himself together, and went on with his examination of the picture.
The Judge was seated in a great high-backed carved oak chair, on the right-hand side of a great stone freplace where, in the corner, a rope hung down from the ceiling, its end lying coiled on the foor. With a feeling of something like horror, Malcolmson recognized the scene of the room as it stood, and gazed around him in an awestruck manner as though he expected to fnd some strange presence behindhim. Then he looked over to the corner of the freplace-and with a loud cry he let the lamp fall from his hand.
There, in the Judge‘s arm-chair, with the rope hanging behind, sat the rat with the Judge’s baleful eyes, now intensifed and with a fiendish leer. Save for the howling of the storm without there was silence.
The fallen lamp recalled Malcolmson to himself. Fortunately it was of metal, and so the oil was not spilt. However, the practical need of attending to it settled at once his nervous apprehension. When he had turned it out, he wiped his brow and thought for a moment.
“This will not do，”he said to himself.“If I go on like this I shall become a crazy fool. This must stop！I promised the doctor I would not take tea. Faith, he was pretty right！My nerves must have been getting into a queer state. Funny I did not notice it. I never felt better in my life. However, it is all right now, and I shall not be such a fool again.”
Then he mixed himself a good stiff glass of brandy and water and resolutely sat down to his work.
It was nearly an hour when he looked up from his book, disturbed by the sudden stillness. Without, the wind howled and roared louder than ever, and the rain drove in sheets against the windows, beating like hail on the glass；but within there was no sound whatever save the echo of the wind as it roared in the great chimney, and now and then a hiss as a few raindrops found their way down the chimney in a lull of the storm. The fre had fallen low and had ceased to fame, though it threw out a red glow. Malcolmson listened attentively, and presently heard a thin, squeaking noise, very faint. It came from the corner of the room where the rope hung down, and he thought it was the creaking of the rope on the foor as the swaying of the bell raised and loweredit. Looking up, however, he saw in the dim light the great rat clinging to the rope and gnawing it. The rope was already nearly gnawed through-he could see the lighter colour where the strands were laid bare. As he looked the job was completed, and the severed end of the rope fell clattering on the oaken foor, whilst for an instant the great rat remained like a knob or tassel at the end of the rope, which now began to sway to and fro. Malcolmson felt for a moment another pang of terror as he thought that now the possibility of calling the outer world to his assistance was cut off, but an intense anger took its place, and seizing the book he was reading he hurled it at the rat. The blow was well aimed, but before the missile could reach him the rat dropped off and struck the foor with a soft thud. Malcolmson instantly rushed over towards him, but it darted away and disappeared in the darkness of the shadows of the room. Malcolmson felt that his work was over for the night, and determined then and there to vary the monotony of the proceedings by a hunt for the rat, and took off the green shade of the lamp so as to insure a wider spreading light. As he did so the gloom of the upper part of the room was relieved, and in the new food of light, great by comparison with the previous darkness, the pictures on the wall stood out boldly. From where he stood, Malcolmson saw right opposite to him the third picture on the wall from the right of the freplace. He rubbed his eyes in surprise, and then a great fear began to come upon him.
In the centre of the picture was a great irregular patch of brown canvas, as fresh as when it was stretched on the frame. The background was as before, with chair and chimney-corner and rope, but the fgure of the Judge had disappeared.
Malcolmson, almost in a chill of horror, turned slowly round, and then he began to shake and tremble like a man in a palsy. His strengthseemed to have left him, and he was incapable of action or movement, hardly even of thought. He could only see and hear.
There, on the great high-backed carved oak chair sat the Judge in his robes of scarlet and ermine, with his baleful eyes glaring vindictively, and a smile of triumph on the resolute, cruel mouth, as he lifted with his hands a black cap. Malcolmson felt as if the blood was running from his heart, as one does in moments of prolonged suspense. There was a singing in his ears without, he could hear the roar and howl of the tempest, and through it, swept on the storm, came the striking of midnight by the great chimes in the market place. He stood for a space of time that seemed to him endless still as a statue, and with wide-open, horror-struck eyes, breathless. As the clock struck, so the smile of triumph on the Judges face intensifed, and at the last stroke of midnight he placed the black cap on his head.
Slowly and deliberately the Judge rose from his chair and picked up the piece of the rope of the alarm bell which lay on the foor, drew it through his hands as if he enjoyed its touch, and then deliberately began to knot one end of it, fashioning it into a noose. This he tightened and tested with his foot, pulling hard at it till he was satisfed and then making a running noose of it, which he held in his hand. Then he began to move along the table on the opposite side to Malcolmson, keeping his eyes on him until he had passed him, when with a quick movement he stood in front of the door. Malcolmson then began to feel that he was trapped, and tried to think of what he should do. There was some fascination in the Judge‘s eyes, which he never took off him, and he had, perforce, to look. He saw the Judge approach-still keeping between him and the door-and raise the noose and throw it towards him as if to entangle him. With a great effort he made a quick movement to one side, and saw the rope fall beside him, andheard it strike the oaken foor. Again the Judge raised the noose and tried to ensnare him, ever keeping his baleful eyes fxed on him, and each time by a mighty effort the student just managed to evade it. So this went on for many times, the Judge seeming never discouraged nor discomposed at failure, but playing as a cat does with a mouse. At least in despair, which had reached its climax, Malcolmson cast a quick glance round him. The lamp seemed to have blazed up, and there was a fairly good light in the room. At the many rat-holes and in the chinks and crannies of the wainscot he saw the rats’eyes；and this aspect, that was purely physical, gave him a gleam of comfort. He looked around and saw that the rope of the great alarm bell was laden with rats. Every inch of it was covered with them；and more and more were pouring through the small circular hole in the ceiling whence it emerged, so that with their weight the bell was beginning to sway.
Hark！It had swayed till the clapper had touched the bell. The sound was but a tiny one, but the bell was only beginning to sway, and it would increase.
At the sound the Judge, who had been keeping his eyes fxed on Malcolmson, looked up, and a scowl of diabolical anger overspread his face. His eyes fairly glowed like hot coals, and he stamped his foot with a sound that seemed to make the house shake. A dreadful peal of thunder broke overhead as he raised the rope again, whilst the rats kept running up and down the rope as though working against time. This time, instead of throwing it, he drew close to his victim, and held open the noose as he approached. As he came closer there seemed something paralyzing in his very presence, and Malcolmson stood rigid as a corpse. He felt the Judge‘s icy fngers touch his throat as he adjusted the rope. The noose tightened-tightened. Then the Judge, taking the rigid form of the student in his arms, carried him over andplaced him standing in the oak chair, and stepping up beside him, put his hand up and caught the end of the swaying rope of the alarm bell. As he raised his hand the rats fled squeaking, and disappeared through the hole in the ceiling. Taking the end of the noose which was round Malcolmson’s neck he tied it to the hanging-bell rope, and then descending pulled away the chair.
When the alarm bell of the Judges House began to sound a crowd soon assembled. Lights and torches of various kinds appeared, and soon a silent crowd was hurrying to the spot. They knocked loudly at the door, but there was no reply. Then they burst in the door, and poured into the great dining-room, the doctor at the head.
There at the end of the rope of the great alarm bell hung the body of the student, and on the face of the Judge in the picture was a malignant smile.
隨著考試日期的臨近，馬爾科姆遜決定找個清靜的地方專心複習。他想去海邊，又擔心會被那兒的風景吸引而分心；他想去鄉下，又擔心自己忍受不了寂寞。想來想去，他最後還是決定去一個不知名的小鎮，因為那裏不會有什麽事讓自己分心。至於去哪個小鎮，他決定不征求朋友的意見，因為他覺得他們可能會推薦一些自己很熟悉而且熟人很多的地方。馬爾科姆遜想避開朋友們，也不願意麻煩朋友們的朋友，因此，他決定自己找個地方。他隻帶了一些必要的衣服和書，買了當天的票就上路了，而他的目的地則是當地列車時刻表上的第一個自己沒聽說過的小鎮。
三個小時後，就到了本切奇車站。他很滿意這次旅程，因為迄今為止，他還沒受到任何人的打擾，如此一來，他就可以靜下心來複習功課了。他直接找了一家小旅店住了下來，準備過一夜。本切奇是個小集市，每月有一周是趕集的時間，在那個星期裏，街上人聲鼎沸，而在其餘三周裏，這個小鎮冷清得就像沙漠。第二天，他在街上逛了逛，試圖找一個比前一天晚上投宿的“好旅客”旅館更僻靜的住所。找來找去，隻找到一家，就清靜而言，這地方很合他的心意，事實上，用“偏僻”來形容這裏更恰當。這一棟古老而厚重的房子，帶有鮮明的詹姆斯一世時期的建築風格，高高的三角牆和小小的窗戶，周圍是一圈高高的圍牆。一眼望去，這座房子像一個戒備森嚴的城堡，而不是一個普通的住宅。但是，馬爾科姆遜很喜歡，他想：“這就是我要找的地方，如果能有機會住在這裏，那實在是再好不過了。”當他知道這個地方還沒有人住時，簡直高興壞了。
通過郵局，他打聽到了房子代理人的名字，叫卡恩福德。卡恩福德先生是當地的律師兼代理人，他是一位非常隨和的老紳士。當知道馬爾科姆想租下這座房子時，他感到非常驚訝也非常高興。
他說：“實話對你說，我真為房東感到高興，終於有人肯租這座房子了，哪怕是一間也好，這座房子已經空了很長時間了，因此也招來了許多荒謬的謠言，隻要有人住進去，謠言就會不攻自破了。”他意味深長地看了看馬爾科姆遜，又說道，“像你這樣的讀書人也正是看中了它的清靜。”
馬爾科姆遜覺得沒有必要向代理人問清楚所謂的“荒謬的謠言”是什麽意思。如果他想知道的話，以後肯定會知道的。他預交了三個月的租金，拿了收據，並從卡恩福德先生那裏得知幫他做家務的老婦人的名字。他拿著鑰匙去向旅店的老板娘谘詢在哪兒可以買到所需的物品。老板娘是個好脾氣且熱心腸的人。當她得知他租了那座房子後，立刻一臉驚詫地舉起雙手。
“不要住進法官的房子裏！”她叫道，臉色也變得蒼白。他說，他不知道房東是誰，隻好描述了那座房子的具體位置。聽完他的描述，老板娘叫道：“對！那就是，那就是，那就是法官的房子，沒錯。”他請老板娘告訴他關於那座房子的具體情況，為什麽叫它“法官的房子”，那兒究竟有什麽不對勁的地方。老板娘告訴他，當地人之所以那麽叫它，是因為很多年前——到底有多久她也說不上來，因為她也是個外地人，可能一百年前或更久——有個法官住在那裏，那位法官辦案嚴厲，對囚犯從不留情，令人生畏。至於那座房子到底有什麽不對勁的地方，她也說不上來。她也問過很多人，但是沒有人能講明白。不過，她的直覺告訴她，那座房子肯定有問題，即使把德林克沃特銀行的錢都給她，她也不願在那裏單獨待上一小時。這話剛出口，她便覺得有些不妥，立即為她剛才所說的話向馬爾科姆遜道歉：“是我不對，閣下，我不該那麽說。但如果你是我的孩子的話，請原諒我這樣說，我是絕不會讓你一個人在那裏過夜的。如果非得讓我一個人待在那裏的話，我一定會在屋頂上安個大大的報警器。”
老板娘說得那麽真誠，而她說這些也的確是出於對他的關心，因此，盡管馬爾科姆遜覺得有些好笑，但是他也很感動。他告訴她，自己非常感謝她的關心，並說：“我親愛的威特漢夫人，您不必為我擔心，對於一個在劍橋大學攻讀數學學士學位的學生來說，需要考慮的事情實在太多了，所以我根本無暇顧及這所謂的神秘的‘不對勁的東西’，我的腦袋裏裝滿了那些嚴密而枯燥的東西，已經裝不下那些神秘的東西了。對我來說，調和級數、數字排列組合、橢圓函數已經夠神秘了！”好心的威特漢夫人主動提出幫他辦事，而他自己則去找那位卡恩福德先生介紹的老婦人。一兩個小時後，他和那位老婦人一起回到了法官的房子，威特漢夫人正和一群人站在門口等他，那些人拎著大包小包，家具商也運來了一張床。威特漢夫人說：“桌椅可以先湊合著用，那張有五十多年曆史的床可能生黴了，不適合年輕人睡。”顯然，她對屋子裏的一切都很好奇，但同時她也很害怕那所謂的“不對勁的東西”，她緊緊地抓著馬爾科姆遜，一刻也不敢鬆手，就這樣在整個屋子裏轉了一遍。
馬爾科姆遜審視完房子後，決定住在那間大飯廳裏，那裏足夠寬敞，能夠滿足他所有的需要。威特漢夫人和那位來做雜活的女工——登普斯特太太，已經開始收拾房間了。那些大包裹被搬進來，馬爾科姆遜打開一看，發現威特漢夫人送來的食物足夠他吃好多日子。離開前，威特漢夫人說了些祝福的客套話，出門時轉過身子對他說：“先生，房子很大，而且很通風，晚上睡覺的時候最好在床前隔個屏風。說實話，如果我和那些‘東西’一起住在這裏，晚上到處都是它們伸出的頭，或它們從上麵看著我，我一定會嚇得半死。”一想到這兒，她嚇得全身都緊張起來，於是，便飛也似的逃走了。
威特漢夫人離開後，登普斯特太太流露出了一種不屑的神態，並說她自己根本就不怕這些鬼怪。
“讓我來告訴你他們都是些什麽東西，閣下。”她說，“那些所謂的鬼怪其實就是老鼠、甲蟲、嘎吱作響的門、鬆動的瓦片、破碎了的玻璃，還有不靈活的抽屜把手什麽的，這些東西在晚上都有可能會引起響動。看那房間裏的壁爐！都有一百多年的曆史了，夠古老了吧！你認為那裏麵就沒有老鼠和蟲子嗎？你想一下，先生，你難道認為自己不會遇見這些小東西嗎？老鼠就是鬼怪，我告訴你，鬼怪就是老鼠，不要往其他方麵想。”
“登普斯特太太，”馬爾科姆遜嚴肅地說，並朝她微微地鞠了個躬，“你很有智慧，為了表示對你的尊重，在我離開後，你還可以在這裏住上兩個月，租金由我來承擔——我隻在這裏住一個月。”
“非常謝謝你的好意，先生！”她回答，“但是我不能在外過夜，我受格林豪慈善基金會的資助，如果我在外過夜，就會失去賴以生存的一切。那個基金會的規定非常嚴格，而且很多人都正覬覦我的位置，我可不能有任何閃失。你在這裏的時候，我很樂意過來照顧你。”
“尊敬的太太，”馬爾科姆遜急切地說道，“我來這裏就是為了清靜，請相信我，對於格林豪慈善基金會如此嚴明的紀律，我深表敬意。當然，我也絕不會讓您做任何有違規定的事，您是如此虔誠，從這一點來說，您真是堪比嚴謹的聖·安東尼啊！”
老婦人笑了笑，說：“年輕人，不用擔心，你在這裏完全可以享受到你所希望的清靜。”說完，她就去收拾房間了。黃昏的時候，馬爾科姆遜散步回來了——散步的時候，他都會拿本書看。房間已經被收拾得幹淨整潔了，古老的壁爐裏也生了火，房間裏的燈亮著，餐桌上已經擺好了威特漢夫人為他準備的美味可口的晚餐。“真舒服！”他搓著手說道。
他吃完晚餐，把盤子移到餐桌的另一端。他拿出書來，給火爐裏添了些新柴，調整了一下燈光，然後就坐下開始學習。不知不覺就到了11點，他這才停下來休息了一會兒，給壁爐裏添了些柴，並給自己沏了杯茶。他向來喜歡喝茶，在大學裏，他經常學習到很晚，茶就是他最好的伴侶。休息對他來說是種奢侈，他充分享受著這美妙、安逸的時刻。新添的柴迸發出小小的火花，古老的房子裏晃動著奇怪的影子，他抿了口茶，沉浸在這種清靜中。接著，他第一次聽到老鼠弄出了些聲響。
他想：“在我看書的時候，它們並不在這裏。如果這樣的話，我一定能察覺到。”不一會兒，響聲越來越大，他確信這是剛剛才有的。顯然，一開始，老鼠被這剛出現的陌生人和火光嚇壞了，但過了一會兒，它們就變得大膽起來，開始像平時一樣自娛自樂起來。
聽，它們多忙啊！還發出奇怪的噪音！它們沿著古老的牆壁爬上爬下，爬到天花板上，又爬到地板上，還不停地啃咬、撕扯。馬爾科姆遜不禁笑了笑，耳邊回響起登普斯特太太的話——“鬼怪就是老鼠，老鼠就是鬼怪！”茶起了作用，讓他興奮起來，他又埋頭苦讀起來，一晚上就這麽過去了。出於安全的考慮，中途休息時，他決定給自己一個環顧四周的機會，他一隻手端著燈，繞著房間走了一圈，心中暗自納悶，這麽寧靜而美麗的老房子，為什麽長久以來一直空著呢。壁板上和門窗周圍的橡木雕花非常精致。牆上掛著些古畫，全都蒙上了厚厚的一層灰，盡管他高高地舉起燈，但也無法看清畫的是什麽。房間裏隨處可見一些裂縫和小洞，老鼠從裏麵探出頭來，它們的眼睛在燈光下顯得格外亮，但它們立刻又把頭縮了回去，發出吱吱聲和窸窸窣窣聲。他印象最深刻的還是屋頂上警鍾的拉繩，它懸掛在壁爐左手邊的牆角。他把一把高背雕花橡木椅拖到壁爐邊坐下，繼續喝他的茶。隨後，他又往壁爐裏添了些柴，坐在桌子的一邊，繼續看他的書。過了一會兒，老鼠又不斷地發出了窸窸窣窣的聲音，而他已經完全習慣了這種聲音，就像習慣了鍾的滴答聲一樣。他完全沉浸在書本裏，仿佛除了正在做的題外，其他一切都與他無關。
他突然抬起頭，題還沒有做出來，但他似乎感覺到了某種黎明到來之前的黑暗。老鼠們也不再發出聲響，雖然在他看來它們也確實該消停了，可這突如其來的安靜讓他有些不安。壁爐裏的火越來越小，但仍發出深紅色的火光。雖然他素以冷靜大膽著稱，可是再次環顧四周時，他還是嚇了一跳。
在壁爐右邊的高背雕花橡木椅上，趴著一隻碩大的老鼠，它正惡狠狠地看著他。他做了個手勢想嚇跑它，但它一動不動，憤怒地露出了它大大的門牙，亮晶晶的眼睛在燈光下露出凶殘的目光，好像要報複他一樣。馬爾科姆遜非常吃驚，抓起壁爐盤的撥火棍就去追打它。還沒有打到，那隻老鼠就發出滿懷仇恨的尖叫聲，一下子跳到地上，順著警鍾的拉繩跑了，消失在燈光照不到的黑暗中。說來也奇怪，壁板中立刻又響起老鼠們窸窸窣窣的聲音。
這時，馬爾科姆遜已經沒有心思去想那些數學題了，外麵傳來公雞打鳴報曉的聲音，天要亮了，他要上床睡覺了。
他睡得很沉，登普斯特太太進來都沒有吵醒他。她打掃好房間，做好早餐，才敲床前的屏風叫醒他。經過一夜辛苦的學習，他感覺很疲倦，但一杯濃茶過後，精神就來了，他拿了本書，便出去散步了。他還隨身帶了塊三明治，這樣即使中午不回來也不會餓。他走到城外，沿著榆樹林散步，坐在草地上埋頭看他的數學書，一直看到傍晚。回來時，他走到威特漢夫人的旅店向她表示謝意。威特漢夫人從窗戶裏看到他，便走出來迎接，請他進去坐坐。她仔細地打量了一下，搖搖頭說：“你不要熬夜，今天早上你的臉色很蒼白，熬夜工作對身體很不好。對了，請告訴我，昨天晚上你是怎麽過的？都還好吧？今天早上登普斯特太太告訴我，她進去的時候你睡得正香，這我就放心了。”
“是啊，我很好。”他笑著回答，“那‘不對勁的東西’沒有打擾我，隻是老鼠太吵了，我跟你說，它們到處都是。有個目露凶光的老壞蛋趴在爐旁的椅子上，直到我拿撥火棍趕它，它才走。後來它沿著警鍾的拉繩，不知是爬到牆上還是天花板上，反正不見了，當時太黑了，看不清楚。”
“上帝保佑我們，”威特漢夫人說，“一個老壞蛋趴在壁爐旁的椅子上！小心點兒，小心點兒，很多謠傳都是真的。”
“什麽意思？我不是很明白。”
“一個老壞蛋！說不定就是個老鬼怪。先生，不要笑。”因為馬爾科姆遜忍不住大笑起來。“你們年輕人覺得好笑的事讓我們老年人聽了發抖，好吧，先生，好吧！但願上帝能讓你一直笑到最後，那樣我也就沒有什麽好替你擔心的了。”看到他很歡樂的樣子，她也暫時拋開了憂慮。
“請原諒我！”馬爾科姆遜立刻說道，“請不要把我當成一個魯莽的人，但我真的很難接受——怎麽會是老鬼怪在椅子上趴了一個晚上！”想到這兒，他又忍不住笑了，之後便回家吃晚飯了。
這天晚上，老鼠們窸窸窣窣的聲音出現得很早，事實上，在馬爾科姆遜回來之前，它們就已經開始活動了，他的出現反而打擾了它們，讓它們停了下來。晚飯後，他在壁爐邊坐下，抽了支煙，然後開始收拾桌子，像昨晚一樣開始看書。老鼠們比昨晚鬧多了，它們上躥下跳，吱吱地叫著、撕扯著、啃咬著。它們更加肆無忌憚了，從洞口、裂縫處伸出頭來，亮晶晶的眼睛隨著壁爐中的火光閃爍著。而他，現在已經慢慢習慣了，它們的眼睛看起來也不那麽邪惡了。他心想，它們也挺有意思。有時候，它們中膽子大的還會溜到地上或沿著壁爐邊沿跑來跑去。它們一而再、再而三地打斷馬爾科姆遜，他不得不停下來敲打桌子或者凶狠地發出噓噓聲來嚇跑它們，這樣，它們才會逃回到洞裏。
前半夜就這樣過去了，盡管很吵，馬爾科姆遜還是專心致誌地看書。
突然，他停了下來，就像昨天晚上一樣，突如其來的安靜打斷了他。四周一點兒聲音都沒有，死一般地沉寂。他想起了昨天晚上發生的怪事，就不自覺地朝壁爐邊的椅子望去。一個奇怪的念頭從他的腦海裏閃過。
在壁爐旁的高背雕花橡木椅上，還是趴著昨天那隻碩大的老鼠，它正惡狠狠地看著他。
他本能地抓起手邊的一本書，朝它扔去。這次沒有打中，那隻老鼠還是趴在那裏一動不動。和昨天晚上一樣，他又抓起撥火棍去追打那隻老鼠，同樣地，眼看就要打到的時候，那隻老鼠又順著警鍾的拉繩溜走了。奇怪的是，那隻老鼠剛一跑掉，其他老鼠又開始鬧起來，和昨晚的情況一樣。馬爾科姆遜根本看不見那隻老鼠溜到哪裏去了，房間裏燈和火光照不到的地方都是黑的。
他看了看手表，已經接近午夜了，他對剛才的小插曲並沒有太在意，於是，他添了點兒柴，沏了壺茶，點了支煙，然後便在壁爐前的大橡木椅子上坐了下來，想好好休息一會兒。他一邊抽著煙一邊想著老鼠到底跑到哪裏躲起來了，還想到明天是否需要買個老鼠夾來抓它。他又點亮了一盞燈，用它來照亮壁爐右邊的牆角。他搬出了所有的書，把它們放在手邊，準備當老鼠再出現的時候就用書砸它。最後，他把警鍾拉繩的末端放到桌子上，並固定在燈座下。當他拉這根繩的時候才知道它有多軟，盡管它看起來很粗。“它可以吊死一個人。”他自言自語。準備完畢後，他又環顧了一圈，沾沾自喜地說道：“嘿，我的朋友，讓你們看看我的厲害！”接著他又看書去了，盡管老鼠們的吵鬧聲讓他在剛開始的時候有點兒分神，不過，他很快就完全沉浸在解題中了。
他又一次被突然驚醒，而這一次不隻是突如其來的安靜，還有拉繩，拉繩輕輕地動了一下，燈也晃動了一下。他不動聲色地看了看書是否放在手邊，然後順著拉繩向上看去。這時，他看到那隻大老鼠順著拉繩滑到橡木椅子上，趴在那裏憤怒地看著他。他右手拿起一本書，朝那隻老鼠扔去，它敏捷地躲開了。接著，他又拿起一本書，又沒砸中，他就這樣一本接一本地朝那隻老鼠扔去，但都沒有成功。最後，當他站起來拿著書準備朝它扔過去時，老鼠發出害怕的叫聲。這使得馬爾科姆遜越發想打中它，他用力地把書扔出去，狠狠地砸中了那隻老鼠。它發出可怕的尖叫聲，並回過頭來凶惡地瞪了馬爾科姆遜一眼，然後跑到椅背上，跳到警鍾拉繩上閃電般逃跑了。燈搖晃著，不過，因為它很重，最終並沒有翻倒。馬爾科姆遜的目光緊跟著老鼠，借著燈光，他看到它沿著壁板的邊緣跑了，然後鑽進掛在牆上的畫的一個洞裏，那畫上蒙了一層厚厚的灰塵，已經看不清它的真麵目了。
“我早上可以好好看看它的藏身之地。”馬爾科姆遜一邊收拾地上的書一邊說，“從壁爐數起，第三幅畫那裏，我記住了。”他一本一本地撿起地上的書，把它們擺好。“這本沒有打中，這本沒有，這本沒有，這本也沒有，對，是這本打中的！”馬爾科姆遜撿起來看了看，他霎時驚呆了，臉刷地一下變得蒼白，身子微微顫抖，喃喃自語：“是媽媽送給我的《聖經》，太巧了！”他坐下來繼續看書，老鼠們又開始活動起來。它們並沒有打擾他，相反，給了他一種很友好的感覺。在經過了剛才的事件之後，他已經無法再專心致誌地看書了，經過幾番努力，還是不行，他隻好上床睡覺，這時東方已經露出魚肚白了。
他睡得很沉但不安穩，老是做夢。快到中午的時候，登普斯特太太叫醒他，他有些心神不寧，幾分鍾之後才回過神來，他醒來後說的第一句話令這位老太太有些吃驚：“登普斯特太太，今天我出去後，請搬把梯子來，把畫上的灰塵弄幹淨，尤其是從壁爐數起的第三幅——我想看看那上麵究竟畫的是什麽。”
馬爾科姆遜一直在樹陰下看書，一直看到太陽快落山。這一天的學習進行得非常順利，所有的難題都解開了。懷著愉快的心情，他去了威特漢夫人的“好旅客”旅店。有個陌生的客人和老板娘一起坐在舒適的客廳裏，威特漢夫人介紹時，稱他為“索恩希爾醫生”。威特漢夫人的神情顯得很不自然，而且這個醫生又向他提出了一連串的問題，這一切都讓馬爾科姆遜感覺到，他的出現並非偶然，於是就開門見山地說：“索恩希爾醫生，我很樂意回答你的問題，但你先要回答我一個問題。”
醫生有些吃驚，但隨後立刻笑著說道：“沒問題，請問吧。”
“是不是威特漢夫人讓您來這兒說服我？”
索恩希爾醫生吃了一驚，威特漢夫人的臉也一下子變得通紅，她把臉轉了過去，不過，醫生是個直率且反應很快的人，他隨即直截了當地說：“是她安排的，不過她並不想讓你知道。我想是因為我操之過急，讓你察覺到了。她告訴我，她不希望你一個人住在那座房子裏，而且，她認為你喝了太多的濃茶。事實上，她希望我勸告你不要喝茶熬夜了。我做學生的時候也是很用功的，我希望用我的親身經曆來勸告你，希望你不會見外。”
馬爾科姆遜笑著伸出手來，說：“握個手吧，就像美國人那樣，非常感謝你和威特漢夫人的好意。為了感謝你們的好意，我保證不再喝濃茶了，除非你讓我喝，今天晚上我1點鍾之前就睡，這樣總可以了吧。”
“太好了！”醫生說，“現在，跟我們說說那座老房子裏發生的事吧。”馬爾科姆遜遲疑了一下，便將前兩天晚上發生的事情告訴了他們。威特漢夫人時不時地發出驚歎聲打斷他的話，當他最後講到打到老鼠的那本書是《聖經》時，她忍不住尖叫起來，直到喝了一大杯加水的白蘭地後，情緒才慢慢地平靜下來。索恩希爾醫生聽著，表情慢慢變得越來越嚴肅，等他講完，索恩希爾醫生問道：“老鼠總是沿著那根警鍾的拉繩逃跑嗎？”
“都是這樣的。”
醫生停頓了一下，說：“你知道那是根什麽拉繩嗎？”
“不知道。”
醫生一字一句地說：“那是用來絞死法官判處死刑的犯人的繩子。”威特漢夫人的尖叫聲再次打斷了他的話，於是，他們隻得想辦法讓她再次平靜下來。馬爾科姆遜看了一下手表，發現已經快到吃晚飯的時間了，他沒來得及等她完全平靜下來就先告辭了。
威特漢夫人緩過神來，便生氣地對著醫生吼叫道：“他一個人住在那裏已經夠受的了，為什麽還要給他講那麽恐怖的事來嚇他？”
索恩希爾醫生回答道：“親愛的夫人，我這樣做自有我的道理。我是為了讓他留意那根拉繩，不要無視它。或許是他神經高度緊張，或是學習過度——但我可以確定他的身體和心智都很健康，至少目前看來是這樣的——才有了那些關於老鼠的故事，或是鬼怪的暗示。”醫生搖了搖頭，繼續說：“本來我很想提議第一天晚上去陪他一起住的，但又怕他不高興。晚上發生的事情可能是他因為害怕而產生的幻覺。如果真是那樣的話，他可以拉那根繩子，那樣可以發出警報，我們就可以及時趕到去幫他。今天晚上我會很晚才睡，並會提高警覺，隨時注意他的動靜。如果本切奇在黎明之前爆出大新聞，請不要感到驚恐。”
“哦，醫生，你這是什麽意思？到底是什麽意思啊？”
“我的意思是，可能，很可能，我們今天晚上會聽到從法官的房子裏傳出的大警鍾的警鳴聲。”醫生說完就走了。
馬爾科姆遜回到家，發現他這次比平時晚回來了一些。登普斯特太太已經走了——看來她確實很遵守他們的規定。他很高興地看到，亮堂堂的房間被收拾得幹幹淨淨，壁爐裏的火燒得旺旺的，燈也點得亮亮的。雖然已經四月份了，但是晚上還是比想象的要冷得多。窗外，風呼呼地刮著，越吹越大，預示著晚上很有可能會有一場暴風雨。他剛進屋後的幾分鍾，老鼠們的吵鬧聲停止了，但很快它們便又像往常一樣開始鬧了起來。聽到吵鬧聲，他非常高興，因為他再一次感覺到它們的吵鬧聲是友好的。這時，他又想起了那件怪事：隻有當那隻目露凶光的大老鼠出現時，它們才會停止活動，安靜下來。他看書用的那盞燈已經點亮了，因為罩了個綠色的燈罩，天花板和房間的上方都是黑漆漆的。壁爐裏的火光照在地板上，照在白色的桌布上，讓整個屋子都籠罩在溫暖、愉快的氛圍中。馬爾科姆遜坐下吃飯，他胃口很好，也覺得很放鬆。吃完飯後，他點了支煙，如往常般準備開始看書，不讓任何事來打擾自己。他記得自己對醫生的承諾，下決心要盡可能地充分利用時間。
開始的一兩個小時，一切都很順利，可後來他的注意力就不在書上了。周圍的環境分散了他的注意力，他必須承認自己有點兒神經緊張。外麵的風越來越大，已經算是暴風雨了。雖然這座古老的房子非常結實，但也好像開始搖晃起來。狂風暴雨呼嘯著，吹進煙囪裏，吹到古老的三角牆上，從空曠的房間裏和走廊上傳來可怕的聲音。甚至屋頂上的大警鍾也感覺到了暴風雨的威力，拉繩上下搖晃著，好像鍾也在慢慢移動著，柔軟的拉繩落在橡木地板上，發出空洞的響聲。
這時，馬爾科姆遜耳邊回響起醫生的話：“那是用來絞死被法官判處死刑的犯人的繩子。”他不由自主地走到壁爐邊，抓起這根繩子，仔細地端詳著。他感覺到它似乎有種可怕的魔力，他不禁開始琢磨，那些被絞死的到底是些什麽人？為什麽法官要把這麽可怕的東西放在這裏？他站在這裏，晃動著的鍾使拉繩來回晃著。突然，他感覺到拉繩在顫動，就好像有什麽東西在它的上麵爬一樣。
馬爾科姆遜本能地抬頭看了看，隻見那隻大老鼠正在慢慢地朝他爬過來，還緊緊地盯著他。他慌忙丟掉拉繩，向後退了幾步，嘴裏咒罵著，老鼠轉身又爬了回去，一下子就不見了。與此同時，馬爾科姆遜聽到，剛安靜下來的老鼠們又開始吵鬧起來。
這一幕讓他不禁開始思索這到底是怎麽回事，他突然想到還沒有仔細看看他本打算要探究的那個老鼠洞和那幅畫。於是他又點了一盞沒有燈罩的燈，舉得高高的，走到壁爐右邊的第三幅畫前。前兩天晚上，老鼠就是從這裏逃跑的。
他剛看了一眼，就嚇了一大跳，差點兒把燈掉在地上，他的臉變得像白紙一樣，沒有一點兒血色。他的膝蓋在發抖，前額也冒出大滴大滴的汗珠，他顫抖著，就像風中的楊柳樹。畢竟是初生牛犢不怕虎，他馬上定了定神，壯了壯膽，幾秒鍾後再次走到畫前，舉高燈，仔細地端詳著那幅畫，畫麵已經被擦得幹幹淨淨、清晰可見了。
畫麵上的人穿著一件紫紅色的貂毛袍子，那是法官的製服。他的表情嚴肅冷酷，帶有一點兒邪惡、狡猾和報複的意味，厚厚的嘴唇，紅紅的鷹鉤鼻，看起來就像隻凶猛的鷹，但麵如死灰。畫上的那個人雙目炯炯有神，露出可怕的惡毒之意。看著看著，馬爾科姆遜突然發現，那眼神竟然和那隻大老鼠的眼神一模一樣，他不由得渾身戰栗。燈從他的手中滑落下來，他看見那隻大老鼠正躲在畫的角落裏用惡狠狠的眼神看著他，其他老鼠又安靜了下來。他又鼓起勇氣，繼續研究那幅畫。
法官坐在壁爐右邊的高背雕花橡木椅上，一根繩子從角落的天花板上垂下來，末端落在地板上。馬爾科姆遜認出畫中的背景正是他住的這個房間，不禁毛骨悚然。他覺得背後似乎有人，於是，他驚恐地環視了一下房間。隨後，他又朝壁爐邊看去，突然，他尖叫一聲，燈又掉在了地上。
那根拉繩就垂在法官坐的那張椅子的背後，那隻老鼠則趴在椅子上，露出和法官一樣凶狠的眼神，這時看來，更顯得恐怖。房間裏一片寂靜，隻聽得見外麵狂風暴雨的聲音。
掉在地上的燈將馬爾科姆遜的思緒拉了回來。幸好燈是金屬的，油沒有灑出來。先要把燈弄好，他鎮定了一下緊張的神經。關了燈，他擦擦額頭上的汗水，沉思了一會兒。
他自言自語：“不能這樣，我再這樣下去，肯定會變成個瘋子，必須停下來。我答應過醫生不再喝茶了。他是對的，我的神經太緊張了，有點兒不正常。我都沒有注意到，還覺得自己再正常不過了。不過，我現在總算意識到了，不會再像個傻瓜那樣了。”
他喝了一大杯兌水的白蘭地，讓自己平靜下來，然後又坐下，靜心看書。
他差不多又看了一個多小時的書，隨後又被突如其來的寂靜打斷了。屋外的暴風雨還在繼續咆哮著，甚至比之前更猛烈了。雨點打在窗戶上，濺起冰雹大的水珠。屋子裏還是一片寂靜，除了風吹進煙囪裏的回**聲，就隻有雨點打進煙囪所發出的嘩嘩聲。壁爐裏的火也慢慢小了，已看不見火星，隻燃著暗紅的餘火。馬爾科姆遜全神貫注地聽著，隻聽到一絲輕微、模糊的聲音。那是從房間的角落裏發出的，那裏正是拉繩擺動著的地方，他猜可能是風吹得大警鍾搖搖晃晃，拉繩也跟著晃動，從而和地板摩擦發出了嘩啦聲。他抬起頭，借著昏暗的燈光，看到那隻大老鼠抓著那根拉繩，正在拚命地啃咬。拉繩快被咬斷了，他看見被咬開的繩芯上的淺顏色。就在這時，拉繩被咬斷了，下麵的一截落在橡木地板上，發出“噗”的一聲，而那隻大老鼠仍趴在上半截拉繩的末端，像個流蘇或小球一樣，在上麵**來**去。這時，馬爾科姆遜突然意識到，他再也無法抓住拉繩向外麵求助了，一種恐懼感油然而生，隨之而來的便是難以遏製的憤怒，他抓起一本書就向那隻大老鼠扔去。他砸得很準，但還是被老鼠躲過去了，老鼠從拉繩上跳下來，“咚”的一聲落在地板上。馬爾科姆遜立刻向它衝去，它一溜煙兒地跑了，消失在黑暗中。馬爾科姆遜決定停下他手頭的工作，全力去捕老鼠。他把綠燈罩取下，這樣燈光可以照到房間的每個地方。房頂也被照亮了，那些原來黑漆漆的地方都變得亮堂起來，牆上的畫也清晰可見。馬爾科姆遜站在正對著壁爐右邊第三幅畫的地方。突然，他被眼前的一切驚呆了，隨即恐懼便占據了他的大腦。
在畫的中央，露出一大片不規則的褐色畫布，其他地方還是和之前看到的一模一樣，那些椅子、爐角、拉繩都在，但就是法官不見了。
馬爾科姆遜嚇得渾身冒冷汗，他慢慢地轉過身來，渾身都在顫抖，就像一個中了風的病人。他已經嚇得動不了了，手腳根本不聽使喚，大腦也不受控製了，隻能聽和看。
畫裏的法官此時就坐在高背雕花橡木椅上，穿著紫紅色的貂毛法官袍，手拿一頂黑帽子正準備戴上，他目露凶光，堅毅、冷酷的嘴角揚起勝利的微笑。馬爾科姆遜感覺到他的血正在湧向心髒，耳朵嗡嗡響，隻聽得到暴風雨呼嘯的聲音和從廣場上傳來的午夜的鍾聲，他就像尊雕像那樣定在那裏，眼睛睜得圓圓的，屏住了呼吸。聽到鍾聲，法官勝利的微笑顯得更得意了，當午夜的鍾聲敲到最後一下時，法官戴上了他的黑帽子。
法官緩慢地、從容不迫地站了起來，撿起掉在地上的那半段拉繩，放在手上摩挲著，好像他很喜歡這種感覺。然後，他不慌不忙地在繩的一端打了個結，穿成了套索，接著踩住拉緊它，直到他滿意為止。之前的繩子現在已經變成了繩套，法官將它握在手裏，接著，他沿著桌子向馬爾科姆遜走去，並緊緊地盯著他，直到來到門口時才停了下來。馬爾科姆遜感覺自己好像被捆住了一樣，他思索著該怎麽辦。法官的眼睛好像有種特殊的魔力，把他的目光吸住了。他看見法官走近他（但仍站在他和門之間），舉起繩套，朝他扔過來想要套住他。他用盡全力跳開了，回頭一看，繩套落在了他的身後，發出“砰”的一聲。法官再一次舉起繩套想要套住他，並繼續用凶殘的眼神盯著他，這一次馬爾科姆遜也用盡全力避開了。如此反複了幾次，法官對此既不氣餒也不生氣，就像一隻貓在逗老鼠一樣。馬爾科姆遜已經絕望至極，他迅速地看了看周圍，燈很亮，房間被照得亮堂堂的。他可以看見老鼠洞和牆縫間老鼠們圓溜溜的眼睛，這讓他稍微感到一絲安慰。他朝四周看了看，大警鍾的拉繩上也擠滿了老鼠，越來越多的老鼠從洞裏爬到拉繩上，拉繩越來越沉，開始搖晃。
聽，鍾敲響了。隻是開始時聲音有點兒小，但隨著鍾的搖擺，聲音越來越響。
聽到鍾響，一直盯著馬爾科姆遜的法官抬起頭看看警鍾，臉上露出非常憤怒的表情，紅了眼的他氣得直跺腳，發出巨大的聲音，整棟房子都在震動。當他再一次舉起繩套的時候，一道霹靂震耳欲聾，拉繩上的老鼠上躥下跳，像是在同時間賽跑。這一次法官沒有扔繩套，而是走近馬爾科姆遜，一邊走一邊拉開繩套。當他走近時，馬爾科姆遜像被施了魔法一樣，站在那裏一動不動。他感到法官冰冷的手指正劃過他的喉嚨，給他套繩套，拉緊，把他抱到橡木椅上，讓他站在上麵，接著放開手，拉著這警鍾拉繩的末端。當法官抬起手時，老鼠們尖叫著逃跑了，消失在天花板上的洞裏。他把套在馬爾科姆遜脖子上的繩套的末端綁到了警鍾的繩子上。最後，他推開椅子，讓馬爾科姆遜吊在空中。當法官的房子裏的警鍾拉響時，大隊人馬迅速聚集了起來，他們擎著燈、舉著火把，沉默不語，飛身朝著目的地奔了過去。他們使勁兒地敲門，卻沒有任何回應。最後，他們隻好破門而入，醫生帶頭衝進馬爾科姆遜住的飯廳。
警鍾拉繩的末端吊著馬爾科姆遜的屍體，油畫上法官露出了邪惡的微笑。
知識點
偵探小說是以案件的發生和推理偵破過程為主要描寫對象的小說。偵探小說主要寫具有驚人推理、判斷智力的人物，根據一係列的線索，破解犯罪（多是凶殺）的疑案。它的結構、情節、人物甚至環境都有一定的格局和程式，因此它也是一種程式文學。由於傳統偵探小說中的破案大多采取推理方式，所以也有人稱它為推理小說。
W詞匯筆記
obliterate[?blit?，reit]v.消滅；除去；擦掉；使忘掉
例 He obliterated all the words on the blackboard after class.
課後，把黑板上的字都擦掉了。
absurd[?bs?：d]adj.荒謬的；荒誕的；愚蠢的
例 His colleagues were surprised at his absurd behavior.
同事們對他那荒誕的行為感到吃驚。
prosaic[pr?uzeiik]adj.枯燥的；平淡的；散文體的
例 As a housewife, her life is prosaic.
作為一名家庭婦女，她的生活是平淡的。
wont[w?unt]n.習慣；慣常活動
例 She went for a walk after breakfast, as was her wont.
早飯後散散步是她的習慣。
S小試身手
他很滿意這次旅程，因為迄今為止，他還沒受到任何人的打擾，如此一來，他就可以靜下心來複習功課了。
譯________________________________________
它們並沒有打擾他，相反，給了他一種很友好的感覺。
譯________________________________________
突然，他被眼前的一切驚呆了，隨即恐懼便占據了他的大腦。
譯________________________________________
P短語家族
I should be only too happy, on behalf of the owners, to let anyone have the house rent free for a term of years if only to accustom the people here to see it inhabited.
on behalf of：代表……；為了……的利益。
造________________________________________
I have come here on purpose to obtain solitude.
on purpose：特地；故意地
造________________________________________