CHAPTER XIII.
關燈
小
中
大
severaltimesandwaited.No:everythingwasstill.Itwasmerelythesoundofhisownfootsteps.
Whenhereachedthelibrary,hesawthebagandcoatinthecorner.Theymustbehiddenawaysomewhere.Heunlockedasecretpressthatwasinthewainscoting,apressinwhichhekepthisowncuriousdisguises,andputthemintoit.Hecouldeasilyburnthemafterwards.Thenhepulledouthiswatch.Itwastwentyminutestotwo.
Hesatdownandbegantothink.Everyyear—everymonth,almost—menwerestrangledinEnglandforwhathehaddone.Therehadbeenamadnessofmurderintheair.Someredstarhadcometooclosetotheearth....Andyet,whatevidencewasthereagainsthim?BasilHallwardhadleftthehouseateleven.Noonehadseenhimcomeinagain.MostoftheservantswereatSelbyRoyal.Hisvalethadgonetobed....Paris!Yes.ItwastoParisthatBasilhadgone,andbythemidnighttrain,ashehadintended.Withhiscuriousreservedhabits,itwouldbemonthsbeforeanysuspicionswouldberoused.Months!Everythingcouldbedestroyedlongbeforethen.
Asuddenthoughtstruckhim.Heputonhisfurcoatandhatandwentoutintothehall.Therehepaused,hearingtheslowheavytreadofthepolicemanonthepavementoutsideandseeingtheflashofthebull’s-eyereflectedinthewindow.Hewaitedandheldhisbreath.
Afterafewmomentshedrewbackthelatchandslippedout,shuttingthedoorverygentlybehindhim.Thenhebeganringingthebell.Inaboutfiveminuteshisvaletappeared,half-dressedandlookingverydrowsy.
“Iamsorrytohavehadtowakeyouup,Francis,”hesaid,steppingin“butIhadforgottenmylatch-key.Whattimeisit?”
“Tenminutespasttwo,sir,”answeredtheman,lookingattheclockandblinking.
“Tenminutespasttwo?Howhorriblylate!Youmustwakemeatnineto-morrow.Ihavesomeworktodo.”
“Allright,sir.”
“Didanyonecallthisevening?”
“Mr.Hallward,sir.Hestayedheretilleleven,andthenhewentawaytocatchhistrain.”
“Oh!IamsorryIdidn’tseehim.Didheleaveanymessage?”
“No,sir,exceptthathewouldwritetoyoufromParis,ifhedidnotfindyouattheclub.”
“Thatwilldo,Francis.Don’tforgettocallmeatnineto-morrow.”
“No,sir.”
Themanshambleddownthepassageinhisslippers.
DorianGraythrewhishatandcoatuponthetableandpassedintothelibrary.Foraquarterofanhourhewalkedupanddowntheroom,bitinghislipandthinking.ThenhetookdowntheBlueBookfromoneoftheshelvesandbegantoturnovertheleaves.“AlanCampbell,152,HertfordStreet,Mayfair.”Yesthatwasthemanhewanted.
