Chapter 48 (第1/2页)

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THEFLIGHTOFSIKES

Ofallbaddeedsthat，undercoverofthedarkness，hadbeencommittedwithinwideLondon'sboundssincenighthungoverit，thatwastheworst。Ofallthehorrorsthatrosewithanillscentuponthemorningair，thatwasthefoulestandmostcruel。

Thesun--thebrightsun，thatbringsback，notlightalone，butnewlife，andhope，andfreshnesstoman--burstuponthecrowdedcityinclearandradiantglory。Throughcostly-colouredglassandpaper-mendedwindow，throughcathedraldomeandrottencrevice，itsheditsequalray。Itlighteduptheroomwherethemurderedwomanlay。Itdid。Hetriedtoshutitout，butitwouldstreamin。Ifthesighthadbeenaghastlyoneinthedullmorning，whatwasit，now，inallthatbrilliantlight！

Hehadnotmoved；hehadbeenafraidtostir。Therehadbeenamoanandmotionofthehand；and，withterroraddedtorage，hehadstruckandstruckagain。Oncehethrewarugoverit；butitwasworsetofancytheeyes，andimaginethemmovingtowardshim，thantoseethemglaringupward，asifwatchingthereflectionofthepoolofgorethatquiveredanddancedinthesunlightontheceiling。Hehadpluckeditoffagain。Andtherewasthebody--merefleshandblood，nomore--butsuchflesh，andsomuchblood！

Hestruckalight，kindledafire，andthrusttheclubintoit。Therewashairupontheend，whichblazedandshrunkintoalightcinder，and，caughtbytheair，whirledupthechimney。Eventhatfrightenedhim，sturdyashewas；butheheldtheweapontillitbroke，andthenpileditonthecoalstoburnaway，andsmoulderintoashes。Hewashedhimself，andrubbedhisclothes；therewerespotsthatwouldnotberemoved，buthecutthepiecesout，andburntthem。Howthosestainsweredispersedabouttheroom！Theveryfeetofthedogwerebloody。

Allthistimehehad，neveronce，turnedhisbackuponthecorpse；no，notforamoment。Suchpreparationscompleted，hemoved，backward，towardsthedoor：draggingthedogwithhim，lestheshouldsoilhisfeetanewandcarryoutnewevidenceofthecrimeintothestreets。Heshutthedoorsoftly，lockedit，tookthekey，andleftthehouse。

Hecrossedover，andglancedupatthewindow，tobesurethatnothingwasvisiblefromtheoutside。Therewasthecurtainstilldrawn，whichshewouldhaveopenedtoadmitthelightsheneversawagain。Itlaynearlyunderthere。_He_knewthat。God，howthesunpoureddownupontheveryspot！

Theglancewasinstantaneous。Itwasarelieftohavegotfreeoftheroom。Hewhistledonthedog，andwalkedrapidlyaway。

HewentthroughIslington；strodeupthehillatHighgateonwhichstandsthestoneinhonourofWhittington；turneddowntoHighgateHill，unsteadyofpurpose，anduncertainwheretogo；struckofftotherightagain，almostassoonashebegantodescendit；andtakingthefoot-pathacrossthefields，skirtedCaenWood，andsocameonHampsteadHeath。TraversingthehollowbytheValeofHeath，hemountedtheoppositebank，andcrossingtheroadwhichjoinsthevillagesofHampsteadandHighgate，madealongtheremainingportionoftheheathtothefieldsatNorthEnd，inoneofwhichhelaidhimselfdownunderahedge，andslept。

Soonhewasupagain，andaway，--notfarintothecountry，butbacktowardsLondonbythehigh-road--thenbackagain--thenoveranotherpartofthesamegroundashealreadytraversed--thenwanderingupanddowninfields，andlyingonditches‘brinkstorest，andstartinguptomakeforsomeotherspot，anddothesame，andrambleonagain。

Wherecouldhego，thatwasnearandnottoopublic，togetsomemeatanddrink？Hendon。Thatwasagoodplace，notfaroff，andoutofmostpeople'sway。Thitherhedirectedhissteps，--runningsometimes，andsometimes，withastrangeperversity，loiteringatasnail'space，orstoppingaltogetherandidlybreakingthehedgeswithastick。Butwhenhegotthere，allthepeoplehemet--theverychildrenatthedoors--seemedtoviewhimwithsuspicion。Backheturnedagain，withoutthecouragetopurchasebitordrop，thoughhehadtastednofoodformanyhours；andoncemorehelingeredontheHeath，uncertainwheretogo。

Hewanderedovermilesandmilesofground，andstillcamebacktotheoldplace。Morningandnoonhadpassed，andthedaywasonthewane，andstillherambledtoandfro，andupanddown，androundandround，andstilllingeredaboutthesamespot。Atlasthegotaway，andshapedhiscourseforHatfield。

Itwasnineo'clockatnight，whentheman，quitetiredout，andthedog，limpingandlamefromtheunaccustomedexercise，turneddownthehillbythechurchofthequietvillage，andploddingalongthelittlestreet，creptintoasmallpublic-house，whosescantylighthadguidedthemtothespot。Therewasafireinthetap-room，andsomecountry-labourersweredrinkingbeforeit。

Theymaderoomforthestranger，buthesatdowninthefurthestcorner，andateanddrankalone，orratherwithhisdog：towhomhecastamorseloffoodfromtimetotime。

Theconversationofthemenassembledhere，turnedupontheneighbouringland，andfarmers；andwhenthosetopicswereexhausted，upontheageofsomeoldmanwhohadbeenburiedonthepreviousSunday；theyoungmenpresentconsideringhimveryold，andtheoldmenpresentdeclaringhimtohavebeenquiteyoung--notolder，onewhite-hairedgrandfathersaid，thanhewas--withtenorfifteenyearoflifeinhimatleast--ifhehadtakencare；ifhehadtakencare。

Therewasnothingtoattractattention，orexcitealarminthis。Therobber，afterpayinghisreckoning，satsilentandunnoticedinhiscorner，andhadalmostdroppedasleep，whenhewashalfwakenedbythenoisyentranceofanewcomer。

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