登陆注册
15490900000042

第42章 MR. LEDBETTER'S VACATION(2)

It was nearly eleven, and the little seaside town was already very still. The whole world slumbered under the moonlight. Only one warm oblong of window-blind far down the road spoke of waking life.

He turned and came back slowly towards the villa of the open window.

He stood for a time outside the gate, a battlefield of motives.

"Let us put things to the test," said Doubt. "For the satisfaction of these intolerable doubts, show that you dare go into that house.

Commit a burglary in blank. That, at any rate, is no crime." Very softly he opened and shut the gate and slipped into the shadow of the shrubbery. "This is foolish," said Mr. Ledbetter's caution.

"I expected that," said Doubt. His heart was beating fast, but he was certainly not afraid. He was NOT afraid. He remained in that shadow for some considerable time.

The ascent of the balcony, it was evident, would have to be done in a rush, for it was all in clear moonlight, and visible from the gate into the avenue. A trellis thinly set with young, ambitious climbing roses made the ascent ridiculously easy. There, in that black shadow by the stone vase of flowers, one might crouch and take a closer view of this gaping breach in the domestic defences, the open window. For a while Mr. Ledbetter was as still as the night, and then that insidious whisky tipped the balance. He dashed forward.

He went up the trellis with quick, convulsive movements, swung his legs over the parapet of the balcony, and dropped panting in the shadow even as he had designed. He was trembling violently, short of breath, and his heart pumped noisily, but his mood was exultation.

He could have shouted to find he was so little afraid.

A happy line that he had learnt from Wills's "Mephistopheles" came into his mind as he crouched there. "I feel like a cat on the tiles," he whispered to himself. It was far better than he had expected--this adventurous exhilaration. He was sorry for all poor men to whom burglary was unknown. Nothing happened. He was quite safe. And he was acting in the bravest manner!

And now for the window, to make the burglary complete! Must he dare do that? Its position above the front door defined it as a landing or passage, and there were no looking-glasses or any bedroom signs about it, or any other window on the first floor, to suggest the possibility of a sleeper within. For a time he listened under the ledge, then raised his eyes above the sill and peered in. Close at hand, on a pedestal, and a little startling at first, was a nearly life-size gesticulating bronze. He ducked, and after some time he peered again. Beyond was a broad landing, faintly gleaming; a flimsy fabric of bead curtain, very black and sharp, against a further window; a broad staircase, plunging into a gulf of darkness below; and another ascending to the second floor. He glanced behind him, but the stillness of the night was unbroken. "Crime," he whispered, "crime," and scrambled softly and swiftly over the sill into the house. His feet fell noiselessly on a mat of skin. He was a burglar indeed!

He crouched for a time, all ears and peering eyes. Outside was a scampering and rustling, and for a moment he repented of his enterprise. A short "miaow," a spitting, and a rush into silence, spoke reassuringly of cats. His courage grew. He stood up. Every one was abed, it seemed. So easy is it to commit a burglary, if one is so minded. He was glad he had put it to the test. He determined to take some petty trophy, just to prove his freedom from any abject fear of the law, and depart the way he had come.

He peered about him, and suddenly the critical spirit arose again.

Burglars did far more than such mere elementary entrance as this: they went into rooms, they forced safes. Well--he was not afraid.

He could not force safes, because that would be a stupid want of consideration for his hosts. But he would go into rooms--he would go upstairs. More: he told himself that he was perfectly secure; an empty house could not be more reassuringly still. He had to clench his hands, nevertheless, and summon all his resolution before he began very softly to ascend the dim staircase, pausing for several seconds between each step. Above was a square landing with one open and several closed doors; and all the house was still. For a moment he stood wondering what would happen if some sleeper woke suddenly and emerged. The open door showed a moonlit bedroom, the coverlet white and undisturbed. Into this room he crept in three interminable minutes and took a piece of soap for his plunder--his trophy. He turned to descend even more softly than he had ascended. It was as easy as--Hist! . . .

Footsteps! On the gravel outside the house--and then the noise of a latchkey, the yawn and bang of a door, and the spitting of a match in the hall below. Mr. Ledbetter stood petrified by the sudden discovery of the folly upon which he had come. "How on earth am I to get out of this?" said Mr. Ledbetter.

The hall grew bright with a candle flame, some heavy object bumped against the umbrella-stand, and feet were ascending the staircase. In a flash Mr. Ledbetter realised that his retreat was closed. He stood for a moment, a pitiful figure of penitent confusion. "My goodness!

What a FOOL I have been!" he whispered, and then darted swiftly across the shadowy landing into the empty bedroom from which he had just come. He stood listening--quivering. The footsteps reached the first-floor landing.

Horrible thought! This was possibly the latecomer's room! Not a moment was to be lost! Mr. Ledbetter stooped beside the bed, thanked Heaven for a valance, and crawled within its protection not ten seconds too soon. He became motionless on hands and knees. The advancing candle-light appeared through the thinner stitches of the fabric, the shadows ran wildly about, and became rigid as the candle was put down.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 爱妃不听话:罪妃巧夺帝王心

    爱妃不听话:罪妃巧夺帝王心

    “该死的贱女人!你只是我捡回来的卑贱的女人而已,别以为你上了我的床,这辈子,你就能逃出我的手掌心!”大婚前夕,她杀了他的王妃。一怒之下,他强占了她。并和宣布她成亲。她以为自己能走进他了。谁知道,在成亲当晚,赫连烨华在众人面前,对她施暴,彻底的羞辱。不久后后,又被王爷投身青楼,用尽一切办法去折磨她,因为她杀了他爱的女人!在青楼,她成了花魁,慕名而来的人,一个肮脏的乞丐,用高价买下她,结果被绝艳的采花贼给夺走,她在混乱中逃走。——结果,碰上了杀手。追得她满处跑……从此,流落江湖。遭遇了冷酷帅气的杀手,结拜了用毒高手……
  • 有情道

    有情道

    无情至简,有情至繁。天道不公,一切随心,无分正邪。傲视洪荒
  • 感动中国的名家随笔:清韵

    感动中国的名家随笔:清韵

    《感动中国的名家随笔》之“清韵”,收录了中国和外国文学史上当代著名作家的代表作品。才女张爱玲记录着生活情趣和窃窃私语;梁晓声默读着陌生女孩的来信,听窗的话语;俞平伯怀念打橘子的岁月:季羡林叹息着幽径的悲剧……细细读来,一篇篇随笔仿若一段段清灵的竹韵,动人心弦,悦人耳畔,只有热爱生活的人才能体会其中韵律。
  • 绝色控物师

    绝色控物师

    她执行任务的时候意外丧生,本以为死得其所,但是上天却给了她一个重生的机会。来到新大陆,人生地不熟,但是却难不倒在无数危机下存活的她。他是她最爱的人,却为了所谓国家利益,不惜让她成为随时都能殒命的奸细。原以为就算是短暂的分别,依旧可以拥有幸福的结局,却不想时过境迁,沧海桑田。他,是敌国之皇,甘心付出所有,换得她回眸一笑,只是计划永远没有变化快。他,是身处高界面的顶尖高手,本对这些蝼蚁不屑一顾,却未曾想过会因为一个人而改变,最后付出了自己最宝贵的真心。他,是神圣的象征,淡漠于世,早已封闭了七情六欲,却没想到有生之年还能碰到这样一女子,让他甘心付出一切,不求回报。本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 鸿蒙神诀

    鸿蒙神诀

    超级散仙轮回为21世纪大学生林枫,因意外身死后觉醒了修真记忆并重生在异界七月大陆的修真世界,看他如何闯荡修真界,如何得道成仙,如何抱得美人归!
  • 禩心难得

    禩心难得

    胤禩做了一场梦。梦见了额娘的死。梦见康熙说他额娘贱妇,说与他父子之情绝。梦见他被雍正圈禁,梦见小九被那人折磨至死,梦见妻子被锉骨扬灰。梦见弘旺……然后他醒了。
  • 夏末苍穹

    夏末苍穹

    故事从主人公在暑假期间与家人一同旅行的小镇开始。在旅途中主人公遇见了一位美丽的姑娘,并邀请她同行,一路却接连发生怪异的事,到底事件因何而起?故事的最后,竟浮出一个惊人的秘密。。
  • 爆笑穿越之古代的帅哥我来了

    爆笑穿越之古代的帅哥我来了

    某女:“现代好无聊,穿越到古代玩玩吧!”某女女友:“不可能的,面对现实吧→_→”某女:“我们绝交吧→_→”说完,出门后被车撞死了,“等等”,某女:“我还没有穿越呢,不能死”dang一声,某女穿越了→_→某女随即尖叫一声;“啊!谁上了姐姐我!”某女泪奔,谁是她肚子里娃娃的爹啊!某女一副生无可恋的样子,孩子他爹,你在哪?Q_Q从此,女主见男(帅)人(哥)就问;“我肚子里的是你滴娃吗?”结果惨遭无数鄙视加歧视加无数句“神经病”→_→真的是生无可恋了Q_Q
  • 白面书生无情手

    白面书生无情手

    邪教魔头魏大通,他凭借高深的邪道功夫,向武林正派组织发出“一战定乾坤”的狅妄战书,这样狅妄叫嚣的战书太目中無人了。如是,在正派组织中,谁去应战?谁敢应战?武林危在旦時。虽然他遭受阴阳教无数次的追杀和暗害,但他没有死,并神奇的活了下来。在生与死的面前,他深爱着她,哪怕失去生命,他带着她,他护着她,没有把她当作累赘。而她,更深刻的体会到,她们那有苦,有甜,有惊,有喜的生死爱情,是天注定的,是牢不可破的。
  • 我的同桌之叛逆青春

    我的同桌之叛逆青春

    误打误撞来了个新同桌,陪伴他度过了他的叛逆青春。