第52章

“ItstrikesmethatthepuzzleconsistsinfindingouthowitispossibletogotosleepwithPugh’spurchaseinyourbedroom。Thisisfarbetterthantheold-fashionedprescriptionofcatsonthetiles。“ Itstruckmethenoisewasdistinctlylouderthanbefore；thisappliedbothtothetick，tick，tick，andthescreeching。 “Possibly，“Itoldmyself，asIrelightedthegas，“theexplosionistocomeoffthistime。“ Iturnedtolookatthebox。Therecouldbenodoubtaboutit；thenoisewaslouder。And，ifIcouldtrustmyeyes，theboxwasmoving——givingaseriesoflittlejumps。Thismighthavebeenanopticaldelusion，butitseemedtomethatateachticktheboxgavealittlebound。Duringthescreeches——whichsoundedmorelikethecriesofananimalinanagonyofpaineventhanbefore——ifitdidnottiltitselffirstononeend，andthenonanother，Ishallneverbewillingtotrusttheevidenceofmyowneyesagain。Andsurelytheboxhadincreasedinsize；Icouldhaveswornnotonlythatithadincreased，butthatitwasincreasing，evenasIstoodtherelookingon。Ithadgrown，andstillwasgrowing，bothbroader，andlonger，anddeeper。Pugh，ofcourse，wouldhaveattributedittosupernaturalagency；thereneverwasamanwithsuchanoseforaghost。Icouldpicturehimoccupyingmyposition，shiveringinhisnightshirt，ashebeheldthatmiracletakingplacebeforehiseyes。Thesolutionwhichatoncesuggesteditselftome——andwhichwouldNEVERhavesuggesteditselftoPugh！—— wasthattheboxwasfashioned，asitwere，inlayers，andthattheingeniousmechanismitcontainedwasforcingthesidesatoncebothupwardandoutward。Itookitinmyhand。Icouldfeelsomethingstrikingagainstthebottomofthebox，likethetap，tap，tappingofatinyhammer。 “ThisisaprettypuzzleofPugh’s。Hewouldsaythatthatisthetappingofadeathwatch。FormypartIhavenotmuchfaithindeathwatches，ethocgenusomne，butitcertainlyisacurioustapping；Iwonderwhatisgoingtohappennext？“ Apparentlynothing，exceptacontinuationofthosemysterioussounds。ThattheboxhadincreasedinsizeIhad，andhave，nodoubtwhatever。Ishouldsaythatithadincreasedagoodinchineverydirection，atleasthalfaninchwhileIhadbeenlookingon。 ButwhileIstoodlookingitsgrowthwassuddenlyandperceptiblystayed；itceasedtomove。Onlythenoisecontinued。 “Iwonderhowlongitwillbebeforeanythingworthhappeningdoeshappen！Isupposesomethingisgoingtohappen；therecan’tbeallthisto-dofornothing。Ifitisanythingintheinfernalmachineline，andthereisgoingtobeanexplosion，Imightaswellbeheretoseeit。IthinkI’llhaveapipe。“ Iputonmydressing-gown。Ilitmypipe。Isatandstaredatthebox。IdaresayIsatthereforquitetwentyminuteswhen，asbefore，withoutanysortofwarning，thesoundwasstilled。Itssuddencessationratherstartledme。 “Hasthemechanismagainhungfire？Or，thistime，istheexplosioncomingoff？“Itdidnotcomeoff；nothingcameoff。 “Isn’ttheboxevengoingtoopen？“ Itdidnotopen。Therewassimplysilenceallatonce，andthatwasall。Isatthereinexpectationforsomemomentslonger。ButIsatfornothing。Irose。Itooktheboxinmyhand。Ishookit。 “ThispuzzleISapuzzle。“Iheldtheboxfirsttooneear，thentotheother。Igaveitseveralsharprapswithmyknuckles。 Therewasnotanansweringsound，noteventhesortofreverberationwhichPughandIhadnoticedatfirst。Itseemedhollowerthanever。Itwasasthoughthesouloftheboxwasdead。 “IsupposeifIputyoudown，andextinguishthegasandreturntobed，inabouthalfanhourorso，justasIamdroppingofftosleep，theperformancewillberecommenced。Perhapsthethirdtimewillbelucky。“ ButIwasmistaken——therewasnothirdtime。WhenIreturnedtobedthattimeIreturnedtosleep，andIwasallowedtosleep； therewasnocontinuationoftheperformance，atleastsofarasI know。FornosoonerwasIoncemorebetweenthesheetsthanIwasseizedwithanirresistibledrowsiness，adrowsinesswhichsomasteredmethatI——Iimagineitmusthavebeeninstantly——sankintoslumberwhichlastedtilllongafterdayhaddawned。WhetherornotanymoremysterioussoundsissuedfromthebowelsofPugh’spuzzleismorethanIcantell。Iftheydid，theydidnotsucceedinrousingme。 Andyet，whenatlastIdidawake，Ihadasortofconsciousnessthatmywakinghadbeencausedbysomethingstrange。WhatitwasI couldnotsurmise。MyownimpressionwasthatIhadbeenawakenedbythetouchofaperson’shand。Butthatimpressionmusthavebeenamistakenone，because，asIcouldeasilyseebylookingroundtheroom，therewasnooneintheroomtotouchme。 Itwasbroaddaylight。Ilookedatmywatch；itwasnearlyeleveno’clock。Iamaprettylatesleeperasarule，butIdonotusuallysleepaslateasthat。ThatscoundrelBobwouldletmesleepalldaywithoutthinkingitnecessarytocallme。IwasjustabouttospringoutofbedwiththeintentionofringingthebellsothatImightgiveBobapieceofmymindforallowingmetosleepsolate，whenmyglancefellonthedressing-tableonwhich，thenightbefore，IhadplacedPugh’spuzzle。Ithadgone！ ItsabsencesotookmebysurprisethatIrantothetable。ItHAD gone。Butithadnotgonefar；ithadgonetopieces！Therewerethepieceslyingwheretheboxhadbeen。Thepuzzlehadsolveditself。Theboxwasopen，openwithavengeance，onemightsay。 LikethatunfortunateHumptyDumpty，who，sothechroniclerstellus，satonawall，surely“alltheking’shorsesandalltheking’smen“nevercouldputPugh’spuzzletogetheragain！ Themarquetryhadresolveditselfintoitscomponentparts。Howthosepartshadeverbeenjoinedwasamystery。Theyhadbeenlaiduponnofoundation，asisthecasewithordinaryinlaidwork。Theseveralpiecesofwoodwerenotonlyofdifferentshapesandsizes，buttheywereasthinasthethinnestveneer；yettheboxhadbeenformedbysimplyjoiningthemtogether。Themanwhomadethatboxmusthavebeenpossessedofingenuityworthyofabettercause。 Iperceivedhowthepuzzlehadbeenworked。Theboxhadcontainedanarrangementofsprings，which，onbeingreleased，hadexpandedthemselvesindifferentdirectionsuntiltheirmereexpansionhadrenttheboxtopieces。Therewerethesprings，lyingamidtheruintheyhadcaused。 Therewassomethingelseamidthatruinbesidesthosesprings； therewasasmallpieceofwritingpaper。Itookitup。Onthereversesideofitwaswritteninaminute，crabbedhand:“A PresentForYou。“Whatwasapresentforme？Ilooked，and，notforthefirsttimesinceIhadcaughtsightofPugh’spreciouspuzzle，couldscarcelybelievemyeyes。 There，poisedbetweentwouprightwires，thebentendsofwhichhelditaloftintheair，waseitherapieceofglassor——acrystal。Thescrapofwritingpaperhadexactlycoveredit。I understoodwhatitwas，whenPughandIhadtappedwiththehammer，hadcausedtheansweringtapstoproceedfromwithin。Ourtapscausedthewirestooscillate，andintheseoscillationsthecrystal，whichtheyheldsuspended，hadtouchedthesideofthebox。 Ilookedagainatthepieceofpaper。“APresentForYou。“WasTHISthepresent——thiscrystal？Iregardeditintently。 “ItCAN’Tbeadiamond。“ Theideawasridiculous，absurd。Nomaninhissenseswouldplaceadiamondinsideatwopenny-halfpennypuzzlebox。Thethingwasasbigasawalnut！Andyet——Iamaprettygoodjudgeofpreciousstones——ifitwasnotanuncutdiamonditwasthebestimitationI hadseen。Itookitup。Iexamineditclosely。ThemorecloselyIexaminedit，themoremywondergrew。 “ItISadiamond！“ Andyettheideawastoopreposterousforcredence。Whowouldpresentadiamondasbigasawalnutwithatrumperypuzzle？ Besides，allthediamondswhichtheworldcontainsofthatsizearealmostaswellknownastheKoh-i-noor。 “Ifitisadiamond，itisworth——itisworth——Heavenonlyknowswhatitisn’tworthifit’sadiamond。“ Iregardeditthroughastrongpocketlens。AsIdidsoIcouldnotrestrainanexclamation。 “TheworldtoaChinaorange，itISadiamond！“ Thewordshadscarcelyescapedmylipsthantherecameatappingatthedoor。 “Comein！“Icried，supposingitwasBob。ItwasnotBob，itwasPugh。InstinctivelyIputthelensandthecrystalbehindmyback。 AtsightofmeinmynightshirtPughbegantoshakehishead。 “Whathours，Tress，whathours！Why，mydearTress，I’vebreakfasted，readthepapersandmyletters，cameallthewayfrommyhousehere，andyou’renotup！“ “Don’tIlookasthoughIwereup？“ “Ah，Tress！Tress！“Heapproachedthedressing-table。Hiseyefellupontheruins。“What’sthis？“ “That’sthesolutiontothepuzzle。“ “Haveyou——haveyousolveditfairly，Tress？“ “Ithassolveditself。Ourhandling，andtapping，andhammeringmusthavefreedthespringswhichtheboxcontained，andduringthenight，whileIslept，theyhavecausedittocomeopen。“ “Whileyouslept？Dearme！Howstrange！And——whatarethese？“ Hehaddiscoveredthetwouprightwiresonwhichthecrystalhadbeenpoised。 “Isupposethey’repartofthepuzzle。“ “Andwasthereanythinginthebox？What’sthis？“hepickedupthescrapofpaper；Ihadleftitonthetable。Hereadwhatwaswrittenonit:“’APresentForYou。’What’sitmean？Tress，wasthisinthebox？“ “Itwas。“ “What’sitmeanaboutapresent？Wasthereanythingintheboxbesides？“ “Pugh，ifyouwillleavetheroomIshallbeabletodress；Iamnotinthehabitofreceivingquitesuchearlycalls，orIshouldhavebeenpreparedtoreceiveyou。Ifyouwillwaitinthenextroom，IwillbewithyouassoonasI’mdressed。ThereisalittlesubjectinconnectionwiththeboxwhichIwishtodiscusswithyou。“ “Asubjectinconnectionwiththebox？Whatisthesubject？“ “Iwilltellyou，Pugh，whenIhaveperformedmytoilet。“ “Whycan’tyoutellmenow？“ “Doyoupropose，then，thatIshouldstandhereshiveringinmyshirtwhileyouareprosingatyourease？Thankyou；Iamobliged，butIdecline。MayIaskyouoncemore，Pugh，towaitformeintheadjoiningapartment？“ Hemovedtowardthedoor。Whenhehadtakenacoupleofsteps，hehalted。 “I——Ihope，Tress，thatyou’re——you’regoingtoplaynotricksonme？“ “Tricksonyou！IsitlikelythatIamgoingtoplaytricksuponmyoldestfriend？“ Whenhehadgone——hevanished，itseemedtome，withasomewhatdoubtfulvisage——Itookthecrystaltothewindow。Idrewtheblind。Iletthesunshinefallonit。Iexamineditagain，closelyandminutely，withtheaidofmypocketlens。ItWASadiamond；therecouldnotbeadoubtofit。If，withmyknowledgeofstones，Iwasdeceived，thenIwasdeceivedasnevermanhadbeendeceivedbefore。MyheartbeatfasterasIrecognizedthefactthatIwasholdinginmyhandwhatwas，inallprobability，afortuneforamanofmoderatedesires。Ofcourse，PughknewnothingofwhatIhaddiscovered，andtherewasnoreasonwhyheshouldknow。Nottheleast！TheonlydifficultywasthatifI keptmyowncounsel，andsoldthestoneandutilizedtheproceedsofthesale，Ishouldhavetoinventastorywhichwouldaccountformysuddenaccessiontofortune。PughknowsalmostasmuchofmyaffairsasIdomyself。Thatistheworstoftheseoldfriends！ WhenIjoinedPughIfoundhimdancingupanddownthefloorlikeabearuponhotplates。Hescarcelyallowedmetoputmynoseinsidethedoorbeforeattackingme。 “Tress，givemewhatwasinthebox。“ “MydearPugh，howdoyouknowthattherewassomethingintheboxtogiveyou？“ “Iknowtherewas！“ “Indeed！Ifyouknowthattherewassomethinginthebox，perhapsyouwilltellmewhatthatsomethingwas。“ Heeyedmedoubtfully。Then，advancing，helaiduponmyarmahandwhichpositivelytrembled。 “Tress，you——youwouldn’tplaytricksonanoldfriend。“ “Youareright，Pugh，Iwouldn’t，thoughIbelievetherehavebeenoccasionsonwhichyouhavehaddoubtsuponthesubject。Bytheway，Pugh，IbelievethatIamtheoldestfriendyouhave。“ “I——Idon’tknowaboutthat。There’s——there’sBrasher。“ “Brasher！Who’sBrasher？Youwouldn’tcomparemyfriendshiptothefriendshipofsuchamanasBrasher？Thinkofthetasteswehaveincommon，youandI。We’rebothcollectors。“ “Ye-es，we’rebothcollectors。“