THEREPAIREROFREPUTATIONS
I
Neraillonspaslesfous;
leurfoliedurepluslongtempsquelanôtre....
Voilatouteladifférence."
Toward
в
theendoftheyear1920в
theGovernmentoftheUnitedStateshadpracticallycompletedв
theprogramme,adoptedduringthelastmonthsofPresidentWinthrop'sadministration.В
Thecountrywasapparentlytranquil.Все
EverybodyknowshowtheTariffи
andLabourquestionsweresettled.The
война
warwithGermany,incidentonthatcountry'sseizureoftheSamoanIslands,hadleftне
novisiblescarsupontherepublic,и
andthetemporaryoccupationofNorfolkbytheinvadingarmyhadbeenforgotteninthejoyoverrepeatednavalvictories,и
andthesubsequentridiculousplightofGeneralVonGartenlaube'sforcesintheStateofНью
NewJersey.TheCubanandHawaiianinvestmentshadpaidonehundredpercent
и
andtheterritoryofSamoawaswellworthitscostasacoalingstation.The
страна
countrywasinasuperbstateofdefence.Каждый
Everycoastcityhadbeenхорошо
wellsuppliedwithlandfortifications;thearmy
под
undertheparentaleyeoftheGeneralStaff,organizedaccordingtothePrussiansystem,hadbeenincreasedto300,000men,с
withaterritorialreserveofaмиллион
million;andsixmagnificentsquadronsofcruisers
и
andbattle-shipspatrolledthesixstationsofthenavigableseas,leavingasteamreserveamplyfittedtocontrolhomewaters.ThegentlemenfromtheWesthadatlastbeenconstrainedtoacknowledge
что
thatacollegeforthetrainingofdiplomatswasasnecessaryaslawschoolsareforthetrainingofbarristers;consequentlywewere
не
nolongerrepresentedabroadbyincompetentpatriots.Thenationwasprosperous;
Chicago,fora
мгновение
momentparalyzedafterasecondgreatfire,hadrisenfromitsruins,белый
whiteandimperial,andmoreкрасивый
beautifulthanthewhitecityкоторый
whichhadbeenbuiltforitsplaythingin1893.Everywheregoodarchitecturewasreplacingbad,
и
andeveninNewYork,asuddencravingfordecencyhadsweptawayagreatportionoftheexistinghorrors.Streetshadbeenwidened,properlypaved
и
andlighted,treeshadbeenplanted,squareslaidout,elevatedstructuresdemolishedи
andundergroundroadsbuilttoreplaceих
them.Thenewgovernmentbuildings
и
andbarrackswerefinebitsofarchitecture,и
andthelongsystemofstonequayswhichcompletelysurroundedtheislandhadbeenturnedintoparkswhichprovedagod-sendtothepopulation.Thesubsidizingofthestatetheatre
и
andstateoperabroughtitsownreward.TheUnitedStatesNationalAcademyofDesignwasmuchlikeEuropeaninstitutionsofthe
же
samekind.NobodyenviedtheSecretaryofFineArts,eitherhiscabinetpositionorhisportfolio.
TheSecretaryofForestry
и
andGamePreservationhadaнамного
mucheasiertime,thankstothenewsystemofNationalMountedПолиции
Police.Wehadprofitedwellbythelatesttreaties
с
withFranceandEngland;theexclusionofforeign-bornJewsasameasureofself-preservation,thesettlementofthenewindependentnegrostateofSuanee,thecheckingofimmigration,thenewlawsconcerningnaturalization,
и
andthegradualcentralizationofвласти
powerintheexecutiveallcontributedtonationalcalmи
andprosperity.WhentheGovernmentsolvedtheIndianproblem
и
andsquadronsofIndiancavalryscoutsinnativecostumeweresubstitutedforthepitiableorganizationstackedontothetailofskeletonizedregimentsbyaformerSecretaryofВойны
War,thenationdrewalongsighofrelief.Когда
When,afterthecolossalCongressofReligions,bigotryи
andintolerancewerelaidintheirgravesи
andkindnessandcharitybegantodrawwarringsectstogether,многие
manythoughtthemillenniumhadarrived,atкрайней мере
leastinthenewworldwhichпосле
afterallisaworldbyitself.Но
Butself-preservationisthefirstзакон
law,andtheUnitedStateshadtoсмотреть
lookoninhelplesssorrowasGermany,Italy,Spainи
andBelgiumwrithedinthethroesofAnarchy,whileRussia,watchingfromtheCaucasus,stoopedи
andboundthemonebyone.Inthecityof
Нью
NewYorkthesummerof1899wassignalizedbythedismantlingoftheElevatedRailroads.Thesummerof1900
будет
willliveinthememoriesofНью
NewYorkpeopleformanyacycle;theDodgeStatuewasremovedinthatyear.
InthefollowingwinterbeganthatagitationfortherepealofthelawsprohibitingsuicidewhichboreitsfinalfruitinthemonthofApril,1920,
когда
whenthefirstGovernmentLethalChamberwasopenedonWashingtonSquare.Ihadwalked
вниз
downthatdayfromDr.Archer'shouseonMadisonAvenue,где
whereIhadbeenasв
amereformality.Eversince
что
thatfallfrommyhorse,четыре
fouryearsbefore,Ihadbeentroubledattimeswithpainsinthebackofmyheadи
andneck,butnowformonthstheyhadbeenabsent,и
andthedoctorsentmeawayчто
thatdaysayingtherewasnothingбольше
moretobecuredinменя
me.Itwashardlyworthhisfeetobetoldthat;
Iknewitmyself.
StillIdidnotgrudgehimthe
деньги
money.WhatImindedwasthemistakewhichhemadeatfirst.
Когда
Whentheypickedmeupfromthepavementгде
whereIlayunconscious,andкто
somebodyhadmercifullysentabulletthroughmyhorse'sголову
head,IwascarriedtoDr.Archer,и
andhe,pronouncingmybrainaffected,placedmeinhisprivateasylumгде
whereIwasobligedtoenduretreatmentforinsanity.AtlasthedecidedthatIwaswell,
и
andI,knowingthatmyум
mindhadalwaysbeenassoundashis,если
ifnotsounder,"paidmytuition"ashejokinglycalledit,и
andleft.Itoldhim,smiling,
что
thatIwouldgetevenwithhimforhismistake,и
andhelaughedheartily,andaskedmetoпозвонить
callonceinawhile.Ididso,hopingfora
шанс
chancetoevenupaccounts,но
buthegavemenone,и
andItoldhimIwouldждать
wait.Thefallfrommyhorsehadfortunatelyleft
не
noevilresults;onthecontraryithadchangedmy
весь
wholecharacterforthebetter.From
в
alazyyoungmanabouttown,Ihadbecomeactive,energetic,temperate,и
andaboveall—oh,aboveallelse—ambitious.Therewas
только
onlyonethingwhichtroubledменя
me,Ilaughedatmyownuneasiness,и
andyetittroubledme.DuringmyconvalescenceIhadbought
и
andreadforthefirstвремя
time,TheKinginYellow.Iremember
после
afterfinishingthefirstactчто
thatitoccurredtomeчто
thatIhadbetterstop.Istartedup
и
andflungthebookintoв
thefireplace;thevolumestruckthebarredgrate
и
andfellopenonthehearthinthefirelight.Если
IfIhadnotcaughtaglimpseoftheopeningwordsinthesecondactIshouldneverhavefinishedit,butasIstoopedtopickitup,myeyesbecamerivetedtotheopenpage,и
andwithacryofterror,или
orperhapsitwasofjoysopoignantthatIsufferedineverynerve,Isnatchedtheвещь
thingoutofthecoalsи
andcreptshakingtomybedroom,где
whereIreaditandrereadit,и
andweptandlaughedandtrembledс
withahorrorwhichattimesassailsmeyet.Thisisthethingthattroubles
меня
me,forIcannotforgetCarcosaгде
whereblackstarshangintheheavens;где
wheretheshadowsofmen'sthoughtslengthenintheafternoon,когда
whenthetwinsunssinkintothelakeofHali;и
andmymindwillbearforeverthememoryofthePallidMask.Ipray
Бог
Godwillcursethewriter,asthewriterhascursedtheмир
worldwiththisbeautiful,stupendouscreation,terribleinitssimplicity,irresistibleinitstruth—aмир
worldwhichnowtremblesbeforetheKinginYellow.Когда
WhentheFrenchGovernmentseizedthetranslatedcopiesчто
whichhadjustarrivedinParis,London,ofконечно
course,becameeagertoreadего
it.Itiswellknownhowthe
книга
bookspreadlikeaninfectiousdisease,fromгорода
citytocity,fromcontinenttocontinent,barredoutздесь
here,confiscatedthere,denouncedbyPressи
andpulpit,censuredevenbythemostadvancedofliteraryanarchists.Не
Nodefiniteprincipleshadbeenviolatedinthosewickedpages,не
nodoctrinepromulgated,noconvictionsoutraged.Itcouldnotbejudgedbyanyknownstandard,
но
yet,althoughitwasacknowledgedthatthesupremenoteofarthadbeenstruckinTheKinginYellow,все
allfeltthathumannaturecouldnotbearthestrain,northriveonwordsinwhichtheessenceofpurestpoisonlurked.Theverybanality
и
andinnocenceofthefirstactтолько
onlyallowedtheblowtoупасть
fallafterwardwithmoreawfuleffect.Itwas,Iremember,the13thdayofApril,1920,
что
thatthefirstGovernmentLethalChamberwasestablishedonthesouthстороне
sideofWashingtonSquare,betweenWoosterСтрит
StreetandSouthFifthAvenue.Theblock
который
whichhadformerlyconsistedofalotofshabbyoldbuildings,usedascafésи
andrestaurantsforforeigners,hadbeenacquiredbytheGovernmentinthewinterof1898.TheFrench
и
andItaliancafésandrestaurantsweretorndown;the
весь
wholeblockwasenclosedbyagildedironrailing,и
andconvertedintoalovelygardenс
withlawns,flowersandfountains.Inthecentreofthegardenstoodasmall,whitebuilding,severelyclassicalinarchitecture,
и
andsurroundedbythicketsofflowers.Шесть
SixIoniccolumnssupportedtheroof,andthesingleдверь
doorwasofbronze.Asplendidmarblegroupofthe"Fates"stood
перед
beforethedoor,theworkofayoungAmericansculptor,BorisYvain,который
whohaddiedinParisкогда
whenonlytwenty-threeyearsold.TheinaugurationceremonieswereinprogressasIcrossedUniversityPlace
и
andenteredthesquare.Ithreadedmywaythroughthesilentthrongofspectators,
но
butwasstoppedatFourthУлице
Streetbyacordonofполиции
police.AregimentofUnitedStateslancersweredrawnupinahollowsquareroundtheLethalChamber.
OnaraisedtribunefacingWashingtonParkstoodtheGovernorof
Нью
NewYork,andbehindhimweregroupedtheMayorofНью
NewYorkandBrooklyn,theInspector-GeneralofПолиции
Police,theCommandantofthestatetroops,ColonelLivingston,militaryaidtothePresidentoftheUnitedStates,GeneralBlount,commandingatGovernor'sIsland,Major-GeneralHamilton,commandingthegarrisonofНью
NewYorkandBrooklyn,AdmiralBuffbyofthefleetintheNorthRiver,Surgeon-GeneralLanceford,thestaffoftheNationalFreeHospital,SenatorsWyseи
andFranklinofNewYork,и
andtheCommissionerofPublicWorks.ThetribunewassurroundedbyasquadronofhussarsoftheNationalGuard.
TheGovernorwasfinishinghisreplytotheshortspeechoftheSurgeon-General.
Iheardhimsay:
"Thelawsprohibitingsuicide
и
andprovidingpunishmentforanyattemptatself-destructionhavebeenrepealed.TheGovernmenthasseenfittoacknowledgethe
право
rightofmantoendanexistencewhichможет
mayhavebecomeintolerabletoнего
him,throughphysicalsufferingormentaldespair.Itisbelieved
что
thatthecommunitywillbebenefitedbytheremovalofsuchлюдей
peoplefromtheirmidst.Sincethepassageof
этот
thislaw,thenumberofsuicidesintheUnitedStateshasnotincreased.Теперь
NowtheGovernmenthasdeterminedtoestablishaLethalChamberineverycity,townи
andvillageinthecountry,itremainstobeseenwhetherornotthatclassofhumancreaturesfromwhosedespondingranksnewvictimsofself-destructionfalldailywillacceptthereliefthusprovided."Hepaused,
и
andturnedtothewhiteLethalChamber.Thesilenceinthe
улице
streetwasabsolute."Thereapainless
смерть
deathawaitshimwhocanне
nolongerbearthesorrowsofthisжизни
life.Ifdeathiswelcome
пусть
lethimseekitthere."ThenquicklyturningtothemilitaryaidofthePresident'shousehold,hesaid,"IdeclaretheLethalChamberopen,"
и
andagainfacingthevastcrowdhecriedinaclearvoice:"Citizensof
Нью
NewYorkandoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,через
throughmetheGovernmentdeclarestheLethalChambertobeopen."Thesolemnhushwasbrokenbyasharpcryofcommand,thesquadronofhussarsfiledaftertheGovernor'scarriage,thelancerswheeled
и
andformedalongFifthAvenuetowaitforthecommandantofthegarrison,и
andthemountedpolicefollowedними
them.Ileftthecrowdtogape
и
andstareatthewhitemarbleСмерти
DeathChamber,and,crossingSouthFifthAvenue,walkedalongthewesternстороне
sideofthatthoroughfaretoBleeckerСтрит
Street.ThenIturnedtothe
направо
rightandstoppedbeforeadingyshopwhichborethesign:.HAWBERK,ARMOURER.
Iglancedinatthedoorway
и
andsawHawberkbusyinhislittleshopattheendofthehall.Helooked
вверх
up,andcatchingsightofmecriedinhisdeep,heartyvoice,"Comein,Mr.Castaigne!"Constance,his
дочь
daughter,rosetomeetmeasIcrossedthethreshold,и
andheldoutherprettyруку
hand,butIsawtheblushofdisappointmentonhercheeks,и
andknewthatitwasanotherCastaigneshehadexpected,mycousinLouis.Ismiledatherconfusion
и
andcomplimentedheronthebannershewasembroideringfromacolouredplate.Старый
OldHawberksatrivetingtheworngreavesofsomeancientsuitofarmour,и
andtheting!ting!
ting!
ofhislittlehammersoundedpleasantlyinthequaintshop.
Presentlyhedroppedhishammer,
и
andfussedaboutforaмгновение
momentwithatinywrench.Thesoftclashofthemailsentathrillofpleasure
через
throughme.Ilovedtohearthemusicofsteelbrushingagainststeel,themellowshockofthemalletonthighpieces,
и
andthejingleofchainarmour.Это
ThatwastheonlyreasonIwenttoseeHawberk.Hehadneverinterestedmepersonally,nordidConstance,exceptforthefactofherbeinginlovewithLouis.
Это
Thisdidoccupymyattention,и
andsometimesevenkeptmeawakeatnight.Но
ButIknewinmyheartчто
thatallwouldcomeright,и
andthatIshouldarrangetheirfutureasIexpectedtoarrangeчто
thatofmykinddoctor,JohnArcher.However,Ishouldneverhavetroubledmyself
о
aboutvisitingthemjustthen,haditnotbeen,asIsay,thattheмузыка
musicofthetinklinghammerhadformethisstrongfascination.Iwouldsitforhours,listening
и
andlistening,andwhenastraysunbeamstrucktheinlaidsteel,thesensationitgavemewasпочти
almosttookeentoendure.Myeyeswouldbecomefixed,dilatingwithapleasurethatstretchedeverynerve
почти
almosttobreaking,untilsomemovementoftheoldarmourercutот
offtherayofsunlight,then,все еще
stillthrillingsecretly,Ileanedназад
backandlistenedagaintothesoundofthepolishingrag,swish!swish!
rubbingrustfromtherivets.
Constanceworkedwiththeembroidery
над
overherknees,nowandthenpausingtoexaminemorecloselythepatterninthecolouredplatefromtheMetropolitanMuseum.Whoisthisfor?"
Iasked.
Hawberkexplained,thatinadditiontothetreasuresofarmourintheMetropolitanMuseumofwhichhehadbeenappointedarmourer,he
также
alsohadchargeofseveralcollectionsbelongingtorichamateurs.Это
Thiswasthemissinggreaveofafamoussuitкоторый
whichaclientofhishadtracedtoalittleshopinParisontheQuaid'Orsay.Он
He,Hawberk,hadnegotiatedforи
andsecuredthegreave,andтеперь
nowthesuitwascomplete.Helaiddownhishammer
и
andreadmethehistoryofthesuit,tracedsince1450fromownertoowneruntilitwasacquiredbyThomasStainbridge.Когда
Whenhissuperbcollectionwassold,этот
thisclientofHawberk'sboughtthesuit,и
andsincethenthesearchforthemissinggreavehadbeenpusheduntilitwas,почти
almostbyaccident,locatedinParis.Didyoucontinuethesearchsopersistentlywithoutanycertaintyofthegreavebeing
все еще
stillinexistence?"Idemanded.
Ofcourse,"herepliedcoolly.
Thenforthe
впервые
firsttimeItookapersonalinterestinHawberk.Itwasworth
то
somethingtoyou,"Iventured.No,"hereplied,laughing,"mypleasureinfindingitwasmyreward."
У
Haveyounoambitiontoberich?"Iasked,smiling.
Myoneambitionistobethebestarmourerintheworld,"heansweredgravely.
ConstanceaskedmeifIhadseentheceremoniesattheLethalChamber.
SheherselfhadnoticedcavalrypassingupBroadwaythat
утро
morning,andhadwishedtoувидеть
seetheinauguration,butherотец
fatherwantedthebannerfinished,и
andshehadstayedathisrequest.Didyouseeyourcousin,Mr.Castaigne,there?"
sheasked,
с
withtheslightesttremorofhersofteyelashes.No,"Irepliedcarelessly.
"Louis'regimentismanœuvringoutinWestchesterCounty."
Irose
и
andpickedupmyhatи
andcane.Areyougoingupstairstoseethelunaticagain?"
laughed
старый
oldHawberk.IfHawberkknew
как
howIloathethatword"lunatic,"hewouldneveruseitinmypresence.ItrousescertainfeelingswithinmewhichIdonotcaretoexplain.
However,Iansweredhimquietly:
"I
думаю
thinkIshalldropinи
andseeMr.Wildeforaмгновение
momentortwo."Poorfellow,"saidConstance,withashakeofthehead,"itmustbe
трудно
hardtolivealoneyearafterгод
yearpoor,crippledandalmostdemented.Itis
очень
verygoodofyou,Mr.Castaigne,tovisithimasoftenasyoudo."I
думаю
thinkheisvicious,"observedHawberk,beginningснова
againwithhishammer.Ilistenedtothegoldentinkleonthegreaveplates;
когда
whenhehadfinishedIreplied:.No,heisnotvicious,norisheintheleastdemented.
His
ум
mindisawonderchamber,fromwhichheможет
canextracttreasuresthatyouи
andIwouldgiveyearsofourжизни
lifetoacquire."'.Hawberklaughed.
Icontinueda
немного
littleimpatiently:"Heknowshistoryas
не
nooneelsecouldknowit.Nothing,howevertrivial,escapeshissearch,
и
andhismemoryissoabsolute,sopreciseindetails,что
thatwereitknowninНью
NewYorkthatsuchamanexisted,theлюди
peoplecouldnothonourhimenough."Nonsense,"mutteredHawberk,searchingonthefloorforafallenrivet.
Isitnonsense,"Iasked,managingtosuppresswhatIfelt,"isitnonsense
когда
whenhesaysthatthetassetsи
andcuissardsoftheenamelledsuitofarmourcommonlyknownasthe'Prince'sEmblazoned'canbefoundamongamassofrustytheatricalproperties,brokenstovesи
andragpicker'srefuseinagarretinPellStreet?"Hawberk'shammerfelltotheground,
но
buthepickeditupи
andasked,withagreatdealofcalm,как
howIknewthatthetassetsи
andleftcuissardweremissingfromthe"Prince'sEmblazoned."IdidnotknowuntilMr.Wildementionedittometheotherday.
Hesaidtheywereinthegarretof998PellStreet."
Nonsense,"hecried,
но
butInoticedhishandtremblingпод
underhisleathernapron.Is
это
thisnonsensetoo?"Iaskedpleasantly,"isitnonsense
когда
whenMr.WildecontinuallyspeaksofyouastheMarquisofAvonshireи
andofMissConstance—".Ididnotfinish,forConstancehadstartedtoherfeet
с
withterrorwrittenoneveryfeature.Hawberklookedatme
и
andslowlysmoothedhisleathernapron.Это
Thatisimpossible,"heobserved,"Mr.Wilde
может
mayknowagreatmanythings—".О
Aboutarmour,forinstance,andв
the'Prince'sEmblazoned,'"Iinterposed,smiling.Yes,"hecontinued,slowly,"aboutarmouralso—maybe—butheiswronginregardtotheMarquisofAvonshire,
который
who,asyouknow,killedhiswife'straduceryearsназад
ago,andwenttoAustraliaгде
wherehedidnotlongsurvivehiswife."Mr.
Wildeiswrong,"murmuredConstance.
Herlipswereblanched,
но
buthervoicewassweetи
andcalm.Letusagree,
если
ifyouplease,thatinthisonecircumstanceMr.Wildeiswrong,"Isaid.II
Iclimbedthethreedilapidatedflightsofstairs,whichIhadsooftenclimbed
раньше
before,andknockedatasmallдверь
doorattheendofthecorridor.Mr.Wildeopenedthe
дверь
doorandIwalkedin.Когда
Whenhehaddouble-lockedtheдверь
doorandpushedaheavychestagainstit,hecameи
andsatdownbesideme,peeringupintomyfacewithhislittlelight-colouredeyes.Halfadozennewscratchescoveredhisnose
и
andcheeks,andthesilverwireswhichsupportedhisartificialearshadbecomedisplaced.IthoughtIhadneverseenhimsohideouslyfascinating.
Hehad
не
noears.Theartificialones,which
теперь
nowstoodoutatananglefromtheтонкой
finewire,werehisoneweakness.Theyweremadeofwax
и
andpaintedashellpink,но
buttherestofhisfacewasyellow.Hemight
лучше
betterhaverevelledintheluxuryofsomeartificialfingersforhislefthand,whichwasabsolutelyfingerless,но
butitseemedtocausehimне
noinconvenience,andhewassatisfiedwithhiswaxears.Hewas
очень
verysmall,scarcelyhigherthanв
achildoften,buthisarmsweremagnificentlydeveloped,и
andhisthighsasthickasлюбой
anyathlete's.Still,themostremarkablethingaboutMr.Wildewas
что
thatamanofhismarvellousintelligenceи
andknowledgeshouldhavesuchaголову
head.Itwasflatandpointed,
как
liketheheadsofmanyofтех
thoseunfortunateswhompeopleimprisoninasylumsfortheweak-minded.Многие
Manycalledhiminsane,butIknewhimtobeassaneasIwas.Idonotdeny
что
thathewaseccentric;themaniahehadforkeepingthatcat
и
andteasingheruntilsheflewathisfaceкак
likeademon,wascertainlyeccentric.Inevercould
понять
understandwhyhekeptthecreature,norwhatpleasurehefoundinshuttinghimselfupinhisroomс
withthissurly,viciousbeast.Iremember
однажды
once,glancingupfromthemanuscriptIwasstudyingbythelightofsometallowdips,andseeingMr.Wildesquattingmotionlessonhishighchair,hiseyesfairlyblazingwithexcitement,whilethecat,whichhadrisenfromherplaceперед
beforethestove,camecreepingacrossthefloorпрямо
rightathim.BeforeIcould
двигаться
movesheflattenedherbellytotheground,crouched,trembled,и
andsprangintohisface.Howling
и
andfoamingtheyrolledoverи
andoveronthefloor,scratchingи
andclawing,untilthecatscreamedи
andfledunderthecabinet,и
andMr.Wildeturnedoveronhisback,hislimbscontractingи
andcurlinguplikethelegsofadyingspider.Hewaseccentric.
Mr.
Wildehadclimbedintohis
высокий
highchair,and,afterstudyingmyface,pickedupadog's-earedledgerи
andopenedit.HenryB.
Matthews,"heread,"book-keeperwithWhysotWhysotandCompany,dealersinchurchornaments.
CalledApril3rd.
Reputationdamagedontherace-track.
Knownasawelcher.
ReputationtoberepairedbyAugust1st.
Retainer
Пять
FiveDollars."