THEREPAIREROFREPUTATIONS
I
Neraillonspaslesfous;
leurfoliedurepluslongtempsquelanôtre....
Voilatouteladifférence."
Towardtheendofthe
року
year1920theGovernmentoftheUnitedStateshadpracticallycompletedtheprogramme,adoptedduringthelastmonthsofPresidentWinthrop'sadministration.Thecountrywasapparentlytranquil.
Everybodyknows
як
howtheTariffandLabourquestionsweresettled.The
війна
warwithGermany,incidentonthatcountry'sseizureoftheSamoanIslands,hadleftnovisiblescarsupontherepublic,andthetemporaryoccupationofNorfolkbytheinvadingarmyhadbeenforgotteninthejoyoverrepeatednavalvictories,andthesubsequentridiculousplightofGeneralVonGartenlaube'sforcesintheStateofNewJersey.TheCubanandHawaiianinvestmentshadpaidonehundredpercentandtheterritoryofSamoawaswellworthitscostasacoalingstation.
Thecountrywasinasuperbstateofdefence.
Everycoast
місто
cityhadbeenwellsuppliedwithlandfortifications;thearmy
під
undertheparentaleyeoftheGeneralStaff,organizedaccordingtothePrussiansystem,hadbeenincreasedto300,000men,withaterritorialreserveofamillion;і
andsixmagnificentsquadronsofcruisersі
andbattle-shipspatrolledthesixstationsofthenavigableseas,leavingasteamreserveamplyfittedtoконтролю
controlhomewaters.ThegentlemenfromtheWesthadatlastbeenconstrainedtoacknowledge
що
thatacollegeforthetrainingofdiplomatswasasnecessaryaslawschoolsareforthetrainingofbarristers;consequentlywewere
не
nolongerrepresentedabroadbyincompetentpatriots.Thenationwasprosperous;
Chicago,fora
мить
momentparalyzedafterasecondgreatfire,hadrisenfromitsruins,білий
whiteandimperial,andmorebeautifulніж
thanthewhitecitywhichhadbeenbuiltforitsplaythingin1893.Everywheregoodarchitecturewasreplacingbad,
і
andeveninNewYork,asuddencravingfordecencyhadsweptawayagreatportionoftheexistinghorrors.Streetshadbeenwidened,properlypaved
і
andlighted,treeshadbeenplanted,squareslaidout,elevatedstructuresdemolishedі
andundergroundroadsbuilttoreplacethem.The
нові
newgovernmentbuildingsandbarrackswerefinebitsofarchitecture,andthelongsystemofstonequaysякі
whichcompletelysurroundedtheislandhadbeenturnedintoparksякі
whichprovedagod-sendtothepopulation.Thesubsidizingofthestatetheatre
та
andstateoperabroughtitsownreward.На
TheUnitedStatesNationalAcademyofDesignwasmuchlikeEuropeaninstitutionsofна
thesamekind.NobodyenviedtheSecretaryofFineArts,eitherhiscabinetpositionorhisportfolio.
TheSecretaryofForestry
і
andGamePreservationhadaнабагато
mucheasiertime,thankstothenewsystemofNationalMountedПоліції
Police.Wehadprofitedwellbythelatesttreaties
з
withFranceandEngland;theexclusionofforeign-bornJewsasameasureofself-preservation,thesettlementofthe
нові
newindependentnegrostateofSuanee,thecheckingofimmigration,theнові
newlawsconcerningnaturalization,andthegradualcentralizationofвлади
powerintheexecutiveallcontributedtonationalcalmта
andprosperity.WhentheGovernmentsolvedtheIndianproblem
і
andsquadronsofIndiancavalryscoutsinnativecostumeweresubstitutedforthepitiableorganizationstackedontothetailofskeletonizedregimentsbyaformerSecretaryofWar,thenationdrewaдовго
longsighofrelief.When,
після
afterthecolossalCongressofReligions,bigotryandintolerancewerelaidintheirgravesandkindnessandcharitybegantodrawwarringsectstogether,багато
manythoughtthemillenniumhadarrived,atleastinthenewсвіті
worldwhichafterallisaсвіті
worldbyitself.Butself-preservationisthe
перший
firstlaw,andtheUnitedStateshadtoдивитися
lookoninhelplesssorrowasGermany,Italy,Spainі
andBelgiumwrithedinthethroesofAnarchy,той час як
whileRussia,watchingfromtheCaucasus,stoopedі
andboundthemonebyone.InthecityofNewYorkthesummerof1899wassignalizedbythedismantlingoftheElevatedRailroads.
Thesummerof1900willliveinthememoriesofNewYorkpeoplefor
багато
manyacycle;theDodgeStatuewasremovedinthat
році
year.InthefollowingwinterbeganthatagitationfortherepealofthelawsprohibitingsuicidewhichboreitsfinalfruitinthemonthofApril,1920,
коли
whenthefirstGovernmentLethalChamberwasopenedonWashingtonSquare.Ihadwalkeddownthat
дня
dayfromDr.Archer'shouseonMadisonAvenue,де
whereIhadbeenasamereformality.Eversince
що
thatfallfrommyhorse,чотири
fouryearsbefore,Ihadbeentroubledattimeswithpainsinthebackofmyheadі
andneck,butnowformonthstheyhadbeenabsent,і
andthedoctorsentmeawayщо
thatdaysayingtherewasнічого
nothingmoretobecuredinмене
me.Itwashardlyworthhisfeetobetold
що
that;Iknewitmyself.
StillIdidnotgrudgehimthe
гроші
money.WhatImindedwasthemistakewhichhemadeatfirst.
Коли
Whentheypickedmeupfromthepavementде
whereIlayunconscious,andхтось
somebodyhadmercifullysentabulletthroughmyhorse'shead,IwascarriedtoDr.Archer,і
andhe,pronouncingmybrainaffected,placedmeinhisprivateasylumде
whereIwasobligedtoenduretreatmentforinsanity.Atlasthedecided
що
thatIwaswell,andI,knowingщо
thatmymindhadalwaysbeenassoundashis,якщо
ifnotsounder,"paidmytuition"ashejokinglycalledit,і
andleft.Itoldhim,smiling,
що
thatIwouldgetevenwithhimforhismistake,andhelaughedheartily,andaskedmetocallonceinawhile.Ididso,hopingfor
на
achancetoevenupaccounts,але
buthegavemenone,і
andItoldhimIwouldwait.На
Thefallfrommyhorsehadfortunatelyleftне
noevilresults;onthecontraryithadchangedmy
весь
wholecharacterforthebetter.Fromalazyyoungmanabout
місті
town,Ihadbecomeactive,energetic,temperate,і
andaboveall—oh,aboveallelse—ambitious.Therewas
лише
onlyonethingwhichtroubledмене
me,Ilaughedatmyownuneasiness,і
andyetittroubledme.DuringmyconvalescenceIhadbought
і
andreadforthefirstчас
time,TheKinginYellow.Iremember
після
afterfinishingthefirstactщо
thatitoccurredtomeщо
thatIhadbetterstop.Istartedup
і
andflungthebookintothefireplace;thevolumestruckthebarredgrate
і
andfellopenonthehearthinthefirelight.IfIhadnotcaughtaglimpseoftheopeningwordsinthesecondactIshould
ніколи не
neverhavefinishedit,butasIstoopedtopickitup,myeyesbecamerivetedtotheopenpage,і
andwithacryofterror,або
orperhapsitwasofjoysopoignantthatIsufferedineverynerve,Isnatchedtheріч
thingoutofthecoalsі
andcreptshakingtomybedroom,де
whereIreaditandrereadit,і
andweptandlaughedandtrembledwithahorrorwhichattimesassailsmeyet.Thisis
на
thethingthattroublesme,forIcannotзабути
forgetCarcosawhereblackstarshanginна
theheavens;wheretheshadowsofmen'sthoughtslengthenintheafternoon,
коли
whenthetwinsunssinkintothelakeofHali;і
andmymindwillbearforeverthememoryofthePallidMask.Ipray
Бог
Godwillcursethewriter,asthewriterhascursedtheсвіт
worldwiththisbeautiful,stupendouscreation,terribleinitssimplicity,irresistibleinitstruth—aсвіт
worldwhichnowtremblesbeforetheKinginYellow.Коли
WhentheFrenchGovernmentseizedthetranslatedcopieswhichhadтільки
justarrivedinParis,London,ofзвичайно
course,becameeagertoreadйого
it.Itiswellknownhow
на
thebookspreadlikeaninfectiousdisease,fromcitytocity,fromcontinenttocontinent,barredoutтут
here,confiscatedthere,denouncedbyPressandpulpit,censuredнавіть
evenbythemostadvancedofliteraryanarchists.Не
Nodefiniteprincipleshadbeenviolatedinцих
thosewickedpages,nodoctrinepromulgated,не
noconvictionsoutraged.Itcouldnotbejudgedbyanyknownstandard,yet,althoughitwasacknowledged
що
thatthesupremenoteofarthadbeenstruckinTheKinginYellow,allfeltщо
thathumannaturecouldnotbearthestrain,northriveonwordsinяких
whichtheessenceofpurestpoisonlurked.Theverybanality
і
andinnocenceofthefirstactтільки
onlyallowedtheblowtoвпасти
fallafterwardwithmoreawfuleffect.Itwas,Iremember,the13thdayofApril,1920,
що
thatthefirstGovernmentLethalChamberwasestablishedonthesouthстороні
sideofWashingtonSquare,betweenWoosterСтріт
StreetandSouthFifthAvenue.Theblock
яка
whichhadformerlyconsistedofalotofshabbyoldbuildings,usedascafésта
andrestaurantsforforeigners,hadbeenacquiredbytheGovernmentinthewinterof1898.TheFrench
та
andItaliancafésandrestaurantsweretorndown;the
весь
wholeblockwasenclosedbyagildedironrailing,andconvertedintoalovelygardenз
withlawns,flowersandfountains.Inthecentreofthegardenstoodasmall,
біла
whitebuilding,severelyclassicalinarchitecture,andsurroundedbythicketsofflowers.Шість
SixIoniccolumnssupportedtheroof,а
andthesingledoorwasofbronze.Asplendidmarblegroupofthe"Fates"stood
перед
beforethedoor,theworkofayoungAmericansculptor,BorisYvain,який
whohaddiedinParisколи
whenonlytwenty-threeyearsold.На
TheinaugurationceremonieswereinprogressasIcrossedUniversityPlaceі
andenteredthesquare.Ithreadedmy
шлях
waythroughthesilentthrongofspectators,але
butwasstoppedatFourthВулиці
Streetbyacordonofpolice.AregimentofUnitedStateslancersweredrawnupinahollowsquareroundtheLethalChamber.
OnaraisedtribunefacingWashingtonParkstoodtheGovernorofNewYork,and
за
behindhimweregroupedtheMayorofNewYorkandBrooklyn,theInspector-GeneralofПоліції
Police,theCommandantofthestatetroops,ColonelLivingston,militaryaidtothePresidentoftheUnitedStates,GeneralBlount,commandingatGovernor'sIsland,Major-GeneralHamilton,commandingthegarrisonofNewYorkandBrooklyn,AdmiralBuffbyofthefleetintheNorthRiver,Surgeon-GeneralLanceford,thestaffoftheNationalFreeЛікарні
Hospital,SenatorsWyseandFranklinofNewYork,andtheCommissionerofPublicWorks.ThetribunewassurroundedbyasquadronofhussarsoftheNationalGuard.
На
TheGovernorwasfinishinghisreplytoна
theshortspeechoftheSurgeon-General.Iheardhimsay:
"Thelawsprohibitingsuicide
і
andprovidingpunishmentforanyattemptatself-destructionhavebeenrepealed.TheGovernmenthasseenfittoacknowledgethe
право
rightofmantoendanexistencewhichmayhavebecomeintolerabletoнього
him,throughphysicalsufferingormentaldespair.Itisbelieved
що
thatthecommunitywillbebenefitedbytheremovalofтаких
suchpeoplefromtheirmidst.Sincethepassageof
цього
thislaw,thenumberofsuicidesintheUnitedStateshasnotincreased.Тепер
NowtheGovernmenthasdeterminedtoestablishaLethalChamberineverycity,townі
andvillageinthecountry,itremainstobeseenwhetherornotthatклас
classofhumancreaturesfromwhosedespondingranksнові
newvictimsofself-destructionfalldailywillacceptthereliefthusprovided."Hepaused,
і
andturnedtothewhiteLethalChamber.На
Thesilenceinthestreetwasabsolute."Thereapainlessdeathawaitshim
хто
whocannolongerbearthesorrowsofцього
thislife.Ifdeathiswelcome
нехай
lethimseekitthere."ThenquicklyturningtothemilitaryaidofthePresident'shousehold,hesaid,"IdeclaretheLethalChamberopen,"
і
andagainfacingthevastcrowdhecriedinaclearvoice:"CitizensofNewYork
і
andoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,через
throughmetheGovernmentdeclarestheLethalChambertobeopen."Thesolemnhushwasbrokenbyasharpcryofcommand,thesquadronofhussarsfiledaftertheGovernor'scarriage,thelancerswheeled
а
andformedalongFifthAvenuetowaitforthecommandantofthegarrison,а
andthemountedpolicefollowedними
them.Ileftthecrowdtogape
і
andstareatthewhitemarbleСмерті
DeathChamber,and,crossingSouthFifthAvenue,walkedпо
alongthewesternsideofthatthoroughfaretoBleeckerStreet.ThenIturnedtotheright
і
andstoppedbeforeadingyshopwhichborethesign:.HAWBERK,ARMOURER.
IglancedinatthedoorwayandsawHawberkbusyinhislittleshopatthe
кінці
endofthehall.Helookedup,
і
andcatchingsightofmecriedinhisdeep,heartyvoice,"Comein,Mr.Castaigne!"Constance,his
дочка
daughter,rosetomeetmeasIcrossedthethreshold,і
andheldoutherprettyруку
hand,butIsawtheblushofdisappointmentonhercheeks,і
andknewthatitwasще один
anotherCastaigneshehadexpected,mycousinLouis.Ismiledatherconfusion
і
andcomplimentedheronthebannershewasembroideringfromacolouredplate.Старий
OldHawberksatrivetingtheworngreavesofsomeancientsuitofarmour,і
andtheting!ting!
ting!
ofhis
маленький
littlehammersoundedpleasantlyinthequaintshop.Presentlyhedroppedhishammer,
і
andfussedaboutforaмить
momentwithatinywrench.Thesoftclashofthemailsentathrillofpleasurethrough
мене
me.Ilovedtohearthemusicofsteelbrushingagainststeel,themellowshockofthemalletonthighpieces,
і
andthejingleofchainarmour.Thatwasthe
єдина
onlyreasonIwenttoseeHawberk.Hehad
ніколи не
neverinterestedmepersonally,nordidConstance,exceptforthefactofherbeinginlovewithLouis.Це
Thisdidoccupymyattention,і
andsometimesevenkeptmeawakeatвночі
night.ButIknewinmy
серці
heartthatallwouldcomeright,і
andthatIshouldarrangetheirfutureasIexpectedtoarrangeщо
thatofmykinddoctor,JohnArcher.However,Ishould
ніколи не
neverhavetroubledmyselfaboutvisitingthemjustthen,haditnotbeen,asIкажу
say,thatthemusicofthetinklinghammerhadformethisstrongfascination.Iwouldsitforhours,listening
і
andlistening,andwhenastraysunbeamstrucktheinlaidsteel,thesensationitgavemewasмайже
almosttookeentoendure.Myeyeswouldbecomefixed,dilatingwithapleasure
що
thatstretchedeverynervealmosttobreaking,untilsomemovementoftheстарого
oldarmourercutofftherayofsunlight,then,ще
stillthrillingsecretly,Ileanedназад
backandlistenedagaintotheзвуку
soundofthepolishingrag,swish!swish!
rubbingrustfromtherivets.
Constanceworkedwith
на
theembroideryoverherknees,nowandthenpausingtoexaminemorecloselyна
thepatterninthecolouredplatefromна
theMetropolitanMuseum.Whoisthisfor?"
Iasked.
Hawberkexplained,
що
thatinadditiontothetreasuresofarmourintheMetropolitanMuseumofwhichhehadbeenappointedarmourer,heтакож
alsohadchargeofseveralcollectionsbelongingtorichamateurs.Це
Thiswasthemissinggreaveofafamoussuitякий
whichaclientofhishadtracedtoalittleshopinParisontheQuaid'Orsay.Він
He,Hawberk,hadnegotiatedforі
andsecuredthegreave,andтепер
nowthesuitwascomplete.Helaiddownhishammer
і
andreadmethehistoryofthesuit,tracedsince1450fromownertoowneruntilitwasacquiredbyThomasStainbridge.Коли
Whenhissuperbcollectionwassold,цей
thisclientofHawberk'sboughtthesuit,і
andsincethenthesearchforthemissinggreavehadbeenpushedпоки
untilitwas,almostbyaccident,locatedinParis.Didyoucontinuethesearchsopersistentlywithoutanycertaintyofthegreavebeingstillinexistence?"
Idemanded.
Ofcourse,"herepliedcoolly.
ThenforthefirsttimeItookapersonalinterestinHawberk.
Itwasworth
чогось
somethingtoyou,"Iventured.No,"hereplied,laughing,"mypleasureinfindingitwasmyreward."
Haveyou
не
noambitiontoberich?"Iasked,smiling.
Myoneambitionistobethebestarmourerintheworld,"heansweredgravely.
ConstanceaskedmeifIhadseentheceremoniesattheLethalChamber.
SheherselfhadnoticedcavalrypassingupBroadway
що
thatmorning,andhadwishedtoпобачити
seetheinauguration,butherбатько
fatherwantedthebannerfinished,і
andshehadstayedathisrequest.Didyouseeyourcousin,Mr.Castaigne,there?"
sheasked,withtheslightesttremorofhersofteyelashes.
No,"Irepliedcarelessly.
"Louis'regimentismanœuvringoutinWestchesterCounty."
Irose
і
andpickedupmyhatі
andcane.Areyougoingupstairsto
побачити
seethelunaticagain?"laughed
старий
oldHawberk.IfHawberkknew
як
howIloathethatword"lunatic,"hewouldніколи не
neveruseitinmypresence.Itrousescertainfeelingswithinme
які
whichIdonotcaretoexplain.However,Iansweredhimquietly:
"I
думаю
thinkIshalldropinі
andseeMr.Wildeforна
amomentortwo."Poorfellow,"saidConstance,withashakeofthehead,"itmustbe
важко
hardtolivealoneyearafteryearpoor,crippledі
andalmostdemented.Itis
дуже
verygoodofyou,Mr.Castaigne,tovisithimasoftenasyoudo."I
думаю
thinkheisvicious,"observedHawberk,beginningзнову
againwithhishammer.Ilistenedtothegoldentinkleonthegreaveplates;
коли
whenhehadfinishedIreplied:.No,heisnotvicious,norisheintheleastdemented.
His
розум
mindisawonderchamber,fromwhichheможе
canextracttreasuresthatyouі
andIwouldgiveyearsofourжиття
lifetoacquire."'.Hawberklaughed.
Icontinueda
трохи
littleimpatiently:"Heknowshistoryas
не
nooneelsecouldknowit.Ніщо
Nothing,howevertrivial,escapeshissearch,і
andhismemoryissoabsolute,sopreciseindetails,що
thatwereitknowninNewYorkщо
thatsuchamanexisted,theлюди
peoplecouldnothonourhimenough."Nonsense,"mutteredHawberk,searchingonthefloorforafallenrivet.
Isitnonsense,"Iasked,managingtosuppresswhatIfelt,"isitnonsense
коли
whenhesaysthatthetassetsі
andcuissardsoftheenamelledsuitofarmourcommonlyknownasthe'Prince'sEmblazoned'можуть
canbefoundamongamassofrustytheatricalproperties,brokenstovesі
andragpicker'srefuseinagarretinPellStreet?"Hawberk'shammerfelltotheground,
але
buthepickeditupandasked,withagreatdealofcalm,howIknewщо
thatthetassetsandleftcuissardweremissingfromthe"Prince'sEmblazoned."Ididnotknow
поки
untilMr.Wildementionedittomeна
theotherday.Hesaidtheywerein
на
thegarretof998PellStreet."Nonsense,"hecried,
але
butInoticedhishandtremblingпід
underhisleathernapron.Isthisnonsensetoo?"
Iaskedpleasantly,"isitnonsense
коли
whenMr.WildecontinuallyspeaksofyouastheMarquisofAvonshireі
andofMissConstance—".Ididnotfinish,forConstancehadstartedtoherfeet
з
withterrorwrittenoneveryfeature.Hawberklookedatme
і
andslowlysmoothedhisleathernapron.Thatisimpossible,"heobserved,"Mr.
Wilde
може
mayknowagreatmanythings—".Про
Aboutarmour,forinstance,andthe'Prince'sEmblazoned,'"Iinterposed,smiling.Yes,"hecontinued,slowly,"aboutarmouralso—maybe—butheiswronginregardtotheMarquisofAvonshire,
який
who,asyouknow,killedhiswife'straduceryearsтому
ago,andwenttoAustraliaде
wherehedidnotlongsurvivehiswife."Mr.
Wildeiswrong,"murmuredConstance.
Herlipswereblanched,
але
buthervoicewassweetі
andcalm.Letusagree,ifyouplease,
що
thatinthisonecircumstanceMr.Wildeiswrong,"Isaid.II
Iclimbedthe
трьох
threedilapidatedflightsofstairs,які
whichIhadsooftenclimbedраніше
before,andknockedatasmallдвері
doorattheendofthecorridor.Mr.Wildeopenedthe
двері
doorandIwalkedin.Коли
Whenhehaddouble-lockedtheдвері
doorandpushedaheavychestagainstit,hecameі
andsatdownbesideme,peeringдо
upintomyfacewithhislittlelight-colouredeyes.Halfadozen
нових
newscratchescoveredhisnoseandcheeks,andthesilverwireswhichsupportedhisartificialearshadbecomedisplaced.IthoughtIhad
ніколи не
neverseenhimsohideouslyfascinating.Hehad
не
noears.Theartificialones,
які
whichnowstoodoutatananglefromthefinewire,werehisoneweakness.Theyweremadeofwax
і
andpaintedashellpink,але
buttherestofhisобличчя
facewasyellow.Hemight
краще
betterhaverevelledintheluxuryofsomeartificialfingersforhislefthand,яка
whichwasabsolutelyfingerless,butitseemedtocausehimnoinconvenience,і
andhewassatisfiedwithhiswaxears.Hewas
дуже
verysmall,scarcelyhigherthanachildoften,але
buthisarmsweremagnificentlydeveloped,а
andhisthighsasthickasanyathlete's.Still,themostremarkablethingaboutMr.Wildewas
що
thatamanofhismarvellousintelligenceі
andknowledgeshouldhavesuchahead.Itwasflat
і
andpointed,liketheheadsofmanyofthoseunfortunateswhompeopleimprisoninasylumsfortheweak-minded.Багато
Manycalledhiminsane,butIknewhimtobeassaneasIwas.Idonotdeny
що
thathewaseccentric;themaniahehadforkeepingthatcat
і
andteasingheruntilsheflewathisобличчя
facelikeademon,wascertainlyeccentric.I
ніколи не
nevercouldunderstandwhyhekeptthecreature,norwhatpleasurehefoundinshuttinghimselfupinhisкімнаті
roomwiththissurly,viciousbeast.Iremember
одного разу
once,glancingupfromthemanuscriptIwasstudyingbythelightofsometallowdips,andseeingMr.Wildesquattingmotionlessonhishighchair,hiseyesfairlyblazingwithexcitement,whilethecat,який
whichhadrisenfromherмісця
placebeforethestove,camecreepingacrossthefloorпрямо
rightathim.BeforeIcould
рухатися
movesheflattenedherbellytotheground,crouched,trembled,і
andsprangintohisface.Howlingandfoamingtheyrolledoverandoveronthefloor,scratchingandclawing,
поки
untilthecatscreamedandfledпід
underthecabinet,andMr.Wildeturnedoveronhisback,hislimbscontractingandcurlingupяк
likethelegsofadyingspider.Hewaseccentric.
Mr.
Wildehadclimbedintohishighchair,
і
and,afterstudyingmyface,pickedupadog's-earedledgerі
andopenedit.HenryB.
Matthews,"heread,"book-keeperwithWhysotWhysotandCompany,dealersinchurchornaments.
CalledApril3rd.
Reputationdamagedontherace-track.
Knownasawelcher.
ReputationtoberepairedbyAugust1st.
Retainer
П'ять
FiveDollars."