the man who was thursday-第5部分

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〃I　have　only　to　get　the　form　of　election　finished；〃　continued　Gregory　with　animation；　〃then　I　snatch　up　this　cloak　and　stick；　stuff　these　other　things　into　my　pocket；　step　out　of　a　door　in　this　cavern；　which　opens　on　the　river；　where　there　is　a　steam…tug　already　waiting　for　me；　and　thenthenoh；　the　wild　joy　of　being　Thursday！〃　And　he　clasped　his　hands。

Syme；　who　had　sat　down　once　more　with　his　usual　insolent　languor；　got　to　his　feet　with　an　unusual　air　of　hesitation。

〃Why　is　it；〃　he　asked　vaguely；　〃that　I　think　you　are　quite　a　decent　fellow？　Why　do　I　positively　like　you；　Gregory？〃　He　paused　a　moment；　and　then　added　with　a　sort　of　fresh　curiosity；　〃Is　it　because　you　are　such　an　ass？〃

There　was　a　thoughtful　silence　again；　and　then　he　cried　out

〃Well；　damn　it　all！　this　is　the　funniest　situation　I　have　ever　been　in　in　my　life；　and　I　am　going　to　act　accordingly。　Gregory；　I　gave　you　a　promise　before　I　came　into　this　place。　That　promise　I　would　keep　under　red…hot　pincers。　Would　you　give　me；　for　my　own　safety；　a　little　promise　of　the　same　kind？　〃

〃A　promise？〃　asked　Gregory；　wondering。

〃Yes；〃　said　Syme　very　seriously；　〃a　promise。　I　swore　before　God　that　I　would　not　tell　your　secret　to　the　police。　Will　you　swear　by　Humanity；　or　whatever　beastly　thing　you　believe　in；　that　you　will　not　tell　my　secret　to　the　anarchists？〃

〃Your　secret？〃　asked　the　staring　Gregory。　〃Have　you　got　a　secret？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Syme；　〃I　have　a　secret。〃　Then　after　a　pause；　〃Will　you　swear？〃

Gregory　glared　at　him　gravely　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　said　abruptly

〃You　must　have　bewitched　me；　but　I　feel　a　furious　curiosity　about　you。　Yes；　I　will　swear　not　to　tell　the　anarchists　anything　you　tell　me。　But　look　sharp；　for　they　will　be　here　in　a　couple　of　minutes。〃

Syme　rose　slowly　to　his　feet　and　thrust　his　long；　white　hands　into　his　long；　grey　trousers'　pockets。　Almost　as　he　did　so　there　came　five　knocks　on　the　outer　grating；　proclaiming　the　arrival　of　the　first　of　the　conspirators。

〃Well；〃　said　Syme　slowly；　〃I　don't　know　how　to　tell　you　the　truth　more　shortly　than　by　saying　that　your　expedient　of　dressing　up　as　an　aimless　poet　is　not　confined　to　you　or　your　President。　We　have　known　the　dodge　for　some　time　at　Scotland　Yard。〃

Gregory　tried　to　spring　up　straight；　but　he　swayed　thrice。

〃What　do　you　say？〃　he　asked　in　an　inhuman　voice。

〃Yes；〃　said　Syme　simply；　〃I　am　a　police　detective。　But　I　think　I　hear　your　friends　coming。〃

From　the　doorway　there　came　a　murmur　of　〃Mr。　Joseph　Chamberlain。〃　It　was　repeated　twice　and　thrice；　and　then　thirty　times；　and　the　crowd　of　Joseph　Chamberlains　（a　solemn　thought）　could　be　heard　trampling　down　the　corridor。



CHAPTER　III

THE　MAN　WHO　WAS　THURSDAY

BEFORE　one　of　the　fresh　faces　could　appear　at　the　doorway；　Gregory's　stunned　surprise　had　fallen　from　him。　He　was　beside　the　table　with　a　bound；　and　a　noise　in　his　throat　like　a　wild　beast。　He　caught　up　the　Colt's　revolver　and　took　aim　at　Syme。　Syme　did　not　flinch；　but　he　put　up　a　pale　and　polite　hand。

〃Don't　be　such　a　silly　man；〃　he　said；　with　the　effeminate　dignity　of　a　curate。　〃Don't　you　see　it's　not　necessary？　Don't　you　see　that　we're　both　in　the　same　boat？　Yes；　and　jolly　sea…sick。〃

Gregory　could　not　speak；　but　he　could　not　fire　either；　and　he　looked　his　question。

〃Don't　you　see　we've　checkmated　each　other？〃　cried　Syme。　〃I　can't　tell　the　police　you　are　an　anarchist。　You　can't　tell　the　anarchists　I'm　a　policeman。　I　can　only　watch　you；　knowing　what　you　are；　you　can　only　watch　me；　knowing　what　I　am。　In　short；　it's　a　lonely；　intellectual　duel；　my　head　against　yours。　I'm　a　policeman　deprived　of　the　help　of　the　police。　You；　my　poor　fellow；　are　an　anarchist　deprived　of　the　help　of　that　law　and　organisation　which　is　so　essential　to　anarchy。　The　one　solitary　difference　is　in　your　favour。　You　are　not　surrounded　by　inquisitive　policemen；　I　am　surrounded　by　inquisitive　anarchists。　I　cannot　betray　you；　but　I　might　betray　myself。　Come；　come！　wait　and　see　me　betray　myself。　I　shall　do　it　so　nicely。〃

Gregory　put　the　pistol　slowly　down；　still　staring　at　Syme　as　if　he　were　a　sea…monster。

〃I　don't　believe　in　immortality；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃but　if；　after　all　this；　you　were　to　break　your　word；　God　would　make　a　hell　only　for　you；　to　howl　in　for　ever。〃

〃I　shall　not　break　my　word；〃　said　Syme　sternly；　〃nor　will　you　break　yours。　Here　are　your　friends。〃

The　mass　of　the　anarchists　entered　the　room　heavily；　with　a　slouching　and　somewhat　weary　gait；　but　one　little　man；　with　a　black　beard　and　glassesa　man　somewhat　of　the　type　of　Mr。　Tim　Healydetached　himself；　and　bustled　forward　with　some　papers　in　his　hand。

〃Comrade　Gregory；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　this　man　is　a　delegate？〃

Gregory；　taken　by　surprise；　looked　down　and　muttered　the　name　of　Syme；　but　Syme　replied　almost　pertly

〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　your　gate　is　well　enough　guarded　to　make　it　hard　for　anyone　to　be　here　who　was　not　a　delegate。〃

The　brow　of　the　little　man　with　the　black　beard　was；　however；　still　contracted　with　something　like　suspicion。

〃What　branch　do　you　represent？〃　he　asked　sharply。

〃I　should　hardly　call　it　a　branch；〃　said　Syme；　laughing；　〃I　should　call　it　at　the　very　least　a　root。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Syme　serenely；　〃the　truth　is　I　am　a　Sabbatarian。　I　have　been　specially　sent　here　to　see　that　you　show　a　due　observance　of　Sunday。〃

The　little　man　dropped　one　of　his　papers；　and　a　flicker　of　fear　went　over　all　the　faces　of　the　group。　Evidently　the　awful　President；　whose　name　was　Sunday；　did　sometimes　send　down　such　irregular　ambassadors　to　such　branch　meetings。

〃Well；　comrade；〃　said　the　man　with　the　papers　after　a　pause；　〃I　suppose　we'd　better　give　you　a　seat　in　the　meeting？〃

〃If　you　ask　my　advice　as　a　friend；〃　said　Syme　with　severe　benevolence；　〃I　think　you'd　better。〃

When　Gregory　heard　the　dangerous　dialogue　end；　with　a　sudden　safety　for　his　rival；　he　rose　abruptly　and　paced　the　floor　in　painful　thought。　He　was；　indeed；　in　an　agony　of　diplomacy。　It　was　clear　that　Syme's　inspired　impudence　was　likely　to　bring　him　out　of　all　merely　accidental　dilemmas。　Little　was　to　be　hoped　from　them。　He　could　not　himself　betray　Syme；　partly　from　honour；　but　partly　also　because；　if　he　betrayed　him　and　for　some　reason　failed　to　destroy　him；　the　Syme　who　escaped　would　be　a　Syme　freed　from　all　obligation　of　secrecy；　a　Syme　who　would　simply　walk　to　the　nearest　police　station。　After　all；　it　was　only　one　night's　discussion；　and　only　one　detective　who　would　know　of　it。　He　would　let　out　as　little　as　possible　of　their　plans　that　night；　and　then　let　Syme　go；　and　chance　it。

He　strode　across　to　the　group　of　anarchists；　which　was　already　distributing　itself　along　the　benches。

〃I　think　it　is　time　we　began；〃　he　said；　〃the　steam…tug　is　waiting　on　the　river　already。　I　move　that　Comrade　Buttons　takes　the　chair。〃

This　being　approved　by　a　show　of　hands；　the　little　man　with　the　papers　slipped　into　the　presidential　seat。

〃Comrades；〃　he　began；　as　sharp　as　a　pistol…shot；　〃our　meeting　tonight　is　important；　though　it　need　not　be　long。　This　branch　has　always　had　the　honour　of　electing　Thursdays　for　the　Central　European　Council。　We　have　elected　many　and　splendid　Thursdays。　We　all　lament　the　sad　decease　of　the　heroic　worker　who　occupied　the　post　until　last　week。　As　you　know；　his　services　to　the　cause　were　considerable。　He　organised　the　great　dynamite　coup　of　Brighton　which；　under　happier　circumstances；　ought　to　have　killed　everybody　on　the　pier。　As　you　also　know；　his　death　was　as　self…denying　as　his　life；　for　he　died　through　his　faith　in　a　hygienic　mixture　of　chalk　and　water　as　a　substitute　for　milk；　which　beverage　he　regarded　as　barbaric；　and　as　involving　cruelty　to　the　cow。　Cruelty；　or　anything　approaching　to　cruelty；　revolted　him　always。　But　it　is　not　to　acclaim　his　virtues　that　we　are　met；　but　for　a　harder　task。　It　is　difficult　properly　to　praise　his　qualities；　but　it　is　more　difficult　to　replace　them。　Upon　you；　comrades；　it　devolves　this　evening　to　choose　out　of　the　company　present　the　man　who　shall　be　Thursday。　If　any　comrade　suggests　a　name　I　will　put　it　to　the　vote。　If　no　comrade　suggests　a　name；　I　can　only　tell　myself　that　that　dear　dynamiter；　who　is　gone　from　us；　has　carried　into　the　unknowable　abysses　the　last　secret　of　his　virtue　and　his　innocence。〃

There　was　a　stir　of　almost　inaudible　applause；　such　as　is　sometimes　heard　in　church。　Then　a　large　old　man；　with　a　long　and　venerable　white　beard；　perhaps　the　only　real　working…man　present；　rose　lumberingly　and　said

〃I　move　that　Comrade　Gregory　be　elected　Thursday；〃　and　sat　lumberingly　down　again。

〃Does　anyone　second？〃　asked　the　chairman。

A　little　man　with　a　velvet　coat　and　pointed　beard　seconded。

〃Before　I　put　the　matter　to　the　vote；〃　said　the　chairman；　〃I　will　call　on　Comrade　Gregory　to　make　a　statement。〃

Gregory　rose　amid　a　great　rumble　of　applause。　His　face　was　deadly　pale；　so　that　by　contrast　his　queer　red　hair　looked　almost　scarlet。　But　he　was　smiling　and　altogether　at　ease。　He　had　made　up　his　mind；　and　he　saw　his　best　policy　quite　plain　in　front　of　him　like　a　white　road。　His　best　chance　was　to　make　a　softened　and　ambiguous　speech；　such　as　would　leave　on　the　detective's　mind　the　impression　that　the　a