1940-08-30 — Page 2

SHORT STORY

THE

250

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, AUGUST 30, 1940.

The Sleeping PETER CHEYNEY

“WHAT an amazingly bright

light!" exclaimed Karcovski. blinking at the illumination that suddenly sprang up in the interior] of the big, luxurious car.

The man who stood by the door smiled his thin-lipped smile-and even for him it was a singularly mirthless one.

Car

·

surgeon's beautiful wife who, school-friend, Thompson, whether) He plunged once more into the again curiously, like Karcovski he might stay a week-end with lie he had told so many times, and had adopted a Russian name. But him at his country bungalow. And, the other guests, who had heard that, of course, was when she had Thompson, of course, agreed. about his nerves, exchanged signi- been on the stage.

ficant glances. Nielson went down by car, but

of

The big car swept through a in these days he did not drive "You see," said Thompson, later, little village called Blakeley, himself. His nerves were not suf- as they stood outside the "sleeping though neither of them kney its ficiently reliable. Some twenty car," "it's quite comfortable. The name. About a mile outside the miles, out of London he suddenly bunk-it's a fixture, of course-has noted that his hand was trembling village it swerved suddenly, and called to the chauffeur to stop.ja really recent spring-mattress. "Is it? Never mind, don't let it as he did it. Nielson, the great Nielson cursed, Then he pulled Then he got out of the car, and Those hooks hold your clothes, and worry you I can't drive with it surgeon, was like many artists, alup..

walked a little way down the road, this rack will hold everything else on, anyway. But the fact is I like highly nervous man, but his hand

staring about him. He appeared you feed-ash-tray, glass bright lights. Used to 'em, I sup- seldom trembled.

"What's the matter, Nielson?" to be looking for something, and water, and so on. This switch is pose you see, I'm different to

nervously from the back.

presently found it, although it the light, and, this one controls the seemed to be nothing more ex-jelectrical heater. The other door, Don't know! Something wrong, citing that a five-barred gate. of course, is permanently fasten- somewhere. I'll just have a look." He opened it, and went through ed, and the outside handle takes into the field, still gazing about off this one-here you are, you'd Nielson got out, and peered him like one trying to revive an better take it so that no one can "Thank you, not" was the reply, round the car with a flashlight.jold memory.

possibly enter without knocking," pitched high, and there was a given with rather more emphasis Then he gave an exclamation: queer nervous note in it that made than was necessary. "It makes me

you. I can't, for instance, am- "Sure you wouldn't like me to putate a limb

in a dim light; sit beside you?" Karcovski asked, whereas when you charm your from the depths of the darkened audiences with your playing, a car.

screened light is all the better for you, isn't it?" Nielson's voice was

the other glance at him for a mo- nervous to have anyone beside ine. "Good heavens! I say, ment curiously. "I mean," Nielson Now, sit tight, and we'll be in covski, just have

went on, "I'm a fellow who talks London in no time at all!” in the bright lights, and you live in the dimmied ones!"

"Ayfully good of you to give me the lift. So much more com- fortable than going by train, as had intended!"

politeness.

an

almost

car

the

But sleep did not come at once. After Thompson had gone he lay for awhile,,thinking. He thought and went of the coincidences of the day- all concerned with Karcovski. Curious his name coming up like are we, that, too. So he was dead...? Well, that was, maybe, a good

+

Yes, he thought, this is the place. "It looks delightfully comfort- Kar-What a coincidence. There's whereable," Nielson agreed. "Quite a a look at this I put the car, against the hedge, novelty, to sleep in an old car, too.

out of sight of the road. And I shall sleep like a top...!" there-just about there is the The pianist emerged from the very spot where I burled car, and bent down to look at the blighter's hand And as he spoke he was think-

spot Nielson pointed out by the ing: "Especially when you make

back wheel, Ând as he did so the He smiled, grimly, love to my wife, you damned

surgeon suddenly flung all his back to the car: mountebanks!" But, of course, he "I'm sure I hope you'll find it weight onto the stooping man's didn't say that aloud. Instead he so!" with

"Whereabouts exactly ironical back, forcing him to the ground said:

and grinding his face relentlessly Jones?" he asked the chauffeur. into the mud. And a moment later, "Just outside the village

of thing, poor devli He thought, "Well, jump in, and then I'll The engine of the big car purred with a neat blow behind the car, Blakeley, Sir!"

less comfortably, of the hate-the switch the light off!"

as Nielson dropped into the driv-robbed him of consciousness

terrible' insatiable hate that had Karcovski (which was the name'ing sent, and a

"Why, 'great Scott, that's where burned in Karcovski's dark eyes moment later it his audiences knew him by, but was heading at speed through the When the pianist came to, he we're going, isn't it?"

the last time they had met his was certainly not his own) obey-jdarkness towards London,

was lying on the floor of the car,

"Yes. Sir-just the other side of own. That was the sort of hate ed. That is he stepped into the

neatly strapped up. So neatly that the village!"

that might well endure after death car with his usual rather theatri- Neither of the men spoke during he couldn't move hand, or foot. Even more of a coincidence than

But that was rubbish cal dignity, and settled himself in the first few miles of the journey. Above him the exceedingly bright I thought, was Nielson's mental of course, nothing endured after the corner with a rug.

¡Both

were thinking and, curi-light in the roof of the car glared comment as he got back into the death.... How could it . . . ? Nielson switched off the light, lously enough both were thinking down at him. and a keen observer might have'of the same petson, Nadia, the

Thompson's bungalow was one When at last he slept, he dream- "You see," Nielson explained, in of those expanding ones some-led. The face of the maimed musi- a quiet, conversational tone. "It's times encountered in various pic-sian floated through his dreams, like this. You have been making turesque parts of the country. It grinning hate. Voices boomed in love to my wife, and that's a thing had started as a single railway his ears: "You killed, something I don't stand for. I know her, and coach. Then another one had been more than myself you killed my I know that she is in love, not added, and two linked up by a genius.

For that you will with you, but with your fame as disused tramcar. Now there was have to pay, Nielson ...! These a musician. If I take steps to put an "annexe" formed by the body things that have happened to-day an end to your fame, she will of an ancient motor bus, which were not coincidence, you fool... automatically discard you. And provided a useful roof-garden for A warning that I am coming to that is what I propose to do, you looking at the

There exact payment. were also various sheds and out-very car you are in..

.! Why, the see!"

houses. Karcovski glared up at him with Nielson arrived în time for din- The terrible voice broke off in distended eyes, set in a blood-ner, and found the place pretty a shriek of wild, eldritch laughter, drained face. Then, with an effort full. Thompson apologised:

and Nielson seemed to wake with he twisted his head · round, and

know who's going to that laughter ringing in his ears. got a view of shining instruments drop along, this time in the year.

wicked, horrible-looking instru-We're mighty popular in the sum Trembling and sweating his ments-laid out beside him, and mer-but not so much in the win-hand reached out for the switch, of an iron cylinder, with tubing ter! By the way, I suppose you and as the light went on his eyes attached, which Nielson was don't mind dossing down in the were on the roof of the old car. methodically handling as he spoke. sleeping-car, do you? It's very Arid there, just above his head,

comfortable."

Iwas an old brown stain "You-you're not going to kill "I don't mind a bit," Nielson the shape of a heart. Even ás answered. "But-what on earth is he looked it seemed to grow scar- the sleeping-car?”

lot, and to glow as though with Thompson, chuckled:

life. "We call it that! It's just a big,

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¡me?"

not

"Never

4

in

This

"Good Lord, no! I might have to swing for you, and you're worth it, you know! No, I am not old limousine I picked up for a He told himself that such a going to kill you I am merely song, and turned into an emer-thing was impossible going to neatly amputate your gency bedroom. Its quite surpris- his old car?pah, a fairy story right hand. So that you will not ingly comfortable, but, of course

.. And yet it might be. be able to play again-nor, for it's apart from the main buildings. that matter, to even embrace your You won't mind that?” lady-loves with quite so much dexterity as in the past...

"But, you fool, you'll get ten years for that

**

And then the terror that was "Not a bit! I'll probably find it tearing at his shivering vitals was soothing to my nerves, which be changed to a new, a more awful tween you and I and the gatepost, one. Outside, something was mov- old man, are in a hell of a state!" ing. Scrambling about like a great "Hard lines!" said Thompson, insect! Climbing up the side of sympathetically. "But never mind, the car. Now there was . A

the side of the cot, with white

"I think not. I shall say there you'll find that a day or two of something on the window. has been an accident, and luckily this, air will do you a world of hand . • Nielson, peering over having my instruments with me, good!" I thought it best to amputate on the spot. The only person who can contradict that is yourself, and you will hardly do so-because, you see, that would entail all the brother-the one in Paris, He tells It was on the bed now, like a details coming out, and I think me that that chap Karcovski-you spider crawling on four legs- your own wife would not like remember, the planist fellow who no, fingers, with the thumb stick- them. Besides, you will be very lost his hand-is dead. Committed ing up like a long, headless neck dependent on her in the future, suicide, I understand!"

It seemed to be peering about Now on his chest

"I hope so!" said Nielson, but face and staring eyes, saw one of with no great hope.

the floor boards pushed up, and At dinner somebody remarked: the Thing creeping through. "By the way, I heard from my

'said:

. mak-

since she has money, and you have| Nielson looked up and spoke. always lived right up to your in- His voice was quite level and un- ing for his throat... .!: come, philandering being, some- concerned, but he was crumbling times, an expensive business! his bread spasmodically as he Screaming, choking, Nielson

fell into blackness. .! "You dévil !" Karcovski' "Poor devil! He was always a opened his mouth to scream, and, blt crackers, you know. As a mat- Thompson, of course, had to at Nielson Heatly planted the maskter of fact I knew him well-it tend the inquest. When he came over his face and turned on the was I who amputated that hond, back, he reported: anaesthetic

Damned hard lines on the poor, "The verdict was death from devil!".

natural causes. Heart failure- Nielson worked quickly, neatly "Is that a fact?". exclaimed weakened by nervous strain. Been and methodically. His hand did someone. "How interesting, 'Do living on his nerves for years, they not shake at all, now. Only, as he tell us about it. It always struck said. One doctor suggested he made the first incision, a little me. as being such a terrible might have died of fright...:!" squirt of blood shot up to the roof tragedy!":

"How about those finger-marks [of the car. Nielson 'cursed quiet-| "Yes," said Nielson, slowly, star- on his throat?" someone asked. ly, and adjusted the tourniquet. was a terrible tragedy! Be- have clutched at his own throat ing at the bread he was crumbling.|_ "Made them himself-must

But when he looked up at the cause, you see, it wasn't really in the throes of a nightmare, so roof he saw that the splash of his fault. She was just built that the doctor said. But, all the same, blood had made a scarlet mark in way, and eventually she went off tliere's one thing that still 'puzzles the shape of a heart, and then with another man....

[me!" Nielson laughed, quietly,

"Er-I beg your pardon. Nielson come to himself with n

It was almost precisely ten years (start:" later, and in the summer time, that| """'Oh;' the story, of course Nielson, his nerves all to pieces I'm sorry Ithrough, overwork, asked his old like this

""And what's that?”

"How that floor-boord came to be shifted like that!" answered Thompson."

You see, it was But no one had any theory to

put forward.

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