Kitabı oku: «Клуб самоубийц. Уровень 2 / The Suicide Club», sayfa 2

The Prince was disturbed, and looked at his confidant with a shade of doubt. As for the young man, the flush came back darkly into his cheek, and his eyes threw out a spark of light.

“You are the men for me!” he cried, with an almost terrible excitement. “Shake hands upon the bargain!” (his hand was cold and wet). “You little know in what a company you will begin the march! You little know in what a happy moment for yourselves you partook of my cream tarts! I am only a soldier, but I am a soldier in an army. I know Death's private door. I am Death's friend, and can show you the way into eternity without ceremony and without scandal.”

They called upon him eagerly to explain his meaning.

“Can you have eighty pounds?” he demanded.

Geraldine ostentatiously consulted his pocket-book, and replied in the affirmative.

“Fortunate beings!” cried the young man. “Forty pounds is the entry-money¹⁰ of the Suicide Club.”

“The Suicide Club,” said the Prince, “why, what the devil is that?”

“Listen,” said the young man; “this is the age of conveniences, and I will tell you of the last convenience. We have affairs in different places; and hence railways were invented. Railways separated us from our friends. So telegraphs were made to communicate speedily at great distances. Even in hotels we have lifts to spare us a climb of some hundred steps. Now, we know that life is only a stage to play the fool¹¹ upon as long as it amuses us. But what about one more important convenience? A decent, easy way to quit that stage; the back stairs to liberty; or, as I said this moment, Death's private door. This, my two fellow-rebels, is supplied by the Suicide Club. Do not suppose that you and I are alone, or even exceptional, in this highly reasonable desire. A large number of our fellowmen, who have grown heartily sick of the performance in which they are expected to join daily, and all their lives long! But some have families who will be shocked, or even blamed, if the matter became public. Others have a weakness at heart and recoil from the circumstances of death. That is, to some extent, my own experience. I cannot put a pistol to my head and draw the trigger; for something stronger than myself withholds the act. Although I hate life, I have not strength enough in my body to take hold of death. For such as I, and for all who desire to be out of the coil without a scandal, the Suicide Club has been created. How it works, what is its history, I am myself uninformed. What I know of its constitution, but I can't tell you. To this extent, however, I am at your service. If you are truly tired of life, I will introduce you tonight to a meeting. If not tonight, at least some time within the week, you will be easily relieved of your existences. It is now eleven. By half-past, at latest, we must leave this place; so that you have half an hour before you to consider my proposal. It is more serious than a cream tart,” he added, with a smile; “and I suspect more delicious.”

“More serious, certainly,” returned Colonel Geraldine; “and as it is so much more so, will you allow me five minutes' speech in private with my friend Mr. Godall?”

“Of course,” answered the young man. “And I will retire.”

“You are very kind,” said the Colonel.

As soon as the two were alone, Prince Florizel said,

“What is the use of this chatter, Geraldine? I see you are anxious, whereas my mind is very still. I want to see the end of this.”

“Your Highness,” said the Colonel, turning pale; “let me ask you to consider the importance of your life, not only to your friends, but to the public interest. 'If not tonight,' said this madman; but if tonight some irreparable disaster overtakes your Highness's person, what, let me ask you, what will be my despair, and the concern and disaster of a great nation?”

“I want to see the end of this,” repeated the Prince; “and have the kindness, Colonel Geraldine, to remember and respect your word of honour as a gentleman. Under no circumstances, recollect, nor without my special authority, you can betray the incognito under which I choose to go abroad. These were my commands, which I now repeat. And now,” he added, “let me ask you to call for the bill.”

Colonel Geraldine bowed in submission; but he had a very white face as he called the waiter. The Prince described a Palais-Royal farce to the young suicide with great humour and pleasure. He avoided the Colonel's appealing looks without ostentation, and selected another cheroot with more than usual care. Indeed, he was now the only man of the party who kept any command over his nerves.

The bill was discharged, and the Prince gave the whole change of the note¹² to the astonished waiter. Then the three drove off in a cab. They were not long upon the way before the cab stopped at the entrance to a rather dark court. Here all descended.

Geraldine paid the fare. Then the young man turned and addressed Prince Florizel as follows:

“It is still time, Mr. Godall, to return to your thraldom. And for you too, Major Hammersmith. Reflect well before you take another step; and if your hearts say no-here are the cross-roads.”

“Lead on, sir,” said the Prince, “I am not the man to go back from a thing once said.”

“Your coolness does me good¹³,” replied their guide. “I have never seen anyone so unmoved at this conjuncture. Yet you are not the first whom I have escorted to this door. More than one of my friends has preceded me, where I knew I must shortly follow. But this is of no interest to you. Wait me here for only a few moments. I shall return as soon as I have arranged the preliminaries of your introduction.”

And with that the young man waved his hand to his companions, turned into the court, entered a doorway and disappeared.

“Of all our follies,” said Colonel Geraldine in a low voice, “this is the wildest and most dangerous.”

“I perfectly believe so,” returned the Prince.

“We have still,” pursued the Colonel, “a moment to ourselves. Let me beseech your Highness and retire. The consequences of this step are dark, and may be grave.”

“Do I understand that Colonel Geraldine is afraid?” asked his Highness, taking his cheroot from his lips, and looking keenly into the other's face.

“My fear is certainly not personal,” replied the other proudly.

“I think so,” returned the Prince; “but I was unwilling to remind you of the difference in our stations. No more – no more,” he added; “you are excused.”

And he smoked placidly, leaning against a railing, until the young man returned.

“Well,” he asked, “is our reception arranged?”

“Follow me,” was the reply. “The President will see you in the cabinet. And let me warn you to be frank in your answers. The club requires a searching inquiry before admission. The indiscretion of a single member will lead to the dispersion of the whole society for ever.”

The Prince and Geraldine put their heads together for a moment.

“I will tell this,” said the one; and “I will tell that,” said the other.

They came to an agreement and were ready to follow their guide into the President's cabinet.

There were no formidable obstacles to pass. The outer door stood open; the door of the cabinet was ajar; and there, in a small but very high apartment, the young man left them once more.

“He will be here immediately,” he said with a nod, as he disappeared.

Voices were audible in the cabinet through the doors. Now and then the noise of a champagne cork, followed by a burst of laughter, intervened among the sounds of conversation. A single tall window looked out upon the river and the embankment. They were not far from Charing Cross station. The furniture was scanty; and there was nothing except a hand-bell in the centre of a round table, and the hats and coats hung round the wall on pegs.

“What sort of a den is this?” said Geraldine.

“That is what I have come to see,” replied the Prince. “If they have devils, the adventure will be amusing.”

Just then the door was opened. There entered a louder buzz of talk, and the redoubtable President of the Suicide Club. The President was a man of fifty or upwards; large and rambling in his gait, with shaggy side whiskers, a bald top to his head, and a veiled grey eye, which now and then emitted a twinkle. He looked sagaciously and coldly at the strangers. He was dressed in light tweeds and carried a book under one arm.

“Good-evening,” said he and closed the door behind him. “They told me you wished to speak with me.”

“We have a desire, sir, to join the Suicide Club,” replied the Colonel.

The President rolled his cigar about in his mouth.

“What is that?” he said abruptly.

“Pardon me,” returned the Colonel, “but I believe you can give us information on that point.”

“I?” cried the President. “A Suicide Club? Come, come! This is a frolic for All Fools' Day. I can understand the gentlemen drank too much; but let there be an end to this.”

“Call your club what you will,” said the Colonel; “you have some company behind these doors, and we insist on joining it.”

“Sir,” returned the President curtly, “you have made a mistake. This is a private house, and you must leave it instantly.”

The Prince remained quietly in his seat throughout this little colloquy. The Colonel looked over to him, as much as to say, “You see, come away, for God's sake!” The Prince drew his cheroot from his mouth, and spoke,

“I have come here,” said he, “upon the invitation of a friend of yours. He has doubtless informed you of my intention. Let me remind you that a person in my circumstances is not at all likely to tolerate much rudeness. I am a very quiet man; but, my dear sir, you are either going to oblige me, or you will very bitterly repent that you ever admitted me to your chamber.”

The President laughed aloud.

“Oh, I see” said he, “you are a man! You know the way to my heart, and can do what you like with me. Will you,” he continued, addressing Geraldine, “will you step aside for a few minutes? I shall finish first with your companion, and some of the club's formalities require to be fulfilled in private.”

With the words he opened the door of a small closet, into which he shut the Colonel.

“I believe in you,” he said to Florizel, as soon as they were alone; “but are you sure of your friend?”

“Not so sure as I am of myself, though he has more cogent reasons,” answered Florizel, “but sure enough to bring him here without alarm. He was cashiered¹⁴ the other day for cheating at cards.”

“A good reason, I daresay,” replied the President; “at least, we have another in the same case, and I feel sure of him. Have you also been in the Service, may I ask?”

“I have,” was the reply; “but I was too lazy-I left it early.”

“What is your reason for being tired of life?” pursued the President.

“The same,” answered the Prince: “unadulterated laziness.”

The President started.

“Damn it,” said he, “you must have something better than that.”

“I have no more money,” added Florizel. “That is also a vexation, without doubt.”

The President rolled his cigar round in his mouth for some seconds, directing his gaze straight into the eyes of this unusual neophyte. But the Prince supported his scrutiny with good temper.

“I know the world,” said the President at last, “and that the most frivolous excuses for a suicide are often the toughest to stand by.”

The Prince and the Colonel, one after the other, were subjected to a long and particular interrogatory: the Prince alone; but Geraldine in the presence of the Prince. The result was satisfactory; and the President produced a form of oath to be accepted. Nothing can be more passive than the obedience promised, or more stringent than the terms.

Florizel signed the document, but not without a shudder. The Colonel followed his example with an air of great depression. Then the President received the entry money; and without more ado, introduced the two friends into the smoking-room of the Suicide Club.

The smoking-room of the Suicide Club was the same height as the cabinet into which it opened, but much larger. A large and cheerful fire illuminated the company of sixteen people. They were smoking, and drinking champagne.

“Is this a full meeting?” asked the Prince.

“More or less,” said the President. “By the way,” he added, “if you have any money, it is usual to offer some champagne.”

Florizel turned away and began to go round among the guests. He charmed and dominated all whom he approached. As he went from one to another he kept both his eyes and ears open. Soon he began to gain a general idea of the people among whom he found himself. As in all other places, one type predominated: youth people, with much intelligence and sensibility in their appearance, but with little promise of strength or the quality that makes success. Few were much above thirty, and some were even younger. They stood, leaning on tables; sometimes they smoked extraordinarily fast, and sometimes not. Some talked well, but the conversation of others was plainly the result of nervous tension, and was equally without wit or purport. As each new bottle of champagne was opened, there was a manifest improvement in gaiety. Only two were seated-one in a chair in the recess of the window, with his head hanging and his hands plunged deep into his trousers pockets, pale, visibly moist with perspiration. He was not saying a word, this wreck of soul and body. The other sat on the divan close by the chimney, and attracted notice by a trenchant dissimilarity from all the rest. He was probably upwards of forty, but he looked fully ten years older. Florizel has never seen a man more naturally hideous, ravaged by disease and ruinous. He was no more than skin and bone, was partly paralysed, and wore spectacles of such unusual power that his eyes appeared through the glasses greatly magnified and distorted in shape. Except the Prince and the President, he was the only person in the room who preserved the composure of ordinary life.