A Terribly Strange Bed-可怕的怪床

ATerriblyStrangeBed|可怕的怪床Acrossthestreetfromtherailroadstationstoodasecond-classhoteloutlinedinthedimlightofagloomy3streetlamp.Therewasnoquestionaboutit—IknewthatImustgetoffthestreetassoonaspossible.Ihadheardmanystoriesofinnocentpeoplebeingwaylaid4androbbedinthesedarkenedstreets.Idecidedtotrythehotel.WhenIcrossedthestreetandenteredthelobby5,Idiscoveredthatmostofthefirstfloorwasusedasagamblinghouse.ThroughglassdoorsIsawmanypeopleatthetablesplayingcardsandthrowingdice6,andIheardthefaintsoundsofspinningroulette7wheels.Myfirstthoughtwasoftheriskofsleepingallnightinagamblinghouse;mysecondwasthedangerofbeingonthestreetsofParisalone.ButIhadsleptinworseplacesthanthisonmytravels,andIknewIhadtomakethebestofit8.Outofforceofhabit9Ifeltforthemoneybeltaroundmywaist,andIbuttonedmycoatcarefully.ThenightclerkgavemearoomandIclimbedthestairs,walkedalonghallway,foundtheroom,andlockedmyselfin.ImmediatelyIfeltsafer—anyway,Iwasgladtobeoffthestreets.StillIhadfears,andIwishedthemoneyweresafeinabankvault10.Icouldnotputthefearsoutofmymind11.Ilookedunderthebedandinthecloset,andItriedthefasteningonthewindow.Then,satisfiedthatIhaddonemybestformyownsafety,Itookoffmyouterclothing,putmymoneybeltundermypillow,andwenttobed.IsoonfeltthatIcouldnotgotosleep.Moreover,Icouldnotevenclosemyeyes.Iwaswideawakeandeverynervewasalert.Itossedandrolledandtriedeverypositiononthebed,yetsleepwouldnotcome.Igroaned12,knowingthatIwasinfor13asleeplessnight.WhatcouldIdo?Ihadnobooktoread.Ihadnomedicinethatwouldmakemesleep.Ithoughtofallkindsofbadthings.Iraisedmyselfonmyelbowsandlookedabouttheroom,whichwaslightedwithbeautifulmoonlightthatmadestrangeshadows.ThemoreIlookedattheshadows,themorefearfulIbecame.ThebedIwaslyingonwasalargefour-poster,coveredwithacanopy14thatrestedontheposts.Thecanopyhadavalance15andsidecurtainsthatenclosedthebedcompletely,butIhaddrawnthecurtainasidewhenIfirstgotintotheroom.Therewasadressingtable,togetherwithatallchestofdrawers,awashstand16,andtwostraightchairs.NearthebedstoodanarmchaironwhichIhadlaidmyclothesandnecktie.Onasidewallinfullview17andfullylightedbythemoonwasastrange-lookingpicture.ItwasapaintingofaSpanishgentlemanwearingatallhat.Thecrownofthehatwasshapedlikeacone18,toppedwithfivefeathers.Ismiledforthefirsttimethatnight,knowingthattodayonlyawomanwouldwearthatkindofhat.Thefellowhadeveryappearanceofavillain19,andhelookedupwardasthoughhefacedajudgeorthegallows20.ForsomereasonthebeautifulmoonlightremindedmeofapeacefulvalleyinEngland.ThenIrememberedacharmingyoungladyandthegoodtimewehadhadatapicnic,followedbyadrivealongcountrylanes.Imostcertainlymusthavebeendreaming,forIsuddenlyfoundmyselflookinghardatthepictureagain.Lookingforwhat?Goodheavens!Whathadhappened?Wherewerethefeathersonthehat?Icouldnolongerseethefeathers.Thehatwasgone!Ilookedagain.Iwatchedtheman’sfaceslowlydisappearabovethetopofthebed.NowIcouldseeonlythepointofhischin;finallyhischestandwaist.WasIdreaming?WasImad?Wasthepicturebeingpulledupfrommysight,orwasthebedcanopymovingdown?Myheartseemedtostandstill21.AdeadlycoldnessstoleovermeasIturnedmyheadaroundonthepillow,tryingtoseewhetherornotthebedwasmoving.Thenextlookinthedirectionofthepicturewasenough.Thevalanceofthebedhadnowpassedbelowhiswaist.AndsurelyandslowlyIsawthefigureinthepictureandthebottomoftheframedisappear.Iamnotatimidperson,butasIlookeduptowardthecanopyandrealizeditwasslowlymovingdownuponme,Ifelthelpless.Itwasintendedthatthebedwouldsmother22mewhereIlay.Ilookedup,speechlessandbreathless.Downanddown—withoutasoundcamethetopofthebed23,andstillmyfearsseemedtobindmefasterandfastertothemattress24onwhichIlay.Down,downitcameuntilIcouldsmellthedustyodor25ofthecanopy.InafewmomentsIwouldbedead—smotheredtodeathbyastrangebed.Inanefforttosavemylife,Imovedatlast.Therewasjustenoughroomformetorollsidewaysoffthebedontothefloor.ThereIlayquietly,andwiththesweatdrippingfrommyface,Iwatchedthecanopycomedownslowly.Downitcametopresstightlyagainstthemattress.Itwassoclosethattherewasnotroomnowtosqueeze26myhandbetweenitandthemattress.Icouldseenowthatitwasnoordinarybedcanopy.Itwasathick,broadmattressfastenedtoastout27frame.Inthemiddleoftheframewasahugewoodenscrewlikethoseusedinwinepresses.Thescrewreacheddownfromaholeintheceiling.Thefrightfulapparatusworkedsmoothlywithoutasound.AsIlookedon,Icouldnotbreathe,Icouldnotmove;butasIbegantorecoverthepowerofthinking,IrealizedtheawfuldangerIhadescaped.WhywasItobethevictimofmurder?Hadtheunseeneyeswatchedmehidemymoney?Surelytherewasnootherreasontokillme.Suddenlythecanopybegantomoveoncemore.Thevillainswhoworkedthemachinefromtheroomaboveevidentlythoughttheyhadfinishedwithme.Slowlyandquietlythecanopyrosetothetopofthefourbedposts.Now,forthefirsttime,Iwasabletomove.Iputonmyclothesquickly,expectinganymomenttohavethedoorburstopenandthethugs28trytomakeaquickendtotheirbadbusiness.Itwasmyintentiontogetoutoftheroomalive.Lookingoutofthewindow,Isawadrainpipe29.IknewthatIcouldslidedownthepipeandescape.Iraisedthewindowslowlywithoutmakingasound.Ihadalreadygotonelegoverthewindowsill30whenIrememberedthemoneybelt.Iwentbackforit