Doyouknowwhatfearis？Notordinaryfearofinsult，injuryordeath，butabject，quiveringdreadofsomethingthatyoucannotsee——fearthatdriestheinsideofthemouthandhalfofthethroat——
fearthatmakesyousweatonthepalmsofthehands，andgulpinordertokeeptheuvulaatwork？ThisisafineFear——agreatcowardice，andmustbefelttobeappreciatedTheveryimprobabilityofbilliardsinadak-bungalowprovedtherealityofthethingNoman——drunkorsober——couldimagineagameatbilliards，orinventthespittingcrackofa“screw-cannon。”
Aseverecourseofdak-bungalowshasthisdisadvantage——itbreedsinfinitecredulityIfamansaidtoaconfirmeddak-bungalow-
haunter：——“Thereisacorpseinthenextroom，andthere’samadgirlinthenextbutone，andthewomanandmanonthatcamelhavejustelopedfromaplacesixtymilesaway。”thehearerwouldnotdisbelievebecausehewouldknowthatnothingistoowild，grotesque，orhorribletohappeninadak-bungalow。
Thiscredulity，unfortunately，extendstoghostsArationalpersonfreshfromhisownhousewouldhaveturnedonhissideandslept。
IdidnotSosurelyasIwasgivenupasabadcarcassbythescoresofthingsinthebedbecausethebulkofmybloodwasinmyheart，sosurelydidIheareverystrokeofalonggameatbilliardsplayedintheechoingroombehindtheiron-barreddoorMydominantfearwasthattheplayersmightwantamarkerItwasanabsurdfear；becausecreatureswhocouldplayinthedarkwouldbeabovesuchsuperfluitiesIonlyknowthatthatwasmyterror；
anditwasreal。
Afteralong，longwhilethegamestopped，andthedoorbangedI
sleptbecauseIwasdeadtiredOtherwiseIshouldhavepreferredtohavekeptawakeNotforeverythinginAsiawouldIhavedroppedthedoor-barandpeeredintothedarkofthenextroom。
Whenthemorningcame，IconsideredthatIhaddonewellandwisely，andinquiredforthemeansofdeparture。
“Bytheway，khansamah。”Isaid，“whatwerethosethreedooliesdoinginmycompoundinthenight？”
“Therewerenodoolies。”saidthekhansamah。
IwentintothenextroomandthedaylightstreamedthroughtheopendoorIwasimmenselybraveIwould，atthathour，haveplayedBlackPoolwiththeownerofthebigBlackPooldownbelow。
“Hasthisplacealwaysbeenadak-bungalow？”Iasked。
“No。”saidthekhansamah“Tenortwentyyearsago，Ihaveforgottenhowlong，itwasabilliardroom。”
“Ahowmuch？”
“AbilliardroomfortheSahibswhobuilttheRailwayIwaskhansamahtheninthebighousewherealltheRailway-Sahibslived，andIusedtocomeacrosswithbrandy-shrabThesethreeroomswereallone，andtheyheldabigtableonwhichtheSahibsplayedeveryeveningButtheSahibsarealldeadnow，andtheRailwayruns，yousay，nearlytoKabul。”
“DoyourememberanythingabouttheSahibs？”
“Itislongago，butIrememberthatoneSahib，afatmanandalwaysangry，wasplayinghereonenight，andhesaidtome：——
’MangalKhan，brandy-panido，’andIfilledtheglass，andhebentoverthetabletostrike，andhisheadfelllowerandlowertillithitthetable，andhisspectaclescameoff，andwhenwe——theSahibsandImyself——rantolifthimhewasdeadIhelpedtocarryhimoutAha，hewasastrongSahib！ButheisdeadandI，oldMangalKhan，amstillliving，byyourfavor。”
Thatwasmorethanenough！Ihadmyghost——afirsthand，authenticatedarticleIwouldwritetotheSocietyforPsychicalResearch——IwouldparalyzetheEmpirewiththenews！ButI
would，firstofall，puteightymilesofassessedcroplandbetweenmyselfandthatdak-bungalowbeforenightfallTheSocietymightsendtheirregularagenttoinvestigatelateron。
IwentintomyownroomandpreparedtopackafternotingdownthefactsofthecaseAsIsmokedIheardthegamebeginagain，——
withamissinbalkthistime，forthewhirwasashortone。
ThedoorwasopenandIcouldseeintotheroomClick——c1ick！
ThatwasacannonIenteredtheroomwithoutfear，fortherewassunlightwithinandafreshbreezewithoutTheunseengamewasgoingonatatremendousrateAndwellitmight，whenarestlesslittleratwasrunningtoandfroinsidethedingyceiling-cloth，andapieceofloosewindow-sashwasmakingfiftybreaksoffthewindow-boltasitshookinthebreeze！
Impossibletomistakethesoundofbilliardballs！Impossibletomistakethewhirofaballovertheslate！ButIwastobeexcused。
EvenwhenIshutmyenlightenedeyesthesoundwasmarvelouslylike...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：