Justwhenthesilencewasgettingunendurable，thebodyturnedoverandrolledawayfromthebasintothesideoftheroom，whereitlaystomachupTherewasafaint“plop“fromthebasin——exactlylikethenoiseafishmakeswhenittakesafly——andthegreenlightinthecentrerevived。
Ilookedatthebasin，andsaw，bobbinginthewater，thedried，shrivelled，blackheadofanativebaby——openeyes，openmouthandshavedscalpItwasworse，beingsoverysudden，thanthecrawlingexhibitionWehadnotimetosayanythingbeforeitbegantospeak。
ReadPoe’saccountofthevoicethatcamefromthemesmerizeddyingman，andyouwillrealizelessthanone-halfofthehorrorofthathead’svoice。
Therewasanintervalofasecondortwobetweeneachword，andasortof“ring，ring，ring。”inthenoteofthevoice，likethetimbreofabellItpealedslowly，asiftalkingtoitself，forseveralminutesbeforeIgotridofmycoldsweatThentheblessedsolutionstruckmeIlookedatthebodylyingnearthedoorway，andsaw，justwherethehollowofthethroatjoinsontheshoulders，amusclethathadnothingtodowithanyman’sregularbreathing，twitchingawaysteadilyThewholethingwasacarefulreproductionoftheEgyptianteraphinthatonereadaboutsometimesandthevoicewasascleverandasappallingapieceofventriloquismasonecouldwishtohearAllthistimetheheadwas“lip-lip-lapping“againstthesideofthebasin，andspeakingIttoldSuddhoo，onhisfaceagainwhining，ofhisson’sillnessandofthestateoftheillnessuptotheeveningofthatverynightIalwaysshallrespecttheseal-cutterforkeepingsofaithfullytothetimeofthePeshawartelegramsItwentontosaythatskilleddoctorswerenightanddaywatchingovertheman’slife；andthathewouldeventuallyrecoverifthefeetothepotentsorcerer，whoseservantwastheheadinthebasin，weredoubled。
HerethemistakefromtheartisticpointofviewcameinToaskfortwiceyourstipulatedfeeinavoicethatLazarusmighthaveusedwhenherosefromthedead，isabsurdJanoo，whoisreallyawomanofmasculineintellect，sawthisasquicklyasIdidIheardhersay“Aslinahin！Fareib！”scornfullyunderherbreath；andjustasshesaidso，thelightinthebasindiedout，theheadstoppedtalking，andweheardtheroomdoorcreakonitshingesThenJanoostruckamatch，litthelamp，andwesawthathead，basin，andseal-
cutterweregoneSuddhoowaswringinghishandsandexplainingtoanyonewhocaredtolisten，that，ifhischancesofeternalsalvationdependedonit，hecouldnotraiseanothertwohundredrupeesAzizunwasnearlyinhystericsinthecorner；whileJanoosatdowncomposedlyononeofthebedstodiscusstheprobabilitiesofthewholethingbeingabunao，or“make-up。”
IexplainedasmuchasIknewoftheseal-cutter’swayofjadoo；butherargumentwasmuchmoresimple：——“Themagicthatisalwaysdemandinggiftsisnotruemagic。”saidshe“Mymothertoldmethattheonlypotentlove-spellsarethosewhicharetoldyouforloveThisseal-cuttermanisaliarandadevilIdarenottell，doanything，orgetanythingdone，becauseIamindebttoBhagwanDassthebunniafortwogoldringsandaheavyankletImustgetmyfoodfromhisshopTheseal-cutteristhefriendofBhagwanDass，andhewouldpoisonmyfoodAfool’sjadoohasbeengoingonfortendays，andhascostSuddhoomanyrupeeseachnightTheseal-cutterusedblackhensandlemonsandmantrasbeforeHenevershowedusanythinglikethistillto-nightAzizunisafool，andwillbeapurdahnashinsoonSuddhoohaslosthisstrengthandhiswitsSeenow！IhadhopedtogetfromSuddhoomanyrupeeswhilehelived，andmanymoreafterhisdeath；andbehold，heisspendingeverythingonthatoffspringofadevilandashe-ass，theseal-
cutter！”
HereIsaid：——“ButwhatinducedSuddhootodragmeintothebusiness？OfcourseIcanspeaktotheseal-cutter，andheshallrefundThewholethingischild’stalk——shame——andsenseless。”
“SuddhooISanoldchild。”saidJanoo“Hehaslivedontheroofstheseseventyyearsandisassenselessasamilch-goatHebroughtyouheretoassurehimselfthathewasnotbreakinganylawoftheSirkar，whosesaltheatemanyyearsagoHeworshipsthedustoffthefeetoftheseal-cutter，andthatcow-devourerhasforbiddenhimtogoandseehissonWhatdoesSuddhooknowofyourlawsorthelightning-post？Ihavetowatchhismoneygoingdayb...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：