Part 30 (1/2)

”What little town by harbor or sea-sh.o.r.e Is empty of its folk this pious morn?”

I quoted to myself with a laugh, just as I entered the arched tunnel wide enough for two coaches to be driven under it abreast, which I knew led to Grand Square.

I laughed, and then quite suddenly all laughter went out of me. I couldn't explain it at the moment, but the mist, the loneliness, my whole surroundings, seemed quite horrible.

Surely something had pa.s.sed me? I called out, and my voice seemed like the bleating of a sheep. Of course, it was illusion. My nerves had suddenly gone wrong. But, honestly, I felt that there was something _nasty_ in the atmosphere, nasty from a psychic point of view I mean.

There are moments when the human soul turns sick and retches with disgust, and I experienced such a moment now. I think it was exactly then that I knew, though I wouldn't allow myself to believe it, that I knew inwardly all was not well. I walked on and my india-rubber shoes seemed to make a sly, unpleasant noise--it was the only one I heard even now.

I could see nothing, I was quite uncertain of where I was, so I turned and walked straight to the right until, from the impact of the air upon my face, I knew that I was within a yard or so of some building. This was correct. My hand touched what seemed like stonework, and glancing up I became aware that a building rose high above.

I followed this along, keeping my hand on the stone, moving it round projecting b.u.t.tresses and going with great caution. This insect-like progression seemed to be endless. I took out my watch, which I had shoved into the breast pocket of my Norfolk jacket. It was nearly nine o'clock, and not a single sound!

A second or two afterwards I came to a bal.u.s.trade, felt my way along it, and found that I was at the foot of a broad flight of steps. There seemed something vaguely familiar here, and as I ran up them I began to be sure that I was at the library. I knew that Pu-Yi lived somewhere on the premises and I felt all over the great iron-studded door until I came to the small postern wicket through which one generally entered.

This was locked, but a bell-pull of wrought iron hung at the side and I pulled at it l.u.s.tily for a considerable time.

It opened with a jerk and Pu-Yi stood there in his skull cap with the coral b.u.t.ton on the top and wrapped in a bear-skin robe.

”Thank goodness I've found some one,” I said. ”I've lost my way. I was going to the gymnasium, to exercise a little and then have a swim. My boy didn't turn up so I came out by myself.”

”Come in, come in, Sir Thomas,” he said, peering out at the white curtain. ”What a dreadful morning! I've been here some months now, but I have never seen it so bad as this. I daresay it will blow off by nine o'clock or so when the sun gets up.”

”It's nine o'clock now,” I told him.

He started violently.

”Then my servant also is at fault,” he said. ”I ordered my coffee for eight. I was reading far into the night and must have overslept myself.

This is very curious.”

”Do you know, I don't quite like it, Pu-Yi. I've come all the way from the pavilion in the Palace gardens and haven't heard the least sound of any sort whatever.”

We pa.s.sed through a lobby and entered the great library, which was cold and gray as a tomb.

Pu-Yi snapped at a switch, then at another. Nothing happened.

”The electric light is off!” he cried. ”What an extraordinary thing!”

”Mine wasn't,” I said. ”I got out of bed and dressed by it.”

He did not reply, but took down the speaking part of a telephone and turned the handle of the box. In that gray light his thin face, with its expression of strained attention, was one I shall not easily forget.

He turned the handle again, angrily. Again an interval of silence.

”The telephone is out of order,” he said, and we looked at each other with a question in our eyes.

”Well, I'm confoundedly glad I've found you,” I said.

”We must look into this at once, Sir Thomas. I can find my way perfectly well to one of the lifts at the other end of the Square. We must summon a.s.sistance. One moment.” He vanished for a minute and returned with something cool and s.h.i.+ning which he pressed into my hand. It was a venomous ten-shot Colt automatic. ”You never know,” he whispered.

We hurried across the great Square, pa.s.sing by the central fountain basins, though the fountains were not playing, which added to our uneasiness. Everything was deathly still until we came to the little lift pavilion. I half expected the thing to stick, but it glided down easily enough. As if my companion read my thoughts he said: