下载辰思小说免费APP
Mr。Vincey’sperplexities，towhichthefeverofhisbruiseaddedfreshirritation，becameatlastintolerable，and，afterafruitlessvisittotheAlbany，hewentdowntoSt。Paul’sChurchyardtoMr。Hart，Mr。Bessel’spartner，and，sofarasMr。Vinceyknew，hisnearestfriend。
HewassurprisedtolearnthatMr。Hart，althoughheknewnothingoftheoutbreak，hadalsobeendisturbedbyavision，theveryvisionthatMr。Vinceyhadseen——Mr。Bessel，whiteanddishevelled，pleadingearnestlybyhisgesturesforhelp。Thatwashisimpressionoftheimportofhissigns。“IwasjustgoingtolookhimupintheAlbanywhenyouarrived，“saidMr。Hart。“Iwassosureofsomethingbeingwrongwithhim。“
AstheoutcomeoftheirconsultationthetwogentlemendecidedtoinquireatScotlandYardfornewsoftheirmissingfriend。
“Heisboundtobelaidbytheheels，“saidMr。Hart。“Hecan’tgoonatthatpaceforlong。“ButthepoliceauthoritieshadnotlaidMr。Besselbytheheels。TheyconfirmedMr。Vincey’sovernightexperiencesandaddedfreshcircumstances，someofanevengravercharacterthanthoseheknew——alistofsmashedglassalongtheupperhalfofTottenhamCourtRoad，anattackuponapolicemaninHampsteadRoad，andanatrociousassaultuponawoman。Alltheseoutrageswerecommittedbetweenhalf-pasttwelveandaquartertotwointhemorning，andbetweenthosehours——and，indeed，fromtheverymomentofMr。
Bessel’sfirstrushfromhisroomsathalf-pastnineintheevening——
theycouldtracethedeepeningviolenceofhisfantasticcareer。Forthelasthour，atleastfrombeforeone，thatis，untilaquartertotwo，hehadrunamuckthroughLondon，eludingwithamazingagilityeveryefforttostoporcapturehim。
Butafteraquartertotwohehadvanished。Uptothathourwitnessesweremultitudinous。Dozensofpeoplehadseenhim，fledfromhimorpursuedhim，andthenthingssuddenlycametoanend。AtaquartertotwohehadbeenseenrunningdowntheEustonRoadtowardsBakerStreet，flourishingacanofburningcolzaoilandjerkingsplashesofflametherefromatthewindowsofthehouseshepassed。ButnoneofthepolicemenonEustonRoadbeyondtheWaxworkExhibition，noranyofthoseinthesidestreetsdownwhichhemusthavepassedhadhelefttheEustonRoad，hadseenanythingofhim。Abruptlyhedisappeared。Nothingofhissubsequentdoingscametolightinspiteofthekeenestinquiry。
HerewasafreshastonishmentforMr。Vincey。HehadfoundconsiderablecomfortinMr。Hart’sconviction:“Heisboundtobelaidbytheheelsbeforelong，“andinthatassurancehehadbeenabletosuspendhismentalperplexities。Butanyfreshdevelopmentseemeddestinedtoaddnewimpossibilitiestoapilealreadyheapedbeyondthepowersofhisacceptance。Hefoundhimselfdoubtingwhetherhismemorymightnothaveplayedhimsomegrotesquetrick，debatingwhetheranyofthesethingscouldpossiblyhavehappened；andintheafternoonhehuntedupMr。Hartagaintosharetheintolerableweightonhismind。
HefoundMr。Hartengagedwithawell-knownprivatedetective，butasthatgentlemanaccomplishednothinginthiscase，weneednotenlargeuponhisproceedings。
AllthatdayMr。Bessel’swhereaboutseludedanunceasinglyactiveinquiry，andallthatnight。AndallthatdaytherewasapersuasioninthebackofVincey’smindthatMr。Besselsoughthisattention，andallthroughthenightMr。Besselwithatear-stainedfaceofanguishpursuedhimthroughhisdreams。AndwheneverhesawMr。Besselinhisdreamshealsosawanumberofotherfaces，vaguebutmalignant，thatseemedtobepursuingMr。Bessel。
Itwasonthefollowingday，Sunday，thatMr。VinceyrecalledcertainremarkablestoriesofMrs。Bullock，themedium，whowasthenattractingattentionforthefirsttimeinLondon。Hedeterminedtocon
