第22章

Thenmattersreachedasuddenclimax。Inhisagitationthedentisthadbeenpullinghardonhispipe，andasMarcusforthelasttimethrusthisfaceclosetohisown，McTeague，inopeninghislipstoreply，blewastifling，acridclouddirectlyinMarcusSchouler’seyes。Marcusknockedthepipefromhisfingerswithasuddenflashofhishand；itspunacrosstheroomandbrokeintoadozenfragmentsinafarcorner。

McTeaguerosetohisfeet，hiseyeswide。Butasyethewasnotangry，onlysurprised，takenallabackbythesuddennessofMarcusSchouler’soutbreakaswellasbyitsunreasonableness。WhyhadMarcusbrokenhispipe？Whatdiditallmean，anyway？Asherosethedentistmadeavaguemotionwithhisrighthand。DidMarcusmisinterpretitasagestureofmenace？Hesprangbackasthoughavoidingablow。Allatoncetherewasacry。Marcushadmadeaquick，peculiarmotion，swinginghisarmupwardwithawideandsweepinggesture；hisjack-knifelayopeninhispalm；itshotforwardasheflungit，glintedsharplybyMcTeague’shead，andstruckquiveringintothewallbehind。

Asuddenchillranthroughtheroom；theothersstoodtransfixed，asattheswiftpassageofsomecoldanddeadlywind。Deathhadstoopedthereforaninstant，hadstoopedandpast，leavingatrailofterrorandconfusion。Thenthedoorleadingtothestreetslammed；Marcushaddisappeared。

Thereonagreatbabelofexclamationarose。Thetensionofthatallbutfatalinstantsnapped，andspeechbecameoncemorepossible。

“Hewouldhaveknifedyou。“

“Narrowescape。“

“WhatkindofamandoyoucallTHAT？“

“’Tain’thisfaultheain’tamurderer。“

“I’dhavehimupforit。“

“Andtheytwohavebeenthegreatestkindoffriends。“

“Hedidn’ttouchyou，didhe？“

“No——no——no。“

“Whata——whatadevil！Whattreachery！Aregulargreasertrick！“

“Lookouthedon’tstabyouintheback。Ifthat’sthekindofmanheis，younevercantell。“

Frennadrewtheknifefromthewall。

“GuessI’llkeepthistoad-stabber，“heobserved。“Thatfellowwon’tcomeroundforitinahurry；goodsizedblade，too。“Thegroupexamineditwithintenseinterest。

“Bigenoughtoletthelifeoutofanyman，“observedHeise。

“What——what——whatdidhedoitfor？“stammeredMcTeague。“I

gotnoquarrelwithhim。“

Hewaspuzzledandharassedbythestrangenessofitall。

Marcuswouldhavekilledhim；hadthrownhisknifeathiminthetrue，uncanny“greaser“style。Itwasinexplicable。

McTeaguesatdownagain，lookingstupidlyaboutonthefloor。Inacorneroftheroomhiseyeencounteredhisbrokenpipe，adozenlittlefragmentsofpaintedporcelainandthestemofcherrywoodandamber。

Atthatsighthistardywrath，everlaggingbehindtheoriginalaffront，suddenlyblazedup。Instantlyhishugejawsclickedtogether。

“Hecan’tmakesmallofME，“heexclaimed，suddenly。

“I’llshowMarcusSchouler——I’llshowhim——I’ll——“

Hegotupandclappedonhishat。

“Now，Doctor，“remonstratedHeise，standingbetweenhimandthedoor，“don’tgomakeafoolofyourself。“

“Let’umalone，“joinedinFrenna，catchingthedentistbythearm；“he’sfull，anyhow。“

“Hebrokemypipe，“answeredMcTeague。

Itwasthisthathadrousedhim。Thethrownknife，theattemptonhislife，wasbeyondhissolution；butthebreakingofhispipeheunderstoodclearlyenough。

“I’llshowhim，“heexclaimed。

Asthoughtheyhadbeenlittlechildren，McTeaguesetFrennaandtheharness-makeraside，andstrodeoutatthedoorlikearagingelephant。Heisestoodrubbinghisshoulder。

“Mightaswelltrytostop