The Wonderful Wizard of Oz / Волшебник из страны Оз. Книга для чтения на английском языке

That scream had been heard all over the house.

They raced up the stairs and round the bend, past a recess with statues gleaming white and eerie, and along the straight passage to Simeon Lee’s door. Mr Farr was there already and Mrs David. She was leaning back against the wall and he was twisting at the door handle.

�The door’s locked,’ he was saying. �The door’s locked!’

Harry Lee pushed past and wrested it from him. He, too, turned and twisted at the handle. �Father,’ he shouted. �Father, let us in.

He held up his hand and in the silence they all listened. There was no answer. No sound from inside the room.

The front door bell rang, but no one paid any attention to it.

Stephen Farr said: �We’ve got to break the door down. It’s the only way.’

Harry said: �That’s going to be a tough job. These doors are good solid stuff. Come on, Alfred.’

They heaved and strained. Finally they went and got an oak bench and used it as a battering-ram. The door gave at last.

For a minute they stood there huddled together looking in. What they saw was a sight that no one of them ever forgot…

There had clearly been a terrific struggle. Heavy furniture was overturned. China vases lay splintered on the floor. In the middle of the hearthrug in front of the blazing fire lay Simeon Lee in a great pool of blood… Blood was splashed all round. The place was like a shambles.

There was a long shuddering sigh, and then two voices spoke in turn. Strangely enough, the words they uttered were both quotations.

David Lee said: �The mills of God grind slowly[124 - The mills of God grind slowly – цитата из Секста Эмпирика (к. II – н. III в., древнегреческого философа), перешедшая в поговорку: Мельницы богов движутся медленно, но смалывают в пыль; перен.

Lydia’s voice came like a fluttering whisper: �Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?[125 - Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? – цит. из «Макбета» В. Шекспира (акт 5, сц. 1)]…’

IV

Superintendent Sugden had rung the bell three times. Finally, in desperation, he pounded on the knocker.