登陆注册
19003800000093

第93章

"You are very ill-advised to reject my offer, Desmond," he said, "for it simply means that I can do nothing more for you. Our friend Bellward now assumes the direction of affairs. I don't think you can realize what you are letting yourself in for. You appear to have been dabbling in Intelligence work. Perhaps it would interest you to hear something about this, our latest German method for extracting Accurate information from reluctant or untruthful witnesses. Bellward, perhaps you would enlighten him."Bellward smiled grimly.

"It is a blend," he explained glibly, "of that extreme form of cross-examination which the Americans call 'the third degree' and hypnotic treatment. Many people, as you are doubtless aware, are less responsive to hypnotic influence than others. An intensified course of the third degree and lack of sleep renders such refractory natures extraordinarily susceptible to mesmeric treatment. It prepares the ground as it were!"Bellward coughed and looked at Desmond over his tortoise-shell spectacles which he had put on again.

"The method has had its best results when practised on women," he resumed. "Our people in Holland have found it very successful in the case of female spies who come across the Belgian frontier.

But some women--Miss Barbara, for example--seem to have greater powers of resistance than others. We had to employ a rather drastic form of the third degree for her, didn't we, Strangwise?"He laughed waggishly.

"And you'll be none too easy either," he added.

"You beasts," cried Desmond, "but just you wait, your turn will come!""Yours first, however," chuckled Bellward. "I rather fancy you will think us beasts by the time we have done with you, my young friend!"Then he turned to Strangwise.

"Where's Minna?" he asked.

"With the girl."

"Is the girl sleeping?"

Strangwise nodded.

"She wanted it," he replied, "no sleep for four days... I tell you it takes some constitution to hold out against that!""Well," said Bellward, rubbing the palms of his hands together, "as we're not likely to be disturbed, I think we'll make a start!"He advanced a pace to where Desmond sat trussed up, hand and foot, in his chair. Bellward's eyes were large and luminous, and as Desmond glanced rather nervously at the face of the man approaching him, he was struck by the compelling power they seemed to emit.

Desmond bent his head to avoid the insistent gaze. But in a couple of quick strides Bellward was at his side and stooping down, had thrust his face right into his victim's. Bellward's face was so close that Desmond felt his warm breath on his cheek whilst those burning eyes seemed to stab through his closed eyelids and steadily, stealthily, draw his gaze.

Resolutely Desmond held his head, averted. All kinds of queer ideas were racing through his brain, fragments of nursery rhymes, scenes from his regimental life in India, memories of the front, which he had deliberately summoned up to keep his attention distracted from those merciless eyes, like twin search-lights pitilessly playing on his face.

Bellward could easily have taken Desmond by the chin and forced his face up until his eyes came level with the other's. But he offered no violence of any kind. He remained in his stooping position, his face thrust forward, so perfectly still that Desmond began to be tormented by a desire to risk a rapid peep just to see what the mesmerist was doing.

He put the temptation aside. He must keep his eyes shut, he told himself. But the desire increased, intensified by the strong attraction radiating from Bellward, and finally Desmond succumbed. He opened his eyes to dart a quick glance at Bellward and found the other's staring eyes, with pupils distended, fixed on his. And Desmond felt his resistance ebb. He tried to avert his gaze; but it was too late. That basilisk glare held him fast.

With every faculty of his mind he fought against the influence which was slowly, irresistibly, shackling his brain. He laughed, he shouted defiance at Bellward and Strangwise, he sang snatches of songs. But Bellward never moved a muscle. He seemed to be in a kind of cataleptic trance, so rigid his body, so unswerving his stare.

The lights in the room seemed to be growing dim. Bellward's eyeballs gleamed redly in the dull crimson light flooding the room. Desmond felt himself longing for some violent shock that would disturb the hideous stillness of the house. His own voice was sounding dull and blunted in his ears. What was the use of struggling further? He might as well give up...

A loud crash, the sound of a door slamming, reechoed through the house. The room shook. The noise brought Desmond back to his senses and at the same time the chain binding him to Bellward snapped. For Bellward started and raised his head and Strangwise sprang to the door. Then Desmond heard the door burst open, there was the deafening report of a pistol, followed by another, and Bellward crashed forward on his knees with a sobbing grunt. As Desmond had his back to the door he could see nothing of what was taking place, but some kind of violent struggle was going on; for he heard the smash of glass as a piece of furniture was upset.

Then suddenly the room seemed full of people. The thongs binding his hands and feet fell to the ground. "Buzzer" Barling stood at his side.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 血魔修仙

    血魔修仙

    幼习拳术的雷星在英国与吸血鬼发生冲突,被吸血后发生变异,悄然潜回国内。凭借爱好的摄影技术应聘到上海大型时尚公司,吸血鬼带来的惊人魅力在公司引来众女疯狂的追捧!俏皮的娇妻小魔女,冷傲的美丽天使上司,雷星纠结在道德的边缘...本想安于享受之中,无奈却被猪妖卷入妖怪联盟和修真家族间的斗争中,并在蛮妻魔女、损友猪妖的言传身教下,开始一步步走上一条充满谎言,欺诈和冷血的邪恶之路...本书众多美女纠缠的感情纠葛,波澜壮阔的大势力纷争,相互利用的利益纠葛,香艳、欺诈、血腥...这是一个好人被迫变成恶棍的故事!这是一个恶棍开始兴风作浪的故事!
  • 名人传(中小学生必读丛书)

    名人传(中小学生必读丛书)

    传记里的三人,一个是德国的音乐家贝多芬,一个是意大利的雕塑家、画家、诗人米开朗琪罗,另一个是俄国作家、思想家、文学家托尔斯泰,虽然各自的事业不同,贡献不同,所处时代和国家也不同,但他们都是伟大的天才,都是各自领域里的伟人。他们在肉体和精神上经历了人生的种种磨难,却为创造不朽的杰作贡献了毕生的精力。
  • 白驹踏

    白驹踏

    月染白衣发染霜,千古幽梦何人尝。曦映红烛穿朱户,为谁抹得半脸妆?鬓霜哪容白驹踏,流年逝水不复壮。
  • 王阳明人生励心课:幸福只在心中求

    王阳明人生励心课:幸福只在心中求

    幸福不是你有装修豪华的房子,也不是有令人艳羡的汽车,更不是富可敌国,当然也不是拥有无边的权势。幸福只是别人通过任何方式都无法感知的属于你自己的一种心灵深处的美好感觉。
  • 瑶辰幻世

    瑶辰幻世

    何物,封天绝地。为何,空留叹息。怎堪,独孤一世。怎能,生世流离。终要,冲出束缚。哪怕,身死道消!
  • 独占萌妻:权少,求轻宠

    独占萌妻:权少,求轻宠

    他有强迫症,重度洁癖,还睡不着!她有拖延中,重度懒癌,嗜睡如命!两人相遇,他产生了从未有过的睡意,想要把她留在身边,可她却别有所爱,他霸道宣言,“如果你再跑,我就把你做成标本放在床头,助我安眠!”
  • 王牌领主

    王牌领主

    网游玩家,同时也是大学生,又拥有矮穷挫属性的安淳,在一次玩游戏时被卷入了异时空,在那里他经历了一系列奇妙的旅程。
  • TFBOYS之星空下的承诺

    TFBOYS之星空下的承诺

    里面的内容很复杂几句话是说不清楚的我不想透剧大家进来看看吧
  • 大明王朝3

    大明王朝3

    中国进入明代统治,明朝共有二十位皇帝(包括南明四帝),明朝的领土除囊括清朝时期所谓内地十八省之范围,还包括今天的东北地区、新疆东部、西藏、缅甸北部、西伯利亚东部和越南北部等地,并首次将今天的南沙,台湾正式纳入我国版图,并曾在东南亚的安南,旧港等地设有羁縻管理机构,势力远及印度洋和中亚。
  • 你也能可以

    你也能可以

    一个从开始什么都不懂的农村小伙,从小混混步入商业巨头...