AudioBookDemo: The Speckled Band
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Accents
North American (General) North American (US General American - GenAM)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
about nine o'clock, the light among the trees was extinguished, and all was dark in the direction of the manor house. Two hours passed slowly away, and then suddenly, just at the stroke of 11 a single bright light shone out right in front of us. That is our signal, said homes, springing to his feet. It comes from the middle window. As we passed out, he exchanged a few words with a landlord, explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. A moment later, we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing in our faces and one yellow light twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us on our somber errand. There was little difficulty in entering the grounds for unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall, making our way among the trees. We reached the lawn, crossed it, and we're about to enter through the window, went out from a clump of laurel bushes. There darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted child who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness. Maar, God, I whispered. Did you see it? Holmes was, for the moment, a startled his eye, his hand closed like a vice upon my wrist in his agitation. Then he broke into a low laugh and put his lips to my year. It is a nice household, he murmured. That is the baboon I had for gotten the strange pets, which the doctor affected. There was a cheetah to perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders. It at any moment. I confess that I felt easier in my mind when, after following Holmes's example and slipping off my shoes, I found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly, closed the shutters and moved the lamp onto the table and cast his eyes around the room. All was, as we had seen it in the daytime, then creeping up to me and making a trumpet of his hand, he whispered into my ear again so gently that it was all I could do to distinguish the words. The least sound would be fatal to our plans. I nodded to show that I had heard we must sit without light. He would see it through the ventilator. I nodded again. Do not go asleep. Your very life may depend upon it. Have your pistol ready in case we should need it. I will sit on the side of the bed and you in that chair. I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. Holmes had brought up a long, thin cane and this he placed upon the bed beside him by it. He laid the box of matches and the stump of a candle. Then he turned down the lamp and we were left in darkness. How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a sound, not even the drawing of a breath. And yet I knew that my companion sat open eyed within a few feet of me in the same state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. From outside came the occasional cry of a night bird. And once at our very window, a long drawn cat like wine which told us that the cheetah was indeed at liberty far away. We could hear the deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of an hour. How long they seem Those quarters 12 struck and one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for whatever might be full. Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately but was succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. Someone in the next room had lit a dark lantern. I heard a gentle sound of movement, and then all was silent once more. Although the smell grew stronger for half an hour, I sat with straining years. Then suddenly, another sound became audible. A very gentle, soothing sound like that of a small jet of steam escaping continually from a kettle the instant that we heard at home, sprang from the bed, struck a match and lashed furiously with his cane At the Bell poll. You see it once and healed. You see it, but I saw nothing at the moment when home struck the light, I heard a low, clear whistle, but the sudden glare flashed into my weary eyes, made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had ceased to strike and was gazing up with the ventilator when suddenly there broke from the silence of the night, the most horrible cry to which I have ever listened. It swelled up louder and louder. Ah, horse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled in the one dreadful shriek. They say that a way down in the village and even in the distant parsonage that cry raised the sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I stood gazing at homes and he at me until the last echoes of it had died away into the silence from which it rose.