"Richard Matheson - Hell House" - читать интересную книгу автора (Matheson Richard)

4:37 P.M.


The Rolls-Royce sped along the highway toward Manhattan.
"That's an awful lot of money." Edith still sounded incredulous.
"Not to him," said Barrett. "Especially when you consider that what he's paying for is an
assurance of immortality."
"But he must know that you don't believe--"
"I'm sure he does," Barrett interrupted. He didn't want to consider the possibility that
Deutsch hadn't been told. "He's not the sort of man who goes into anything without being totally
informed."
"But a hundred thousand dollars."
Barrett smiled. "I can scarcely believe it myself," he said. "If I were like my mother,
I'd undoubtedly consider this a miracle from God. The two things I've failed to accomplish both
supplied at once--an opportunity to prove my theory, and provision for our later years. Really, I
could ask no more."
Edith returned his smile. "I'm happy for you, Lionel," she said.
"Thank you, my dear." He patted her hand.
"Monday afternoon, though." Edith looked concerned. "That doesn't give us too much time."
Barrett said, "I'm wondering if I shouldn't go alone on this one."
She stared at him.
"Well, not alone, of course," he said. "There are the two others."
"What about your meals?"
"They'll be provided. All I'll have to do is work."
"I've always helped you, though," she said.
"I know. It's just that--"
"What?"
He hesitated. "I'd rather you weren't along this time, that's all."
"_Why_, Lionel?" She looked uneasy when he didn't answer. "Is it me?"
"Of course not." Barrett's smile was quick, distracted. "It's the house."
"Isn't it just another so-called haunted house?" she asked, using his phrase.
"I'm afraid it isn't," he admitted. "It's the Mount Everest of haunted houses, you might
say. There were two attempts to investigate it, one in 1931, the other in 1940. Both were
disasters. Eight people involved in those attempts were killed, committed suicide, or went insane.
Only one survived, and I have no idea how sound he is--Benjamin Fischer, one of the two who'll be
with me.
"It's not that I fear the ultimate effect of the house," he continued, trying to
ameliorate his words. "I have confidence in what I know. It's simply that the details of the
investigation may be"--he shrugged--"a little nasty."
"And yet you want me to let you go there alone?"
"My dear--"
"What if something happens to you?"
"Nothing will."
"What if it does? With me in New York, and you in Maine?"
"Edith, nothing's going to happen."
"Then there's no reason I can't go." She tried to smile. "I'm not afraid, Lionel."
"I know you're not."
"I won't get in your way."