lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第9章

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death。　　In　less　than　an　hour　from　the　time　when　I　had　been　called

in；　he　was　alive　and　talking　in　the　bed　on　which　he　had　been　laid

out　to　wait　for　the　Coroner's　inquest。



You　will　naturally　ask　me；　what　had　been　the　matter　with　him；　and　I

might　treat　you；　in　reply；　to　a　long　theory；　plentifully　sprinkled

with；　what　the　children　call；　hard　words。　　I　prefer　telling　you

that；　in　this　case；　cause　and　effect　could　not　be　satisfactorily

joined　together　by　any　theory　whatever。　　There　are　mysteries　in

life；　and　the　condition　of　it；　which　human　science　has　not　fathomed

yet；　and　I　candidly　confess　to　you；　that；　in　bringing　that　man　back

to　existence；　I　was；　morally　speaking；　groping　haphazard　in　the

dark。　　I　know　（from　the　testimony　of　the　doctor　who　attended　him　in

the　afternoon）　that　the　vital　machinery；　so　far　as　its　action　is

appreciable　by　our　senses；　had；　in　this　case；　unquestionably

stopped；　and　I　am　equally　certain　（seeing　that　I　recovered　him）

that　the　vital　principle　was　not　extinct。　　When　I　add；　that　he　had

suffered　from　a　long　and　complicated　illness；　and　that　his　whole

nervous　system　was　utterly　deranged；　I　have　told　you　all　I　really

know　of　the　physical　condition　of　my　dead…alive　patient　at　The　Two

Robins　Inn。



When　he　'came　to；'　as　the　phrase　goes；　he　was　a　startling　object　to

look　at；　with　his　colourless　face；　his　sunken　cheeks；　his　wild

black　eyes；　and　his　long　black　hair。　　The　first　question　he　asked

me　about　himself；　when　he　could　speak；　made　me　suspect　that　I　had

been　called　in　to　a　man　in　my　own　profession。　　I　mentioned　to　him

my　surmise；　and　he　told　me　that　I　was　right。



He　said　he　had　come　last　from　Paris；　where　he　had　been　attached　to

a　hospital。　　That　he　had　lately　returned　to　England；　on　his　way　to

Edinburgh；　to　continue　his　studies；　that　he　had　been　taken　ill　on

the　journey；　and　that　he　had　stopped　to　rest　and　recover　himself　at

Doncaster。　　He　did　not　add　a　word　about　his　name；　or　who　he　was：

and；　of　course；　I　did　not　question　him　on　the　subject。　　All　I

inquired；　when　he　ceased　speaking；　was　what　branch　of　the

profession　he　intended　to　follow。



'Any　branch；'　he　said；　bitterly；　'which　will　put　bread　into　the

mouth　of　a　poor　man。'



At　this；　Arthur；　who　had　been　hitherto　watching　him　in　silent

curiosity；　burst　out　impetuously　in　his　usual　good…humoured　way：…



'My　dear　fellow！'　（everybody　was　'my　dear　fellow'　with　Arthur）　'now

you　have　come　to　life　again；　don't　begin　by　being　down…hearted

about　your　prospects。　　I'll　answer　for　it；　I　can　help　you　to　some

capital　thing　in　the　medical　line　…　or；　if　I　can't；　I　know　my

father　can。'



The　medical　student　looked　at　him　steadily。



'Thank　you；'　he　said；　coldly。　　Then　added；　'May　I　ask　who　your

father　is？'



'He's　well　enough　known　all　about　this　part　of　the　country；'

replied　Arthur。　　'He　is　a　great　manufacturer；　and　his　name　is

Holliday。'



My　hand　was　on　the　man's　wrist　during　this　brief　conversation。　　The

instant　the　name　of　Holliday　was　pronounced　I　felt　the　pulse　under

my　fingers　flutter；　stop；　go　on　suddenly　with　a　bound；　and　beat

afterwards；　for　a　minute　or　two；　at　the　fever　rate。



'How　did　you　come　here？'　asked　the　stranger；　quickly；　excitably；

passionately　almost。



Arthur　related　briefly　what　had　happened　from　the　time　of　his　first

taking　the　bed　at　the　inn。



'I　am　indebted　to　Mr。　Holliday's　son　then　for　the　help　that　has

saved　my　life；'　said　the　medical　student；　speaking　to　himself；　with

a　singular　sarcasm　in　his　voice。　　'Come　here！'



He　held　out；　as　he　spoke；　his　long；　white；　bony；　right　hand。



'With　all　my　heart；'　said　Arthur；　taking　the　hand…cordially。　　'I

may　confess　it　now；'　he　continued；　laughing。　　'Upon　my　honour；　you

almost　frightened　me　out　of　my　wits。'



The　stranger　did　not　seem　to　listen。　　His　wild　black　eyes　were

fixed　with　a　look　of　eager　interest　on　Arthur's　face；　and　his　long

bony　fingers　kept　tight　hold　of　Arthur's　hand。　　Young　Holliday；　on

his　side；　returned　the　gaze；　amazed　and　puzzled　by　the　medical

student's　odd　language　and　manners。　　The　two　faces　were　close

together；　I　looked　at　them；　and；　to　my　amazement；　I　was　suddenly

impressed　by　the　sense　of　a　likeness　between　them　…　not　in

features；　or　complexion；　but　solely　in　expression。　　It　must　have

been　a　strong　likeness；　or　I　should　certainly　not　have　found　it

out；　for　I　am　naturally　slow　at　detecting　resemblances　between

faces。



'You　have　saved　my　life；'　said　the　strange　man；　still　looking　hard

in　Arthur's　face；　still　holding　tightly　by　his　hand。　　'If　you　had

been　my　own　brother；　you　could　not　have　done　more　for　me　than

that。'



He　laid　a　singularly　strong　emphasis　on　those　three　words　'my　own

brother；'　and　a　change　passed　over　his　face　as　he　pronounced　them；

…　a　change　that　no　language　of　mine　is　competent　to　describe。



'I　hope　I　have　not　done　being　of　service　to　you　yet；'　said　Arthur。

'I'll　speak　to　my　father；　as　soon　as　I　get　home。'



'You　seem　to　be　fond　and　proud　of　your　father；'　said　the　medical

student。　　'I　suppose；　in　return；　he　is　fond　and　proud　of　you？'



'Of　course；　he　is！'　answered　Arthur；　laughing。　　'Is　there　anything

wonderful　in　that？　　Isn't　YOUR　father　fond　…　'



The　stranger　suddenly　dropped　young　Holliday's　hand；　and　turned　his

face　away。



'I　beg　your　pardon；'　said　Arthur。　　'I　hope　I　have　not

unintentionally　pained　you。　　I　hope　you　have　not　lost　your　father。'



'I　can't　well　lose　what　I　have　never　had；'　retorted　the　medical

student；　with　a　harsh；　mocking　laugh。



'What　you　have　never　had！'



The　strange　man　suddenly　caught　Arthur's　hand　again；　suddenly

looked　once　more　hard　in　his　face。



'Yes；'　he　said；　with　a　repetition　of　the　bitter　laugh。　　'You　have

brought　a　poor　devil　back　into　the　world；　who　has　no　business

there。　　Do　I　astonish　you？　　Well！　　I　have　a　fancy　of　my　own　for

telling　you　what　men　in　my　situation　generally　keep　a　secret。　　I

have　no　name　and　no　father。　　The　merciful　law　of　Society　tells　me　I

am　Nobody's　Son！　　Ask　your　father　if　he　will　be　my　father　too；　and

help　me　on　in　life　with　the　family　name。'



Arthur　looked　at　me；　more　puzzled　than　ever。　　I　signed　to　him　to

say　nothing；　and　then　laid　my　fingers　again　on　the　man's　wrist。

No！　　In　spite　of　the　extraordinary　speech　that　he　had　just　made；　he

was　not；　as　I　had　been　disposed　to　suspect；　beginning　to　get　light…

headed。　　His　pulse；　by　this　time；　had　fallen　back　to　a　quiet；　slow

beat；　and　his　skin　was　moist　and　cool。　　Not　a　symptom　of　fever　or

agitation　about　him。



Finding　that　neither　of　us　answered　him；　he　turned　to　me；　and　began

talking　of　the　extraordinary　nature　of　his　case；　and　asking　my

advice　about　the　future　course　of　medical　treatment　to　which　he

ought　to　subject　himself。　　I　said　the　matter　required　careful

thinking　over；　and　suggested　that　I　should　submit　certain

prescriptions　to　him　the　next　morning。　　He　told　me　to　write　them　at

once；　as　he　would；　most　likely；　be　leaving　Doncaster；　in　the

morning；　before　I　was　up。　　It　was　quite　useless　to　represent　to　him

the　folly　and　danger　of　such　a　proceeding　as　this。　　He　heard　me

politely　and　patiently；　but　held　to　his　resolution；　without

offering　any　reasons　or　any　explanations；　and　repeated　to　me；　that

if　I　wished　to　give　him　a　chance　of　seeing　my　prescription；　I　must

write　it　at　once。　　Hearing　this；　Arthur　volunteered　the　loan　of　a

travelling　writing…case；　which；　he　said；　he　had　with　him；　and；

bringing　it　to　the　bed；　shook　the　note…paper　out　of　the　pocket　of

the　case　forthwith　in　his　usual　careless　way。　　With　the　paper；

there　fell　out　on　the　counterpane　of　the　bed　a　small　packet　of

sticking…plaster；　and　a　little　water…colour　drawing　of　a　landscape。



The　medical　student　took　up　the　drawing　and　looked　at　it。　　His　eye

fell　on　some　initials　neatly　written；　in　cypher；　in　one　corner。　　He

started　and　trembled；　his　pale　face　grew　whiter　than　ever；　his　wild

black　eyes　turned　on　Arthur；　and　looked　through　and　through　him。



'A　pretty　drawing；'　he　said　in　a　remarkably　quiet　tone　of　voice。



'Ah！　and　done　by　such　a　pretty　girl；'　said　Arthur。　　'Oh；　such　a

pretty　girl！　　I　wish　it　was　not　a　landscape　…　I　wish　it　was　a

portrait　of　her！'



'You　admire　her　very　much？'



Arthur；　half　in　jest；　half　in　earnest；　kissed　his　hand　for　answer。



'Love　at　first　sight！'　he　said；　putting　the　drawing　away　again。

'But　the　course　of　it　doesn't　run　smooth。　　It's　the　old　story。

She's　monopolised　as　usual。　　Trammelled　by　a　rash　engagement　to

some　poor　man　who　is　never　likely　to　get　money　enough　to　marry　her。

It　was　lucky　I　heard　of　it　in　time；　or　I　should　certainly　have

risked　a　declaration　when　she　gave　me　that　drawing。　　Here；　doctor！

Here　is　pen；　ink；　and　paper　all　ready　for　you。'



'When　she　gave　you　that　drawing？　　Gave　it。　　Gave　it。'　　He　repeated

the　words　slowly　to　himself；　and　suddenly　closed　his　eyes。　　A

momentary　distortion　passed　across　his　face；　and　I　saw　one　of　his

hands　clutch　up　the　bedclothes　and　squeeze　them　hard。　　I　thought　he

was　going　to　be　ill　again；　and　begged　that　there　might　be　no　more

talking。　　He　opened　his　eyes　when　I　spoke；　fixed　them　once　more

searchingly　on　Arthur；　and　said；　slowly　and　distinctly；　'You　like

her；　and　she　likes　you。　　The　poor　man　may　die　out　of　your　way。　　Who

can　tell　that　she　may　not　give　you　herself　as　well　as　her　drawing；

after　all？'



Before　young　Holliday　could　answer；　he　turned　to　me；　and　said　in　a

whisper；　'Now　for　the　prescription。'　　From　that　time；　though　he

spoke　to　Arthur　again；　he　never　looked　at　him　more。



When　I　had　written　the　prescription；　he　examined　it；　approved　of

it；　and　then　astonished　us　both　by　abruptly　wishing　us　good　night。

I　offered　to　sit　up　with　him；　and　he　shook　his　head。　　Arthur

offered　to　sit　up　with　him；　and　he　said；　shortly；　with　his　face

turned　away；　'No。'　　I　insisted　on　having　somebody　left　to　watch

him。　　He　gave　way　when　he　found　I　was　determined；　and　said　he　would

accept　the　services　of　the　waiter　at　the　Inn。



'Thank　you；　both；'　he　said；　as　we　rose　to　go。　　'I　have　one　last

favour　to　ask　…　not　of　you；　doctor；　for　I　leave　you　to　exercise

your　professional　discretion　…　but　of　Mr。　Holliday。'　　His　eyes；

while　he　spoke；　still　rested　steadily　on　me；　and　never　once　turned

towards　Arthur。　　'I　beg　that　Mr。　Holliday　will　not　mention　to　any

one　…　least　of　all　to　his　father　…　the　events　that　have　occurred；

and　the　words　that　have　passed；　in　this　room。　　I　entreat　him　to

bury　me　in　his　memory；　as；　but　for　him；　I　might　have　been　buried　in

my　grave。　　I　cannot　give　my　reasons　for　making　this　strange

request。　　I　can　only　implore　him　to　grant　it。'



His　voice　faltered　for　the　first　time；　and　he　hid　his　face　on　the

pillow。　　Arthur；　completely　bewildered；　gave　the　required　pledge。

I　took　young　Holliday　away　with　me；　immediately　afterwards；　to　the

house　of　my　friend；　determining　to　go　back　to　the　Inn；　and　to　see

the　medical　studen