tales and fantasies-第13章

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hearthrug　in　the　guise　of　Hymen's　priest。



The　last　I　saw　of　them；　on　a　recent　visit　to　the　north；　was

at　a　dinner…party　in　the　house　of　my　old　friend　Gellatly

Macbride；　and　after　we　had；　in　classic　phrase；　'rejoined　the

ladies；'　I　had　an　opportunity　to　overhear　Flora　conversing

with　another　married　woman　on　the　much　canvassed　matter　of　a

husband's　tobacco。



'Oh　yes！'　said　she；　'I　only　allow　Mr。　Nicholson　four　cigars　a

day。　　Three　he　smokes　at　fixed　times　…　after　a　meal；　you

know；　my　dear；　and　the　fourth　he　can　take　when　he　likes　with

any　friend。'



'Bravo！'　thought　I　to　myself；　'this　is　the　wife　for　my　friend

John！'







THE　BODY…SNATCHER









EVERY　night　in　the　year；　four　of　us　sat　in　the　small　parlour

of　the　George　at　Debenham　…　the　undertaker；　and　the　landlord；

and　Fettes；　and　myself。　　Sometimes　there　would　be　more；　but

blow　high；　blow　low；　come　rain　or　snow　or　frost；　we　four

would　be　each　planted　in　his　own　particular　arm…chair。

Fettes　was　an　old　drunken　Scotchman；　a　man　of　education

obviously；　and　a　man　of　some　property；　since　he　lived　in

idleness。　　He　had　come　to　Debenham　years　ago；　while　still

young；　and　by　a　mere　continuance　of　living　had　grown　to　be　an

adopted　townsman。　　His　blue　camlet　cloak　was　a　local

antiquity；　like　the　church…spire。　　His　place　in　the　parlour

at　the　George；　his　absence　from　church；　his　old；　crapulous；

disreputable　vices；　were　all　things　of　course　in　Debenham。

He　had　some　vague　Radical　opinions　and　some　fleeting

infidelities；　which　he　would　now　and　again　set　forth　and

emphasise　with　tottering　slaps　upon　the　table。　　He　drank　rum

…　five　glasses　regularly　every　evening；　and　for　the　greater

portion　of　his　nightly　visit　to　the　George　sat；　with　his

glass　in　his　right　hand；　in　a　state　of　melancholy　alcoholic

saturation。　　We　called　him　the　Doctor；　for　he　was　supposed　to

have　some　special　knowledge　of　medicine；　and　had　been　known；

upon　a　pinch；　to　set　a　fracture　or　reduce　a　dislocation；　but

beyond　these　slight　particulars；　we　had　no　knowledge　of　his

character　and　antecedents。



One　dark　winter　night　…　it　had　struck　nine　some　time　before

the　landlord　joined　us　…　there　was　a　sick　man　in　the　George；

a　great　neighbouring　proprietor　suddenly　struck　down　with

apoplexy　on　his　way　to　Parliament；　and　the　great　man's　still

greater　London　doctor　had　been　telegraphed　to　his　bedside。

It　was　the　first　time　that　such　a　thing　had　happened　in

Debenham；　for　the　railway　was　but　newly　open；　and　we　were　all

proportionately　moved　by　the　occurrence。



'He's　come；'　said　the　landlord；　after　he　had　filled　and

lighted　his　pipe。



'He？'　said　I。　　'Who？　…　not　the　doctor？'



'Himself；'　replied　our　host。



'What　is　his　name？'



'Doctor　Macfarlane；'　said　the　landlord。



Fettes　was　far　through　his　third　tumbler；　stupidly　fuddled；

now　nodding　over；　now　staring　mazily　around　him；　but　at　the

last　word　he　seemed　to　awaken；　and　repeated　the　name

'Macfarlane'　twice；　quietly　enough　the　first　time；　but　with

sudden　emotion　at　the　second。



'Yes；'　said　the　landlord；　'that's　his　name；　Doctor　Wolfe

Macfarlane。'



Fettes　became　instantly　sober；　his　eyes　awoke；　his　voice

became　clear；　loud；　and　steady；　his　language　forcible　and

earnest。　　We　were　all　startled　by　the　transformation；　as　if　a

man　had　risen　from　the　dead。



'I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　said；　'I　am　afraid　I　have　not　been

paying　much　attention　to　your　talk。　　Who　is　this　Wolfe

Macfarlane？'　　And　then；　when　he　had　heard　the　landlord　out；

'It　cannot　be；　it　cannot　be；'　he　added；　'and　yet　I　would　like

well　to　see　him　face　to　face。'



'Do　you　know　him；　Doctor？'　asked　the　undertaker；　with　a　gasp。



'God　forbid！'　was　the　reply。　　'And　yet　the　name　is　a　strange

one；　it　were　too　much　to　fancy　two。　　Tell　me；　landlord；　is　he

old？'



'Well；'　said　the　host；　'he's　not　a　young　man；　to　be　sure；　and

his　hair　is　white；　but　he　looks　younger　than　you。'



'He　is　older；　though；　years　older。　　But；'　with　a　slap　upon

the　table；　'it's　the　rum　you　see　in　my　face　…　rum　and　sin。

This　man；　perhaps；　may　have　an　easy　conscience　and　a　good

digestion。　　Conscience！　　Hear　me　speak。　　You　would　think　I

was　some　good；　old；　decent　Christian；　would　you　not？　　But　no；

not　I；　I　never　canted。　　Voltaire　might　have　canted　if　he'd

stood　in　my　shoes；　but　the　brains'　…　with　a　rattling　fillip

on　his　bald　head　…　'the　brains　were　clear　and　active；　and　I

saw　and　made　no　deductions。'



'If　you　know　this　doctor；'　I　ventured　to　remark；　after　a

somewhat　awful　pause；　'I　should　gather　that　you　do　not　share

the　landlord's　good　opinion。'



Fettes　paid　no　regard　to　me。



'Yes；'　he　said；　with　sudden　decision；　'I　must　see　him　face　to

face。'



There　was　another　pause；　and　then　a　door　was　closed　rather

sharply　on　the　first　floor；　and　a　step　was　heard　upon　the

stair。



'That's　the　doctor；'　cried　the　landlord。　　'Look　sharp；　and

you　can　catch　him。'



It　was　but　two　steps　from　the　small　parlour　to　the　door　of

the　old　George　Inn；　the　wide　oak　staircase　landed　almost　in

the　street；　there　was　room　for　a　Turkey　rug　and　nothing　more

between　the　threshold　and　the　last　round　of　the　descent；　but

this　little　space　was　every　evening　brilliantly　lit　up；　not

only　by　the　light　upon　the　stair　and　the　great　signal…lamp

below　the　sign；　but　by　the　warm　radiance　of　the　bar…room

window。　　The　George　thus　brightly　advertised　itself　to

passers…by　in　the　cold　street。　　Fettes　walked　steadily　to　the

spot；　and　we；　who　were　hanging　behind；　beheld　the　two　men

meet；　as　one　of　them　had　phrased　it；　face　to　face。　　Dr。

Macfarlane　was　alert　and　vigorous。　　His　white　hair　set　off

his　pale　and　placid；　although　energetic；　countenance。　　He　was

richly　dressed　in　the　finest　of　broadcloth　and　the　whitest　of

linen；　with　a　great　gold　watch…chain；　and　studs　and

spectacles　of　the　same　precious　material。　　He　wore　a　broad…

folded　tie；　white　and　speckled　with　lilac；　and　he　carried　on

his　arm　a　comfortable　driving…coat　of　fur。　　There　was　no

doubt　but　he　became　his　years；　breathing；　as　he　did；　of

wealth　and　consideration；　and　it　was　a　surprising　contrast　to

see　our　parlour　sot　…　bald；　dirty；　pimpled；　and　robed　in　his

old　camlet　cloak　…　confront　him　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。



'Macfarlane！'　he　said　somewhat　loudly；　more　like　a　herald

than　a　friend。



The　great　doctor　pulled　up　short　on　the　fourth　step；　as

though　the　familiarity　of　the　address　surprised　and　somewhat

shocked　his　dignity。



'Toddy　Macfarlane！'　repeated　Fettes。



The　London　man　almost　staggered。　　He　stared　for　the　swiftest

of　seconds　at　the　man　before　him；　glanced　behind　him　with　a

sort　of　scare；　and　then　in　a　startled　whisper；　'Fettes！'　he

said；　'You！'



'Ay；'　said　the　other；　'me！　　Did　you　think　I　was　dead　too？　　We

are　not　so　easy　shut　of　our　acquaintance。'



'Hush；　hush！'　exclaimed　the　doctor。　　'Hush；　hush！　this

meeting　is　so　unexpected　…　I　can　see　you　are　unmanned。　　I

hardly　knew　you；　I　confess；　at　first；　but　I　am　overjoyed　…

overjoyed　to　have　this　opportunity。　　For　the　present　it　must

be　how…d'ye…do　and　good…bye　in　one；　for　my　fly　is　waiting；

and　I　must　not　fail　the　train；　but　you　shall　…　let　me　see　…

yes　…　you　shall　give　me　your　address；　and　you　can　count　on

early　news　of　me。　　We　must　do　something　for　you；　Fettes。　　I

fear　you　are　out　at　elbows；　but　we　must　see　to　that　for　auld

lang　syne；　as　once　we　sang　at　suppers。'



'Money！'　cried　Fettes；　'money　from　you！　　The　money　that　I　had

from　you　is　lying　where　I　cast　it　in　the　rain。'



Dr。　Macfarlane　had　talked　himself　into　some　measure　of

superiority　and　confidence；　but　the　uncommon　energy　of　this

refusal　cast　him　back　into　his　first　confusion。



A　horrible；　ugly　look　came　and　went　across　his　almost

venerable　countenance。　　'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　'be　it　as

you　please；　my　last　thought　is　to　offend　you。　　I　would

intrude　on　none。　　I　will　leave　you　my　address；　however　…　'



'I　do　not　wish　it　…　I　do　not　wish　to　know　the　roof　that

shelters　you；'　interrupted　the　other。　　'I　heard　your　name；　I

feared　it　might　be　you；　I　wished　to　know　if；　after　all；　there

were　a　God；　I　know　now　that　there　is　none。　　Begone！'



He　still　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　rug；　between　the　stair

and　doorway；　and　the　great　London　physician；　in　order　to

escape；　would　be　forced　to　step　to　one　side。　　It　was　plain

that　he　hesitated　before　the　thought　of　this　humiliation。

White　as　he　was；　there　was　a　dangerous　glitter　in　his

spectacles；　but　while　he　still　paused　uncertain；　he　became

aware　that　the　driver　of　his　fly　was　peering　in　from　the

street　at　this　unusual　scene　and　caught　a　glimpse　at　the　same

time　of　our　little　body　from　the　parlour；　huddled　by　the

corner　of　the　bar。　　The　presence　of　so　many　witnesses　decided

him　at　once　to　flee。　　He　crouched　together；　brushing　on　the

wainscot；　and　made　a　dart　like　a　serpent；　striking　for　the

door。　　But　his　tribulation　was　not　yet　entirely　at　an　end；

for　even　as　he　was　passing　Fettes　clutched　him　by　the　arm　and

these　words　came　in　a　whisper；　and　yet　painfully　distinct；

'Have　you　seen　it　again？'



The　great　rich　London　doctor　cried　out　aloud　with　a　sharp；

throttling　cry；　he　dashed　his　questioner　across　the　open

space；　and；　with　his　hands　over　his　head；　fled　out　of　the

door　like　a　detected　thief。　　Before　it　had　occurred　to　one　of

us　to　make　a　movement　the　fly　was　already　rattling　toward　the

station。　　The　scene　was　over　like　a　dream；　but　the　dream　had

left　proofs　and　traces　of　its　passage。　　Next　day　the　servant

found　the　fine　gold　spectacles　broken　on　the　threshold；　and

that　very　night　we　were　all　standing　breathless　by　the　bar…

room　window；　and　Fettes　at　our　side；　sober；　pale；　and

resolute　in　look。



'God　protect　us；　Mr。　Fettes！'　said　the　landlord；　coming　first

into　possession　of　his　customary　senses。　　'What　in　the

universe　is　all　this？　　These　are　strange　things　you　have　been

saying。'



Fettes　turned　toward　us；　he　looked　us　each　in　succession　in

the　face。　　'See　if　you　can　hold　your　tongues；'　said　he。

'That　man　Macfarlane　is　not　safe　to　cross；　those　that　have

done　so　already　have　repented　it　too　late。'



And　then；　without　so　much　as　finishing　his　third　glass；　far

less　waiting　for　the　other　two；　he　bade　us　good…bye　and　went

forth；　under　the　lamp　of　the　hotel；　into　the　black　night。



We　three　turned　to　our　places　in　the　parlour；　with　the　big

red　fire　and　four　clear　candles；　and　as　we　recapitulated　what

had　passed；　the　first　chill　of　our　surprise　soon　changed　into

a　glow　of　curiosity。　　We　sat　late；　it　was　the　latest　session

I　have　known　in　the　old　George。　　Each　man；　before　we　parted；

had　his　theory　that　he　was　bound　to　prove；　and　none　of　us　had

any　nearer　business　in　this　world　than　to　track　out　the　past

of　our　condemned　companion；　and　surprise　the　secret　that　he

shared　with　the　great　London　doctor。　　It　is　no　great　boast；

but　I　believe　I　was　a　better　han