tales and fantasies-第14章

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

but　I　believe　I　was　a　better　hand　at　worming　out　a　story　than

either　of　my　fellows　at　the　George；　and　perhaps　there　is　now

no　other　man　alive　who　could　narrate　to　you　the　following

foul　and　unnatural　events。



In　his　young　days　Fettes　studied　medicine　in　the　schools　of

Edinburgh。　　He　had　talent　of　a　kind；　the　talent　that　picks　up

swiftly　what　it　hears　and　readily　retails　it　for　its　own。　　He

worked　little　at　home；　but　he　was　civil；　attentive；　and

intelligent　in　the　presence　of　his　masters。　　They　soon　picked

him　out　as　a　lad　who　listened　closely　and　remembered　well；

nay；　strange　as　it　seemed　to　me　when　I　first　heard　it；　he　was

in　those　days　well　favoured；　and　pleased　by　his　exterior。

There　was；　at　that　period；　a　certain　extramural　teacher　of

anatomy；　whom　I　shall　here　designate　by　the　letter　K。　　His

name　was　subsequently　too　well　known。　　The　man　who　bore　it

skulked　through　the　streets　of　Edinburgh　in　disguise；　while

the　mob　that　applauded　at　the　execution　of　Burke　called

loudly　for　the　blood　of　his　employer。　　But　Mr。　K…　was　then　at

the　top　of　his　vogue；　he　enjoyed　a　popularity　due　partly　to

his　own　talent　and　address；　partly　to　the　incapacity　of　his

rival；　the　university　professor。　　The　students；　at　least；

swore　by　his　name；　and　Fettes　believed　himself；　and　was

believed　by　others；　to　have　laid　the　foundations　of　success

when　he　had　acquired　the　favour　of　this　meteorically　famous

man。　　Mr。　K…　was　a　BON　VIVANT　as　well　as　an　accomplished

teacher；　he　liked　a　sly　illusion　no　less　than　a　careful

preparation。　　In　both　capacities　Fettes　enjoyed　and　deserved

his　notice；　and　by　the　second　year　of　his　attendance　he　held

the　half…regular　position　of　second　demonstrator　or　sub…

assistant　in　his　class。



In　this　capacity　the　charge　of　the　theatre　and　lecture…room

devolved　in　particular　upon　his　shoulders。　　He　had　to　answer

for　the　cleanliness　of　the　premises　and　the　conduct　of　the

other　students；　and　it　was　a　part　of　his　duty　to　supply；

receive；　and　divide　the　various　subjects。　　It　was　with　a　view

to　this　last　…　at　that　time　very　delicate　…　affair　that　he

was　lodged　by　Mr。　K…　in　the　same　wynd；　and　at　last　in　the

same　building；　with　the　dissecting…rooms。　　Here；　after　a

night　of　turbulent　pleasures；　his　hand　still　tottering；　his

sight　still　misty　and　confused；　he　would　be　called　out　of　bed

in　the　black　hours　before　the　winter　dawn　by　the　unclean　and

desperate　interlopers　who　supplied　the　table。　　He　would　open

the　door　to　these　men；　since　infamous　throughout　the　land。

He　would　help　them　with　their　tragic　burden；　pay　them　their

sordid　price；　and　remain　alone；　when　they　were　gone；　with　the

unfriendly　relics　of　humanity。　　From　such　a　scene　he　would

return　to　snatch　another　hour　or　two　of　slumber；　to　repair

the　abuses　of　the　night；　and　refresh　himself　for　the　labours

of　the　day。



Few　lads　could　have　been　more　insensible　to　the　impressions

of　a　life　thus　passed　among　the　ensigns　of　mortality。　　His

mind　was　closed　against　all　general　considerations。　　He　was

incapable　of　interest　in　the　fate　and　fortunes　of　another；

the　slave　of　his　own　desires　and　low　ambitions。　　Cold；　light；

and　selfish　in　the　last　resort；　he　had　that　modicum　of

prudence；　miscalled　morality；　which　keeps　a　man　from

inconvenient　drunkenness　or　punishable　theft。　　He　coveted；

besides；　a　measure　of　consideration　from　his　masters　and　his

fellow…pupils；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　fail　conspicuously　in

the　external　parts　of　life。　　Thus　he　made　it　his　pleasure　to

gain　some　distinction　in　his　studies；　and　day　after　day

rendered　unimpeachable　eye…service　to　his　employer；　Mr。　K…。

For　his　day　of　work　he　indemnified　himself　by　nights　of

roaring；　blackguardly　enjoyment；　and　when　that　balance　had

been　struck；　the　organ　that　he　called　his　conscience　declared

itself　content。



The　supply　of　subjects　was　a　continual　trouble　to　him　as　well

as　to　his　master。　　In　that　large　and　busy　class；　the　raw

material　of　the　anatomists　kept　perpetually　running　out；　and

the　business　thus　rendered　necessary　was　not　only　unpleasant

in　itself；　but　threatened　dangerous　consequences　to　all　who

were　concerned。　　It　was　the　policy　of　Mr。　K…　to　ask　no

questions　in　his　dealings　with　the　trade。　　'They　bring　the

body；　and　we　pay　the　price；'　he　used　to　say；　dwelling　on　the

alliteration　…　'QUID　PRO　QUO。'　　And；　again；　and　somewhat

profanely；　'Ask　no　questions；'　he　would　tell　his　assistants；

'for　conscience'　sake。'　　There　was　no　understanding　that　the

subjects　were　provided　by　the　crime　of　murder。　　Had　that　idea

been　broached　to　him　in　words；　he　would　have　recoiled　in

horror；　but　the　lightness　of　his　speech　upon　so　grave　a

matter　was；　in　itself；　an　offence　against　good　manners；　and　a

temptation　to　the　men　with　whom　he　dealt。　　Fettes；　for

instance；　had　often　remarked　to　himself　upon　the　singular

freshness　of　the　bodies。　　He　had　been　struck　again　and　again

by　the　hang…dog；　abominable　looks　of　the　ruffians　who　came　to

him　before　the　dawn；　and　putting　things　together　clearly　in

his　private　thoughts；　he　perhaps　attributed　a　meaning　too

immoral　and　too　categorical　to　the　unguarded　counsels　of　his

master。　　He　understood　his　duty；　in　short；　to　have　three

branches：　to　take　what　was　brought；　to　pay　the　price；　and　to

avert　the　eye　from　any　evidence　of　crime。



One　November　morning　this　policy　of　silence　was　put　sharply

to　the　test。　　He　had　been　awake　all　night　with　a　racking

toothache　…　pacing　his　room　like　a　caged　beast　or　throwing

himself　in　fury　on　his　bed　…　and　had　fallen　at　last　into　that

profound；　uneasy　slumber　that　so　often　follows　on　a　night　of

pain；　when　he　was　awakened　by　the　third　or　fourth　angry

repetition　of　the　concerted　signal。　　There　was　a　thin；　bright

moonshine；　it　was　bitter　cold；　windy；　and　frosty；　the　town

had　not　yet　awakened；　but　an　indefinable　stir　already

preluded　the　noise　and　business　of　the　day。　　The　ghouls　had

come　later　than　usual；　and　they　seemed　more　than　usually

eager　to　be　gone。　　Fettes；　sick　with　sleep；　lighted　them

upstairs。　　He　heard　their　grumbling　Irish　voices　through　a

dream；　and　as　they　stripped　the　sack　from　their　sad

merchandise　he　leaned　dozing；　with　his　shoulder　propped

against　the　wall；　he　had　to　shake　himself　to　find　the　men

their　money。　　As　he　did　so　his　eyes　lighted　on　the　dead　face。

He　started；　he　took　two　steps　nearer；　with　the　candle　raised。



'God　Almighty！'　he　cried。　　'That　is　Jane　Galbraith！'



The　men　answered　nothing；　but　they　shuffled　nearer　the　door。



'I　know　her；　I　tell　you；'　he　continued。　　'She　was　alive　and

hearty　yesterday。　　It's　impossible　she　can　be　dead；　it's

impossible　you　should　have　got　this　body　fairly。'



'Sure；　sir；　you're　mistaken　entirely；'　said　one　of　the　men。



But　the　other　looked　Fettes　darkly　in　the　eyes；　and　demanded

the　money　on　the　spot。



It　was　impossible　to　misconceive　the　threat　or　to　exaggerate

the　danger。　　The　lad's　heart　failed　him。　　He　stammered　some

excuses；　counted　out　the　sum；　and　saw　his　hateful　visitors

depart。　　No　sooner　were　they　gone　than　he　hastened　to　confirm

his　doubts。　　By　a　dozen　unquestionable　marks　he　identified

the　girl　he　had　jested　with　the　day　before。　　He　saw；　with

horror；　marks　upon　her　body　that　might　well　betoken　violence。

A　panic　seized　him；　and　he　took　refuge　in　his　room。　　There　he

reflected　at　length　over　the　discovery　that　he　had　made；

considered　soberly　the　bearing　of　Mr。　K…'s　instructions　and

the　danger　to　himself　of　interference　in　so　serious　a

business；　and　at　last；　in　sore　perplexity；　determined　to　wait

for　the　advice　of　his　immediate　superior；　the　class

assistant。



This　was　a　young　doctor；　Wolfe　Macfarlane；　a　high　favourite

among　all　the　reckless　students；　clever；　dissipated；　and

unscrupulous　to　the　last　degree。　　He　had　travelled　and

studied　abroad。　　His　manners　were　agreeable　and　a　little

forward。　　He　was　an　authority　on　the　stage；　skilful　on　the

ice　or　the　links　with　skate　or　golf…club；　he　dressed　with

nice　audacity；　and；　to　put　the　finishing　touch　upon　his

glory；　he　kept　a　gig　and　a　strong　trotting…horse。　　With

Fettes　he　was　on　terms　of　intimacy；　indeed；　their　relative

positions　called　for　some　community　of　life；　and　when

subjects　were　scarce　the　pair　would　drive　far　into　the

country　in　Macfarlane's　gig；　visit　and　desecrate　some　lonely

graveyard；　and　return　before　dawn　with　their　booty　to　the

door　of　the　dissecting…room。



On　that　particular　morning　Macfarlane　arrived　somewhat

earlier　than　his　wont。　　Fettes　heard　him；　and　met　him　on　the

stairs；　told　him　his　story；　and　showed　him　the　cause　of　his

alarm。　　Macfarlane　examined　the　marks　on　her　body。



'Yes；'　he　said　with　a　nod；　'it　looks　fishy。'



'Well；　what　should　I　do？'　asked　Fettes。



'Do？'　repeated　the　other。　　'Do　you　want　to　do　anything？

Least　said　soonest　mended；　I　should　say。'



'Some　one　else　might　recognise　her；'　objected　Fettes。　　'She

was　as　well　known　as　the　Castle　Rock。'



'We'll　hope　not；'　said　Macfarlane；　'and　if　anybody　does　…

well；　you　didn't；　don't　you　see；　and　there's　an　end。　　The

fact　is；　this　has　been　going　on　too　long。　　Stir　up　the　mud；

and　you'll　get　K…　into　the　most　unholy　trouble；　you'll　be　in

a　shocking　box　yourself。　　So　will　I；　if　you　come　to　that。　　I

should　like　to　know　how　any　one　of　us　would　look；　or　what　the

devil　we　should　have　to　say　for　ourselves；　in　any　Christian

witness…box。　　For　me；　you　know　there's　one　thing　certain　…

that；　practically　speaking；　all　our　subjects　have　been

murdered。'



'Macfarlane！'　cried　Fettes。



'Come　now！'　sneered　the　other。　　'As　if　you　hadn't　suspected

it　yourself！'



'Suspecting　is　one　thing　…　'



'And　proof　another。　　Yes；　I　know；　and　I'm　as　sorry　as　you　are

this　should　have　come　here；'　tapping　the　body　with　his　cane。

'The　next　best　thing　for　me　is　not　to　recognise　it；　and；'　he

added　coolly；　'I　don't。　　You　may；　if　you　please。　　I　don't

dictate；　but　I　think　a　man　of　the　world　would　do　as　I　do；　and

I　may　add；　I　fancy　that　is　what　K…　would　look　for　at　our

hands。　　The　question　is；　Why　did　he　choose　us　two　for　his

assistants？　　And　I　answer；　because　he　didn't　want　old　wives。'



This　was　the　tone　of　all　others　to　affect　the　mind　of　a　lad

like　Fettes。　　He　agreed　to　imitate　Macfarlane。　　The　body　of

the　unfortunate　girl　was　duly　dissected；　and　no　one　remarked

or　appeared　to　recognise　her。



One　afternoon；　when　his　day's　work　was　over；　Fettes　dropped

into　a　popular　tavern　and　found　Macfarlane　sitting　with　a

stranger。　　This　was　a　small　man；　very　pale　and　dark；　with

coal…black　eyes。　　The　cut　of　his　features　gave　a　promise　of

intellect　and　refinement　which　was　but　feebly　realised　in　his

manners；　for　he　proved；　upon　a　nearer　acquaintance；　coarse；

vulgar；　and　stupid。　　He　exercised；　however；　a　very　remarkable

control　over　Macfarlane；　issued　orders　like　the　Great　Bashaw；

became　inflamed　a