the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第2章
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a conference at his laboratory devoted entirely to scientific speculations。
On this occasion he surprised me not a little by turning to me suddenly and
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saying： 〃Some of the grandest sacrifices the world has ever known； if one
may judge by the fortitude they require；=20and the pain they cause； have
occurred in the laboratory。〃 I looked at him inquiringly； and he continued：
〃When a man； simply for the great love of truth that is in him； has given
his life to the solution of some problem； and has at last arrived； after years
of closest application； at some magnificent generalisation … when he has；
perhaps； published his conclusions； and received the grateful homage of
all lovers of truth； his life has； indeed； borne fruit。 Of him may it then be
justly said that his
〃'。 。 。 life hath blossomed downward like The purple bell…flower。'
But suddenly； in the privacy of his laboratory； a single fact arises from
the test…tube in his trembling hand and confronts him！ His brain reels；
the glass torment falls upon the floor； and shatters into countless pieces；
but he is not conscious of it； for he feels it thrust through his heart。 When
he recovers from the first shock； he can only ejaculate： 'Is it possible？'
After a little he is able to reason。 'I was fatigued；' he says； 'perhaps my
senses erred。 I can repeat the experiment again； and be sure。 But if it
overthrow those conclusions for which I have given my life？' he gasps。
'My generalisation is firmly established in the minds of all … all but myself
… no one will ever chance upon this particular experiment； and it may not
disprove my theory after all； better； much better； that the floor there keep
the secret of it all both from me and from others！' But even as he says
this to himself he has taken a new tube from the rack and crawled … ten
years older for that last ten minutes … to his chemical case。 The life…long
habit of truth is so strong in him that self…interest cannot submerge it。 He
repeats the experiment； and confirms his fears。 The battle between his
life and a few drops of liquid in a test…tube has been mercilessly fought；
and he has lost！ The elasticity of the man is gone forever； and the only
indication the world ever receives of this terrible conflict between a
human soul and its destiny is some half a dozen lines in Nature； giving the
experiment and stating that it utterly refutes its author's previous
conclusions。 Half a dozen lines … the epitaph of a dead； though unburied；
life！〃
My companion paused there； but I found myself unable to reply。 He
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had spoken with such intensity； such dramatic fervour； that I was
completely swept away by his eloquence； so much so； indeed； that it did
not even occur to me to ask myself why he should have burst out in this
peculiar strain。 I have given you the incident in order that you may see
the strange moods into which Maitland occasionally relapsed … at least； at
that time。 After a quick glance at me he continued； in a quieter vein： 〃All
of us men of science have felt something； however little； of this； and I
believe； as a class； scientists transcend all other men in their respect for
absolute truth。〃 He cast another one of his searching glances at me； and
said quickly： 〃This is precisely why I am going to confide in you and rely
upon your assistance in a matter； the successful termination of which
would please me as much as the discovery of an absolute standard of
measurement。〃
He then made the confession which I have already given you； and
ended by asking me to secure him an introduction to Miss Darrow。 I
cheerfully promised to bring this about at the first opportunity。 He asked
me if I thought； on account of his having met her so frequently； she would
be likely to think it was all a 〃put up job。〃
〃I do not know；〃 I replied。 〃Miss Darrow is a singularly close
observer。 On the whole I think you had better reach her through her
father。 Do you play croquet？〃 He replied that he was considered
something of an expert in that line。 That； then； was surely the best way。
John Darrow was known in the neighbourhood as a 〃crank〃 on the subject
of croquet。 He had spent many hundreds of dollars on his grounds。 His
wickets were fastened to hard pine planks； and these were then carefully
buried two feet deep。 The surface of the ground； he was wont to descant；
must be of a particular sort of gravel； sifted just so； and rolled to a nicety。
The balls must be of hard rubber； and have just one…eighth inch clearance
in passing through the wickets； with the exception of the two wires
forming the 〃cage；〃 where it was imperative that this clearance should be
reduced to one…sixteenth of an inch … but I need not state more to show
how he came to be considered a 〃crank〃 upon the subject。
It was easy enough to bring Maitland and Darrow together。 〃My
friend is himself much interested in the game； he heard of your superb
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ground； may he be permitted to examine it closely？〃 Darrow was all
attention。 He would be delighted to show it。 Suppose they make a
practical test of it by playing a game。 This they did and Maitland played
superbly； but he was hardly a match for the old gentleman； who sought to
palliate his defeat by saying： 〃You play an excellent game； sir； but I am a
trifle too much for you on my own ground。 Now； if you can spare the
time； I should like to witness a game between you and my daughter； I
think you will be pretty evenly matched。〃
If he could spare the time！ I laughed outright at the idea。 Why； with
the prospect of meeting Gwen Darrow before him； an absolute unit of
measure； with a snail's pace； would have made good its escape from him。
As it is a trick of poor humanity to refuse when offered the very thing one
has been madly scheming to obtain； I hastened to accept Darrow's
invitation for my friend； and to assure him on my own responsibility； that
time was just then hanging heavily on Maitland's hands。 Well； the game
was played； but Maitland was so unnerved by the girl's presence that he
played execrably； so poorly； indeed； that the always polite Darrow
remarked： 〃You must charge your easy victory； Gwen； to your opponent's
gallantry； not to his lack of skill； for I assure you he gave me a much
harder rub。〃 The young lady cast a quick glance at Maitland； which said
so plainly that she preferred a fair field and no favour that he hastened to
say： 〃Your father puts too high an estimate upon my play。 I did my best
to win； but … but I was a little nervous； I see； however； that you would have
defeated me though I had been in my best form。〃 Gwen gave him one of
those short； searching looks； so peculiarly her own； which seem to read；
with mathematical certainty； one's innermost thoughts； … and the poor
fellow blushed to the tips of his ears。 … But he was no boy； this Maitland；
and betrayed no other sign of the tempest that was raging within him。
His utterance remained as usual； deliberate and incisive； and I thought this
perplexed the young lady。 Before leaving； both Maitland and I were
invited to become parties to a six…handed game to be played the following
week； after the grounds had been redressed with gravel。
Maitland looked forward to this second meeting with Miss Darrow
with an eagerness which made every hour seem interminably long； and he
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was in such a flutter of expectancy that I was sure if
〃We live 。 。 。 in thoughts； not breaths； In feelings； not in figures on
a dial We should count time by heart…throbs；〃
he must have passed through a period as long as that separating the
Siege of Troy from the 〃late unpleasantness。〃 The afternoon came at last；
however。 The party consisted； besides Darrow and his daughter；
Maitland and myself； of two young gentlemen with whom personally I had
but a slight acquaintance； although I knew them somewhat by reputation。
The younger one； Clinton Browne； is a young artist whose landscapes
were beginning to attract wide attention in Boston； and the elder； Charles
Herne； a Western gentleman of some literary attainments； but
comparatively unknown here in the East。 There is nothing about Mr。
Herne that would challenge more than passing attention。 If you had said
of him； 〃He is well…fleshed； well…groomed； and intellectually well…
thatched；〃 you would have voiced the opinion of most of his
acquaintances。
This somewhat elaborately upholstered old world has a deal of mere
filling of one kind and another； and Mr。 Herne is a part of it。 To be sure；
he leaves the category of excelsior very far behind and approaches very
nearly to the best grade of curled hair； but； in spite of all this； he is simply
a sort of social filling。
Mr。 Browne； on the other hand； is a very different personage。 Of
medium height； closely knit； with the latent activity and grace of the cat
flowing through every movement and even stagnating in his pose； he is a
man that the first casual gaze instantly returns to with
