the queen of hearts-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　his　hand　cordially。　〃I
may　confess　it　now；〃　he　continued；　laughing；　〃upon　my　honor；　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
themnot　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
thema　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　send　him　a
prescription　a　little　later。　He　told　me　to　write　it　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　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　traveling
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…color　drawing　of　a
landscape。

The　medical　student　took　up　the　drawing　and　looked　at　it。　His　eye
fell　on　some　initials　neatly　written　in　cipher　in　one　corner。　He
started　and　trembled；　his　pale　face　grew　whiter　than　over；　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　landscapeI　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；〃　said　young　Holliday；　putting　the　drawing
away　again。　〃But　the　course　of　it　doesn't　run　smooth。　It's　the
old　story。　She's　monopolized；　as　usual；　trammeled　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
favor　to　asknot　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　toward　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　reason　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　afterward　to　the
house　of　my　friend；　determining　to　go　back　to　the　inn　and　to　see
the　medical　student　again　before　he　had　left　in　the　morning。

I　returned　to　the　inn　at　eight　o'clock；　purposely　abstaining　from
waking　Arthur；　who　was　sleeping　off　the　past　night's　excitement
on　one　of　my　friend's　sofas。　A　suspicion　had　occurred　to　me；　as
soon　as　I　was　alone　in　my　bedroom；　which　made　me　resolve　that
Holliday　and　the　stranger　whose　life　he　had　saved　should　not　meet
again；　if　I　could　prevent　it。

I　have　already　alluded　to　certain　reports　or　scandals　which　I
knew　of　relating　to　the　early　life　of　Arthur's　father。　While　I
was　thinking；　in　my　bed；　of　what　had　passed　at　the　inn；　of　the
change　in　the　student's　pulse　when　he　heard　the　name　of　Holliday；
of　the　resemblance　of　expression　that　I　had　discovered　between
his　face　and　Arthur's；　of　the　emphasis　he　had　laid　on　those　three
words；　〃my　own　brother；〃　and　of　his　incomprehensible
acknowledgment　of　his　own　illegitimacywhile　I　was　thinking　of
these　things；　the　reports　I　have　me　ntioned　suddenly　flew　into　my
mind；　and　linked　themselves　fast　to　the　chain　of　my　previous
reflections。　Something　within　me　whispered；　〃It　is　best　that
those　two　young　men　should　not　meet　again。〃　I　felt　it　before　I
slept；　I　felt　it　when　I　woke；　and　I　went　as　I　told　you；　alone　to
the　inn　the　next　morning。

I　had　missed　my　only　opportunity　of　seeing　my　nameless　patient
again。　He　had　been　gone　nearly　an　hour　when　I　inquired　for　him。

I　have　now　told　you　everything　that　I　know　for　certain　in
relation　to　the　man　whom　I　brought　back　to　life　in　the
double…bedded　room　of　the　inn　at　Doncaster。　What　I　have　next　to
add　is　matter　for　inference　and　surmise；　and　is　not；　strictly
speaking；　matter　of　fact。

I　have　to　tell　you；　first；　that　the　medical　student　turned　out　to
be　strangely　and　unaccountably　right　in　assuming　it　as　more　than
probable　that　Arthur　Holliday　would　marry　the　young　lady　who　had
given　him　the　water…color　drawing　of　the　landscape。　That　marriage
took　place　a　little　more　than　a　year　after　the　events　occurred
which　I　have　just　been　relating。

The　young　couple　came　to　live　in　the　neighborhood　in　which　I　was
then　established　in　practice。　I　was　present　at　the　wedding；　and
was　rather　surprised　to　find　that　Arthur　was　singularly　reserved
with　me；　both　before　and　after　his　marriage；　on　the　subject　of
the　young　lady's　prior　engagement。　He　only　referred　to　it　once
when　we　were　alone；　merely　telling　me；　on　that　occasion；　that　his
wife　had　done　all　that　honor　and　duty　required　of　her　in　the
matter；　and　that　the　engagement　had　been　broken　off　with　the　full
approval　of　her　parents。　I　never　heard　more　from　him　than　this。
For　three　years　he　and　his　wife　lived　together　happily。　At　the
expiration　of　that　time　the　symptoms　of　a　serious　illness　first
declared　themselves　in　Mrs。　Arthur　Holliday。　It　turned　out　to　be
a　long；　lingering；　hopeless　malady。　I　attended　her　throughout。　We
had　been　great　friends　when　she　was　well；　and　we　became　more
attached　to　each　other　than　ever　when　she　was　ill。　I　had　many
long　and　interesting　conversations　with　her　in　the　intervals　when
she　suffered　least。　The　result　of　one　of　those　conversations　I
may　briefly　relate；　leaving　you　to　draw　any　inferences　from　it
that　you　please。

The　interview　to　which　I　refer　occurred　shortly　before　her　death。

I　called　one　evening　as　usual；　and　found　her　alone；　with　a　look
in　her　eyes　which　told　me　she　had　been　crying。　She　only　informed
me　at　first　that　she　had　been　depressed　in　spirits；　but　by　little
and　little　she　became　more　communicative；　and　confessed　to　me
that　she　had　been　looking　over　some　old　letters　which　had　been
addressed　to　her；　before　she　had　seen　Arthur；　by　a　man　to　whom
she　had　been　engaged　to　be　married。　I　asked　her　how　the
engagement　came　to　be　broken　off。　She　replied　that　it　had　not
been　broken　off；　but　that　it　had　died　out　in　a　very　mysterious
way。　The　person　to　whom　she　was　engagedher　first　love；　she
called　himwas　very　poor；　and　ther