round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第16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！
slowly； with a bent back and a heavy head。 It was shocking to me to see
the change in him as he approached。
〃I am afraid that our air does not agree with you； sir；〃 I ventured to
remark。
But it was as though he had no heart for talk。 He tried； as I thought；
to make some fitting reply； but it slurred off into a mumble and silence。
How bent and weak and old he seemedten years older at the least than
when first I had seen him！ It went to my heart to see this fine old fellow
wasting away before my eyes。 There was the eternal letter which he
unfolded with his shaking fingers。 Who was this woman whose words
moved him so？ Some daughter； perhaps； or granddaughter； who should
have been the light of his home instead of I smiled to find how bitter
I was growing； and how swiftly I was weaving a romance round an
unshaven old man and his correspondence。 Yet all day he lingered in my
mind； and I had fitful glimpses of those two trembling； blue…veined；
66
… Page 67…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
knuckly hands with the paper rustling between them。
I had hardly hoped to see him again。 Another day's decline must； I
thought； hold him to his room； if not to his bed。 Great； then； was my
surprise when； as I approached my bench； I saw that he was already there。
But as I came up to him I could scarce be sure that it was indeed the same
man。 There were the curly…brimmed hat； and the shining stock； and the
horn glasses； but where were the stoop and the grey…stubbled； pitiable face？
He was clean… shaven and firm lipped； with a bright eye and a head that
poised itself upon his great shoulders like an eagle on a rock。 His back
was as straight and square as a grenadier's； and he switched at the pebbles
with his stick in his exuberant vitality。 In the button… hole of his well…
brushed black coat there glinted a golden blossom； and the corner of a
dainty red silk handkerchief lapped over from his breast pocket。 He
might have been the eldest son of the weary creature who had sat there the
morning before。
〃Good morning； Sir； good morning！〃 he cried with a merry waggle of
his cane。
〃Good morning！〃 I answered how beautiful the bay is looking。〃
〃Yes； Sir； but you should have seen it just before the sun rose。〃
〃What； have you been here since then？〃
〃I was here when there was scarce light to see the path。〃
〃You are a very early riser。〃
〃On occasion； sir； on occasion！〃 He cocked his eye at me as if to
gauge whether I were worthy of his confidence。 〃The fact is； sir； that my
wife is coming back to me to day。〃
I suppose that my face showed that I did not quite see the force of the
explanation。 My eyes； too； may have given him assurance of sympathy；
for he moved quite close to me and began speaking in a low； confidential
voice； as if the matter were of such weight that even the sea…gulls must be
kept out of our councils。
〃Are you a married man； Sir？〃
〃No； I am not。〃
〃Ah； then you cannot quite understand it。 My wife and I have been
married for nearly fifty years； and we have never been parted； never at all；
67
… Page 68…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
until now。〃
〃Was it for long？〃 I asked。
〃Yes； sir。 This is the fourth day。 She had to go to Scotland。 A
matter of duty； you understand； and the doctors would not let me go。 Not
that I would have allowed them to stop me； but she was on their side。
Now； thank God！ it is over； and she may be here at any moment。〃
〃Here！〃
〃Yes； here。 This headland and bench were old friends of ours thirty
years ago。 The people with whom we stay are not； to tell the truth； very
congenial； and we have； little privacy among them。 That is why we
prefer to meet here。 I could not be sure which train would bring her； but
if she had come by the very earliest she would have found me waiting。〃
〃In that case〃 said I； rising。
〃No； sir； no；〃 he entreated； 〃I beg that you will stay。 It does not
weary you； this domestic talk of mine？〃
〃On the contrary。〃
〃I have been so driven inwards during these few last days！ Ah； what a
nightmare it has been！ Perhaps it may seem strange to you that an old
fellow like me should feel like this。〃
〃It is charming。〃
〃No credit to me； sir！ There's not a man on this planet but would feel
the same if he had the good fortune to be married to such a woman。
Perhaps； because you see me like this； and hear me speak of our long life
together； you conceive that she is old； too。〃
He laughed heartily； and his eyes twinkled at the humour of the idea。
〃She's one of those women； you know； who have youth in their hearts；
and so it can never be very far from their faces。 To me she's just as she
was when she first took my hand in hers in '45。 A wee little bit stouter；
perhaps； but then； if she had a fault as a girl； it was that she was a shade
too slender。 She was above me in station； you knowI a clerk； and she
the daughter of my employer。 Oh！ it was quite a romance； I give you my
word； and I won her； and； somehow； I have never got over the freshness
and the wonder of it。 To think that that sweet； lovely girl has walked by
my side all through life； and that I have been able〃
68
… Page 69…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
He stopped suddenly； and I glanced round at him in surprise。 He was
shaking all over； in every fibre of his great body。 His hands were clawing
at the woodwork； and his feet shuffling on the gravel。 I saw what it was。
He was trying to rise； but was so excited that he could not。 I half
extended my hand； but a higher courtesy constrained me to draw it back
again and turn my face to the sea。 An instant afterwards he was up and
hurrying down the path。
A woman was coming towards us。 She was quite close before he had
seen herthirty yards at the utmost。 I know not if she had ever been as
he described her； or whether it was but some ideal which he carried in his
brain。 The person upon whom I looked was tall； it is true； but she was
thick and shapeless； with a ruddy； full…blown face； and a skirt
grotesquely gathered up。 There was a green ribbon in her hat； which
jarred upon my eyes； and her blouse…like bodice was full and clumsy。
And this was the lovely girl； the ever youthful！ My heart sank as I
thought how little such a woman might appreciate him； how unworthy she
might be of his love。
She came up the path in her solid way； while he staggered along to
meet her。 Then； as they came together； looking discreetly out of the
furthest corner of my eye； I saw that he put out both his hands； while she；
shrinking from a public caress； took one of them in hers and shook it。 As
she did so I saw her face； and I was easy in my mind for my old man。
God grant that when this hand is shaking； and when this back is bowed； a
woman's eyes may look so into mine。
69
… Page 70…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
A PHYSIOLOGIST'S WIFE。
Professor Ainslie Grey had not come down to breakfast at the usual
hour。 The presentation chiming…clock which stood between the terra…
cotta busts of Claude Bernard and of John Hunter upon the dining…room
mantelpiece had rung out the half…hour and the three…quarters。 Now its
golden hand was verging upon the nine； and yet there were no signs of the
master of the house。
It was an unprecedented occurrence。 During the twelve years that
she had kept house for him； his youngest sister had never known him a
second behind his time。 She sat now in front of the high silver coffee…pot；
uncertain whether to order the gong to be resounded or to wait on in
silence。 Either course might be a mistake。 Her brother was not a man
who permitted mistakes。
Miss Ainslie Grey was rather above the middle height； thin； with
peering； puckered eyes； and the rounded shoulders which mark the
bookish woman。 Her face was long and spare； flecked with colour above
the cheek…bones； with a reasonable； thoughtful forehead； and a dash of
absolute obstinacy in her thin lips and prominent chin。 Snow white cuffs
and collar； with a plain dark dress； cut with almost Quaker…like simplicity；
bespoke the primness of her taste。 An ebony cross hung over her
flattened chest。 She sat very upright in her chair； listening with raised
eyebrows； and swinging her eye…glasses backwards and forwards with a
nervous gesture which was peculiar to her。
Suddenly she gave a sharp； satisfied jerk of the head； and began to
pour out the coffee。 From outside there came the dull thudding sound of
heavy feet upon thick carpet。 The door swung open； and the Professor
entered with a quick； nervous step。 He nodded to his sister； and seating
himself at the other side of the table； began to open the small pile of letters
which lay beside his plate。
Professor Ainslie Grey was at that time forty… three years of age
nearly twelve years older than his sister。 His career had been a brilliant
one。 At Edinburgh； at Cambridge； and at Vienna he had laid the
foundations of his great reputation； both in physiology and in zoology。
70
… Page 71…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
His pamphlet；
