round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第17章
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His pamphlet； On the Mesoblastic Origin of Excitomotor Nerve Roots；
had won him his fellowship of the Royal Society； and his researches；
Upon the Nature of Bathybius； with some Remarks upon Lithococci； had
been translated into at least three European languages。 He had been
referred to by one of the greatest living authorities as being the very type
and embodiment of all that was best in modern science。 No wonder； then；
that when the commercial city of Birchespool decided to create a medical
school； they were only too glad to confer the chair of physiology upon Mr。
Ainslie Grey。 They valued him the more from the conviction that their
class was only one step in his upward journey； and that the first vacancy
would remove him to some more illustrious seat of learning。
In person he was not unlike his sister。 The same eyes； the same
contour； the same intellectual forehead。 His lips； however； were firmer；
and his long； thin； lower jaw was sharper and more decided。 He ran his
finger and thumb down it from time to time； as he glanced over his letters。
〃Those maids are very noisy；〃 he remarked； as a clack of tongues
sounded in the distance。
〃It is Sarah；〃 said his sister； 〃I shall speak about it。〃
She had handed over his coffee…cup； and was sipping at her own；
glancing furtively through her narrowed lids at the austere face of her
brother。
〃The first great advance of the human race；〃 said the Professor； 〃was
when； by the development of their left frontal convolutions； they attained
the power of speech。 Their second advance was when they learned to
control that power。 Woman has not yet attained the second stage。〃
He half closed his eyes as he spoke； and thrust his chin forward； but as
he ceased he had a trick of suddenly opening both eyes very wide and
staring sternly at his interlocutor。
〃I am not garrulous； John；〃 said his sister。
〃No； Ada； in many respects you approach the superior or male type。〃
The Professor bowed over his egg with the manner of one who utters a
courtly compliment； but the lady pouted； and gave an impatient little shrug
of her shoulders。
〃You were late this morning； John；〃 she remarked； after a pause。
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〃Yes； Ada； I slept badly。 Some little cerebral congestion； no doubt
due to over…stimulation of the centers of thought。 I have been a little
disturbed in my mind。〃
His sister stared across at him in astonishment。 The Professor's
mental processes had hitherto been as regular as his habits。 Twelve years'
continual intercourse had taught her that he lived in a serene and rarefied
atmosphere of scientific calm； high above the petty emotions which affect
humbler minds。
〃You are surprised； Ada；〃 he remarked。 〃Well； I cannot wonder at it。
I should have been surprised myself if I had been told that I was so
sensitive to vascular influences。 For； after all； all disturbances are
vascular if you probe them deep enough。 I am thinking of getting
married。〃
〃Not Mrs。 O'James〃 cried Ada Grey； laying down her egg…spoon。
〃My dear； you have the feminine quality of receptivity very
remarkably developed。 Mrs。 O'James is the lady in question。〃
〃But you know so little of her。 The Esdailes themselves know so
little。 She is really only an acquaintance； although she is staying at The
Lindens。 Would it not be wise to speak to Mrs。 Esdaile first； John？〃
〃I do not think； Ada； that Mrs。 Esdaile is at all likely to say anything
which would materially affect my course of action。 I have given the
matter due consideration。 The scientific mind is slow at arriving at
conclusions； but having once formed them； it is not prone to change。
Matrimony is the natural condition of the human race。 I have； as you
know； been so engaged in academical and other work； that I have had no
time to devote to merely personal questions。 It is different now； and I see
no valid reason why I should forego this opportunity of seeking a suitable
helpmate。〃
〃And you are engaged？〃
〃Hardly that； Ada。 I ventured yesterday to indicate to the lady that I
was prepared to submit to the common lot of humanity。 I shall wait upon
her after my morning lecture； and learn how far my proposals meet with
her acquiescence。 But you frown； Ada！〃
His sister started； and made an effort to conceal her expression of
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annoyance。 She even stammered out some few words of congratulation；
but a vacant look had come into her brother's eyes； and he was evidently
not listening to her。
〃I am sure； John； that I wish you the happiness which you deserve。 If
I hesitated at all； it is because I know how much is at stake； and because
the thing is so sudden； so unexpected。〃 Her thin white hand stole up to
the black cross upon her bosom。 〃These are moments when we need
guidance； John。 If I could persuade you to turn to spiritual〃
The Professor waved the suggestion away with a deprecating hand。
〃It is useless to reopen that question；〃 he said。 〃We cannot argue
upon it。 You assume more than I can grant。 I am forced to dispute your
premises。 We have no common basis。〃
His sister sighed。
〃You have no faith；〃 she said。
〃I have faith in those great evolutionary forces which are leading the
human race to some unknown but elevated goal。〃
〃You believe in nothing。〃
〃On the contrary； my dear Ada； I believe in the differentiation of
protoplasm。〃
She shook her head sadly。 It was the one subject upon which she
ventured to dispute her brother's infallibility。
〃This is rather beside the question；〃 remarked the Professor； folding up
his napkin。 〃If I am not mistaken； there is some possibility of another
matrimonial event occurring in the family。 Eh； Ada？ What！〃
His small eyes glittered with sly facetiousness as he shot a twinkle at
his sister。 She sat very stiff； and traced patterns upon the cloth with the
sugar…tongs。
〃Dr。 James M‘Murdo O'Brien〃 said the Professor； sonorously。
〃Don't； John； don't！〃 cried Miss Ainslie Grey。
〃Dr。 James M‘Murdo O'Brien；〃 continued her brother inexorably； 〃is a
man who has already made his mark upon the science of the day。 He is
my first and my most distinguished pupil。 I assure you； Ada； that his
‘Remarks upon the Bile…Pigments； with special reference to Urobilin；' is
likely to live as a classic。 It is not too much to say that he has
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revolutionised our views about urobilin。〃
He paused； but his sister sat silent； with bent head and flushed cheeks。
The little ebony cross rose and fell with her hurried breathings。
〃Dr。 James M‘Murdo O'Brien has； as you know； the offer of the
physiological chair at Melbourne。 He has been in Australia five years；
and has a brilliant future before him。 To…day he leaves us for Edinburgh；
and in two months' time； he goes out to take over his new duties。 You
know his feeling towards you。 It； rests with you as to whether he goes
out alone。 Speaking for myself； I cannot imagine any higher mission for
a woman of culture than to go through life in the company of a man who is
capable of such a research as that which Dr。 James M‘Murdo O'Brien has
brought to a successful conclusion。〃
〃He has not spoken to me；〃 murmured the lady。
〃Ah； there are signs which are more subtle than speech；〃 said her
brother； wagging his head。 〃But you are pale。 Your vasomotor system
is excited。 Your arterioles have contracted。 Let me entreat you to
compose yourself。 I think I hear the carriage。 I fancy that you may
have a visitor this morning； Ada。 You will excuse me now。〃
With a quick glance at the clock he strode off into the hall； and within
a few minutes he was rattling in his quiet； well…appointed brougham
through the brick…lined streets of Birchespool。
His lecture over； Professor Ainslie Grey paid a visit to his laboratory；
where he adjusted several scientific instruments； made a note as to the
progress of three separate infusions of bacteria； cut half…a…dozen sections
with a microtome； and finally resolved the difficulties of seven different
gentlemen； who were pursuing researches in as many separate lines of
inquiry。 Having thus conscientiously and methodically completed the
routine of his duties； he returned to his carriage and ordered the coachman
to drive him to The Lindens。 His face as he drove was cold and
impassive； but he drew his fingers from time to time down his prominent
chin with a jerky； twitchy movement。
The Lindens was an old…fashioned； ivy…clad house which had once
been in the country； but was now caught in the long； red…brick feelers of
the growing city。 It still stood back from the road in the privacy of its
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own grounds。 A winding path； lined with laurel bushes； led to the arched
and porticoed entrance。 To the right was a lawn； and at the far side；
under the shadow of a hawthorn； a lady sat in a garden…chair with a
