round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第20章
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O'Brien smiled。
〃You would have me take out my Celtic soul and put in a Saxon one；〃
he said。 〃Either my brain is too small or my heart is too big。 But when
may I call and pay my respects to Mrs。 Grey？ Will she be at home this
afternoon？〃
〃She is at home now。 Come into the morning…room。 She will be
glad to make your acquaintance。〃
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They walked across the linoleum…paved hall。 The Professor opened
the door of the room； and walked in； followed by his friend。 Mrs。 Grey
was sitting in a basket…chair by the window； light and fairy…like in a loose…
flowing； pink morning…gown。 Seeing a visitor； she rose and swept
towards them。 The Professor heard a dull thud behind him。 O'Brien
had fallen back into a chair； with his hand pressed tight to his side。
〃Jinny！〃 he gasped〃Jinny！〃
Mrs。 Grey stopped dead in her advance； and stared at him with a face
from which every expression had been struck out； save one of
astonishment and horror。 Then with a sharp intaking of the breath she
reeled； and would have fallen had the Professor not thrown his long；
nervous arm round her。
〃Try this sofa；〃 said he。
She sank back among the cushions with the same white； cold； dead
look upon her face。 The Professor stood with his back to the empty
fireplace and glanced from the one to the other。
〃So； O'Brien；〃 he said at last； 〃you have already made the
acquaintance of my wife！〃
〃Your wife； 〃 cried his friend hoarsely。 〃She is no wife of yours。
God help me； she is MY wife。〃
The Professor stood rigidly upon the hearthrug。 His long； thin fingers
were intertwined； and his head sunk a little forward。 His two
companions had eyes only for each other。
〃Jinny！〃 said he。
〃James！〃
〃How could you leave me so； Jinny？ How could you have the heart
to do it？ I thought you were dead。 I mourned for your deathay； and
you have made me mourn for you living。 You have withered my life。〃
She made no answer； but lay back among her cushions with her eyes
still fixed upon him。
〃Why do you not speak？〃
〃Because you are right； James。 I HAVE treated you cruelly
shamefully。 But it is not as bad as you think。〃
〃You fled with De Horta。〃
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〃No； I did not。 At the last moment my better nature prevailed。 He
went alone。 But I was ashamed to come back after what I had written to
you。 I could not face you。 I took passage alone to England under a new
name； and here I have lived ever since。 It seemed to me that I was
beginning life again。 I knew that you thought I was drowned。 Who
could have dreamed that fate would throw us together again！ When the
Professor asked me〃
She stopped and gave a gasp for breath。
〃You are faint；〃 said the Professor〃keep the head low； it aids the
cerebral circulation。〃 He flattened down the cushion。 〃I am sorry to
leave you； O'Brien； but I have my class duties to look to。 Possibly I may
find you here when I return。〃
With a grim and rigid face he strode out of the room。 Not one of the
three hundred students who listened to his lecture saw any change in his
manner and appearance； or could have guessed that the austere gentleman
in front of them had found out at last how hard it is to rise above one's
humanity。 The lecture over； he performed his routine duties in the
laboratory； and then drove back to his own house。 He did not enter by
the front door； but passed through the garden to the folding glass casement
which led out of the morning…room。 As he approached he heard his
wife's voice and O'Brien's in loud and animated talk。 He paused among
the rose…bushes； uncertain whether to interrupt them or no。 Nothing was
further from his nature than play the eavesdropper； but as he stood； still
hesitating； words fell upon his ear which struck him rigid and motionless。
〃You are still my wife； Jinny；〃 said O'Brien； 〃I forgive you from the
bottom of my heart。 I love you； and I have never ceased to love you；
though you had forgotten me。〃
〃No； James； my heart was always in Melbourne。 I have always been
yours。 I thought that it was better for you that I should seem to be dead。〃
〃You must choose between us now； Jinny。 If you determine to remain
here； I shall not open my lips。 There shall be no scandal。 If； on the
other hand； you come with me； it's little I care about the world's opinion。
Perhaps I am as much to blame as you。 I thought too much of my work
and too little of my wife。〃
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The Professor heard the cooing； caressing laugh which he knew so
well。
〃I shall go with you； James；〃 she said。
〃And the Professor？〃 〃The poor Professor！ But he will not mind
much； James； he has no heart。〃
〃We must tell him our resolution。〃
〃There is no need；〃 said Professor Ainslie Grey； stepping in through
the open casement。 〃I have overheard the latter part of your conversation。
I hesitated to interrupt you before you came to a conclusion。〃
O'Brien stretched out his hand and took that of the woman。 They
stood together with the sunshine on their faces。 The Professor paused at
the casement with his hands behind his back； and his long black shadow
fell between them。
〃You have come to a wise decision；〃 said he。 〃Go back to Australia
together； and let what has passed be blotted out of your lives。〃
〃But youyou〃 stammered O'Brien。
The Professor waved his hand。
〃Never trouble about me；〃 he said。
The woman gave a gasping cry。
〃What can I do or say？〃 she wailed。 〃How could I have foreseen this？
I thought my old life was dead。 But it has come back again； with all its
hopes and its desires。 What can I say to you； Ainslie？ I have brought
shame and disgrace upon a worthy man。 I have blasted your life。 How
you must hate and loathe me！ I wish to God that I had never been born！〃
〃I neither hate nor loathe you； Jeannette；〃 said the Professor； quietly。
〃You are wrong in regretting your birth； for you have a worthy mission
before you in aiding the life…work of a man who has shown himself
capable of the highest order of scientific research。 I cannot with justice
blame you personally for what has occurred。 How far the individual
monad is to be held responsible for hereditary and engrained tendencies； is
a question upon which science has not yet said her last word。〃
He stood with his finger…tips touching； and his body inclined as one
who is gravely expounding a difficult and impersonal subject。 O'Brien
had stepped forward to say something； but the other's attitude and manner
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froze the words upon his lips。 Condolence or sympathy would be an
impertinence to one who could so easily merge his private griefs in broad
questions of abstract philosophy。
〃It is needless to prolong the situation；〃 the Professor continued； in the
same measured tones。 〃My brougham stands at the door。 I beg that you
will use it as your own。 Perhaps it would be as well that you should
leave the town without unnecessary delay。 Your things； Jeannette； shall
be forwarded。〃
O'Brien hesitated with a hanging head。
〃I hardly dare offer you my hand；〃 he said。
〃On the contrary。 I think that of the three of us you come best out of
the affair。 You have nothing to be ashamed of。〃
〃Your sister〃
〃I shall see that the matter is put to her in its true light。 Good…bye！
Let me have a copy of your recent research。 Good…bye； Jeannette！〃
〃Good…bye！〃
Their hands met； and for one short moment their eyes also。 It was
only a glance； but for the first and last time the woman's intuition cast a
light for itself into the dark places of a strong man's soul。 She gave a
little gasp； and her other hand rested for an instant； as white and as light as
thistle…down； upon his shoulder。
〃James； James！〃 she cried。 〃Don't you see that he is stricken to the
heart？〃
He turned her quietly away from him。
〃I am not an emotional man；〃 he said。 〃I have my dutiesmy research
on Vallisneria。 The brougham is there。 Your cloak is in the hall。 Tell
John where you wish to be driven。 He will bring you anything you need。
Now go。〃
His last two words were so sudden； so volcanic； in such contrast to his
measured voice and mask… like face； that they swept the two away from
him。 He closed the door behind them and paced slowly up and down the
room。 Then he passed into the library and looked out over the wire blind。
The carriage was rolling away。 He caught a last glimpse of the woman
who had been his wife。 He saw the feminine droop of her head； and the
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curve of her beautiful throat。
Under some foolish； aimless impulse； he took a few quick steps
towards the door。 Then he turned； and throwing himself into his study…
chair he plunged back into his work。
There was little scandal about this singular domestic incident。 The
Professor
