round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第30章
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popular among the more studious undergraduates。 Such were the three
who occupied them nowAbercrombie Smith above； Edward Bellingham
beneath him； and William Monkhouse Lee upon the lowest storey。
It was ten o'clock on a bright spring night； and Abercrombie Smith lay
back in his arm…chair； his feet upon the fender； and his briar…root pipe
between his lips。 In a similar chair； and equally at his ease； there lounged
on the other side of the fireplace his old school friend Jephro Hastie。
Both men were in flannels； for they had spent their evening upon the river；
but apart from their dress no one could look at their hard…cut； alert faces
without seeing that they were open…air menmen whose minds and tastes
turned naturally to all that was manly and robust。 Hastie； indeed； was
stroke of his college boat； and Smith was an even better oar； but a coming
examination had already cast its shadow over him and held him to his
work； save for the few hours a week which health demanded。 A litter of
medical books upon the table； with scattered bones； models and
anatomical plates； pointed to the extent as well as the nature of his studies；
while a couple of single… sticks and a set of boxing…gloves above the
mantelpiece hinted at the means by which； with Hastie's help； he might
take his exercise in its most compressed and least distant form。 They
knew each other very wellso well that they could sit now in that soothing
silence which is the very highest development of companionship。
〃Have some whisky；〃 said Abercrombie Smith at last between two
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cloudbursts。 〃Scotch in the jug and Irish in the bottle。〃
〃No； thanks。 I'm in for the sculls。 I don't liquor when I'm training。
How about you？〃
〃I'm reading hard。 I think it best to leave it alone。〃
Hastie nodded； and they relapsed into a contented silence。
〃By…the…way； Smith；〃 asked Hastie； presently； have you made the
acquaintance of either of the fellows on your stair yet？〃 〃Just a nod
when we pass。 Nothing more。〃
〃Hum！ I should be inclined to let it stand at that。 I know something
of them both。 Not much； but as much as I want。 I don't think I should
take them to my bosom if I were you。 Not that there's much amiss with
Monkhouse Lee。〃
〃Meaning the thin one？〃
〃Precisely。 He is a gentlemanly little fellow。 I don't think there is
any vice in him。 But then you can't know him without knowing
Bellingham。〃
〃Meaning the fat one？〃
〃Yes； the fat one。 And he's a man whom I； for one； would rather not
know。〃
Abercrombie Smith raised his eyebrows and glanced across at his
companion。
〃What's up； then？〃 he asked。 〃Drink？ Cards？ Cad？ You used
not to be censorious。〃
〃Ah！ you evidently don't know the man； or you wouldn't ask。 There's
something damnable about him something reptilian。 My gorge always
rises at him。 I should put him down as a man with secret vicesan evil
liver。 He's no fool； though。 They say that he is one of the best men in
his line that they have ever had in the college。〃
〃Medicine or classics？〃
〃Eastern languages。 He's a demon at them。 Chillingworth met him
somewhere above the second cataract last long； and he told me that he just
prattled to the Arabs as if he had been born and nursed and weaned among
them。 He talked Coptic to the Copts； and Hebrew to the Jews； and
Arabic to the Bedouins； and they were all ready to kiss the hem of his
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frock…coat。 There are some old hermit Johnnies up in those parts who sit
on rocks and scowl and spit at the casual stranger。 Well； when they saw
this chap Bellingham； before he had said five words they just lay down on
their bellies and wriggled。 Chillingworth said that he never saw anything
like it。 Bellingham seemed to take it as his right； too； and strutted about
among them and talked down to them like a Dutch uncle。 Pretty good for
an undergrad。 of Old's； wasn't it？〃
〃Why do you say you can't know Lee without knowing Bellingham？ 〃
〃Because Bellingham is engaged to his sister Eveline。 Such a bright
little girl； Smith！ I know the whole family well。 It's disgusting to see
that brute with her。 A toad and a dove； that's what they always remind
me of。〃
Abercrombie Smith grinned and knocked his ashes out against the side
of the grate。
〃You show every card in your hand； old chap；〃 said he。 〃What a
prejudiced； green…eyed； evil…thinking old man it is！ You have really
nothing against the fellow except that。〃
〃Well； I've known her ever since she was as long as that cherry…wood
pipe； and I don't like to see her taking risks。 And it is a risk。 He looks
beastly。 And he has a beastly temper； a venomous temper。 You
remember his row with Long Norton？〃
〃No； you always forget that I am a freshman。〃
〃Ah； it was last winter。 Of course。 Well； you know the towpath
along by the river。 There were several fellows going along it；
Bellingham in front； when they came on an old market…woman coming the
other way。 It had been rainingyou know what those fields are like when
it has rainedand the path ran between the river and a great puddle that
was nearly as broad。 Well； what does this swine do but keep the path；
and push the old girl into the mud； where she and her marketings came to
terrible grief。 It was a blackguard thing to do； and Long Norton； who is
as gentle a fellow as ever stepped； told him what he thought of it。 One
word led to another； and it ended in Norton laying his stick across the
fellow's shoulders。 There was the deuce of a fuss about it； and it's a treat
to see the way in which Bellingham looks at Norton when they meet now。
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By Jove； Smith； it's nearly eleven o'clock！〃
〃No hurry。 Light your pipe again。〃
〃Not I。 I'm supposed to be in training。 Here I've been sitting
gossiping when I ought to have been safely tucked up。 I'll borrow your
skull； if you can share it。 Williams has had mine for a month。 I'll take
the little bones of your ear； too； if you are sure you won't need them。
Thanks very much。 Never mind a bag； I can carry them very well under
my arm。 Good…night； my son； and take my tip as to your neighbour。〃
When Hastie； bearing his anatomical plunder； had clattered off down
the winding stair； Abercrombie Smith hurled his pipe into the wastepaper
basket； and drawing his chair nearer to the lamp； plunged into a
formidable green…covered volume； adorned with great colored maps of
that strange internal kingdom of which we are the hapless and helpless
monarchs。 Though a freshman at Oxford； the student was not so in
medicine； for he had worked for four years at Glasgow and at Berlin； and
this coming examination would place him finally as a member of his
profession。 With his firm mouth； broad forehead； and clear…cut；
somewhat hard…featured face； he was a man who； if he had no brilliant
talent； was yet so dogged； so patient； and so strong that he might in the end
overtop a more showy genius。 A man who can hold his own among
Scotchmen and North Germans is not a man to be easily set back。 Smith
had left a name at Glasgow and at Berlin； and he was bent now upon doing
as much at Oxford； if hard work and devotion could accomplish it。
He had sat reading for about an hour； and the hands of the noisy
carriage clock upon the side table were rapidly closing together upon the
twelve； when a sudden sound fell upon the student's eara sharp； rather
shrill sound； like the hissing intake of a man's breath who gasps under
some strong emotion。 Smith laid down his book and slanted his ear to
listen。 There was no one on either side or above him； so that the
interruption came certainly from the neighbour beneaththe same
neighbour of whom Hastie had given so unsavoury an account。 Smith
knew him only as a flabby； pale…faced man of silent and studious habits； a
man； whose lamp threw a golden bar from the old turret even after he had
extinguished his own。 This community in lateness had formed a certain
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silent bond between them。 It was soothing to Smith when the hours stole
on towards dawning to feel that there was another so close who set as
small a value upon his sleep as he did。 Even now； as his thoughts turned
towards him； Smith's feelings were kindly。 Hastie was a good fellow； but
he was rough； strong…fibred； with no imagination or sympathy。 He could
not tolerate departures from what he looked upon as the model type of
manliness。 If a man could not be measured by a public…school standard；
then he was beyond the pale with Hastie。 Like so many who are
themselves robust； he was apt to confuse the constitution with the
character； to ascribe to want of principle what was really a want of
circulation。 Smith； with his stronger mind； knew his friend's habit； and
made allowance for
