round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第7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！
trembling Norah。 There was the old man standing up； his blue eyes
sparkling； his white hair bristling； his whole figure towering and
expanding； with eagle head and glance of fire。 〃The Guards need
powder！〃 he thundered once again； 〃and； by God； they shall have it！〃 He
threw up his long arms； and sank back with a groan into his chair。 The
28
… Page 29…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
sergeant stooped over him； and his face darkened。
〃Oh； Archie； Archie；〃 sobbed the frightened girl； 〃what do you think of
him？〃
The sergeant turned away。 〃I think；〃 said he； 〃that the Third Guards
have a full muster now。〃
29
… Page 30…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
THE THIRD GENERATION。
Scudamore Lane； sloping down riverwards from just behind the
Monument； lies at night in the shadow of two black and monstrous walls
which loom high above the glimmer of the scattered gas lamps。 The
footpaths are narrow； and the causeway is paved with rounded
cobblestones； so that the endless drays roar along it like breaking waves。
A few old…fashioned houses lie scattered among the business premises；
and in one of these； half…way down on the left…hand side； Dr。 Horace Selby
conducts his large practice。 It is a singular street for so big a man； but a
specialist who has an European reputation can afford to live where he likes。
In his particular branch； too； patients do not always regard seclusion as a
disadvantage。
It was only ten o'clock。 The dull roar of the traffic which converged
all day upon London Bridge had died away now to a mere confused
murmur。 It was raining heavily； and the gas shone dimly through the
streaked and dripping glass； throwing little circles upon the glistening
cobblestones。 The air was full of the sounds of the rain； the thin swish of
its fall； the heavier drip from the eaves； and the swirl and gurgle down the
two steep gutters and through the sewer grating。 There was only one
figure in the whole length of Scudamore Lane。 It was that of a man； and
it stood outside the door of Dr。 Horace Selby。
He had just rung and was waiting for an answer。 The fanlight beat
full upon the gleaming shoulders of his waterproof and upon his upturned
features。 It was a wan； sensitive； clear…cut face； with some subtle；
nameless peculiarity in its expression； something of the startled horse in
the white…rimmed eye； something too of the helpless child in the drawn
cheek and the weakening of the lower lip。 The man… servant knew the
stranger as a patient at a bare glance at those frightened eyes。 Such a
look had been seen at that door many times before。
〃Is the doctor in？〃
The man hesitated。
〃He has had a few friends to dinner； sir。 He does not like to be
disturbed outside his usual hours； sir。〃
30
… Page 31…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃Tell him that I MUST see him。 Tell him that it is of the very first
importance。 Here is my card。〃 He fumbled with his trembling fingers
in trying to draw one from his case。 〃Sir Francis Norton is the name。
Tell him that Sir Francis Norton； of Deane Park； must see him without
delay。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 The butler closed his fingers upon the card and the half…
sovereign which accompanied it。 〃Better hang your coat up here in the
hall。 It is very wet。 Now if you will wait here in the consulting…room； I
have no doubt that I shall be able to send the doctor in to you。〃
It was a large and lofty room in which the young baronet found
himself。 The carpet was so soft and thick that his feet made no sound as
he walked across it。 The two gas jets were turned only half…way up； and
the dim light with the faint aromatic smell which filled the air had a
vaguely religious suggestion。 He sat down in a shining leather armchair
by the smouldering fire and looked gloomily about him。 Two sides of the
room were taken up with books； fat and sombre； with broad gold lettering
upon their backs。 Beside him was the high； old…fashioned mantelpiece of
white marblethe top of it strewed with cotton wadding and bandages；
graduated measures； and little bottles。 There was one with a broad neck
just above him containing bluestone； and another narrower one with what
looked like the ruins of a broken pipestem and 〃Caustic〃 outside upon a
red label。 Thermometers； hypodermic syringes bistouries and spatulas
were scattered about both on the mantelpiece and on the central table on
either side of the sloping desk。 On the same table； to the right； stood
copies of the five books which Dr。 Horace Selby had written upon the
subject with which his name is peculiarly associated； while on the left； on
the top of a red medical directory； lay a huge glass model of a human eye
the size of a turnip； which opened down the centre to expose the lens and
double chamber within。
Sir Francis Norton had never been remarkable for his powers of
observation； and yet he found himself watching these trifles with the
keenest attention。 Even the corrosion of the cork of an acid bottle caught
his eye； and he wondered that the doctor did not use glass stoppers。 Tiny
scratches where the light glinted off from the table； little stains upon the
31
… Page 32…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
leather of the desk； chemical formulae scribbled upon the labels of the
phialsnothing was too slight to arrest his attention。 And his sense of
hearing was equally alert。 The heavy ticking of the solemn black clock
above the mantelpiece struck quite painfully upon his ears。 Yet in spite
of it； and in spite also of the thick； old…fashioned wooden partition； he
could hear voices of men talking in the next room； and could even catch
scraps of their conversation。 〃Second hand was bound to take it。〃
〃Why； you drew the last of them yourself！〃
〃How could I play the queen when I knew that the ace was against
me？〃 The phrases came in little spurts falling back into the dull murmur
of conversation。 And then suddenly he heard the creaking of a door and
a step in the hall； and knew with a tingling mixture of impatience and
horror that the crisis of his life was at hand。
Dr。 Horace Selby was a large； portly man with an imposing presence。
His nose and chin were bold and pronounced； yet his features were puffy；
a combination which would blend more freely with the wig and cravat of
the early Georges than with the close…cropped hair and black frock…coat of
the end of the nineteenth century。 He was clean shaven； for his mouth
was too good to coverlarge； flexible； and sensitive； with a kindly human
softening at either corner which with his brown sympathetic eyes had
drawn out many a shame…struck sinner's secret。 Two masterful little
bushy side…whiskers bristled out from under his ears spindling away
upwards to merge in the thick curves of his brindled hair。 To his patients
there was something reassuring in the mere bulk and dignity of the man。
A high and easy bearing in medicine as in war bears with it a hint of
victories in the past； and a promise of others to come。 Dr。 Horace Selby's
face was a consolation； and so too were the large； white； soothing hands；
one of which he held out to his visitor。
〃I am sorry to have kept you waiting。 It is a conflict of duties； you
perceivea host's to his guests and an adviser's to his patient。 But now I
am entirely at your disposal； Sir Francis。 But dear me； you are very
cold。〃
〃Yes； I am cold。〃
〃And you are trembling all over。 Tut； tut； this will never do！ This
32
… Page 33…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
miserable night has chilled you。 Perhaps some little stimulant〃
〃No； thank you。 I would really rather not。 And it is not the night
which has chilled me。 I am frightened； doctor。〃
The doctor half…turned in his chair； and he patted the arch of the young
man's knee； as he might the neck of a restless horse。
〃What then？〃 he asked； looking over his shoulder at the pale face with
the startled eyes。
Twice the young man parted his lips。 Then he stooped with a sudden
gesture； and turning up the right leg of his trousers he pulled down his
sock and thrust forward his shin。 The doctor made a clicking noise with
his tongue as he glanced at it。
〃Both legs？〃
〃No； only one。〃
〃Suddenly？〃
〃This morning。〃
〃Hum。〃
The doctor pouted his lips； and drew his finger and thumb down the
line of his chin。 〃Can you account for it？〃 he asked briskly。
〃No。〃
A trace of sternness came into the large brown eyes。
〃I need not point out to you that unless the most absolute frankness
〃
The patient sprang from his chair。 〃So help me God！〃 he cried； 〃I
have nothing in my life with which to reproach myself。 Do you think
that I would be such a fool as to come here and tell you lies。 Once for all；
I have nothing to regret。〃 He was a pitiful； half…tragic and half…grotesque
figure； as he stood with one trouser leg rolled to the knee； and that ever
present horror still lurking in his eyes。 A burst of merriment came from
the card…players
