a[1]. v. laider(a.v.雷德)-第3章
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a long one。 I assured him that I hoped it was。 He said I was very kind。 I
denied this。 He warned me that what he had to tell might rather tend to
stiffen my unwilling faith in palmistry； and to shake my opposite and
cherished faith in free will。 I said； 〃Never mind。〃 He stretched his hands
pensively toward the fire。 I settled myself back in my chair。
〃My hands；〃 he said； staring at the backs of them； 〃are the hands of a
very weak man。 I dare say you know enough of palmistry to see that for
yourself。 You notice the slightness of the thumbs and of he two 'little'
fingers。 They are the hands of a weak and over…sensitive mana man
without confidence； a man who would certainly waver in an emergency。
Rather Hamletish hands；〃 he mused。 〃And I'm like Hamlet in other
respects； too： I'm no fool； and I've rather a noble disposition； and I'm
unlucky。 But Hamlet was luckier than I in one thing： he was a murderer by
accident； whereas the murders that I committed one day fourteen years
agofor I must tell you it wasn't one murder； but many murders that I
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committedwere all of them due to the wretched inherent weakness of my
own wretched self。
〃I was twenty…sixno； twenty…seven years old； and rather a
nondescript person； as I am now。 I was supposed to have been called to the
bar。 In fact； I believe I HAD been called to the bar。 I hadn't listened to the
call。 I never intended to practise； and I never did practise。 I only wanted an
excuse in the eyes of the world for existing。 I suppose the nearest I have
ever come to practicing is now at this moment： I am defending a murderer。
My father had left me well enough provided with money。 I was able to go
my own desultory way； riding my hobbies where I would。 I had a good
stableful of hobbies。 Palmistry was one of them。 I was rather ashamed of
this one。 It seemed to me absurd； as it seems to you。 Like you； though； I
believed in it。 Unlike you； I had done more than merely read a book about
it。 I had read innumerable books about it。 I had taken casts of all my
friends' hands。 I had tested and tested again the points at which
Desbarolles dissented from the Gipsies； andwell； enough that I had gone
into it all rather thoroughly； and was as sound a palmist； as a man may be
without giving his whole life to palmistry。
〃One of the first things I had seen in my own hand； as soon as I had
learned to read it； was that at about the age of twenty…six I should have a
narrow escape from deathfrom a violent death。 There was a clean break
in the life…line； and a square joining itthe protective square； you know。
The markings were precisely the same in both hands。 It was to be the
narrowest escape possible。 And I wasn't going to escape without injury；
either。 That is what bothered me。 There was a faint line connecting the
break in the lifeline with a star on the line of health。 Against that star was
another square。 I was to recover from the injury； whatever it might be。 Still；
I didn't exactly look forward to it。 Soon after I had reached the age of
twenty…five； I began to feel uncomfortable。 The thing might be going to
happen at any moment。 In palmistry； you know； it is impossible to pin an
event down hard and fast to one year。 This particular event was to be when
I was ABOUT twenty…six； it mightn't be till I was twenty…seven； it might
be while I was only twenty…five。
〃And I used to tell myself it mightn't be at all。 My reason rebelled
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against the whole notion of palmistry； just as yours does。 I despised my
faith in the thing； just as you despise yours。 I used to try not to be so
ridiculously careful as I was whenever I crossed a street。 I lived in London
at that time。 Motor…cars had not yet come in； butwhat hours； all told； I
must have spent standing on curbs； very circumspect； very lamentable！ It
was a pity； I suppose； that I had no definite occupation something to take
me out of myself。 I was one of the victims of private means。 There came a
time when I drove in four…wheelers rather than in hansoms； and was
doubtful of four…wheelers。 Oh； I assure you； I was very lamentable indeed。
〃If a railway…journey could be avoided； I avoided it。 My uncle had a
place in Hampshire。 I was very fond of him and of his wife。 Theirs was the
only house I ever went to stay in now。 I was there for a week in November；
not long after my twenty…seventh birthday。 There were other people
staying there； and at the end of the week we all traveled back to London
together。 There were six of us in the carriage： Colonel Elbourn and his
wife and their daughter； a girl of seventeen； and another married couple；
the Bretts。 I had been at Winchester with Brett； but had hardly seen him
since that time。 He was in the Indian Civil； and was home on leave。 He
was sailing for India next week。 His wife was to remain in England for
some months； and then join him out there。 They had been married five
years。 She was now just twenty…four years old。 He told me that this was
her age。 The Elbourns I had never met before。 They were charming people。
We had all been very happy together。 The only trouble had been that on
the last night； at dinner； my uncle asked me if I still went in for 'the Gipsy
business；' as he always called it； and of course the three ladies were
immensely excited； and implored me to 'do' their hands。 I told them it was
all nonsense； I said I had forgotten all I once knew； I made various excuses；
and the matter dropped。 It was quite true that I had given up reading hands。
I avoided anything that might remind me of what was in my own hands。
And so； next morning； it was a great bore to me when； soon after the train
started； Mrs。 Elbourn said it would be 'too cruel' of me if I refused to do
their hands now。 Her daughter and Mrs。 Brett also said it would be 'brutal'；
and they were all taking off their gloves； andwell； of course I had to give
in。
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〃I went to work methodically on Mrs。 Elbourn's hands； in the usual
way； you know； first sketching the character from the backs of them； and
there was the usual hush； broken by the usual little noises grunts of
assent from the husband； cooings of recognition from the daughter。
Presently I asked to see the palms； and from them I filled in the details of
Mrs。 Elbourn's character before going on to the events in her life。 But
while I talked I was calculating how old Mrs。 Elbourn might be。 In my
first glance at her palms I had seen that she could not have been less than
twenty…five when she married。 The daughter was seventeen。 Suppose the
daughter had been born a year laterhow old would the mother be？ Forty…
three； yes。 Not less than that； poor woman！〃
Laider looked at me。
〃Why 'poor woman！' you wonder？ Well； in that first glance I had seen
other things than her marriage…line。 I had seen a very complete break in
the lines of life and of fate。 I had seen violent death there。 At what age？
Not later； not possibly LATER； than forty…three。 While I talked to her
about the things that had happened in her girlhood； the back of my brain
was hard at work on those marks of catastrophe。 I was horribly wondering
that she was still alive。 It was impossible that between her and that
catastrophe there could be more than a few short months。 And all the time
I was talking； and I suppose I acquitted myself well； for I remember that
when I ceased I had a sort of ovation from the Elbourns。
〃It was a relief to turn to another pair of hands。 Mrs。 Brett was an
amusing young creature； and her hands were very characteristic； and
prettily odd in form。 I allowed myself to be rather whimsical about her
nature； and having begun in that vein； I went on in it； somehow； even after
she had turned her palms。 In those palms were reduplicated the signs I had
seen in Mrs。 Elbourn's。 It was as though they had been copied neatly out。
The only difference was in the placing of them； and it was this difference
that was the most horrible point。 The fatal age in Mrs。 Brett's hands was
not past； no； for here SHE was。 But she might have died when she was
twenty…one。 Twenty…three seemed to be the utmost span。 She was twenty…
four； you know。
〃I have said that I am a weak man。 And you will have good proof of
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that directly。 Yet I showed a certain amount of strength that dayyes； even
on that day which has humiliated and saddened the rest of my life。 Neither
my face nor my voice betrayed me when in the palms of Dorothy Elbourn
I was again confronted with those same signs。 She was all for knowing the
future； poor child！ I believe I told her all manner of things that were to be。
And she had no futurenone； none in THIS worldexcept
〃And then； while I talked； there came to me suddenly a suspicion。 I
wondered it hadn't come before。 You guess what it was？ It made me feel
very cold and strange。 I went on talking。 But； also； I went onquite
separatelythinking。 The suspicion wasn't a certainty。 This mother and
daughter were always together。 What was to befall the one might
anywhereanywherebefall the other。 But a like fate； in an equally near
future； was in store for that other lady。 The coincidence was curious； very。
Here we all were togetherhere； they and II who was narrowly to escape；
so soon now； what they； so soon now； were to suffer。 Oh； there was an
inference to be drawn。 Not a sure inference； I told myself。 And alwa
