hard cash-第54节

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〃I　am　sorry　to　say　it　is　continuous；〃　said　Osmond。

〃Maidearrsirr；　nothing　on　airth　is　continuous：　iverything　has　paroxysms　and　remissionsfrom　a　toothache　t'　a　cancer。〃

He　repeated　his　query　in　various　forms；　till　at　last　a　little　girl　squeaked　out；　〃If_you_…please；　sir；　the　throes　do　come　about　every　ten　minutes；　for　I　was　a　looking　at　the　clock；　I　carries　father　his　dinner　at　twelve。〃

〃If　you　please；　ma'am；　there's　half　a　guinea　for　you　for　not　being　such　an'　ijjit　as　the　rest　of　the　world；　especially　the　Dockers。〃　And　he　jerked　her　half　a　sovereign。

A　stupor　fell　on　the　assembly。　They　awoke　from　it　to　examine　the　coin；　and　see　if　it　was　real；　or　only　yellow　air。

Maxley　came　to　and　gave　a　sigh　of　relief。　When　he　had　been　insensible；　yet　out　of　pain；　nearly　eight　minutes　by　the　clock；　Sampson　chloroformed　him　again。　〃I'll　puzzle　ye；　my　friend　strych；〃　said　he。　〃How　will　ye　get　your　perriodical　paroxysms　when　the　man　is　insensible？　The　Dox　say　y'　act　direct　on　the　spinal　marrow。　Well；　there's　the　spinal　marrow　where　you　found　it　just　now。　Act　on　it　again；　my　lad！　I　give　ye　leaveif　ye　can。　Ye　can't；　bekase　ye　must　pass　through　the　Brain　to　get　there：　and　I　occupy　the　Brain　with　a　swifter　ajint　than　y'　are；　and　mean　to　keep　y'　out　of　it　till　your　power　to　kill　evaporates；　being　a　vigitable。〃

With　this　his　spirits　mounted；　and　he　indulged　in　a　harmless　and　favourite　fiction：　he　feigned　the　company　were　all　males　and　medical　students；　Osmond　included；　and　he　the　lecturer。　〃Now；　jintlemen；〃　said　he；　〃obsairve　the　great　Therey　of　the　Perriodeecity　and　Remitteney　of　all　disease；　in　conjunckshin　with　its　practice。　All　diseases　have　paroxysms　and　remissions；　which　occur　at　intervals；　sometimes　it's　a　year；　sometimes　a　day；　an　hour；　ten　minutes；　but　whatever　th'　interval；　they　are　true　to　it：　they　keep　time。　Only　when　the　disease　is　retirin；　the　remissions　become　longer；　the　paroxysms　return　at　a　greater　interval；　and　just　the　revairse　when　the　pashint　is　to　die。　This；　jintlemen；　is　man's　life　from　the　womb　to　the　grave：　the　throes　that　precede　his　birth　are　remittent　like　ivery　thing　else；　but　come　at　diminished　intervals　when　he　has　really　made　up　his　mind　to　be　born　（his　first　mistake；　sirs；　but　not　his　last）；　and　the　paroxysms　of　his　mortal　disease　come　at　shorter　intervals　when　he　is　really　goon　off　the　hooks：　but　still　chronometrically；　just　as　watches　keep　time　whether　they　go　fast　or　slow。　Now；　jintlemen；　isn't　this　a　beautiful　Therey？〃

〃Oh；　mercy！　Oh；　good　people　help　me！　Oh；　Jesus　Christ　have　pity　on　me！〃　And　the　sufferer's　body　was　bent　like　a　bow；　and　his　eyes　filled　with　horror；　and　his　toes　pointed　at　his　chin。

The　Doctor　hurled　himself　on　the　foe。　〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃smell　to　this；　lad！　That's　right！　He　is　better　already；　jintlemen；　or　he　couldn't　howl；　ye　know。　Deevil　a　howl　in　um　before　I　gave　um　puff　chlorofm。　Ah！　would　ye？　would　ye？〃

〃Oh！　oh！　oh！　oh！　ugh！ah！〃

The　Doctor　got　off　the　insensible　body；　and　resumed　his　lecture　calmly；　like　one　who　has　disposed　of　some　childish　interruption。　〃And　now　to　th'　application　of　the　Therey：　If　the　poison　can　reduce　the　tin　minutes'　interval　to　five　minutes；　this　pashint　will　die；　and　if　I　can　get　the　tin　minutes　up　t'　half　hour；　this　pashint　will　live。　Any　way；　jintlemen；　we　won't　detain　y'　unreasonably：　the　case　shall　be　at　an　end　by　one　o'clock。〃

On　hearing　this　considerate　stipulation；　up　went　three　women's　aprons　to　their　eyes。

〃Alack！　poor　James　Maxley！　he　is　at　his　last　hour：　it　be　just　gone　twelve；　and　a　dies　at　one。〃

Sampson　turned　on　the　weepers。　〃Who　says　that；　y'　ijjits？　I　said　the　case　would　end　at　one：　a　case　ends　when　the　pashint　gets　well　or　dies。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　good　news　for　poor　Susan　Maxley；　her　man　is　to　be　well　by　one　o'clock；　Doctor　says。〃

Sampson　groaned；　and　gave　in。　he　was　strong；　but　not　strong　enough　to　make　the　populance　suspend　an　opinion。

Yet；　methinks　it　might　be　done：　by　chloroforming　them。

The　spasms　came　at　longer　intervals　and　less　violent；　and　Maxley　got　so　fond　of　the　essence　of　Insensibility；　that　he　asked　to　have　some　in　his　own　hand　to　apply　at　the　first　warning　of　the　horrible　pains。

Sampson　said；　〃Any　fool　can　complete　the　cure；　and；　by　way　of　practical　comment；　left　him　in　Mr。　Osmond's　charge；　but　with　an　understanding　that　the　treatment　should　not　be　varied；　that　no　laudanum　should　be　given；　but；　in　due　course；　a　stiff　tumbler　of　brandy　and　water；　or　two。　〃If　he　gets　drunk；　all　the　better；　a　little　intoxication　weakens　the　body's　memory　of　the　pain　it　has　endured；　and　so　expedites　the　cure。　Now　off　we　go　to　th'　other。〃

〃The　body's　memory！〃　said　Mr。　Osmond　to　himself：　〃what　on　earth　does　the　quack　mean？〃

The　driver　_de　jure_　of　the　fly　was　not　quite　drunk　enough　to　lose　his　horse　and　vehicle　without　missing　them。　He　was　on　the　look　out　for　the　robber；　and　as　Alfred　came　round　the　corner　full　pelt；　darted　at　the　reins　with　a　husky　remonstrance；　and　Alfred　cut　into　him　with　the　whip：　an　angry　explanationa　guineaand　behold　the　driver　sitting　behind　complacent　and　nodding。

Arrived　at　Albion　Villa；　Alfred　asked　Sampson　submissively　if　he　might　come　in　and　see　the　wife　cured。

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　Sampson；　not　knowing　the　delicate　position。

〃Then　ask　me　in　before　Mrs。　Dodd；〃　murmured　Alfred　coaxingly。

〃Oo；　ay；〃　said　the　Doctor　knowingly：　〃I　see。〃

Mrs。　Maxley　was　in　the　dining…room：　she　had　got　well　of　herself；　but　was　crying　bitterly；　and　the　ladies　would　not　let　her　go　home　yet；　they　feared　the　worst　and　that　some　one　would　blurt　it　out　to　her。

To　this　anxious　trio　entered　Sampson　radiant。　〃There；　it's　all　right。　Come；　little　Maxley；　ye　needn't　cry；　he　has　got　lots　more　mischief　to　do　in　the　world　yet；　but；　O　wumman；　it　is　lucky　you　came　to　me　and　not　to　any　of　the　tinkering　dox。　No　more　cat　and　dog　for　you　and　him　but　for　the　Chronothairmal　Therey。　And　you　may　bless　my　puppy's　four　bones　too：　he　ran　and　stole　a　fly　like　a　man；　and　drove　hilter…skilter。　Now；　lf　I　had　got　to　your　house　two　minutes　later；　your　Jamie　would　have　lairned　the　great　secret　ere　this。〃　He　threw　up　the　window。　〃Haw　you！　come　away　and　receive　the　applause　due　from　beauty　t'　ajeelity。〃

Alfred　came　in　timidly；　and　was　received　with　perfect　benignity　and　self…possession　by　Mrs。　Dodd；　but　Julia's　face　was　dyed　with　blushes；　and　her　eyes　sparkled　the　eloquent　praise　she　was　ashamed　to　speak　before　them　all。　But　such　a　face　as　her　scarce　needed　the　help　of　a　voice　at　such　a　time。　And　indeed　both　the　lovers'　faces　were　a　pretty　sight　and　a　study。　How　they　stole　loving　glances；　but　tried　to　keep　within　bounds；　and　not　steal　more　than　three　per　minute！　and　how　unconscious　they　endeavoured　to　look　the　intervening　seconds！　and　what　windows　were　the　demure　complacent　visages　they　thought　they　were　making　shutters　of！　Innocent　love　has　at　least　this　advantage　over　melodramatic；　that　it　can　extract　exquisite　sweetness　out　of　so　small　a　thing。　These　sweethearts　were　not　alone；　could　not　open　their　hearts；　must　not　even　gaze　too　long；　yet　to　be　in　the　same　room　even　on　such　terms　was　a　taste　of　Heaven。

〃But；　dear　heart！〃　said　Mrs。　Maxley；　〃ye　don't　tell　me　what　he　ailed。　Ma'am；　if　you　had　seen　him　you　would　have　said　he　was　taken　for　death。〃

〃Pray　what　_is_　the　complaint？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Dodd。

〃Oh；　didn't　I　tell　ye？　Poisoned。〃

This　intelligence　was　conveyed　with　true　scientific　calmness；　and　received　with　feminine　ejaculations　of　horror。　Mrs。　Maxley　was　indignant　into　the　bargain：　〃Don't　ye　go　giving　my　house　an　ill　name！　We　keeps　no　poison。〃

Sampson　fixed　his　eyes　sternly　on　her：　〃Wumman；　ye　know　better：　ye　keep　strychnine；　for　th'　use　and　delectation　of　your　domestic　animal。〃

〃Strychnine！　I　never　heard　tell　of　it。　Is　that　Latin　for　arsenic？〃

〃Now　isn't　this　lamentable？　Why；　arsenic　is　a　mital；　strychnine　a　vigitable。　N'hist　me！　Your　man　was　here　seeking　strychnine　to　poison　his　mouse；　a　harmless；　domistic；　necessary　mouse。　I　told　him　mice　were　a　part　of　Nature　as　much　as　Maxleys；　and　life　as　sweet　tit　as　tim：　but　he　was　dif　to　scientific　and　chrisehin　preceps；　so　I　told　him　to　go　to　the　Deevil：　'I　will；'　sis　he；　and　went　t'　a　docker。　The　two　assassins　have　poisoned　the　poor　beastie　between　'em；　and　thin；　been　the　greatest　miser　in　the　world；　except　one；　he　will　have　roasted　his　victim；　and　ate　her　on　the　sly；　imprignated　with　strychnine。　'I'll　steal　a　march　on　t'other　miser；'　sis　he；　and　that's　you：　t'　his　brain　flew　the　strychnine：　his　brain　sint　it　to　his　spinal　marrow：　and　we　found　my　lorrd　bent　like　a　bow；　and　his　jaw　locked；　and　nearer　knowin　the　great　secret　than　any　man　in　England　will　be　this　year　to　live：　and　sairves　the　assassinating　old　vagabin　right。〃

〃Heaven　forgive　you；　Doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Maxley；　half　mechanically。

〃For　curin　a　murrderer？　Not　likely。〃

Mrs。　Maxley；　who　had　shown　signs　of　singular　uneasiness　during　Sampson's　explanation；　now　rose；　and　said　in　a　very　peculiar　tone　she　must　go　home　directly。

Mrs。　Dodd　seemed　to　enter　into　her　feelings；　and　made　her　go　in　the　fly；　taking　care　to　pay　the　fare　and　the　driver　out　of　her　own　purse。　As　the　woman　got　into　the　fly；　Sampson　gave　her　a　piece　of　friendly　and　practical　advice。　〃Nixt　time　he　has　a　mind　to　breakfast　on　stryc