round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第20节
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word； and I won her； and； somehow； I have never got over the freshness
and the wonder of it。 To think that that sweet； lovely girl has walked by
my side all through life； and that I have been able〃
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He stopped suddenly； and I glanced round at him in surprise。 He was
shaking all over； in every fibre of his great body。 His hands were clawing
at the woodwork； and his feet shuffling on the gravel。 I saw what it was。
He was trying to rise； but was so excited that he could not。 I half
extended my hand； but a higher courtesy constrained me to draw it back
again and turn my face to the sea。 An instant afterwards he was up and
hurrying down the path。
A woman was coming towards us。 She was quite close before he had
seen herthirty yards at the utmost。 I know not if she had ever been as
he described her； or whether it was but some ideal which he carried in his
brain。 The person upon whom I looked was tall； it is true； but she was
thick and shapeless； with a ruddy； full…blown face； and a skirt
grotesquely gathered up。 There was a green ribbon in her hat； which
jarred upon my eyes； and her blouse…like bodice was full and clumsy。
And this was the lovely girl； the ever youthful！ My heart sank as I
thought how little such a woman might appreciate him； how unworthy she
might be of his love。
She came up the path in her solid way； while he staggered along to
meet her。 Then； as they came together； looking discreetly out of the
furthest corner of my eye； I saw that he put out both his hands； while she；
shrinking from a public caress； took one of them in hers and shook it。 As
she did so I saw her face； and I was easy in my mind for my old man。
God grant that when this hand is shaking； and when this back is bowed； a
woman's eyes may look so into mine。
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A PHYSIOLOGIST'S WIFE。
Professor Ainslie Grey had not come down to breakfast at the usual
hour。 The presentation chiming…clock which stood between the terra…
cotta busts of Claude Bernard and of John Hunter upon the dining…room
mantelpiece had rung out the half…hour and the three…quarters。 Now its
golden hand was verging upon the nine； and yet there were no signs of the
master of the house。
It was an unprecedented occurrence。 During the twelve years that
she had kept house for him； his youngest sister had never known him a
second behind his time。 She sat now in front of the high silver coffee…pot；
uncertain whether to order the gong to be resounded or to wait on in
silence。 Either course might be a mistake。 Her brother was not a man
who permitted mistakes。
Miss Ainslie Grey was rather above the middle height； thin； with
peering； puckered eyes； and the rounded shoulders which mark the
bookish woman。 Her face was long and spare； flecked with colour above
the cheek…bones； with a reasonable； thoughtful forehead； and a dash of
absolute obstinacy in her thin lips and prominent chin。 Snow white cuffs
and collar； with a plain dark dress； cut with almost Quaker…like simplicity；
bespoke the primness of her taste。 An ebony cross hung over her
flattened chest。 She sat very upright in her chair； listening with raised
eyebrows； and swinging her eye…glasses backwards and forwards with a
nervous gesture which was peculiar to her。
Suddenly she gave a sharp； satisfied jerk of the head； and began to
pour out the coffee。 From outside there came the dull thudding sound of
heavy feet upon thick carpet。 The door swung open； and the Professor
entered with a quick； nervous step。 He nodded to his sister； and seating
himself at the other side of the table； began to open the small pile of letters
which lay beside his plate。
Professor Ainslie Grey was at that time forty… three years of age
nearly twelve years older than his sister。 His career had been a brilliant
one。 At Edinburgh； at Cambridge； and at Vienna he had laid the
foundations of his great reputation； both in physiology and in zoology。
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His pamphlet； On the Mesoblastic Origin of Excitomotor Nerve Roots；
had won him his fellowship of the Royal Society； and his researches；
Upon the Nature of Bathybius； with some Remarks upon Lithococci； had
been translated into at least three European languages。 He had been
referred to by one of the greatest living authorities as being the very type
and embodiment of all that was best in modern science。 No wonder； then；
that when the commercial city of Birchespool decided to create a medical
school； they were only too glad to confer the chair of physiology upon Mr。
Ainslie Grey。 They valued him the more from the conviction that their
class was only one step in his upward journey； and that the first vacancy
would remove him to some more illustrious seat of learning。
In person he was not unlike his sister。 The same eyes； the same
contour； the same intellectual forehead。 His lips； however； were firmer；
and his long； thin； lower jaw was sharper and more decided。 He ran his
finger and thumb down it from time to time； as he glanced over his letters。
〃Those maids are very noisy；〃 he remarked； as a clack of tongues
sounded in the distance。
〃It is Sarah；〃 said his sister； 〃I shall speak about it。〃
She had handed over his coffee…cup； and was sipping at her own；
glancing furtively through her narrowed lids at the austere face of her
brother。
〃The first great advance of the human race；〃 said the Professor； 〃was
when； by the development of their left frontal convolutions； they attained
the power of speech。 Their second advance was when they learned to
control that power。 Woman has not yet attained the second stage。〃
He half closed his eyes as he spoke； and thrust his chin forward； but as
he ceased he had a trick of suddenly opening both eyes very wide and
staring sternly at his interlocutor。
〃I am not garrulous； John；〃 said his sister。
〃No； Ada； in many respects you approach the superior or male type。〃
The Professor bowed over his egg with the manner of one who utters a
courtly compliment； but the lady pouted； and gave an impatient little shrug
of her shoulders。
〃You were late this morning； John；〃 she remarked； after a pause。
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〃Yes； Ada； I slept badly。 Some little cerebral congestion； no doubt
due to over…stimulation of the centers of thought。 I have been a little
disturbed in my mind。〃
His sister stared across at him in astonishment。 The Professor's
mental processes had hitherto been as regular as his habits。 Twelve years'
continual intercourse had taught her that he lived in a serene and rarefied
atmosphere of scientific calm； high above the petty emotions which affect
humbler minds。
〃You are surprised； Ada；〃 he remarked。 〃Well； I cannot wonder at it。
I should have been surprised myself if I had been told that I was so
sensitive to vascular influences。 For； after all； all disturbances are
vascular if you probe them deep enough。 I am thinking of getting
married。〃
〃Not Mrs。 O'James〃 cried Ada Grey； laying down her egg…spoon。
〃My dear； you have the feminine quality of receptivity very
remarkably developed。 Mrs。 O'James is the lady in question。〃
〃But you know so little of her。 The Esdailes themselves know
