round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第22节
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force of Natureman's ally against cold； sterility； and all that is abhorrent
to him。 What were you reading？〃
〃Hale's Matter and Life。〃
The Professor raised his thick eyebrows。
〃Hale！〃 he said； and then again in a kind of whisper； 〃Hale！〃
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〃You differ from him？〃 she asked。
〃It is not I who differ from him。 I am only a monada thing of no
moment。 The whole tendency of the highest plane of modern thought
differs from him。 He defends the indefensible。 He is an excellent
observer； but a feeble reasoner。 I should not recommend you to found
your conclusions upon Hale。〃
〃I must read Nature's Chronicle to counteract his pernicious
influence；〃 said Mrs。 O'James； with a soft； cooing laugh。
Nature's Chronicle was one of the many books in which Professor
Ainslie Grey had enforced the negative doctrines of scientific agnosticism。
〃It is a faulty work；〃 said he； 〃I cannot recommend it。 I would rather
refer you to the standard writings of some of my older and more eloquent
colleagues。〃
There was a pause in their talk as they paced up and down on the green；
velvet…like lawn in the genial sunshine。
〃Have you thought at all；〃 he asked at last； 〃of the matter upon which I
spoke to you last night？〃
She said nothing； but walked by his side with her eyes averted and her
face aslant。
〃I would not hurry you unduly；〃 he continued。 〃I know that it is a
matter which can scarcely be decided off…hand。 In my own case； it cost
me some thought before I ventured to make the suggestion。 I am not an
emotional man； but I am conscious in your presence of the great
evolutionary instinct which makes either sex the complement of the other。〃
〃You believe in love； then？〃 she asked； with a twinkling； upward
glance。
〃I am forced to。〃
〃And yet you can deny the soul？〃
〃How far these questions are psychic and how far material is still sub
judice；〃 said the Professor； with an air of toleration。 〃Protoplasm may
prove to be the physical basis of love as well as of life。〃
〃How inflexible you are！〃 she exclaimed； 〃you would draw love down
to the level of physics。〃
〃Or draw physics up to the level of love。〃
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〃Come； that is much better；〃 she cried； with her sympathetic laugh。
〃That is really very pretty； and puts science in quite a delightful light。〃
Her eyes sparkled； and she tossed her chin with the pretty； wilful air of
a woman who is mistress of the situation。
〃I have reason to believe；〃 said the Professor； 〃that my position here
will prove to be only a stepping…stone to some wider scene of scientific
activity。 Yet； even here； my chair brings me in some fifteen hundred
pounds a year； which is supplemented by a few hundreds from my books。
I should therefore be in a position to provide you with those comforts to
which you are accustomed。 So much for my pecuniary position。 As to
my constitution； it has always been sound。 I have never suffered from
any illness in my life； save fleeting attacks of cephalalgia； the result of too
prolonged a stimulation of the centres of cerebration。 My father and
mother had no sign of any morbid diathesis； but I will not conceal from
you that my grandfather was afflicted with podagra。〃
Mrs。 O'James looked startled。
〃Is that very serious？〃 she asked。
〃It is gout；〃 said the Professor。
〃Oh； is that all？ It sounded much worse than that。〃
〃It is a grave taint； but I trust that I shall not be a victim to atavism。 I
have laid these facts before you because they are factors which cannot be
overlooked in forming your decision。 May I ask now whether you see
your way to accepting my proposal？〃
He paused in his walk； and looked earnestly and expectantly down at
her。
A struggle was evidently going on in her mind。 Her eyes were cast
down； her little slipper tapped the lawn； and her fingers played nervously
with her chatelain。 Suddenly； with a sharp； quick gesture which had in it
something of ABANDON and recklessness； she held out her hand to her
companion。
〃I accept；〃 she said。
They were standing under the shadow of the hawthorn。 He stooped
gravely down； and kissed her glove…covered fingers。
〃I trust that you may never have cause to regret your decision；〃 he
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said。
〃I trust that you never may；〃 she cried； with a heaving breast。
There were tears in her eyes； and her lips twitched with some strong
emotion。
〃Come into the sunshine again；〃 said he。 〃It is the great restorative。
Your nerves are shaken。 Some little congestion of the medulla and pons。
It is always instructive to reduce psychic or emotional conditions to their
physical equivalents。 You feel that your anchor is still firm in a bottom
of ascertained fact。〃
〃But it is so dreadfully unromantic；〃 said Mrs。 O'James； with her old
twinkle。
〃Romance is the offspring of imagination and of ignorance。 Where
science throws her calm； clear light there is happily no room for romance。〃
〃But is not love romance？〃 she asked。
〃Not at all。 Love has been taken away from the poets； and has been
brought within the domain of true science。 It may prove to be one of the
great cosmic elementary forces。 When the atom of hydrogen draws the
atom of chlorine towards it to form the perfected molecule of hydrochloric
acid； the force which it exerts may be intrinsically similar to that which
draws me to you。 Attraction and repulsion appear to be the primary
forces。 This is attraction。〃
〃And here is repulsion；〃 said Mrs。 O'James； as a stout； florid lady
came sweeping across the lawn in their direction。 〃So glad you have
come out； Mrs。 Esdaile！ Here is Professor Grey。〃
〃How do you do； Professor？〃 said the lady； with some little pomposity
of manner。 〃You were very wise to stay out here on so lovely a day。 Is
it not heavenly？〃
〃It is certainly very fine weather；〃 the Professor answered。
〃Listen to the wind sighing in the trees！〃 cried Mrs。 Esdaile； holding
up one finger。 〃it is Nature's lullaby。 Could you not imagine it；
Professor Grey； to be the whisperings of angels？〃
〃The idea had not occurred to me； madam。〃
〃Ah； Professor； I have always the same complaint against you。 A
want of rapport with the deeper meanings of nature。 Shall I say a want of
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imagination。 You do not feel an emotional thrill at the singing of that
thrush？〃
〃I confess that I am not conscious of one； Mrs。 Esdaile。〃
〃Or at the delicate tint of that background of leaves？ See the rich
greens！〃
〃Chlorophyll；〃 murmured the Professor。
〃Science is so hopelessly prosaic。 It dissects and labels； and loses
sight of the great things in its attention to the little ones。 You have a poor
opinion of woman's intellect； Professor Grey。 I think that I have heard
you say so。〃
〃It is a question of avoirdupois；〃 said the Professor； closing his eyes
and shrugging his shoulders。 〃The female cerebrum averages two ounces
less in weight than the male。 No doubt there are exceptions。 Nature is
always elastic。〃
〃But the heaviest thing is not always the strongest；〃 said Mrs。 O'James；
laughing。 〃Isn't there a law of compensation in science？ May we not
hope to make up in quality for what we lack in quantity？〃
〃I think not；〃 remarked the Professor； gravely。 〃But there is your
luncheon…gong。 No； thank you； Mrs。 Esdaile； I canno
