round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第23节
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luncheon…gong。 No； thank you； Mrs。 Esdaile； I cannot stay。 My
carriage is waiting。 Good…bye。 Good…bye； Mrs。 O'James。〃
He raised his hat and stalked slowly away among the laurel bushes。
〃He has no taste；〃 said Mrs。 Esdaile〃 no eye for beauty。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 Mrs。 O'James answered； with a saucy little jerk of
the chin。 〃He has just asked me to be his wife。〃
As Professor Ainslie Grey ascended the steps of his house； the hall…
door opened and a dapper gentleman stepped briskly out。 He was
somewhat sallow in the face； with dark； beady eyes； and a short； black
beard with an aggressive bristle。 Thought and work had left their traces
upon his face； but he moved with the brisk activity of a man who had not
yet bade good…bye to his youth。
〃I'm in luck's way；〃 he cried。 〃I wanted to see you。〃
〃Then come back into the library；〃 said the Professor； 〃you must stay
and have lunch with us。〃
The two men entered the hall； and the Professor led the way into his
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private sanctum。 He motioned his companion into an arm…chair。
〃I trust that you have been successful； O'Brien；〃 said he。 〃I should be
loath to exercise any undue pressure upon my sister Ada； but I have given
her to understand that there is no one whom I should prefer for a brother…
in…law to my most brilliant scholar； the author of Some Remarks upon the
Bile…Pigments； with special reference to Urobilin。〃
〃You are very kind； Professor Greyyou have always been very kind；〃
said the other。 〃I approached Miss Grey upon the subject； she did not say
No。〃
〃She said Yes； then？〃
〃No； she proposed to leave the matter open until my return from
Edinburgh。 I go to…day； as you know； and I hope to commence my
research to…morrow。〃
〃On the comparative anatomy of the vermiform appendix； by James
M‘Murdo O'Brien；〃 said the Professor； sonorously。 〃It is a glorious
subjecta subject which lies at the very root of evolutionary philosophy。〃
〃Ah！ she is the dearest girl；〃 cried O'Brien； with a sudden little spurt of
Celtic enthusiasm〃she is the soul of truth and of honour。〃
〃The vermiform appendix〃 began the Professor。
〃She is an angel from heaven；〃 interrupted the other。 〃I fear that it is
my advocacy of scientific freedom in religious thought which stands in my
way with her。〃
〃You must not truckle upon that point。 You must be true to your
convictions； let there be no compromise there。〃
〃My reason is true to agnosticism； and yet I am conscious of a voida
vacuum。 I had feelings at the old church at home between the scent of
the incense and the roll of the organ； such as I have never experienced in
the laboratory or the lecture…room。〃
〃Sensuous…purely sensuous；〃 said the Professor； rubbing his chin。
〃Vague hereditary tendencies stirred into life by the stimulation of the
nasal and auditory nerves。〃
〃Maybe so； maybe so；〃 the younger man answered thoughtfully。
〃But this was not what I wished to speak to you about。 Before I enter
your family； your sister and you have a claim to know all that I can tell
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you about my career。 Of my worldly prospects I have already spoken to
you。 There is only one point which I have omitted to mention。 I am a
widower。〃
The Professor raised his eyebrows。
〃This is news indeed；〃 said he。
〃I married shortly after my arrival in Australia。 Miss Thurston was
her name。 I met her in society。 It was a most unhappy match。〃
Some painful emotion possessed him。 His quick； expressive features
quivered； and his white hands tightened upon the arms of the chair。 The
Professor turned away towards the window。
〃You are the best judge；〃 he remarked 〃but I should not think that it
was necessary to go into details。〃
〃You have a right to know everythingyou and Miss Grey。 It is not a
matter on which I can well speak to her direct。 Poor Jinny was the best
of women； but she was open to flattery； and liable to be misled by
designing persons。 She was untrue to me； Grey。 It is a hard thing to say
of the dead； but she was untrue to me。 She fled to Auckland with a man
whom she had known before her marriage。 The brig which carried them
foundered； and not a soul was saved。〃
〃This is very painful； O'Brien；〃 said the Professor； with a deprecatory
motion of his hand。 〃I cannot see； however； how it affects your relation
to my sister。〃
〃I have eased my conscience；〃 said O'Brien； rising from his chair； 〃I
have told you all that there is to tell。 I should not like the story to reach
you through any lips but my own。〃
〃You are right； O'Brien。 Your action has been most honourable and
considerate。 But you are not to blame in the matter； save that perhaps
you showed a little precipitancy in choosing a life… partner without due
care and inquiry。〃
O'Brien drew his hand across his eyes。
〃Poor girl！〃 he cried。 〃God help me； I love her still！ But I must
go。〃
〃You will lunch with us？〃
〃No； Professor； I have my packing still to do。 I have already bade
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Miss Grey adieu。 In two months I shall see you again。〃
〃You will probably find me a married man。〃
〃Married！〃
〃Yes； I have been thinking of it。〃
〃My dear Professor； let me congratulate you with all my heart。 I had
no idea。 Who is the lady？〃
〃Mrs。 O'James is her namea widow of the same nationality as
yourself。 But to return to matters of importance； I should be very happy
to see the proofs of your paper upon the vermiform appendix。 I may be
able to furnish you with material for a footnote or two。〃
〃Your assistance will be invaluable to me；〃 said O'Brien； with
enthusiasm； and the two men parted in the hall。 The Professor walked
back into the dining… room； where his sister was already seated at the
luncheon…table。
〃I shall be married at the registrar's；〃 he remarked； 〃I should strongly
recommend you to do the same。〃
Professor Ainslie Grey was as good as his word。 A fortnight's
cessation of his classes gave him an opportunity which was too good to let
pass。 Mrs。 O'James was an orphan； without relations and almost without
friends in the country。 There was no obstacle in the way of a speedy
wedding。 They were married； accordingly； in the quietest manner
possible； and went off to Cambridge together； where the Professor and his
charming wife were present at several academic observances； and varied
the routine of their honeymoon by incursions into biological laboratories
and medical libraries。 Scientific friends were loud in their
congratulations； not only upon Mrs。 Grey's beauty； but upon the unusual
quickness and intelligence which she displayed in discussing physiological
questions。 The Professor was himself astonished at the accuracy of her
information。 〃You have a remarkable range of knowledge for a woman；
Jeannette；〃 he remarked upon more than one occasion。 He was even
prepared to admit that her cerebrum might be of the normal weight。
One foggy； drizzling morning they returned to Birchespool； for the
next day would re…open the session； and Professor Ainslie Grey prided
himself upon having never once in his life failed to appear in his lecture…
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room at the very stroke of the hour。 Miss Ada Grey welcomed them with
a constrained cordiality； and handed over the keys of office to the new
mistress。 Mrs。 Grey
