round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第24节
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a constrained cordiality； and handed over the keys of office to the new
mistress。 Mrs。 Grey pressed her warmly to remain； but she explained
that she had already accepted an invitation which would engage her for
some months。 The same evening she departed for the south of England。
A couple of days later the maid carried a card just after breakfast into
the library where the Professor sat revising his morning lecture。 It
announced the re…arrival of Dr。 James M‘Murdo O'Brien。 Their meeting
was effusively genial on the part of the younger man； and coldly precise
on that of his former teacher。
〃You see there have been changes；〃 said the Professor。
〃So I heard。 Miss Grey told me in her letters； and I read the notice in
the British Medical Journal。 So it's really married you are。 How
quickly and quietly you have managed it all！〃
〃I am constitutionally averse to anything in the nature of show or
ceremony。 My wife is a sensible womanI may even go the length of
saying that； for a woman； she is abnormally sensible。 She quite agreed
with me in the course which I have adopted。〃
〃And your research on Vallisneria？〃
〃This matrimonial incident has interrupted it； but I have resumed
my classes； and we shall soon be quite in harness again。〃
〃I must see Miss Grey before I leave England。 We have
corresponded； and I think that all will be well。 She must come out with
me。 I don't think I could go without her。〃
The Professor shook his head。
〃Your nature is not so weak as you pretend；〃 he said。 〃Questions of
this sort are； after all； quite subordinate to the great duties of life。〃
O'Brien smiled。
〃You would have me take out my Celtic soul and put in a Saxon one；〃
he said。 〃Either my brain is too small or my heart is too big。 But when
may I call and pay my respects to Mrs。 Grey？ Will she be at home this
afternoon？〃
〃She is at home now。 Come into the morning…room。 She will be
glad to make your acquaintance。〃
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They walked across the linoleum…paved hall。 The Professor opened
the door of the room； and walked in； followed by his friend。 Mrs。 Grey
was sitting in a basket…chair by the window； light and fairy…like in a loose…
flowing； pink morning…gown。 Seeing a visitor； she rose and swept
towards them。 The Professor heard a dull thud behind him。 O'Brien
had fallen back into a chair； with his hand pressed tight to his side。
〃Jinny！〃 he gasped〃Jinny！〃
Mrs。 Grey stopped dead in her advance； and stared at him with a face
from which every expression had been struck out； save one of
astonishment and horror。 Then with a sharp intaking of the breath she
reeled； and would have fallen had the Professor not thrown his long；
nervous arm round her。
〃Try this sofa；〃 said he。
She sank back among the cushions with the same white； cold； dead
look upon her face。 The Professor stood with his back to the empty
fireplace and glanced from the one to the other。
〃So； O'Brien；〃 he said at last； 〃you have already made the
acquaintance of my wife！〃
〃Your wife； 〃 cried his friend hoarsely。 〃She is no wife of yours。
God help me； she is MY wife。〃
The Professor stood rigidly upon the hearthrug。 His long； thin fingers
were intertwined； and his head sunk a little forward。 His two
companions had eyes only for each other。
〃Jinny！〃 said he。
〃James！〃
〃How could you leave me so； Jinny？ How could you have the heart
to do it？ I thought you were dead。 I mourned for your deathay； and
you have made me mourn for you living。 You have withered my life。〃
She made no answer； but lay back among her cushions with her eyes
still fixed upon him。
〃Why do you not speak？〃
〃Because you are right； James。 I HAVE treated you cruelly
shamefully。 But it is not as bad as you think。〃
〃You fled with De Horta。〃
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〃No； I did not。 At the last moment my better nature prevailed。 He
went alone。 But I was ashamed to come back after what I had written to
you。 I could not face you。 I took passage alone to England under a new
name； and here I have lived ever since。 It seemed to me that I was
beginning life again。 I knew that you thought I was drowned。 Who
could have dreamed that fate would throw us together again！ When the
Professor asked me〃
She stopped and gave a gasp for breath。
〃You are faint；〃 said the Professor〃keep the head low； it aids the
cerebral circulation。〃 He flattened down the cushion。 〃I am sorry to
leave you； O'Brien； but I have my class duties to look to。 Possibly I may
find you here when I return。〃
With a grim and rigid face he strode out of the room。 Not one of the
three hundred students who listened to his lecture saw any change in his
manner and appearance； or could have guessed that the austere gentleman
in front of them had found out at last how hard it is to rise above one's
humanity。 The lecture over； he performed his routine duties in the
laboratory； and then drove back to his own house。 He did not enter by
the front door； but passed through the garden to the folding glass casement
which led out of the morning…room。 As he approached he heard his
wife's voice and O'Brien's in loud and animated talk。 He paused among
the rose…bushes； uncertain whether to interrupt them or no。 Nothing was
further from his nature than play the eavesdropper； but as he stood； still
hesitating； words fell upon his ear which struck him rigid and motionless。
〃You are still my wife； Jinny；〃 said O'Brien； 〃I forgive you from the
bottom of my heart。 I love you； and I have never ceased to love you；
though you had forgotten me。〃
〃No； James； my heart was always in Melbourne。 I have always been
yours。 I thought that it was better for you that I should seem to be dead。〃
〃You must choose between us now； Jinny。 If you determine to remain
here； I shall not open my lips。 There shall be no scandal。 If； on the
other hand； you come with me； it's little I care about the world's opinion。
Perhaps I am as much to blame as you。 I thought too much of my work
and too little of my wife。〃
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The Professor heard the cooing； caressing laugh which he knew so
well。
〃I shall go with you； James；〃 she said。
〃And the Professor？〃 〃The poor Professor！ But he will not mind
much； James； he has no heart。〃
〃We must tell him our resolution。〃
〃There is no need；〃 said Professor Ainslie Grey； stepping in through
the open casement。 〃I have overheard the latter part of your conversation。
I hesitated to interrupt you before you came to a conclusion。〃
O'Brien stretched out his hand and took that of the woman。 They
stood together with the sunshine on their faces。 The Professor paused at
the casement with his hands behind his back； and his long black shadow
fell between them。
〃You have come to a wise decision；〃 said he。 〃Go back to Australia
together； and let what has passed be blotted out of your lives。〃
〃But youyou〃 stammered O'Brien。
The Professor waved his hand。
〃Never trouble about me；〃 he said。
The woman gave a gasping cry。
〃What can I do or say？〃 she wailed。 〃How could I have foreseen this？
I thought my old life was dead。 But it has come back again； with all its
hopes and its desires。
