round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第9节
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observation； and yet he found himself watching these trifles with the
keenest attention。 Even the corrosion of the cork of an acid bottle caught
his eye； and he wondered that the doctor did not use glass stoppers。 Tiny
scratches where the light glinted off from the table； little stains upon the
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leather of the desk； chemical formulae scribbled upon the labels of the
phialsnothing was too slight to arrest his attention。 And his sense of
hearing was equally alert。 The heavy ticking of the solemn black clock
above the mantelpiece struck quite painfully upon his ears。 Yet in spite
of it； and in spite also of the thick； old…fashioned wooden partition； he
could hear voices of men talking in the next room； and could even catch
scraps of their conversation。 〃Second hand was bound to take it。〃
〃Why； you drew the last of them yourself！〃
〃How could I play the queen when I knew that the ace was against
me？〃 The phrases came in little spurts falling back into the dull murmur
of conversation。 And then suddenly he heard the creaking of a door and
a step in the hall； and knew with a tingling mixture of impatience and
horror that the crisis of his life was at hand。
Dr。 Horace Selby was a large； portly man with an imposing presence。
His nose and chin were bold and pronounced； yet his features were puffy；
a combination which would blend more freely with the wig and cravat of
the early Georges than with the close…cropped hair and black frock…coat of
the end of the nineteenth century。 He was clean shaven； for his mouth
was too good to coverlarge； flexible； and sensitive； with a kindly human
softening at either corner which with his brown sympathetic eyes had
drawn out many a shame…struck sinner's secret。 Two masterful little
bushy side…whiskers bristled out from under his ears spindling away
upwards to merge in the thick curves of his brindled hair。 To his patients
there was something reassuring in the mere bulk and dignity of the man。
A high and easy bearing in medicine as in war bears with it a hint of
victories in the past； and a promise of others to come。 Dr。 Horace Selby's
face was a consolation； and so too were the large； white； soothing hands；
one of which he held out to his visitor。
〃I am sorry to have kept you waiting。 It is a conflict of duties； you
perceivea host's to his guests and an adviser's to his patient。 But now I
am entirely at your disposal； Sir Francis。 But dear me； you are very
cold。〃
〃Yes； I am cold。〃
〃And you are trembling all over。 Tut； tut； this will never do！ This
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miserable night has chilled you。 Perhaps some little stimulant〃
〃No； thank you。 I would really rather not。 And it is not the night
which has chilled me。 I am frightened； doctor。〃
The doctor half…turned in his chair； and he patted the arch of the young
man's knee； as he might the neck of a restless horse。
〃What then？〃 he asked； looking over his shoulder at the pale face with
the startled eyes。
Twice the young man parted his lips。 Then he stooped with a sudden
gesture； and turning up the right leg of his trousers he pulled down his
sock and thrust forward his shin。 The doctor made a clicking noise with
his tongue as he glanced at it。
〃Both legs？〃
〃No； only one。〃
〃Suddenly？〃
〃This morning。〃
〃Hum。〃
The doctor pouted his lips； and drew his finger and thumb down the
line of his chin。 〃Can you account for it？〃 he asked briskly。
〃No。〃
A trace of sternness came into the large brown eyes。
〃I need not point out to you that unless the most absolute frankness
〃
The patient sprang from his chair。 〃So help me God！〃 he cried； 〃I
have nothing in my life with which to reproach myself。 Do you think
that I would be such a fool as to come here and tell you lies。 Once for all；
I have nothing to regret。〃 He was a pitiful； half…tragic and half…grotesque
figure； as he stood with one trouser leg rolled to the knee； and that ever
present horror still lurking in his eyes。 A burst of merriment came from
the card…players in the next room； and the two looked at each other in
silence。
〃Sit down；〃 said the doctor abruptly； 〃your assurance is quite
sufficient。〃 He stooped and ran his finger down the line of the young
man's shin； raising it at one point。 〃Hum； serpiginous；〃 he murmured；
shaking his head。 〃Any other symptoms？〃
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〃My eyes have been a little weak。〃
〃Let me see your teeth。〃 He glanced at them； and again made the
gentle； clicking sound of sympathy and disapprobation。
〃Now your eye。〃 He lit a lamp at the patient's elbow； and holding a
small crystal lens to concentrate the light； he threw it obliquely upon the
patient's eye。 As he did so a glow of pleasure came over his large
expressive face； a flush of such enthusiasm as the botanist feels when he
packs the rare plant into his tin knapsack； or the astronomer when the
long…sought comet first swims into the field of his telescope。
〃This is very typicalvery typical indeed；〃 he murmured； turning to
his desk and jotting down a few memoranda upon a sheet of paper。
〃Curiously enough； I am writing a monograph upon the subject。 It is
singular that you should have been able to furnish so well…marked a case。〃
He had so forgotten the patient in his symptom； that he had assumed an
almost congratulatory air towards its possessor。 He reverted to human
sympathy again； as his patient asked for particulars。
〃My dear sir； there is no occasion for us to go into strictly professional
details together；〃 said he soothingly。 〃If； for example； I were to say that
you have interstitial keratitis； how would you be the wiser？ There are
indications of a strumous diathesis。 In broad terms； I may say that you
have a constitutional and hereditary taint。〃
The young baronet sank back in his chair； and his chin fell forwards
upon his chest。 The doctor sprang to a side…table and poured out half a
glass of liqueur brandy which he held to his patient's lips。 A little fleck
of colour came into his cheeks as he drank it down。
〃Perhaps I spoke a little abruptly；〃 said the doctor； 〃but you must have
known the nature of your complaint。 Why； otherwise； should you have
come to me？〃
〃God help me； I suspected it； but only today when my leg grew bad。
My father had a leg like this。〃
〃It was from him； then？〃
〃No； from my grandfather。 You have heard of Sir Rupert Norton； the
great Corinthian？〃
The doctor was a man of wide reading with a retentive； memory。 The
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name brought back instantly to him the remembrance of the sinister
reputation of its ownera notorious buck of the thirtieswho had gambled
and duelled and steeped himself in drink and debauchery； until even the
vile set with whom he consorted had shrunk away from him in horror； and
left him to a sinister old age with the barmaid wife whom he had married
in some drunken frolic。 As he looked at the young man still leaning back
in the leather chair； there seemed for the instant to flicker up behind him
some vague presentiment of that foul old dandy with his dangling seals；
many…wreathed scarf； and dark satyric face。 What was he now？ An
armful of bones in a mouldy box。 But his deeds they were living and
rotting the blood in the veins of an innocent man。
