the autobiography of a quack-第5节

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tended　him　while　he　was　hiding。

‘‘Can't　say　you　do。　Well；　you　can　lie；　and　no　mistake。　Come；　now；　doc。　Simon　says　　you're　safe；　and　I　want　to　have　a　leetle　plain　talk　with　you。''

With　this　he　laid　ten　gold　eagles　on　the　table。　I　put　out　my　hand　instinctively。

‘‘Let　'em　alone；''　cried　the　man；　sharply。　‘‘They're　easy　earned；　and　ten　more　like　'em。''

‘‘For　doing　what？''　I　said。

The　man　paused　a　moment；　and　looked　around　him；　next　he　stared　at　me；　and　loosened　his　cravat　with　a　hasty　pull。　‘‘You're　the　coroner；''　said　he。

‘‘I！　What　do　you　mean？''

‘‘Yes；　you're　the　coroner；　don't　you　understand？''　and　so　saying；　he　shoved　the　gold　pieces　toward　me。

‘‘Very　good；''　said　I；　‘‘we　will　suppose　I'm　the　coroner。　What　next？''

‘‘And　being　the　coroner；''　said　he；　‘‘you　get　this　note；　which　requests　you　to　call　at　No。　9　Blank　street　to　examine　the　body　of　a　young　man　which　is　supposedonly　supposed；　you　seeto　havewell；　to　have　died　under　suspicious　circumstances。''

‘‘Go　on；''　said　I。

‘‘No；''　he　returned；　‘‘not　till　I　know　how　you　like　it。　Stagers　and　another　knows　it；　and　it　wouldn't　be　very　safe　for　you　to　split；　besides　not　making　nothing　out　of　it。　But　　what　I　say　is　this；　Do　you　like　the　business　of　coroner？''

I　did　not　like　it；　but　just　then　two　hundred　in　gold　was　life　to　me；　so　I　said：　‘‘Let　me　hear　the　whole　of　it　first。　I　am　safe。''

‘‘That's　square　enough；''　said　the　man。　‘‘My　wife's　got''correcting　himself　with　a　shivery　shrug‘‘my　wife　had　a　brother　that　took　to　cutting　up　rough　because　when　I'd　been　up　too　late　I　handled　her　a　leetle　hard　now　and　again。

‘‘Luckily　he　fell　sick　with　typhoid　just　thenyou　see；　he　lived　with　us。　When　he　got　better　I　guessed　he'd　drop　all　that；　but　somehow　he　was　worse　than　everclean　off　his　head；　and　strong　as　an　ox。　My　wife　said　to　put　him　away　in　an　asylum。　I　didn't　think　that　would　do。　At　last　he　tried　to　get　out。　He　was　going　to　see　the　police　about　wellthe　thing　was　awful　serious；　and　my　wife　carrying　on　like　mad；　and　wanting　doctors。　I　had　no　mind　to　run；　and　something　had　got　to　be　done。　So　Simon　Stagers　and　I　talked　it　over。　The　end　of　it　was；　he　took　worse　of　a　sudden；　and　got　so　he　didn't　know　nothing。　Then　I　rushed　for　a　doctor。　He　said　it　was　a　perforation；　and　there　ought　to　have　been　a　doctor　when　he　was　first　took　sick。

‘‘Well；　the　man　died；　and　as　I　kept　about　the　house；　my　wife　had　no　chance　to　talk。　The　doctor　fussed　a　bit；　but　at　last　he　gave　a　certificate。　I　thought　we　were　done　with　it。　But　my　wife　she　writes　a　note　and　gives　it　to　a　boy　in　the　alley　to　put　in　the　post。　We　suspicioned　her；　and　Stagers　was　on　the　watch。　After　the　boy　got　away　a　bit；　Simon　bribed　him　with　a　quarter　to　give　him　the　note；　which　wasn't　no　less　than　a　request　to　the　coroner　to　come　to　the　house　to…morrow　and　make　an　examination；　as　foul　play　was　suspectedand　poison。''

When　the　man　quit　talking　he　glared　at　me。　I　sat　still。　I　was　cold　all　over。　I　was　afraid　to　go　on；　and　afraid　to　go　back；　besides　which；　I　did　not　doubt　that　there　was　a　good　deal　of　money　in　the　case。

‘‘Of　course；''　said　I；　‘‘it's　nonsense；　only　I　suppose　you　don't　want　the　officers　about；　and　a　fuss；　and　that　sort　of　thing。''

‘‘Exactly；''　said　my　friend。　‘‘It's　all　bosh　about　poison。　You're　the　coroner。　You　take　this　note　and　come　to　my　house。　Says　you：　‘Mrs。　File；　are　you　the　woman　that　wrote　this　note？　Because　in　that　case　I　must　examine　the　body。'　''

‘‘I　see；''　said　I；　‘‘she　needn't　know　who　I　　am；　or　anything　else；　but　if　I　tell　her　it's　all　right；　do　you　think　she　won't　want　to　know　why　there　isn't　a　jury；　and　so　on？''

‘‘Bless　you；''　said　the　man；　‘‘the　girl　isn't　over　seventeen；　and　doesn't　know　no　more　than　a　baby。　As　we　live　up…town　miles　away；　she　won't　know　anything　about　you。''

‘‘I'll　do　it；''　said　I；　suddenly；　for；　as　I　saw；　it　involved　no　sort　of　risk；　‘‘but　I　must　have　three　hundred　dollars。''

‘‘And　fifty；''　added　the　wolf；　‘‘if　you　do　it　well。''

Then　I　knew　it　was　serious。

With　this　the　man　buttoned　about　him　a　shaggy　gray　overcoat；　and　took　his　leave　without　a　single　word　in　addition。

A　minute　later　he　came　back　and　said：　‘‘Stagers　is　in　this　business；　and　I　was　to　remind　you　of　Lou　Wilson；I　forgot　that；　the　woman　that　died　last　year。　That's　all。''　Then　he　went　away；　leaving　me　in　a　cold　sweat。　I　knew　now　I　had　no　choice。　I　understood　why　I　had　been　selected。

For　the　first　time　in　my　life；　that　night　I　couldn't　sleep。　I　thought　to　myself；　at　last；　that　I　would　get　up　early；　pack　a　few　clothes；　and　escape；　leaving　my　books　to　pay　as　they　might　my　arrears　of　rent。　Looking　out　of　　the　window；　however；　in　the　morning；　I　saw　Stagers　prowling　about　the　opposite　pavement；　and　as　the　only　exit　except　the　street　door　was　an　alleyway　which　opened　along…　side　of　the　front　of　the　house；　I　gave　myself　up　for　lost。　About　ten　o'clock　I　took　my　case　of　instruments　and　started　for　File's　house；　followed；　as　I　too　well　understood；　by　Stagers。

I　knew　the　house；　which　was　in　a　small　up…　town　street；　by　its　closed　windows　and　the　craped　bell；　which　I　shuddered　as　I　touched。　However；　it　was　too　late　to　draw　back；　and　I　therefore　inquired　for　Mrs。　File。　A　haggard…　looking　young　woman　came　down；　and　led　me　into　a　small　parlor；　for　whose　darkened　light　I　was　thankful　enough。

‘‘Did　you　write　this　note？''

‘‘I　did；''　said　the　woman；　‘‘if　you're　the　coroner。　Joe　Filehe's　my　husbandhe's　gone　out　to　see　about　the　funeral。　I　wish　it　was　his；　I　do。''

‘‘What　do　you　suspect？''　said　I。

‘‘I'll　tell　you；''　she　returned　in　a　whisper。　‘‘I　think　he　was　made　away　with。　I　think　there　was　foul　play。　I　think　he　was　poisoned。　That's　what　I　think。''

‘‘I　hope　you　may　be　mistaken；''　said　I。　‘‘Suppose　you　let　me　see　the　body。''

‘‘You　shall　see　it；''　she　replied；　and　following　her；　I　went　up…stairs　to　a　front　chamber；　where　I　found　the　corpse。

‘‘Get　it　over　soon；''　said　the　woman；　with　strange　firmness。　‘‘If　there　ain't　no　murder　been　done　I　shall　have　to　run　for　it；　if　there　was''and　her　face　set　hard‘‘I　guess　I'll　stay。''　With　this　she　closed　the　door　and　left　me　with　the　dead。

If　I　had　known　what　was　before　me　I　never　could　have　gone　into　the　thing　at　all。　It　looked　a　little　better　when　I　had　opened　a　window　and　let　in　plenty　of　light；　for　although　I　was；　on　the　whole；　far　less　afraid　of　dead　than　living　men；　I　had　an　absurd　feeling　that　I　was　doing　this　dead　man　a　distinct　wrongas　if　it　mattered　to　the　dead；　after　all！　When　the　affair　was　over；　I　thought　more　of　the　possible　consequences　than　of　its　relation　to　the　dead　man　himself；　but　do　as　I　would　at　the　time；　I　was　in　a　ridiculous　funk；　and　especially　when　going　through　the　forms　of　a　post…mortem　examination。

I　am　free　to　confess　now　that　I　was　careful　not　to　uncover　the　man's　face；　and　that　when　it　was　over　I　backed　to　the　door　and　hastily　escaped　from　the　room。　On　the　stairs　　opposite　to　me　Mrs。　File　was　seated；　with　her　bonnet　on　and　a　bundle　in　her　hand。

‘‘Well；''　said　she；　rising　as　she　spoke；　and　with　a　certain　eagerness　in　her　tone；　‘‘what　killed　him？　Was　it　poison？''

‘‘Poison；　my　good　woman！''　said　I。　‘‘When　a　man　has　typhoid　fever　he　don't　need　poison　to　kill　him。　He　had　a　relapse；　that's　all。''

‘‘And　do　you　mean　to　say　he　wasn't　poisoned；''　said　she；　with　more　than　a　trace　of　disappointment　in　her　voice‘‘not　poisoned　at　all？''

‘‘No　more　than　you　are；''　said　I。　‘‘If　I　had　found　any　signs　of　foul　play　I　should　have　had　a　regular　inquest。　As　it　is；　the　less　said　about　it　the　better。　The　fact　is；　it　would　have　been　much　wiser　to　have　kept　quiet　at　the　beginning。　I　can't　understand　why　you　should　have　troubled　me　about　it　at　all。　The　man　had　a　perforation。　It　is　common　enough　in　typhoid。''

‘‘That's　what　the　doctor　saidI　didn't　believe　him。　I　guess　now　the　sooner　I　leave　the　better　for　me。''

‘‘As　to　that；''　I　returned；　‘‘it　is　none　of　my　business；　but　you　may　rest　certain　about　the　cause　of　your　brother's　death。''

My　fears　were　somewhat　quieted　that　　evening　when　Stagers　and　the　wolf　appeared　with　the　remainder　of　the　money；　and　I　learned　that　Mrs。　File　had　fled　from　her　home　and；　as　File　thought　likely；　from　the　city　also。　A　few　months　later　File　himself　disappeared；　and　Stagers　found　his　way　for　the　third　time　into　the　penitentiary。　Then　I　felt　at　ease。　I　now　see；　for　my　own　part；　that　I　was　guilty　of　more　than　one　mistake；　and　that　I　displayed　throughout　a　want　of　intelligence。　I　ought　to　have　asked　more；　and　also　might　have　got　a　good　fee　from　Mrs。　File　on　account　of　my　services　as　coroner。　It　served　me；　however；　as　a　good　lesson；　but　it　was　several　months　before　I　felt　quite　comfortable。

Meanwhile　money　became　scarce　once　more；　and　I　was　driven　to　my　wit's　end　to　devise　how　I　should　continue　to　live　as　I　had　done。　I　tried；　among　other　plans；　that　of　keeping　certain　pills　and　other　medicines；　which　I　sold　to　my　patients；　but　on　the　whole　I　found　it　better　to　send　all　my　prescriptions　to　one　druggist；　who　charged　the　patient　ten　or　twenty　cents　over　the　correct　price；　and　handed　this　amount　to　me。

In　some　cases　I　am　told　the　percentage　is　supposed　to　be　a　donation　on　the　part　of　the　　apothecary；　but　I　rather　fancy　the　patient　pays　for　it　in　the　end。　It　is　one　of　the　absurd　vagaries　of　th