a mortal antipathy-第35节

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only　we　must　keep　quiet　about　it。〃



This　long　speech　gave　Lurida's　perfervid　brain　time　to　cool　off　a

little。　　She　left　the　paper　with　the　doctor；　telling　him　she　would

come　for　it　the　next　day；　and　went　off　to　tell　the　result　of　this

visit　to　her　bosom　friend；　Miss　Euthymia　Tower。









XV



DR。　BUTTS　CALLS　ON　EUTHYMIA。



The　doctor　was　troubled　in　thinking　over　his　interview　with　the　young

lady。　　She　was　fully　possessed　with　the　idea　that　she　had　discovered

the　secret　which　had　defied　the　most　sagacious　heads　of　the　village。

It　was　of　no　use　to　oppose　her　while　her　mind　was　in　an　excited

state。　　But　he　felt　it　his　duty　to　guard　her　against　any　possible

results　of　indiscretion　into　which　her　eagerness　and　her　theory　of

the　equality；　almost　the　identity；　of　the　sexes　might　betray　her。

Too　much　of　the　woman　in　a　daughter　of　our　race　leads　her　to　forget

danger。　　Too　little　of　the　woman　prompts　her　to　defy　it。　　Fortunately

for　this　last　class　of　women；　they　are　not　quite　so　likely　to　be

perilously　seductive　as　their　more　emphatically　feminine　sisters。



Dr。　Butts　had　known　Lurida　and　her　friend　from　the　days　of　their

infancy。　　He　had　watched　the　development　of　Lurida's　intelligence

from　its　precocious　nursery…life　to　the　full　vigor　of　its　trained

faculties。　　He　had　looked　with　admiration　on　the　childish　beauty　of

Euthymia；　and　had　seen　her　grow　up　to　womanhood；　every　year　making

her　more　attractive。　　He　knew　that　if　anything　was　to　be　done　with

his　self…willed　young　scholar　and　friend；　it　would　be　more　easily

effected　through　the　medium　of　Euthymia　than　by　direct　advice　to　the

young　lady　herself。　　So　the　thoughtful　doctor　made　up　his　mind　to

have　a　good　talk　with　Euthymia；　and　put　her　on　her　guard；　if　Lurida

showed　any　tendency　to　forget　the　conventionalities　in　her　eager

pursuit　of　knowledge。



For　the　doctor's　horse　and　chaise　to　stop　at　the　door　of　Miss

Euthymia　Tower's　parental　home　was　an　event　strange　enough　to　set　all

the　tongues　in　the　village　going。　　This　was　one　of　those　families

where　illness　was　hardly　looked　for　among　the　possibilities　of　life。

There　were　other　families　where　a　call　from　the　doctor　was　hardly

more　thought　of　than　a　call　from　the　baker。　　But　here　he　was　a

stranger；　at　least　on　his　professional　rounds；　and　when　he　asked　for

Miss　Euthymia　the　servant；　who　knew　his　face　well；　stared　as　if　he

had　held　in　his　hand　a　warrant　for　her　apprehension。



Euthymia　did　not　keep　the　doctor　waiting　very　long　while　she　made

ready　to　meet　him。　　One　look　at　her　glass　to　make　sure　that　a　lock

had　not　run　astray；　or　a　ribbon　got　out　of　place；　and　her　toilet　for

a　morning　call　was　finished。　　Perhaps　if　Mr。　Maurice　Kirkwood　had

been　announced；　she　might　have　taken　a　second　look；　but　with　the　good

middle…aged；　married　doctor　one　was　enough　for　a　young　lady　who　had

the　gift　of　making　all　the　dresses　she　wore　look　well；　and　had　no

occasion　to　treat　her　chamber　like　the　laboratory　where　an　actress

compounds　herself。



Euthymia　welcomed　the　doctor　very　heartily。　　She　could　not　help

suspecting　his　errand；　and　she　was　very　glad　to　have　a　chance　to　talk

over　her　friend's　schemes　and　fancies　with　him。



The　doctor　began　without　any　roundabout　prelude。



〃I　want　to　confer　with　you　about　our　friend　Lurida。　　Does　she　tell

you　all　her　plans　and　projects？〃



〃Why；　as　to　that；　doctor；　I　can　hardly　say；　positively；　but　I　do　not

believe　she　keeps　back　anything　of　importance　from　me。　　I　know　what

she　has　been　busy　with　lately；　and　the　queer　idea　she　has　got　into

her　head。　　What　do　you　think　of　the　Tarantula　business？　　She　has

shown　you　the　paper；　she　has　written；　I　suppose。〃



〃Indeed　she　has。　　It　is　a　very　curious　case　she　has　got　hold　of；　and

I　do　not　wonder　at　all　that　she　should　have　felt　convinced　that　she

had　come　at　the　true　solution　of　the　village　riddle。　　It　may　be　that

this　young　man　is　the　same　person　as　the　boy　mentioned　in　the　Italian

medical　journal。　　But　it　is　very　far　from　clear　that　he　is　so。　　You

know　all　her　reasons；　of　course；　as　you　have　read　the　story。　　The

times　seem　to　agree　well　enough。　　It　is　easy　to　conceive　that　Ch

might　be　substituted　for　Kin　the　report。　　The　singular　solitary

habits　of　this　young　man　entirely　coincide　with　the　story。　　If　we

could　only　find　out　whether　he　has　any　of　those　feelings　with

reference　to　certain　colors；　we　might　guess　with　more　chance　of

guessing　right　than　we　have　at　present。　　But　I　don't　see　exactly　how

we　are　going　to　submit　him　to　examination　on　this　point。　　If　he　were

only　a　chemical　compound；　we　could　analyze　him。　　If　he　were　only　a

bird　or　a　quadruped；　we　could　find　out　his　likes　and　dislikes。　　But

being；　as　he　is；　a　young　man；　with　ways　of　his　own；　and　a　will　of　his

own；　which　he　may　not　choose　to　have　interfered　with；　the　problem

becomes　more　complicated。　　I　hear　that　a　newspaper　correspondent　has

visited　him　so　as　to　make　a　report　to　his　paper；do　you　know　what　he

found　out？〃



〃Certainly　I　do；　very　well。　　My　brother　has　heard　his　own　story；

which　was　this：　He　found　out　he　had　got　hold　of　the　wrong　person　to

interview。　　The　young　gentleman；　he　says；　interviewed　him；　so　that　he

did　not　learn　much　about　the　Sphinx。　　But　the　newspaper　man　told

Willy　about　the　Sphinx's　library　and　a　cabinet　of　coins　he　had；　and

said　he　should　make　an　article　out　of　him；　anyhow。　　I　wish　the　man

would　take　himself　off。　　I　am　afraid　Lurida's　love　of　knowledge　will

get　her　into　trouble！〃



〃Which　of　the　men　do　you　wish　would　take　himself　off？〃



〃I　was　thinking　of　the　newspaper　man。〃



She　blushed　a　little　as　she　said；　〃I　can't　help　feeling　a　strange

sort　of　interest　about　the　other；　Mr。　Kirkwood。　　Do　you　know　that　I

met　him　this　morning；　and　had　a　good　look　at　him；　full　in　the　face？〃



〃Well；　to　be　sure！　　That　was　an　interesting　experience。　　And　how　did

you　like　his　looks？〃



〃I　thought　his　face　a　very　remarkable　one。　　But　he　looked　very　pale

as　he　passed　me；　and　I　noticed　that　he　put　his　hand　to　his　left　side

as　if　he　had　a　twinge　of　pain；　or　something　of　that　sort；spasm　or

neuralgia；I　don't　know　what。　　I　wondered　whether　he　had　what　you

call　angina　pectoris。　　It　was　the　same　kind　of　look　and　movement；　I

remember；　as　you　trust；　too；　in　my　uncle　who　died　with　that

complaint。〃



The　doctor　was　silent　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　asked；　〃Were　you　dressed

as　you　are　now？〃



〃Yes；　I　was；　except　that　I　had　a　thin　mantle　over　my　shoulders。　　I

was　out　early；　and　I　have　always　remembered　your　caution。〃



〃What　color　was　your　mantle？〃



〃It　was　black。　　I　have　been　over　all　this　with　Lucinda。　　A　black

mantle　on　a　white　dress。　　A　straw　hat　with　an　old　faded　ribbon。

There　can't　be　much　in　those　colors　to　trouble　him；　I　should　think；

for　his　man　wears　a　black　coat　and　white　linen；more　or　less　white；

as　you　must　have　noticed；　and　he　must　have　seen　ribbons　of　all　colors

often　enough。　　But　Lurida　believes　it　was　the　ribbon；　or　something　in

the　combination　of　colors。　　Her　head　is　full　of　Tarantulas　and

Tarantism。　　I　fear　that　she　will　never　be　easy　until　the　question　is

settled　by　actual　trial。　　And　will　you　believe　it？　the　girl　is

determined　in　some　way　to　test　her　supposition！〃



〃Believe　it；　Euthymia？　　I　can　believe　almost　anything　of　Lurida。　　She

is　the　most　irrepressible　creature　I　ever　knew。　　You　know　as　well　as

I　do　what　a　complete　possession　any　ruling　idea　takes　of　her　whole

nature。　　I　have　had　some　fears　lest　her　zeal　might　run　away　with　her

discretion。　　It　is　a　great　deal　easier　to　get　into　a　false　position

than　to　get　out　of　it。〃



〃I　know　it　well　enough。　　I　want　you　to　tell　me　what　you　think　about

the　whole　business。　　I　don't　like　the　look　of　it　at　all；　and　yet　I

can　do　nothing　with　the　girl　except　let　her　follow　her　fancy；　until　I

can　show　her　plainly　that　she　will　get　herself　into　trouble　in　some

way　or　other。　　But　she　is　ingenious；full　of　all　sorts　of　devices；

innocent　enough　in　themselves；　but　liable　to　be　misconstrued。　　You

remember　how　she　won　us　the　boat…race？〃



〃To　be　sure　I　do。　　It　was　rather　sharp　practice；　but　she　felt　she　was

paying　off　an　old　score。　　The　classical　story　of　Atalanta；　told；　like

that　of　Eve；　as　illustrating　the　weakness　of　woman；　provoked　her　to

make　trial　of　the　powers　of　resistance　in　the　other　sex。　　But　it　was

audacious。　　I　hope　her　audacity　will　not　go　too　far。　　You　must　watch

her。　　Keep　an　eye　on　her　correspondence。〃



The　doctor　had　great　confidence　in　the　good　sense　of　Lurida's　friend。

He　felt　sure　that　she　would　not　let　Lurida　commit　herself　by　writing

foolish　letters　to　the　subject　of　her　speculations；　or　similar

indiscreet　performances。　　The　boldness　of　young　girls；　who　think　no

evil；　in　opening　correspondence　with　idealized　personages　is

something　quite　astonishing　to　those　who　have　had　an　opportunity　of

knowing　the　facts。　　Lurida　had　passed　the　most　dangerous　age；　but　her

theory　of　the　equality　of　the　se