manalive-第12节

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〃Miss　Hunt；〃　said　Dr。　Warner；　〃this　is　Dr。　Cyrus　Pym。〃

Dr。　Cyrus　Pym　shut　his　eyes　during　the　introduction；　rather　as　if　he　were
〃playing　fair〃　in　some　child's　game；　and　gave　a　prompt　little　bow；
which　somehow　suddenly　revealed　him　as　a　citizen　of　the　United　States。

〃Dr。　Cyrus　Pym；〃　continued　Warner　（Dr。　Pym　shut　his　eyes　again）；　〃is　perhaps
the　first　criminological　expert　of　America。　　We　are　very　fortunate　to　be　able
to　consult　with　him　in　this　extraordinary　case〃

〃I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of　anything；〃　said　Rosamund。　　〃How　can
poor　Mr。　Smith　be　so　dreadful　as　he　is　by　your　account？〃

〃Or　by　your　telegram；〃　said　Herbert　Warner；　smiling。

〃Oh；　you　don't　understand；〃　cried　the　girl　impatiently。
〃Why；　he's　done　us　all　more　good　than　going　to　church。〃

〃I　think　I　can　explain　to　the　young　lady；〃　said　Dr。　Cyrus　Pym。　　〃This　criminal
or　maniac　Smith　is　a　very　genius　of　evil；　and　has　a　method　of　his　own；
a　method　of　the　most　daring　ingenuity。　　He　is　popular　wherever　he　goes；
for　he　invades　every　house　as　an　uproarious　child。　　People　are
getting　suspicious　of　all　the　respectable　disguises　for　a　scoundrel；
so　he　always　uses　the　disguise　ofwhat　shall　I　saythe　Bohemian；
the　blameless　Bohemian。　　He　always　carries　people　off　their　feet。
People　are　used　to　the　mask　of　conventional　good　conduct。
He　goes　in　for　eccentric　good…nature。　You　expect　a　Don　Juan　to　dress
up　as　a　solemn　and　solid　Spanish　merchant；　but　you're　not　prepared
when　he　dresses　up　as　Don　Quixote。　　You　expect　a　humbug　to　behave　like
Sir　Charles　Grandison；　because　（with　all　respect；　Miss　Hunt；　for　the　deep；
tear…moving　tenderness　of　Samuel　Richardson）　Sir　Charles　Grandison
so　often　behaved　like　a　humbug。　　But　no　real　red…blooded　citizen　is　quite
ready　for　a　humbug　that　models　himself　not　on　Sir　Charles　Grandison
but　on　Sir　Roger　de　Coverly。　　Setting　up　to　be　a　good　man　a　little　cracked
is　a　new　criminal　incognito；　Miss　Hunt。　　It's　been　a　great　notion；
and　uncommonly　successful；　but　its　success　just　makes　it　mighty　cruel。
I　can　forgive　Dick　Turpin　if　he　impersonates　Dr。　Busby；　I　can't　forgive
him　when　he　impersonates　Dr。　Johnson。　　The　saint　with　a　tile　loose
is　a　bit　too　sacred；　I　guess；　to　be　parodied。〃

〃But　how　do　you　know；〃　cried　Rosamund　desperately；　〃that　Mr。　Smith
is　a　known　criminal？〃

〃I　collated　all　the　documents；〃　said　the　American；　〃when　my　friend　Warner
knocked　me　up　on　receipt　of　your　cable。　　It　is　my　professional　affair
to　know　these　facts；　Miss　Hunt；　and　there's　no　more　doubt　about　them
than　about　the　Bradshaw　down　at　the　depot。　　This　man　has　hitherto　escaped
the　law；　through　his　admirable　affectations　of　infancy　or　insanity。
But　I　myself；　as　a　specialist；　have　privately　authenticated　notes
of　some　eighteen　or　twenty　crimes　attempted　or　achieved　in　this　manner。
He　comes　to　houses　as　he　has　to　this；　and　gets　a　grand　popularity。
He　makes　things　go。　　They　do　go；　when　he's　gone　the　things　are　gone。
Gone；　Miss　Hunt；　gone；　a　man's　life　or　a　man's　spoons；　or　more　often　a　woman。
I　assure　you　I　have　all　the　memoranda。〃

〃I　have　seen　them；〃　said　Warner　solidly；　〃I　can　assure　you
that　all　this　is　correct。〃

〃The　most　unmanly　aspect；　according　to　my　feelings；〃　went　on　the　American
doctor；　〃is　this　perpetual　deception　of　innocent　women　by　a　wild　simulation
of　innocence。　　From　almost　every　house　where　this　great　imaginative　devil
has　been；　he　has　taken　some　poor　girl　away　with　him；　some　say　he's　got
a　hypnotic　eye　with　his　other　queer　features；　and　that　they　go　like　automata。
What's　become　of　all　those　poor　girls　nobody　knows。　　Murdered；　I　dare　say；
for　we've　lots　of　instances；　besides　this　one；　of　his　turning　his　hand
to　murder；　though　none　ever　brought　him　under　the　law。　　Anyhow；　our　most
modern　methods　of　research　can't　find　any　trace　of　the　wretched　women。
It's　when　I　think　of　them　that　I　am　really　moved；　Miss　Hunt。　　And　I've
really　nothing　else　to　say　just　now　except　what　Dr。　Warner　has　said。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Warner；　with　a　smile　that　seemed　moulded　in　marble〃that
we　all　have　to　thank　you　very　much　for　that　telegram。〃

The　little　Yankee　scientist　had　been　speaking　with　such　evident
sincerity　that　one　forgot　the　tricks　of　his　voice　and　manner
the　falling　eyelids；　the　rising　intonation；　and　the　poised
finger　and　thumbwhich　were　at　other　times　a　little　comic。
It　was　not　so　much　that　he　was　cleverer　than　Warner；
perhaps　he　was　not　so　clever；　though　he　was　more　celebrated。
But　he　had　what　Warner　never　had；　a　fresh　and　unaffected　seriousness
the　great　American　virtue　of　simplicity。　　Rosamund　knitted
her　brows　and　looked　gloomily　toward　the　darkening　house
that　contained　the　dark　prodigy。

Broad　daylight　still　endured；　but　it　had　already　changed　from　gold　to　silver；
and　was　changing　from　silver　to　gray。　　The　long　plumy　shadows　of　the　one　or
two　trees　in　the　garden　faded　more　and　more　upon　a　dead　background　of　dusk。
In　the　sharpest　and　deepest　shadow；　which　was　the　entrance　to　the　house
by　the　big　French　windows；　Rosamund　could　watch　a　hurried　consultation
between　Inglewood　（who　was　still　left　in　charge　of　the　mysterious　captive）
and　Diana；　who　had　moved　to　his　assistance　from　without。　　After　a　few　minutes
and　gestures　they　went　inside；　shutting　the　glass　doors　upon　the　garden；
and　the　garden　seemed　to　grow　grayer　still。

The　American　gentleman　named　Pym　seemed　to　be　turning　and　on　the　move
in　the　same　direction；　but　before　he　started　he　spoke　to　Rosamund　with　a
flash　of　that　guileless　tact　which　redeemed　much　of　his　childish　vanity；
and　with　something　of　that　spontaneous　poetry　which　made　it　difficult；
pedantic　as　he　was；　to　call　him　a　pedant。

〃I'm　vurry　sorry；　Miss　Hunt；〃　he　said；　〃but　Dr。　Warner　and　I；
as　two　quali…FIED　practitioners；　had　better　take　Mr。　Smith
away　in　that　cab；　and　the　less　said　about　it　the　better。
Don't　you　agitate　yourself；　Miss　Hunt。　　You've　just　got　to　think
that　we're　taking　away　a　monstrosity；　something　that　oughtn't　to　be
at　allsomething　like　one　of　those　gods　in　your　Britannic　Museum；
all　wings；　and　beards；　and　legs；　and　eyes；　and　no　shape。
That's　what　Smith　is；　and　you　shall　soon　be　quit　of　him。〃

He　had　already　taken　a　step　towards　the　house；　and　Warner　was　about
to　follow　him；　when　the　glass　doors　were　opened　again　and　Diana　Duke
came　out　with　more　than　her　usual　quickness　across　the　lawn。
Her　face　was　aquiver　with　worry　and　excitement；　and　her　dark　earnest
eyes　fixed　only　on　the　other　girl。

〃Rosamund；〃　she　cried　in　despair；　〃what　shall　I　do　with　her？〃

〃With　her？〃　cried　Miss　Hunt；　with　a　violent　jump。　　〃O　lord；
he　isn't　a　woman　too；　is　he？〃

〃No；　no；　no；〃　said　Dr。　Pym　soothingly；　as　if　in　common　fairness。
〃A　woman？　no；　really；　he　is　not　so　bad　as　that。〃

〃I　mean　your　friend　Mary　Gray；〃　retorted　Diana　with　equal　tartness。
〃What　on　earth　am　I　to　do　with　her？〃

〃How　can　we　tell　her　about　Smith；　you　mean；〃　answered　Rosamund；　her　face
at　once　clouded　and　softening。　　〃Yes；　it　will　be　pretty　painful。〃

〃But　I　HAVE　told　her；〃　exploded　Diana；　with　more　than　her
congenital　exasperation。　　〃I　have　told　her；　and　she　doesn't　seem　to　mind。
She　still　says　she's　going　away　with　Smith　in　that　cab。〃

〃But　it's　impossible！〃　ejaculated　Rosamund。　　〃Why；　Mary　is
really　religious。　　She〃

She　stopped　in　time　to　realize　that　Mary　Gray　was　comparatively
close　to　her　on　the　lawn。　　Her　quiet　companion　had　come　down　very
quietly　into　the　garden；　but　dressed　very　decisively　for　travel。
She　had　a　neat　but　very　ancient　blue　tam…o'…shanter　on　her　head；
and　was　pulling　some　rather　threadbare　gray　gloves　on　to　her　hands。
Yet　the　two　tints　fitted　excellently　with　her　heavy　copper…coloured　hair；
the　more　excellently　for　the　touch　of　shabbiness：　　for　a　woman's　clothes
never　suit　her　so　well　as　when　they　seem　to　suit　her　by　accident。

But　in　this　case　the　woman　had　a　quality　yet　more　unique　and　attractive。
In　such　gray　hours；　when　the　sun　is　sunk　and　the　skies　are
already　sad；　it　will　often　happen　that　one　reflection　at　some
occasional　angle　will　cause　to　linger　the　last　of　the　light。
A　scrap　of　window；　a　scrap　of　water；　a　scrap　of　looking…glass；
will　be　full　of　the　fire　that　is　lost　to　all　the　rest　of　the　earth。
The　quaint；　almost　triangular　face　of　Mary　Gray　was　like　some
triangular　piece　of　mirror　that　could　still　repeat　the　splendour
of　hours　before。　　Mary；　though　she　was　always　graceful；
could　never　before　have　properly　been　called　beautiful；　and　yet
her　happiness　amid　all　that　misery　was　so　beautiful　as　to　make
a　man　catch　his　breath。

〃O　Diana；〃　cried　Rosamund　in　a　lower　voice　and　altering　her　phrase；
〃but　how　did　you　tell　her？〃

〃It　is　quite　easy　to　tell　her；〃　answered　Diana　sombrely；
〃it　makes　no　impression　at　all。〃

〃I'm　afraid　I've　kept　everything　waiting；〃　said　Mary　Gray　apologetically；
〃and　now　we　must　really　say　good…bye。　Innocent　is　taking　me　to　his　aunt's
over　at　Hampstead；　and　I'm　afraid　she　goes　to　bed　early。〃

Her　words　were　quite　casual　and　practical；　but　there　was　a　sort
of　sleepy　light　in　her　eyes　that　was　more　baffling　than　darkness；
she　was　like　one　speaking　absently　with　her　eye　on　some
very　distant　object。

〃Mary；　Mary；〃　cried　Rosamund；　almost　breaking　down；　〃I'm　so　sorry　about　it；
but　the　th