the queen of hearts-第21节
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indulged himself in a chuckle of supreme satisfaction； and then
began to read； without wasting another preliminary word on any
one of us。
BROTHER MORGAN'S STORY
of
THE DREAM…WOMAN。
CHAPTER I。
I HAD not been settled much more than six weeks in my country
practice when I was sent for to a neighboring town； to consult
with the resident medical man there on a case of very dangerous
illness。
My horse had come down with me at the end of a long ride the
night before； and had hurt himself； luckily； much more than he
had hurt his master。 Being deprived of the animal's services； I
started for my destination by the coach （there were no railways
at that time）； and I hoped to get back again； toward the
afternoon； in the same way。
After the consultation was over； I went to the principal inn of
the town to wait for the coach。 When it came up it was full
inside and out。 There was no resource left me but to get home as
cheaply as I could by hiring a gig。 The price asked for this
accommodation struck me as being so extortionate； that I
determined to look out for an inn of inferior pretensions； and to
try if I could not make a better bargain with a less prosperous
establishment。
I soon found a likely…looking house； dingy and quiet； with an
old…fashioned sign； that had evidently not been repainted for
many years past。 The landlord； in this case； was not above making
a small profit； and as soon as we came to terms he rang the
yard…bell to order the gig。
〃Has Robert not come back from that errand？〃 asked the landlord；
appealing to the waiter who answered the bell。
〃No； sir； he hasn't。〃
〃Well； then； you must wake up Isaac。〃
〃Wake up Isaac！〃 I repeated； 〃that sounds rather odd。 Do your
hostlers go to bed in the daytime？〃
〃This one does；〃 said the landlord； smiling to himself in rather
a strange way。
〃And dreams too；〃 added the waiter； 〃I shan't forget the turn it
gave me the first time I heard him。〃
〃Never you mind about that；〃 retorted the proprietor； 〃you go and
rouse Isaac up。 The gentleman's waiting for his gig。〃
The landlord's manner and the waiter's manner expressed a great
deal more than they either of them said。 I began to suspect that
I might be on the trace of something professionally interesting
to me as a medical man； and I thought I should like to look at
the hostler before the waiter awakened him。
〃Stop a minute；〃 I interposed； 〃I have rather a fancy for seeing
this man before you wake him up。 I'm a doctor； and if this queer
sleeping and dreaming of his comes from anything wrong in his
brain； I may be able to tell you what to do with him。〃
〃I rather think you will find his complaint past all doctoring；
sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃but； if you would like to see him；
you're welcome； I'm sure。〃
He led the way across a yard and down a passage to the stables；
opened one of the doors； and； waiting outside himself； told me to
look in。
I found myself in a two…stall stable。 In one of the stalls a
horse was munching his corn； in the other an old man was lying
asleep on the litter。
I stooped and looked at him attentively。 It was a withered；
woe…begone face。 The eyebrows were painfully contracted； the
mouth was fast set； and drawn down at the corners。
The hollow wrinkled cheeks； and the scanty grizzled hair； told
their own tale of some past sorrow or suffering。 He was drawing
his breath convulsively when I first looked at him； and in a
moment more he began to talk in his sleep。
〃Wake up！〃 I heard him say； in a quick whisper； through his
clinched teeth。 〃Wake up there！ Murder！〃
He moved one lean arm slowly till it rested over his throat；
shuddered a little； and turned on his straw。 Then the arm left
his throat； the hand stretched itself out； and clutched at the
side toward which he had turned； as if he fancied himself to be
grasping at the edge of something。 I saw his lips move； and bent
lower over him。 He was still talking in his sleep。
〃Light gray eyes；〃 he murmured； 〃and a droop in the left eyelid；
flaxen hair； with a gold…yellow streak in itall right；
motherfair white arms； with a down on themlittle lady's hand；
with a reddish look under the finger nails。 The knifealways the
cursed knifefirst on one side； then on the other。 Aha！ you
she…devil； where's the knife？〃
At the last word his voice rose； and he grew restless on a
sudden。 I saw him shudder on the straw； his withered face became
distorted； and he threw up both his hands with a quick hysterical
gasp。 They struck against the bottom of the manger under which he
lay； and the blow awakened him。 I had just time to slip through
the door and close it before his eyes were fairly open； and his
senses his own again。
〃Do you know anything about that man's past life？〃 I said to the
landlord。
〃Yes； sir； I know pretty well all about it；〃 was the answer； 〃and
an uncommon queer story it is。 Most people don't believe it。 It's
true； though； for all that。 Why； just look at him；〃 continued the
landlord； opening the stable door again。 〃Poor devil！ he's so
worn out with his restless nights that he's dropped back into his
sleep already。〃
〃Don't wake him；〃 I said； 〃I'm in no hurry for the gig。 Wait till
the other man comes back from his errand； and； in the meantime；
suppose I have some lunch and a bottle of sherry； and suppose you
come and help me to get through it？〃
The heart of mine host； as I had anticipated； warmed to me over
his own wine。 He soon became communicative on the subject of the
man asleep in the stable； and by little and little I drew the
whole story out of him。 Extravagant and incredible as the events
must appear to everybody； they are related here just as I heard
them and just as they happened。
CHAPTER II。
SOME years ago there lived in the suburbs of a large seaport town
on the west coast of England a man in humble circumstances； by
name Isaac Scatchard。 His means of subsistence were derived from
any employment that he could get as an hostler； and occasionally；
when times went well with him； from temporary engagements in
service as stable…helper in private houses。 Though a faithful；
steady； and honest man； he got on badly in his calling。 His ill
luck was proverbial among his neighbors。 He was always missing
good opportunities by no fault of his own； and always living
longest in service with amiable people who were not punctual
payers of wages。 〃Unlucky Isaac〃 was his nickname in his own
neighborhood； and no one could say that he did not richly deserve
it。
With far more than one man's fair share of adversity to endure；
Isaac had but one consolation to support him； and that was of the
dreariest and most negative kind。 He had no wife and children to
increase his anxieties and add to the bitterness of his various
failures in life。 It might have been from mere insensibility； or
it might have been from generous unwillingness to involve another
in his own unlucky destiny； but the fact undoubtedly was； that he
had arrived at the middle term of life without marrying； and；
what is much more remarkable； without once exposing himself； from
eighteen to eight…and…thirty； to the genial imputation of ever
having had a sweetheart。
When he was out of service he lived alone with his widowed
mother。 Mrs。 Scatchard was a woman above the average in her lowly
station as to capacity and manners。 She had seen better days； as
the phrase is； but she never referred to them in the presence of
curious visitors； and； though perfectly polite to every one who
approached her； never cultivated any intimacies among her
neighbors。 She contrived to provide； hardly enough； for her
simple wants by doing rough work for the tailors； and always
managed to keep a decent home for her son to return to whenever
his ill luck drove him out helpless into the world。
One bleak autumn when Isaac was getting on fast toward forty and
when he was as usual out of place through no fault of his own； he
set forth； from his mother's cottage on a long walk inland to a
gentleman's seat where he had heard that a stable…helper was
required。
It wanted then but two days of his birthday； and Mrs。 Scatchard；
with her usual fondness； made him promise； before he started；
that he would be back in time to keep that anniversary with her；
in as festive a way as their poor means would allow。 It was easy
for him to comply with this request； even supposing he slept a
night each way on the road。
He was to start from home on Monday morning； and； whether he got
the new place or not； he was to be back for his birthday dinner
on Wednesday at two o'clock。
Arriving at his destination too late on the Monday night to make
application for the stablehelper's place； he slept at the village
inn； and in good time on the Tuesday morning presented himself at
the gentleman's house to fill the vacant situation。 Here again
his ill luck pursued him as inexorably as ever。 The excellent
written testimonials to his character which he was able to
produce availed him nothing； his long walk had been taken in
vain： only the day before the stable…helper's place had been
given to another man。
Isaac accepted this new disappointment resignedly and as a matter
of course。 Natu
