stories by modern american authors-第68节

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had　been　found　by　his　horrified　parent　stretched　insensible　on　the

staircase。　　Diachylon　in　the　one　case　and　ammonia　in　the　other　were

all　that　my　patients　required；　and　I　had　a　faint　suspicion　that　the

present　summons　was　perhaps　occasioned　by　no　case　more　necessitous

than　those　I　have　quoted。　　I　was　too　young　in　my　profession；

however；　to　neglect　opportunities。　　It　is　only　when　a　physician

rises　to　a　very　large　practice　that　he　can　afford　to　be

inconsiderate。　　I　was　on　the　first　step　of　the　ladder；　so　I　humbly

opened　my　door。



A　woman　was　standing　ankle　deep　in　the　snow　that　lay　upon　the

stoop。　　I　caught　but　a　dim　glimpse　of　her　form；　for　the　night　was

cloudy；　but　I　could　hear　her　teeth　rattling　like　castanets；　and；　as

the　sharp　wind　blew　her　clothes　close　to　her　form；　I　could　discern

from　the　sharpness　of　the　outlines　that　she　was　very　scantily

supplied　with　raiment。



〃Come　in；　come　in；　my　good　woman；〃　I　said　hastily；　for　the　wind

seemed　to　catch　eagerly　at　the　opportunity　of　making　itself　at　home

in　my　hall；　and　was　rapidly　forcing　an　entrance　through　the　half…

open　door。　　〃Come　in；　you　can　tell　me　all　you　have　to　communicate

inside。〃



She　slipped　in　like　a　ghost；　and　I　closed　the　door。　　While　I　was

striking　a　light　in　my　office；　I　could　hear　her　teeth　still

clicking　out　in　the　dark　hall；　till　it　seemed　as　if　some　skeleton

was　chattering。　　As　soon　as　I　obtained　a　light　I　begged　her　to

enter　the　room；　and；　without　occupying　myself　particularly　about

her　appearance；　asked　her　abruptly　what　her　business　was。



〃My　father　has　met　with　a　severe　accident；〃　she　said；　〃and　requires

instant　surgical　aid。　　I　entreat　you　to　come　to　him　immediately。〃



The　freshness　and　the　melody　of　her　voice　startled　me。　　Such　voices

rarely；　if　ever；　issue　from　any　but　beautiful　forms。　　I　looked　at

her　attentively；　but；　owing　to　a　nondescript　species　of　shawl　in

which　her　head　was　wrapped；　I　could　discern　nothing　beyond　what

seemed　to　be　a　pale；　thin　face　and　large　eyes。　　Her　dress　was

lamentable。　　An　old　silk；　of　a　color　now　unrecognizable；　clung　to

her　figure　in　those　limp　folds　which　are　so　eloquent　of　misery。

The　creases　where　it　had　been　folded　were　worn　nearly　through；　and

the　edges　of　the　skirt　had　decayed　into　a　species　of　irregular

fringe；　which　was　clotted　and　discolored　with　mud。　　Her　shoes

which　were　but　half　concealed　by　this　scanty　garmentwere

shapeless　and　soft　with　moisture。　　Her　hands　were　hidden　under　the

ends　of　the　shawl　which　covered　her　head　and　hung　down　over　a　bust；

the　outlines　of　which；　although　angular；　seemed　to　possess　grace。

Poverty；　when　partially　shrouded；　seldom　fails　to　interest：　witness

the　statue　of　the　Veiled　Beggar；　by　Monti。



〃In　what　manner　was　your　father　hurt？〃　I　asked；　in　a　tone

considerably　softened　from　the　one　in　which　I　put　my　first

question。



〃He　blew　himself　up；　sir；　and　is　terribly　wounded。〃



〃Ah！　　He　is　in　some　factory；　then？〃



〃No；　sir；　he　is　a　chemist。〃



〃A　chemist？　　Why；　he　is　a　brother　professional。　　Wait　an　instant；

and　I　will　slip　on　my　coat　and　go　with　you。　　Do　you　live　far　from

here？〃



〃In　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　more　than　two　blocks　from　the　end　of

this　street。〃



〃So　much　the　better。　　We　will　be　with　him　in　a　few　minutes。　　Did

you　leave　anyone　in　attendance　on　him？〃



〃No；　sir。　　He　will　allow　no　one　but　myself　to　enter　his　laboratory。

And；　injured　as　he　is；　I　could　not　induce　him　to　quit　it。〃



〃Indeed！　　He　is　engaged　in　some　great　research；　perhaps？　　I　have

known　such　cases。〃



We　were　passing　under　a　lamp…post；　and　the　woman　suddenly　turned

and　glared　at　me　with　a　look　of　such　wild　terror　that　for　an

instant　I　involuntarily　glanced　round　me　under　the　impression　that

some　terrible　peril；　unseen　by　me；　was　menacing　us　both。



〃Don'tdon't　ask　me　any　questions；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　　〃He

will　tell　you　all。　　But　do；　oh；　do　hasten！　　Good　God！　he　may　be

dead　by　this　time！〃



I　made　no　reply；　but　allowed　her　to　grasp　my　hand；　which　she　did

with　a　bony；　nervous　clutch；　and　endeavored　with　some　difficulty　to

keep　pace　with　the　long　stridesI　might　well　call　them　bounds；　for

they　seemed　the　springs　of　a　wild　animal　rather　than　the　paces　of　a

young　girlwith　which　she　covered　the　ground。　　Not　a　word　more　was

uttered　until　we　stopped　before　a　shabby；　old…fashioned　tenement

house　in　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　far　above　Twenty…third　Street。

She　pushed　the　door　open　with　a　convulsive　pressure；　and；　still

retaining　hold　of　my　hand；　literally　dragged　me　upstairs　to　what

seemed　to　be　a　back　offshoot　from　the　main　building；　as　high；

perhaps；　as　the　fourth　story。　　In　a　moment　more　I　found　myself　in　a

moderate…sized　chamber；　lit　by　a　single　lamp。　　In　one　corner；

stretched　motionless　on　a　wretched　pallet　bed；　I　beheld　what　I

supposed　to　be　the　figure　of　my　patient。



〃He　is　there；〃　said　the　girl；　〃go　to　him。　　See　if　he　is　deadI

dare　not　look。〃



I　made　my　way　as　well　as　I　could　through　the　numberless　dilapidated

chemical　instruments　with　which　the　room　was　littered。　　A　French

chafing　dish　supported　on　an　iron　tripod　had　been　overturned；　and

was　lying　across　the　floor；　while　the　charcoal；　still　warm；　was

scattered　around　in　various　directions。　　Crucibles；　alembics；　and

retorts　were　confusedly　piled　in　various　corners；　and　on　a　small

table　I　saw　distributed　in　separate　bottles　a　number　of　mineral　and

metallic　substances；　which　I　recognized　as　antimony；　mercury；

plumbago；　arsenic；　borax；　etc。　　It　was　veritably　the　apartment　of　a

poor　chemist。　　All　the　apparatus　had　the　air　of　being　second…hand。

There　was　no　luster　of　exquisitely　annealed　glass　and　highly

polished　metals；　such　as　dazzles　one　in　the　laboratory　of　the

prosperous　analyst。　　The　makeshifts　of　poverty　were　everywhere

visible。　　The　crucibles　were　broken；　or　gallipots　were　used　instead

of　crucibles。　　The　colored　tests　were　not　in　the　usual　transparent

vials；　but　were　placed　in　ordinary　black　bottles。　　There　is　nothing

more　melancholy　than　to　behold　science　or　art　in　distress。　　A

threadbare　scholar；　a　tattered　book；　or　a　battered　violin　is　a　mute

appeal　to　our　sympathy。



I　approached　the　wretched　pallet　bed　on　which　the　victim　of

chemistry　was　lying。　　He　breathed　heavily；　and　had　his　head　turned

toward　the　wall。　　I　lifted　his　arm　gently　to　arouse　his　attention。

〃How　goes　it；　my　poor　friend？〃　I　asked　him。　　〃Where　are　you　hurt？〃



In　a　moment；　as　if　startled　by　the　sound　of　my　voice；　he　sprang　up

in　his　bed；　and　cowered　against　the　wall　like　a　wild　animal　driven

to　bay。　　〃Who　are　you？　　I　don't　know　you。　　Who　brought　you　here？

You　are　a　stranger。　　How　dare　you　come　into　my　private　rooms　to　spy

upon　me？〃



And　as　he　uttered　this　rapidly　with　a　frightful　nervous　energy；　I

beheld　a　pale　distorted　face；　draped　with　long　gray　hair；　glaring

at　me　with　a　mingled　expression　of　fury　and　terror。



〃I　am　no　spy；〃　I　answered　mildly。　　〃I　heard　that　you　had　met　with

an　accident；　and　have　come　to　cure　you。　　I　am　Dr。　Luxor；　and　here

is　my　card。〃



The　old　man　took　the　card；　and　scanned　it　eagerly。　　〃You　are　a

physician？〃　he　inquired　distrustfully。



〃And　surgeon　also。〃



〃You　are　bound　by　oath　not　to　reveal　the　secrets　of　your　patients。〃



〃Undoubtedly。〃



〃I　am　afraid　that　I　am　hurt；〃　he　continued　faintly；　half　sinking

back　in　the　bed。



I　seized　the　opportunity　to　make　a　brief　examination　of　his　body。

I　found　that　the　arms；　a　part　of　the　chest；　and　a　part　of　the　face

were　terribly　scorched；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　nothing

to　be　apprehended　but　pain。



〃You　will　not　reveal　anything　that　you　may　learn　here？〃　said　the

old　man；　feebly　fixing　his　eyes　on　my　face　while　I　was　applying　a

soothing　ointment　to　the　burns。　　〃You　will　promise　me。〃



I　nodded　assent。



〃Then　I　will　trust　you。　　Cure　meI　will　pay　you　well。〃



I　could　scarce　help　smiling。　　If　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　conscious　of

millions　of　ducats　in　his　coffers；　had　been　addressing　some　leech

of　the　period；　he　could　not　have　spoken　with　a　loftier　air　than

this　inhabitant　of　the　fourth　story　of　a　tenement　house　in　the

Seventh　Avenue。



〃You　must　keep　quiet；〃　I　answered。　　〃Let　nothing　irritate　you。　　I

will　leave　a　composing　draught　with　your　daughter；　which　she　will

give　you　immediately。　　I　will　see　you　in　the　morning。　　You　will　be

well　in　a　week。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　came　in　a　murmur　from　a　dusk　corner　near　the　door。　　I

turned；　and　beheld　the　dim　outline　of　the　girl；　standing　with

clasped　hands　in　the　gloom　of　the　dim　chamber。



〃My　daughter！〃　screamed　the　old　man；　once　more　leaping　up　in　the

bed　with　renewed　vitality。　　〃You　have　seen　her；　then？　　When？

Where？　　Oh；　may　a　thousand　cur〃



〃Father！　father！　　Anythinganything　but　that。　　Don't；　don't　curse

me！〃　　And　the　poor　girl；　rushing　in；　flung　herself　sobbing　on　her

knees　beside　his　pallet。



〃Ah；　brigand！　　You　are　there；　are　you？　　Sir；〃　said　he；　turning