those extraordinary twins-第11节

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proxy　would　have　been　disposed　of　early。　　He　added：

〃Count　Luigi's　request　for　another　exchange　is　another　proof　that　he　is　a
brave　and　chivalrous　gentleman；　and　I　beg　that　the　courtesy　he　asks　may
be　accorded　him。〃

〃I　thank　you　most　sincerely　for　this　generosity；　Judge　Driscoll；〃　said
Luigi；　with　a　polite　bow；　and　moving　to　his　place。　　Then　he　added　to
Angelo；　〃Now　hold　your　grip；　hold　your　grip；　I　tell　you；　and　I'll　land
him　sure！〃

The　men　stood　erect；　their　pistol…arms　at　their　sides；　the　two　seconds
stood　at　their　official　posts；　the　doctor　stood　five　paces　in　Wilson's
rear　with　his　instruments　and　bandages　in　his　hands。　　The　deep　stillness；
the　peaceful　moonlight；　the　motionless　figures；　made　an　impressive
picture　and　the　impending　fatal　possibilities　augmented　this
impressiveness　solemnity。　　Wilson's　hand　began　to　riseslowlystill
higherstill　higherin　another　moment：

〃Boom！〃　the　first　stroke　of　midnight　swung　up　　out　of　the　distance；
Angelo　was　off　like　a　deer！

〃Oh；　you　unspeakable　traitor！〃　wailed　his　brother；　as　they　went　soaring
over　the　fence。

The　others　stood　astonished　and　gazing；　and　so　stood；　watching　that
strange　spectacle　until　distance　dissolved　it　and　swept　it　from　their
view。　　Then　they　rubbed　their　eyes　like　people　waking　out　of　a　dream；

〃Well；　I've　never　seen　anything　like　that　before！〃　said　the　judge。
〃Wilson；　I　am　going　to　confess　now；　that　I　wasn't　quite　able　to　believe
in　that　leg　business；　and　had　a　suspicion　that　it　was　a　put…up
convenience　between　those　twins；　and　when　Count　Angelo　fainted　I　thought
I　saw　the　whole　schemethought　it　was　pretext　No。　2；　and　would　be
followed　by　others　till　twelve　o'clock　should　arrive；　and　Luigi　would　get
off　with　all　the　credit　of　seeming　to　want　to　fight　and　yet　not　have　to
fight；　after　all。　　But　I　was　mistaken。　　His　pluck　proved　it。　　He's　a
brave　fellow　and　did　want　to　fight。〃

〃There　isn't　any　doubt　about　that；〃　said　Howard；　and　added；　in　a　grieved
tone；　〃but　what　an　unworthy　sort　of　Christian　that　Angelo　isI　hope　and
believe　there　are　not　many　like　him。　　It　is　not　right　to　engage　in　a　duel
on　the　SabbathI　could　not　approve　of　that　myself；　but　to　finish　one
that　has　been　begunthat　is　a　duty；　let　the　day　be　what　it　may。〃

They　strolled　along；　still　wondering；　still　talking。

〃It　is　a　curious　；circumstance；〃remarked　the　surgeon；　halting　Wilson　a
moment　to　paste　so　more　court…plaster　on　his　chin；　which　had　gone　to
leaking　blood　again；　〃that　in　this　duel　neither　of　the　parties　who
handled　the　pistols　lost　blood　while　nearly　all　the　persons　present　in
the　mere　capacity　of　guests　got　hit。　　I　have　not　heard　of　such　a　thing
before。　　Don't　you　think　it　unusual？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Judge；　〃it　has　struck　me　as　peculiar。　　Peculiar　and
unfortunate。　　I　was　annoyed　at　it；　all　the　time。　　In　the　case　of　Angelo
it　made　no　great　difference；　because　he　was　in　a　measure　concerned；
though　not　officially；　but　it　troubled　me　to　see　the　seconds　compromised；
and　yet　I　knew　no　way　to　mend　the　matter。

〃There　was　no　way　to　mend　it；〃　said　Howard；　whose　ear　was　being
readjusted　now　by　the　doctor；　〃the　code　fixes　our　place；　and　it　would　not
have　been　lawful　to　change　it。　　If　we　could　have　stood　at　your　side；　or
behind　you；　or　in　front　of　you；　itbut　it　would　not　have　been　legitimate
and　the　other　parties　would　have　had　a　just　right　to　complain　of　our
trying　to　protect　ourselves　from　danger；　infractions　of　the　code　are
certainly　not　permissible　in　any　case　whatever。〃

Wilson　offered　no　remarks。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　there　was　very　little
place　here　for　so　much　solemnity；　but　he　judged　that　if　a　duel　where
nobody　was　in　danger　or　got　crippled　but　the　seconds　and　the　outsiders
had　nothing　ridiculous　about　it　for　these　gentlemen；　his　pointing　out
that　feature　would　probably　not　help　them　to　see　it。

He　invited　them　in　to　take　a　nightcap；　and　Howard　and　the　judge　accepted；
but　the　doctor　said　he　would　have　to　go　and　see　how　Angelo's　principal
wound　was　getting　on。

　　　　　＇It　was　now　Sunday；　and　in　the　afternoon　Angelo　was　to　be　received
　　　　　into　the　Baptist　communion　by　immersiona　doubtful　prospect；　the
　　　　　doctor　feared。＇




CHAPTER　VII

LUIGI　DEFIES　GALEN

When　the　doctor　arrived　at　Aunt　Patsy　Cooper's　house；　he　found　the　lights
going　and　everybody　up　and　dressed　and　in　a　great　state　of　solicitude　and
excitement。　　The　twins　were　stretched　on　a　sofa　in　the　sitting…room；　Aunt
Patsy　was　fussing　at　Angelo's　arm；　Nancy　was　flying　around　under　her
commands；　the　two　young　boys　were　trying　to　keep　out　of　the　way　and
always　getting　in　it；　in　order　to　see　and　wonder；　Rowena　stood　apart；
helpless　with　apprehension　and　emotion；　and　Luigi　was　growling　in
unappeasable　fury　over　Angelo's　shameful　flight。

As　has　been　reported　before；　the　doctor　was　a　foola　kind…hearted　and
well…meaning　one；　but　with　no　tact；　and　as　he　was　by　long　odds　the　most
learned　physician　in　the　town；　and　was　quite　well　aware　of　it；　and　could
talk　his　learning　with　ease　and　precision；　and　liked　to　show　off　when　he
had　an　audience；　he　was　sometimes　tempted　into　revealing　more　of　a　case
than　was　good　for　the　patient。

He　examined　Angelo's　wound；　and　was　really　minded　to　say　nothing　for
once；　but　Aunt　Patsy　was　so　anxious　and　so　pressing　that　he　allowed　his
caution　to　be　overcome；　and　proceeded　to　empty　himself　as　follows；　with
scientific　relish：

〃Without　going　too　much　into　detail；　madamfor　you　would　probably　not
understand　it；　anywayI　concede　that　great　care　is　going　to　be　necessary
here；　otherwise　exudation　of　the　esophagus　is　nearly　sure　to　ensue；　and
this　will　be　followed　by　ossification　and　extradition　of　the　maxillaris
superioris；　which　must　decompose　the　granular　surfaces　of　the　great
infusorial　ganglionic　system；　thus　obstructing　the　action　of　the
posterior　varioloid　arteries；　and　precipitating　compound　strangulated
sorosis　of　the　valvular　tissues；　and　ending　unavoidably　in　the　dispersion
and　combustion　of　the　marsupial　fluxes　and　the　consequent　embrocation　of
the　bicuspid　populo　redax　referendum　rotulorum。〃

A　miserable　silence　followed。　　Aunt　Patsy's　heart　sank；　the　pallor　of
despair　invaded　her　face；　she　was　not　able　to　speak；　poor　Rowena　wrung
her　hands　in　privacy　and　silence；　and　said　to　herself　in　the　bitterness
of　her　young　grief；　〃There　is　no　hopeit　is　plain　there　is　no　hope〃；　the
good…hearted　negro　wench；　Nancy；　paled　to　chocolate；　then　to　orange；　then
to　amber；　and　thought　to　herself　with　yearning　sympathy　and　sorrow；　〃Po'
thing；　he　ain'　gwyne　to　las'　throo　de　half　o'　dat〃；　small　Henry　choked
up；　and　turned　his　head　away　to　hide　his　rising　tears；　and　his　brother
Joe　said　to　himself；　with　a　sense　of　loss；　〃The　baptizing's　busted；
that's　sure。〃　　Luigi　was　the　only　person　who　had　any　heart　to　speak。　　He
said；　a　little　bit　sharply；　to　the　doctor：

〃Well；　well；　there's　nothing　to　be　gained　by　wasting　precious　time；　give
him　a　barrel　of　pillsI'll　take　them　for　him。〃

〃You？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃Yes。　　Did　you　suppose　he　was　going　to　take　them　himself？〃

〃Why；　of　course。〃

〃Well；　it's　a　mistake。　　He　never　took　a　dose　of　medicine　in　his　life。　　He
can't。〃

〃Well；　upon　my　word；　it's　the　most　extraordinary　thing　I　ever　heard　of！〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Aunt　Patsy；　as　pleased　as　a　mother　whose　child　is　being
admired　and　wondered　at；　〃you'll　find　that　there's　more　about　them　that's
wonderful　than　their　just　being　made　in　the　image　of　God　like　the　rest　of
His　creatures；　now　you　can　depend　on　that；　I　tell　you；〃　and　she　wagged
her　complacent　head　like　one　who　could　reveal　marvelous　things　if　she
chose。

The　boy　Joe　began：

〃Why；　ma；　they　ain't　made　in　the　im〃

〃You　shut　up；　and　wait　till　you're　asked；　Joe。　　I'll　let　you　know　when　I
want　help。　　Are　you　looking　for　something；　doctor？〃

The　doctor　asked　for　a　few　sheets　of　paper　and　a　pen；　and　said　he　would
write　a　prescription；　which　he　did。　　It　was　one　of　Galen's；　in　fact；　it
was　Galen's　favorite；　and　had　been　slaying　people　for　sixteen　thousand
years。　　Galen　used　it　for　everything；　applied　it　to　everything；　said　it
would　remove　everything；　from　warts　all　the　way　through　to　lungs　and　it
generally　did。　　Galen　was　still　the　only　medical　authority　recognized　in
Missouri；　his　practice　was　the　only　practice　known　to　the　Missouri
doctors；　and　his　prescriptions　were　the　only　ammunition　they　carried　when
they　went　out　for　game。

By　and　by　Dr。　Claypool　laid　down　his　pen　and　read　the　result　of　his
labors　aloud；　carefully　and　deliberately；　for　this　battery　must　be
constructed　on　the　premises　by　the　family；　and　mistakes　could　occur；
for　he　wrote　a　doctor's　hand　the　hand　which　from　the　beginning　of　time
has　been　so　disastrous　to　the　apothecary　and　so　profitable　to　the
undertaker：

〃Take　of　afarabocca；　henbane；　corpobalsamum；　each　two　drams　and　a　half：
of　cloves；　opium；　myrrh；　cyperus；　each　two　drams；　of　opobalsamum；　Indian
leaf；　cinnamon；　zedoary；　ginger；　coftus；　coral；　cassia；　euphorbium；　gum
tragacanth；　frankincense；　styrax　calamita；　Celtic；　nard；　spignel；
hartwort；　mustard；　saxifrage；　dill；　anise；　each　one　dram；　of　xylaloes；
rheum　ponticum；　alipta；　moschata；　castor；　spikenard；　galangals；　opoponax；
anacardium；　mastich；　brimstone；　peony；　er