the queen of hearts-第51章

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and　kept　him　in　his　chair。　He　had　put　his　carpet…bag　on　the　table
when　he　first　entered　the　room；　and　he　now　took　the　key　from　his
pocket；　reached　out　his　hand　softly；　opened　the　bag；　and　groped
in　it　for　his　traveling　writing…case；　in　which　he　knew　that　there
was　a　small　store　of　matches。　When　he　had　got　one　of　the　matches
he　waited　before　he　struck　it　on　the　coarse　wooden　table；　and
listened　intently　again　without　knowing　why。　Still　there　was　no
sound　in　the　room　but　the　steady；　ceaseless　rattling　sound　of　the
rain。

He　lighted　the　candle　again　without　another　moment　of　delay；　and；
on　the　instant　of　its　burning　up；　the　first　object　in　the　room
that　his　eyes　sought　for　was　the　curtained　bed。

Just　before　the　light　had　been　put　out　he　had　looked　in　that
direction；　and　had　seen　no　change；　no　disarrangement　of　any　sort
in　the　folds　of　the　closely…drawn　curtains。

When　he　looked　at　the　bed　now；　he　saw　hanging　over　the　side　of　it
a　long　white　hand。

It　lay　perfectly　motionless　midway　on　the　side　of　the　bed；　where
the　curtain　at　the　head　and　the　curtain　at　the　foot　met。　Nothing
more　was　visible。　The　clinging　curtains　hid　everything　but　the
long　white　hand。

He　stood　looking　at　it；　unable　to　stir；　unable　to　call
outfeeling　nothing；　knowing　nothingevery　faculty　he　possessed
gathered　up　and　lost　in　the　one　seeing　faculty。　How　long　that
first　panic　held　him　he　never　could　tell　afterward。　It　might　have
been　only　for　a　momentit　might　have　been　for　many　minutes
together。　How　he　got　to　the　bedwhether　he　ran　to　it　headlong；
or　whether　he　approached　it　slowly；　how　he　wrought　himself　up　to
unclose　the　curtains　and　look　in；　he　never　has　remembered；　and
never　will　remember　to　his　dying　day。　It　is　enough　that　he　did　go
to　the　bed；　and　that　he　did　look　inside　the　curtains。

The　man　had　moved。　One　of　his　arms　was　outside　the　clothes；　his
face　was　turned　a　little　on　the　pillow；　his　eyelids　were　wide
open。　Changed　as　to　position　and　as　to　one　of　the　features；　the
face　was　otherwise　fearfully　and　wonderfully　unaltered。　The　dead
paleness　and　the　dead　quiet　were　on　it　still。

One　glance　showed　Arthur　thisone　glance　before　he　flew
breathlessly　to　the　door　and　alarmed　the　house。

The　man　whom　the　landlord　called　〃Ben〃　was　the　first　to　appear　on
the　stairs。　In　three　words　Arthur　told　him　what　had　happened；　and
sent　him　for　the　nearest　doctor。

I；　who　tell　you　this　story；　was　then　staying　with　a　medical
friend　of　mine；　in　practice　at　Doncaster；　taking　care　of　his
patients　for　him　during　his　absence　in　London；　and　I；　for　the
time　being；　was　the　nearest　doctor。　They　had　sent　for　me　from　the
inn　when　the　stranger　was　taken　ill　in　the　afternoon；　but　I　was
not　at　home；　and　medical　assistance　was　sought　for　elsewhere。
When　the　man　from　The　Two　Robins　rang　the　night…bell；　I　was　just
thinking　of　going　to　bed。　Naturally　enough；　I　did　not　believe　a
word　of　his　story　about　〃a　dead　man　who　had　come　to　life　again。〃
However；　I　put　on　my　hat；　armed　myself　with　one　or　two　bottles　of
restorative　medicine；　and　ran　to　the　inn；　expecting　to　find
nothing　more　remarkable；　when　I　got　there；　than　a　patient　in　a
fit。

My　surprise　at　finding　that　the　man　had　spoken　the　literal　truth
was　almost；　if　not　quite；　equaled　by　my　astonishment　at　finding
myself　face　to　face　with　Arthur　Holliday　as　soon　as　I　entered　the
bedroom。　It　was　no　time　then　for　giving　or　seeking　explanations。
We　just　shook　hands　amazedly；　and　then　I　ordered　everybody　but
Arthur　out　of　the　room；　and　hurried　to　the　man　on　the　bed。

The　kitchen　fire　had　not　been　long　out。　There　was　plenty　of　hot
water　in　the　boiler；　and　plenty　of　flannel　to　be　had。　With　these；
with　my　medicines；　and　with　such　help　as　Arthur　could　render
under　my　direction；　I　dragged　the　man　literally　out　of　the　jaws
of　death。　In　less　than　an　hour　from　the　time　when　I　had　been
called　in；　he　was　alive　and　talking　in　the　bed　on　which　he　had
been　laid　out　to　wait　for　the　coroner's　inquest。

You　will　naturally　ask　me　what　had　been　the　matter　with　him；　and
I　might　treat　you；　in　reply；　to　a　long　theory；　plentifully
sprinkled　with　what　the　children　call　hard　words。　I　prefer
telling　you　that；　in　this　case；　cause　and　effect　could　not　be
satisfactorily　joined　together　by　any　theory　whatever。　There　are
mysteries　in　life　and　the　conditions　of　it　which　human　science
has　not　fathomed　yet；　and　I　candidly　confess　to　you　that；　in
bringing　that　man　back　to　existence；　I　was；　morally　speaking；
groping　haphazard　in　the　dark。　I　know　（from　the　testimony　of　the
doctor　who　attended　him　in　the　afternoon）　that　the　vital
machinery；　so　far　as　its　action　is　appreciable　by　our　senses；
had；　in　this　case；　unquestionably　stopped；　and　I　am　equally
certain　（seeing　that　I　recovered　him）　that　the　vital　principle
was　not　extinct。　When　I　add　that　he　had　suffered　from　a　long　and
complicated　illness；　and　that　his　whole　nervous　system　was
utterly　deranged；　I　have　told　you　all　I　really　know　of　the
physical　condition　of　my　dead…alive　patient　at　the　Two　Robins
Inn。

When　he　〃came　to；〃　as　the　phrase　goes；　he　was　a　startling　object
to　look　at；　with　his　colorless　face；　his　sunken　cheeks；　his　wild
black　eyes；　and　his　long　black　hair。　The　first　question　he　asked
me　about　himself　when　he　could　speak　made　me　suspect　that　I　had
been　called　in　to　a　man　in　my　own　profession。　I　mentioned　to　him
my　surmise；　and　he　told　me　that　I　was　right。

He　said　he　had　come　last　from　Paris；　where　he　had　been　attached
to　a　hospital；　that　he　had　lately　returned　to　England；　on　his　way
to　Edinburgh；　to　continue　his　studies；　that　he　had　been　taken　ill
on　the　journey；　and　that　he　had　stopped　to　rest　and　recover
himself　at　Doncaster。　He　did　not　add　a　word　about　his　name；　or
who　he　was；　and　of　course　I　did　not　question　him　on　the　subject。
All　I　inquired　when　he　ceased　speaking　was　what　branch　of　the
profession　he　intended　to　follow。

〃Any　branch；〃　he　said；　bitterly；　〃which　will　put　bread　into　the
mouth　of　a　poor　man。〃

At　this；　Arthur；　who　had　been　hitherto　watching　him　in　silent
curiosity；　burst　out　impetuously　in　his　usual　good…humored　way：

〃My　dear　fellow〃　（everybody　was　〃my　dear　fellow〃　with　Arthur）；
〃now　you　have　come　to　life　again；　don't　begin　by　being
down…hearted　about　your　prospects。　I'll　answer　for　it　I　can　help
you　to　some　capital　thing　in　the　medical　line；　or；　if　I　can't；　I
know　my　father　can。〃

The　medical　student　looked　at　him　steadily。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　coldly；　then　added；　〃May　I　ask　who　your
father　is？〃

〃He's　well　enough　known　all　about　this　part　of　the　country；〃
replied　Arthur。　〃He　is　a　great　manufacturer；　and　his　name　is
Holliday。〃

My　hand　was　on　the　man's　wrist　during　this　brief　conversation。
The　instant　the　name　of　Holliday　was　pronounced　I　felt　the　pulse
under　my　fingers　flutter；　stop；　go　on　suddenly　with　a　bound；　and
beat　afterward　for　a　minute　or　two　at　the　fever　rate。

〃How　did　you　come　here？〃　asked　the　stranger；　quickly；　excitably；
passionately　almost。

Arthur　related　briefly　what　had　happened　from　the　time　of　his
first　taking　the　bed　at　the　inn。

〃I　am　indebted　to　Mr。　Holliday's　son；　then；　for　the　help　that　has
saved　my　life；〃　said　the　medical　student；　speaking　to　himself；
with　a　singular　sarcasm　in　his　voice。　〃Come　here！〃

He　held　out；　as　he　spoke；　his　long；　white；　bony　right　hand。

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Arthur；　taking　his　hand　cordially。　〃I
may　confess　it　now；〃　he　continued；　laughing；　〃upon　my　honor；　you
almost　frightened　me　out　of　my　wits。〃

The　stranger　did　not　seem　to　listen。　His　wild　black　eyes　were
fixed　with　a　look　of　eager　interest　on　Arthur's　face；　and　his
long　bony　fingers　kept　tight　hold　of　Arthur's　hand。　Young
Holliday；　on　his　side；　returned　the　gaze；　amazed　and　puzzled　by
the　medical　student's　odd　language　and　manners。　The　two　faces
were　close　together；　I　looked　at　them；　and；　to　my　amazement；　I
was　suddenly　impressed　by　the　sense　of　a　likeness　between
themnot　in　features　or　complexion；　but　solely　in　expression。　It
must　have　been　a　strong　likeness；　or　I　should　certainly　not　have
found　it　out；　for　I　am　naturally　slow　at　detecting　resemblances
between　faces。

〃You　have　saved　my　life；〃　said　the　strange　man；　still　looking
hard　i