the queen of hearts-第52章
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between faces。
〃You have saved my life；〃 said the strange man； still looking
hard in Arthur's face； still holding tightly by his hand。 〃If you
had been my own brother； you could not have done more for me than
that。〃
He laid a singularly strong emphasis on those three words 〃my own
brother；〃 and a change passed over his face as he pronounced
thema change that no language of mine is competent to describe。
〃I hope I have not done being of service to you yet；〃 said
Arthur。 〃I'll speak to my father as soon as I get home。〃
〃You seem to be fond and proud of your father；〃 said the medical
student。 〃I suppose； in return； he is fond and proud of you？〃
〃Of course he is；〃 answered Arthur； laughing。 〃Is there anything
wonderful in that？ Isn't _your_ father fond〃
The stranger suddenly dropped young Holliday's hand and turned
his face away。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Arthur。 〃I hope I have not
unintentionally pained you。 I hope you have not lost your
father？〃
〃I can't well lose what I have never had；〃 retorted the medical
student； with a harsh mocking laugh。
〃What you have never had！〃
The strange man suddenly caught Arthur's hand again； suddenly
looked once more hard in his face。
〃Yes；〃 he said； with a repetition of the bitter laugh。 〃You have
brought a poor devil back into the world who has no business
there。 Do I astonish you？ Well； I have a fancy of my own for
telling you what men in my situation generally keep a secret。 I
have no name and no father。 The merciful law of society tells me
I am nobody's son！ Ask your father if he will be my father too；
and help me on in life with the family name。〃
Arthur looked at me more puzzled than ever。
I signed to him to say nothing； and then laid my fingers again on
the man's wrist。 No。 In spite of the extraordinary speech that he
had just made； he was not； as I had been disposed to suspect；
beginning to get light…headed。 His pulse； by this time； had
fallen back to a quiet； slow beat； and his skin was moist and
cool。 Not a symptom of fever or agitation about him。
Finding that neither of us answered him； he turned to me； and
began talking of the extraordinary nature of his case； and asking
my advice about the future course of medical treatment to which
he ought to subject himself。 I said the matter required careful
thinking over； and suggested that I should send him a
prescription a little later。 He told me to write it at once； as
he would most likely be leaving Doncaster in the morning before I
was up。 It was quite useless to represent to him the folly and
danger of such a proceeding as this。 He heard me politely and
patiently； but held to his resolution； without offering any
reasons or explanations； and repeated to me that； if I wished to
give him a chance of seeing my prescription； I must write it at
once。
Hearing this； Arthur volunteered the loan of a traveling
writing…case； which he said he had with him； and； bringing it to
the bed； shook the note…paper out of the pocket of the case
forthwith in his usual careless way。 With the paper there fell
out on the counterpane of the bed a small packet of
sticking…plaster； and a little water…color drawing of a
landscape。
The medical student took up the drawing and looked at it。 His eye
fell on some initials neatly written in cipher in one corner。 He
started and trembled； his pale face grew whiter than over； his
wild black eyes turned on Arthur； and looked through and through
him。
〃A pretty drawing；〃 he said； in a remarkably quiet tone of voice。
〃Ah！ and done by such a pretty girl；〃 said Arthur。 〃Oh； such a
pretty girl！ I wish it was not a landscapeI wish it was a
portrait of her！〃
〃You admire her very much？〃
Arthur； half in jest； half in earnest； kissed his hand for
answer。
〃Love at first sight；〃 said young Holliday； putting the drawing
away again。 〃But the course of it doesn't run smooth。 It's the
old story。 She's monopolized； as usual； trammeled by a rash
engagement to some poor man who is never likely to get money
enough to marry her。 It was lucky I heard of it in time； or I
should certainly have risked a declaration when she gave me that
drawing。 Here； doctor； here is pen； ink； and paper all ready for
you。〃
〃When she gave you that drawing？ Gave it？ gave it？〃
He repeated the words slowly to himself； and suddenly closed his
eyes。 A momentary distortion passed across his face； and I saw
one of his hands clutch up the bedclothes and squeeze them hard。
I thought he was going to be ill again； and begged that there
might be no more talking。 He opened his eyes when I spoke； fixed
them once more searchingly on Arthur； and said； slowly and
distinctly：
〃You like her； and she likes you。 The poor man may die out of
your way。 Who can tell that she may not give you herself as well
as her drawing； after all？〃
Before young Holliday could answer he turned to me； and said in a
whisper： 〃Now for the prescription。〃 From that time； though he
spoke to Arthur again； he never looked at him more。
When I had written the prescription； he examined it； approved of
it； and then astonished us both by abruptly wishing us
good…night。 I offered to sit up with him； and he shook his head。
Arthur offered to sit up with him； and he said； shortly； with his
face turned away； 〃No。〃 I insisted on having somebody left to
watch him。 He gave way when he found I was determined； and said
he would accept the services of the waiter at the inn。
〃Thank you both；〃 he said； as we rose to go。 〃I have one last
favor to asknot of you； doctor； for I leave you to exercise
your professional discretion； but of Mr。 Holliday。〃 His eyes；
while he spoke； still rested steadily on me； and never once
turned toward Arthur。 〃I beg that Mr。 Holliday will not mention
to any one； least of all to his father； the events that have
occurred and the words that have passed in this room。 I entreat
him to bury me in his memory as； but for him； I might have been
buried in my grave。 I cannot give my reason for making this
strange request。 I can only implore him to grant it。〃
His voice faltered for the first time； and he hid his face on the
pillow。 Arthur； completely bewildered； gave the required pledge。
I took young Holliday away with me immediately afterward to the
house of my friend； determining to go back to the inn and to see
the medical student again before he had left in the morning。
I returned to the inn at eight o'clock； purposely abstaining from
waking Arthur； who was sleeping off the past night's excitement
on one of my friend's sofas。 A suspicion had occurred to me； as
soon as I was alone in my bedroom； which made me resolve that
Holliday and the stranger whose life he had saved should not meet
again； if I could prevent it。
I have already alluded to certain reports or scandals which I
knew of relating to the early life of Arthur's father。 While I
was thinking； in my bed； of what had passed at the inn； of the
change in the student's pulse when he heard the name of Holliday；
of the resemblance of expression that I had discovered between
his face and Arthur's； of the emphasis he had laid on those three
words； 〃my own brother；〃 and of his incomprehensible
acknowledgment of his own illegitimacywhile I was thinking of
these things； the reports I have me ntioned suddenly flew into my
mind； and linked themselves fast to the chain of my previous
reflections。 Something within me whispered； 〃It is best that
those two young men should not meet again。〃 I felt it before I
slept； I felt it when I woke； and I went as I told you； alone to
the inn the next morning。
I had missed my only opportunity of seeing my nameless patient
again。 He had been gone nearly an hour when I inquired for him。
I have now told you everything that I know for certain in
relation to the man whom I brought back to life in the
double…bedded room of the inn at Doncaster。 What I have next to
add is matter for inference and surmise； and is not； strictly
speaking； matter of fact。
I have to tell you； first； that the medical student turned out to
be strangely and unaccountably right in assuming it as more than
probable that Arthur Holliday would marry the young lady who had
giv
