the red acorn-第42章

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〃And；〃　continued　the　remorseless　Surgeon；　in　a　tone　of　the　kindliest　commiseration；　〃in　the　absence　of　the　least　espirt　de　corps；　and　dulce　et　decorum　est　pro　patria　mori　feeling　in　you　it　is　apparent　that　none　of　your　mental　processes　are　going　on　properly；　which　deranges　everything。〃

〃Can't　I　be　sent　home　to　die？〃　whimpered　the　wretched　Jake。

〃Not　in　your　present　condition。　　I　notice；　in　addition　to　what　I　have　told　you；　that　your　heart　is　not　rightits　action　is　depraved；　so　to　speak。〃　　This　with　a　glance　at　Rachel；　which　brought　the　crimson　to　that　damsel's　cheek。

〃O；　Doctor；　please　try　to　do　something　for　me　right　off；　before　I　get　any　worse；〃　pleaded　Jake；　with　the　tears　starting　in　his　eyes。

Rachel　took　this　opportunity　to　slip　away　to　where　she　could　laugh　unobserved。　　The　Surgeon's　facial　muscles　were　too　well　trained　to　feel　any　strain。　　he　continued　in　the　same　tone　of　gentle　consideration：

〃I　have　already　ordered　the　preparation　of　some　remedies。　　The　Steward　will　be　here　in　a　few　minues　with　the　barber；　who　will　shave　your　head；　that　we　may　apply　a　couple　of　fly…bisters　behind　your　ears。　They　are　also　spreading　a　big　mustard…plaster　in　th　dispensary　for　you；　which　will　cover　your　whole　breast　and　stomach。　　These；　with　a　strong　dose　of　castor…oil；　may　bring　you　around　so　that　you　will　be　able　to　go　back　to　duty　in　a　short　time。〃

Jake　did　not　notice　the　unsheathed　sarcasm　in　the　Surgeon's　allusion　to　returning　to　duty。　　He　was　too　delighted　with　the　chance　of　escaping　all　the　horrors　enumerated　to　think　of　aught　else；　and　he　even　forgot　to　beg　for　Rachel　to　come　and　sit　beside　his　bedside；　as　he　had　intended　doing；　until　the　blisters　began　to　remind　him　that　they　stuck　closer　than　a　brother。　　After　that　he　devoted　his　entire　attention　to　them；　as　a　man　is　apt　to。

A　good…sized　blister；　made　according　to　the　United　States　Pharmacopoeia；　has　few　equals　as　a　means　of　concentrating　the　attention。　　When　it　takes　a　fair　hold　of　its　work　it　leaves　the　gentleman　whom　it　patronizes　little　opportunity　to　think　of　anything　else　than　it　and　what　it　is　doing。　　Everything　else　is　forgotten；　taht　it　may　receive　full　consideration。　　Then　comes　in　an　opportunity　for　a　vigorous　imagination。　　No　one　ever　underestimates　the　work　done　by　an　active　blister；　if　it　is　upon　himself。　　No　one　ever　grumbles　that　he　is　not　getting　his　money's　worth。　　It　is　the　one　monumental　exception；　where　men　are　willing　to　accept　and　be　satisfied　with　a　fractional　part　of　that　which　they　have　bought　and　paid　for。

So　when　the　layer　of　fresh　mustard　that　covered　the　whole　anterior　surface　of　Mr。　Alspaugh's　torso　began　to　take　a　fair　hold　of　its　appointed　work　that　gentlemen's　thoughts　became　strangely　focused　upon　it；　and　they　succeeded　each　other　as　the　minutes　went　by　something　in　this　fashion：

FIRST　TEN　MINUTES。〃I　'spect　that　this　may　become　rather　unpleasant　and　bothersome；　but　it　will　not　be　for　long；　and　it'll　really　do　me　much　good。〃

SECOND　TEN　MINUTES。〃I　had　no　idead　that　blisters　felt　just　this　way；　but　they　never　really　hurt　anybody　but　women　and　childrenMEN　laugh　at　them。〃

THIRD　TEN　MINUTES。〃The　thing　seems　to　be　hunting　'round　for　my　tender　spots；　and　pokin'　pins　into　'em。　　I　begin　to　wish　that　it　was　all　over　with。〃

FOURTH　TEN　MINUTES。〃It　begins　to　hurt　real　bad。　　I　wonder　if　it　ain't　a'most　time　to　take　it　off？〃

FIFTH　TEN　MINUTES。〃The　very　devil　seems　to　be　in　that　thing。　　It　burns　like　as　if　a　sheet　of　red…hot　iron　was　layin'　there。〃

SIXTH　TEN　MINUTES。〃I　surely　believe　that　they've　made　a　terrible　mistake　about　that　blister；　and　put　in　some　awful　thing　that'll　kill　me　if　it　ain't　stopped。　　I'll　swear　it's　not　only　eat　all　the　skin　off；　but　it's　gone　through　my　ribs；　an'　is　gnawin'　at　my　insides。　Why　don't　the　Doctor　come　'round　an'　see　to　it？　　Here；　nurse；　call　the　Doctor；　an'　have　this　think　taken　off。〃

NURSE。〃No；　it's　all　right。　　The　Doctor　left　orders　that　it　was　not　to　be　disturbed　for　some　time　yet。　　I'll　see　to　it　when　the　proper　time　comes。　　I'm　watching　the　clock。〃

SEVENTH　TEN　MINUTES。〃Great　Jehosefat！　this's　jest　awful。　　That　blasted　stuff's　cooked　my　innards　to　rags；　an'　I　kin　feel　my　backbone　a…sizzlin'。　　Say；　Steward；　do；　for　the　Lord's　sake；　come　here；　an'　take　this　thing　off；　while　there's　a　little　life　left　in　me。〃

STEWARD。〃Can't　do　anything　yet。　　You　must　grin　and　bear　it　a　little　while　longer。〃

EIGTH　TEN　MINUTES。〃Holy　smoke！　　I　couldn't　suffer　more　if　I　was　in　the　lake　of　burnin'　brimstone。　　Every　ounce　of　me's　jest　fryin'。　Say；　Steward！　　Steward！〃

STEWARD　（ANGRILY）。〃I　have　told　you　several　times　that　I　couldn't　do　anything　for　you　yet　awhile。　　Now　keep　quiet。〃

〃But　Steward；　can't　you　at　least　bring　me　a　fork？〃

〃Why；　what　do　you　want　a　fork　for？〃

〃Jest　to　see　for　myself　if　I　ain't　cooked　donethat's　all。〃

A　roar　of　laughter　went　up　in　which　even　Dr。　Denslow；　who　had　just　entered　the　ward；　joined。　　He　orderd　the　blister　to　be　taken　off；　and　the　inflamed　surfaces　properly　dressed；　which　was　done　to　the　accompaniment　of　Jake's　agonizing　groans。

〃I　think　Lieutenant　Alspaugh　will　be　content　to　go　back　to　the　field　in　a　few　days；　if　we　continue　this　vigorous　treatment；〃　Dr。　Denslow　said；　a　little　later；　as　he　came　into　the　reading…room　of　the　hospital　where　he　found　Rachel　sitting　alone。

〃O；　Doctor；　how　could　you　be　so　cruel？〃　she　asked　in　tones　which　were　meant　to　be　reproachful；　but　only　poorly　disguised　her　mirthful　appreciation　of　the　whole　matter。

〃I　wasn't　cruel；　I　only　did　my　duty。　　The　fellow's　a　palpable　malingerer；　and　his　being　here　makes　it　ever　so　much　worse。　　He's　trying　to　shirk　duty　and　have　a　good　time　here　in　the　hospital。　It's　my　place　to　make　the　hospital　so　unpleasant　for　him　that　he　will　think　the　field　preferable；　and　I'm　going　to　do　it；　especially　if　I　find　him　squeezing　your　hand　again。〃

There　was　that　in　the　tone　of　the　last　sentence　which　sobered　her　instantly。　　Womanly　prescience　told　her　that　the　Surgeon　had　discovered　what　seemed　to　him　a　fitting　opportunity　to　say　that　which　he　had　long　desired。　　Ever　since　she　had　been　in　the　hospital　he　had　exerted　himself　to　smooth　her　path　for　her；　and　make　her　stay　there　endurable。　　There　was　not　a　day　in　which　she　was　not　indebted　to　him　for　some　unobtrusive　kindness；　delicately　and　thoughtfully　rendered。

While　she　knew　quite　well　that　these　courtesies　would　have　been　as　conscientiously　extended　to　any　other　womanyoung　or　oldin　her　position；　yet　her　instincts　did　not　allow　her　any　doubt　that　there　was　about　them　a　flavor　personal　to　herself　and　redolent　of　something　much　warmer　than　mere　kindliness。　　A　knowledge　of　this　had　at　times　tainted　the　pleasure　she　felt　in　accepting　welcome　little　attentions　from　him。　　She　dreaded　what　she　knew　was　coming。　He　took　her　hand　and　started　to　speak　with　tremulous　lips。　　But　almost　at　the　same　instant　the　door　was　flung　open；　and　a　nurse　entered　in　breathless　haste。

〃O；　Doctor；〃　he　gasped；　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。　　That　Lieutenant　in　the　First　Ward　thinks　he's　a…dyin'。　　He's　groanin'　an'　cryin'；　and　a…takin'　on　at　a　terrible　rate；　an'　nobody　can't　do　nothin'　with　him。　　The　Steward　wants　you　to　come　there　right　off。〃

〃It's　only　the　castor　oil；〃　muttered　the　Doctor　savagely；　as　he　rose　to　follow　the　nurse。

This　was　the　letter　that　the　Orderly　handed　Rachel　some　days　later：


Dear　Ratie：　　Your　letter　came　at　last；　for　which　I　was　SO　thankful；　because　I　had　waited　SO　long　for　it　that　I　was　SO　tired　and　SO　anxious　that　I　was　almost　at　my　wits'　end。　　I　am　SO　glad　that　you　are　well；　that　you　have　got　your　room　at　last　fixed　up　real　nice　and　comfortable；　as　a　young　lady　should　have；　and　that　you　find　your　duties　more　agreeable。　　It　is　SO　nice　in　that　Dr。　Denslow　to　help　you　along　as　he　does。　　But　then　that　is　what　every　real　gentleman　should　do　for　a　young　ladyor　old　one　for　that　matter。　　Still；　I　would　like　to　thank　him　SO　much。

I　am　not　at　all　well：　　my　heart　gives　me　SO　much　troublemore　than　ever　beforeand　as　you　say　nothing　about　coming　home　I　have　about　concluded　to　try　what　a　change　of　climate　and　scene　will　do　for　me；　and　so　have　concluded　to　accept　your　Aunt　Tabitha's　invitation　to　spend　a　few　months　with　her。　　Unless　you　he