the riverman-第73章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



too　wearied　in　soul　and　body。　　He　dismissed　the　subject　from　his　

mind。　　The　horses；　left　almost　to　themselves；　lapsed　into　a　sleepy　

jog。　　After　a　little　they　passed　the　bridge　and　entered　the　town。　　

Warm　spicy　odours　of　pine　disengaged　themselves　from　the　broken　

shingles　and　sawdust　of　the　roadway；　and　floated　upward　through　the　

hot　sunshine。　　The　beautiful　maples　with　their　dense　shadows　threw　

the　sidewalks　into　coolness。　　Up　one　street　and　down　another　the　

horses　took　their　accustomed　way。　　Finally　they　pulled　up　opposite　

the　Orde　house。　　Orde　hitched　the　horses；　and；　his　step　quickening　

in　anticipation；　sprang　up　the　walk　and　into　the　front　door。



〃Hullo；　sweetheart！〃　he　called　cheerily。



The　echoes　alone　answered　him。　　He　cried　again；　and　yet　again；　with　

a　growing　feeling　of　disappointment　that　Carroll　should　happen　to　be　

from　home。　　Finally　a　door　opened　and　shut　in　the　back　part　of　the　

house。　　A　moment　later　Mary；　the　Irish　servant　girl；　came　through　

the　dining…room；　caught　sight　of　Orde；　threw　her　apron　over　her　

head；　and　burst　into　one　of　those　extravagant　demonstrations　of　

grief　peculiar　to　the　warm…hearted　of　her　class。



Orde　stopped　short；　a　sinking　at　his　heart。



〃What　is　it；　Mary？〃　he　asked　very　quietly。



But　the　girl　only　wept　the　louder；　rocking　back　and　forth　in　a　fresh　

paroxysm　of　grief。　　Beside　himself　with　anxiety　Orde　sprang　forward　

to　shake　her　by　the　arm；　to　shower　her　with　questions。　　These　

elicited　nothing　but　broken　and　incoherent　fragments　concerning　〃the　

missus；〃　〃oh；　the　sad　day！〃　〃and　me　lift　all　alone　with　Bobby；　me　

heart　that　heavy；〃　and　the　like；　which　served　merely　to　increase　

Orde's　bewilderment　and　anxiety。　　At　this　moment　Bobby　himself　

appeared　from　the　direction　of　the　kitchen。　　Orde；　frantic　with　

alarm；　fell　upon　his　son。　　Bobby；　much　bewildered　by　all　this　

pother；　could　only　mumble　something　about　〃smallpox；〃　and　〃took　

mamma　away　with　doctor。〃



〃Where？　where；　Bobby？〃　cried　Orde；　fairly　shaking　the　small　boy　by　

the　shoulder。　　He　felt　like　a　man　in　a　bad　dream；　trying　to　reach　a　

goal　that　constantly　eluded　him。



At　this　moment　a　calm；　dry　voice　broke　through　the　turmoil　of　

questions　and　exclamations。　　Orde　looked　up　to　see　the　tall；　angular　

form　of　Doctor　McMullen　standing　in　the　doorway。



〃It's　all　right；〃　said　the　doctor　in　answer　to　Orde's　agonised　

expression。　　〃Your　wife　was　exposed　to　smallpox　and　is　at　my　house　

to　avoid　the　danger　of　spreading　contagion。　　She　is　not　ill。〃



Having　thus　in　one　swift　decisive　sentence　covered　the　ground　of　

Orde's　anxiety；　he　turned　to　the　sniffling　servant。



〃Mary；〃　said　he　sternly；　〃la　stuff　might　be　worth　saving　any　way　we　could　

figure　it。〃



〃Worth　saving！〃　snorted　Newmark；　whirling　in　his　chair。



〃Well；　and　

to　the　bookkeeper　who　answered　he　said：　〃John；　bring　me　those　

Newmark　and　Orde　papers。〃



Orde　heard　the　clang　of　the　safe　door。　　In　a　moment　the　clerk　

returned　and　handed　to　Lambert　a　long　manilla　envelope。　　Lambert　

opened　this　quite　deliberately；　spread　its　contents　on　his　knee；　and　

assumed　a　pair　of　round　spectacles。



〃Note　for　seventy…five　thousand　dollars　with　interest　at　ten　per　

cent。　　Interest　paid　to　January　tenth。　　MortI'm　ashamed　of　you！　　What　kind　of　an　

exhibition　is　this？　　Go　out　to　the　kitchen　and　cook　us　some　lunch！〃　　

He　watched　her　depart　with　a　humourous　quirk　to　his　thin　lips。　　

〃Fool　Irish！〃　he　said　with　a　Scotchman's　contempt。　　〃I　meant　to　head　

you　off　before　you　got　home；　but　I　missed　you。　　Come　in　and　sit　

down；　and　I'll　tell　you　about　it。〃



〃You're　quite　sure　Mrs。　Orde　is　well？〃　insisted　Orde。



〃Absolutely。　　Never　better。　　As　well　a。　　〃Why；　I　thought　I　remembered　seeing　

him　up　river　only　the　other　day。〃



〃No；　his　daughter。〃



〃Mina？〃



〃Yes。　　Lord　knows　where　she　got　it。　　But　get　it　she　did。　　Mrs。　Orde　

happened　to　be　with　her　when　she　was　taken　with　the　fever　and　

distressing　symptoms　that　begin　the　disease。　　As　a　neighbourly　deed　

she　remained　with　the　girl。　　Of　course　no　one　could　tell　it　was　

smallpox　at　that　time。　　Next　day；　however；　the　characteristic　rash　

appeared　on　the　thighs　and　armpits；　and　I　diagnosed　the　case。〃　　Dr。　

McMullen　laughed　a　little　bitterly。　　〃Lord；　you　ought　to　have　seen　

them　run！　　Servants；　neighbours；　friendsthey　all　skedaddled；　and　

you　coudn't　have　driven　them　back　with　a　steam…roller！　　I　

telegraphed　to　Redding　for　a　nurse。　　Until　she　came　Mrs。　Orde　stayed　

by；　like　a　brick。　　Don't　know　what　I　should　have　done　without　her。　　

There　was　nobody　to　do　anything　at　all。　　As　soon　as　the　nurse　came　

Mrs。　Orde　gave　up　her　post。　　I　tell　you；〃　cried　Doctor　McMullen　with　

as　near　an　approach　to　enthusiasm　as　he　ever　permitted　himself；　

〃there's　a　sensible　woman！　　None　of　your　story…book　twaddle　about　

nursing　through　the　illness；　and　all　that。　　When　her　usefulness　was　

ended；　she　knew　enough　to　step　aside　gracefully。　　There　was　not　much　

danger　as　far　as　she　was　concerned。　　I　had　vaccinated　her　myself；　

you　know；　last　year。　　But　she　MIGHT　take　the　contagion　and　she　

wanted　to　spare　the　youngster。　　Quite　right。　　So　I　offered　her　

quarters　with　us　for　a　couple　of　weeks。〃



〃How　long　ago　was　this？〃　asked　Orde；　who　had　listened　with　a　warm　

glow　of　pride　to　the　doctor's　succinct　statement。



〃Seven　days。〃



〃How　is　Mina　getting　on？〃



〃She'll　get　well。　　It　was　a　mild　case。　　Fever　never　serious　after　

the　eruption　appeared。　　I　suppose　I'll　have　old　Heinzman　on　my　

hands；　though。〃



〃Why；　has　he　taken　it？〃



〃No；　but　he　will。　　Emotional　old　German　fool。　　Rushed　right　in　when　

he　heard　his　daughter　was　sick。　　Couldn't　keep　him　out。　　And　he's　

been　with　her　or　near　her　ever　since。〃



〃Then　you　think　he's　in　for　it？〃



〃Sure　to　he；〃　replied　Dr。　McMullen。　　〃Unless　a　man　has　been　

vaccinated；　continuous　exposure　means　infection　in　the　great　

majority　of　cases。〃



〃Hard　luck；〃　said　Orde　thoughtfully。　　〃I'm　going　to　step　up　to　your　

house　and　see　Mrs。　Orde。〃



〃You　can　telephone　her；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃And　you　can　see　her　if　

you　want　to。　　Only　in　that　case　I　should　advise　your　remaining　away　

from　Bobby　until　we　see　how　things　turn　out。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Orde。　　〃Well；〃　he　concluded　with　a　sigh；　after　a　

moment's　thought；　〃I　suppose　I'd　better　stay　by　the　ship。〃



He　called　up　Dr。　McMullen's　house　on　the　telephone。



〃Oh；　it's　good　to　hear　your　voice　again；〃　cried　Carroll；　〃even　if　I　

can't　see　you！　　You　must　promise　me　right　after　lunch　to　walk　up　

past　the　house　so　I　can　see　you。　　I'll　wave　at　you　from　the　window。〃



〃You're　a　dear；　brave　girl；　and　I'm　proud　of　you；〃　said　Orde。



〃Nonsense！　　There　was　no　danger　at　all。　　I'd　been　vaccinated　

recently。　　And　somebody　had　to　take　care　of　poor　Mina　until　we　could　

get　help。　　How's　Bobby？〃







XLIV





After　lunch　Orde　went　downtown　to　his　office　where　for　some　time　he　

sat　idly　looking　over　the　mail。　　About　three　o'clock　Newmark　came　

in。



〃Hullo；　Joe；〃　said　Orde　with　a　slight　constraint；　〃sorry　to　hear　

you've　been　under　the　weather。　　You　don't　look　very　sick　now。〃



〃I'm　better；〃　replied　Newmark；　briefly；　〃this　is　my　first　

appearance。〃



〃Too　bad　you　got　sick　just　at　that　time；〃　said　Orde；　〃we　needed　

you。〃



〃So　I　hear。　　You　may　rest　assured　I'd　have　been　there　if　possible。〃



〃Sure　thing；〃　said　Orde；　heartily；　his　slight　resentment　

dissipating；　as　always；　in　the　presence　of　another's　personality。　　

〃Well；　we　had　a　lively　time；　you　bet；　all　right；　and　got　through　

about　by　the　skin　of　our　teeth。〃　　He　arose　and　walked　over　to　

Newmark's　desk；　on　the　edge　of　which　he　perched。　　〃It's　cost　us　

considerable；　and　it's　going　to　cost　us　a　lot　more；　I'll　have　to　get　

an　extension　on　those　notes。〃



〃What's　that？〃　asked　Newmark；　quickly。



Orde　picked　up　a　paper　knife　and　turned　it　slowly　between　his　

fingers。



〃I　don't　believe　I