the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第25章
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might not something similar to this be true of atomic； as well as of larger；
bodies？〃
If the roof of my house had fallen in； I should not have been more
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surprised than at this quiet remark。 How many times had I said： 〃You
can always count on a young woman； however much she flutter over the
surface of things； being ignorant of all the great underlying verities of
existence〃？ I promptly decided； on all future occasions； to add to that … 〃
When not brought up by her father。〃 I was convinced that of the
attainments of a girl educated by her father absolutely nothing could be
definitely predicted。
We had a short note from Maitland written at Trieste。 He excused its
brevity by saying he had been obliged to travel night and day in order to
reach this port in time to catch the Austrian Lloyd steamer Helois； bound
for Aden； Bombay； Ceylon； Singapore； and Hong Kong。 From Aden I
received the following：
MY DEAR DOCTOR：
We have just been through the Red Sea； and I know now the real
origin of the Calvinistic hell。 Imagine it！ A cloudless sky； the sun
beating down with an intolerable fierceness； not a breath stirring； and the
thermometer registering 120 degrees F。 in the shade！ It seemed as though
reason must desert us。 The constant motion of the punkas in the saloons；
and an unlimited supply of ice…water was all that saved us。 Sleep was
hardly to be thought of； for at no time during the night did the mercury
drop below 100=B0 F。 Apart from the oppressive heat referred to； the
entire voyage has been exceedingly pleasant。 I have not solved the
atomic…pitch problems； as attendance at meals has left me little time for
anything else。 They seem to eat all the time on these boats。 At 8 A。 M。
coffee and bread； at ten a hearty breakfast of meat； eggs； curry and rice；
vegetables and fruit； at 1 P。 M。 a luncheon； called 〃tiffin；〃 of cold meats；
bread and butter； potatoes； and tea； at five o'clock a regular dinner of soups；
meats with relishes； farinaceous dishes； dessert； fruits； and coffee； and
lastly； at 8 P。 M。； the evening meal of tea； bread and butter； and other light
dishes。 Five meals a day； and there are some English people who fill up
the gaps between them by constantly munching nuts and sweets！ Verily；
if specialisation of function means anything； some of these people will
soon become huge gastric balloons with a little wart on top representing
the atrophied brain structure。 They run their engines of digestion wholly
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on the high…pressure system。
After eight days' voyage on the Indian Ocean we shall be in Bombay。 I
must close now； for there is really nothing to say； and； besides； I am
wanted on deck。 My engagement is with a Rev。 Mr。 Barrows； who is
bound as missionary to Hong Kong。 This worthy Methodist gentleman is
very much exercised because I insist that potentiality is necessity and
rebut his arguments on free…will。 He got quite excited yesterday； and said
to me severely： 〃Do you mean to say； young man； that I can't do as I
please？〃 I must say I don't think his warmth was much allayed by my
replying： 〃I certainly mean to say you can't please as you please。 You
may eat sugar because you prefer it to vinegar； but you can't prefer it just
because you will to do so。〃 He has probably got some new arguments
now and is anxious to try their effect； so； with kind regards to Miss
Darrow … I trust she is well … I remain； Cordially your friend；
GEORGE MAITLAND。
P。 S。 （Like a woman I always write a postscript。） You shall hear
again from me as soon as I reach Bombay。
This last promise was religiously kept； though his letter was short and
merely announced his safe arrival early that morning。 He closed by
saying： 〃I have not yet breakfasted； preferring to do so on land； and I feel
that I can do justice to whatever is set before me。 I intend； as soon as I
have taken the edge off my appetite； to set out immediately for Malabar
Hill； as I believe that to be our proper starting…point。 I inclose a little
sketch I made of Bombay as we came up its harbour； thinking it may
interest Miss Darrow。 Kindly give it to her with my regards。 You will
note that there are two tongues of land in the picture。 On the eastern side
is the suburb of Calaba； and on the western our Malabar Hill。 Good…bye
until I have something of interest to report。〃
I gave the sketch to Gwen； and she seemed greatly pleased with it。
〃Are you aware；〃 she said to me that Mr。 Maitland draws with rare
precision？〃
〃I am fully persuaded；〃 I rejoined； 〃that he does not do anything which
he cannot do well。〃
〃I believe there is nothing；〃 she continued； 〃which so conduces to the
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habit of thoroughness as the experiments of chemistry。 When one learns
that even a grain of dust will； in some cases； vitiate everything； he acquires
a new conception of the term 'clean' and is likely to be thorough in
washing his apparatus。 From this the habit grows upon him and widens
its application until it embraces all his actions。〃
This remark did not surprise me as it would have a few weeks before；
for I had come to learn that Gwen was liable at any time to suddenly
evince a very unfeminine depth of observation and firmness of
philosophical grasp。
Maitland had been gone just six weeks to a day when we received
from him the first news having any particular bearing upon the matter
which had taken him abroad。 I give this communication in his own
words； omitting only a few personal observations which I do not feel
justified in disclosing； and which； moreover； are not necessary to the
completeness of this narrative：
MY DEAR DOCTOR：
I have at last something to report bearing upon the case that brought
me here； and perhaps I can best relate it by simply telling you what my
movements have been since my arrival。 My first errand was to Malabar
Hill。 I thought it wise to possess myself； so far as possible； of facts
proving the authenticity of Mr。 Darrow's narrative。 I found without
difficulty the banyan tree which had been the trysting…place； and close by
it the little cave with its mysterious well； … everything in fact precisely as
related； even to the 〃Farsees'〃 garden or cemetery； with its 〃Tower of
Silence；〃 or 〃Dakhma；〃 as it is called by the natives。 The cave and the
ban
