a mortal antipathy-第58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！



which　the　human　soul　is　capable；　should　become　attached　to　each

other。　　But　the　bond　between　them　was　stronger　than　any　knew；　except

the　good　doctor；　who　had　learned　the　great　secret　of　Maurice's　life。

For　the　first　time　since　his　infancy　he　had　fully　felt　the　charm

which　the　immediate　presence　of　youthful　womanhood　carries　with　it。

He　could　hardly　believe　the　fact　when　he　found　himself　no　longer　the

subject　of　the　terrifying　seizures　of　which　he　had　had　many　and

threatening　experiences。



It　was　the　doctor's　business　to　save　his　patient's　life；　if　he　could

possibly　do　it。　　Maurice　had　been　reduced　to　the　most　perilous　state

of　debility　by　the　relapse　which　had　interrupted　his　convalescence。

Only　by　what　seemed　almost　a　miracle　had　he　survived　the　exposure　to

suffocation　and　the　mental　anguish　through　which　he　had　passed。　　It

was　perfectly　clear　to　Dr。　Butts　that　if　Maurice　could　see　the　young

woman　to　whom　he　owed　his　life；　and；　as　the　doctor　felt　assured；　the

revolution　in　his　nervous　system　which　would　be　the　beginning　of　a

new　existence；　it　would　be　of　far　more　value　as　a　restorative　agency

than　any　or　all　of　the　drugs　in　the　pharmacopoeia。　　He　told　this　to

Euthymia；　and　explained　the　matter　to　her　parents　and　friends。　　She

must　go　with　him　on　some　of　his　visits。　　Her　mother　should　go　with

her；　or　her　sister；　but　this　was　a　case　of　life　and　death；　and　no

maidenly　scruples　must　keep　her　from　doing　her　duty。



The　first　of　her　visits　to　the　sick；　perhaps　dying；　man　presented　a

scene　not　unlike　the　picture　before　spoken　of　on　the　title…page　of

the　old　edition　of　Galen。　　The　doctor　was　perhaps　the　most　agitated

of　the　little　group。　　He　went　before　the　others；　took　his　seat　by　the

bedside；　and　held　the　patient's　wrist　with　his　finger　on　the　pulse。

As　Euthymia　entered　it　gave　a　single　bound；　fluttered　for　an　instant

as　if　with　a　faint　memory　of　its　old　habit；　then　throbbed　full　and

strong；　comparatively；　as　if　under　the　spur　of　some　powerful

stimulus。　　Euthymia's　task　was　a　delicate　one；　but　she　knew　how　to

disguise　its　difficulty。



〃Here　is　a　flower　I　have　brought　you；　Mr。　Kirkwood；〃　she　said；　and

handed　him　a　white　chrysanthemum。　　He　took　it　from　her　hand；　and

before　she　knew　it　he　took　her　hand　into　his　own；　and　held　it　with　a

gentle　constraint。　　What　could　she　do？　　Here　was　the　young　man　whose

life　she　had　saved；　at　least　for　the　moment；　and　who　was　yet　in

danger　from　the　disease　which　had　almost　worn　out　his　powers　of

resistance。



〃Sit　down　by　Mr。　Kirkwood's　side；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃He　wants　to

thank　you；　if　he　has　strength　to　do　it；　for　saving　him　from　the　death

which　seemed　inevitable。〃



Not　many　words　could　Maurice　command。　　He　was　weak　enough　for　womanly

tears；　but　their　fountains　no　longer　flowed；　it　was　with　him　as　with

the　dying；　whose　eyes　may　light　up；　but　rarely　shed　a　tear。



The　river　which　has　found　a　new　channel　widens　and　deepensit；　it

lets　the　old　water…course　fill　up；　and　never　returns　to　its　forsaken

bed。　　The　tyrannous　habit　was　broken。　　The　prophecy　of　the　gitana　had

verified　itself；　and　the　ill　a　fair　woman　had　wrought　a　fairer　woman

bad　conquered　and　abolished。



The　history　of　Maurice　Kirkwood　loses　its　exceptional　character　from

the　time　of　his　restoration　to　his　natural　conditions。　　His

convalescence　was　very　slow　and　gradual；　but　no　further　accident

interrupted　its　even　progress。　　The　season　was　over；　the　summer

visitors　had　left　Arrowhead　Village；　the　chrysanthemums　were　going

out　of　flower；　the　frosts　had　come；　and　Maurice　was　still　beneath　the

roof　of　the　kind　physician。　　The　relation　between　him　and　his

preserver　was　so　entirely　apart　from　all　common　acquaintances　and

friendships　that　no　ordinary　rules　could　apply　to　it。　　Euthymia

visited　him　often　during　the　period　of　his　extreme　prostration。



〃You　must　come　every　day；〃　the　doctor　said。　　〃He　gains　with　every

visit　you　make　him；　he　pines　if　you　miss　him　for　a　single　day。〃　　So

she　came　and　sat　by　him；　the　doctor　or　good　Mrs。　Butts　keeping　her

company　in　his　presence。　　He　grew　stronger；began　to　sit　up　in　bed；

and　at　last　Euthymia　found　him　dressed　as　in　health；　and　beginning　to

walk　about　the　room。　　She　was　startled。　　She　had　thought　of　herself

as　a　kind　of　nurse；　but　the　young　gentleman　could　hardly　be　said　to

need　a　nurse　any　longer。　　She　had　scruples　about　making　any　further

visits。　　She　asked　Lurida　what　she　thought　about　it。



〃Think　about　it？〃　said　Lurida。　　〃　Why　should　n't　you　go　to　see　a

brother　as　well　as　a　sister；　I　should　like　to　know？　　If　you　are

afraid　to　go　to　see　Maurice　Kirkwood；　I　am　not　afraid；　at　any　rate。

If　you　would　rather　have　me　go　than　go　yourself；　I　will　do　it；　and

let　people　talk　just　as　much　as　they　want　to。　　Shall　I　go　instead　of

you？〃



Euthymia　was　not　quite　sure　that　this　would　be　the　best　thing　for　the

patient。　　The　doctor　had　told　her　he　thought　there　were　special

reasons　for　her　own　course　in　coming　daily　to　see　him。　　〃I　am

afraid；〃　she　said；　〃　you　are　too　bright　to　be　safe　for　him　in　his

weak　state。　　Your　mind　is　such　a　stimulating　one；　you　know。　　A　dull

sort　of　person　like　myself　is　better　for　him　just　now。　　I　will

continue　visiting　him　as　long　as　the　doctor　says　it　is　important　that

I　should；　but　you　must　defend　me；　Lurida；I　know　you　can　explain　it

all　so　that　people　will　not　blame　me。〃



Euthymia　knew　full　well　what　the　effect　of　Lurida's　penetrating　head…

voice　would　be　in　a　convalescent's　chamber。　　She　knew　how　that　active

mind　of　hers　would　set　the　young　man's　thoughts　at　work；　when　what　he

wanted　was　rest　of　every　faculty。　　Were　not　these　good　and　sufficient

reasons　for　her　decision？　　What　others　could　there　be？



So　Euthymia　kept　on　with　her　visits；　until　she　blushed　to　see　that

she　was　continuing　her　charitable　office　for　one　who　was　beginning　to

look　too　well　to　be　called　an　invalid。　　It　was　a　dangerous　condition

of　affairs；　and　the　busy　tongues　of　the　village　gossips　were　free　in

their　comments。　　Free；　but　kindly；　for　the　story　of　the　rescue　had

melted　every　heart；　and　what　could　be　more　natural　than　that　these

two　young　people　whom　God　had　brought　together　in　the　dread　moment　of

peril　should　find　it　hard　to　tear　themselves　asunder　after　the　hour

of　danger　was　past？　　When　gratitude　is　a　bankrupt；　love　only　can　pay

his　debts；　and　if　Maurice　gave　his　heart　to　Euthymia；　would　not　she

receive　it　as　payment　in　full？



The　change　which　had　taken　place　in　the　vital　currents　of　Maurice

Kirkwood's　system　was　as　simple　and　solid　a　fact　as　the　change　in　a

magnetic　needle　when　the　boreal　becomes　the　austral　pole；　and　the

austral　the　boreal。　　It　was　well；　perhaps；　that　this　change　took

place　while　he　was　enfeebled　by　the　wasting　effects　of　long　illness。

For　all　the　long…defeated；　disturbed；　perverted　instincts　had　found

their　natural　channel　from　the　centre　of　consciousness　to　the　organ

which　throbs　in　response　to　every　profound　emotion。　　As　his　health

gradually　returned；　Euthymia　could　not　help　perceiving　a　flush　in　his

cheek；　a　glitter　in　his　eyes；　a　something　in　the　tone　of　his　voice；

which　altogether　were　a　warning　to　the　young　maiden　that　the　highway

of　friendly　intercourse　was　fast　narrowing　to　a　lane；　at　the　head　of

which　her　woman's　eye　could　read　plainly　enough；　〃Dangerous　passing。〃



〃You　look　so　much　better　to…day；　Mr。　Kirkwood；〃　she　said；　〃that　I

think　I　had　better　not　play　Sister　of　Charity　any　longer。　　The　next

time　we　meet　I　hope　you　will　be　strong　enough　to　call　on　me。〃



She　was　frightened　to　see　how　pale　he　turned；he　was　weaker　than　she

thought。　　There　was　a　silence　so　profound　and　so　long　that　Mrs。　Butts

looked　up　from　the　stocking　she　was　knitting。　　They　had　forgotten　the

good　woman's　presence。



Presently　Maurice　spoke；very　faintly；　but　Mrs。　Butts　dropped　a

stitch　at　the　first　word；　and　her　knitting　fell　into　her　lap　as　she

listened　to　what　followed。



〃No！　you　must　not　leave　me。　　You　must　never　le