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a mortal antipathy-第33章

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wonderful way of dealing with books amazes me。〃



What marvels those 〃first scholars〃 in the classes of our great

universities and colleges are; to be sure!  They are not; as a rule;

the most distinguished of their class in the long struggle of life。

The chances are that 〃the field〃 will beat 〃the favorite〃 over the

long race…course。  Others will develop a longer stride and more

staying power。  But what fine gifts those 〃first scholars〃 have

received from nature!  How dull we writers; famous or obscure; are in

the acquisition of knowledge as compared with them!  To lead their

classmates they must have quick apprehension; fine memories; thorough

control of their mental faculties; strong will; power of

concentration; facility of expression;a wonderful equipment of

mental faculties。  I always want to take my hat off to the first

scholar of his year。



Dr。 Butts felt somewhat in the same way as he contemplated The

Terror。  She surprised him so often with her knowledge that he was

ready to receive her without astonishment when she burst in upon him

one allay with a cry of triumph; 〃Eureka! Eureka!〃



〃And what have you found; my dear?〃 said the doctor。



Lurida was flushed and panting with the excitement of her new

discovery。



〃I do believe that I have found the secret of our strange visitor's

dread of all human intercourse!〃



The seasoned practitioner was not easily thrown off his balance。



〃Wait a minute and get your breath;〃 said the doctor。  〃Are you not a

little overstating his peculiarity?  It is not quite so bad as that。

He keeps a man to serve him; he was civil with the people at the Old

Tavern; he was affable enough; I understand; with the young fellow he

pulled out of the water; or rescued somehow;I don't believe be

avoids the whole human race。  He does not look as if he hated them;

so far as I have remarked his expression。  I passed a few words with

him when his man was ailing; and found him polite enough。  No; I

don't believe it is much more than an extreme case of shyness;

connected; perhaps; with some congenital or other personal repugnance

to which has been given the name of an antipathy。〃



Lurida could hardly keep still while the doctor was speaking。  When

he finished; she began the account of her discovery:



〃I do certainly believe I have found an account of his case in an

Italian medical journal of about fourteen years ago。  I met with a

reference which led me to look over a file of the Giornale degli

Ospitali lying among the old pamphlets in the medical section of the

Library。  I have made a translation of it; which you must read and

then tell me if you do not agree with me in my conclusion。〃



〃Tell me what your conclusion is; and I will read your paper and see

for myself whether I think the evidence justifies the conviction you

seem to have reached。〃



Lurida's large eyes showed their whole rounds like the two halves of

a map of the world; as she said;



〃I believe that Maurice Kirkwood is suffering from the effects of the

bite of a TARANTULA!〃



The doctor drew a long breath。  He remembered in a vague sort of way

the stories which used to be told of the terrible Apulian spider; but

he had consigned them to the limbo of medical fable where so many

fictions have clothed themselves with a local habitation and a name。

He looked into the round eyes and wide pupils a little anxiously; as

if he feared that she was in a state of undue excitement; but; true

to his professional training; he waited for another symptom; if

indeed her mind was in any measure off its balance。



〃I know what you are thinking;〃 Lurida said; 〃but it is not so。  'I

am not mad; most noble Festus。'  You shall see the evidence and judge

for yourself。  Read the whole case;you can read my hand almost as

if it were print; and tell me if you do not agree with me that this

young man is in all probability the same person as the boy described

in the Italian journal;



One thing you might say is against the supposition。  The young

patient is spoken of as Signorino M 。  。  。  Ch。  。  。  。  But you

must remember that ch is pronounced hard in Italian; like k; which

letter is wanting in the Italian alphabet; and it is natural enough

that the initial of the second name should have got changed in the

record to its Italian equivalent。〃



Before inviting the reader to follow the details of this

extraordinary case as found in a medical journal; the narrator wishes

to be indulged in a few words of explanation; in order that he may

not have to apologize for allowing the introduction of a subject

which may be thought to belong to the professional student rather

than to the readers of this record。  There is a great deal in medical

books which it is very unbecoming to bring before the general

public;a great deal to repel; to disgust; to alarm; to excite

unwholesome curiosity。  It is not the men whose duties have made them

familiar with this class of subjects who are most likely to offend by

scenes and descriptions which belong to the physician's private

library; and not to the shelves devoted to polite literature。

Goldsmith and even Smollett; both having studied and practised

medicine; could not by any possibility have outraged all the natural

feelings of delicacy and decency as Swift and Zola have outraged

them。  But without handling doubtful subjects; there are many curious

medical experiences which have interest for every one as extreme

illustrations of ordinary conditions with which all are acquainted。

No one can study the now familiar history of clairvoyance profitably

who has not learned something of the vagaries of hysteria。  No one

can read understandingly the life of Cowper and that of Carlyle

without having some idea of the influence of hypochondriasis and of

dyspepsia upon the disposition and intellect of the subjects of these

maladies。  I need not apologize; therefore; for giving publicity to

that part of this narrative which deals with one of the most singular

maladies to be found in the records of bodily and mental infirmities。



The following is the account of the case as translated by Miss

Vincent。  For obvious reasons the whole name was not given in the

original paper; and for similar reasons the date of the event and the

birthplace of the patient are not precisely indicated here。



'Giornale degli Ospitali; Luglio 21; 18…。1



REMARKABLE CASE OF TARANTISM。



〃The great interest attaching to the very singular and exceptional

instance of this rare affection induces us to give a full account of

the extraordinary example of its occurrence in a patient who was the

subject of a recent medical consultation in this city。





〃Signorino M 。  。  。  Ch 。  。  。  is the only son of a gentleman

travelling in Italy at this time。  He is eleven years of age; of

sanguine…nervous temperament; light hair; blue eyes; intelligent

countenance; well grown; but rather slight in form; to all appearance

in good health; but subject to certain peculiar and anomalous nervous

symptoms; of which his father gives this history。



〃Nine years ago; the father informs us; he was travelling in Italy

with his wife; this child; and a nurse。  They were passing a few days

in a country village near the city of Bari; capital of the province

of the same name in the division (compartamento) of Apulia。  The

child was in perfect health and had never been affected by any

serious illness。  On the 10th of July he was playing out in the field

near the house where the family was staying when he was heard to

scream suddenly and violently。  The nurse rushing to him found him in

great pain; saying that something had bitten him in one of his feet。

A laborer; one Tommaso; ran up at the moment and perceived in the

grass; near where the boy was standing; an enormous spider; which he

at once recognized as a tarantula。  He managed to catch the creature

in a large leaf; from which he was afterwards transferred to a wide…

mouthed bottle; where he lived without any food for a month or more。

The creature was covered with short hairs; and had a pair of nipper…

like jaws; with which he could inflict an ugly wound。  His body

measured about an inch in length; and from the extremity of one of

the longest limbs to the other was between two and three inches。

Such was the account given by the physician to whom the peasant

carried the great spider。



〃The boy who had been bitten continued screaming violently while his

stocking was being removed and the foot examined。  The place of the

bite was easily found and the two marks of the claw…like jaws already

showed the effects of the poison; a small livid circle extending

around them; with some puffy swelling。  The distinguished Dr。 Amadei

was immediately sent for; and applied cups over the wounds in the

hope of drawing forth the poison。  In vain all his skill and efforts!

Soon; ataxic (irregular) nervous symptoms declared themse
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