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！
proxy would have been disposed of early。 He added：
〃Count Luigi's request for another exchange is another proof that he is a
brave and chivalrous gentleman； and I beg that the courtesy he asks may
be accorded him。〃
〃I thank you most sincerely for this generosity； Judge Driscoll；〃 said
Luigi； with a polite bow； and moving to his place。 Then he added to
Angelo； 〃Now hold your grip； hold your grip； I tell you； and I'll land
him sure！〃
The men stood erect； their pistol…arms at their sides； the two seconds
stood at their official posts； the doctor stood five paces in Wilson's
rear with his instruments and bandages in his hands。 The deep stillness；
the peaceful moonlight； the motionless figures； made an impressive
picture and the impending fatal possibilities augmented this
impressiveness solemnity。 Wilson's hand began to riseslowlystill
higherstill higherin another moment：
〃Boom！〃 the first stroke of midnight swung up out of the distance；
Angelo was off like a deer！
〃Oh； you unspeakable traitor！〃 wailed his brother； as they went soaring
over the fence。
The others stood astonished and gazing； and so stood； watching that
strange spectacle until distance dissolved it and swept it from their
view。 Then they rubbed their eyes like people waking out of a dream；
〃Well； I've never seen anything like that before！〃 said the judge。
〃Wilson； I am going to confess now； that I wasn't quite able to believe
in that leg business； and had a suspicion that it was a put…up
convenience between those twins； and when Count Angelo fainted I thought
I saw the whole schemethought it was pretext No。 2； and would be
followed by others till twelve o'clock should arrive； and Luigi would get
off with all the credit of seeming to want to fight and yet not have to
fight； after all。 But I was mistaken。 His pluck proved it。 He's a
brave fellow and did want to fight。〃
〃There isn't any doubt about that；〃 said Howard； and added； in a grieved
tone； 〃but what an unworthy sort of Christian that Angelo isI hope and
believe there are not many like him。 It is not right to engage in a duel
on the SabbathI could not approve of that myself； but to finish one
that has been begunthat is a duty； let the day be what it may。〃
They strolled along； still wondering； still talking。
〃It is a curious ；circumstance；〃remarked the surgeon； halting Wilson a
moment to paste so more court…plaster on his chin； which had gone to
leaking blood again； 〃that in this duel neither of the parties who
handled the pistols lost blood while nearly all the persons present in
the mere capacity of guests got hit。 I have not heard of such a thing
before。 Don't you think it unusual？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Judge； 〃it has struck me as peculiar。 Peculiar and
unfortunate。 I was annoyed at it； all the time。 In the case of Angelo
it made no great difference； because he was in a measure concerned；
though not officially； but it troubled me to see the seconds compromised；
and yet I knew no way to mend the matter。
〃There was no way to mend it；〃 said Howard； whose ear was being
readjusted now by the doctor； 〃the code fixes our place； and it would not
have been lawful to change it。 If we could have stood at your side； or
behind you； or in front of you； itbut it would not have been legitimate
and the other parties would have had a just right to complain of our
trying to protect ourselves from danger； infractions of the code are
certainly not permissible in any case whatever。〃
Wilson offered no remarks。 It seemed to him that there was very little
place here for so much solemnity； but he judged that if a duel where
nobody was in danger or got crippled but the seconds and the outsiders
had nothing ridiculous about it for these gentlemen； his pointing out
that feature would probably not help them to see it。
He invited them in to take a nightcap； and Howard and the judge accepted；
but the doctor said he would have to go and see how Angelo's principal
wound was getting on。
＇It was now Sunday； and in the afternoon Angelo was to be received
into the Baptist communion by immersiona doubtful prospect； the
doctor feared。＇
CHAPTER VII
LUIGI DEFIES GALEN
When the doctor arrived at Aunt Patsy Cooper's house； he found the lights
going and everybody up and dressed and in a great state of solicitude and
excitement。 The twins were stretched on a sofa in the sitting…room； Aunt
Patsy was fussing at Angelo's arm； Nancy was flying around under her
commands； the two young boys were trying to keep out of the way and
always getting in it； in order to see and wonder； Rowena stood apart；
helpless with apprehension and emotion； and Luigi was growling in
unappeasable fury over Angelo's shameful flight。
As has been reported before； the doctor was a foola kind…hearted and
well…meaning one； but with no tact； and as he was by long odds the most
learned physician in the town； and was quite well aware of it； and could
talk his learning with ease and precision； and liked to show off when he
had an audience； he was sometimes tempted into revealing more of a case
than was good for the patient。
He examined Angelo's wound； and was really minded to say nothing for
once； but Aunt Patsy was so anxious and so pressing that he allowed his
caution to be overcome； and proceeded to empty himself as follows； with
scientific relish：
〃Without going too much into detail； madamfor you would probably not
understand it； anywayI concede that great care is going to be necessary
here； otherwise exudation of the esophagus is nearly sure to ensue； and
this will be followed by ossification and extradition of the maxillaris
superioris； which must decompose the granular surfaces of the great
infusorial ganglionic system； thus obstructing the action of the
posterior varioloid arteries； and precipitating compound strangulated
sorosis of the valvular tissues； and ending unavoidably in the dispersion
and combustion of the marsupial fluxes and the consequent embrocation of
the bicuspid populo redax referendum rotulorum。〃
A miserable silence followed。 Aunt Patsy's heart sank； the pallor of
despair invaded her face； she was not able to speak； poor Rowena wrung
her hands in privacy and silence； and said to herself in the bitterness
of her young grief； 〃There is no hopeit is plain there is no hope〃； the
good…hearted negro wench； Nancy； paled to chocolate； then to orange； then
to amber； and thought to herself with yearning sympathy and sorrow； 〃Po'
thing； he ain' gwyne to las' throo de half o' dat〃； small Henry choked
up； and turned his head away to hide his rising tears； and his brother
Joe said to himself； with a sense of loss； 〃The baptizing's busted；
that's sure。〃 Luigi was the only person who had any heart to speak。 He
said； a little bit sharply； to the doctor：
〃Well； well； there's nothing to be gained by wasting precious time； give
him a barrel of pillsI'll take them for him。〃
〃You？〃 asked the doctor。
〃Yes。 Did you suppose he was going to take them himself？〃
〃Why； of course。〃
〃Well； it's a mistake。 He never took a dose of medicine in his life。 He
can't。〃
〃Well； upon my word； it's the most extraordinary thing I ever heard of！〃
〃Oh；〃 said Aunt Patsy； as pleased as a mother whose child is being
admired and wondered at； 〃you'll find that there's more about them that's
wonderful than their just being made in the image of God like the rest of
His creatures； now you can depend on that； I tell you；〃 and she wagged
her complacent head like one who could reveal marvelous things if she
chose。
The boy Joe began：
〃Why； ma； they ain't made in the im〃
〃You shut up； and wait till you're asked； Joe。 I'll let you know when I
want help。 Are you looking for something； doctor？〃
The doctor asked for a few sheets of paper and a pen； and said he would
write a prescription； which he did。 It was one of Galen's； in fact； it
was Galen's favorite； and had been slaying people for sixteen thousand
years。 Galen used it for everything； applied it to everything； said it
would remove everything； from warts all the way through to lungs and it
generally did。 Galen was still the only medical authority recognized in
Missouri； his practice was the only practice known to the Missouri
doctors； and his prescriptions were the only ammunition they carried when
they went out for game。
By and by Dr。 Claypool laid down his pen and read the result of his
labors aloud； carefully and deliberately； for this battery must be
constructed on the premises by the family； and mistakes could occur；
for he wrote a doctor's hand the hand which from the beginning of time
has been so disastrous to the apothecary and so profitable to the
undertaker：
〃Take of afarabocca； henbane； corpobalsamum； each two drams and a half：
of cloves； opium； myrrh； cyperus； each two drams； of opobalsamum； Indian
leaf； cinnamon； zedoary； ginger； coftus； coral； cassia； euphorbium； gum
tragacanth； frankincense； styrax calamita； Celtic； nard； spignel；
hartwort； mustard； saxifrage； dill； anise； each one dram； of xylaloes；
rheum ponticum； alipta； moschata； castor； spikenard； galangals； opoponax；
anacardium； mastich； brimstone； peony； er