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！
and； of course； I did not question him on the subject。 All I
inquired； when he ceased speaking； was what branch of the
profession he intended to follow。
'Any branch；' he said； bitterly； 'which will put bread into the
mouth of a poor man。'
At this； Arthur； who had been hitherto watching him in silent
curiosity； burst out impetuously in his usual good…humoured way：…
'My dear fellow！' （everybody was 'my dear fellow' with Arthur） 'now
you have come to life again； don't begin by being down…hearted
about your prospects。 I'll answer for it； I can help you to some
capital thing in the medical line … or； if I can't； I know my
father can。'
The medical student looked at him steadily。
'Thank you；' he said； coldly。 Then added； 'May I ask who your
father is？'
'He's well enough known all about this part of the country；'
replied Arthur。 'He is a great manufacturer； and his name is
Holliday。'
My hand was on the man's wrist during this brief conversation。 The
instant the name of Holliday was pronounced I felt the pulse under
my fingers flutter； stop； go on suddenly with a bound； and beat
afterwards； for a minute or two； at the fever rate。
'How did you come here？' asked the stranger； quickly； excitably；
passionately almost。
Arthur related briefly what had happened from the time of his first
taking the bed at the inn。
'I am indebted to Mr。 Holliday's son then for the help that has
saved my life；' said the medical student； speaking to himself； with
a singular sarcasm in his voice。 'Come here！'
He held out； as he spoke； his long； white； bony； right hand。
'With all my heart；' said Arthur； taking the hand…cordially。 'I
may confess it now；' he continued； laughing。 'Upon my honour； you
almost frightened me out of my wits。'
The stranger did not seem to listen。 His wild black eyes were
fixed with a look of eager interest on Arthur's face； and his long
bony fingers kept tight hold of Arthur's hand。 Young Holliday； on
his side； returned the gaze； amazed and puzzled by the medical
student's odd language and manners。 The two faces were close
together； I looked at them； and； to my amazement； I was suddenly
impressed by the sense of a likeness between them … not in
features； or complexion； but solely in expression。 It must have
been a strong likeness； or I should certainly not have found it
out； for I am naturally slow at detecting resemblances between
faces。
'You have saved my life；' said the strange man； still looking hard
in Arthur's face； still holding tightly by his hand。 'If you had
been my own brother； you could not have done more for me than
that。'
He laid a singularly strong emphasis on those three words 'my own
brother；' and a change passed over his face as he pronounced them；
… a change that no language of mine is competent to describe。
'I hope I have not done being of service to you yet；' said Arthur。
'I'll speak to my father； as soon as I get home。'
'You seem to be fond and proud of your father；' said the medical
student。 'I suppose； in return； he is fond and proud of you？'
'Of course； he is！' answered Arthur； laughing。 'Is there anything
wonderful in that？ Isn't YOUR father fond … '
The stranger suddenly dropped young Holliday's hand； and turned his
face away。
'I beg your pardon；' said Arthur。 'I hope I have not
unintentionally pained you。 I hope you have not lost your father。'
'I can't well lose what I have never had；' retorted the medical
student； with a harsh； mocking laugh。
'What you have never had！'
The strange man suddenly caught Arthur's hand again； suddenly
looked once more hard in his face。
'Yes；' he said； with a repetition of the bitter laugh。 'You have
brought a poor devil back into the world； who has no business
there。 Do I astonish you？ Well！ I have a fancy of my own for
telling you what men in my situation generally keep a secret。 I
have no name and no father。 The merciful law of Society tells me I
am Nobody's Son！ Ask your father if he will be my father too； and
help me on in life with the family name。'
Arthur looked at me； more puzzled than ever。 I signed to him to
say nothing； and then laid my fingers again on the man's wrist。
No！ In spite of the extraordinary speech that he had just made； he
was not； as I had been disposed to suspect； beginning to get light…
headed。 His pulse； by this time； had fallen back to a quiet； slow
beat； and his skin was moist and cool。 Not a symptom of fever or
agitation about him。
Finding that neither of us answered him； he turned to me； and began
talking of the extraordinary nature of his case； and asking my
advice about the future course of medical treatment to which he
ought to subject himself。 I said the matter required careful
thinking over； and suggested that I should submit certain
prescriptions to him the next morning。 He told me to write them at
once； as he would； most likely； be leaving Doncaster； in the
morning； before I was up。 It was quite useless to represent to him
the folly and danger of such a proceeding as this。 He heard me
politely and patiently； but held to his resolution； without
offering any reasons or any explanations； and repeated to me； that
if I wished to give him a chance of seeing my prescription； I must
write it at once。 Hearing this； Arthur volunteered the loan of a
travelling writing…case； which； he said； he had with him； and；
bringing it to the bed； shook the note…paper out of the pocket of
the case forthwith in his usual careless way。 With the paper；
there fell out on the counterpane of the bed a small packet of
sticking…plaster； and a little water…colour drawing of a landscape。
The medical student took up the drawing and looked at it。 His eye
fell on some initials neatly written； in cypher； in one corner。 He
started and trembled； his pale face grew whiter than ever； his wild
black eyes turned on Arthur； and looked through and through him。
'A pretty drawing；' he said in a remarkably quiet tone of voice。
'Ah！ and done by such a pretty girl；' said Arthur。 'Oh； such a
pretty girl！ I wish it was not a landscape … I wish it was a
portrait of her！'
'You admire her very much？'
Arthur； half in jest； half in earnest； kissed his hand for answer。
'Love at first sight！' he said； putting the drawing away again。
'But the course of it doesn't run smooth。 It's the old story。
She's monopolised as usual。 Trammelled by a rash engagement to
some poor man who is never likely to get money enough to marry her。
It was lucky I heard of it in time； or I should certainly have
risked a declaration when she gave me that drawing。 Here； doctor！
Here is pen； ink； and paper all ready for you。'
'When she gave you that drawing？ Gave it。 Gave it。' He repeated
the words slowly to himself； and suddenly closed his eyes。 A
momentary distortion passed across his face； and I saw one of his
hands clutch up the bedclothes and squeeze them hard。 I thought he
was going to be ill again； and begged that there might be no more
talking。 He opened his eyes when I spoke； fixed them once more
searchingly on Arthur； and said； slowly and distinctly； 'You like
her； and she likes you。 The poor man may die out of your way。 Who
can tell that she may not give you herself as well as her drawing；
after all？'
Before young Holliday could answer； he turned to me； and said in a
whisper； 'Now for the prescription。' From that time； though he
spoke to Arthur again； he never looked at him more。
When I had written the prescription； he examined it； approved of
it； and then astonished us both by abruptly wishing us good night。
I offered to sit up with him； and he shook his head。 Arthur
offered to sit up with him； and he said； shortly； with his face
turned away； 'No。' I insisted on having somebody left to watch
him。 He gave way when he found I was determined； and said he would
accept the services of the waiter at the Inn。
'Thank you； both；' he said； as we rose to go。 'I have one last
favour to ask … not of you； doctor； for I leave you to exercise
your professional discretion … but of Mr。 Holliday。' His eyes；
while he spoke； still rested steadily on me； and never once turned
towards Arthur。 'I beg that Mr。 Holliday will not mention to any
one … least of all to his father … the events that have occurred；
and the words that have passed； in this room。 I entreat him to
bury me in his memory； as； but for him； I might have been buried in
my grave。 I cannot give my reasons for making this strange
request。 I can only implore him to grant it。'
His voice faltered for the first time； and he hid his face on the
pillow。 Arthur； completely bewildered； gave the required pledge。
I took young Holliday away with me； immediately afterwards； to the
house of my friend； determining to go back to the Inn； and to see
the medical stud