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house of my friend； determining to go back to the Inn； and to see
the medical student again before he had left in the morning。
I returned to the Inn at eight o'clock； purposely abstaining from
waking Arthur； who was sleeping off the past night's excitement on
one of my friend's sofas。 A suspicion had occurred to me as soon
as I was alone in my bedroom； which made me resolve that Holliday
and the stranger whose life he had saved should not meet again； if
I could prevent it。 I have already alluded to certain reports； or
scandals； which I knew of； relating to the early life of Arthur's
father。 While I was thinking； in my bed； of what had passed at the
Inn … of the change in the student's pulse when he heard the name
of Holliday； of the resemblance of expression that I had discovered
between his face and Arthur's； of the emphasis he had laid on those
three words； 'my own brother；' and of his incomprehensible
acknowledgment of his own illegitimacy … while I was thinking of
these things； the reports I have mentioned suddenly flew into my
mind； and linked themselves fast to the chain of my previous
reflections。 Something within me whispered； 'It is best that those
two young men should not meet again。' I felt it before I slept； I
felt it when I woke； and I went； as I told you； alone to the Inn
the next morning。
I had missed my only opportunity of seeing my nameless patient
again。 He had been gone nearly an hour when I inquired for him。
I have now told you everything that I know for certain； in relation
to the man whom I brought back to life in the double…bedded room of
the Inn at Doncaster。 What I have next to add is matter for
inference and surmise； and is not； strictly speaking； matter of
fact。
I have to tell you； first； that the medical student turned out to
be strangely and unaccountably right in assuming it as more than
probable that Arthur Holliday would marry the young lady who had
given him the water…colour drawing of the landscape。 That marriage
took place a little more than a year after the events occurred
which I have just been relating。 The young couple came to live in
the neighbourhood in which I was then established in practice。 I
was present at the wedding； and was rather surprised to find that
Arthur was singularly reserved with me； both before and after his
marriage； on the subject of the young lady's prior engagement。 He
only referred to it once； when we were alone； merely telling me； on
that occasion； that his wife had done all that honour and duty
required of her in the matter； and that the engagement had been
broken off with the full approval of her parents。 I never heard
more from him than this。 For three years he and his wife lived
together happily。 At the expiration of that time； the symptoms of
a serious illness first declared themselves in Mrs。 Arthur
Holliday。 It turned out to be a long； lingering； hopeless malady。
I attended her throughout。 We had been great friends when she was
well； and we became more attached to each other than ever when she
was ill。 I had many long and interesting conversations with her in
the intervals when she suffered least。 The result of one of these
conversations I may briefly relate； leaving you to draw any
inferences from it that you please。
The interview to which I refer； occurred shortly before her death。
I called one evening； as usual； and found her alone； with a look in
her eyes which told me that she had been crying。 She only informed
me at first； that she had been depressed in spirits； but； by little
and little； she became more communicative； and confessed to me that
she had been looking over some old letters； which had been
addressed to her； before she had seen Arthur； by a man to whom she
had been engaged to be married。 I asked her how the engagement
came to be broken off。 She replied that it had not been broken
off； but that it had died out in a very mysterious way。 The person
to whom she was engaged … her first love； she called him … was very
poor； and there was no immediate prospect of their being married。
He followed my profession； and went abroad to study。 They had
corresponded regularly； until the time when； as she believed； he
had returned to England。 From that period she heard no more of
him。 He was of a fretful； sensitive temperament； and she feared
that she might have inadvertently done or said something that
offended him。 However that might be； he had never written to her
again； and； after waiting a year； she had married Arthur。 I asked
when the first estrangement had begun； and found that the time at
which she ceased to hear anything of her first lover exactly
corresponded with the time at which I had been called in to my
mysterious patient at The Two Robins Inn。
A fortnight after that conversation； she died。 In course of time；
Arthur married again。 Of late years； he has lived principally in
London； and I have seen little or nothing of him。
I have many years to pass over before I can approach to anything
like a conclusion of this fragmentary narrative。 And even when
that later period is reached； the little that I have to say will
not occupy your attention for more than a few minutes。 Between six
and seven years ago； the gentleman to whom I introduced you in this
room； came to me； with good professional recommendations； to fill
the position of my assistant。 We met； not like strangers； but like
friends … the only difference between us being； that I was very
much surprised to see him； and that he did not appear to be at all
surprised to see me。 If he was my son or my brother； I believe he
could not be fonder of me than he is； but he has never volunteered
any confidences since he has been here； on the subject of his past
life。 I saw something that was familiar to me in his face when we
first met； and yet it was also something that suggested the idea of
change。 I had a notion once that my patient at the Inn might be a
natural son of Mr。 Holliday's； I had another idea that he might
also have been the man who was engaged to Arthur's first wife； and
I have a third idea； still clinging to me； that Mr。 Lorn is the
only man in England who could really enlighten me； if he chose； on
both those doubtful points。 His hair is not black； now； and his
eyes are dimmer than the piercing eyes that I remember； but； for
all that； he is very like the nameless medical student of my young
days … very like him。 And； sometimes； when I come home late at
night； and find him asleep； and wake him； he looks； in coming to；
wonderfully like the stranger at Doncaster； as he raised himself in
the bed on that memorable night！
The Doctor paused。 Mr。 Goodchild； who had been following every
word that fell from his lips up to this time； leaned forward
eagerly to ask a question。 Before he could say a word； the latch
of the door was raised； without any warning sound of footsteps in
the passage outside。 A long； white； bony hand appeared through the
opening； gently pushing the door； which was prevented from working
freely on its hinges by a fold in the carpet under it。
'That hand！ Look at that hand； Doctor！' said Mr。 Goodchild；
touching him。
At the same moment； the Doctor looked at Mr。 Goodchild； and
whispered to him； significantly：
'Hush！ he has come back。'
CHAPTER III
The Cumberland Doctor's mention of Doncaster Races； inspired Mr。
Francis Goodchild with the idea of going down to Doncaster to see
the races。 Doncaster being a good way off； and quite out of the
way of the Idle Apprentices （if anything could be out of their way；
who had no way）； it necessarily followed that Francis perceived
Doncaster in the race…week to be； of all possible idleness； the
particular idleness that would completely satisfy him。
Thomas； with an enforced idleness grafted on the natural and
voluntary power of his disposition； was not of this mind； objecting
that a man compelled to lie on his back on a floor； a sofa； a
table； a line of chairs； or anything he could get to lie upon； was
not in racing condition； and that he desired nothing better than to
lie where he was； enjoying himself in looking at the flies on the
ceiling。 But； Francis Goodchild； who had been walking round his
companion in a circuit of twelve miles for two days； and had begun
to doubt whether it was reserved for him ever to be idle in his
life； not only overpowered this objection； but even converted
Thomas Idle to a scheme he formed （another idle inspiration）； of
conveying the said Thomas to the sea…coast； and putting his injured
leg under a stream of salt…water。
Plunging into this happy conception headforemost； Mr。 Goodchild
immediately referred to the county…map； and ardently discovered
that the most delicious piece of sea…coast to be found within the
limits of England； Ireland； Scotland； Wales； the Isle of Man； and
the Channel Island