stories by modern american authors-第61部分

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violence；nay；　violence　was　used；　but　my　soul　prizes　too　dearly

this　little　roof　to　endure　to　be　bereaved　of　it。　　Force　should　not

prevail　when　the　hoary　locks　and　supplicating　tears　of　my　uncle

were　ineffectual。　　My　repugnance　to　move　gave　birth　to

ferociousness　and　frenzy　when　force　was　employed；　and　they　were

obliged　to　consent　to　my　return。



They　besought　methey　remonstratedthey　appealed　to　every　duty

that　connected　me　with　Him　that　made　me　and　with　my　fellow…menin

vain。　　While　I　live　I　will　not　go　hence。　　Have　I　not　fulfilled　my

destiny？



Why　will　ye　torment　me　with　your　reasonings　and　reproofs？　　Can　ye

restore　to　me　the　hope　of　my　better　days？　　Can　ye　give　me　back

Catharine　and　her　babes？　　Can　ye　recall　to　life　him　who　died　at　my

feet？



I　will　eatI　will　drinkI　will　lie　down　and　rise　upat　your

bidding；　all　I　ask　is　the　choice　of　my　abode。　　What　is　there

unreasonable　in　this　demand？　　Shortly　will　I　be　at　peace。　　This　is

the　spot　which　I　have　chosen　in　which　to　breathe　my　last　sigh。

Deny　me　not；　I　beseech　you；　so　slight　a　boon。



Talk　not　to　me；　O　my　reverend　friend！　of　Carwin。　　He　has　told　thee

his　tale；　and　thou　exculpatest　him　from　all　direct　concern　in　the

fate　of　Wieland。　　This　scene　of　havoc　was　produced　by　an　illusion

of　the　senses。　　Be　it　so；　I　care　not　from　what　source　these

disasters　have　flowed；　it　suffices　that　they　have　swallowed　up　our

hopes　and　our　existence。



What　his　agency　began；　his　agency　conducted　to　a　close。　　He

intended；　by　the　final　effort　of　his　power；　to　rescue　me　and　to

banish　his　illusions　from　my　brother。　　Such　is　his　tale；　concerning

the　truth　of　which　I　care　not。　　Henceforth　I　foster　but　one　wish：　I

ask　only　quick　deliverance　from　life　and　all　the　ills　that　attend

it。



Go；　wretch！　torment　me　not　with　thy　presence　and　thy　prayers。

Forgive　thee？　　Will　that　avail　thee　when　thy　fateful　hour　shall

arrive？　　Be　thou　acquitted　at　thy　own　tribunal；　and　thou　needest

not　fear　the　verdict　of　others。　　If　thy　guilt　be　capable　of　blacker

hues；　if　hitherto　thy　conscience　be　without　stain；　thy　crime　will

be　made　more　flagrant　by　thus　violating　my　retreat。　　Take　thyself

away　from　my　sight　if　thou　wouldst　not　behold　my　death！



Thou　art　gone！　murmuring　and　reluctant！　　And　now　my　repose　is

comingmy　work　is　done！







Fitzjames　O'Brien



The　Golden　Ingot





I　had　just　retired　to　rest；　with　my　eyes　almost　blind　with　the

study　of　a　new　work　on　physiology　by　M。　Brown…Sequard；　when　the

night　bell　was　pulled　violently。



It　was　winter；　and　I　confess　I　grumbled　as　I　rose　and　went

downstairs　to　open　the　door。　　Twice　that　week　I　had　been　aroused

long　after　midnight　for　the　most　trivial　causes。　　Once；　to　attend

upon　the　son　and　heir　of　a　wealthy　family；　who　had　cut　his　thumb

with　a　penknife；　which；　it　seems；　he　insisted　on　taking　to　bed　with

him；　and　once；　to　restore　a　young　gentleman　to　consciousness；　who

had　been　found　by　his　horrified　parent　stretched　insensible　on　the

staircase。　　Diachylon　in　the　one　case　and　ammonia　in　the　other　were

all　that　my　patients　required；　and　I　had　a　faint　suspicion　that　the

present　summons　was　perhaps　occasioned　by　no　case　more　necessitous

than　those　I　have　quoted。　　I　was　too　young　in　my　profession；

however；　to　neglect　opportunities。　　It　is　only　when　a　physician

rises　to　a　very　large　practice　that　he　can　afford　to　be

inconsiderate。　　I　was　on　the　first　step　of　the　ladder；　so　I　humbly

opened　my　door。



A　woman　was　standing　ankle　deep　in　the　snow　that　lay　upon　the

stoop。　　I　caught　but　a　dim　glimpse　of　her　form；　for　the　night　was

cloudy；　but　I　could　hear　her　teeth　rattling　like　castanets；　and；　as

the　sharp　wind　blew　her　clothes　close　to　her　form；　I　could　discern

from　the　sharpness　of　the　outlines　that　she　was　very　scantily

supplied　with　raiment。



〃Come　in；　come　in；　my　good　woman；〃　I　said　hastily；　for　the　wind

seemed　to　catch　eagerly　at　the　opportunity　of　making　itself　at　home

in　my　hall；　and　was　rapidly　forcing　an　entrance　through　the　half…

open　door。　　〃Come　in；　you　can　tell　me　all　you　have　to　communicate

inside。〃



She　slipped　in　like　a　ghost；　and　I　closed　the　door。　　While　I　was

striking　a　light　in　my　office；　I　could　hear　her　teeth　still

clicking　out　in　the　dark　hall；　till　it　seemed　as　if　some　skeleton

was　chattering。　　As　soon　as　I　obtained　a　light　I　begged　her　to

enter　the　room；　and；　without　occupying　myself　particularly　about

her　appearance；　asked　her　abruptly　what　her　business　was。



〃My　father　has　met　with　a　severe　accident；〃　she　said；　〃and　requires

instant　surgical　aid。　　I　entreat　you　to　come　to　him　immediately。〃



The　freshness　and　the　melody　of　her　voice　startled　me。　　Such　voices

rarely；　if　ever；　issue　from　any　but　beautiful　forms。　　I　looked　at

her　attentively；　but；　owing　to　a　nondescript　species　of　shawl　in

which　her　head　was　wrapped；　I　could　discern　nothing　beyond　what

seemed　to　be　a　pale；　thin　face　and　large　eyes。　　Her　dress　was

lamentable。　　An　old　silk；　of　a　color　now　unrecognizable；　clung　to

her　figure　in　those　limp　folds　which　are　so　eloquent　of　misery。

The　creases　where　it　had　been　folded　were　worn　nearly　through；　and

the　edges　of　the　skirt　had　decayed　into　a　species　of　irregular

fringe；　which　was　clotted　and　discolored　with　mud。　　Her　shoes

which　were　but　half　concealed　by　this　scanty　garmentwere

shapeless　and　soft　with　moisture。　　Her　hands　were　hidden　under　the

ends　of　the　shawl　which　covered　her　head　and　hung　down　over　a　bust；

the　outlines　of　which；　although　angular；　seemed　to　possess　grace。

Poverty；　when　partially　shrouded；　seldom　fails　to　interest：　witness

the　statue　of　the　Veiled　Beggar；　by　Monti。



〃In　what　manner　was　your　father　hurt？〃　I　asked；　in　a　tone

considerably　softened　from　the　one　in　which　I　put　my　first

question。



〃He　blew　himself　up；　sir；　and　is　terribly　wounded。〃



〃Ah！　　He　is　in　some　factory；　then？〃



〃No；　sir；　he　is　a　chemist。〃



〃A　chemist？　　Why；　he　is　a　brother　professional。　　Wait　an　instant；

and　I　will　slip　on　my　coat　and　go　with　you。　　Do　you　live　far　from

here？〃



〃In　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　more　than　two　blocks　from　the　end　of

this　street。〃



〃So　much　the　better。　　We　will　be　with　him　in　a　few　minutes。　　Did

you　leave　anyone　in　attendance　on　him？〃



〃No；　sir。　　He　will　allow　no　one　but　myself　to　enter　his　laboratory。

And；　injured　as　he　is；　I　could　not　induce　him　to　quit　it。〃



〃Indeed！　　He　is　engaged　in　some　great　research；　perhaps？　　I　have

known　such　cases。〃



We　were　passing　under　a　lamp…post；　and　the　woman　suddenly　turned

and　glared　at　me　with　a　look　of　such　wild　terror　that　for　an

instant　I　involuntarily　glanced　round　me　under　the　impression　that

some　terrible　peril；　unseen　by　me；　was　menacing　us　both。



〃Don'tdon't　ask　me　any　questions；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　　〃He

will　tell　you　all。　　But　do；　oh；　do　hasten！　　Good　God！　he　may　be

dead　by　this　time！〃



I　made　no　reply；　but　allowed　her　to　grasp　my　hand；　which　she　did

with　a　bony；　nervous　clutch；　and　endeavored　with　some　difficulty　to

keep　pace　with　the　long　stridesI　might　well　call　them　bounds；　for

they　seemed　the　springs　of　a　wild　animal　rather　than　the　paces　of　a

young　girlwith　which　she　covered　the　ground。　　Not　a　word　more　was

uttered　until　we　stopped　before　a　shabby；　old…fashioned　tenement

house　in　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　far　above　Twenty…third　Street。

She　pushed　the　door　open　with　a　convulsive　pressure；　and；　still

retaining　hold　of　my　hand；　literally　dragged　me　upstairs　to　what

seemed　to　be　a　back　offshoot　from　the　main　building；　as　high；

perhaps；　as　the　fourth　story。　　In　a　moment　more　I　found　myself　in　a

moderate…sized　chamber；　lit　by　a　single　lamp。　　In　one　corner；

stretched　motionless　on　a　wretched　pallet　bed；　I　beheld　what　I

supposed　to　be　the　figure　of　my　patient。



〃He　is　there；〃　said　the　girl；　〃go　to　him。　　See　if　he　is　deadI

dare　not　look。〃



I　made　my　way　as　well　as　I　could　through　the　numberless　dilapidated

chemical　instruments　with　which　the　room　was　littered。　　A　French

chafing　dish　supported　on　an　iron　tripod　had　been　overturned；　and

was　lying　across　the　floor；　while　the　charcoal；　still　warm；　was

scattered　around　in　various　directions。　　Crucibles；　alembics；　and

retorts　were　confusedly　piled　in　various　corners；　and　on　a　small

table　I　saw　distributed　in　separate　bottles　a　number　of　mineral　and

metallic　substances；　which　I　recognized　as　antimony；　mercury；

plumbago；　arsenic；　borax；　etc。　　It　was　veritably　the　apartment　of　a

poor　chemist。　　All　the　apparatus　had　the　air　of　being　second…hand。

There　was　no　luster　of　exquisitely　annealed　glass　and　highly

polished　metals；　such　as　dazzles　one　in　the　laboratory　of　the

prosperous　analyst。　　The　makeshifts　of　poverty　were　everywhere

visible。　　The　crucibles　were　broken；　or　gallipots　were　used　instead

of　crucibles。　　The　colored　tests　were　not　in　the　usual　transparent

vials；　but　were　placed　in　ordinary　black　bottles。　　There　is　nothing

more　melancholy　than　to　behold　science　or　art　in　distress。　　A

threadbare　scholar；　a　tattered　book；　or　a　battered　violin　is　a　mute

appeal　to　our　sympathy。



I　approached　the　wretched　pallet　bed　on　which　the　victim　of

chemistry　was　lying。　　He　breathed　heavily；　and　had　his　head　turned

toward　the　wall。　　I　lifted　his　arm　gently　to　arouse　his　attention。

〃How　goes　it；　my　poor　friend？〃　I　asked　him。　　〃Where　are　you　hurt？〃



In　a　moment；　as　if　startled　by　the　sound　of　my　voice；　he　sprang　up

in　his　bed；　and　cowered　against　the　wall　like　a　wild　animal　driven

to　bay。　　〃Who　are　you？　　I　don't　know　you。　　Who　brought　you　here？

You　are　a　stranger。　　How　dare　you　come　into　my　private　rooms　to　spy

upon　me？〃



And　as　he　uttered　this　rapidly　with　a　frightful　nervous　energy；　I

beheld　a　pale　distorted　face；　draped　with　long　gray　hair；　glaring

at　me　with　a　mingled　expression　of　fury　and　terror。



〃I　am　no　spy；〃　I　answered　mildly。　　〃I　heard　that　you　had　met　with

an　accident；　and　have　come　to　cure　you