the queen of hearts-第41部分
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and kept him in his chair。 He had put his carpet…bag on the table
when he first entered the room； and he now took the key from his
pocket； reached out his hand softly； opened the bag； and groped
in it for his traveling writing…case； in which he knew that there
was a small store of matches。 When he had got one of the matches
he waited before he struck it on the coarse wooden table； and
listened intently again without knowing why。 Still there was no
sound in the room but the steady； ceaseless rattling sound of the
rain。
He lighted the candle again without another moment of delay； and；
on the instant of its burning up； the first object in the room
that his eyes sought for was the curtained bed。
Just before the light had been put out he had looked in that
direction； and had seen no change； no disarrangement of any sort
in the folds of the closely…drawn curtains。
When he looked at the bed now； he saw hanging over the side of it
a long white hand。
It lay perfectly motionless midway on the side of the bed； where
the curtain at the head and the curtain at the foot met。 Nothing
more was visible。 The clinging curtains hid everything but the
long white hand。
He stood looking at it； unable to stir； unable to call
outfeeling nothing； knowing nothingevery faculty he possessed
gathered up and lost in the one seeing faculty。 How long that
first panic held him he never could tell afterward。 It might have
been only for a momentit might have been for many minutes
together。 How he got to the bedwhether he ran to it headlong；
or whether he approached it slowly； how he wrought himself up to
unclose the curtains and look in； he never has remembered； and
never will remember to his dying day。 It is enough that he did go
to the bed； and that he did look inside the curtains。
The man had moved。 One of his arms was outside the clothes； his
face was turned a little on the pillow； his eyelids were wide
open。 Changed as to position and as to one of the features； the
face was otherwise fearfully and wonderfully unaltered。 The dead
paleness and the dead quiet were on it still。
One glance showed Arthur thisone glance before he flew
breathlessly to the door and alarmed the house。
The man whom the landlord called 〃Ben〃 was the first to appear on
the stairs。 In three words Arthur told him what had happened； and
sent him for the nearest doctor。
I； who tell you this story； was then staying with a medical
friend of mine； in practice at Doncaster； taking care of his
patients for him during his absence in London； and I； for the
time being； was the nearest doctor。 They had sent for me from the
inn when the stranger was taken ill in the afternoon； but I was
not at home； and medical assistance was sought for elsewhere。
When the man from The Two Robins rang the night…bell； I was just
thinking of going to bed。 Naturally enough； I did not believe a
word of his story about 〃a dead man who had come to life again。〃
However； I put on my hat； armed myself with one or two bottles of
restorative medicine； and ran to the inn； expecting to find
nothing more remarkable； when I got there； than a patient in a
fit。
My surprise at finding that the man had spoken the literal truth
was almost； if not quite； equaled by my astonishment at finding
myself face to face with Arthur Holliday as soon as I entered the
bedroom。 It was no time then for giving or seeking explanations。
We just shook hands amazedly； and then I ordered everybody but
Arthur out of the room； and hurried to the man on the bed。
The kitchen fire had not been long out。 There was plenty of hot
water in the boiler； and plenty of flannel to be had。 With these；
with my medicines； and with such help as Arthur could render
under my direction； I dragged the man literally out of the jaws
of death。 In less than an hour from the time when I had been
called in； he was alive and talking in the bed on which he had
been laid out to wait for the coroner's inquest。
You will naturally ask me what had been the matter with him； and
I might treat you； in reply； to a long theory； plentifully
sprinkled with what the children call hard words。 I prefer
telling you that； in this case； cause and effect could not be
satisfactorily joined together by any theory whatever。 There are
mysteries in life and the conditions of it which human science
has not fathomed yet； and I candidly confess to you that； in
bringing that man back to existence； I was； morally speaking；
groping haphazard in the dark。 I know （from the testimony of the
doctor who attended him in the afternoon） that the vital
machinery； so far as its action is appreciable by our senses；
had； in this case； unquestionably stopped； and I am equally
certain （seeing that I recovered him） that the vital principle
was not extinct。 When I add that he had suffered from a long and
complicated illness； and that his whole nervous system was
utterly deranged； I have told you all I really know of the
physical condition of my dead…alive patient at the Two Robins
Inn。
When he 〃came to；〃 as the phrase goes； he was a startling object
to look at； with his colorless face； his sunken cheeks； his wild
black eyes； and his long black hair。 The first question he asked
me about himself when he could speak made me suspect that I had
been called in to a man in my own profession。 I mentioned to him
my surmise； and he told me that I was right。
He said he had come last from Paris； where he had been attached
to a hospital； that he had lately returned to England； on his way
to Edinburgh； to continue his studies； that he had been taken ill
on the journey； and that he had stopped to rest and recover
himself at Doncaster。 He did not add a word about his name； or
who he was； 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…humored 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 afterward 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 his hand cordially。 〃I
may confess it now；〃 he continued； laughing； 〃upon my honor； 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
themnot 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
thema 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 tur
