part 1-第2部分
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for her hand and took out his watch。 When he put her
hand back under the quilt he went over to one of the win…
dowsthey were both tight shutand lifted it a little
way。 He reached up and ran his hand along the cold； un…
papered wall。 〃Keep under the covers； I'll come back to
you in a moment；〃 he said； bending over the glass lamp
with his thermometer。 He winked at her from the door
before he shut it。
Peter Kronborg was sitting in his wife's room； holding
the bundle which contained his son。 His air of cheerful
importance； his beard and glasses； even his shirt…sleeves；
annoyed the doctor。 He beckoned Kronborg into the liv…
ing…room and said sternly：
〃You've got a very sick child in there。 Why didn't you
call me before？ It's pneumonia； and she must have been
sick for several days。 Put the baby down somewhere；
please； and help me make up the bed…lounge here in the
parlor。 She's got to be in a warm room； and she's got to
be quiet。 You must keep the other children out。 Here； this
thing opens up； I see；〃 swinging back the top of the car…
pet lounge。 〃We can lift her mattress and carry her in
just as she is。 I don't want to disturb her more than is
necessary。〃
Kronborg was all concern immediately。 The two men
took up the mattress and carried the sick child into the parlor。
〃I'll have to go down to my office to get some medicine；
Kronborg。 The drug store won't be open。 Keep the covers
on her。 I won't be gone long。 Shake down the stove and
put on a little coal； but not too much； so it'll catch quickly；
I mean。 Find an old sheet for me； and put it there to warm。〃
The doctor caught his coat and hurried out into the dark
street。 Nobody was stirring yet； and the cold was bitter。
He was tired and hungry and in no mild humor。 〃The
idea！〃 he muttered； 〃to be such an ass at his age； about the
seventh！ And to feel no responsibility about the little girl。
Silly old goat！ The baby would have got into the world
somehow； they always do。 But a nice little girl like that
she's worth the whole litter。 Where she ever got it
from〃 He turned into the Duke Block and ran up the
stairs to his office。
Thea Kronborg； meanwhile； was wondering why she
happened to be in the parlor； where nobody but company
usually visiting preachersever slept。 She had mo…
ments of stupor when she did not see anything； and mo…
ments of excitement when she felt that something unusual
and pleasant was about to happen； when she saw every…
thing clearly in the red light from the isinglass sides of the
hard…coal burnerthe nickel trimmings on the stove
itself； the pictures on the wall； which she thought very
beautiful； the flowers on the Brussels carpet； Czerny's
〃Daily Studies〃 which stood open on the upright piano。
She forgot； for the time being； all about the new baby。
When she heard the front door open； it occurred to her
that the pleasant thing which was going to happen was
Dr。 Archie himself。 He came in and warmed his hands at
the stove。 As he turned to her； she threw herself wearily
toward him； half out of her bed。 She would have tumbled
to the floor had he not caught her。 He gave her some medi…
cine and went to the kitchen for something he needed。 She
drowsed and lost the sense of his being there。 When she
opened her eyes again； he was kneeling before the stove；
spreading something dark and sticky on a white cloth； with
a big spoon； batter； perhaps。 Presently she felt him taking
off her nightgown。 He wrapped the hot plaster about her
chest。 There seemed to be straps which he pinned over her
shoulders。 Then he took out a thread and needle and be…
gan to sew her up in it。 That； she felt； was too strange；
she must be dreaming anyhow； so she succumbed to her
drowsiness。
Thea had been moaning with every breath since the
doctor came back； but she did not know it。 She did not
realize that she was suffering pain。 When she was con…
scious at all； she seemed to be separated from her body； to
be perched on top of the piano； or on the hanging lamp；
watching the doctor sew her up。 It was perplexing and
unsatisfactory； like dreaming。 She wished she could waken
up and see what was going on。
The doctor thanked God that he had persuaded Peter
Kronborg to keep out of the way。 He could do better by
the child if he had her to himself。 He had no children of his
own。 His marriage was a very unhappy one。 As he lifted
and undressed Thea； he thought to himself what a beauti…
ful thing a little girl's body was；like a flower。 It was
so neatly and delicately fashioned； so soft； and so milky
white。 Thea must have got her hair and her silky skin from
her mother。 She was a little Swede； through and through。
Dr。 Archie could not help thinking how he would cherish
a little creature like this if she were his。 Her hands； so lit…
tle and hot； so clever； too；he glanced at the open exer…
cise book on the piano。 When he had stitched up the flax…
seed jacket； he wiped it neatly about the edges； where the
paste had worked out on the skin。 He put on her the clean
nightgown he had warmed before the fire； and tucked the
blankets about her。 As he pushed back the hair that had
fuzzed down over her eyebrows； he felt her head thought…
fully with the tips of his fingers。 No； he couldn't say
that it was different from any other child's head； though
he believed that there was something very different about
her。 He looked intently at her wide； flushed face； freckled
nose； fierce little mouth； and her delicate； tender chinthe
one soft touch in her hard little Scandinavian face； as if
some fairy godmother had caressed her there and left a
cryptic promise。 Her brows were usually drawn together
defiantly； but never when she was with Dr。 Archie。 Her
affection for him was prettier than most of the things that
went to make up the doctor's life in Moonstone。
The windows grew gray。 He heard a tramping on the
attic floor； on the back stairs； then cries： 〃Give me my
shirt！〃 〃Where's my other stocking？〃
〃I'll have to stay till they get off to school；〃 he reflected；
〃or they'll be in here tormenting her； the whole lot of
them。〃
II
For the next four days it seemed to Dr。 Archie that
his patient might slip through his hands； do what he
might。 But she did not。 On the contrary； after that she
recovered very rapidly。 As her father remarked； she must
have inherited the 〃constitution〃 which he was never tired
of admiring in her mother。
One afternoon； when her new brother was a week old； the
doctor found Thea very comfortable and happy in her bed
in the parlor。 The sunlight was pouring in over her shoulders；
the baby was asleep on a pillow in a big rocking…chair beside
her。 Whenever he stirred； she put out her hand and rocked
him。 Nothing of him was visible but a flushed； puffy fore…
head and an uncompromisingly big； bald cranium。 The
door into her mother's room stood open； and Mrs。 Kronborg
was sitting up in bed darning stockings。 She was a short；
stalwart woman； with a short neck and a determined…looking
head。 Her skin was very fair； her face calm and unwrinkled；
and her yellow hair； braided down her back as she lay in
bed； still looked like a girl's。 She was a woman whom
Dr。 Archie respected； active； practical； unruffled； good…
humored； but determined。 Exactly the sort of woman to
take care of a flighty preacher。 She had brought her hus…
band some property； too；one fourth of her father's broad
acres in Nebraska；but this she kept in her own name。
She had profound respect for her husband's erudition and
eloquence。 She sat under his preaching with deep humility；
and was as much taken in by his stiff shirt and white neck…
ties as if she had not ironed them herself by lamplight the
night before they appeared correct and spotless in the pul…
pit。 But for all this； she had no confidence in his adminis…
tration of worldly affairs。 She looked to him for morning
prayers and grace at table； she expected him to name the
babies and to supply whatever parental sentiment there
was in the house； to remember birthdays and anniver…
saries； to point the children to moral and patriotic ideals。
It was her work to keep their bodies； their clothes； and
their conduct in some sort of order； and this she accom…
plished with a success that was a source of wonder to her
neighbors。 As she used to remark； and her husband ad…
miringly to echo； she 〃had never lost one。〃 With all his
flightiness； Peter Kronborg appreciated the matter…of…fact；
punctual way in which his wife got her children into the
world and along in it。 He believed； and he was right in
believing； that the sovereign State of Colorado was much
indebted to Mrs。 Kronborg and women like her。
Mrs。 Kronborg believed that the size of every family was
decided in heaven。 More modern views would not have
startled her； they would simply have seemed foolish
thin chatter； like the
