a mortal antipathy-第42部分

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themselves　too　high　for　any　such　recognition　of　another　as　their

better。　　They　could　not　understand　how　he；　so　much　their　superior　in

bodily　presence；　in　air　and　manner；　could　speak　of　the　man　who

employed　him　in　any　other　way　than　as　〃Kirkwood；〃　without　even

demeaning　himself　so　far　as　to　prefix　a　〃Mr。〃　　to　it。　　But　〃my

master〃　Maurice　remained　for　Paolo　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　all　men

are　born　free　and　equal。　　And　never　was　a　servant　more　devoted　to　a

master　than　was　Paolo　to　Maurice　during　the　days　of　doubt　and　danger。

Since　his　improvement　Maurice　insisted　upon　his　leaving　his　chamber

and　getting　out　of　the　house；　so　as　to　breathe　the　fresh　air　of　which

he　was　in　so　much　need。　　It　worried　him　to　see　his　servant　returning

after　too　short　an　absence。　　The　attendant　who　had　helped　him　in　the

care　of　the　patient　was　within　call；　and　Paolo　was　almost　driven　out

of　the　house　by　the　urgency　of　his　master's　command　that　he　should

take　plenty　of　exercise　in　the　open　air。



Notwithstanding　the　fact　of　Maurice's　improved　condition；　although

the　force　of　the　disease　had　spent　itself；　the　state　of　weakness　to

which　he　had　been　reduced　was　a　cause　of　some　anxiety；　and　required

great　precautions　to　be　taken。　　He　lay　in　bed；　wasted；　enfeebled　to

such　a　degree　that　he　had　to　be　cared　for　very　much　as　a　child　is

tended。　　Gradually　his　voice　was　coming　back　to　him；　so　that　he　could

hold　some　conversation；　as　was　before　mentioned；　with　those　about

him。　　The　doctor　waited　for　the　right　moment　to　make　mention　of　the

manuscript　which　Maurice　had　submitted　to　him。　　Up　to　this　time；

although　it　had　been　alluded　to　and　the　doctor　had　told　him　of　the

intense　interest　with　which　he　had　read　it；　he　had　never　ventured　to

make　it　the　subject　of　any　long　talk；　such　as　would　be　liable　to

fatigue　his　patient。　　But　now　he　thought　the　time　had　come。



〃I　have　been　thinking；〃　the　doctor　said；　〃of　the　singular　seizures　to

which　you　are　liable；　and　as　it　is　my　business　not　merely　to　think

about　such　cases；　but　to　do　what　I　can　to　help　any　who　may　be　capable

of　receiving　aid　from　my　art；　I　wish　to　have　some　additional　facts

about　your　history。　　And　in　the　first　place；　will　you　allow　me　to　ask

what　led　you　to　this　particular　place？　　It　is　so　much　less　known　to

the　public　at　large　than　many　other　resorts　that　we　naturally　ask；

What　brings　this　or　that　new　visitor　among　us？　　We　have　no　ill…

tasting；　natural　spring　of　bad　water　to　be　analyzed　by　the　state

chemist　and　proclaimed　as　a　specific。　　We　have　no　great　gambling…

houses；　no　racecourse　（except　that　fox　boats　on　the　lake）；　we　have　no

coaching…club；　no　great　balls；　few　lions　of　any　kind；　so　we　ask；　What

brings　this　or　that　stranger　here？　　And　I　think　I　may　venture　to　ask

you　whether　any；　special　motive　brought　you　among　us；　or　whether　it

was　accident　that　determined　your　coming　to　this　place。〃



〃Certainly；　doctor；〃　Maurice　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　with　great

pleasure。　　Last　year　I　passed　on　the　border　of　a　great　river。　　The

year　before　I　lived　in　a　lonely　cottage　at　the　side　of　the　ocean。　　I

wanted　this　year　to　be　by　a　lake。　　You　heard　the　paper　read　at　the

meeting　of　your　society；　or　at　least　you　heard　of　it；for　such

matters　are　always　talked　over　in　a　village　like　this。　　You　can　judge

by　that　paper；　or　could；　if　it　were　before　you；　of　the　frame　of　mind

in　which　I　came　here。　　I　was　tired　of　the　sullen　indifference　of　the

ocean　and　the　babbling　egotism　of　the　river；　always　hurrying　along　on

its　own　private　business。　　I　wanted　the　dreamy　stillness　of　a　large；

tranquil　sheet　of　water　that　had　nothing　in　particular　to　do；　and

would　leave　me　to　myself　and　my　thoughts。　　I　had　read　somewhere　about

the　place；　and　the　old　Anchor　Tavern；　with　its　paternal　landlord　and

motherly　landlady　and　old…fashioned　household；　and　that；　though　it

was　no　longer　open　as　a　tavern；　I　could　find　a　resting…place　there

early　in　the　season；　at　least　for　a　few　days；　while　I　looked　about　me

for　a　quiet　place　in　which　I　might　pass　my　summer。　　I　have　found　this

a　pleasant　residence。　　By　being　up　early　and　out　late　I　have　kept

myself　mainly　in　the　solitude　which　has　become　my　enforced　habit　of

life。　　The　season　has　gone　by　too　swiftly　for　me　since　my　dream　has

become　a　vision。〃



The　doctor　was　sitting　with　his　hand　round　Maurice's　wrist；　three

fingers　on　his　pulse。　　As　he　spoke　these　last　words　he　noticed　that

the　pulse　fluttered　a　little；beat　irregularly　a　few　times；

intermitted；　became　feeble　and　thready；　while　his　cheek　grew　whiter

than　the　pallid　bloodlessness　of　his　long　illness　had　left　it。



〃No　more　talk；　now；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　too　tired　to　be　using　your

voice。　　I　will　hear　all　the　rest　another　time。〃



The　doctor　had　interrupted　Maurice　at　an　interesting　point。　　What　did

he　mean　by　saying　that　his　dream　had　become　a　vision？　　This　is　what

the　doctor　was　naturally　curious；　and　professionally　anxious；　to

know。　　But　his　hand　was　still　on　his　patient's　pulse；　which　told　him

unmistakably　that　the　heart　had　taken　the　alarm　and　was　losing　its

energy　under　the　depressing　nervous　influence。　　Presently；　however；

it　recovered　its　natural　force　and　rhythm；　and　a　faint　flush　came

back　to　the　pale　cheek。　　The　doctor　remembered　the　story　of　Galen；

and　the　young　maiden　whose　complaint　had　puzzled　the　physicians。



The　next　day　his　patient　was　well　enough　to　enter　once　more　into

conversation。



〃You　said　something　about　a　dream　of　yours　which　had　become　a

vision；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　his　fingers　on　his　patient's　wrist；　as

before。　　He　felt　the　artery　leap；　under　his　pressure；　falter　a

little；　stop；　then　begin　again；　growing　fuller　in　its　beat。　　The

heart　had　felt　the　pull　of　the　bridle；　but　the　spur　had　roused　it　to

swift　reaction。



〃You　know　the　story　of　my　past　life；　doctor；〃　Maurice　answered；　〃and；

I　will　tell　you　what　is　the　vision　which　has　taken　the　place　of　my

dreams。　　You　remember　the　boat…race？　　I　watched　it　from　a　distance；

but　I　held　a　powerful　opera…glass　in　my　hand；　which　brought　the　whole

crew　of　the　young　ladies'　boat　so　close　to　me　that　I　could　see　the

features；　the　figures；　the　movements；　of　every　one　of　the　rowers。　　I

saw　the　little　coxswain　fling　her　bouquet　in　the　track　of　the　other

boat；you　remember　how　the　race　was　lost　and　won；but　I　saw　one

face　among　those　young　girls　which　drew　me　away　from　all　the　rest。

It　was　that　of　the　young　lady　who　pulled　the　bow　oar；　the　captain　of

the　boat's　crew。　　I　have　since　learned　her　name；　you　know　it　well；I

need　not　name　her。　　Since　that　day　I　have　had　many　distant　glimpses

of　her；　and　once　I　met　her　so　squarely　that　the　deadly　sensation　came

over　me；　and　I　felt　that　in　another　moment　I　should　fall　senseless　at

her　feet。　　But　she　passed　on　her　way　and　I　on　mine；　and　the　spasm

which　had　clutched　my　heart　gradually　left　it；　and　I　was　as　well　as

before。　　You　know　that　young　lady；　doctor？〃



〃I　do；　and　she　is　a　very　noble　creature。　　You　are　not　the　first　young

man　who　has　been　fascinated；　almost　at　a　glance；　by　Miss　Euthymia

Tower。　　And　she　is　well　worth　knowing　more　intimately。〃



The　doctor　gave　him　a　full　account　of　the　young　lady；　of　her　early

days；　her　character；　her　accomplishments。　　To　all　this　he　listened

devoutly；　and　when　the　doctor　left　him　he　said　to　himself；

〃I　will　see　her　and　speak　with　her；　if　it　costs　me　my　life。〃









XXII



EUTHYMIA。



〃The　Wonder〃　of　the　Corinna　Institute　had　never　willingly　made　a　show

of　her　gymnastic　accomplishments。　　Her　feats；　which　were　so　much

admired；　were　only　her　natural　exercise。　　Gradually　the　dumb…bells

others　used　became　too　light　for　her；　the　ropes　she　climbed　too

short；　the　clubs　she　exercised　with　seemed　as　if　they　were　made　of

cork　instead　of　being　heavy　wood；　and　all　the　tests　and　meters　of

strength　and　agility　had　been　strained　beyond　the　standards　which　the

records　of　the　school　had　marked　as　their　historic　maxima。　　It　was

not　her　fault　that　she　broke　a　dynamometer　one　day；　she　apologized

for　it；　but　the　teacher　said　he　wished　he　could　have　a　dozen　broken

every　year　in　the　same　way。　　The　consciousness　of　her　bodily　strength

had　made　her　very　careful　in　her　movements。　　The　pressure　of　her　hand

was　never　too　hard　for　the　tenderest　little　maiden　whose　palm　was

against　her　own。　　So　far　from　priding　herself　on　her　special　gifts；

she　was　disposed　to　be　ashamed　of　them。　　There　were　times　and　places

in　which　she　could　give　full　play　to　her　muscles　without　fear　or

reproach。　　She　had　her　special　costume　for　the　boat　and　for　the

woods。　　She　would　climb　the　rugged　old　hemlocks　now　and　then　for　the

sake　of　a　wide　outlook；　or　to　peep　into　the　large　nest　where　a　hawk；

or　it　may　be　an　eagle；　was　raising　her　little　brood　of　air…pirates。



There　were　those　who　spoke　of　her　wanderings　in　lonely　places　as　an

unsafe　exposure。　　One　sometimes　met　doubtful　characters　about　the

neighborhood；　and　stories　weretold　of　occurrences　which　might　well

frighten　a　young　girl；　and　make　her　cautious　of　trusting　herself

alone　in　the　wild　solitudes　which　surrounded　the　little　village。。

Those　who　knew　Euthymia　thought　her　quite　equal　to　taking　care　of

herself。　　Her　very　look　was　enough　to　ensure　the　respect　of　any

vagabond　who　might　cross　her　path；　and　if　matters　came　to　the　worst

she　would　prove　as　dangerous　as　a　panther。



But　it　was　a　pity　to　associate　this　class　of　thoughts　with　a　noble

specimen　of　true　womanhood。　　Health；　beauty；　strength；　were　fine

qualities；　and　in　all　these　she　was　rich。　　She　enjoyed　all　her

natural　gifts；　and　thought　little　about　them。　　Unwillingly；　but　over…

persuaded　by　some　of　her　friends；　she　had　allowed　her　arm　and　hand　to

be　modelled。　　The　artists　who　saw　the　cast　wondered　if　it　would　be

possible　to　get　the　bust　of　the　maiden　from　whom　it　was　taken。

Nobody　would　have　dared　to　suggest　such　an　idea　to　her　except　Lurida。

For　Lurida　sex　was　a　trifling　accident；　to　be　disregarde