按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
present horror still lurking in his eyes。 A burst of merriment came from
the card…players in the next room； and the two looked at each other in
silence。
〃Sit down；〃 said the doctor abruptly； 〃your assurance is quite
sufficient。〃 He stooped and ran his finger down the line of the young
man's shin； raising it at one point。 〃Hum； serpiginous；〃 he murmured；
shaking his head。 〃Any other symptoms？〃
33
… Page 34…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃My eyes have been a little weak。〃
〃Let me see your teeth。〃 He glanced at them； and again made the
gentle； clicking sound of sympathy and disapprobation。
〃Now your eye。〃 He lit a lamp at the patient's elbow； and holding a
small crystal lens to concentrate the light； he threw it obliquely upon the
patient's eye。 As he did so a glow of pleasure came over his large
expressive face； a flush of such enthusiasm as the botanist feels when he
packs the rare plant into his tin knapsack； or the astronomer when the
long…sought comet first swims into the field of his telescope。
〃This is very typicalvery typical indeed；〃 he murmured； turning to
his desk and jotting down a few memoranda upon a sheet of paper。
〃Curiously enough； I am writing a monograph upon the subject。 It is
singular that you should have been able to furnish so well…marked a case。〃
He had so forgotten the patient in his symptom； that he had assumed an
almost congratulatory air towards its possessor。 He reverted to human
sympathy again； as his patient asked for particulars。
〃My dear sir； there is no occasion for us to go into strictly professional
details together；〃 said he soothingly。 〃If； for example； I were to say that
you have interstitial keratitis； how would you be the wiser？ There are
indications of a strumous diathesis。 In broad terms； I may say that you
have a constitutional and hereditary taint。〃
The young baronet sank back in his chair； and his chin fell forwards
upon his chest。 The doctor sprang to a side…table and poured out half a
glass of liqueur brandy which he held to his patient's lips。 A little fleck
of colour came into his cheeks as he drank it down。
〃Perhaps I spoke a little abruptly；〃 said the doctor； 〃but you must have
known the nature of your complaint。 Why； otherwise； should you have
come to me？〃
〃God help me； I suspected it； but only today when my leg grew bad。
My father had a leg like this。〃
〃It was from him； then？〃
〃No； from my grandfather。 You have heard of Sir Rupert Norton； the
great Corinthian？〃
The doctor was a man of wide reading with a retentive； memory。 The
34
… Page 35…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
name brought back instantly to him the remembrance of the sinister
reputation of its ownera notorious buck of the thirtieswho had gambled
and duelled and steeped himself in drink and debauchery； until even the
vile set with whom he consorted had shrunk away from him in horror； and
left him to a sinister old age with the barmaid wife whom he had married
in some drunken frolic。 As he looked at the young man still leaning back
in the leather chair； there seemed for the instant to flicker up behind him
some vague presentiment of that foul old dandy with his dangling seals；
many…wreathed scarf； and dark satyric face。 What was he now？ An
armful of bones in a mouldy box。 But his deeds they were living and
rotting the blood in the veins of an innocent man。
〃I see that you have heard of him；〃 said the young baronet。 〃He died
horribly； I have been told； but not more horribly than he had lived。 My
father was his only son。 He was a studious man； fond of books and
canaries and the country； but his innocent life did not save him。〃
〃His symptoms were cutaneous； I understand。〃
〃He wore gloves in the house。 That was the first thing I can
remember。 And then it was his throat。 And then his legs。 He used to
ask me so often about my own health； and I thought him so fussy； for how
could I tell what the meaning of it was。 He was always watching me
always with a sidelong eye fixed upon me。 Now； at last； I know what he
was watching for。〃
〃Had you brothers or sisters？〃
〃None； thank God。〃
〃Well； well； it is a sad case； and very typical of many which come in
my way。 You are no lonely sufferer； Sir Francis。 There are many
thousands who bear the same cross as you do。〃
〃But where is the justice of it； doctor？〃 cried the young man； springing
from his chair and pacing up and down the consulting…room。 〃If I were
heir to my grandfather's sins as well as to their results； I could understand
it； but I am of my father's type。 I love all that is gentle and beautiful
music and poetry and art。 The coarse and animal is abhorrent to me。
Ask any of my friends and they would tell you that。 And now that this
vile； loathsome thingach； I am polluted to the marrow； soaked in
35
… Page 36…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
abomination！ And why？ Haven't I a right to ask why？ Did I do it？
Was it my fault？ Could I help being born？ And look at me now；
blighted and blasted； just as life was at its sweetest。 Talk about the sins
of the fatherhow about the sins of the Creator？〃 He shook his two
clinched hands in the airthe poor impotent atom with his pin…point of
brain caught in the whirl of the infinite。
The doctor rose and placing his hands upon his shoulders he pressed
him back into his chair once more。 〃There； there； my dear lad；〃 said he；
〃you must not excite yourself。 You are trembling all over。 Your nerves
cannot stand it。 We must take these great questions upon trust。 What
are we； after all？ Half…evolved creatures in a transition stage； nearer
perhaps to the Medusa on the one side than to perfected humanity on the
other。 With half a complete brain we can't expect to