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！
and decided； the tread of a man who had plenty of self…confidence。
Presently； still straining his ears to catch what was going on； he heard the
scraping of a chair as it was drawn along the floor； and a moment later he
heard the door fly open and someone come rushing downstairs。 Johnson
sprang up with his hair bristling； thinking that some dreadful thing had
occurred； but it was only his mother…in… law； incoherent with excitement
and searching for scissors and some tape。 She vanished again and Jane
passed up the stairs with a pile of newly aired linen。 Then； after an
interval of silence； Johnson heard the heavy； creaking tread and the doctor
came down into the parlour。
〃That's better；〃 said he； pausing with his hand upon the door。 〃You
look pale； Mr。 Johnson。〃
〃Oh no； sir； not at all；〃 he answered deprecatingly； mopping his brow
with his handkerchief。
〃There is no immediate cause for alarm；〃 said Dr。 Miles。 〃The case is
not all that we could wish it。 Still we will hope for the best。〃
〃Is there danger； sir？〃 gasped Johnson。
〃Well； there is always danger； of course。 It is not altogether a
favourable case； but still it might be much worse。 I have given her a
draught。 I saw as I passed that they have been doing a little building
opposite to you。 It's an improving quarter。 The rents go higher and
higher。 You have a lease of your own little place； eh？〃
〃Yes； sir； yes！〃 cried Johnson； whose ears were straining for every
sound from above； and who felt none the less that it was very soothing that
the doctor should be able to chat so easily at such a time。 〃That's to say
no； sir； I am a yearly tenant。〃
〃Ah； I should get a lease if I were you。 There's Marshall； the
watchmaker； down the street。 I attended his wife twice and saw him
57
… Page 58…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
through the typhoid when they took up the drains in Prince Street。 I
assure you his landlord sprung his rent nearly forty a year and he had to
pay or clear out。〃
〃Did his wife get through it； doctor？〃
〃Oh yes； she did very well。 Hullo！ hullo！〃
He slanted his ear to the ceiling with a questioning face； and then
darted swiftly from the room。
It was March and the evenings were chill； so Jane had lit the fire； but
the wind drove the smoke downwards and the air was full of its acrid taint。
Johnson felt chilled to the bone； though rather by his apprehensions than
by the weather。 He crouched over the fire with his thin white hands held
out to the blaze。 At ten o'clock Jane brought in the joint of cold meat and
laid his place for supper； but he could not bring himself to touch it。 He
drank a glass of the beer； however； and felt the better for it。 The tension
of his nerves seemed to have reacted upon his hearing； and he was able to
follow the most trivial things in the room above。 Once； when the beer
was still heartening him； he nerved himself to creep on tiptoe up the stair
and to listen to what was going on。 The bedroom door was half an inch
open； and through the slit he could catch a glimpse of the clean…shaven
face of the doctor； looking wearier and more anxious than before。 Then
he rushed downstairs like a lunatic； and running to the door he tried to
distract his thoughts by watching what； was going on in the street。 The
shops were all shut； and some rollicking boon companions came shouting
along from the public…house。 He stayed at the door until the stragglers
had thinned down； and then came back to his seat by the fire。 In his dim
brain he was asking himself questions which had never intruded
themselves before。 Where was the justice of it？ What had his sweet；
innocent little wife done that she should be used so？ Why was nature so
cruel？ He was frightened at his own thoughts； and yet wondered that
they had never occurred to him before。
As the early morning drew in； Johnson； sick at heart and shivering in
every limb； sat with his great coat huddled round him； staring at the grey
ashes and waiting hopelessly for some relief。 His face was white and
clammy； and his nerves had been numbed into a half conscious state by the
58
… Page 59…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
long monotony of misery。 But suddenly all his feelings leapt into keen
life again as he heard the bedroom door open and the doctor's steps upon
the stair。 Robert Johnson was precise and unemotional in everyday life；
but he almost shrieked now as he rushed forward to know if it were over。
One glance at the stern； drawn face which met him showed that it was
no pleasant news which had sent the doctor downstairs。 His appearance
had altered as much as Johnson's during the last few hours。 His hair was
on end； his face flushed； his forehead dotted with beads of perspiration。
There was a peculiar fierceness in his eye； and about the lines of his mouth；
a fighting look as befitted a man who for hours on end had been striving
with the hungriest of foes for the most precious of prizes。 But there was
a sadness too； as though his grim opponent had been overmastering him。
He sat down and leaned his head upon his hand like a man who is fagged
out。
〃I thought it my duty to see you； Mr。 Johnson； and to tell you that it is
a very nasty case。 Your wife's heart is not strong； and she has some
symptoms which I do not like。 What I wanted to say is that if you would
like to have a second opinion I shall be very glad to meet anyone whom
you might suggest。〃
Johnson was so dazed by his want of sleep and the evil news that he
could hardly grasp the doctor's meaning。 The other； seeing him hesitate；
thought that he was considering the expense。
〃Smith or Hawley would come for two guineas；〃 said he。 〃But I
think Pritchard of the City Road is the best man。〃
〃Oh； yes； bring the best man；〃 cried Johnson。
〃Pritchard would want three guineas。 He is a senior man； you see。〃
〃I'