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 the sick man； saw the doctor come out； half an hour later；
with his ruddy face a shade paler than usual； pressed him eagerly
for information； and received but one answer to all their
inquiries〃Wait till I have seen him to…morrow。 Ask me nothing
to…night。〃 They all knew the doctor's ways； and they augured ill
when he left them hurriedly with that reply。
So the two first English visitors of the year came to the Baths
of Wildbad in the season of eighteen hundred and thirty…two。
CHAPTER II。
THE SOLID SIDE OF THE SCOTCH CHARACTER。
AT ten o'clock the next morning； Mr。 Nealwaiting for the
medical visit which he had himself appointed for that
hourlooked at his watch； and discovered； to his amazement； that
he was waiting in vain。 It was close on eleven when the door
opened at last； and the doctor entered the room。
〃I appointed ten o'clock for your visit；〃 said Mr。 Neal。 〃In my
country； a medical man is a punctual man。〃
〃In my country；〃 returned the doctor； without the least
ill…humor； 〃a medical man is exactly like other menhe is at the
mercy of accidents。 Pray grant me your pardon； sir； for being so
long after my time； I have been detained by a very distressing
casethe case of Mr。 Armadale； whose traveling…carriage you
passed on the road yesterday。〃
Mr。 Neal looked at his medical attendant with a sour surprise。
There was a latent anxiety in the doctor's eye； a latent
preoccupation in the doctor's manner； which he was at a loss to
account for。 For a moment the two faces confronted each other
silently； in marked national contrastthe Scotchman's； long and
lean； hard and regular； the German's； plump and florid； soft and
shapeless。 One face looked as if it had never been young； the
other； as if it would never grow old。
〃Might I venture to remind you；〃 said Mr。 Neal； 〃that the case
now under consideration is MY case； and not Mr。 Armadale's？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied the doctor； still vacillating between the
case he had come to see and the case he had just left。 〃You
appear to be suffering from lameness； let me look at your foot。〃
Mr。 Neal's malady； however serious it might be in his own
estimation； was of no extraordinary importance in a medical poi
nt of view。 He was suffering from a rheumatic affection of the
ankle…joint。 The necessary questions were asked and answered and
the necessary baths were prescribed。 In ten minutes the
consultation was at an end； and the patient was waiting in
significant silence for the medical adviser to take his leave。
〃I cannot conceal from myself；〃 said the doctor； rising； and
hesitating a little； 〃that I am intruding on you。 But I am
compelled to beg your indulgence if I return to the subject of
Mr。 Armadale。〃
〃May I ask what compels you？〃
〃The duty which I owe as a Christian；〃 answered the doctor； 〃to a
dying man。〃
Mr。 Neal started。 Those who touched his sense of religious duty
touched the quickest sense in his nature。
〃You have established your claim on my attention；〃 he said；
gravely。 〃My time is yours。〃
〃I will not abuse your kindness；〃 replied the doctor； resuming
his chair。 〃I will be as short as I can。 Mr。 Armadale's case is
briefly this： He has passed the greater part of his life in the
West Indiesa wild life； and a vicious life； by his own
confession。 Shortly after his marriagenow some three years
sincethe first symptoms of an approaching paralytic affection
began to show themselves； and his medical advisers ordered him
away to try the climate of Europe。 Since leaving the West Indies
he has lived principally in Italy； with no benefit to his health。
From Italy； before the last seizure attacked him； he removed to
Switzerland； and from Switzerland he has been sent to this place。
So much I know from his doctor's report； the rest I can tell you
from my own personal experience。 Mr。 Armadale has been sent to
Wildbad too late： he is virtually a dead man。 The paralysis is
fast spreading upward； and disease of the lower part of the spine
has already taken place。 He can still move his hands a little；
but he can hold nothing in his fingers。 He can still articulate；
but he may wake speechless to…morrow or next day。 If I give him a
week more to live； I give him what I honestly believe to be the
utmost length of his span。 At his own request I told him； as
carefully and as tenderly as I could； what I have just told you。
The result was very distressing； the violence of the patient's
agitation was a violence which I despair of describing to you。 I
took the liberty of asking him whether his affairs were
unsettled。 Nothing of the sort。 His will is in the hands of his
executor in London； and he leaves his wife and child well
provided for。 My next question succeeded better； it hit the mark：
'Have you something on your mind to do before you die which is
not done yet？' He gave a great gasp of relief； which said； as no
words could have said it； Yes。 'Can I help you？' 'Yes。 I have
something to write that I _must_ write； can you make me hold a
pen？'
〃He might as well have asked me if I could perform a miracle。 I
could only say No。 'If I dictate the words；' he went on； 'can you
write what I tell you to write？' Once more I could only say No。 I
understand a little English； but I can neither speak it nor write
it。 Mr。 Armadale understands French when it is spoken （as I speak
it to him） slowly； but he cannot express himself in that
language； and of German he is totally ignorant。 In this
difficulty； I said； what any one else in my situation would have
said： 'Why ask _me？_ there is Mrs。 Armadale at your service in
the next room。' Before I could get up from my chair to fetch her；
he stopped menot by words； but by a look of horror which fixed
me； by main force of astonishment； in my place。 'Surely；' I said；
'your wife is the fittest person to write for you as you desire？'
'The last person under heaven！' he answered。 'What！' I said； 'you
ask me； a foreigner and a stranger； to write words at your
dictation which you keep a secret from your wife！' Conceive my
astonishment when he answered me； without a moment's hesitation；
'Yes！' I sat lost； I sat silent。 'If _you_ can't write English；'
he said； 'find somebody who can。' I tried to remonstrate。 He
burst into a dreadful moaning crya dumb entreaty； like the
entreaty of a dog。 'Hush！ hush！' I said； 'I will find somebody。'
'To…day！' he broke out； 'before my speech fails me； like my
hand。' 'To…day； in an hour's time。' He shut his eyes； he quieted
himself instantly。 'While I am waiting for you；' he said； 'let me
see my little boy。' He had shown no tenderness when he spoke of
his wife； but I saw the tears on his cheeks when he asked for his
child。 My profession； sir； has not made me so hard a man as you
might think； and my doctor's heart was as heavy； when I went out
to fetch the child； as if I had not been a doctor at all。 I am
afraid you think this rather weak on my part？〃
The doctor looked appealingly at Mr。 Neal。 He might as well have
looked at a rock in the Black Forest。 Mr。 Neal entirely declined
to be drawn by any doctor in Christendom out of the regions of
plain fact。
〃Go on；〃 he said。 〃I presume you have not told me all that you
have