登陆注册
5149100000018

第18章 STORY OF THE VANISHING PATIENT(2)

The great porch of the mansion was dark, but the physician made out that the door was open, and he entered.A feeble light came from the bronze lamp at the turn of the stairs, and by it he found his way, his feet sinking noiselessly in the rich carpets.At the head of the stairs the man met him.The doctor thought himself a tall man, but the stranger topped him by half a head.He motioned the physician to follow him, and the two went down the hall to the front room.The place was flushed with a rose-colored glow from several lamps.On a silken couch, in the midst of pillows, lay a woman dying with consumption.She was like a lily, white, shapely, graceful, with feeble yet charming movements.She looked at the doctor ap-pealingly, then, seeing in his eyes the in-voluntary verdict that her hour was at hand, she turned toward her companion with a glance of anguish.Dr.Block asked a few questions.The man answered them, the woman remaining silent.The physician ad-ministered something stimulating, and then wrote a prescription which he placed on the mantel-shelf.

"The drug store is closed to-night," he said, "and I fear the druggist has gone home.

You can have the prescription filled the first thing in the morning, and I will be over before breakfast."After that, there was no reason why he should not have gone home.Yet, oddly enough, he preferred to stay.Nor was it professional anxiety that prompted this delay.

He longed to watch those mysterious per-

sons, who, almost oblivious of his presence, were speaking their mortal farewells in their glances, which were impassioned and of un-utterable sadness.

He sat as if fascinated.He watched the glitter of rings on the woman's long, white hands, he noted the waving of light hair about her temples, he observed the details of her gown of soft white silk which fell about her in voluminous folds.Now and then the man gave her of the stimulant which the doc-tor had provided; sometimes he bathed her face with water.Once he paced the floor for a moment till a motion of her hand quieted him.

After a time, feeling that it would be more sensible and considerate of him to leave, the doctor made his way home.His wife was awake, impatient to hear of his experiences.

She listened to his tale in silence, and when he had finished she turned her face to the wall and made no comment.

"You seem to be ill, my dear," he said.

"You have a chill.You are shivering."

"I have no chill," she replied sharply.

"But I -- well, you may leave the light burning."The next morning before breakfast the doc-tor crossed the dewy sward to the Netherton house.The front door was locked, and no one answered to his repeated ringings.The old gardener chanced to be cutting the grass near at hand, and he came running up.

"What you ringin' that door-bell for, doc-tor?" said he."The folks ain't come home yet.There ain't nobody there.""Yes, there is, Jim.I was called here last night.A man came for me to attend his wife.They must both have fallen asleep that the bell is not answered.I wouldn't be sur-prised to find her dead, as a matter of fact.

She was a desperately sick woman.Perhaps she is dead and something has happened to him.You have the key to the door, Jim.

Let me in."

But the old man was shaking in every limb, and refused to do as he was bid.

"Don't you never go in there, doctor,"

whispered he, with chattering teeth."Don't you go for to 'tend no one.You jus' come tell me when you sent for that way.No, Iain't goin' in, doctor, nohow.It ain't part of my duties to go in.That's been stipulated by Mr.Netherton.It's my business to look after the garden."Argument was useless.Dr.Block took the bunch of keys from the old man's pocket and himself unlocked the front door and entered.

He mounted the steps and made his way to the upper room.There was no evidence of occupancy.The place was silent, and, so far as living creature went, vacant.The dust lay over everything.It covered the delicate damask of the sofa where he had seen the dying woman.It rested on the pillows.The place smelled musty and evil, as if it had not been used for a long time.The lamps of the room held not a drop of oil.

But on the mantel-shelf was the prescrip-tion which the doctor had written the night before.He read it, folded it, and put it in his pocket.

As he locked the outside door the old gar-dener came running to him.

"Don't you never go up there again, will you?" he pleaded, "not unless you see all the Nethertons home and I come for you myself.

You won't, doctor?"

"No," said the doctor.

When he told his wife she kissed him, and said:

"Next time when I tell you to stay at home, you must stay!"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 重生前妻买一送一

    重生前妻买一送一

    离婚前夕,她伤心欲绝;努力了三年,依然换不回自己丈夫的心。她自导自演了一场意外的车祸。当再次醒来的时候,站在窗边的男人,并不是她的丈夫,而是完全陌生的男人。一朝重生,她进入了一个二十二岁女人的身体,醒来时却被迫结婚。当在报纸上看到自己的死讯的同时,也看到自己深爱了八年的男人,此时正向媒体宣布着他的婚讯。她的心里充满的恨意,爱得越深。恨得也便越深,他对她不仁,那么也别怪她不义。她同意跟陌生男人结婚,但是要他帮她毁了她那个所谓的前夫。从此,他们俩人之间的关系,多了一份的契约。
  • 我不是打酱油的

    我不是打酱油的

    美女如云?不,逢场作戏而已拯救苍生?不,我就是路过的侠骨柔情?不,还是浪里来浪里去吧一个游戏,改变一段人生。千万别跟我凶,“旺财,咬他!”
  • 佛说普达王经

    佛说普达王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 读史剩言

    读史剩言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 重生之将才狂妻

    重生之将才狂妻

    她是异时空的最高指挥官寒鸦,她是知更星的军门大小姐薄暮歌。一朝重生,她成为了薄暮歌。初遇,她在乱葬岗,周围萦绕着一圈幽蓝火,显得她凉薄至极。再遇,她与他一同浴血奋战,抗战外敌来临。自此,她成为了无数人的光和信仰。天生弑神沈修瑾×天生将才薄暮歌神佛万千,你是我唯一的信仰。
  • 冰淇淋的眼泪(闪小说感恩篇)

    冰淇淋的眼泪(闪小说感恩篇)

    本套书精选3000余篇闪小说,所有篇目均在国内公开报刊发表过。每篇都有独到的思想性,画面感强,适合改编手机短信小说。这些闪小说除了通过故事的演绎让读者了解这些闪小说的可感和领悟其中的深刻含义外,特别对广大初高中生读者的心灵是一次很好的洗涤。
  • 豪宠甜妻:总裁,请克制

    豪宠甜妻:总裁,请克制

    她被相恋两年的男友设计成为其他男人的女人。再转身,她跟这个男人重逢,却不料陷入了一场生死搏斗之中,她这才知道,原来这个男人居然是这个城市赫赫有名的明天集团总裁,人称五爷,并且还是前男友的亲五叔,他要她扮演他的女朋友来挡住其他女人的纠缠,却不料她深深的爱上了整天被前男友叫五婶的滋味儿,更是掉进了这个楼五爷的陷阱。他与她相爱怎么也没有想到,原来是一切灾难的开始,狸猫换太子,血缘关系,上辈纠葛,人间冷暖,一一在他们的身上上演。
  • Nothing at all

    Nothing at all

    "Nothing-at-all"is the name of an orphaned puppy living with his two brothers until two children come to adopt m.wkkk.netnately,Nothing-at-all gets inadvertently left behind-not out of cruelty,but because he is invisible!
  • 甜妻难宠:老公,我要退货

    甜妻难宠:老公,我要退货

    【已完结!】离婚后的某天,她被他堵在酒吧厕所狭窄的空间里。“欢欢,你要对我负责。”“经过之前的相处,我对你的服务很是不满意,我已申请退货,法院也已受理。目前,你只是我的前夫。”“不满意?那就让我服务到你满意为止。”男人直接忽视了她的后半句话。她咬牙切齿的瞪着某个正为非作歹的男人,“冷少,我要将你上交国家。”“媳妇,清官难断家务事。”
  • 雨夜中的凤凰

    雨夜中的凤凰

    凤凰城里让我印象最深的莫过于那一幢幢临水而建的吊脚楼了。不过少了昔日楼头的歌声,总感觉少了一点沈从文笔下的韵味。吊脚楼下的沱江水缓慢地流着,听不到歌女的小调,不过听听这流水声,也是一种不错的享受,这才是凤凰城中最动听的音符。顺江而下,有许多纸折的小船沿着江岸向下游漂流,上面点着蜡烛。烛上的蜡伴着火星滴在船上,船便会燃烧起来,随着风势的大小渐渐化为水上的尘灰。但放船的人依旧络绎不绝,宛如沈从文笔下的那些爱情故事,明知道结局是毁灭,还要义无反顾地飞蛾扑火。在一个风和日历的下午,脚踏着白马湖畔的绿草,静静的品味着的是春的气息,而在月朗星稀的秋夜,用心聆听陶然亭秋蝉凄婉的鸣唱,品读出的是一抹轻愁。