登陆注册
5166200000180

第180章

My medical enterprise (as Betteredge calls it) must now, inevitably, be delayed until Monday next.To-morrow evening the workmen will be late in the house.On the next day, the established Sunday tyranny which is one of the institutions of this free country, so times the trains as to make it impossible to ask anybody to travel to us from London.Until Monday comes, there is nothing to be done but to watch Mr.Blake carefully, and to keep him, if possible, in the same state in which I find him to-day.

In the meanwhile, I have prevailed on him to write to Mr.Bruff, making a point of it that he shall be present as one of the witnesses.I especially choose the lawyer, because he is strongly prejudiced against us.If we convince him , we place our victory beyond the possibility of dispute.

Mr.Blake has also written to Sergeant Cuff; and I have sent a line to Miss Verinder.With these, and with old Betteredge (who is really a person of importance in the family), we shall have witnesses enough for the purpose -- without including Mrs.Merridew, if Mrs.Merridew persists in sacrificing herself to the opinion of the world.

June 23rd.-- The vengeance of the opium overtook me again last night.

No matter; I must go on with it now till Monday is past and gone.

Mr.Blake is not so well again to-day.At two this morning, he confesses that he opened the drawer in which his cigars are put away.He only succeeded in locking it up again by a violent effort.His next proceeding, in case of temptation, was to throw the key out of window.The waiter brought it in this morning, discovered at the bottom of an empty cistern -- such is Fate! I have taken possession of the key until Tuesday next.

June 24th.-- Mr.Blake and I took a long drive in an open carriage.

We both felt beneficially the blessed influence of the soft summer air.

I dined with him at the hotel.To my great relief -- for I found him in an over-wrought, over-excited state this morning -- he had two hours' sound sleep on the sofa after dinner.If he has another bad night, now -- I am not afraid of the consequence.

June 25th, Monday.-- The day of the experiment! It is five o'clock in the afternoon.We have just arrived at the house.

The first and foremost question, in the question of Mr.Blake's health.

So far as it is possible for me to judge, he promises (physically speaking)to be quite as susceptible to the action of the opium to-night as he was at this time last year.He is, this afternoon, in a state of nervous sensitiveness which just stops short of nervous irritation.He changes colour readily;his hand is not quite steady; and he starts at chance noises, and at unexpected appearances of persons and things.

These results have all been produced by deprivation of sleep, which is in its turn the nervous consequence of a sudden cessation in the habit of smoking, after that habit has been carried to an extreme.Here are the same causes at work again, which operated last year; and here are, apparently, the same effects.Will the parallel still hold good, when the final test has been tried? The events of the night must decide.

While I write these lines, Mr.Blake is amusing himself at the billiard-table in the inner hall, practising different strokes in the game, as he was accustomed to practise them when he was a guest in this house in June last.

I have brought my journal here, partly with a view to occupying the idle hours which I am sure to have on my hands between this and to-morrow morning;partly in the hope that something may happen which it may be worth my while to place on record at the time.

Have I omitted anything, thus far? A glance at yesterday's entry shows me that I have forgotten to note the arrival of the morning's post.Let me set this right before I close these leaves for the present, and join Mr.Blake.

I received a few lines then, yesterday, from Miss Verinder.She has arranged to travel by the afternoon train, as I recommended.Mrs.Merridew has insisted on accompanying her.The note hints that the old lady's generally excellent temper is a little ruffled, and requests all due indulgence for her, in consideration of her age and her habits.I will endeavour, in my relations with Mrs.Merridew, to emulate the moderation which Betteredge displays in his relations with me.He received us to-day, portentously arrayed in his best black suit, and his stiffest white cravat.Whenever he looks my way, he remembers that I have not read Robinson Crusoe since I was a child, and he respectfully pities me.

Yesterday, also, Mr.Blake had the lawyer's answer.Mr.Bruff accepts the invitation -- under protest.It is, he thinks, clearly necessary that a gentleman possessed of the average allowance of common sense, should accompany Miss Verinder to the scene of, what we will venture to call, the proposed exhibition.For want of a better escort, Mr.Bruff himself will be that gentleman.-- So here is poor Miss Verinder provided with two `chaperons.' It is a relief to think that the opinion of the world must surely be satisfied with this!

Nothing has been heard of Sergeant Cuff.He is no doubt still in Ireland.

We must not expect to see him to-night.

Betteredge has just come in, to say that Mr.Blake has asked for me.

I must lay down my pen for the present.*Seven o'clock.-- We have been all over the refurnished rooms and staircases again; and we have had a pleasant stroll in the shrubbery, which was Mr.

Blake's favourite walk when he was here last.In this way, I hope to revive the old impressions of places and things as vividly as possible in his mind.

We are now going to dine, exactly at the hour at which the birthday dinner was given last year.My object, of course, is a purely medical one in this case.The laudanum must find the process of digestion, as nearly as may be, where the laudanum found it last year.

同类推荐
  • 灵枢识

    灵枢识

    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。
  • 五灯会元目录

    五灯会元目录

    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。
  • 女范捷录

    女范捷录

    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。
  • 炙毂子诗格

    炙毂子诗格

    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。
  • 明伦汇编家范典中表部

    明伦汇编家范典中表部

    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。
热门推荐
  • 腊八节

    腊八节

    中国文化知识读本丛书是由吉林文史出版社和吉林出版集团有限责任公司组织国内知名专家学者编写的一套旨在传播中华五千年优秀传统文化,提高全民文化修养的大型知识读本。
  • 周公解梦

    周公解梦

    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。
  • 至尊瞳术师

    至尊瞳术师

    24世纪的至尊瞳术师一朝穿越,成了下等小国镇国侯府被废的天才大小姐!修为被废,双眼俱瞎,家族地位被夺?洛清瞳微眯着一双血瞳冷笑:过来!姐教你们做人!一双血瞳,傲世无双!鉴宝透视,医毒破防,无所不能!魂武双修,器药双绝,御兽布阵……她用一生诠释了何谓至尊无双,绝世嚣张!只是万万没想到惹上了一个比她更绝世妖孽的人!(苏爽无虐,坑品保障,另有数百万字肥文《纨绔乐妃》)
  • 海外故事

    海外故事

    无数事实、经验和理性已经证明:好故事可以影响人的一生。而以我们之见,所谓好故事,在内容上讲述的应是做人与处世的道理,在形式上也应听得进、记得住、讲得出、传得开,而且不会因时代的变迁而失去她的本质特征和艺术光彩。为了让更多的读者走进好故事,阅读好故事,欣赏好故事,珍藏好故事,传播好故事,我们特编选了一套“故事会5元精品系列”以飨之。其选择标准主要有以下三点:一、在《故事会》杂志上发表的作品。二、有过目不忘的艺术感染力。三、有恒久的趣味,对今天的读者仍有启迪作用。愿好故事伴随你的一生!
  • 风起涟漪

    风起涟漪

    他是命不久矣的当朝太子。她是天生痴傻的风府小姐。一场意外,魂归故里,浑浊不在,冷傲取之。“若你要这江山,我便替你金戈铁马。”“我要,唯你。”你可知,这山河人间,万家灯火,从不及你眉眼半分。有人说:“成也是你,败也是你,神也是你,魔也是你。”他却说:“你若成神,我便陪你普度众生。你若成魔,我便陪你颠倒乾坤。”“今日,许你万里红妆,护你一世安宁。”不曾想,触手可及的幸福,如泡沫般易碎。你说过,此一约既定,万山无阻,你定带我看尽世间繁华。可你为何食言?从此,我入梦十载,皆不见你。朝思,暮想,梦里相逢,不见君。春思,秋念,花落,流水叹,不见君......她入了十年梦,他寻了十年心。相逢终成陌路。“我可曾、见过你?”“不曾。”尘埃落定,洗净铅华。是谁为她,袖了双手,倾了天下?又是谁,拥得佳人,陪她并肩踏遍天涯?
  • 正法念处经

    正法念处经

    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。
  • 狂妻傲世:夫君,快走开

    狂妻傲世:夫君,快走开

    说她有毛病,对,毛病可大了,披着羊皮的狼你也敢上去咬一嘴毛。新婚之夜留下休书一分飘然而去,被抓之后。“错了没?”“错了,跑的太近了。”“夫人乖,我们先把没完成的洞房给补上,”天下之大,哪有妻子休丈夫这一说。
  • 人鱼岛

    人鱼岛

    年轻的国际刑警钱龙辉来到“人鱼岛”度假——他想在体验加勒比风情的同时,能够有幸目睹人鱼的身影。然而,在他到达岛上的当日,却发生了一起恐怖的袭击事件。在受岛主的委托开始调查之后,钱龙辉发现这座岛上隐藏了太多的秘密。而随着调查的深入,人鱼的来历、始作俑者的身份、一个关键人物的身世之谜,以及一件尘封已久的往事,都开始随之慢慢浮出水面……
  • 电子武器科技知识(上)(青少年高度关注的前沿武器科技)

    电子武器科技知识(上)(青少年高度关注的前沿武器科技)

    随着现代高新技术的迅猛发展和广泛应用,正在引发世界范围的军事变革,不断产生着前沿武器。前沿武器是指与传统武器相比,在基本原理、杀伤破坏力和作战方式上都有本质区别,是处于研制或探索之中的新型武器。
  • 使辽语录

    使辽语录

    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。