第 18 节
作者:绚烂冬季      更新:2021-02-21 15:23      字数:9322
  ngeance will not fail。  The day is coming when it will strike。〃  Then turning his face toward the group of foreigners at the back of the room he raised his voice and in a high monotone chanted a few sentences in the Russian tongue。
  The effect was tremendous。  Every Russian could be picked out by his staring eyes and pallid face。  There was a moment's silence; then a hissing sound as of the breath drawn sharply inward; followed by a murmur hoarse and inhuman; not good to hear。 Rosenblatt trembled; started to his feet; vainly tried to speak。 His lips refused to frame words; and he sank back speechless。
  〃What the deuce was he saying?〃 enquired O'Hara of the Interpreter after the judge had pronounced his solemn sentence。
  〃He was putting to them;〃 said the Interpreter in an awed whisper; 〃the Nihilist oath of death。〃
  〃By Jove!  Good thing the judge didn't understand。  The bloody fool would have spoiled all my fine work。  He would have got a life term instead of fourteen years。  He's got enough; though; poor chap。  I wish to Heaven the other fellow had got it。〃
  As the prisoner turned with the officer to leave the dock; a wild sobbing fell upon his ear。  It was Paulina。  Kalmar turned to the judge。
  〃Is it permitted that I see my children beforebefore I depart?〃
  〃Certainly;〃 said the judge quickly。  〃Your wife and children and your friends may visit you at a convenient hour to…morrow。〃
  Kalmar bowed with grave courtesy and walked away。
  Beside the sobbing Paulina sat the children; pale and bewildered。
  〃Where is my father going?〃 asked the boy in Russian。
  〃Alas! alas!  We shall see him no more!〃 sobbed Paulina。
  Quickly the boy's voice rang out; shrill with grief and terror; 〃Father! father!  Come back!〃
  The prisoner; who was just disappearing through the door; stopped; turned about; his pale face convulsed with a sudden agony。  He took a step toward his son; who had run toward the bar after him。
  〃My son; be brave;〃 he said in a voice audible throughout the room。 〃Be brave。  I shall see you to…morrow。〃
  He waved his hand toward his son; turned again and passed out with the officer。
  Through the staring crowd came a little lady with white hair and a face pale and chastened into sweetness。
  〃Let me come with you;〃 she said to Paulina; while the tears coursed down her cheeks。
  The Galician woman understood not a word; but the touch upon her arm; the tone in the voice; the flowing tears were a language she could understand。  Paulina raised her dull; tear…dimmed eyes; and for a brief moment gazed into the pale face above her; then without further word rose and; followed by her children; accompanied the little lady from the room; the crowd making respectful way before the pathetic group。
  〃Say; O'Hara; there are still angels going about;〃 said young Dr。 Wright; following the group with his eyes。
  〃Be Hivin!〃 replied the tender…hearted Irishman; his eyes suddenly dim; 〃there's wan annyway; and Margaret French is the first two letters of her name。〃
  CHAPTER VIII
  THE PRICE OF VENGEANCE
  Dr。 Wright's telephone rang early next morning。  The doctor was prompt to respond。  His practice had not yet reached the stage that rendered the telephone a burden。  His young wife stood beside him; listening with eager hope in her wide…open brown eyes。
  〃Yes;〃 said the doctor。  〃Oh; it's you。  Delighted to hear your ring。〃  〃No; not so terribly。  The rush doesn't begin till later in the day。〃  〃Not at all。  What can I do for you?〃  〃Certainly; delighted。〃  〃What?  Right away?〃  〃Well; say within an hour。〃
  〃Who is it?〃 asked his wife; as the doctor hung up the phone。  〃A new family?〃
  〃No such luck;〃 replied the doctor。  〃This has been a frightfully healthy season。  But the spring promises a very satisfactory typhoid epidemic。〃
  〃Who is it?〃 said his wife again; impatiently。
  〃Your friend Mrs。 French; inviting me to an expedition into the foreign colony。〃
  〃Oh!〃  She could not keep the disappointment out of her tone。  〃I think Mrs。 French might call some of the other doctors。〃
  〃So she does; lots of them。  And most of them stand ready to obey her call。〃
  〃Well;〃 said the little woman at his side; 〃I think you are going too much among those awful people。〃
  〃Awful people?〃 exclaimed the doctor。  〃It's awfully good practice; I know。  That is; in certain lines。  I can't say there is very much variety。  When a really good thing occurs; it is whisked off to the hospital and the big guns get it。〃
  〃Well; I don't like your going so much;〃 persisted his wife。  〃Some day you will get hurt。〃
  〃Hurt?〃 exclaimed the doctor。  〃Me?〃
  〃Oh; I know you think nothing can hurt you。  But a bullet or a knife can do for you as well as for any one else。  Supposing that terrible manwhat's his name?Kalmarhad struck you instead of the Polak; where would you be?〃
  〃The question is; where would he be?〃 said the doctor with a smile。 〃As for Kalmar; he's not too bad a sort; at least there are others a little worse。  I shouldn't be surprised if that fellow Rosenblatt got only a little less than he deserved。  Certainly O'Hara let in some light upon his moral ulcers。〃
  〃Well; I wish you would drop them; anyway;〃 continued his wife。
  〃No; you don't;〃 said the doctor。  〃You know quite well that you would root me out of bed any hour of the night to see any of their kiddies that happened to have a pain in their little tumtums。 Between you and Mrs。 French I haven't a moment to devote to my large and growing practice。〃
  〃What does she want now?〃  It must be confessed that her tone was slightly impatient。
  〃Mrs。 French has succeeded in getting the excellent Mrs。 Blazowski to promise for the tenth time; I believe; to allow some one; preferably myself; to take her eczematic children to the hospital。〃
  〃Well; she won't。〃
  〃I think it is altogether likely。  But why do you think so?〃
  〃Because you have tried before。〃
  〃Never。〃
  〃Well; Mrs。 French has; and you were with her。〃
  〃That is correct。  But to…day I shall adopt new tactics。  Mrs。 French's flank movements have broken down。  I shall carry the position with a straight frontal attack。  And I shall succeed。 If not; my dear; that little fur tippet thing which you have so resolutely refused to let your eyes rest upon as we pass the Hudson's Bay; is yours。〃
  〃I don't want it a bit;〃 said his wife。  〃And you know we can't afford it。〃
  〃Don't you worry; little girl;〃 said the doctor cheerfully; 〃practice is looking up。  My name is getting into the papers。  A few more foreign weddings with attendant killings and I shall be famous。〃
  At the Blazowski shack Mrs。 French was waiting the doctor; and in despair。  A crowd of children appeared to fill the shack and overflow through the door into the sunny space outside; on the sheltered side of the house。
  The doctor made his way through them and passed into the evil… smelling; filthy room。  For Mrs。 Blazowski found it a task beyond her ability to perform the domestic duties attaching to the care of seven children and a like number of boarders in her single room。 Mrs。 French was seated on a stool with a little child of three years upon her knee。
  〃Doctor; don't you think that these children ought to go to the hospital to…day?〃 she said; as the doctor entered。
  〃Why; sure thing; they must go。  Let's look at them。〃
  He tried to take the little child from Mrs。 French's knee; but the little one vehemently objected。
  〃Well; let's look at you; anyway;〃 said the doctor; proceeding to unwind some filthy rags from the little one's head。  〃Great Scott!〃 he exclaimed in a low voice; 〃this is truly awful!〃
  The hair was matted with festering scabs。  The ears; the eyes; the fingers were full of running sores。
  〃I had no idea this thing had gone so far;〃 he said in a horrified voice。
  〃What is it?〃 said Mrs。 French。  〃Is it〃
  〃No; not itch。  It is the industrious and persevering eczema pusculosum; known to the laity as salt rheum of the domestic variety。〃
  〃It has certainly got worse this last week;〃 said Mrs。 French。
  〃Well; this can't go on another day; and I can't treat her here。 She must go。  Tell your mother;〃 said the doctor in a decided tone to a little girl of thirteen who stood near。
  Mrs。 Blazowski threw up her hands with voluble protestation。  〃She says they will not go。  She put grease on and make them all right。〃
  〃Grease!〃 exclaimed the doctor。  〃I should say so; and a good many other things too!  Why; the girl's head is alive with them! Heavens above!〃 said the doctor; turning to Mrs。 French; 〃she's running over with vermin!  Let's see the other。〃
  He turned to a girl of five; whose head and face were even more seriously affected with the dread disease。
  〃Why; bless my soul!  This girl will lose her eyesight!  Now look here; these children must go to the hospital; and must go now。 Tell your mother what I say。〃
  Again the little girl translated; and again the mother made emphatic reply。
  〃What does she say?〃
  〃She say she not let them go。  She fix them herself。  Fix them all right。〃
  〃Perhaps we better wait; Doctor;〃 interposed Mrs。 French。  〃I'll talk to her and we'll try another day。〃
  〃No;〃 said the doctor; catching up a shawl and wrapping around the little girl; 〃she's go