第 23 节
作者:津夏      更新:2021-04-30 15:57      字数:9320
  luncheon…gong。         No;     thank   you;    Mrs。   Esdaile;    I  cannot    stay。    My
  carriage is waiting。       Good…bye。       Good…bye; Mrs。 O'James。〃
  He raised his hat and stalked slowly away among the laurel bushes。
  〃He has no taste;〃       said Mrs。 Esdaile〃 no eye for beauty。〃
  〃On the contrary;〃 Mrs。 O'James answered; with a saucy little jerk of
  the chin。     〃He has just asked me to be his wife。〃
  As Professor Ainslie Grey ascended the steps of his house; the hall…
  door    opened     and   a  dapper     gentleman     stepped    briskly   out。    He    was
  somewhat   sallow   in   the   face;   with   dark;   beady   eyes;   and   a   short;   black
  beard with an aggressive bristle。           Thought and work had left their traces
  upon his face; but he moved with the brisk activity of a man who had not
  yet bade good…bye to his youth。
  〃I'm in luck's way;〃 he cried。        〃I wanted to see you。〃
  〃Then come back into the library;〃 said the Professor; 〃you must stay
  and have lunch with us。〃
  The two men entered the hall; and the Professor led the way into his
  79
  … Page 80…
  ROUND THE RED LAMP
  private sanctum。       He motioned his companion into an arm…chair。
  〃I trust that you have been successful; O'Brien;〃 said he。             〃I should be
  loath to exercise any undue pressure upon my sister Ada; but I have given
  her to understand that there is no one whom I should prefer for a brother…
  in…law to my most brilliant scholar; the author of Some Remarks upon the
  Bile…Pigments; with special reference to Urobilin。〃
  〃You are very kind; Professor Greyyou have always been very kind;〃
  said the other。     〃I approached Miss Grey upon the subject; she did not say
  No。〃
  〃She said Yes; then?〃
  〃No;   she   proposed     to  leave   the  matter   open   until   my   return   from
  Edinburgh。       I  go   to…day;   as  you   know;    and  I  hope   to  commence       my
  research to…morrow。〃
  〃On   the   comparative   anatomy   of   the   vermiform   appendix;   by   James
  M‘Murdo        O'Brien;〃    said  the   Professor;   sonorously。     〃It   is  a  glorious
  subjecta subject which lies at the very root of evolutionary philosophy。〃
  〃Ah! she is the dearest girl;〃 cried O'Brien; with a sudden little spurt of
  Celtic enthusiasm〃she is the soul of truth and of honour。〃
  〃The vermiform appendix〃 began the Professor。
  〃She is an angel from heaven;〃 interrupted the other。              〃I fear that it is
  my advocacy of scientific freedom in religious thought which stands in my
  way with her。〃
  〃You   must   not   truckle   upon   that   point。   You   must   be   true   to   your
  convictions; let there be no compromise there。〃
  〃My reason is true to agnosticism; and yet I am conscious of a voida
  vacuum。      I had feelings at the old church at home between the scent of
  the incense and the roll of the organ; such as I have never experienced in
  the laboratory or the lecture…room。〃
  〃Sensuous…purely        sensuous;〃     said  the   Professor;    rubbing    his  chin。
  〃Vague   hereditary   tendencies   stirred   into   life   by   the   stimulation   of   the
  nasal and auditory nerves。〃
  〃Maybe      so;   maybe    so;〃   the  younger     man    answered     thoughtfully。
  〃But this   was not   what I  wished to   speak to   you   about。        Before  I  enter
  your family; your sister and you have a claim to know all that I can tell
  80
  … Page 81…
  ROUND THE RED LAMP
  you about my career。         Of my worldly prospects I have already spoken to
  you。    There is only one point which I have omitted to mention。                   I am a
  widower。〃
  The Professor raised his eyebrows。
  〃This is news indeed;〃 said he。
  〃I married   shortly  after   my arrival   in Australia。      Miss Thurston   was
  her name。      I met her in society。      It was a most unhappy match。〃
  Some painful emotion possessed him。              His quick; expressive features
  quivered; and his white hands tightened upon the arms of the chair。                   The
  Professor turned away towards the window。
  〃You are the best judge;〃 he remarked 〃but I should not think that it
  was necessary to go into details。〃
  〃You have a right to know everythingyou and Miss Grey。                  It is not a
  matter on which I can well speak to her direct。              Poor Jinny was the best
  of   women;     but   she   was   open   to  flattery;  and   liable   to  be  misled    by
  designing persons。        She was untrue to me; Grey。          It is a hard thing to say
  of the dead; but she was untrue to me。            She fled to Auckland with a man
  whom she had known before her marriage。                 The brig which carried them
  foundered; and not a soul was saved。〃
  〃This is very painful; O'Brien;〃 said the Professor; with a deprecatory
  motion of his hand。        〃I cannot see; however; how it affects your relation
  to my sister。〃
  〃I have eased my conscience;〃 said O'Brien; rising from his chair; 〃I
  have told you all that there is to tell。        I should not like the story to reach
  you through any lips but my own。〃
  〃You are right; O'Brien。         Your action has been most honourable and
  considerate。      But   you   are   not   to   blame   in   the   matter;   save   that   perhaps
  you   showed   a   little   precipitancy   in   choosing   a   life…   partner   without   due
  care and inquiry。〃
  O'Brien drew his hand across his eyes。
  〃Poor   girl!〃   he   cried。  〃God   help   me;   I   love   her   still! But   I   must
  go。〃
  〃You will lunch with us?〃
  〃No;   Professor;   I   have   my   packing   still   to   do。 I   have   already   bade
  81
  … Page 82…
  ROUND THE RED LAMP
  Miss Grey adieu。        In two months I shall see you again。〃
  〃You will probably find me a married man。〃
  〃Married!〃
  〃Yes; I have been thinking of it。〃
  〃My dear Professor; let me congratulate you with all my heart。                  I had
  no idea。     Who is the lady?〃
  〃Mrs。    O'James     is  her   namea    widow     of  the   same    nationality   as
  yourself。     But to return to matters of importance; I should be very happy
  to see the proofs of your paper upon the vermiform appendix。                    I may be
  able to furnish you with material for a footnote or two。〃
  〃Your     assistance    will   be   invaluable    to   me;〃   said   O'Brien;    with
  enthusiasm; and the two men parted in the hall。                 The Professor walked
  back   into   the   dining…   room;   where   his   sister   was   already   seated   at   the
  luncheon…table。
  〃I shall be married at the registrar's;〃 he remarked; 〃I should strongly
  recommend you to do the same。〃
  Professor     Ainslie   Grey    was    as  good    as  his  word。     A   fortnight's
  cessation of his classes gave him an opportunity which was too good to let
  pass。    Mrs。 O'James was an orphan; without relations and almost without
  friends   in   the   country。   There   was   no   obstacle   in   the   way   of   a   speedy
  wedding。       They     were    married;    accordingly;     in   the  quietest    manner
  possible; and went off to Cambridge together; where the Professor and his
  charming wife were present at several academic observances; and varied
  the routine of their honeymoon by incursions into biological laboratories
  and     medical      libraries。      Scientific     friends     were    loud     in   their
  congratulations; not only upon Mrs。 Grey's beauty; but upon the unusual
  quickness and intelligence which she displayed in discussing physiological
  questions。      The Professor was himself astonished at the accuracy of her
  information。      〃You have a remarkable range of knowledge for a woman;
  Jeannette;〃   he   remarked   upon   more   than   one   occasion。        He   was   even
  prepared to admit that her cerebrum might be of the normal weight。
  One   foggy;   drizzling   morning   they   returned   to   Birchespool;   for   the
  next   day   would   re…open   the   session;   and   Professor   Ainslie   Grey   prided
  himself upon having never once in his life failed to appear in his lecture…
  82
  … Page 83…
  ROUND THE RED LAMP
  room at the very stroke of the hour。           Miss Ada Grey welcomed them with
  a   constrained   cordiality;   and   handed   over   the   keys   of   office   to   the   new
  mistress。     Mrs。   Grey