第37章 掘墓盗尸人〔5〕
暖小昕编译提示您:看后求收藏(宜小说jmvip6.com),接着再看更方便。
Godrotectus,Mr.Fettes!
"saidthelandlord,comingfirstintoossessionofhiscustomarysenses.
"Whatintheuniverseisallthis?Thesearestrangethingsyouhavebeensaying.
"
Fettesturnedtowardus;helookeduseachinsuccessionintheface.
"Seeifyoucanholdyourtongues,
"saidhe.
"ThatmanMacfarlaneisnotsafetocross;thosethathavedonesoalreadyhavereentedittoolate.
"
Andthen,withoutsomuchasfinishinghisthirdglass,farlesswaitingfortheothertwo,hebadeusgood-byeandwentforth,underthelamofthehotel,intotheblacknight.
Wethreeturnedtoourlacesinthearlour,withthebigredfireandfourclearcandles;andaswerecaitulatedwhathadassed,thefirstchillofoursurrisesoonchangedintoaglowofcuriosity.Wesatlate;itwasthelatestsessionIhaveknownintheoldGeorge.Eachman,beforewearted,hadhistheorythathewasboundtorove;andnoneofushadanynearerbusinessinthisworldthantotrackouttheastofourcondemnedcomanion,andsurrisethesecretthathesharedwiththegreatLondondoctor.Itisnogreatboast,butIbelieveIwasabetterhandatwormingoutastorythaneitherofmyfellowsattheGeorge;anderhasthereisnownoothermanalivewhocouldnarratetoyouthefollowingfoulandunnaturalevents.
InhisyoungdaysFettesstudiedmedicineintheschoolsofEdinburgh.Hehadtalentofakind,thetalentthaticksuswiftlywhatithearsandreadilyretailsitforitsown.Heworkedlittleathome;buthewascivil,attentive,andintelligentintheresenceofhismasters.Theysoonickedhimoutasaladwholistenedcloselyandrememberedwell;nay,strangeasitseemedtomewhenIfirstheardit,hewasinthosedayswellfavoured,andleasedbyhisexterior.Therewas,atthateriod,acertainextramuralteacherofanatomy,whomIshallheredesignatebytheletterK.Hisnamewassubsequentlytoowell-known.ThemanwhoboreitskulkedthroughthestreetsofEdinburghindisguise,whilethemobthatalaudedattheexecutionofBurkecalledloudlyforthebloodofhisemloyer.ButMr.Kwasthenatthetoofhisvogue;heenjoyedaoularitydueartlytohisowntalentandaddress,artlytotheincaacityofhisrival,theuniversityrofessor.Thestudents,atleast,sworebyhisname,andFettesbelievedhimself,andwasbelievedbyothers,tohavelaidthefoundationsofsuccesswhenhehadacquiredthefavourofthismeteoricallyfamousman.Mr.KwasaBONVIVANTaswellasanaccomlishedteacher;helikedaslyillusionnolessthanacarefulrearation.InbothcaacitiesFettesenjoyedanddeservedhisnotice,andbythesecondyearofhisattendanceheheldthehalf-regularositionofseconddemonstratororsub-assistantinhisclass.
Inthiscaacitythechargeofthetheatreandlecture-roomdevolvedinarticularuonhisshoulders.Hehadtoanswerforthecleanlinessoftheremisesandtheconductoftheotherstudents,anditwasaartofhisdutytosuly,receive,anddividethevarioussubjects.Itwaswithaviewtothislast—atthattimeverydelicate—affairthathewaslodgedbyMr.Kinthesamewynd,andatlastinthesamebuilding,withthedissecting-rooms.Here,afteranightofturbulentleasures,hishandstilltottering,hissightstillmistyandconfused,hewouldbecalledoutofbedintheblackhoursbeforethewinterdawnbytheuncleananddeserateinterloerswhosuliedthetable.Hewouldoenthedoortothesemen,sinceinfamousthroughouttheland.Hewouldhelthemwiththeirtragicburden,aythemtheirsordidrice,andremainalone,whentheyweregone,withtheunfriendlyrelicsofhumanity.Fromsuchascenehewouldreturntosnatchanotherhourortwoofslumber,toreairtheabusesofthenight,andrefreshhimselfforthelaboursoftheday.
Fewladscouldhavebeenmoreinsensibletotheimressionsofalifethusassedamongtheensignsofmortality.Hismindwasclosedagainstallgeneralconsiderations.Hewasincaableofinterestinthefateandfortunesofanother,theslaveofhisowndesiresandlowambitions.Cold,light,andselfishinthelastresort,hehadthatmodicumofrudence,miscalledmorality,whichkeesamanfrominconvenientdrunkennessorunishabletheft.Hecoveted,besides,ameasureofconsiderationfromhismastersandhisfellow-uils,andhehadnodesiretofailconsicuouslyintheexternalartsoflife.Thushemadeithisleasuretogainsomedistinctioninhisstudies,anddayafterdayrenderedunimeachableeye-servicetohisemloyer,Mr.K.Forhisdayofworkheindemnifiedhimselfbynightsofroaring,blackguardlyenjoyment;andwhenthatbalancehadbeenstruck,theorganthathecalledhisconsciencedeclareditselfcontent.