Although Lewis Stoutley found it extremely difficult to pursue his studies with the profusely2 illustrated3 edition of medical works at his command, he nevertheless persevered4 with a degree of calm, steady resolution which might be almost styled heroic. To tear out the illustrations was impossible, for Nita’s portrait was stamped on every page, compelling him to read the letterpress through it. Success, however, attended his labours, for he not only carried out the regular course, but he attached himself to the poor district of the “moraine” which had been appropriated as their own by his mother and Emma, who ministered to the bodies of the sick while they sought to bring their souls to the Good Physician. This professional work he did as a sort of amateur, being only a student under the guidance of his friend Lawrence, whose extending practice included that district. It happened also to be the district in which Mrs Roby’s new “cabin” was situated5.
These labourers, in what Dr Tough had styled the London gold fields, not only did good to the people, and to themselves in the prosecution6 of them, but resulted occasionally in their picking up a nugget, or a diamond, which was quite a prize. One such was found by Lewis about this time, which, although sadly dim and soiled when first discovered, proved to be such a precious and sparkling gem that he resolved to wear it himself. He and Emma one day paid a visit to the cabin, where they found old Mrs Roby alone, and had a long chat with her, chiefly about the peculiarities7 of the Captain and his boy.
“By the way,” said Mrs Roby to Lewis, when they rose to go, “a poor woman was here just before you came, askin’ if I knew where she could find a doctor, for her father, she said, was very ill. The two have come to live in a room near the foot of this stair, it seems, and they appear to be very poor. I could not give her Dr Lawrence’s new address, for I don’t know it, so I advised her to apply to the nearest chemist. Perhaps, Mr Lewis, you’ll go yourself and see the poor man?”
“Willingly, and I shall myself call for Lawrence on my way home and send him, if necessary. Come, Emma. Perhaps this may be a case for the exercise of your philanthropy.”
They soon found the place, and knocked at a low door, which was slowly opened by a middle-aged8 woman, meanly clad and apparently9 very poor.
“Ah, sir, you’re too late, he’s dead,” said the woman, in reply to Lewis’s inquiry10.
“O how sad!” broke from Emma’s sympathetic spirit, “I am so sorry we are too late. Did you find a doctor?”
“No, ma’am, I didn’t, but the chemist gave me the address of one, so I ran back to tell the poor young thing that I’d go fetch one as quick as I could, and I found him just dying in her arms.”
“In whose arms? are not you the daughter—” said Emma.
“Me, miss! oh dear, no. I’m only a neighbour.”
“Has she any friends?” asked Lewis.
“None as I knows of. They are strangers here—only just came to the room. There it is,” she added, stepping back and pointing to an inner door.
Lewis advanced and knocked, but received no answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. He therefore ventured to lift the latch11 and enter.
It was a miserable12, ill-lighted room, of small size and destitute13 of all furniture save a truckle bed, a heap of clean straw in a corner, on which lay a black shawl, a deal chair, and a small table. Abject14 poverty was stamped on the whole place. On the bed lay the dead man, covered with a sheet. Beside it kneeled, or rather lay, the figure of a woman. Her dress was a soiled and rusty15 black. Her hair, fallen from its fastenings, hung dishevelled on her shoulders. Her arms clasped the dead form.
“My poor woman,” whispered Emma, as she knelt beside her, and put a hand timidly on her shoulder.
But the woman made no answer.
“She has fainted, I think,” exclaimed Emma, rising quickly and trying to raise the woman’s head. Suddenly Lewis uttered a great cry, lifted the woman in his arms, and gazed wildly into her face.
“Nita!” he cried, passionately16 clasping her to his heart and covering the poor faded face with kisses; but Nita heard not. It seemed as if the silver chord had already snapped. Becoming suddenly aware of the impropriety as well as selfishness of his behaviour, Lewis hastily bore the inanimate form to the heap of straw, pillowed the small head on the old shawl, and began to chafe17 the hands while Emma aided him to restore consciousness. They were soon successful. Nita heaved a sigh.
“Now, Emma,” said Lewis, rising, “this is your place just now, I will go and fetch something to revive her.”
He stopped for one moment at the bed in passing, and lifted the sheet. There was no mistaking the handsome face of the Count even in death. It was terribly thin, but the lines of sorrow and anxiety were gone at last from the marble brow, and a look of rest pervaded18 the whole countenance19.
On returning, Lewis found that Nita had thrown her arms round Emma’s neck and was sobbing20 violently. She looked up as he entered, and held out her hand. “God has sent you,” she said, looking at Emma, “to save my heart from breaking.”
Lewis again knelt beside her and put her hand to his lips, but he had no power to utter a word. Presently, as the poor girl’s eye fell on the bed, there was a fresh outburst of grief. “Oh, how he loved me!—and how nobly he fought!—and how gloriously he conquered!—God be praised for that!”
She spoke21, or rather sobbed22, in broken sentences. To distract her mind, if possible, even for a little, from her bereavement23, Emma ventured to ask her how she came there, when her father became so ill, and similar questions. Little by little, in brief sentences, and with many choking words and tears, the sad story came out.
Ever since the night when her father met with Lewis at Saxon, he had firmly resisted the temptation to gamble. God had opened his ear to listen to, and his heart to receive, the Saviour24. Arriving in London with the money so generously lent to them by Lewis, they took a small lodging25 and sought for work. God was faithful to His promises, she said; he had sent a measure of prosperity. Her father taught music, she obtained needlework. All was going well when her father became suddenly ill. Slowly but steadily26 he sank. The teaching had to be given up, the hours of labour with the needle increased. This, coupled with constant nursing, began to sap her own strength, but she had been enabled to hold out until her father became so ill that she dared not leave him even for a few minutes to visit the shops where she had obtained sewing-work. Then, all source of livelihood27 being dried up, she had been compelled to sell one by one the few articles of clothing and furniture which they had begun to accumulate about them.
“Thus,” she said, in conclusion, “we were nearly reduced to a state of destitution28, but, before absolute want had been felt by us, God mercifully took my darling father home—and—and—I shall soon join him.”
“Say not so, darling,” said Emma, twining her arms round the poor stricken girl. “It may be that He has much work for you to do for Jesus here before He takes you home. Meanwhile, He has sent us to claim you as our very dear friend—as our sister. You must come and stay with mamma and me. We, too, have tasted something of that cup of adversity, which you have drained to the very dregs, my poor Nita, but we are comparatively well off now. Mamma will be so glad to have you. Say you will come. Won’t you, dearest?”
Nita replied by lifting her eyes with a bewildered look to the bed, and again burst into a passion of uncontrollable sorrow.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
gem
|
|
| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
profusely
|
|
| ad.abundantly | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
illustrated
|
|
| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
persevered
|
|
| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
prosecution
|
|
| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
peculiarities
|
|
| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
middle-aged
|
|
| adj.中年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
inquiry
|
|
| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
latch
|
|
| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
destitute
|
|
| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
abject
|
|
| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
rusty
|
|
| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
passionately
|
|
| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
chafe
|
|
| v.擦伤；冲洗；惹怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
pervaded
|
|
| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
sobbing
|
|
| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
sobbed
|
|
| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
bereavement
|
|
| n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
saviour
|
|
| n.拯救者，救星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
lodging
|
|
| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
livelihood
|
|
| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
destitution
|
|
| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |