At Boland’s Farm the house had that sickly and indescribable smell of death. Farmer Baxter’s bullocks grazed peacefully in the great fourteen-acre lot to the east of the garden; the hens clucked and scratched in the rickyard; the pigs sucked and paddled in the swill10. The laborers11 were at work as though their master was still alive to curse them across fields and hedgerows. The soil pays no heed12 to death; it is a natural occurrence; only we human beings elevate it into an incident of singularity and note. The farm-hands who passed through the yard cast curious and awed13 looks at the darkened windows of the house. Mrs. Baxter had given them their orders, and they knew there would be no shirking where that lady was concerned.
A couple of traps were standing14 before the garden gate, and in the death-chamber two intent figures bent15 over the bed that had been drawn16 close to the open window. The sun shone upon the body, a mere17 mountain of flesh, loathsome18, gaping19, flatulent, lying naked from loins to chin. In death this carcass seemed to dishonor all the higher aspirations20 of the race. A myriad21 organisms were usurping22 the tissues that had worked the will of what men call “the soul.”
Dr. Brimley, of Cossington, a little, spectacled cherub23 of a man, held back the yellow flaps of fat-laden skin while his confrère groped and delved24 within the cavity. There was a wrinkle of disgust about Parker Steel’s sharp mouth. He had never vanquished25 that loathing26 of contact with the nauseous slime of death. The cold and succulent smoothness of the inert27 tissues repelled28 his cultured instincts. Yet even the superfine sneer29 vanished from about his nostrils31 as he drew out a black and oozing32 object from the dead man’s body.
“Good God, Brimley, look at this!”
The spectacled cherub peered at it, puckered33 up his lips and gave a whistle.
“A sponge!”
“Nice mess, eh?”
“Relieved that I haven’t the responsibility.”
Steel’s delicate hands were at work again. A sharp exclamation34 of surprise escaped him as he drew out a pair of artery35 forceps, and held them up to Brimley’s gaze.
“This is a pretty business!”
Dr. Brimley’s eyes seemed to enlarge behind his spectacles.
“Confoundedly unpleasant for the operator. The man must have lost his head.”
“Put your hand in here,” and Parker Steel guided his confrère’s fingers into the cavity, “tell me what you feel.”
Brimley groped a moment, and then elevated his eyebrows36.
“Good Lord!—what was Murchison at? A rent in the bowel37 three inches long!”
“We had better have a look at it.”
And the evidence of the sense of vision confirmed the evidence of the sense of touch.
Both men perched themselves on the bed, and looked questioningly into each other’s eyes. Success demands the survival of the fittest, and in the scramble38 for gold and reputation men may ignore generosity39 for egotistical and self-serving cant40. Parker Steel did not determine to act against his rival, without a struggle. He remembered his wife’s words, and they decided41 him.
“What are you going to do?”
Parker Steel looked Dr. Brimley straight in the face.
“There is only one thing to be done,” he retorted.
“Well, sir, well?”
“I have no personal grudge42 against Murchison, but before God, Brimley, I can’t forgive him this abominable43 bungling44. Professional feeling or no, I can’t stretch my conscience to such a lie.”
Dr. Brimley stared and nodded. He was somewhat impressed by Steel’s cultured indignation, a professional Brutus waxing public-spirited over C?sar’s body. Moreover, he was no friend of Murchison’s, and was secretly pleased to hear another man assume the moral responsibility of injuring his reputation.
“So you will tell the old lady?”
“I take it to be a matter of duty.”
“Quite so; I agree with you, Steel. But it will about smash Murchison.”
Parker Steel moved to the wash-stand and began to rinse45 his hands.
“I cannot see how I can give a death certificate,” he said; “the man must have been drunk. It is a case for the coroner.”
Dr. Brimley puckered his chubby46 mouth and whistled.
“There is no other conclusion to accept,” he answered.
Mrs. Baxter was awaiting the two gentlemen in the darkened parlor47, dressed in her black silk Sabbath gown. She had a photograph-album on her knee, and was chastening her grief by referring to the faded pictures of the past. Each photograph stood for a season in the late farmer’s life. Tom Baxter as a fat and plethoric-looking youth of twenty, in a braided coat and baggy48 trousers, one hand on a card-board sundial, the other stuffed into a side-pocket. Tom Baxter, ten years later, in his Yeomanry uniform, mustachioed, tight-thighed, nursing a carbine, with an air of assertive49 self-satisfaction. Tom Baxter and his bride awkwardly linked together arm in arm, toes out, top hat and bridal bouquet50 much in evidence. Tom Baxter, fat, prosperous, and middle-aged51, smoking his pipe in a corner of the orchard52, his Irish terrier at his feet; a snapshot by a friend. The widow studied them all with solemn deliberation, glancing a little scornfully at her sister Harriet, who was snivelling over a copy of Eliza Cook’s poems.
They heard the voices of the two doctors above, the sound of a door opening, and footsteps descending53 the stairs. Parker Steel, suave54, quiet, and serious as a black cat, appeared at the parlor door. Mrs. Baxter rose from her chair, and signalled to her sister to leave her with Parker Steel.
“Harriet, go out. Sit down, doctor,” and she replaced the album on its pink wool mat in the middle of the circular table.
Harriet absented herself without a murmur55, Miss Cook’s volume still clasped in her bony fingers. From the direction of the stables came the plaintive56 howling of a dog, Tom Baxter’s Irish terrier, Peter, who had been chained up because he would haunt the landing outside his dead master’s room. Mrs. Baxter had fallen over the poor beast as he crouched57 at the top of the stairs, and poor Peter’s loyalty58 had not saved him from chastisement59 with the lady’s slipper60.
Parker Steel seated himself on the extreme edge of an arm-chair, a great yellow sunflower in a Turkish-red antimacassar haloing him like a saint. He had assumed an air of studied yet anxious reserve, as though the matter in hand required delicate handling.
“Well, doctor, it’s all over, I suppose.”
Steel nodded, hearing Miss Harriet’s voice in the distance rasping out endearments61 to the dead man’s dog.
“Dr. Brimley and I have completed the examination.”
“Poor Tom! poor Tom!”
“I can sympathize with you, Mrs. Baxter.”
“Thank you, doctor. How that dog do howl, to be sure! And now, sir, let’s come to business.”
The widow sat erect62 and rigid63 in her chair, her hands clasped in her lap, an expression of determined64 alertness on her face. Steel, student of human nature that he was, felt relieved that it was Murchison and not he who had incurred65 the resentment66 of this hard-fibred woman.
“Will you be so good as to tell me, doctor, just what my husband died of?”
Parker Steel fidgeted, and studied his finger-nails.
“It is rather painful to me,” he began.
“Painful, sir!”
“To have to confess to a brother-doctor’s misman—misdirection of the case.”
His tactful disinclination reacted electrically upon Mrs. Baxter. She leaned forward in her chair, and brandished67 a long forefinger68 with exultant69 solemnity.
“Just what I thought, doctor.”
Parker Steel cleared his throat and proceeded.
“You understand my professional predicament, Mrs. Baxter. At the same time, I feel it to be my duty—”
“Just you tell me the plain facts, doctor; what did my husband die of?”
Steel rose from his chair, walked to the window, and stood there a moment looking out into the garden, as though struggling with the ethics70 and the etiquette71 of the case.
“Frankly, Mrs. Baxter,” and he turned to her with a grieved air, “I am compelled to admit that this operation hastened your husband’s death.”
Mrs. Baxter bumped in her chair.
“Doctor, I could have sworn it. Go on, I can bear the scandal.”
“Dr. Murchison made a very grave mistake.”
“He did!”
“A sponge and a pair of artery forceps were left in your husband’s body. As for the operation, well, the less said of it the better.”
Mrs. Baxter rose and went to the mantel-shelf, and taking down a bottle of smelling-salts, applied72 them deliberately73 to either nostril30.
“Then this man Murchison killed my husband!”
Parker Steel gave an apologetic shrug74.
“I have to state facts,” he explained. “I cannot swear to what might have happened.”
“Let the ‘might have’ alone, doctor. I’ve pulled the pease out of the pod, and by the Holy Spirit I’ll boil my water in Murchison’s pot!”
Parker Steel attempted to pacify75 her, confident in his heart that any such effort would be useless.
“My dear Mrs. Baxter, let me explain to you—”
“Explain! What is there to explain? This man’s killed my husband. I’ll sue him, I’ll make him pay for it.”
“Pardon me, one word—”
The widow raised her hands and patted Steel solemnly on the shoulders.
“You’ve done your duty by me, doctor, for I reckon it isn’t proper to tell tales of the profession. Now, listen, I’ll relate what Jane Baxter’s going to do.”
Steel’s silence welcomed the confession76.
“Well, I’m going to order the market-trap out, the trap my poor Tom used to drive in to Roxton every Monday, the Lord have pity on him!—”
“Yes.”
“I’m going straight to call at Lawyer Cranston’s.”
“Indeed!”
“And just set him to pull Dr. Murchison’s coat from off his back.”
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1
heyday
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| n.全盛时期，青春期 | |
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2
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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3
repulsiveness
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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5
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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6
putrefaction
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| n.腐坏，腐败 | |
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7
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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8
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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9
glamour
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| n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住 | |
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10
swill
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| v.冲洗；痛饮；n.泔脚饲料；猪食；（谈话或写作中的）无意义的话 | |
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11
laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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12
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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13
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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16
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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18
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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19
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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20
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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21
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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22
usurping
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的现在分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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23
cherub
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| n.小天使，胖娃娃 | |
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24
delved
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| v.深入探究，钻研( delve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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26
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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27
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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28
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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29
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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30
nostril
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| n.鼻孔 | |
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31
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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32
oozing
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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33
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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35
artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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36
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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37
bowel
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| n.肠(尤指人肠)；内部，深处 | |
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38
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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39
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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40
cant
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| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
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41
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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42
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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43
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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44
bungling
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| adj.笨拙的，粗劣的v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的现在分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成 | |
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45
rinse
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| v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗 | |
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46
chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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47
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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48
baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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49
assertive
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| adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的 | |
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50
bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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51
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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52
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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53
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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54
suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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55
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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56
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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57
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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59
chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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60
slipper
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| n.拖鞋 | |
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61
endearments
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| n.表示爱慕的话语，亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 ) | |
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62
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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63
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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64
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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65
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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66
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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67
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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68
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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69
exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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70
ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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71
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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72
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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73
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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74
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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75
pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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76
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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