We had been making a call together that evening, and afterward1 Tom ran up to my rooms for a pipe and a chat before going on to his own luxurious2 apartments. I had stepped into the other room for a moment when I heard Tom sing out:
"Oh, Billy, I'm going to take about four grains of quinine, if you don't mind— I'm feeling all blue and shivery. Guess I'm taking cold."
"All right," I called back. "The bottle is on the second shelf. Take it in a spoonful of that elixir4 of eucalyptus5. It knocks the bitter out."
After I came back we sat by the fire and got our briars going. In about eight minutes Tom sank back into a gentle collapse6.
I went straight to the medicine cabinet and looked.
There stood the morphine bottle with the stopple out, just as Tom had left it.
I routed out another young M.D. who roomed on the floor above, and sent him for old Doctor Gales8, two squares away. Tom Hopkins has too much money to be attended by rising young practitioners9 alone.
When Gales came we put Tom through as expensive a course of treatment as the resources of the profession permit. After the more drastic remedies we gave him citrate of caffeine in frequent doses and strong coffee, and walked him up and down the floor between two of us. Old Gales pinched him and slapped his face and worked hard for the big check he could see in the distance. The young M.D. from the next floor gave Tom a most hearty10, rousing kick, and then apologized to me.
"Couldn't help it," he said. "I never kicked a millionaire before in my life. I may never have another opportunity."
"Now," said Doctor Gales, after a couple of hours, "he'll do. But keep him awake for another hour. You can do that by talking to him and shaking him up occasionally. When his pulse and respiration11 are normal then let him sleep. I'll leave him with you now."
I was left alone with Tom, whom we had laid on a couch. He lay very still, and his eyes were half closed. I began my work of keeping him awake.
"Well, old man," I said, "you've had a narrow squeak12, but we've pulled you through. When you were attending lectures, Tom, didn't any of the professors ever casually13 remark that m-o-r-p-h-i-a never spells 'quinia,' especially in four-grain doses? But I won't pile it up on you until you get on your feet. But you ought to have been a druggist, Tom; you're splendidly qualified14 to fill prescriptions15."
Tom looked at me with a faint and foolish smile.
"B'ly," he murmured, "I feel jus' like a hum'n bird flyin' around a jolly lot of most 'shpensive roses. Don' bozzer me. Goin' sleep now."
And he went to sleep in two seconds. I shook him by the shoulder.
"Now, Tom," I said, severely16, "this won't do. The big doctor said you must stay awake for at least an hour. Open your eyes. You're not entirely17 safe yet, you know. Wake up."
Tom Hopkins weighs one hundred and ninety-eight. He gave me another somnolent18 grin, and fell into deeper slumber19. I would have made him move about, but I might as well have tried to make Cleopatra's needle waltz around the room with me. Tom's breathing became stertorous20, and that, in connection with morphia poisoning, means danger.
Then I began to think. I could not rouse his body; I must strive to excite his mind. "Make him angry," was an idea that suggested itself. "Good!" I thought; but how? There was not a joint21 in Tom's armour22. Dear old fellow! He was good nature itself, and a gallant23 gentleman, fine and true and clean as sunlight. He came from somewhere down South, where they still have ideals and a code. New York had charmed, but had not spoiled, him. He had that old-fashioned chivalrous24 reverence25 for women, that—Eureka!—there was my idea! I worked the thing up for a minute or two in my imagination. I chuckled26 to myself at the thought of springing a thing like that on old Tom Hopkins. Then I took him by the shoulder and shook him till his ears flopped27. He opened his eyes lazily. I assumed an expression of scorn and contempt, and pointed28 my finger within two inches of his nose.
"Listen to me, Hopkins," I said, in cutting and distinct tones, "you and I have been good friends, but I want you to understand that in the future my doors are closed against any man who acts as much like a scoundrel as you have."
Tom looked the least bit interested.
"What's the matter, Billy?" he muttered, composedly. "Don't your clothes fit you?"
"If I were in your place," I went on, "which, thank God, I am not, I think I would be afraid to close my eyes. How about that girl you left waiting for you down among those lonesome Southern pines—the girl that you've forgotten since you came into your confounded money? Oh, I know what I'm talking about. While you were a poor medical student she was good enough for you. But now, since you are a millionaire, it's different. I wonder what she thinks of the performances of that peculiar29 class of people which she has been taught to worship—the Southern gentlemen? I'm sorry, Hopkins, that I was forced to speak about these matters, but you've covered it up so well and played your part so nicely that I would have sworn you were above such unmanly tricks."
Poor Tom. I could scarcely keep from laughing outright30 to see him struggling against the effects of the opiate. He was distinctly angry, and I didn't blame him. Tom had a Southern temper. His eyes were open now, and they showed a gleam or two of fire. But the drug still clouded his mind and bound his tongue.
He tried to rise from the couch. With all his size he was very weak now. I thrust him back with one arm. He lay there glaring like a lion in a trap.
"That will hold you for a while, you old loony," I said to myself. I got up and lit my pipe, for I was needing a smoke. I walked around a bit, congratulating myself on my brilliant idea.
I heard a snore. I looked around. Tom was asleep again. I walked over and punched him on the jaw32. He looked at me as pleasant and ungrudging as an idiot. I chewed my pipe and gave it to him hard.
"I want you to recover yourself and get out of my rooms as soon as you can," I said, insultingly. "I've told you what I think of you. If you have any honour or honesty left you will think twice before you attempt again to associate with gentlemen. She's a poor girl, isn't she?" I sneered33. "Somewhat too plain and unfashionable for us since we got our money. Be ashamed to walk on Fifth Avenue with her, wouldn't you? Hopkins, you're forty-seven times worse than a cad. Who cares for your money? I don't. I'll bet that girl don't. Perhaps if you didn't have it you'd be more of a man. As it is you've made a cur of yourself, and"—I thought that quite dramatic—"perhaps broken a faithful heart." (Old Tom Hopkins breaking a faithful heart!) "Let me be rid of you as soon as possible."
I turned my back on Tom, and winked34 at myself in a mirror. I heard him moving, and I turned again quickly. I didn't want a hundred and ninety-eight pounds falling on me from the rear. But Tom had only turned partly over, and laid one arm across his face. He spoke35 a few words rather more distinctly than before.
"I couldn't have—talked this way—to you, Billy, even if I'd heard people—lyin' 'bout3 you. But jus' soon's I can s-stand up—I'll break your neck—don' f'get it."
I did feel a little ashamed then. But it was to save Tom. In the morning, when I explained it, we would have a good laugh over it together.
In about twenty minutes Tom dropped into a sound, easy slumber. I felt his pulse, listened to his respiration, and let him sleep. Everything was normal, and Tom was safe. I went into the other room and tumbled into bed.
I found Tom up and dressed when I awoke the next morning. He was entirely himself again with the exception of shaky nerves and a tongue like a white-oak chip.
"What an idiot I was," he said, thoughtfully. "I remember thinking that quinine bottle looked queer while I was taking the dose. Have much trouble in bringing me 'round?"
I told him no. His memory seemed bad about the entire affair. I concluded that he had no recollection of my efforts to keep him awake, and decided36 not to enlighten him. Some other time, I thought, when he was feeling better, we would have some fun over it.
When Tom was ready to go he stopped, with the door open, and shook my hand.
"Much obliged, old fellow," he said, quietly, "for taking so much trouble with me—and for what you said. I'm going down now to telegraph to the little girl."
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1
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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elixir
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| n.长生不老药，万能药 | |
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5
eucalyptus
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| n.桉树，桉属植物 | |
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6
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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7
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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8
gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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9
practitioners
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| n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师） | |
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10
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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11
respiration
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| n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用 | |
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12
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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13
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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14
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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15
prescriptions
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| 药( prescription的名词复数 )； 处方； 开处方； 计划 | |
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16
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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somnolent
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| adj.想睡的，催眠的；adv.瞌睡地；昏昏欲睡地；使人瞌睡地 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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stertorous
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| adj.打鼾的 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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26
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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28
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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30
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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31
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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33
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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35
spoke
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| 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 | |
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36
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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