At that hour she was unaccustomed to be disturbed.
"I."
She recognized her husband's voice and she sat up quickly.
"Come in."
"Did I wake you?" he asked as he entered.
"In point of fact you did," she answered in the natural tone she had adopted with him for the last two days.
"Will you come into the next room? I want to have a little talk with you."
"I'll put on a dressing-gown."
He left her. She slipped her bare feet into mules5 and wrapped herself in a kimono. She looked in the glass; she was very pale and she put on some rouge6. She stood at the door for a moment, nerving herself for the interview, and then with a bold face joined him.
"How did you manage to get away from the Laboratory at this hour?" she said. "I don't often see you at this sort of time."
"Won't you sit down?"
He did not look at her. He spoke7 gravely. She was glad to do as he asked: her knees were a little shaky, and unable to continue in that jocular tone she kept silent. He sat also and lit a cigarette. His eyes wandered restlessly about the room. He seemed to have some difficulty in starting.
Suddenly he looked full at her; and because he had held his eyes so long averted8, his direct gaze gave her such a fright that she smothered9 a cry.
"Have you ever heard of Mei-tan-fu?" he asked. "There's been a good deal about it in the papers lately."
She stared at him in astonishment10. She hesitated.
"There's an epidemic12. I believe it's the worst they've had for years. There was a medical missionary13 there. He died of cholera three days ago. There's a French convent there and of course there's the Customs man. Everyone else has got out."
His eyes were still fixed14 on her and she could not lower hers. She tried to read his expression, but she was nervous, and she could only discern a strange watchfulness15. How could he look so steadily16? He did not even blink.
"The French nuns17 are doing what they can. They've turned the orphanage18 into a hospital. But the people are dying like flies. I've offered to go and take charge."
"You?"
She started violently. Her first thought was that if he went she would be free and without let or hindrance19 could see Charlie. But the thought shocked her. She felt herself go scarlet20. Why did he watch her like that? She looked away in embarrassment21.
"There's not a foreign doctor in the place."
"But you're not a doctor, you're a bacteriologist."
"I am an M.D., you know, and before I specialised I did a good deal of general work in a hospital. The fact that I'm first and foremost a bacteriologist is all to the good. It will be an admirable chance for research work."
He spoke almost flippantly and when she glanced at him she was surprised to see in his eyes a gleam of mockery. She could not understand.
"Awfully."
He smiled. It was a derisive24 grimace25. She leaned her forehead on her hand. Suicide. It was nothing short of that. Dreadful! She had not thought he would take it like that. She couldn't let him do that. It was cruel. It was not her fault if she did not love him. She couldn't bear the thought that he should kill himself for her sake. Tears flowed softly down her cheeks.
"What are you crying for?"
His voice was cold.
"You're not obliged to go, are you?"
"No, I go of my own free will."
"Please don't, Walter. It would be too awful if something happened. Supposing you died?"
Though his face remained impassive the shadow of a smile once more crossed his eyes. He did not answer.
"Where is this place?" she asked after a pause.
"Mei-tan-fu? It's on a tributary26 of the Western River. We should go up the Western River and then by chair."
"Who is we?"
"You and I."
She looked at him quickly. She thought she had heard amiss. But now the smile in his eyes had travelled to his lips. His dark eyes were fixed on her.
"Are you expecting me to come too?"
"I thought you'd like to."
"But surely it's no place for a woman. The missionary sent his wife and children down weeks ago and the A. P. C. man and his wife came down. I met her at a tea-party. I've just remembered that she said they left some place on account of cholera."
"There are five French nuns there."
Panic seized her.
"I don't know what you mean. It would be madness for me to go. You know how delicate I am. Dr. Hayward said I must get out of Tching-Yen on account of the heat. I could never stand the heat up there. And cholera. I should be frightened out of my wits. It's just asking for trouble. There's no reason for me to go. I should die."
He did not answer. She looked at him in her desperation and she could hardly restrain a cry. His face had a sort of black pallor which suddenly terrified her. She saw in it a look of hatred28. Was it possible that he wanted her to die? She answered her own outrageous29 thought.
"It's absurd. If you think you ought to go it's your own lookout30. But really you can't expect me to. I hate illness. A cholera epidemic. I don't pretend to be very brave and I don't mind telling you that I haven't pluck for that. I shall stay here until it's time for me to go to Japan."
"I should have thought that you would want to accompany me when I am about to set out on a dangerous expedition."
He was openly mocking her now. She was confused. She did not quite know whether he meant what he said or was merely trying to frighten her.
"I don't think anyone could reasonably blame me for refusing to go to a dangerous place where I had no business or where I could be of no use."
"You could be of the greatest use; you could cheer and comfort me."
She grew even a little paler.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"I shouldn't have thought it needed more than average intelligence."
"Then I shall not go either. I shall immediately file my petition."
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1
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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5
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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6
rouge
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| n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红 | |
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7
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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8
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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9
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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10
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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11
cholera
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| n.霍乱 | |
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12
epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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13
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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14
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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15
watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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nuns
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| n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 ) | |
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orphanage
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| n.孤儿院 | |
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hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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21
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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22
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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23
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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24
derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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25
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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26
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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27
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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28
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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29
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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30
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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31
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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