He patiently taught this eager young scholar day by day, and gave her, as fast as he could, the benefit of the wisdom which he had gained through faithful devotion to his business and the persistent13 study of many years. Nan followed step by step, and, while becoming more conscious of her own ignorance and of the uncertainties14 and the laws of the practice of medicine with every week's study, knew better and better that it is resource, and bravery, and being able to think for one's self, that make a physician worth anything. There must be an instinct that recognizes a disease and suggests its remedy, as much as an instinct that finds the right notes and harmonies for a composer of music, or the colors for a true artist's picture, or the results of figures for a mathematician15. Men and women may learn these callings from others; may practice all the combinations until they can carry them through with a greater or less degree of unconsciousness of brain and fingers; but there is something needed beside even drill and experience; every student of medicine should be fitted by nature with a power of insight, a gift for his business, for knowing what is the right thing to do, and the right time and way to do it; must have this God-given power in his own nature of using and discovering the resources of medicine without constant reliance upon the books or the fashion. Some men use their ability for their own good and renown16, and some think first of the good of others, and as the great poet tells the truths of God, and makes other souls wiser and stronger and fitter for action, so the great doctor works for the body's health, and tries to keep human beings free from the failures that come from neglect and ignorance, and ready to be the soul's instrument of action and service in this world. It is not to keep us from death, it is no superstitious17 avoidance of the next life, that should call loudest for the physician's skill; but the necessity of teaching and remedying the inferior bodies which have come to us through either our ancestors' foolishness or our own. So few people know even what true and complete physical life is, much less anything of the spiritual existence that is already possible, and so few listen to what the best doctors are trying their best to teach. While half-alive people think it no wrong to bring into the world human beings with even less vitality18 than themselves, and take no pains to keep the simplest laws of health, or to teach their children to do so, just so long there will be plenty of sorrow of an avoidable kind, and thousands of shipwrecked, and failing, and inadequate19, and useless lives in the fullest sense of the word. How can those who preach to the soul hope to be heard by those who do not even make the best of their bodies? but alas20, the convenience and easiness, or pleasure, of the present moment is allowed to become the cause of an endless series of terrible effects, which go down into the distance of the future, multiplying themselves a thousandfold.
The doctor told Nan many curious things as they drove about together: certain traits of certain families, and how the Dyers were of strong constitution, and lived to a great age in spite of severe illnesses and accidents and all manner of unfavorable conditions; while the Dunnells, who looked a great deal stronger, were sensitive, and deficient21 in vitality, so that an apparently22 slight attack of disease quickly proved fatal. And so Nan knew that one thing to be considered was the family, and another the individual variation, and she began to recognize the people who might be treated fearlessly, because they were safe to form a league with against any ailment23, being responsive to medicines, and straightforward24 in their departure from or return to a state of health; others being treacherous25 and hard to control; full of surprises, and baffling a doctor with their feints and follies26 of symptoms; while all the time Death himself was making ready for a last, fatal siege; these all being the representatives of types which might be found everywhere. Often Dr. Leslie would be found eagerly praising some useful old-fashioned drugs which had been foolishly neglected by those who liked to experiment with newer remedies and be "up with the times," as they called their not very intelligent dependence27 upon the treatment in vogue28 at the moment among the younger men of certain cliques29, to some of whom the brilliant operation was more important than its damaging result. There was, even in those days, a haphazard30 way of doctoring, in which the health of the patient was secondary to the promotion31 of new theories, and the young scholar who could write a puzzlingly technical paper too often outranked the old practitioner32 who conquered some malignant33 disorder34 single-handed, where even the malpractice of the patient and his friends had stood like a lion in the way.
But Dr. Leslie was always trying to get at the truth, and nobody recognized more clearly the service which the reverent35 and truly progressive younger men were rendering36 to the profession. He added many new publications to his subscription37 list, and gleaned38 here and there those notes which he knew would be helpful, and which were suited to the degree of knowledge which his apprentice39 had already gained. It is needless to say what pleasure it gave him, and what evening talks they had together; what histories of former victories and defeats and curious discoveries were combined, like a bit of novel-reading, with Nan's diligent40 devotion to her course of study. And presently the girl would take a step or two alone, and even make a visit by herself to see if anything chanced to be needed when a case was progressing favorably, and with the excuse of the doctor's business or over-fatigue. And the physicians of the neighboring towns, who came together occasionally for each other's assistance, most of whom had known Nan from her childhood, though at first they had shrunk from speaking of many details of their professional work in her hearing, and covered their meaning, like the ostriches41' heads, in the sand of a Latin cognomen42, were soon set at their ease by Nan's unconsciousness of either shamefacedness or disgust, and one by one grew interested in her career, and hopeful of her success.
It is impossible to describe the importance of such experiences as these in forming the character of the young girl's power of resource, and wealth of self-reliance and practical experience. Sometimes in houses where she would have felt at least liberty to go only as spectator and scholar of medicine, Dr. Leslie insisted upon establishing her for a few days as chief nurse and overseer, and before Nan had been at work many months her teacher found her of great use, and grew more proud and glad day by day as he watched her determination, her enthusiasm, and her excellent progress. Over and over again he said to himself, or to her, that she was doing the work for which nature had meant her, and when the time came for her to go away from Oldfields, it seemed more impossible than it ever had before that he should get on without her, at home, or as an independent human being, who was following reverently43 in the path he had chosen so many years before. For her sake he had reached out again toward many acquaintances from whom he had drifted away, and he made many short journeys to Boston or to New York, and was pleased at his hearty44 welcome back to the medical meetings he had hardly entered during so many years. He missed not a few old friends, but he quickly made new ones. He was vastly pleased when the younger men seemed glad to hear him speak, and it was often proved that either through study or experience he had caught at some fresh knowledge of which his associates were still ignorant. He had laughingly accused himself of being a rusty45 country doctor and old fogy who had not kept up with the times; but many a letter followed him home, with thanks for some helpful suggestion or advice as to the management of a troublesome case. He was too far away to give room for any danger of professional jealousy46, or for the infringement47 of that ever lengthening48 code of etiquette49 so important to the sensitive medical mind. Therefore he had only much pleasure and a fine tribute of recognition and honor, and he smiled more than once as he sat in the quiet Oldfields study before the fire, and looked up at Captain Finch's little ship, and told Nan of his town experiences, not always omitting, though attempting to deprecate, the compliments, in some half-hour when they were on peculiarly good terms with each other. And Nan believed there could be no better doctor in the world, and stoutly51 told him so, and yet listened only half-convinced when he said that he had a great mind to go to town and open an office, and make a specialty52 of treating diseases of the heart, since everybody had a specialty nowadays. He never felt so ready for practice as now, but Nan somehow could not bear the thought of his being anywhere but in his home. For herself, she would have been ready to venture anything if it would further her ever-growing purpose; but that Dr. Leslie should begin a new career or contest with the world seemed impossible. He was not so strong as he used to be, and he was already famous among his fellows. She would help him with his work by and by even more than now, and her own chosen calling of a country doctor was the dearer to her, because he had followed it so gallantly53 before her loving and admiring eyes. But Dr. Leslie built many a castle in the air, with himself and a great city practice for tenants54, and said that it would be a capital thing for Nan; she could go on with it alone by and by. It was astonishing how little some of the city doctors knew: they relied upon each other too much; they should all be forced to drive over hill and dale, and be knocked about in a hard country practice for eight or ten years before they went to town. "Plenty of time to read their books in June and January," the doctor would grumble55 to himself, and turn to look fondly at the long rows of his dear library acquaintances, his Braithwaites and Lancets, and their younger brothers, beside the first new Sydenham Society's books, with their clumsy blot56 of gilding57. And he would stand sometimes with his hands behind him and look at the many familiar rows of brown leather-covered volumes, most of them delightfully58 worn with his own use and that of the other physicians whose generous friend and constant instructor he had been through years of sometimes stormy but usually friendly intercourse60 and association.
When people in general had grown tired of discussing this strange freak and purpose of the doctor and his ward, and had become familiar with Nan's persistent interest and occupation in her studies, there came a time of great discontent to the two persons most concerned. For it was impossible to disguise the fact that the time had again come for the girl to go away from home. They had always looked forward to this, and directed much thought and action toward it, and yet they decided with great regret upon setting a new train of things in motion.
While it was well enough and useful enough that Nan should go on with her present mode of life, they both had a wider outlook, and though with the excuse of her youthfulness they had put off her departure as long as possible, still almost without any discussion it was decided that she must enter the medical school to go through with its course of instruction formally, and receive its authority to practice her profession. They both felt that this held a great many unpleasantnesses among its store of benefits. Nan was no longer to be shielded and protected and guided by some one whose wisdom she rarely questioned, but must make her own decisions instead, and give from her own bounty61, and stand in her lot and place. Her later school-days were sure to be more trying than her earlier ones, as they carried her into deeper waters of scholarship, and were more important to her future position before the public.
If a young man plans the same course, everything conspires62 to help him and forward him, and the very fact of his having chosen one of the learned professions gives him a certain social preëminence and dignity. But in the days of Nan's student life it was just the reverse. Though she had been directed toward such a purpose entirely63 by her singular talent, instead of by the motives64 of expediency65 which rule the decisions of a large proportion of the young men who study medicine, she found little encouragement either from the quality of the school or the interest of society in general. There were times when she actually resented the prospect66 of the many weeks which she must spend in listening to inferior instruction before gaining a diploma, which was only a formal seal of disapproval67 in most persons' eyes. And yet, when she remembered her perfect certainty that she was doing the right thing, and remembered what renown some women physicians had won, and the avenues of usefulness which lay open to her on every side, there was no real drawing back, but rather a proud certainty of her most womanly and respectable calling, and a reverent desire to make the best use possible of the gifts God had certainly not made a mistake in giving her. "If He meant I should be a doctor," the girl told herself, "the best thing I can do is to try to be a good one."
So Nan packed her boxes and said good-by to Mrs. Graham, who looked wistful and doubtful, but blessed her most heartily68, saying she should miss her sadly in the winter. And Marilla, who had unexpectedly reserved her opinion of late, made believe that she was very busy in the pantry, just as she had done when Nan was being launched for boarding-school. She shook her own floury hands vigorously, and offered one at last, muffled69 in her apron70, and wished our friend good luck, with considerable friendliness71, mentioning that she should be glad if Nan would say when she wrote home what shapes they seemed to be wearing for bonnets72 in the city, though she supposed they would be flaunting73 for Oldfields anyway. The doctor was going too, and they started for the station much too early for the train, since Dr. Leslie always suffered from a nervous dread74 of having an unavoidable summons to a distant patient at the last moment.
And when the examinations were over, and Nan had been matriculated, and the doctor had somewhat contemptuously overlooked the building and its capabilities75, and had compared those students whom he saw with his remembrance of his own class, and triumphantly76 picked out a face and figure that looked hopeful here and there; he told himself that like all new growths it was feeble yet, and needed girls like his Nan, with high moral purpose and excellent capacity, who would make the college strong and to be respected. Not such doctors as several of whom he reminded himself, who were disgracing their sex, but those whose lives were ruled by a pettiness of detail, a lack of power, and an absence of high aim. Somehow both our friends lost much of the feeling that Nan was doing a peculiar50 thing, when they saw so many others following the same path. And having seen Nan more than half-settled in her winter quarters, and knowing that one or two of her former school friends had given her a delighted and most friendly welcome, and having made a few visits to the people whom he fancied would help her in one way or another, Dr. Leslie said good-by, and turned his face homeward, feeling more lonely than he had felt in a great many years before. He thought about Nan a great deal on the journey, though he had provided himself with some most desirable new books. He was thankful he had been able to do a kind turn for one of the most influential77 doctors, who had cheerfully promised to put some special advantages in Nan's way; but when he reached home the house seemed very empty, and he missed his gay companion as he drove along the country roads. After the days began to grow longer, and the sun brighter, such pleasant letters came from the absent scholar, that the doctor took heart more and more, and went over to Mrs. Graham with almost every fresh bit of news. She smiled, and listened, and applauded, and one day said with delightful59 cordiality that she wished there were more girls who cared whether their lives really amounted to anything. But not every one had a talent which was such a stimulus78 as Nan's.
"Nothing succeeds like success," rejoined the doctor cheerfully, "I always knew the child would do the best she could."
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1
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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8
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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painstaking
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| adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的 | |
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instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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mathematician
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| n.数学家 | |
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renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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ailment
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| n.疾病，小病 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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27
dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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cliques
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| n.小集团，小圈子，派系( clique的名词复数 ) | |
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haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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practitioner
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| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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reverent
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| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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ostriches
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| n.鸵鸟( ostrich的名词复数 )；逃避现实的人，不愿正视现实者 | |
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42
cognomen
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| n.姓；绰号 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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44
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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45
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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46
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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47
infringement
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| n.违反；侵权 | |
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48
lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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49
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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50
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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51
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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52
specialty
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| n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长 | |
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53
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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54
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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55
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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56
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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61
bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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62
conspires
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| 密谋( conspire的第三人称单数 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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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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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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expediency
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| n.适宜；方便；合算；利己 | |
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66
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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67
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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68
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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69
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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70
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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71
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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72
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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73
flaunting
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| adj.招摇的，扬扬得意的，夸耀的v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来 | |
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74
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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75
capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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76
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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77
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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78
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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