After a brief interview with his step-son, Mr. Gallilee returned to his daughters in Scotland.
Touched by his fatherly interest in Carmina, Ovid engaged to keep him informed of her progress towards recovery. If the anticipation1 of saving her proved to be the sad delusion2 of love and hope, silence would signify what no words could say.
In ten days’ time, there was a happy end to suspense3. The slow process of recovery might extend perhaps to the end of the year. But, if no accident happened, Ovid had the best reasons for believing that Carmina’s life was safe.
Freed from the terrible anxieties that had oppressed him, he was able to write again, a few days later, in a cheerful tone, and to occupy his pen at Mr. Gallilee’s express request, with such an apparently4 trifling5 subject as the conduct of Mr. Null.
“Your old medical adviser6 was quite right in informing you that I had relieved him from any further attendance on Carmina. But his lively imagination (or perhaps I ought to say, his sense of his own consequence) has misled you when he also declares that I purposely insulted him. I took the greatest pains not to wound his self-esteem. He left me in anger, nevertheless.
“A day or two afterwards, I received a note from him; addressing me as ‘Sir,’ and asking ironically if I had any objection to his looking at the copies of my prescriptions7 in the chemist’s book. Though he was old enough to be my father (he remarked) it seemed that experience counted for nothing; he had still something to learn from his junior, in the treatment of disease — and so on.
“At that miserable8 time of doubt and anxiety, I could only send a verbal reply, leaving him to do what he liked. Before I tell you of the use that he made of his liberty of action, I must confess something relating to the prescriptions themselves. Don’t be afraid of long and learned words, and don’t suppose that I am occupying your attention in this way, without a serious reason for it which you will presently understand.
“A note in the manuscript — to my study of which, I owe, under God, the preservation9 of Carmina’s life — warned me that chemists, in the writer’s country, had either refused to make up certain prescriptions given in the work, or had taken the liberty of altering the new quantities and combinations of some of the drugs prescribed.
“Precisely the same thing happened here, in the case of the first chemist to whom I sent. He refused to make up the medicine, unless I provided him with a signed statement taking the whole responsibility on myself.
“Having ascertained10 the exact nature of his objection, I dismissed him without his guarantee, and employed another chemist; taking care (in the interests of my time and my temper) to write my more important prescriptions under reserve. That is to say, I followed the conventional rules, as to quantities and combinations, and made the necessary additions or changes from my own private stores when the medicine was sent home.
“Poor foolish Mr. Null, finding nothing to astonish him in my course of medicine — as represented by the chemist — appears by his own confession11, to have copied the prescriptions with a malicious12 object in view. ‘I have sent them, (he informs me, in a second letter) to Doctor Benjulia; in order that he too may learn something in his profession from the master who has dispensed13 with our services.’ This new effort of irony14 means that I stand self-condemned of vanity, in presuming to rely on my own commonplace resources — represented by the deceitful evidence of the chemist’s book!
“But I am grateful to Mr. Null, notwithstanding: he has done me a service, in meaning to do me an injury.
“My imperfect prescriptions have quieted the mind of the man to whom he sent them. This wretch’s distrust has long since falsely suspected me of some professional rivalry15 pursued in secret; the feeling showed itself again, when I met with him by accident on the night of my return to London. Since Mr. Null has communicated with him, the landlady16 is no longer insulted by his visits, and offended by his questions — all relating to the course of treatment which I was pursuing upstairs.
“You now understand why I have ventured to trouble you on a purely17 professional topic. To turn to matters of more interest — our dear Carmina is well enough to remember you, and to send her love to you and the girls. But even this little effort is followed by fatigue18.
“I don’t mean only fatigue of body: that is now a question of time and care. I mean fatigue of mind — expressing itself by defect of memory.
“On the morning when the first positive change for the better appeared, I was at her bedside when she woke. She looked at me in amazement19. ‘Why didn’t you warn me of your sudden return?’ she asked, ‘I have only written to you to-day — to your bankers at Quebec! What does it mean?’
“I did my best to soothe20 her, and succeeded. There is a complete lapse21 in her memory — I am only too sure of it! She has no recollection of anything that has happened since she wrote her last letter to me — a letter which must have been lost (perhaps intercepted22?), or I should have received it before I left Quebec. This forgetfulness of the dreadful trials through which my poor darling has passed, is, in itself, a circumstance which we must all rejoice over for her sake. But I am discouraged by it, at the same time; fearing it may indicate some more serious injury than I have yet discovered.
“Miss Minerva — what should I do without the help and sympathy of that best of true women?— Miss Minerva has cautiously tested her memory in other directions, with encouraging results, so far. But I shall not feel easy until I have tried further experiments, by means of some person who does not exercise a powerful influence over her, and whose memory is naturally occupied with what we older people call trifles.
“When you all leave Scotland next month, bring Zo here with you. My dear little correspondent is just the sort of quaint23 child I want for the purpose. Kiss her for me till she is out of breath — and say that is what I mean to do when we meet.”
The return to London took place in the last week in October.
Lord and Lady Northlake went to their town residence, taking Maria and Zo with them. There were associations connected with Fairfield Gardens, which made the prospect24 of living there — without even the society of his children — unendurable to Mr. Gallilee. Ovid’s house, still waiting the return of its master, was open to his step-father. The poor man was only too glad (in his own simple language) “to keep the nest warm for his son.”
The latest inquiries25 made at the asylum26 were hopefully answered. Thus far, the measures taken to restore Mrs. Gallilee to herself had succeeded beyond expectation. But one unfavourable symptom remained. She was habitually27 silent. When she did speak, her mind seemed to be occupied with scientific subjects: she never mentioned her husband, or any other member of the family. Time and attention would remove this drawback. In two or three months more perhaps, if all went well, she might return to her family and her friends, as sane28 a woman as ever.
Calling at Fairfield Gardens for any letters that might be waiting there, Mr. Gallilee received a circular in lithographed writing; accompanied by a roll of thick white paper. The signature revealed the familiar name of Mr. Le Frank.
The circular set forth29 that the writer had won renown30 and a moderate income, as pianist and teacher of music. “A terrible accident, ladies and gentlemen, has injured my right hand, and has rendered amputation31 of two of my fingers necessary. Deprived for life of my professional resources, I have but one means of subsistence left —viz:—— collecting subscriptions32 for a song of my own composition. N.B.— The mutilated musician leaves the question of terms in the hands of the art-loving public, and will do himself the honour of calling to-morrow.”
Good-natured Mr. Gallilee left a sovereign to be given to the victim of circumstances — and then set forth for Lord Northlake’s house. He and Ovid had arranged that Zo was to be taken to see Carmina that day.
On his way through the streets, he was met by Mr. Mool. The lawyer looked at the song under his friend’s arm. “What’s that you’re taking such care of?” he asked. “It looks like music. A new piece for the young ladies — eh?”
Mr. Gallilee explained. Mr. Mool struck his stick on the pavement, as the nearest available means of expressing indignation.
“Never let another farthing of your money get into that rascal’s pocket! It’s no merit of his that the poor old Italian nurse has not made her appearance in the police reports.”
With this preface, Mr. Mool related the circumstances under which Mr. Le Frank had met with his accident. “His first proceeding33 when they discharged him from the hospital,” continued the lawyer, “was to summon Teresa before a magistrate34. Fortunately she showed the summons to me. I appeared for her, provided with a plan of the rooms which spoke35 for itself; and I put two questions to the complainant. What business had he in another person’s room? and why was his hand in that other person’s cupboard? The reporter kindly36 left the case unrecorded; and when the fellow ended by threatening the poor woman outside the court, we bound him over to keep the peace. I have my eye on him — and I’ll catch him yet, under the Vagrant37 Act!”
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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adviser
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| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
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prescriptions
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| 药( prescription的名词复数 )； 处方； 开处方； 计划 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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amputation
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| n.截肢 | |
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subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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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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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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vagrant
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| n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的 | |
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