In entering the front parlour from whence, in no small excitement, there issued the notes of a course diapason, which he fancied was known to him, he found Mr. Justice Lowe in somewhat tempestuous1 conference with the visitor.
He was, in fact, no other than Black Dillon; black enough he looked just now. He had only a moment before returned from a barren visit to the Brass2 Castle, and was in no mood to be trifled with.
‘‘Twasn’t I, Sir, but Mr. Dangerfield, who promised you five hundred guineas,’ said Mr. Lowe, with a dry nonchalance3.
‘Five hundred fiddles,’ retorted Doctor Dillon — his phrase was coarser, and Toole at that moment entering the door, and divining the situation from the doctor’s famished4 glare and wild gestures, exploded, I’m sorry to say in a momentary5 burst of laughter, into his cocked hat. ’Twas instantly stifled6, however; and when Dillon turned his flaming eyes upon him, the little doctor made him a bow of superlative gravity, which the furious hero of the trepan was too full of his wrongs to notice in any way.
‘I was down at his house, bedad, the “Brass Castle,” if you plase, and not a brass farthin’ for my pains, nothing there but an ould woman, as ould and as ugly as himself, or the divil — be gannies! An’ he’s levanted, or else tuck for debt. Brass Castle! brass forehead, bedad. Brass, like Goliath, from head to heels; an’ by the heels he’s laid, I’ll take my davy, considherin’ at his laysure which is strongest — a brass castle or a stone jug7. An’ where, Sir, am I to get my five hundred guineas — where, Sir?’ he thundered, staring first in Lowe’s face, then in Toole’s, and dealing8 the table a lusty blow at each interrogatory.
‘I think, Sir,’ said Lowe, anticipating Toole, ‘you’d do well to consider the sick man, Sir.’ The noise was certainly considerable.
‘I don’t know, Sir, that the sick man’s considherin’ me much,’ retorted Doctor Dillon. ‘Sick man — sick grandmother’s aunt! If you can’t speak like a man o’ sense, don’t spake, at any rate, like a justice o’ the pace. Sick man, indeed! why there’s not a crature livin’ barrin’ a natural eediot, or an apothecary9, that doesn’t know the man’s dead; he’s dead, Sir; but ‘tisn’t so with me, an’ I can’t get on without vittles, and vittles isn’t to be had without money; that’s logic10, Mr. Justice; that’s a medical fact Mr. Docthor. An’ how am I to get my five hundred guineas? I say, you and you — the both o’ ye — that prevented me of going last night to his brass castle — brass snuff-box — there isn’t room to stand in it, bedad — an’ gettin’ my money. I hold you both liable to me — one an’ t’other — the both o’ ye.’
‘Why, Sir,’ said Lowe, ‘’tis a honorarium11.’
‘’Tis no such thing, Sir; ’tis a contract,’ thundered Dillon, pulling Dangerfield’s note of promise from his pocket, and dealing it a mighty12 slap with the back of his hand.
‘Contract or no, Sir, there’s nobody liable for it but himself.’
‘We’ll try that, Sir; and in the meantime, what the divil am I to do, I’d be glad to know; for strike me crooked13 if I have a crown piece to pay the coachman. Trepan, indeed; I’m nately trepanned myself.’
‘If you’ll only listen, Sir, I’ll show you your case is well enough. Mr. Dangerfield, as you call him, has not left the country; and though he’s arrested, ‘tisn’t for debt. If he owes you the money, ’tis your own fault if you don’t make him pay it, for I’m credibly14 informed he’s worth more than a hundred thousand pounds.’
‘And where is he, Sir?’ demanded Black Dillon, much more cheerfully and amicably15. ‘I hope I see you well, Doctor Toole.’
That learned person acknowledged the somewhat tardy16 courtesy, and Lowe made answer:
‘He lies in the county gaol17, Sir, on a serious criminal charge; but a line from me, Sir, will, I think, gain you admission to him forthwith.’
‘I’ll be much obliged for it, Sir,’ answered Dillon. ‘What o’clock is it?’ he asked of Toole; for though it is believed he owned a watch, it was sometimes not about him; and while Lowe scribbled18 a note, Toole asked in a dignified20 way —
‘Have you seen our patient, Sir?’
‘Not I. Didn’t I see him last night? The man’s dead. He’s in the last stage of exhaustion21 with an inflammatory pulse. If you feed him up he’ll die of inflammation; and if you don’t he’ll die of wakeness. So he lies on the fatal horns of a dilemma22, you see; an’ not all the men in Derry’ll take him off them alive. He’s gone, Sir. Pell’s coming, I hear. I’d wait if I could; but I must look afther business; and there’s no good to be done here. I thank you, Mr. Lowe — Sir — your most obedient servant, Doctor Toole.’ And with Lowe’s note in his breeches’ pocket, he strode out to the steps, and whistled for his coachman, who drove his respectable employer tipsily to his destination.
I dare say the interview was characteristic; but I can find no account of it. I am pretty sure, however, that he did not get a shilling. So at least he stated in his declaration, in the action against Lowe, in which he, or rather his attorney, was nonsuited, with grievous loss of costs. And judging by the sort of esteem23 in which Mr. Dangerfield held Black Dillon, I fancy that few things would have pleased him better in his unfortunate situation than hitting that able practitioner24 as hard as might be.
Just as he drove away, poor little Mrs. Sturk looked in.
‘Is there anything, Ma’am?’ asked Toole, a little uneasily.
‘Only — only, I think he’s just a little frightened — he’s so nervous you know — by that Dublin doctor’s loud talking — and he’s got a kind of trembling — a shivering.’
‘Eh — a shivering, Ma’am?’ said Toole. ‘Like a man that’s taken a cold, eh?’
‘Oh, he hasn’t got cold — I’m sure — there’s no danger of that. It’s only nervous; so I covered him up with another pair of blankets, and gave him a hot drink.’
‘Very good, Ma’am; I’ll follow you up in a minute.’
‘And even if it was, you know he shakes off cold in no time, he has such a fine constitution.’
‘Yes, Ma’am — that’s true — very good, Ma’am. I’ll be after you.’
So up stairs went Mrs. Sturk in a fuss.
‘That’s it,’ said Toole so soon as they were alone, nodding two or three times dejectedly, and looking very glum25. ‘It’s set in-the inflammation — it’s set in, Sir. He’s gone. That’s the rigor26.’
‘Poor gentleman,’ said Lowe, after a short pause, ‘I’m much concerned for him, and for his family.’
‘’Tis a bad business,’ said Toole, gloomily, like a man that’s frightened. And he followed Mrs. Sturk, leaving Lowe adjusting his papers in the parlour.
Toole found his patient laden27 with blankets, and shivering like a man in an ague, with blue sunken face. And he slipped his hand under the clothes, and took his pulse, and said nothing but —‘Ay — ay — ay’— quietly to himself, from time to time, as he did so; and Sturk — signing, as well as he could, that he wanted a word in his ear — whispered, as well as his chattering28 teeth would let him,
‘You know what this is.’
‘Well — well — there now, there; drink some of this,’ said Toole, a little flurried, and trying to seem cool.
‘I think he’s a little bit better, doctor,’ whispered poor little Mrs. Sturk, in Toole’s ear.
’Twill pass away. Ma’am.’
Toole was standing29 by the bedside, looking rather woefully and frightened on Sturk’s face, and patting and smoothing the coverlet with the palm of his stumpy, red hand; and whispering to himself from time to time, ‘Yes, yes,’ although with rather a troubled and helpless air.
Just then came the roll of a coach to the door, and a long peal30 at the knocker; and little Toole ran down to meet the great Doctor Pell in the hall. He was in, in a moment, and turned aside with Toole into the drawing-room. And Toole’s voice was heard pretty volubly. It was only a conference of about two minutes. And Dr. Pell said in his usual tall way, as they came out —
‘How long ago, Sir?’
‘About ten — no, hardly so much — eight minutes ago,’ answered Toole, as he followed that swift phantom31 up the stairs.
‘Your most obedient, Ma’am,’ said the slim and lofty doctor, parenthetically saluting32 the good lady; and he stood by the bedside, having laid his muff on the chair.
‘Well, Sir, and how do you feel? There now, that will do, Sir; don’t mind speaking; I see. And he put his hand under the clothes, and laid it on Sturk’s arm, and slid it down to his hand, and felt his pulse.
‘And he’s been near ten minutes this way?’ said the doctor.
‘Oh, he was a great deal worse; ’tis a vast deal better now; isn’t it, Doctor Toole?’
‘The rigor is subsiding33, then. Has he had a sweat, Ma’am?’ said Pell.
‘Oh, no — nothing like — quite nice and cool, doctor — and no fever; nice quiet sleep; and his appetite wonderful; tell him, Doctor Toole.’
‘Oh, yes, Ma’am — Doctor Pell knows; I told him all, Ma’am,’ said Toole, who was looking with a blank and dismal34 sort of contemplation upon Sturk’s fallen countenance35.
‘Well, Ma’am,’ said Pell, as he looked on his watch, ‘this rigor, you see, will soon pass away, and you’re doing everything we could wish, and (for he found he had time to scribble19 a prescription), we’ll just order him a trifle. Good-day, Sir. Your most obedient, Ma’am.’
‘Pen and ink in the drawing-room, Doctor Pell,’ said Toole, reverentially.
‘Oh! no, no, Madam, excuse me,’ murmured Doctor Pell, gently pressing back Mrs. Sturk’s fee, the residuum of Dangerfield’s bounty36, with his open palm.
‘Oh, but Doctor Pell,’ urged she, in a persuasive37 aside, half behind him, in the shadow of the doorway38.
‘Pray, Madam, no more — pardon me,’ and Doctor Pell, with a peremptory39 bow, repelled40 his fee.
Why do physicians take their honest earnings41 in this clandestine42 way — transacted43 like favours, secret, sweet, and precious; and pocketed in dark corners, and whispers, like the wages of sin? Cold Doctor Pell here refused a very considerable fee. He could on occasion behave handsomely; but I can’t learn that blustering44, hilarious45 Doctor Rogerson ever refused his.
And the doctor descended46, not hastily, but very swiftly, and was in the drawing-room, and the door shut.
‘Gone, poor gentleman!’ said Toole, in an under tone — his phraseology became refined in Pell’s presence; he’d have said ‘poor devil,’ or ‘poor dog,’ if he had been with Doctor Rogerson.
Pell held the pen in his thin lips, while he tore off half-a-sheet of paper, and only shook his head funereally47.
So, taking the pen in his fingers, he said, ‘We’ll give him so and so, if you approve.’
‘Very good, Sir,’ said Toole, deferentially48; and Pell, not seeming to hear, dashed off a few spattered lines, with necromantic49 circles and zigzags50 at the end of each.
When Sturk afterwards saw that paper in the fingers of the maid, being very weak, he did not care to speak; but he signed with a little motion of his head, and she leaned down to listen.
‘Recipe?’ whispered the doctor; ‘put it — in-the fire;’ and he shut his eyes — tired.
Pell, looking again at his watch, was Doctor Toole’s very obedient servant, and was waylaid51 by poor little Mrs. Sturk on the lobby.
‘Well, Madam, we’ve put our heads together, and ordered a little matter, and that rigor — that shivering fit — will subside52; and we trust he’ll be easier then; and you’ve a very competent adviser53 in Doctor a — a ——’
‘Toole,’ suggested the eager little woman.
‘Doctor Toole, Madam, and he’ll direct whatever may be necessary; and should he wish to consult again, you can send for me; but he’s quite competent, Madam, and he’ll tell you all we think.’
He had got to the end of the stairs while talking, and made his adieux, and glided54 down and out; and before poor little Mrs. Sturk bethought her how little she had got from him, she heard the roll of his coach wheels whirling him back again to Dublin. I believe few doctors grow so accustomed to the ghastly eclaircissement as not very willingly to shirk it when they may.
Toole shrank from it, too, and dodged55, and equivocated56, and evaded57 all he could; but he did admit there was an unfavourable change; and when he had gone — promising58 to be back at four o’clock — poor little Mrs. Sturk broke down — all alone in the drawing-room — and cried a passionate59 flood of tears; and thinking she was too long away, dried her eyes quickly, and ran up, and into Barney’s room with a smile on; and she battled with the evil fear; and hope, that faithful angel that clings to the last, hovered60 near her with blessed illusions, until an hour came, next day, in the evening, about four o’clock, when from Barney’s room there came a long, wild cry. It was ‘his poor foolish little Letty’— the long farewell — and the ‘noble Barney’ was gone. The courtship and the married days — all a faded old story now; and a few days later, reversed arms, and muffled61 drums, and three volleys in the church-yard, and a little file of wondering children, dressed in black, whom the old general afterwards took up in his arms, one by one, very kindly62, and kissed, and told them they were to come and play in Belmont whenever they liked, and to eat fruit in the garden, and a great deal more; for all which a poor little lady, in a widow’s cap, and a lonely room, hard-by, was very grateful.
收听单词发音 |
1
tempestuous
|
|
| adj.狂暴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
nonchalance
|
|
| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
famished
|
|
| adj.饥饿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
momentary
|
|
| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
stifled
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
jug
|
|
| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
apothecary
|
|
| n.药剂师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
logic
|
|
| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
honorarium
|
|
| n.酬金，谢礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
crooked
|
|
| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
credibly
|
|
| ad.可信地；可靠地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
amicably
|
|
| adv.友善地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
tardy
|
|
| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
gaol
|
|
| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
scribbled
|
|
| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
scribble
|
|
| v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
exhaustion
|
|
| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
dilemma
|
|
| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
esteem
|
|
| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
practitioner
|
|
| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
glum
|
|
| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
rigor
|
|
| n.严酷，严格，严厉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
laden
|
|
| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
chattering
|
|
| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
peal
|
|
| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
phantom
|
|
| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
saluting
|
|
| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
subsiding
|
|
| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
dismal
|
|
| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
bounty
|
|
| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
persuasive
|
|
| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
peremptory
|
|
| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
repelled
|
|
| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
earnings
|
|
| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
clandestine
|
|
| adj.秘密的，暗中从事的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
transacted
|
|
| v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
blustering
|
|
| adj.狂风大作的，狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
hilarious
|
|
| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
funereally
|
|
| adj.送葬的，悲哀的，适合葬礼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
deferentially
|
|
| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
necromantic
|
|
| 降神术的，妖术的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
zigzags
|
|
| n.锯齿形的线条、小径等( zigzag的名词复数 )v.弯弯曲曲地走路，曲折地前进( zigzag的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
waylaid
|
|
| v.拦截，拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
subside
|
|
| vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
adviser
|
|
| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
glided
|
|
| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
dodged
|
|
| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
equivocated
|
|
| v.使用模棱两可的话隐瞒真相( equivocate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
evaded
|
|
| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
promising
|
|
| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
passionate
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
hovered
|
|
| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
muffled
|
|
| 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） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |