Leroux's pallor now was most remarkable3; his complexion4 had assumed an ivory whiteness which lent his face a sort of statuesque beauty. He was cleanly shaven (somewhat of a novelty), and his hair was brushed back from his brow. But the dark blue eyes were very tragic5.
He rose at sight of his new visitors, and a faint color momentarily tinged6 his cheeks. Helen Cumberly grasped his outstretched hand, then looked away quickly to where her father was standing7.
“No,” said Helen, seeming to speak with an effort—“we—my father, thought—that you needed quiet.”
Denise Ryland nodded grimly.
“But now,” she said, in her most truculent9 manner, “we are going to... drag you out of... your morbid10... self... for a change... which you need... if ever a man... needed it.”
“I have just prescribed a drive,” said Dr. Cumberly, turning to them, “for to-morrow morning; with lunch at Richmond and a walk across the park, rejoining the car at the Bushey Gate, and so home to tea.”
Henry Leroux looked eagerly at Helen in silent appeal. He seemed to fear that she would refuse.
“Do you mean that you have included us in the prescription11, father?” she asked.
“Certainly; you are an essential part of it.”
“It will be fine,” said the girl quietly; “I shall enjoy it.”
“Ah!” said Leroux, with a faint note of contentment in his voice; and he reseated himself.
“Dr. Cumberly has told you the news?” she asked, dropping for the moment her syncopated and pugnacious13 manner.
Leroux closed his eyes and leant back upon the couch.
“Yes,” he replied. “And to think that I am a useless wreck—a poor parody14 of a man—whilst—Mira is... Oh, God! help me!—God help HER!”
He was visibly contending with his emotions; and Helen Cumberly found herself forced to turn her head aside.
“I have been blind,” continued Leroux, in a forced, monotonous15 voice. “That Mira has not—deceived me, in the worst sense of the word, is in no way due to my care of her. I recognize that, and I accept my punishment; for I deserved it. But what now overwhelms me is the knowledge, the frightful16 knowledge, that in a sense I have misjudged her, that I have remained here inert17, making no effort, thinking her absence voluntary, whilst—God help her!—she has been”...
“Once again, Leroux,” interrupted Dr. Cumberly, “I must ask you not to take too black a view. I blame myself more than I blame you, for having failed to perceive what as an intimate friend I had every opportunity to perceive; that your wife was acquiring the opium18 habit. You have told me that you count her as dead”—he stood beside Leroux, resting both hands upon the bowed shoulders—“I have not encouraged you to change that view. One who has cultivated—the—vice, to a point where protracted19 absences become necessary—you understand me?—is, so far as my experience goes”...
“Incurable! I quite understand,” jerked Leroux. “A thousand times better dead, indeed.”
“The facts as I see them,” resumed the physician, “as I see them, are these: by some fatality20, at present inexplicable21, a victim of the opium syndicate met her death in this flat. Realizing that the inquiries22 brought to bear would inevitably23 lead to the cross-examination of Mrs. Leroux, the opium syndicate has detained her; was forced to detain her.”
“Where is the place,” began Leroux, in a voice rising higher with every syllable—“where is the infamous24 den1 to which—to which”...
Dr. Cumberly pressed his hands firmly upon the speaker's shoulders.
“It is only a question of time, Leroux,” he said, “and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that—though at a great cost to yourself—this dreadful evil has been stamped out, that this yellow peril25 has been torn from the heart of society. Now, I must leave you for the present; but rest assured that everything possible is being done to close the nets about Mr. King.”
“Ah!” whispered Leroux, “MR. KING!”
“The circle is narrowing,” continued the physician. “I may not divulge26 confidences; but a very clever man—the greatest practical criminologist in Europe—is devoting the whole of his time, night and day, to this object.”
Helen Cumberly and Denise Ryland exhibited a keen interest in the words, but Leroux, with closed eyes, merely nodded in a dull way. Shortly, Dr. Cumberly took his departure, and, Helen looking at her companion interrogatively:—
“I think,” said Denise Ryland, addressing Leroux, “that you should not over-tax your strength at present.” She walked across to where he sat, and examined some proofslips lying upon the little table beside the couch. “'Martin Zeda,'” she said, with a certain high disdain27. “Leave 'Martin Zeda' alone for once, and read a really cheerful book!”
Leroux forced a smile to his lips.
“The correction of these proofs,” he said diffidently, “exacts no great mental strain, but is sufficient to—distract my mind. Work, after all, is nature's own sedative28.”
“I rather agree with Mr. Leroux, Denise,” said Helen;—“and really you must allow him to know best.”
“Thank you,” said Leroux, meeting her eyes momentarily. “I feared that I was about to be sent to bed like a naughty boy!”
“I hope it's fine to-morrow,” said Helen rapidly. “A drive to Richmond will be quite delightful29.”
“I think, myself,” agreed Leroux, “that it will hasten my recovery to breathe the fresh air once again.”
Knowing how eagerly he longed for health and strength, and to what purpose, the girl found something very pathetic in the words.
“I wish you were well enough to come out this afternoon,” she said; “I am going to a private view at Olaf van Noord's studio. It is sure to be an extraordinary afternoon. He is the god of the Soho futurists, you know. And his pictures are the weirdest30 nightmares imaginable. One always meets such singular people there, too, and I am honored in receiving an invitation to represent the Planet!”
“I consider,” said Denise Ryland, head wagging furiously again, “that the man is... mad. He had an exhibition... in Paris ... and everybody... laughed at him... simply LAUGHED at him.”
“But financially, he is very successful,” added Helen.
“Financially!” exclaimed Denise Ryland, “FINANCIALLY! To criticize a man's work... financially, is about as... sensible as... to judge the Venus... de Milo... by weight!—or to sell the works... of Leonardo... da Vinci by the... yard! Olaf van Noord is nothing but... a fool... of the worst possible... description... imaginable.”
“He is at least an entertaining fool!” protested Helen, laughingly.
“A mountebank31!” cried Denise Ryland; “a clown... a pantaloon... a whole family of... idiots... rolled into one!”
“It seems unkind to run away and leave you here—in your loneliness,” said Helen to Leroux; “but really I must be off to the wilds of Soho.”...
“To-morrow,” said Leroux, standing up and fixing his eyes upon her lingeringly, “will be a red-letter day. I have no right to complain, whilst such good friends remain to me—such true friends.”...
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1
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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6
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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8
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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13
pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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parody
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| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
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15
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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16
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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18
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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fatality
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| n.不幸，灾祸，天命 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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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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23
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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divulge
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| v.泄漏(秘密等)；宣布，公布 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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28
sedative
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| adj.使安静的，使镇静的；n. 镇静剂，能使安静的东西 | |
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29
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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30
weirdest
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| 怪诞的( weird的最高级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的 | |
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mountebank
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| n.江湖郎中；骗子 | |
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