法官的房子 The Judges House (第5/6頁)

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Onlookingathiswatchhefounditwascloseonmidnight；and,notsorryforthedivertissement,hemadeuhisfreandmadehimselfhisnightlyotoftea.Hehadgotthroughagoodsellofwork,andthoughthimselfentitledtoacigarette；andsohesatonthegreatoakchairbeforethefreandenjoyedit.Whilstsmokinghebegantothinkthathewouldliketoknowwheretheratdisaearedto,forhehadcertainideasforthemorrownotentirelydisconnectedwitharat-tra.Accordinglyhelitanotherlamandlaceditsothatitwouldshinewellintotheright-handcornerofthewallbythefrelace.Thenhegotallthebookshehadwithhim,andlacedthemhandytothrowatthevermin.Finallyheliftedtheroeofthealarmbellandlacedtheendofitonthetable,fxingtheextremeendunderthelam.Ashehandledithecouldnothelnoticinghowliableitwas,eseciallyforsostrongaroe,andonenotinuse.“Youcouldhangamanwithit，”hethoughttohimself.Whenhisrearationsweremadehelookedaround,andsaidcomlacently，“Therenow,myfriend,Ithinkweshalllearnsomethingofyouthistime！”Hebeganhisworkagain,andthoughasbeforesomewhatdisturbedatfrstbythenoiseoftherats,soonlosthimselfinhisroositionsandroblems.

Againhewascalledtohisimmediatesurroundingssuddenly.Thistimeitmightnothavebeenthesuddensilenceonlywhichtookhisattention；therewasaslightmovementoftheroe,andthelammoved.Withoutstirring,helookedtoseeifhisileofbookswaswithinrange,andthencasthiseyealongtheroe.Ashelookedhesawthegreatratdrofromtheroeontheoakarmchairandsitthereglaringathim.Heraisedabookinhisrighthand,andtakingcarefulaim,fungitattherat.Thelatter,withaquickmovement,srangasideanddodgedthemissile.Hethentookanotherbook,andathird,andfungthemoneafteranotherattherat,buteachtimeunsuccessfully.Atlast,ashestoodwithabookoisedinhishandtothrow,theratsqueakedandseemedafraid.ThismadeMalcolmsonmorethanevereagertostrike,andthebookfewandstrucktherataresoundingblow.Itgaveaterrifedsqueak,andturningonhisursueralookofterriblemalevolence,ranuthechair-backandmadeagreatjumtotheroeofthealarmbellandranuitlikelightning.Thelamrockedunderthesuddenstrain,butitwasaheavyoneanddidnottoleover.Malcolmsonkethiseyesontherat,andsawitbythelightofthesecondlamleatoamouldingofthewainscotanddisaearthroughaholeinoneofthegreatictureswhichhungonthewall,obscuredandinvisiblethroughitscoatingofdirtanddust.

“Ishalllookumyfriendshabitationinthemorning，”saidthestudent,ashewentovertocollecthisbooks.“Thethirdicturefromthefirelace；Ishallnotforget.”Heickeduthebooksonebyone,commentingonthemasheliftedthem.“ConicSectionshedoesnotmind,norCycloidalOscillations,northePrinciia,norQuaternions,norThermodynamics.Nowforthebookthatfetchedhim！”Malcolmsontookituandlookedatit.Ashedidsohestarted,asuddenalloroversreadhisface.Helookedrounduneasilyandshiveredslightly,ashemurmuredtohimself：“TheBiblemymothergaveme！Whatanoddcoincidence.”Hesatdowntoworkagain,andtheratsinthewainscotrenewedtheirgambols.Theydidnotdisturbhim,however；somehowtheirresencegavehimasenseofcomanionshi.Buthecouldnotattendtohiswork,andafterstrivingtomasterthesubjectonwhichhewasengagedgaveituindesair,andwenttobedasthehefirststreakofdawnstoleinthroughtheeasternwindow.

Hesletheavilybutuneasily,anddreamedmuch；andwhenMrs.Demsterwokehimlateinthemorningheseemedillatease,andforafewminutesdidnotseemtorealiseexactlywherehewas.Hisfrstrequestrathersurrisedtheservant.“Mrs.Demster,whenIamouttodayIwishyouwouldgetthestesanddustorwashthoseictures-seciallythatonethethirdfromthefrelace-Iwanttoseewhattheyare.”

LateintheafternoonMalcolmsonworkedathisbooksintheshadedwalk,andthecheerfulnessofthereviousdaycamebacktohimasthedayworeon,andhefoundthathisreadingwasrogressingwell.Hehadworkedouttoasatisfactoryconclusionalltheroblemswhichhadasyetbaffedhim,anditwasinastateofjubilationthatheaidavisittoMrs.Withamat“TheGoodTraveller.”Hefoundastrangerinthecosysitting-roomwiththelandlady,whowasintroducedtohimasDr.Thornhill.Shewasnotquiteatease,andthis,combinedwiththedoctorslungingatonceintoaseriesofquestions,madeMalcolmsoncometotheconclusionthathisresencewasnotanaccident,sowithoutreliminaryhesaid：“Dr.Thornhill,Ishallwithleasureansweryouanyquestionyoumaychoosetoaskmeifyouwillanswermyonequestionfrst.”

Thedoctorseemedsurrised,buthesmiledandansweredatonce，“Done！Whatisit?”

“DidMrs.Withamaskyoutocomehereandseemeandadviseme?”

Dr.Thornhillforamomentwastakenaback,andMrs.Withamgotferyredandturnedaway；butthedoctorwasafrankandreadyman,andheansweredatonceandoenly.“Shedid：butshedidntintendyoutoknowit.Isuoseitwasmyclumsyhastehatmadeyoususect.Shetoldmethatshedidnotliketheideaofyourbeinginthathouseallbyyourself,andthatshethoughtyoutooktoomuchstrongtea.Infact,shewantsmetoadviseyouifossibletogiveutheteaandtheverylatehours.Iwasasakeenstudentinmytime,soIsuoseImaytakethelibertyofacollegeman,andwithoutoffence,adviseyounotquiteasastranger.”

Malcolmsonwithabrightsmileheldouthishand.“Shake!astheysayinAmerica，”hesaid.“ImustthankyouforyourkindnessandMrs.Withamtoo,andyourkindnessdeservesareturnonmyart.Iromisetotakenomorestrongtea-noteaatalltillyouletme-andIshallgotobedtonightatoneoclockatlatest.Willthatdo?”