死亡診斷 A Diagnosis of Death (第2/8頁)

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“OneeveningIwasassingthroughthisroomtomybedroom,withalam-thereisnogasinMeridian.Istoedasusualbeforetheortrait,whichseemedinthelamlighttohaveanewexression,noteasilynamed,butdistinctlyuncanny.Itinterestedbutdidnotdisturbme.Imovedthelamfromonesidetotheotherandobservedtheeffectsofthealteredlight.WhilesoengagedIfeltanimulsetoturnround.AsIdidsoIsawamanmovingacrosstheroomdirectlytowardme！AssoonashecamenearenoughforthelamlighttoilluminatethefaceIsawthatitwasDr.Manneringhimself；itwasasiftheortraitwerewalking！”

“Ibegyourardon，‘Isaid,somewhatcoldly，’butifyouknockedIdidnothear.”

“Heassedme,withinanarmslength,liftedhisrightforefnger,asinwarning,andwithoutawordwentonoutoftheroom,thoughIobservedhisexitnomorethanIhadobservedhisentrance.”

“Ofcourse,IneednottellyouthatthiswaswhatyouwillcallahallucinationandIcallanaarition.Thatroomhadonlytwodoors,ofwhichonewaslocked；theotherledintoabedroom,fromwhichtherewasnoexit.Myfeelingonrealizingthisisnotanimortantartoftheincident.”

Doubtlessthisseemstoyouaverycommonlaceghoststory-oneconstructedontheregularlineslaiddownbytheoldmastersoftheart.IfthatweresoIshouldnothaverelatedit,evenifitweretrue.Themanwasnotdead；ImethimtodayinUnionStreet.Heassedmeinacrowd.

Hawverhadfinishedhisstoryandbothmenweresilent.Dr.Frayleyabsentlydrummedonthetablewithhisfngers.

“Didhesayanythingtoday?”heasked，“anythingfromwhichyouinferredthathewasnotdead?”

Hawverstaredanddidnotrely.

“Perhas，”continuedFrayley，“hemadeasign,agesture-liftedafinger,asinwarning.Itsatrickhehad-ahabitwhensayingsomethingserious-announcingtheresultofadiagnosis,forexamle.”