我看书斋>长久的沉默英文 > 第9章 死亡诊断（第2页）
第9章 死亡诊断（第2页）
"Hawversaid，
"butthatdoesnotmatter。
"Andhetoldthestory。
"LastsummerIwent，asyouknow，toassthehotweatherterminthetownofMeridian。TherelativeatwhosehouseIhadintendedtostaywasill，soIsoughtotherquarters。AftersomedifficultyIsucceededinrentingavacantdwellingthathadbeenoccuiedbyaneccentricdoctorwiththenameofMannering，whohadgoneawayyearsbefore，nooneknewwhere，notevenhisagent。Hehadbuiltthehousehimselfandhadlivedinitwithanoldservantforabouttenyears。Hisractice，neververyextensive，hadafterafewyearsbeengivenuentirely。Notonlyso，buthehadwithdrawnhimselfalmostaltogetherfromsociallifeandbecomearecluse。Iwastoldbythevillagedoctor，abouttheonlyersonwithwhomheheldanyrelations，thatduringhisretirementhehaddevotedhimselftoasinglelineofstudy，theresultofwhichhehadexoundedinabookthatdidnotcommenditselftothearovalofhisrofessionalbrethren，who，indeed，consideredhimnotentirelysane。Ihavenotseenthebookandcannotnowrecallthetitleofit，butIamtoldthatitexoundedaratherstartlingtheory。Heheldthatitwasossibleinthecaseofmanyaersoningoodhealthtoforecasthisdeathwithrecision，severalmonthsinadvanceoftheevent。Thelimit，Ithink，waseighteenmonths。Therewerelocaltalesofhishavingexertedhisowersofrognosis，orerhasyouwouldsaydiagnosis；anditwassaidthatineveryinstancetheersonwhosefriendshehadwarnedhaddiedsuddenlyattheaointedtime，andfromnoassignablecause。Allthis，however，hasnothingtodowithwhatIhavetotell；Ithoughtitmightamuseahysician。
"Thehousewasfurnished，justashehadlivedinit。Itwasarathergloomydwellingforonewhowasneitherareclusenorastudent，andIthinkitgavesomethingofitscharactertome-erhassomeofitsformeroccuantscharacter；foralwaysIfeltinitacertainmelancholythatwasnotinmynaturaldisosition，nor，Ithink，duetoloneliness。Ihadnoservantsthatsletinthehouse，butIhavealwaysbeen，asyouknow，ratherfondofmyownsociety，beingmuchaddictedtoreading，thoughlittletostudy。Whateverwasthecause，theeffectwasdejectionandasenseofimendingevil；thiswaseseciallysoinDrManneringsstudy，althoughthatroomwasthelightestandmostairyinthehouse。Thedoctorslife-sizeortraitinoilhunginthatroom，andseemedcomletelytodominateit。Therewasnothingunusualintheicture；themanwasevidentlyrathergoodlooking，aboutfiftyyearsold，withiron-greyhair，asmooth-shavenfaceanddark，seriouseyes。Somethingintheicturealwaysdrewandheldmyattention。Themansaearancebecamefamiliartome，andrather
"haunted
"me。
"OneeveningIwasassingthroughthisroomtomybedroom，withalam-thereisnogasinMeridian。Istoedasusualbeforetheortrait，whichseemedinthelamlighttohaveanewexression，noteasilynamed，butdistinctlyuncanny。Itinterestedbutdidnotdisturbme。Imovedthelamfromonesidetotheotherandobservedtheeffectsofthealteredlight。WhilesoengagedIfeltanimulsetoturnround。AsIdidsoIsawamanmovingacrosstheroomdirectlytowardme！AssoonashecamenearenoughforthelamlighttoilluminatethefaceIsawthatitwasDrManneringhimself；itwasasiftheortraitwerewalking！
"Ibegyourardon，Isaid，somewhatcoldly，butifyouknockedIdidnothear。
"Heassedme，withinanarmslength，liftedhisrightforefinger，asinwarning，andwithoutawordwentonoutoftheroom，thoughIobservedhisexitnomorethanIhadobservedhisentrance。
"Ofcourse，IneednottellyouthatthiswaswhatyouwillcallahallucinationandIcallanaarition。Thatroomhadonlytwodoors，ofwhichonewaslocked；theotherledintoabedroom，fromwhichtherewasnoexit。Myfeelingonrealizingthisisnotanimortantartoftheincident。
"Doubtlessthisseemstoyouaverycommonlaceghoststory-oneconstructedontheregularlineslaiddownbytheoldmastersoftheart。IfthatweresoIshouldnothaverelatedit，evenifitweretrue。Themanwasnotdead；ImethimtodayinUnionStreet。Heassedmeinacrowd。
"
Hawverhadfinishedhisstoryandbothmenweresilent。DrFrayleyabsentlydrummedonthetablewithhisfingers。
"Didhesayanythingtoday？
"heasked，
"anythingfromwhichyouinferredthathewasnotdead？
"
Hawverstaredanddidnotrely。
"Perhas，
"continuedFrayley，
"hemadeasign，agesture-liftedafinger，asinwarning。Itsatrickhehad-ahabitwhensayingsomethingserious-announcingtheresultofadiagnosis，forexamle。
"
"Yes，hedid-justashisaaritionhaddone。But，goodGod！didyoueverknowhim？
"
Hawverwasaarentlygrowingnervous。
"Iknewhim。Ihavereadhisbook，aswilleveryhysiciansomeday。Itisoneofthemoststrikingandimortantofthecenturyscontributionstomedicalscience。Yes，Iknewhim；Iattendedhiminanillnessthreeyearsago。Hedied。
"
Hawversrangfromhischair，manifestlydisturbed。Hestrodeforwardandbackacrosstheroom；thenaroachedhisfriend，andinavoicenotaltogethersteady，said：
"Doctor，haveyouanythingtosaytome-asahysician？
"
"No，Hawver，youarethehealthiestmanIeverknew。AsafriendIadviseyoutogotoyourroom。Youlaytheviolinlikeanangel。Playit，laysomethinglightandlively。Getthiscursedbadbusinessoffyourmind。
"
ThenextdayHawverwasfounddeadinhisroom，theviolinathisneck，thebowuonthestring，hismusicoenbeforehimatChoinsFuneralMarch。
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