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第36章 掘墓盗尸人4（第1页）

第36章掘墓盗尸人（4）

"Ibegyourpardon，"hesaid，"IamafraidIhavenotbeenpayingmutiontoyourtalk。WhoisthisWolfeMae?"Andthen，whenhehadheardthelandlordout，"Itotbe，itotbe，"headded，"aIwouldlikewelltoseehimfacetoface。"

"Doyouknowhim，Doctor?"askedtheuhagasp。

"Godforbid!"ly。"Aheraweretoomue，landlord，isheold?"

"Well，"saidthehost，"heisnotayoungman，tobesure，andhishairiswhite;buthelooksyouhanyou。"

"Heish;yearsolder。But，"oable，"it'stherumyouseeinmyfadsin。Thisman，perhaps，mayhaveaneasydagooddigestio，asohemhadphrasedit，facetoface。Dr。Maewasalertandvigorous。Hiswhitehairsetoffhispaleandplacid，althetiance。Hewasrichlydressediofbroaddthewhitestoflihagreatgoldwat，andstudsaaepreaterial。Heworeabroad-foldedtie，eckledwithliladheaf-coatoffur。Therewasnodoubtbuthebecamehisyears，breathing，ashedid，ofwealthaion;anditrisingtrasttoseeourparloursot—bald，dirty，pimpled，androbedinhisoldcamletfronthimatthebottomofthestairs。"

"Mae!"hesaidsomewhatloudly，morelikeaheraldthanafriend。

ce!Hearmespeak。YouwouldthinkIwassomegood，old，det，wouldyounot?Butno，ed。Vhthavetedifhehadstoodihebrains"—witharattlingfilliponhisbaldhead—"thebrainsweredadIsawandmadeions。"

"Ifyouknowthisdoctor，"Iveoremark，afterasomeause，"Ishouldgatherthatyoudohelandlord'sgoodopinion。"

&espaidome。

"Yes，"hesaid，withsuddende，"Imustseehimfacetoface。"

&herpause，andthenadoorwasclosedrathersharplyofloor，andastepoair。

"That'sthedoctor，"criedthelandlord。"Looksharp，andyoucatchhim。"

ItwasbuttwostepsfromthesmallparlourtothedooroftheeInairdedalmostiherewasroomfandnothihethresholdarou;butthislittlespacewaseveryeveningbrilliantlylitup，notoupoairasignal-lampbelowthesign，butbythewarmradiahebar-roomwihusbrightlyadvertiseditselftopassers-byireet。Fetteswalkedsteadilytothespot，anderehangingbehihegreatdoctorpulledupshortohstep，asthoughthefamiliarityoftheaddresssurprisedashockedhisdignity。

"ToddyMae!"repeatedFettes。

TheLondonmanalmoststaggered。Hestaredfortheswiftestofsedsatthemanbeflandhimwithasortofsdtheninastartledwhisper，"Fettes!"hesaid，"You!"

"Ay，"saidtheother，"me!DidyouthinkIwasdeadtoo?Weareofourace。"

"Hush，hush!"exclaimedthedoctor。"Hush，hush!thismeetingissoued—Ianned。Ihardlyknewyou，Ifess，atfirst;butIamoverjoyed—overjoyedtohavethisopportunity。Forthepresentitmustbegood-byeinone，formyflyiswaiting，andImustnotfailthetrain;butyoushall—letmesee—yes—youshallgivemeyouraddress，andyoutonearlydosomethingforyou，Fettes。Ifearyouareoutatelbows;butwemustseetothatforauldlangsyne，asosuppers。"

"Mo;criedFettes，"Moneyfromyou!ThemoIhadfromyouislyiitintherain。"

Dr。Maehadtalkedhimselfintosomemeasureofsuperiorityatheunyofthisrefusalcasthimbatohisfirst。

Ahlylookdwentacrosshisalmostvee;Mydearfellow，"hesaid，"beitasyouplease;mylastthoughtistooffendyou。Iwouldintrudeonnone。Iwillleaveyoumyaddress，however…"

"Idonotwishit—Idonotwishtokhatsheltersyou，"iher。"Iheardyourmightbeyou;Iwishedtoknowif，afterall，therewereaGod;Iknownowthatthereisno;

&oodinthemiddle，betweeairanddoorway;aLondonphysiordertoescape，wouldbeforcedtosteptoolaiedbeforethethoughtofthishumiliation。Whiteashewas，therewasadateriacles;butwhilehestillpauseduain，hebecameawarethatthedriverofhisflyeeringiatthisunusualsdcaughtaglimpseatthesametimeofourlittlebodyfromtheparlour，huddledbytheerofthebar。Thepresenanywitnessesdecidedhimatooflee。Hecrouchedtogether，brushi，alikeaserpent，strikihistribulationwasirelyatanend，forevenasheassichedhimbythearmandthesewordsaainfullydistinct，"Haveyouseenitagain?"

&ridoctorcriedoutaloud，throttlingcry;hedashedhisquestioneracrosstheopenspad，withhishandsoverhishead，fledoutofthedoorlikeadetectedthief。Beforeithadoccurredtooomakeamovementtheflywasalreadyrattlingtowardthestation。Thesewasoverlikeadream，butthedreamhadleftproofsaspassage。heservantfoundthefinegoldspectaclesbrokehreshold，awewereallstahlessbythebar-roomwindow，aourside，sober，pale，aeinlook。