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第43章 法官的房子 5（第1页）

第43章法官的房子（5）

"Ishalllookupmyfriend'shabitationinthem，"saidthestudeovertocollecthisbooks。"Thethirdpithefireplace;Ishall;Hepickedupthebooksoingonthemasheliftedthem。"ishedoesnotmind，norCycloidalOss，northePrinorQuaternions，norThermodynamiowforthebookthatfetchedhim!"Malsontookitupa。Ashedidsohestarted，asuddenpalloroverspreadhisface。Helookedrounduneasilyaly，ashemurmuredtohimself:"TheBiblemymaveme!Whatanoddce。"Hesatdaisireheirgambols。Theydidnotdisturbhim，however;somehowtheirpresencegavehimasenseofpanionship。Butheotattendtohiswork，arivingtomasterthesubjewhichhewaseupindespair，aobedasthehefirststreakofdawhroughtheeasternwindow。

&heavilybutuneasily，anddreamedmudwheerwokehimlateinthemheseemedillatease，andforafewmiseemtorealiseexactlywherehewas。Hisfirstrequestrathersurprisedtheservant。"Mrs。Dempster，whenIamouttodayIwishyouwouldgetthestepsanddustorwashthosepictures—speciallythatohirdfromthefireplattoseewhattheyare。"

&heafternoonMalsohisbooksintheshadedwalk，andtheessofthepreviousdaycamebaasthedayworeohathisreadingrwell。Hehadworkedouttoasatisfaalltheproblemswhichhadasyetbaffledhim，anditwasinastateofjubilationthathepaidavisittoMrs。Withamat"TheGoodTraveller。"Heferiting-roomwiththelandlady，whowasiohimasDr。Thorquiteatease，andthis，bihedoctor'splungioaseriesofquestions，madeMaletothethathispresea，sowithoutpreliminaryhesaid:"Dr。Thornhill，Ishallwithpleasureansweryouaionyoumayeifyouwillanswermyoionfirst。"

&orseemedsurprised，buthesmiledao;Doisit?"

"DidMrs。Withamaskyoutoehereandseemea;

Dr。ThornhillforamomentwastakenabadMrs。Withamgotfieryredandturnedaway;butthedoctorwasafrankandreadyman，andheaondopenly。"Shedid:butshedidn'tioknowit。Isupposeitwasmyclumsyhastehatmadeyoususpeethatshedidnotlikeheideainthathouseallbyyourself，andthatshethoughtyoutooktotea。Infact，shewaoadviseyouifpossibletogiveuptheteaaehours。Iwasasakeeinmytime，soIsupposeImaytakethelibertyofaan，andwithoutoffence，adviseyoura;

Malsonwithabrightsmileheldouthishand。"Shake!astheysayinAmerica，"hesaid。"ImustthankyouforyourkindnessandMrs。Withamtoo，andyourkindnessdeservesareturnonmypart。Ipromisetotakeea—alltillyouletme—andIshallgotobedtonightatoneo'clockatlatest。Willthatdo?"

"Capital，"saidthedoctor。"Nowtellusallthatyouheoldhouse，"andsoMalsoheretoldiailallthathadhappewoerruptedeverynowandtheionfromMrs。Witham，tillfioldoftheepisodeoftheBiblethelandlady'speionsfouiwasnottillastiffglassofbrandyandwaterhadbeenadmishegrewposedagain。Dr。Thornhilllistehafaceravity，ahenarrativeleteandMrs。Withamhadbeeoredheasked:"Theratalwayswentuptheropeofthealarmbell?"

"Always。"

"Isupposeyouknow，"saidthedoctorafterapause，"eis?"

"No!"

"Itis，"saidthedoctorslowly，"theveryropewhigmanusedforallthevictimsoftheJudge'sjudicour!"Herehewasihersrs。shadtobetakenforherrealsonhavihiswatdfoundthatitwasclosetohisdinnerhonehomebeforeherpleterecovery。

WhenMrs。Withamwasherselfagaiassailedthedryquestionsastowhathemeantbyputtingsuchhorribleideasintman'smind。"Hehasquiteenoughtherealreadytoupsethim，"sheadded。Dr。Thornhillreplied:

"Mydearmadam，Ihadadistinctpurposeinit!Iwaodrawhisattentiontothebellrope，andtofixitthere。Itmaybethatheisinahighlyhtstate，audyingtoomuboundtosaythatheseemsassouhyayouallyandbodily，aseverIsaw—butthes—andthatsuggestionofthedevil。"Thedoctorshookhisheadaon。"IwouldhaveoandstaythefirstnightwithhimbutIfeltsureitwouldhavebeenacauseofoffeishtorhallu;andifhedoesIwanthimtopullthatrope。Allalowillgiveuswarning，andwemayreatimetobeofservice。Ishallbesittietonightandshallkeepmyearsopen。DonotbealarmedifBesasurprisebef。"

"Oh，Doctor，whatdoyoumean?Whatdoyoumean?"