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掘墓盗尸人 The Bodysnatcher02（第1页）

掘墓盗尸人TheBody-snatcher02

&heweekwasoutMae’sprophecyhadbeeeshadoutlivedhisterrorsandhadfottenhisbaseoplumehimselfuponhisce，andhadsedthestoryinhismindthathecouldlookbatheseeventswithahypride。Ofhisaplicehesawbutlittle。Theymet，ofthebusiheclass;theyreceivedtheiretherfromMr。K。Attimestheyhadawordortwoinprivate，andMaewasfromfirsttolastparticularlykindandjovial。Butitlainthatheavoidedaheiro;andeveeswhisperedtohimthathehadhislotwiththelionsahelambs，heoohimsmilinglytoholdhispeace。

&hanoarosewhichthrewthepairooaion。Mr。Kwasagainshortofsubjects;pupilswereeager，anditartofthisteacher’spretensionstobealwayswellsupplied。AtthesametimethereewsofaburialiicgraveyardofGleimehaslittlegedtheplaquestion。Itstoodthen，asnow，uponacrossroad，outofanhabitations，ahomdeepinthefoliageofsixcedartrees。Thecriesofthesheepupontheneighbhills，thestreamletsupoherhand，oneloudlysingingamoherdrippingfurtivelyfrompondtopoirofthewindinmountainousuts，andonsevendaysthevoiceofthebellauor，weretheonlysoundsthatdisturbedthesileheruralchurch。TheResurrean-touseabyheperiod-waserredbyaiesofarypiety。Itartofhistradetodespiseahesdtrumpetsofoldtombs，thepathsworofworshippersahesaionsofbereavedaffe。Torustieighbourhoods，whereloveismorethanonlytenadwheresomebondsofbloodorfellowshipuiresocietyofaparish，thebody-snatcher，farfrombeiuralrespect，wasattractedbytheeaseahetask。Tobodiesthathadbeenlaidih，iionofafardiffereherecamethathasty，lamp-lit，terror-hauionofthespadeandmattock。Thewasforced，thetstorn，andthemelancholyrelics，sackclrattledforhoursonmoonlessbyways，wereatleouttermostindignitiesbeforeaclassofgapingboys。

&wovulturesmayswoopuponadyinglamb，FettesandMaeweretobeletlooseupogreeihewifeofafarmer，awomanwhohadlivedforsixtyyears，andbeenknbutgodlyversation，wastoberraveatmidnightandcarried，deadahatfar-awaycitythatshehadalwayshohherSuheplacebesideherfamilywastobeemptytillthe;heriandalmostveobeexposedtothatlastcuriosityoftheanatomist。

&erforth，edindfurhaformidablebottle。Itrairemission-ase，lashingrain。Nowandagaintherebleuffofwind，butthesesheetsoffallidown。Bottleandall，itwasasadadriveasfarasPenicuik，wheretheyweretospeheystoppedoohidetheirimplementsinathiotfarfromthechurdotheFisher’sTryst，tohaveatoastbeforethekitfireandvarytheirnipsofwhiskywithaglassofale。Wheheirjourhegigwashoused，thehorsewasfedandforted，awoyoungdoaprivateroomsatdowdihebestwihehouseafforded。Thelights，thefire，thebeatingrainuponthewindow，thegruousworkthatlaybeforethem，addedzesttotheirehemeal。Witheveryglasstheircordialityincreased。SoonMaehalepileofgoldtohispanion。

“Aent，”hesaid。“Betweeheselittleaodationsoughttoflylikepipe-lights。”

&edthemoney，andapplaudedtheseheecho。“Youareaphilosopher，”hecried。“IwasanasstillIknewyou。Youaweenyou，bytheLordHarry!butyou’llmakeamanofme。”

“OfcourselaudedMae。“Aman?Itellyou，itrequiredamantobackmeupthe。Therearesomebig，brawling，forty-year-oldcoouldhaveturthelookofthed-dthing;butnotyou-youkeptyourhead。Iwatchedyou。”

“Well，andwhyhusvauwasnoaffairofmihingtogainodisturbantheotherItratitude，don’tyousee?”Andheslappedhispockettillthegoldpieg。

Maesomehowfeltatouattheseuwords。Hemayhaveregrettedthathehadtaughthisyoungpanionsosuccessfully，buthehaderfere，fortheothernoisilyuedinthisboastfulstrain:

&hingisnottobeafraid。weenyouawanttohang-that’spractical;butforallt，Mae，Iwasbornt。Hell，God，Devil，right，wrong，sin，dalltheoldgalleryofcuriosities-theymayfrightenboys，butmenoftheworld，likeyouahem。Here’stothememray!”

Itwasbythistimegrowie。Thegig，agtoorder，wasbroughtrouhbothlampsbrightlyshining，andtheyouopaytheirbillaheroad。TheyaheywereboundforPeebles，adiretilltheywereclearofthelasthousesofthetowinguishingthelamps，returheirdfollowedaby-rleherewasnosoundbutthatoftheirowheiridentpoftherain。Ititchdark;hereaegateorawhitestohewallguidedthemforashortspaceacrossthenight;butforthemostpartitadalm，thattheypickedtheirwaythroughthatresonaheirsolemnaination。Inthesuhattraversetheneighbourhoodrouglimmerfailedthem，anditbeecessarytokidre-illumihelahegig。Thus，uhedrippingtrees，andenvironedbyhugeandmovingshadows，theyreachedtheseoftheirunhallo

Theywerebothexperiensuchaffairs，ahthespade;andtheyhadstweheirtaskbeforetheywererewardedbyadullrattleonthelid。AtthesamemomentMae，havinghurthishanduponastone，flungitcarelesslyabovehishead。Thegrave，inwhiowstoodalmosttotheshoulders，wasclosetotheedgeoftheplateauofthegraveyard;andthegiglamphadbeehebettertoillumiheirlabainstatree，aevergeofthesteepbaothestream。cehadtakehthestohencameaglass;hem;souelydullandringingaheboundierndownthebank，anditsoalwiththetrees。Astowo，whichithaddislodgedi，rattledbehinditintotheprofuheglen;andthensile，resumeditssway;abendtheirhearingtoitsutmostpitaughtwastobeheardexcepttherain，ntothewind，nowsteadilyfallingovermilesofopentry。

Theyweresoaheirabhorredtaskthattheyjudgeditwisesttopleteitihewasexhumedahebodyihedrippingsadcarriedbetweehegig;ookeepitinitspladthethehorsebythemouth，gropedalongbywallandbushuntiltheyreachedthewiderroadbytheFisher’sTryst。Herewasafaint，diffusedradiancy，whichtheyhailedlikedaylight;bythattheypushedthehoodpadbegantorattlealongmerrilyiioown。

&hbeeheskinduriions，andnow，asthegigjumpedamohethingthatstoodproppedbetweenthemfellnowupononeandnowupoeveryrepetitionofthehorridtastinctivelyrepelleditwiththegreaterhaste;andtheproaturalalthoughitwas，begaheheaemadesomeill-favouredjestaboutthefarmer’swife，butithislips，andwasallowedtodropiheirunnaturalburdenbumpedfromsidetoside;andnowtheheadwouldbelaid，asifintheirshoulders，andnsack-clothicilyabouttheirfaces。AgchillbegahesoulofFettes。Hepeeredatthebuseemedserthanatfirst。Alloverthetry-side，andfrreeofdistahefarmdogsapaheirpassagewithtragicululations;anditgrewandgrewuponhismindthatsomeunnaturalmiraclehadbeenaplished，thatsomenamelessgehadbefallenthedeadbody，andthatitwasiheirunholyburdenthatthed。

“Fod’ssake，”saidhe，makitoarriveatspeech，“fod’ssake，let’shavealight!”

SeeminglyMaewasaffethesamedire;fhhemadenoreply，hestoppedthehorse，passedthereinstohispanion，gotdoroceededtokiheremaininglamp。Theyhadbythattimegothecross-roaddowntoAuy。

&illpouredasthoughthedelugewerereturning，anditwasertomakealightinsuchaworldofwetanddarkthefligblueflamehadbeehewidbegantoexpandandclarify，andshedawideistybrightnessroubecamepossibleforthetwoyouoseeeachotheraheyhadalongwiththem。Therainhadmouldedtheroughsagtotheoutlihebodyuheheadwasdistinthetrunk，theshouldersplainlymodelled;somethiralandhumaheireyesupolyradeoftheirdrive。

ForsometimeMaestoodmotionless，holdingupthelamp。Anamelessdreadwasswathed，likeawetsheet，aboutthebody，ahewhiteskinupoes;afearthatwasmeaningless，ahorrorofwhatotbe，keptmountingtohisbraiofthewatdhehadspoken。Buthisradeforestalledhim。

“Thatisnotawoman，”saidMae，inahushedvoice。

“Itheheries。

“Holdthatlamp，”saidtheother。“Imustseeherface。”

Aookthelamphispahefasteningsofthesaddrewdowhehead。Thelightfellverythedark，well-mouldedfeaturesandsmooth-shaveoofamiliarbeheldindreamsofbothoftheseyoungmen。Awildyellrangupi;eachleapedfromhisowheroadfell，broke，aihehorse，terrifiedbythisunusualotion，boundedaowardEdinburghatagallwithit，soleotofthegig，thebodyofthedeadandloedGray。

那一年，殡仪员、房东、费蒂斯和我四个人每天晚上都要在德本汉姆的“乔治”酒家的小包间里聚会。有时候人会更多，但是无论风霜雨雪，我们四个都不曾缺席。费蒂斯是个醉醺醺的英格兰老醉汉，看得出他受过教育，还有一些财产，因此过着悠闲的生活。他是几年前来到德本汉姆的，那时他还年轻，在那里仅仅生活了几年，就被接收为城市居民。他的蓝色羽纱斗篷是当地的一件古董，犹如教堂的尖顶。他在乔治酒家的行为、缺席教堂的活动、暴饮暴食，还有声名狼藉的坏脾气，当然都成了德本汉姆理所当然的热门话题。他总是有些模糊的激进观点和短暂的对宗教的疑惑，还摇摇晃晃地拍着桌子以示强调。他喝朗姆酒，通常是一晚上5杯。在“乔治”酒家里，他都是右手擎着酒杯，处于一种令人伤感的酒精饱和状态。我们都叫他医生。大家推测，他受过医学方面的专门训练，会拿捏、接骨、治脱臼。除了这些细节方面外，我们对他的性格和身世便一无所知了。

一个漆黑的冬夜，9点后，房东谈了起来：“乔治”酒家有一个病人，是邻居，有名的业主，他是在去议会的路上突发脑溢血病倒的。比他出名的一位伦敦医生已经收到了电报，他要到这里来，对德本汉姆来说，这还是第一次。因为铁路刚刚开通，我们大家都被此事震动了。

“他来了。”房东装好烟斗，点燃后说道。

“他？”我说，“谁？医生？”

“正是他。”店主回答。

“他叫什么？”

“麦克法兰大夫。”房东说。

费蒂斯已经快灌完第三大杯酒了，时而昏昏欲睡，时而茫然地看着四周，但最后一句话似乎唤醒了他，他重复了两遍“麦克法兰”这个名字，第一遍语气安静，但第二遍时似乎突然爆发了。

“是的，”房东说，“那就是他的名字，沃尔夫·麦克法兰。”

费蒂斯立刻清醒过来。他双眼睁得大大的，声音异常清楚，洪亮而又沉着，言语诚挚而且有力。我们全都被这突如其来的变化惊呆了，就好像看到一个死人复活一样。

“请再说一遍，”他说道，“我恐怕刚才没有注意听你说话。这个麦克法兰是谁？”然后，听完房东说话后，他却说道：“这不可能，这不可能，我很想亲眼看看他。”

“你认识他吗，医生？”殡仪员喘气着问。

“但愿这不可能！”他答道，“然而名字是个很奇怪的东西，也许是同名同姓。告诉我，房东，他老吗？”

“呃，”主人说，“他肯定不是个年轻人，他的头发都已经白了，但他看起来比你年轻。”

“但是他比我大，比我大几岁。”他拍击桌子说道，“你们在我的脸上看到的是朗姆酒——朗姆酒和罪恶。也许这个人心态轻松，消化很好。良心！听我说。你们认为我善良、年老、是一个得体的基督徒，不是吗？不，我不是，我从不伪善。伏尔泰如果站在我的立场，他都会说伪善之言。但是——”他在秃顶的脑袋上猛地拍了一下。“尽管我的头脑清晰又敏捷，但我仍然弄不清楚。”