登陆注册
15693000000025

第25章

They found the landlord's son on one side, and the hostler on the other, holding the man down in his chair. Young, slim, and undersized, he was strong enough at that moment to make it a matter of difficulty for the two to master him. His tawny complexion, his large, bright brown eyes, and his black beard gave him something of a foreign look. His dress was a little worn, but his linen was clean. His dusky hands were wiry and nervous, and were lividly discolored in more places than one by the scars of old wounds. The toes of one of his feet, off which he had kicked the shoe, grasped at the chair rail through his stocking, with the sensitive muscular action which is only seen in those who have been accustomed to go barefoot. In the frenzy that now possessed him, it was impossible to notice, to any useful purpose, more than this. After a whispered consultation with Mr. Brock, the surgeon personally superintended the patient's removal to a quiet bedroom at the back of the house.

Shortly afterward his clothes and his carpet-bag were sent downstairs, and were searched, on the chance of finding a clew by which to communicate with his friends, in the magistrate's presence.

The carpet- bag contained nothing but a change of clothing, and two books--the Plays of Sophocles, in the original Greek, and the "Faust" of Goethe, in the original German. Both volumes were much worn by reading, and on the fly-leaf of each were inscribed the initials O. M. So much the bag revealed, and no more.

The clothes which the man wore when he was discovered in the field were tried next. A purse (containing a sovereign and a few shillings), a pipe, a tobacco pouch, a handkerchief, and a little drinking-cup of horn were produced in succession. The next object, and the last, was found crumpled up carelessly in the breast-pocket of the coat. It was a written testimonial to character, dated and signed, but without any address.

So far as this document could tell it, the stranger's story was a sad one indeed. He had apparently been employed for a short time as usher at a school, and had been turned adrift in the world, at the outset of his illness, from the fear that the fever might be infectious, and that the prosperity of the establishment might suffer accordingly. Not the slightest imputation of any misbehavior in his employment rested on him. On the contrary, the schoolmaster had great pleasure in testifying to his capacity and his character, and in expressing a fervent hope that he might (under Providence) succeed in recovering his health in somebody else's house. The written testimonial which afforded this glimpse at the man's story served one purpose more: it connected him with the initials on the books, and identified him to the magistrate and the landlord under the strangely uncouth name of Ozias Midwinter.

Mr. Brock laid aside the testimonial, suspecting that the schoolmaster had purposely abstained from writing his address on it, with the view of escaping all responsibility in the event of his usher's death. In any case, it was manifestly useless, under existing circumstances, to think of tracing the poor wretch's friends, if friends he had. To the inn he had been brought, and, as a matter of common humanity, at the inn he must remain for the present. The difficulty about expenses, if it came to the worst, might possibly be met by charitable contributions from the neighbors, or by a collection after a sermon at church. Assuring the landlord that he would consider this part of the question and would let him know the result, Mr. Brock quitted the inn, without noticing for the moment that he had left Allan there behind him.

Before he had got fifty yards from the house his pupil overtook him. Allan had been most uncharacteristically silent and serious all through the search at the inn; but he had now recovered his usual high spirits A stranger would have set him down as wanting in common feeling.

"This is a sad business," said the rector. "I really don't know what to do for the best about that unfortunate man.""You may make your mind quite easy, sir," said young Armadale, in his off-hand way. "I settled it all with the landlord a minute ago.""You!" exclaimed Mr. Brock, in the utmost astonishment.

"I have merely given a few simple directions," pursued Allan.

"Our friend the usher is to have everything he requires, and is to be treated like a prince; and when the doctor and the landlord want their money they are to come to me.""My dear Allan," Mr. Brock gently remonstrated, "when will you learn to think before you act on those generous impulses of yours? You are spending more money already on your yacht-building than you can afford--""Only think! we laid the first planks of the deck the day before yesterday," said Allan, flying off to the new subject in his usual bird-witted way. "There's just enough of it done to walk on, if you don't feel giddy. I'll help you up the ladder, Mr.

Brock, if you'll only come and try."

同类推荐
  • 枣林杂俎

    枣林杂俎

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 法幢远禅师语录

    法幢远禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 会昌解颐录

    会昌解颐录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 云山燕居申禅师语录

    云山燕居申禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 孟冬纪

    孟冬纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 爱你不过21克

    爱你不过21克

    因为一个母亲之间的一个玩笑,命运偷偷的给她们牵起了红线,无形之间彼此的小举动都牵系着对方,而走错了一步就步步都错了,最后将错就错,但错归错,有那么顺利么?
  • 黑暗豪宠:老公,你真棒

    黑暗豪宠:老公,你真棒

    那天,她被男友背叛,在走投无路的时候,他如神一般出现了,他说:“我娶你,好不好?”就这样,林夏惜成了A市大名鼎鼎的君少君默笙的老婆,他宠她,宠上了天,无人敢欺她。可为什么他前女友的出现,让他们走得越来越远呢?又该何去何从?
  • 一念星辰灭

    一念星辰灭

    星历1042年,华曜军神洛未明在一次任务中被黑洞意外吞噬,却神奇的降临在西美星盟的纽斯约星,带回了一个神秘的婴儿,这婴儿究竟是毁灭人类的祸端,还是上帝派来的救世主?无尽星域!奇异种族!荒古巨兽!星魂之灵!基因异能!械兽械装!机甲战舰.........萤火,烛焰,虹光,星芒,月曜,日炎,我李麟星会一直朝着械师之路迈进,直到整个星空为我而震颤!一切精彩,尽在《一念星辰灭》
  • 只欠艳阳天

    只欠艳阳天

    曾有人说过:青春是场兵荒马乱的战争,最终我们溃不成军。青春是华丽的,同时也是落寞的。在顾曦眼里唐逸飞是护她周全的大哥哥,他给了她别人无法替代的关爱。而在唐逸飞眼里她是他无法触及的忧伤……
  • 近朱者赤,近墨者黑

    近朱者赤,近墨者黑

    由于本人说话有点不经过大脑,所以里面的人物基本上也是这样。然后呢……本文女主绵羊属性占多数,女王属性占少数。再然后……男主自从遇上某女后,心脏一天比一天强悍,迟早有一天会练成神功——没心没肺!最后,本文属于脱线风格,如若脱离主题,请各位谅解!
  • 第999个贝壳等到的你

    第999个贝壳等到的你

    当你捡到自己最喜欢的第999个贝壳时,你要等的那个人会出现在你的生活,陪你度过余生…
  • 水神注

    水神注

    我循迹宇宙,大道至简,得一颗道心,拥有解释一切,演绎虚实之能力。天下至水,汇聚水经之内,红尘炼心,道心演绎至水,终成就水神。那一年,师傅说,既执着放不下,那么遵从心指引,去寻找她吧。于是,叶休启动了时空装置,踏上了那个宇宙坐标空间,寻找道。美人如玉,英雄热血,故事悲喜,自在其中。
  • 花开堪折:总裁学弟太霸道

    花开堪折:总裁学弟太霸道

    “学弟,你还小,不可以的。”“学弟,再等等,我们大学见。”“秦总,这是您要的文件。”“叶千芊,你忘了我是谁?!”“秦总,不要......”“这是你欠我的!骗我多等了这么多年!叶千芊,你这个小骗子!”
  • 喧嚣中沉浮

    喧嚣中沉浮

    她二的离奇她冰雪聪明她痞气十足她情钟深处她叫许二,爱过三个男人:情窦、错杂、无耐;她冷眼看着人是人非,却总是被人情纷扰;她坚信梦想,却总被现实开玩笑;她爱恨分明,却总是在妥协中挣扎;每一段路程她看到不同的风景、不同的人、不同的自己。喧嚣的社会成全了许二的年化,浮浮沉沉到底哪一个是你
  • 玄迹九书

    玄迹九书

    你不一定与众不同,但却是独一无二。