按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was out in the hall； before the doctor's foot was over the threshold。
〃If you please； doctor； I've come for you；〃 he cried； 〃the wife was
taken bad at six o'clock。〃
He hardly knew what he expected the doctor to do。 Something very
energetic； certainlyto seize some drugs； perhaps； and rush excitedly with
him through the gaslit streets。 Instead of that Dr。 Miles threw his
umbrella into the rack； jerked off his hat with a somewhat peevish gesture；
and pushed Johnson back into the room。
〃Let's see！ You DID engage me； didn't you？〃 he asked in no very
cordial voice。
〃Oh； yes； doctor； last November。 Johnson the outfitter； you know； in
the New North Road。〃
〃Yes； yes。 It's a bit overdue；〃 said the doctor； glancing at a list of
names in a note…book with a very shiny cover。 〃Well； how is she？〃
〃I don't〃
〃Ah； of course； it's your first。 You'll know more about it next time。〃
〃Mrs。 Peyton said it was time you were there； sir。〃
〃My dear sir； there can be no very pressing hurry in a first case。 We
shall have an all…night affair； I fancy。 You can't get an engine to go
without coals； Mr。 Johnson； and I have had nothing but a light lunch。〃
〃We could have something cooked for you something hot and a cup
of tea。〃
〃Thank you； but I fancy my dinner is actually on the table。 I can do
no good in the earlier stages。 Go home and say that I am coming； and I
55
… Page 56…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
will be round immediately afterwards。〃
A sort of horror filled Robert Johnson as he gazed at this man who
could think about his dinner at such a moment。 He had not imagination
enough to realise that the experience which seemed so appallingly
important to him； was the merest everyday matter of business to the
medical man who could not have lived for a year had he not； amid the rush
of work； remembered what was due to his own health。 To Johnson he
seemed little better than a monster。 His thoughts were bitter as he sped
back to his shop。
〃You've taken your time；〃 said his mother…in…law reproachfully；
looking down the stairs as he entered。
〃I couldn't help it！〃 he gasped。 〃Is it over？〃
〃Over！ She's got to be worse； poor dear； before she can be better。
Where's Dr。 Miles！〃
〃He's coming after he's had dinner。〃 The old woman was about to
make some reply； when； from the half…opened door behind a high
whinnying voice cried out for her。 She ran back and closed the door；
while Johnson； sick at heart； turned into the shop。 There he sent the lad
home and busied himself frantically in putting up shutters and turning out
boxes。 When all was closed and finished he seated himself in the parlour
behind the shop。 But he could not sit still。 He rose incessantly to walk
a few paces and then fell back into a chair once more。 Suddenly the
clatter of china fell upon his ear； and he saw the maid pass the door with a
cup on a tray and a smoking teapot。
〃Who is that for； Jane？〃 he asked。
〃For the mistress； Mr。 Johnson。 She says she would fancy it。〃
There was immeasurable consolation to him in that homely cup of tea。
It wasn't so very bad after all if his wife could think of such things。 So
light… hearted was he that he asked for a cup also。 He had just finished it
when the doctor arrived； with a small black leather bag in his hand。
〃Well； how is she？〃 he asked genially。
〃Oh； she's very much better；〃 said Johnson； with enthusiasm。
〃Dear me； that's bad！〃 said the doctor。 〃Perhaps it will do if I look in
on my morning round？〃
56
… Page 57…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃No； no；〃 cried Johnson； clutching at his thick frieze overcoat。 〃We
are so glad that you have come。 And； doctor； please come down soon
and let me know what you think about it。〃
The doctor passed upstairs； his firm； heavy steps resounding through
the house。 Johnson could hear his boots creaking as he walked about the
floor above him； and the sound was a consolation to him。 It was crisp
and decided； the tread of a man who had plenty of self…confidence。
Presently； still straining his ears to catch what was going on； he heard the
scraping of a chair as it was drawn along the floor； and a moment later he
heard the door fly open and someone come rushing downstairs。 Johnson
sprang up with his hair bristling； thinking that some dreadful thing had
occurred； but it was only his mother…in… law； incoherent with excitement
and searching for scissors and some tape。 She vanished again and Jane
passed up the stairs with a pile of newly aired linen。 Then； after an
interval of silence； Johnson heard the heavy； creaking tread and the doctor
came down into the parlour。
〃That's better；〃 said he； pausing with his hand upon the door。 〃You
look pale； Mr。 Johnson。〃
〃Oh no； sir； not at all；〃 he answered deprecatingly； mopping his brow
with his handkerchief。
〃There is no immediate cause for alarm；〃 said Dr。 Miles。 〃The case is
not all that we could wish it。 Still we will hope for the best。〃
〃Is there danger； sir？〃 gasped Johnson。
〃Well； there is always danger； of course。 It is not altogether a
favourable case； but still it might be much worse。 I have given her a
draught。 I saw as I passed that they have been doing a little building
opposite to you。 It's an improving quarter。 The rents go higher and
higher。 You have a lease of your own little place； eh？〃
〃Yes； sir； yes！〃 cried Johnson； whose ears were straining for every
sound from above； and who felt none the less that it was very soothing that
the doctor should be able to chat so easily at such a time。 〃That's to say
no； sir； I am a yearly tenant。〃
〃Ah； I should get a lease if I were you。 There's Marshall； the
watchmaker； down the street。 I attended his wife twice and saw him
57
… Page 58…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
through the typhoid when they took up the drains in Prince Street。 I
assure you his landlord sprung his rent nearly forty a year and he had to
pay or clear out。〃
〃Did his wife get through it； doctor？〃
〃Oh yes； she did very well。 Hullo！ hullo！〃
He slanted his ear to the ceiling with a questioning face； and then
darted swiftly from the room。
It was March and the evenings were chill； so Jane had lit the fire； but
the wind drove the smoke downwards and the air was full of its acrid taint。
Johnson felt chilled to the bone； though rather by his apprehensions than
by the weather。 He crouched over the fire with his thin white hands held
out to the blaze。 At ten o'clock Jane brought in the joint of cold meat and
laid his place for supper； but he could not bring himself to touch it。 He
drank a glass of the beer； however； and felt the better for it。 The tension
of his nerves seemed to have reacted upon his hearing； and he was able to
follow the most trivial things in the room above。 Once； when the beer
was still heartening him； he nerved himself to creep on tiptoe up the stair
and to listen to what was going on。 The bedroom door was half an inch
open； and through the slit he could catch a glimpse of the clean…shaven
face of the doctor； looking wearier and more anxious than before。 Then
he rushed downstairs like a lunatic； and running to the door he tried to
distract his thoughts by watching what； was going on in the street。 The
shops were all shut； and some rollicking boon companions came shouting
along fro