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！
longer a woman to him。 It was a case。 He stooped and examined the
wound carefully。
〃There are no signs of irritation；〃 said he。 〃We might delay the
operation until local symptoms develop。〃
The husband wrung his hands in incontrollable agitation。
〃Oh！ sir； sir！〃 he cried。 〃Do not trifle。 You do not know。 It is deadly。
I know； and I give you my assurance that an operation is absolutely
necessary。 Only the knife can save her。〃
〃And yet I am inclined to wait；〃 said Douglas Stone。
〃That is enough！〃 the Turk cried； angrily。 〃Every minute is of
importance； and I cannot stand here and see my wife allowed to sink。 It
only remains for me to give you my thanks for having come； and to call in
some other surgeon before it is too late。〃
Douglas Stone hesitated。 To refund that hundred pounds was no
pleasant matter。 But of course if he left the case he must return the
money。 And if the Turk were right and the woman died； his position
before a coroner might be an embarrassing one。
〃You have had personal experience of this poison？〃 he asked。
〃I have。〃
〃And you assure me that an operation is needful。〃
97
… Page 98…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃I swear it by all that I hold sacred。〃
〃The disfigurement will be frightful。〃
〃I can understand that the mouth will not be a pretty one to kiss。〃
Douglas Stone turned fiercely upon the man。 The speech was a
brutal one。 But the Turk has his own fashion of talk and of thought； and
there was no time for wrangling。 Douglas Stone drew a bistoury from his
case； opened it and felt the keen straight edge with his forefinger。 Then
he held the lamp closer to the bed。 Two dark eyes were gazing up at him
through the slit in the yashmak。 They were all iris； and the pupil was
hardly to be seen。
〃You have given her a very heavy dose of opium。〃
〃Yes； she has had a good dose。〃
He glanced again at the dark eyes which looked straight at his own。
They were dull and lustreless； but； even as he gazed； a little shifting
sparkle came into them； and the lips quivered。
〃She is not absolutely unconscious；〃 said he。
〃Would it not be well to use the knife while it would be painless？〃
The same thought had crossed the surgeon's mind。 He grasped the
wounded lip with his forceps； and with two swift cuts he took out a broad
V…shaped piece。 The woman sprang up on the couch with a dreadful
gurgling scream。 Her covering was torn from her face。 It was a face
that he knew。 In spite of that protruding upper lip and that slobber of
blood； it was a face that he knew。 She kept on putting her hand up to the
gap and screaming。 Douglas Stone sat down at the foot of the couch with
his knife and his forceps。 The room was whirling round； and he had felt
something go like a ripping seam behind his ear。 A bystander would have
said that his face was the more ghastly of the two。 As in a dream； or as if
he had been looking at something at the play； he was conscious that the
Turk's hair and beard lay upon the table； and that Lord Sannox was leaning
against the wall with his hand to his side； laughing silently。 The screams
had died away now； and the dreadful head had dropped back again upon
the pillow； but Douglas Stone still sat motionless； and Lord Sannox still
chuckled quietly to himself。
〃It was really very necessary for Marion； this operation；〃 said he； 〃not
98
… Page 99…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
physically； but morally； you know； morally。〃
Douglas Stone stooped forwards and began to play with the fringe of
the coverlet。 His knife tinkled down upon the ground； but he still held
the forceps and something more。
〃I had long intended to make a little example；〃 said Lord Sannox；
suavely。 〃Your note of Wednesday miscarried； and I have it here in my
pocket…book。 I took some pains in carrying out my idea。 The wound；
by the way； was from nothing more dangerous than my signet ring。〃
He glanced keenly at his silent companion； and cocked the small
revolver which he held in his coat pocket。 But Douglas Stone was still
picking at the coverlet。
〃You see you have kept your appointment after all；〃 said Lord Sannox。
And at that Douglas Stone began to laugh。 He laughed long and
loudly。 But Lord Sannox did not laugh now。 Something like fear
sharpened and hardened his features。 He walked from the room； and he
walked on tiptoe。 The old woman was waiting outside。
〃Attend to your mistress when she awakes；〃 said Lord Sannox。
Then he went down to the street。 The cab was at the door； and the
driver raised his hand to his hat。
〃John；〃 said Lord Sannox； 〃you will take the doctor home first。 He
will want leading downstairs； I think。 Tell his butler that he has been
taken ill at a case。〃
〃Very good； sir。〃
〃Then you can take Lady Sannox home。〃
〃And how about yourself； sir？〃
〃Oh； my address for the next few months will be Hotel di Roma；
Venice。 Just see that the letters are sent on。 And tell Stevens to exhibit
all the purple chrysanthemums next Monday and to wire me the result。〃
99
… Page 100…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
A QUESTION OF DIPLOMACY。
The Foreign Minister was down with the gout。 For a week he had
been confined to the house； and he had missed two Cabinet Councils at a
time when the pressure upon his department was severe。 It is true that he
had an excellent undersecretary and an admirable staff； but the Minister
was a man of such ripe experience and of such proven sagacity that things
halted in his absence。 When his firm hand was at the wheel the great
ship of State rode easily and smoothly upon her way； when it was
removed she yawed and staggered until twelve British editors rose up in
their omniscience and traced out twelve several courses； each of which
was the sole and only path to safety。 Then it was that the Opposition said
vain things； and that the harassed Prime Minister prayed for his absent
colleague。
The Foreign Minister sat in his dressing…room in the great house in
Cavendish Square。 It was May； and the square garden shot up like a veil
of green in front of his window； but； in spite of the sunshine； a fire
crackled and sputtered in the grate of the sick…room。 In a deep…red plush
armchair sat the great statesman； his head leaning back upon a silken
pillow； one foot stretched forward and supported upon a padded rest。 His
deeply…lined； finely…chiselled face and slow…moving； heavily… pouched
eyes were turned upwards towards the carved and painted ceiling； with
that inscrutable expression which had been the despair and the admiration
of his Continental colleagues upon the occasion of the famous Congress
when he had made his first appearance in the arena of European
diplomacy。 Yet at the present moment his capacity for hiding his
emotions had for the instant failed him； for about the lines of his strong；
straight mouth and the puckers of his broad； overhanging forehead； there
were sufficient indications of the restlessness and impatience which
consumed him。
And indeed there was enough to make a man chafe； for he had much to
think of and yet was bereft of the power of thought。 There was； for
example； that question of the Dobrutscha and the navigation of the mouths
of the Danube which was ripe for settlement。 The Russian Chancellor
100
… Page 101…