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dead…alive patient at The Two Robins Inn。
When he 'came to；' as the phrase goes； he was a startling object to look
at； with his colourless face； his sunken cheeks； his wild black eyes； and his
long black hair。 The first question he asked me about himself； when he
could speak； made me suspect that I had been called in to a man in my
own profession。 I mentioned to him my surmise； and he told me that I
was right。
He said he had come last from Paris； where he had been attached to a
hospital。 That he had lately returned to England； on his way to
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Edinburgh； to continue his studies； that he had been taken ill on the
journey； and that he had stopped to rest and recover himself at Doncaster。
He did not add a word about his name； or who he was： and； of course； I
did not question him on the subject。 All I inquired； when he ceased
speaking； was what branch of the profession he intended to follow。
'Any branch；' he said； bitterly； 'which will put bread into the mouth of a
poor man。'
At this； Arthur； who had been hitherto watching him in silent curiosity；
burst out impetuously in his usual good…humoured way：…
'My dear fellow！' （everybody was 'my dear fellow' with Arthur） 'now
you have come to life again； don't begin by being down…hearted about
your prospects。 I'll answer for it； I can help you to some capital thing in
the medical line … or； if I can't； I know my father can。'
The medical student looked at him steadily。
'Thank you；' he said； coldly。 Then added； 'May I ask who your father
is？'
'He's well enough known all about this part of the country；' replied
Arthur。 'He is a great manufacturer； and his name is Holliday。'
My hand was on the man's wrist during this brief conversation。 The
instant the name of Holliday was pronounced I felt the pulse under my
fingers flutter； stop； go on suddenly with a bound； and beat afterwards； for
a minute or two； at the fever rate。
'How did you come here？' asked the stranger； quickly； excitably；
passionately almost。
Arthur related briefly what had happened from the time of his first
taking the bed at the inn。
'I am indebted to Mr。 Holliday's son then for the help that has saved
my life；' said the medical student； speaking to himself； with a singular
sarcasm in his voice。 'Come here！'
He held out； as he spoke； his long； white； bony； right hand。
'With all my heart；' said Arthur； taking the hand…cordially。 'I may
confess it now；' he continued； laughing。 'Upon my honour； you almost
frightened me out of my wits。'
The stranger did not seem to listen。 His wild black eyes were fixed
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with a look of eager interest on Arthur's face； and his long bony fingers
kept tight hold of Arthur's hand。 Young Holliday； on his side； returned
the gaze； amazed and puzzled by the medical student's odd language and
manners。 The two faces were close together； I looked at them； and； to
my amazement； I was suddenly impressed by the sense of a likeness
between them … not in features； or complexion； but solely in expression。
It must have been a strong likeness； or I should certainly not have found it
out； for I am naturally slow at detecting resemblances between faces。
'You have saved my life；' said the strange man； still looking hard in
Arthur's face； still holding tightly by his hand。 'If you had been my own
brother； you could not have done more for me than that。'
He laid a singularly strong emphasis on those three words 'my own
brother；' and a change passed over his face as he pronounced them； … a
change that no language of mine is competent to describe。
'I hope I have not done being of service to you yet；' said Arthur。 'I'll
speak to my father； as soon as I get home。'
'You seem to be fond and proud of your father；' said the medical
student。 'I suppose； in return； he is fond and proud of you？'
'Of course； he is！' answered Arthur； laughing。 'Is there anything
wonderful in that？ Isn't YOUR father fond … '
The stranger suddenly dropped young Holliday's hand； and turned his
face away。
'I beg your pardon；' said Arthur。 'I hope I have not unintentionally
pained you。 I hope you have not lost your father。'
'I can't well lose what I have never had；' retorted the medical student；
with a harsh； mocking laugh。
'What you have never had！'
The strange man suddenly caught Arthur's hand again； suddenly
looked once more hard in his face。
'Yes；' he said； with a repetition of the bitter laugh。 'You have brought
a poor devil back into the world； who has no business there。 Do I
astonish you？ Well！ I have a fancy of my own for telling you what
men in my situation generally keep a secret。 I have no name and no
father。 The merciful law of Society tells me I am Nobody's Son！ Ask
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your father if he will be my father too； and help me on in life with the
family name。'
Arthur looked at me； more puzzled than ever。 I signed to him to say
nothing； and then laid my fingers again on the man's wrist。 No！ In spite
of the extraordinary speech that he had just made； he was not； as I had
been disposed to suspect； beginning to get light… headed。 His pulse； by
this time； had fallen back to a quiet； slow beat； and his skin was moist and
cool。 Not a symptom of fever or agitation about him。
Finding that neither of us answered him； he turned to me； and began
talking of the extraordinary nature of his case； and asking my advice about
the future course of medical treatment to which he ought to subject
himself。 I said the matter required careful thinking over； and suggested
that I should submit certain prescriptions to him the next morning。 He
told me to write them at once； as he would； most likely； be leaving
Doncaster； in the morning； before I was up。 It was quite useless to
represent to him the folly and danger of such a proceeding as this。 He
heard me politely and patiently； but held to his resolution； without offering
any reasons or any explanations； and repeated to me； that if I wished to
give him a chance of seeing my prescription； I must write it at once。
Hearing this； Arthur volunteered the loan of a travelling writing…case；
which； he said； he had with him； and； bringing it to the bed； shook the
note…paper out of the pocket of the case forthwith in his usual careless way。
With the paper； there fell out on the counterpane of the bed a small packet
of sticking…plaster； and a little water…colour drawing of a landscape。
The medical student took up the drawing and looked at it。 His eye
fell on some initials neatly written； in cypher； in one corner。 He started
and trembled； his pale face grew whiter than ever； his wild black eyes
turned on Arthur； and looked through and through him。
'A pretty drawing；' he said in a remarkably quiet tone of voice。
'Ah！ and done by such a pretty girl；' said Arthur。 'Oh； such a pretty
girl！ I wish it was not a landscape … I wish it was a portrait of her！'
'You admire her very much？'
Arthur； half in jest； half in earnest； kissed his hand for answer。
'Love at first sight！' he said； putting the drawing away again。 'But the
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course of it doesn't run smooth。 It's the old sto