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THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES
course of it doesn't run smooth。 It's the old story。 She's monopolised as
usual。 Trammelled by a rash engagement to some poor man who is never
likely to get money enough to marry her。 It was lucky I heard of it in time；
or I should certainly have risked a declaration when she gave me that
drawing。 Here； doctor！ Here is pen； ink； and paper all ready for you。'
'When she gave you that drawing？ Gave it。 Gave it。' He repeated
the words slowly to himself； and suddenly closed his eyes。 A momentary
distortion passed across his face； and I saw one of his hands clutch up the
bedclothes and squeeze them hard。 I thought he was going to be ill again；
and begged that there might be no more talking。 He opened his eyes
when I spoke； fixed them once more searchingly on Arthur； and said；
slowly and distinctly； 'You like her； and she likes you。 The poor man
may die out of your way。 Who can tell that she may not give you herself
as well as her drawing； after all？'
Before young Holliday could answer； he turned to me； and said in a
whisper； 'Now for the prescription。' From that time； though he spoke to
Arthur again； he never looked at him more。
When I had written the prescription； he examined it； approved of it；
and then astonished us both by abruptly wishing us good night。 I offered to
sit up with him； and he shook his head。 Arthur offered to sit up with him；
and he said； shortly； with his face turned away； 'No。' I insisted on having
somebody left to watch him。 He gave way when he found I was
determined； and said he would accept the services of the waiter at the Inn。
'Thank you； both；' he said； as we rose to go。 'I have one last favour to
ask … not of you； doctor； for I leave you to exercise your professional
discretion … but of Mr。 Holliday。' His eyes； while he spoke； still rested
steadily on me； and never once turned towards Arthur。 'I beg that Mr。
Holliday will not mention to any one … least of all to his father … the events
that have occurred； and the words that have passed； in this room。 I
entreat him to bury me in his memory； as； but for him； I might have been
buried in my grave。 I cannot give my reasons for making this strange
request。 I can only implore him to grant it。'
His voice faltered for the first time； and he hid his face on the pillow。
Arthur； completely bewildered； gave the required pledge。 I took young
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Holliday away with me； immediately afterwards； to the house of my friend；
determining to go back to the Inn； and to see the medical student again
before he had left in the morning。
I returned to the Inn at eight o'clock； purposely abstaining from
waking Arthur； who was sleeping off the past night's excitement on one of
my friend's sofas。 A suspicion had occurred to me as soon as I was alone
in my bedroom； which made me resolve that Holliday and the stranger
whose life he had saved should not meet again； if I could prevent it。 I
have already alluded to certain reports； or scandals； which I knew of；
relating to the early life of Arthur's father。 While I was thinking； in my
bed； of what had passed at the Inn … of the change in the student's pulse
when he heard the name of Holliday； of the resemblance of expression that
I had discovered between his face and Arthur's； of the emphasis he had
laid on those three words； 'my own brother；' and of his incomprehensible
acknowledgment of his own illegitimacy … while I was thinking of these
things； the reports I have mentioned suddenly flew into my mind； and
linked themselves fast to the chain of my previous reflections。
Something within me whispered； 'It is best that those two young men
should not meet again。' I felt it before I slept； I felt it when I woke； and I
went； as I told you； alone to the Inn the next morning。
I had missed my only opportunity of seeing my nameless patient again。
He had been gone nearly an hour when I inquired for him。
I have now told you everything that I know for certain； in relation to
the man whom I brought back to life in the double…bedded room of the Inn
at Doncaster。 What I have next to add is matter for inference and surmise；
and is not； strictly speaking； matter of fact。
I have to tell you； first； that the medical student turned out to be
strangely and unaccountably right in assuming it as more than probable
that Arthur Holliday would marry the young lady who had given him the
water…colour drawing of the landscape。 That marriage took place a little
more than a year after the events occurred which I have just been relating。
The young couple came to live in the neighbourhood in which I was then
established in practice。 I was present at the wedding； and was rather
surprised to find that Arthur was singularly reserved with me； both before
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and after his marriage； on the subject of the young lady's prior engagement。
He only referred to it once； when we were alone； merely telling me； on
that occasion； that his wife had done all that honour and duty required of
her in the matter； and that the engagement had been broken off with the
full approval of her parents。 I never heard more from him than this。
For three years he and his wife lived together happily。 At the expiration
of that time； the symptoms of a serious illness first declared themselves in
Mrs。 Arthur Holliday。 It turned out to be a long； lingering； hopeless
malady。 I attended her throughout。 We had been great friends when she
was well； and we became more attached to each other than ever when she
was ill。 I had many long and interesting conversations with her in the
intervals when she suffered least。 The result of one of these
conversations I may briefly relate； leaving you to draw any inferences
from it that you please。
The interview to which I refer； occurred shortly before her death。 I
called one evening； as usual； and found her alone； with a look in her eyes
which told me that she had been crying。 She only informed me at first；
that she had been depressed in spirits； but； by little and little； she became
more communicative； and confessed to me that she had been looking over
some old letters； which had been addressed to her； before she had seen
Arthur； by a man to whom she had been engaged to be married。 I asked
her how the engagement came to be broken off。 She replied that it had
not been broken off； but that it had died out in a very mysterious way。
The person to whom she was engaged … her first love； she called him … was
very poor； and there was no immediate prospect of their being married。 He
followed my profession； and went abroad to study。 They had
corresponded regularly； until the time when； as she believed； he had
returned to England。 From that period she heard no more of him。 He
was of a fretful； sensitive temperament； and she feared that she might have
inadvertently done or said something that offended him。 However that
might be； he had never written to her again； and； after waiting a year； she
had married Arthur。 I asked when the first estrangement had begun； and
found that the time at which she ceased to hear anything of her first lover
exactly corresponded with the time at which I had been called in to my
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mysterious patient at The Two R