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雙語(yǔ)·坎特維爾的幽靈 亞瑟·薩維爾勛爵之罪 _ 第三章

所屬教程:譯林版·坎特維爾的幽靈——奧斯卡·王爾德短篇小說(shuō)選

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2022年05月27日

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LORD ARTHUR SAVILE'S CRIME _ Chapter 3

When Lord Arthur woke it was twelve o'clock, and the mid-day sun was streaming through the ivory-silk curtains of his room. He got up and looked out of the window. A dim haze of heat was hanging over the great city, and the roofs of the houses were like dull silver. In the flickering green of the square below some children were flitting about like white butterflies, and the pavement was crowded with people on their way to the Park. Never had life seemed lovelier to him, never had the things of evil seemed more remote.

Then his valet brought him a cup of chocolate on a tray. After he had drunk it, he drew aside a heavy portière of peach-coloured plush, and passed into the bathroom. The light stole softly from above, through thin slabs of transparent onyx, and the water in the marble tank glimmered like a moonstone. He plunged hastily in, till the cool ripples touched throat and hair, and then dipped his head right under, as though he would have wiped away the stain of some shameful memory. When he stepped out he felt almost at peace. The exquisite physical conditions of the moment had dominated him, as indeed often happens in the case of very finely-wrought natures, for the senses, like fire, can purify as well as destroy.

After breakfast, he flung himself down on a divan, and lit a cigarette. On the mantel-shelf, framed in dainty old brocade, stood a large photograph of Sybil Merton, as he had seen her first at Lady Noel's ball. The small, exquisitely-shaped head drooped slightly to one side, as though the thin, reed-like throat could hardly bear the burden of so much beauty; the lips were slightly parted, and seemed made for sweet music; and all the tender purity of girlhood looked out in wonder from the dreaming eyes. With her soft, clinging dress of crêpe de chine, and her large leaf-shaped fan, she looked like one of those delicate little figures men find in the olive-woods near Tanagra; and there was a touch of Greek grace in her pose and attitude. Yet she was not petite. She was simply perfectly proportioned——a rare thing in an age when so many women are either over life-size or insignificant.

Now as Lord Arthur looked at her, he was filled with the terrible pity that is born of love. He felt that to marry her, with the doom of murder hanging over his head, would be a betrayal like that of Judas, a sin worse than any the Borgia had ever dreamed of. What happiness could there be for them, when at any moment he might be called upon to carry out the awful prophecy written in his hand? What manner of life would be theirs while Fate still held this fearful fortune in the scales? The marriage must be postponed, at all costs. Of this he was quite resolved. Ardently though he loved the girl, and the mere touch of her fingers, when they sat together, made each nerve of his body thrill with exquisite joy, he recognised none the less clearly where his duty lay, and was fully conscious of the fact that he had no right to marry until he had committed the murder. This done, he could stand before the altar with Sybil Merton, and give his life into her hands without terror of wrongdoing. This done, he could take her to his arms, knowing that she would never have to blush for him, never have to hang her head in shame. But done it must be first; and the sooner the better for both.

Many men in his position would have preferred the primrose path of dalliance to the steep heights of duty; but Lord Arthur was too conscientious to set pleasure above principle. There was more than mere passion in his love; and Sybil was to him a symbol of all that is good and noble. For a moment he had a natural repugnance against what he was asked to do, but it soon passed away. His heart told him that it was not a sin, but a sacrifice; his reason reminded him that there was no other course open. He had to choose between living for himself and living for others, and terrible though the task laid upon him undoubtedly was, yet he knew that he must not suffer selfishness to triumph over love. Sooner or later we are all called upon to decide on the same issue——of us all, the same question is asked. To Lord Arthur it came early in life——before his nature had been spoiled by the calculating cynicism of middle-age, or his heart corroded by the shallow, fashionable egotism of our day, and he felt no hesitation about doing his duty. Fortunately also, for him, he was no mere dreamer, or idle dilettante. Had he been so, he would have hesitated, like Hamlet, and let irresolution mar his purpose. But he was essentially practical. Life to him meant action, rather than thought. He had that rarest of all things, common sense.

The wild, turbid feelings of the previous night had by this time completely passed away, and it was almost with a sense of shame that he looked back upon his mad wanderings from street to street, his fierce emotional agony. The very sincerity of his sufferings made them seem unreal to him now. He wondered how he could have been so foolish as to rant and rave about the inevitable. The only question that seemed to trouble him was, whom to make away with; for he was not blind to the fact that murder, like the religions of the Pagan world, requires a victim as well as a priest. Not being a genius, he had no enemies, and indeed he felt that this was not the time for the gratification of any personal pique or dislike, the mission in which he was engaged being one of great and grave solemnity. He accordingly made out a list of his friends and relatives on a sheet of notepaper, and after careful consideration, decided in favour of Lady Clementina Beauchamp, a dear old lady who lived in Curzon Street, and was his own second cousin by his mother's side. He had always been very fond of Lady Clem, as every one called her, and as he was very wealthy himself, having come into all Lord Rugby's property when he came of age, there was no possibility of his deriving any vulgar monetary advantage by her death. In fact, the more he thought over the matter, the more she seemed to him to be just the right person, and, feeling that any delay would be unfair to Sybil, he determined to make his arrangements at once.

The first thing to be done was, of course, to settle with the chiromantist; so he sat down at a small Sheraton writing-table that stood near the window, drew a cheque for £105, payable to the order of Mr. Septimus Podgers, and, enclosing it in an envelope, told his valet to take it to West Moon Street. He then telephoned to the stables for his hansom, and dressed to go out. As he was leaving the room, he looked back at Sybil Merton's photograph, and swore that, come what may, he would never let her know what he was doing for her sake, but would keep the secret of his self-sacrifice hidden always in his heart.

On his way to the Buckingham, he stopped at a florist's, and sent Sybil a beautiful basket of narcissi, with lovely white petals and staring pheasants' eyes, and on arriving at the club, went straight to the library, rang the bell, and ordered the waiter to bring him a lemon-and-soda, and a book on Toxicology. He had fully decided that poison was the best means to adopt in this troublesome business. Anything like personal violence was extremely distasteful to him, and besides, he was very anxious not to murder Lady Clementina in any way that might attract public attention, as he hated the idea of being lionised at Lady Windermere's, or seeing his name figuring in the paragraphs of vulgar society-newspapers. He had also to think of Sybil's father and mother, who were rather old-fashioned people, and might possibly object to the marriage if there was anything like a scandal, though he felt certain that if he told them the whole facts of the case they would be the very first to appreciate the motives that had actuated him. He had every reason, then, to decide in favour of poison. It was safe, sure, and quiet, and did away with any necessity for painful scenes, to which, like most Englishmen, he had a rooted objection.

Of the science of poisons, however, he knew absolutely nothing, and as the waiter seemed quite unable to find anything in the library but Ruff's Guide and Bailey's Magazine, he examined the book-shelves himself, and finally came across a handsomely-bound edition of the Pharmacopceia, and a copy of Erskine's Toxicology, edited by Sir Mathew Reid, the President of the Royal College of Physicians, and one of the oldest members of the Buckingham, having been elected in mistake for somebody else; a contretemps that so enraged the Committee, that when the real man came up they black-balled him unanimously. Lord Arthur was a good deal puzzled at the technical terms used in both books, and had begun to regret that he had not paid more attention to his classics at Oxford, when in the second volume of Erskine, he found a very complete account of the properties of aconitine, written in fairly clear English. It seemed to him to be exactly the poison he wanted. It was swift——indeed, almost immediate, in its effect——perfectly painless, and when taken in the form of a gelatine capsule, the mode recommended by Sir Mathew, not by any means unpalatable. He accordingly made a note, upon his shirt-cuff of the amount necessary for a fatal dose, put the books back in their places, and strolled up St. James's Street, to Pestle and Humbey's, the great chemists. Mr. Pestle, who always attended personally on the aristocracy, was a good deal surprised at the order, and in a very deferential manner murmured something about a medical certificate being necessary. However, as soon as Lord Arthur explained to him that it was for a large Norwegian mastiff that he was obliged to get rid of, as it showed signs of incipient rabies, and had already bitten the coachman twice in the calf of the leg, he expressed himself as being perfectly satisfied, complimented Lord Arthur on his wonderful knowledge of Toxicology, and had the prescription made up immediately.

Lord Arthur put the capsule into a pretty little silver bonbonnière that he saw in a shop window in Bond Street, threw away Pestle and Humbey's ugly pill-box, and drove off at once to Lady Clementina's.

“Well, monsieur le mauvais sujet,” cried the old lady, as he entered the room, “why haven't you been to see me all this time?”

“My dear Lady Clem, I never have a moment to myself,” said Lord Arthur, smiling.

“I suppose you mean that you go about all day long with Miss Sybil Merton, buying chiffons and talking nonsense? I cannot understand why people make such a fuss about being married. In my day we never dreamed of billing and cooing in public, or in private for that matter.”

“I assure you I have not seen Sybil for twenty-four hours, Lady Clem. As far as I can make out, she belongs entirely to her milliners.”

“Of course; that is the only reason you come to see an ugly old woman like myself. I wonder you men don't take warning. On a fait des folies pour moi, and here I am, a poor, rheumatic creature, with a false front and a bad temper. Why, if it were not for dear Lady Jansen, who sends me all the worst French novels she can find, I don't think I could get through the day. Doctors are no use at all, except to get fees out of one. They can't even cure my heartburn.”

“I have brought you a cure for that, Lady Clem,” said Lord Arthur gravely. “It is a wonderful thing, invented by an American.”

“I don't think I like American inventions, Arthur. I am quite sure I don't. I read some American novels lately, and they were quite nonsensical.”

“Oh, but there is no nonsense at all about this, Lady Clem! I assure you it is a perfect cure. You must promise to try it;” and Lord Arthur brought the little box out of his pocket, and handed it to her.

“Well, the box is charming, Arthur. Is it really a present? That is very sweet of you. And is this the wonderful medicine? It looks like a bonbon. I'll take it at once.”

“Good heavens! Lady Clem,” cried Lord Arthur, catching hold of her hand, “you mustn't do anything of the kind. It is a homoeopathic medicine, and if you take it without having heartburn, it might do you no end of harm. Wait till you have an attack, and take it then. You will be astonished at the result.”

“I should like to take it now,” said Lady Clementina, holding up to the light the little transparent capsule, with its floating bubble of liquid aconitine. “I am sure it is delicious. The fact is that, though I hate doctors, I love medicines. However, I'll keep it till my next attack.”

“And when will that be?” asked Lord Arthur eagerly. “Will it be soon?”

“I hope not for a week. I had a very bad time yesterday morning with it. But one never knows.”

“You are sure to have one before the end of the month then, Lady Clem?”

“I am afraid so. But how sympathetic you are to-day, Arthur! Really, Sybil has done you a great deal of good. And now you must run away, for I am dining with some very dull people, who won't talk scandal, and I know that if I don't get my sleep now I shall never be able to keep awake during dinner. Good-bye, Arthur, give my love to Sybil, and thank you so much for the American medicine.”

“You won't forget to take it, Lady Clem, will you?” said Lord Arthur, rising from his seat.

“Of course I won't, you silly boy. I think it is most kind of you to think of me, and I shall write and tell you if I want any more.”

Lord Arthur left the house in high spirits, and with a feeling of immense relief.

That night he had an interview with Sybil Merton. He told her how he had been suddenly placed in a position of terrible difficulty, from which neither honour nor duty would allow him to recede. He told her that the marriage must be put off for the present, as until he had got rid of his fearful entanglements, he was not a free man. He implored her to trust him, and not to have any doubts about the future. Everything would come right, but patience was necessary.

The scene took place in the conservatory of Mr. Merton's house, in Park Lane, where Lord Arthur had dined as usual. Sybil had never seemed more happy, and for a moment Lord Arthur had been tempted to play the coward's part, to write to Lady Clementina for the pill, and to let the marriage go on as if there was no such person as Mr. Podgers in the world. His better nature, however, soon asserted itself, and even when Sybil flung herself weeping into his arms, he did not falter. The beauty that stirred his senses had touched his conscience also. He felt that to wreck so fair a life for the sake of a few months' pleasure would be a wrong thing to do.

He stayed with Sybil till nearly midnight, comforting her and being comforted in turn, and early the next morning he left for Venice, after writing a manly, firm letter to Mr. Merton about the necessary postponement of the marriage.

亞瑟·薩維爾勛爵之罪 _ 第三章

亞瑟?jiǎng)拙粜褋?lái)的時(shí)候,已是十二點(diǎn)鐘了,正午的陽(yáng)光透過(guò)他房間的象牙絲綢窗簾溪水般流淌進(jìn)來(lái)。他站起來(lái),望著窗外。熱氣霧蒙蒙地籠罩在城市上空,房子的屋頂好似暗淡的白銀。在下面廣場(chǎng)忽隱忽現(xiàn)的綠色中,一些孩子像白蝴蝶一樣飛來(lái)飛去,人行道上擠滿了前往公園的人們。在他看來(lái),生活似乎從來(lái)沒(méi)有這樣美好過(guò),邪惡的東西似乎從來(lái)沒(méi)有這樣遙遠(yuǎn)過(guò)。

隨后,他的仆人用托盤(pán)給他送來(lái)了一杯熱巧克力。喝過(guò)后,他拉開(kāi)桃紅色的毛絨厚簾,走進(jìn)了浴室。光線從屋頂輕輕溜過(guò),穿過(guò)透明的瑪瑙薄板,大理石浴池里的水像月光石一樣一閃一閃的。他匆匆撲進(jìn)去,讓涼水浸濕他的脖頸和頭發(fā),然后把腦袋徑直沉入水下,好像這樣可以抹去某段可恥的回憶所留下的斑點(diǎn)。出來(lái)后,他差不多感到平和了。當(dāng)下精致的物質(zhì)條件已經(jīng)主宰了他,就像火對(duì)于它的鍛造之物,可以為之提純,也可以毀滅它。

早飯過(guò)后,他倒在長(zhǎng)沙發(fā)上,點(diǎn)了一根香煙。壁爐架上立著西比爾·默頓的大幅照片,照片四周鑲著精美的舊式織錦,她還是像他第一次在諾埃爾太太的舞會(huì)上見(jiàn)到她時(shí)一樣。形狀優(yōu)美的小腦袋微微垂向一邊,好像細(xì)如蘆葦?shù)念i項(xiàng)簡(jiǎn)直難以承受這么多美麗的負(fù)擔(dān);雙唇微啟,似乎要唱出動(dòng)聽(tīng)的曲調(diào);夢(mèng)幻般的眼睛向外散發(fā)出少女式的溫柔與純潔。她穿著柔軟而緊身的雙縐裙,手拿大葉扇子,看上去猶如一尊人們?cè)谒{格拉附近的橄欖林里發(fā)現(xiàn)的精美小雕像一般。她的一舉一動(dòng),無(wú)不顯露出希臘時(shí)代的優(yōu)雅。然而,她并不嬌小。她簡(jiǎn)直擁有完美的身體比例——在當(dāng)今時(shí)代是一件罕見(jiàn)之事,許多女人要么身材臃腫,要么單薄無(wú)力。

現(xiàn)在,亞瑟?jiǎng)拙艨粗?,充滿了因愛(ài)而生的憐惜。他覺(jué)得,在謀殺罪的厄運(yùn)懸在頭上的時(shí)候,娶她入門(mén)就像猶大的出賣行為一樣,這是博爾吉亞家族做夢(mèng)也不曾想到的一種罪惡。當(dāng)他隨時(shí)可能奉召去執(zhí)行寫(xiě)在他手上的那個(gè)可怕預(yù)言的時(shí)候,對(duì)他們來(lái)說(shuō)還有什么幸??裳阅??命運(yùn)的手里還握著這個(gè)可怕的預(yù)言的時(shí)候,他們的生活會(huì)是什么樣子呢?婚期無(wú)論如何必須推遲。這一點(diǎn)他完全下定了決心。盡管他愛(ài)這個(gè)女孩,當(dāng)他們坐在一起的時(shí)候,僅僅觸碰一下她的手指,就能使他身體的每一根神經(jīng)產(chǎn)生強(qiáng)烈的快感,但他依然清晰地認(rèn)識(shí)到了他的職責(zé)所在,并充分意識(shí)到,他在謀殺發(fā)生之前沒(méi)有權(quán)利結(jié)婚。這樣做之后,他才能跟西比爾·默頓一起站在圣壇前,把他的一生交到她的手里,不再害怕出錯(cuò)。這樣做之后,他才能把她抱在懷里,知道她永遠(yuǎn)不必為他臉紅,不必在恥辱中低頭。但是,必須首先做完這件事,而且對(duì)他們倆來(lái)說(shuō)越早越好。

如果處在他的位置,許多男人會(huì)更喜歡得過(guò)且過(guò)的享樂(lè)之日,而不喜歡責(zé)任的陡峭高峰。但亞瑟?jiǎng)拙魠s是一個(gè)本著良心做事的人,難以把快樂(lè)置于原則之上。他的愛(ài)超越純粹的激情,對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō),西比爾是一切美好與高貴的象征。他一度對(duì)自己受命做的一切有一種本能的抵觸情緒,而這種抵觸情緒很快就消失了。他的心告訴他說(shuō),這不是一種罪過(guò),而是一種犧牲;他的理智提醒他,沒(méi)有別的路可走。他必須得在為自己生活和為他人生活之間進(jìn)行選擇,毫無(wú)疑問(wèn),盡管壓在他身上的任務(wù)十分艱巨,但他知道他不能讓自私取代愛(ài)情。我們遲早都會(huì)受命對(duì)同樣的問(wèn)題做出決定——我們所有人都會(huì)被問(wèn)到同樣的問(wèn)題。對(duì)于亞瑟?jiǎng)拙魜?lái)說(shuō),這個(gè)問(wèn)題出現(xiàn)得更早些——在他的本性被中年的工于算計(jì)和玩世不恭破壞之前,或者說(shuō)在他的心被我們時(shí)代的淺薄、普遍的自負(fù)腐蝕之前,他對(duì)履行自己的職責(zé)毫不猶豫。難得的是,他絕不僅僅是夢(mèng)想家,也不是什么虛無(wú)的旁觀者。如果是那樣的話,他就會(huì)像哈姆雷特那樣猶豫不決,讓優(yōu)柔寡斷損耗自己的決心。不過(guò),他本質(zhì)上是一個(gè)注重實(shí)際的人。生活對(duì)他意味著行動(dòng),而不是思考。他具有最難得的東西——常識(shí)。

到這個(gè)時(shí)候,前一天夜里那些瘋狂、混亂的感情已經(jīng)完全消失了。他回想自己瘋狂地走過(guò)一條條街道,回想自己強(qiáng)烈的痛苦,幾乎有一種羞恥感。他的種種痛苦的確發(fā)自內(nèi)心,使他現(xiàn)在覺(jué)得它們不真實(shí)。他不知道他為何會(huì)如此愚蠢,對(duì)無(wú)法改變的命運(yùn)大喊大叫。唯一使他苦惱的問(wèn)題似乎只是要?dú)⑺勒l(shuí)。因?yàn)樗芮宄\殺這件事就像異教世界的宗教一樣,既需要祭司,也需要祭品。他不是一個(gè)天才,因此沒(méi)有敵人,實(shí)際上他也覺(jué)得現(xiàn)在不是發(fā)泄私憤的時(shí)候,他要履行的使命極其重大和莊嚴(yán)。因此,他在一張便簽上列出了一份親友的名單,經(jīng)過(guò)深思熟慮之后,決定選中克萊門(mén)蒂娜·博尚太太。這是一位住在寇松街的可愛(ài)老太太,是他自己的遠(yuǎn)房表姐。他一向十分喜歡克萊門(mén)太太,人人都這樣叫她,而且因?yàn)樗赡曛笠呀?jīng)繼承了拉格比勛爵的所有財(cái)產(chǎn),格外富有,所以她的死亡不會(huì)使他獲得任何庸俗的金錢(qián)利益。實(shí)際上,他越考慮這件事,越覺(jué)得她似乎正是那個(gè)合適的人選,而且感到任何拖延對(duì)西比爾都是不公平的,因此決定立刻安排行動(dòng)。

當(dāng)然,要做的第一件事就是付清手相師的賬務(wù),所以他在窗口附近一張小謝拉頓式樣的寫(xiě)字臺(tái)邊開(kāi)了一張一百零五英鎊的支票,裝入信封,吩咐仆人把它送到西月街支付賽普蒂默斯·伯杰斯先生的賬單。隨后,他給馬廄打電話要小馬車,穿好衣服就走出了門(mén)。他離開(kāi)房間的時(shí)候,回頭看了一眼西比爾·默頓的照片,并發(fā)誓說(shuō),無(wú)論如何,他絕不會(huì)讓她知道他在為她做什么,會(huì)一直把自我犧牲這個(gè)秘密藏在心里。

在去白金漢俱樂(lè)部的途中,他在一家花店停下來(lái),給西比爾送去了一籃漂亮的水仙花——可愛(ài)的白色花瓣,野雉眼般的鮮艷花冠。到達(dá)俱樂(lè)部之后,他直奔藏書(shū)室,按響了門(mén)鈴,吩咐侍者給他端來(lái)一杯檸檬蘇打水,并要找一本有關(guān)毒理學(xué)的書(shū)。他已經(jīng)完全決定,使用毒藥是應(yīng)對(duì)這件棘手的事的最佳手段。對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō),任何像個(gè)人暴力之類的事都令人討厭至極,況且他絕不想以任何吸引公眾注意的方式去殺死克萊門(mén)蒂娜太太,因?yàn)樗憛捲跍氐旅谞柗蛉说难鐣?huì)上被當(dāng)成名流,也討厭看到自己的名字出現(xiàn)在報(bào)紙庸俗的社會(huì)新聞中。他也不得不想到西比爾的父親和母親,因?yàn)樗麄兪怯行┕虐宓娜?,?tīng)到什么丑聞的話,很可能會(huì)反對(duì)這門(mén)婚事。盡管他敢肯定,如果他告訴他們這個(gè)案件的全部事實(shí),他們會(huì)是第一個(gè)欣賞他的動(dòng)機(jī)的人。因此,他有充分的理由決定使用毒藥。毒藥安全可靠、悄無(wú)聲息,排除了見(jiàn)到任何痛苦場(chǎng)景的可能性,他像大多數(shù)英國(guó)人一樣,極力避免任何痛苦場(chǎng)景的出現(xiàn)。

然而,他對(duì)毒理學(xué)一無(wú)所知,侍者也似乎只從藏書(shū)室里找到了《拉夫指南》和《貝利雜志》。他親自仔細(xì)查看了書(shū)架,終于無(wú)意中發(fā)現(xiàn)了一卷裝幀漂亮的《藥典》和一本厄斯金的《毒理學(xué)》?!抖纠韺W(xué)》由馬修·里德爵士編寫(xiě),馬修爵士是皇家醫(yī)師學(xué)院院長(zhǎng),也是白金漢資歷最老的成員之一,因被錯(cuò)當(dāng)成別人而入選;一次意外就這樣激怒了委員會(huì),所以后來(lái)真人現(xiàn)身的時(shí)候,他們也一致反對(duì)他入選。亞瑟?jiǎng)拙魧?duì)這兩本書(shū)中使用的術(shù)語(yǔ)百思不解,開(kāi)始后悔他在牛津大學(xué)的時(shí)候沒(méi)有更加重視經(jīng)典,這時(shí)他在厄斯金的第二卷里發(fā)現(xiàn)了一段對(duì)烏頭堿性質(zhì)非常完整的敘述,是用相當(dāng)明了的英文寫(xiě)的。在他看來(lái),這正是他想要的毒藥。這種藥效果迅速——實(shí)際上,幾乎是立竿見(jiàn)影——完全沒(méi)有痛苦,如果服用馬修爵士推薦的明膠膠囊,味道也絕不難吃。因此,他在襯衣袖口上記錄下一個(gè)致命的劑量,把那些書(shū)放回原處,然后沿著圣詹姆斯街走到了著名藥劑師佩斯特爾和哈姆貝的藥店。佩斯特爾先生總是親自服侍貴族,卻對(duì)這個(gè)指令大為驚訝,畢恭畢敬地喃喃說(shuō)了一些診斷書(shū)必不可少這樣的話。但是,亞瑟?jiǎng)拙魧?duì)他解釋了一番,說(shuō)他不得不除掉一條大挪威獒,因?yàn)樗冻隽嗽缙诳袢〉嫩E象,而且已經(jīng)咬了趕車人的小腿兩次。佩斯特爾先生隨即點(diǎn)頭稱贊,說(shuō)亞瑟?jiǎng)拙艟哂辛瞬黄鸬亩纠韺W(xué)知識(shí),并馬上按照處方配好了藥。

亞瑟?jiǎng)拙舭涯z囊放進(jìn)了他在邦德街一個(gè)櫥窗里看到的一只漂亮的小銀糖果盒里,扔掉了佩斯特爾和哈姆貝藥店難看的藥丸盒,馬上驅(qū)車趕到了克萊門(mén)蒂娜太太家里。

“噢,惡棍先生,”他走進(jìn)屋里的時(shí)候,老太太嚷道,“你怎么這么久都不來(lái)看看我呀?”

“我親愛(ài)的克萊門(mén)太太,我從來(lái)沒(méi)有一刻屬于自己的時(shí)間?!眮喩⑿χf(shuō)。

“我想,你是說(shuō),你整天跟西比爾·默頓小姐四處閑逛,購(gòu)買(mǎi)雪紡綢,胡說(shuō)八道?我不明白為什么人們對(duì)結(jié)婚大驚小怪。在我那個(gè)時(shí)代,我們做夢(mèng)也沒(méi)有想過(guò)在公共場(chǎng)所卿卿我我,也不會(huì)在私下談?wù)撨@個(gè)問(wèn)題?!?/p>

“我向你保證,我已經(jīng)二十四小時(shí)沒(méi)有見(jiàn)過(guò)西比爾了,克萊門(mén)太太。據(jù)我了解,她現(xiàn)在完全屬于她的女帽商。”

“當(dāng)然,這是你來(lái)看一個(gè)像我這樣的丑老婆子的唯一原因。我納悶?zāi)銈冞@些男人為什么都不吸取教訓(xùn)。也曾有人對(duì)我癡狂,我在這里是一個(gè)風(fēng)濕病患者,可憐巴巴,戴著假面具,脾氣也壞。啊,要不是因?yàn)橛H愛(ài)的詹森太太,要不是她把那些所有她能找到的最蹩腳的法國(guó)小說(shuō)送來(lái)給我,我認(rèn)為自己將度日如年。除了讓人繳費(fèi)之外,醫(yī)生們根本沒(méi)用。他們甚至治不好我的心口痛?!?/p>

“克萊門(mén)太太,我已經(jīng)給你帶來(lái)了一個(gè)治愈這種病的良方,”亞瑟?jiǎng)拙羯袂閲?yán)肅地說(shuō),“這是一件由美國(guó)人發(fā)明的美妙東西?!?/p>

“我認(rèn)為我不喜歡美國(guó)的發(fā)明,亞瑟。我敢肯定我不喜歡。我最近看了一些美國(guó)小說(shuō),它們寫(xiě)得相當(dāng)荒謬?!?/p>

“噢,但這一個(gè)沒(méi)得說(shuō),克萊門(mén)太太!我向你保證,這是一種完美的療法。你一定要答應(yīng)嘗試一下?!闭f(shuō)著,亞瑟?jiǎng)拙魪目诖锾统隽艘粋€(gè)小盒子,遞給她。

“嗯,這個(gè)盒子非??蓯?ài),亞瑟。這真是一件禮物嗎?你真好。這就是神奇的藥嗎?它看起來(lái)像是夾心糖。我要馬上試試?!?/p>

“天哪!克萊門(mén)太太,”亞瑟?jiǎng)拙粢话炎プ∷囊恢皇执舐曊f(shuō)道,“你不能那樣做。這是一種順勢(shì)療法藥物,如果你沒(méi)有心口痛卻吃了它,它就可能會(huì)對(duì)你有許多壞處。等你犯病的時(shí)候再吃吧。你會(huì)對(duì)結(jié)果大吃一驚?!?/p>

“我現(xiàn)在就想吃?!闭f(shuō)著,克萊門(mén)蒂娜太太對(duì)著光線舉起小透明膠囊,清澈的烏頭堿浮起了泡沫,“我敢肯定它美味可口。事實(shí)上,盡管我討厭醫(yī)生,但我愛(ài)藥丸。不過(guò),我會(huì)留到下一次犯病的時(shí)候吃?!?/p>

“那將會(huì)是什么時(shí)候?”亞瑟?jiǎng)拙艏鼻械貑?wèn)道,“會(huì)很快嗎?”

“我希望不是一個(gè)星期。我昨天上午就因犯病而不舒服??烧l(shuí)也不知道?!?/p>

“那你月底前肯定會(huì)犯病嗎,克萊門(mén)太太?”

“我害怕這樣??赡憬裉焓嵌嗝锤挥型樾?,亞瑟!說(shuō)真的,西比爾對(duì)你大有好處?,F(xiàn)在你必須離開(kāi)了,因?yàn)槲乙恍┓浅7ξ兜娜顺燥?,他們不愿談?wù)摮舐劊椅抑?,如果現(xiàn)在得不到睡眠,我晚餐時(shí)就絕對(duì)無(wú)法保持清醒。亞瑟,再見(jiàn),代問(wèn)西比爾好,非常感謝你送給我美國(guó)藥?!?/p>

“克萊門(mén)太太,你不會(huì)忘記吃的,對(duì)嗎?”亞瑟從座位上站起來(lái)說(shuō)。

“我當(dāng)然不會(huì),你這傻孩子。我覺(jué)得你能想到我,是再好不過(guò)了,我要是再想要的話,就會(huì)寫(xiě)信告訴你?!?/p>

亞瑟?jiǎng)拙襞d高采烈地離開(kāi)了,有一種如釋重負(fù)的感覺(jué)。

那天夜里,他會(huì)見(jiàn)了西比爾·默頓。他告訴她,他是如何被突然置于一種可怕的困境,榮譽(yù)和責(zé)任都不允許他從中退縮。他告訴她,婚期必須暫時(shí)推遲,因?yàn)橹钡綌[脫可怕的糾葛,他才會(huì)成為一個(gè)自由人。他懇求她信任他,而不要對(duì)將來(lái)有任何疑慮。一切都不會(huì)有問(wèn)題,但必須有耐心。

這個(gè)情景發(fā)生在海德公園默頓先生家的暖房里,亞瑟?jiǎng)拙粝衿匠R粯釉谀抢锍粤孙?。西比爾好像從?lái)沒(méi)有這樣開(kāi)心過(guò)。一時(shí)間,亞瑟?jiǎng)拙艚蛔∫缪萜鹋撤虻慕巧?,想給克萊門(mén)蒂娜太太寫(xiě)信要回那個(gè)藥丸,并讓婚姻繼續(xù)下去,就像世界上沒(méi)有伯杰斯先生這個(gè)人一樣。然而,他人性里高尚善良的一面很快就顯示了威力,甚至當(dāng)西比爾撲在他懷里哭泣的時(shí)候,他都沒(méi)有動(dòng)搖。西比爾的美既撩動(dòng)了他的感官,也觸動(dòng)了他的良知。他認(rèn)為,為了幾個(gè)月的愉快而破壞如此美好的生活,將是一種錯(cuò)誤的做法。

他跟西比爾一直待到接近午夜,他安慰她,反過(guò)來(lái)她又安慰他。第二天一早,他給默頓先生寫(xiě)了一封措辭果決的信,談了推遲婚姻的必要性之后,就啟程去了威尼斯。

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