【英文原著类】thedarrowenigma(达罗之迷)

TheDarrowEnigma1TheDarrowEnigmabyMelvinL.SeveryTheDarrowEnigma2THEEPISODEOFTHEDARKENEDROOMCHAPTERIWhatshallwesaywhenDream-Picturesleavetheirframesofnightandpushusfromthewakingworld?AsthepartIplayedintheeventsIamabouttonarratewasratherthatofapassiveobserverthanofanactiveparticipant,Ineedsaylittleofmyself.IamagraduateofaWesternuniversityand,byprofession,aphysician.Mypracticeisnowextensive,owingtomyblunderingintofameinasomewhatsingularmanner,butayearagoIhad,Iassureyou,littleenoughtodo.Inasmuchasmypracticeisnowsecure,IfeelperfectlyfreetoconfessthatthecureIeffectedinthenowcelebratedcaseofMrs.P-wasaltogethertheresultofchance,andnot,asIwasthenonlytoogladtohavepeoplebelieve,duetoanalmostsupernaturalpowerofdiagnosis.Mrs.P-wasnotmoresurprisedatthehappyresultthanwasI;theonlydifferencebeingthatsheshowedherastonishment,whileIendeavouredtoconcealmine,andaffectedtolookuponthewholethingasamatterofcourse.Myfamespread;thecasegotintothemedicaljournals,wheremyskillwasmuchlauded,andmypracticebecameenormous.ThereisbutonethingfurtherIneedmentionregardingmyself:thatis,thatIampossessedofamemorywhichmyfriendsarepleasedtoconsiderphenomenal.Icanrepeatalecture,sermon,orconversationalmostwordforwordafteroncehearingit,providedalways,thatthesubjectcommandsmyinterest.Myhumbleabilitiesinthisdirectionhaveneverceasedtobeasourceofwondermenttomyacquaintance,thoughIconfess,formyownpart,whenIcomparethemwiththoseofBlindTom,orofthemanwho,afterasinglereading,couldcorrectlyrepeattheLondonTimes,advertisementsandall,TheDarrowEnigma3theyseemmodestindeed.Itwasaboutthetimewhen,owingtotheblessedMrs.P-,mycreditorswerebeginningtoreceivesomeattention,thatIfirstmetGeorgeMaitland.Hehadneed,hesaid,ofmyprofessionalservices;hefeltmuchundertheweather;couldIgivehimsomethingwhichwouldbracehimupabit;hehadsomeimportantchemicalworkonhandwhichhecouldnotaffordtoputby;infact,hedidn'tmindsayingthathewasatworkuponatableofatomicalpitchestomatchDalton'satomicweights;ifhesucceededinwhathehadundertakenhewouldhavesolvedthesecretoftheloveandhatredofatoms,andunionshithertounknowncouldeasilybeeffected.Idonotknowhowlonghewouldhavecontinuedhadnotmyinterestinthesubjectcausedmetointerrupthim.Iwassomethingofanexperimentermyself,andherewasamanwhocouldhelpme.Itwasadreamofminethatthegreatmajorityofailmentscouldbecuredbyanalysingapatient'sblood,andtheninjectingintohisveinssuchchemicalsaswerefoundwanting,orwerenecessarytocounteracttheinfluenceofanydeleteriousmatterpresent.Therewere,ofcourse,difficultiesintheway,buthadtheynotalreadyatCornellUniversitydonemuchthesameforvegetablelife?Anddidnotthoseplantswhichhadbeensetinseasandoutofwhicheveryparticleofnutrimenthadbeenroasted,andwhichwerethenartificiallyfedwithasolutionofthechemicalsofwhichtheywereknowntobecomposed,growtwiceasrankasthosewhichhadbeensetinthesoilordinarilysupposedtobebestadaptedtothem?Whatwasthedifferencebetweenahumancellandaplantcell?Yes,sincemypatientwasachemist,Iwouldcultivatehisacquaintance.Heproceededtotellmehowhefelt,butIcouldmakenothingofit,soIforthwithdidtheregulationthing;whatshouldwedoctorsdowithoutit!Ilookedathistongue,pulleddownhiseyelid,andpronouncedhimbilious.Yes,therewerethelittlebrownspotsunderhisskin-freckles,perhaps-andprobablyhehadanoccasionalringinginhisears.Hewaswillingtoadmitthathewasdizzyonsuddenlyrisingfromastoopingposture,andthateggs,milk,andcoffeewerepoisontohim;andheafterwardtoldmeTheDarrowEnigma4heshouldhavesaidthesameofanyotherthreearticlesImighthavementioned,forhelookedsohaleandvigorous,andfeltsodisgracefullywell,thathewasashamedofhimself.Wehavehadmanyalaughoveritsince.Thefactofthematteristheonlyafflictionfromwhichhewassufferingwasaninordinatedesiretomakemyacquaintance.Notformyownsake-oh,dear,no!-butbecauseIwasJohnDarrow'sfamilyphysician,andwouldbereasonablysuretoknowGwenDarrow,thatgentleman'sdaughter.Hehadfirstmether,hetoldmeafterwehadbecomeintimate,atanexhibitionofpaintingsbyWilliamT.Richards,-but,asyouwillsoonbewonderingifitwere,onhispart,acaseofloveatfirstsight,Ihadbestrelatetheincidenttoyouinhisownwordsashetoldittome.Thiswillrelievemeofpassinganyjudgmentuponthematter,foryouwillthenknowasmuchaboutitasI,and,doubtless,bequiteascapableofansweringthequestion,forcandourcompelsmetoownthatmyknowledgeofthehumanheartisentirelyprofessional.ThinkofsearchingforCupid'sdartswithastethoscope!Iwasstanding,Maitlandsaid,beforeamasterpieceofseaandrock,suchasonlyRichardscanpaint.ItwasaviewofLand'sEnd,Cornwall,andintheartist'sverybestvein.Myadmirationmademetotallyunmindfulofmysurroundings,somuchso,indeed,that,althoughthegallerywascrowded,Icaughtmyselfexpressingmydelightinaperfectlyaudibleundertone.Myenthusiasm,sinceitwasaddressedtonoone,soonbegantoattractattention,andpeoplestoppedlookingatthepicturestolookatme.Iwasconsciousofthisinavague,far-offway,muchasoneisconsciousofaconversationwhichseemstohavefollowedhimacrosstheborderlandofsleep,andIeventhoughtthatIoughttobeembarrassed.HowlongIremainedthustransportedIdonotknow.ThefirstthingIrememberishearingsomeoneclosebesidemetakeaquick,deepbreath,oneofthosefullinhalationsnatur