第112章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(27)

第112章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(27)

'thecarriageleftthestreetsbehind，passedthenorthbarrier，andemergeduponthecountryroad.attwo-thirdsofaleaguefromthebarrier—ididnotestimatethedistanceatthattime，butafterwardswhenitraversedit—itstruckoutofthemainavenue，andpresentlystoppedatasolitaryhouse.weallthreealighted，andwalked，byadampsoftfootpathinagardenwhereaneglectedfountainhadoverflowed，tothedoorofthehouse.itwasnotopenedimmediately，inanswertotheringingofthebell，andoneofmytwoconductorsstruckthemanwhoopenedit，withhisheavyriding-glove，acrosstheface.

'therewasnothinginthisactiontoattractmyparticularattention，forihadseencommonpeoplestruckmorecommonlythandogs.but，theotherofthetwo，beingangrylikewise，struckthemaninlikemannerwithhisarm；thelookandbearingofthebrotherswerethensoexactlyalike，thatithenfirstperceivedthemtobetwinbrothers.

'fromthetimeofouralightingattheoutergate（whichwefoundlocked，andwhichoneofthebrothershadopenedtoadmitus，andhadrelocked），ihadheardcriesproceedingfromanupperchamber.iwasconductedtothischamberstraight，thecriesgrowinglouderasweascendedthestairs，andifoundapatientinahighfeverofthebrain，lyingonabed.

'thepatientwasawomanofgreatbeauty，andyoung；assuredlynotmuchpasttwenty.herhairwastornanded，andherarmswereboundtohersideswithsashesandhandkerchiefs.inoticedthatthesebondswereallportionsofagentleman'sdress.ononeofthem，whichwasafringedscarfforadressceremony，isawthearmorialbearingsofanoble，andthelettere.

'isawthis，withinthefirstminuteofmycontemplationofthepatient；for，inherrestlessstrivingsshehadturnedoveronherfaceontheedgeofthebed，haddrawntheendofthescarfintohermouth，andwasindangerofsuffocation.myfirstactwastoputoutmyhandtorelieveherbreathing；andinmovingthescarfaside，theembroideryinthecornercaughtmysight.

'iturnedhergentlyover，placedmyhandsuponherbreasttocalmherandkeepherdown，andlookedintoherface.hereyesweredilatedandwild，andsheconstantlyutteredpiercingshrieks，andrepeatedthewords，'myhusband，myfather，andmybrother！'andthencounteduptotwelve，andsaid，'hush！'foraninstant，andnomore，shewouldpausetolisten，andthenthepiercingshriekswouldbeginagain，andshewouldrepeatthecry，'myhusband，myfather，andmybrother！'andwouldcountuptotwelve，andsay'hush！'therewasnovariationintheorder，orthemanner.therewasnocessation，buttheregularmoment'spause，intheutteranceofthesesounds.

'howlong，'iasked，'hasthislasted？'

'todistinguishthebrothers，iwillcallthemtheelderandtheyounger；bytheelder，imean，himwhoexercisedthemostauthority.itwastheelderwhoreplied，'sinceaboutthishourlastnight.'

'shehasahusband，afather，andabrother？'

'abrother.'

'idonotaddressherbrother？'

'heansweredwithgreatcontempt，'no.'

'shehassomerecentassociationwiththenumbertwelve？'

'theyoungerbrotherimpatientlyrejoined，'withtwelveo'clock.'

'see，gentlemen，'saidi，stillkeepingmyhandsuponherbreast，'howuselessiam，asyouhavebroughtme！ifihadknownwhatiwascomingtosee，icouldhavecomeprovided.asitis，timemustbelost.therearenomedicinestobeobtainedinthislonelyplace.'

'theelderbrotherlookedtotheyounger，whosaidhaughtily，'thereisacaseofmedicineshere'；andbroughtitfromacloset，andputitonthetable.

'iopenedsomeofthebottles，smeltthem，andputthestopperstomylips.ifihadwantedtouseanythingsavenarcoticmedicinesthatwerepoisonsinthemselves，iwouldnothaveadministeredanyofthose.

'doyoudoubtthem？'askedtheyoungerbrother.

'yousee，monsieur，iamgoingtousethem，'ireplied，andsaidnomore.

'imadethepatientswallow，withgreatdifficulty，andaftermanyefforts，thedosethatidesiredtogive.asiintendedtorepeatitafterawhile，andasitwasnecessarytowatchitsinfluence，ithensatdownbythesideofthebed.therewasatimidandsuppressedwomaninattendance（wifeofthemandown-stairs），whohadretreatedintoacorner.thehousewasdampanddecayed，indifferentlyfurnished—evidently，recentlyoccupiedandtemporarilyused.somethickoldhangingshadbeennailedupbeforethewindows，todeadenthesoundoftheshrieks.theycontinuedtobeutteredintheirregularession，withthecry，'myhusband，myfather，andmybrother！'thecountinguptotwelve，and'hush！'thefrenzywassoviolent，thatihadnotunfastenedthebandagesrestrainingthearms；butihadlookedtothem，toseethattheywerenotpainful.theonlysparkofencouragementinthecase，was，thatmyhanduponthesufferer'sbreasthadthismuchsoothinginfluence，thatforminutesatatimeittranquilisedthefigure.ithadnoeffectuponthecries；nopendulumcouldbemoreregular.

'forthereasonthatmyhandhadthiseffect（iassume），ihadsatbythesideofthebedforhalfanhour，withthetwobrotherslookingon，beforetheeldersaid：'thereisanotherpatient.'

'iwasstartled，andasked，'isitapressingcase？'

'youhadbettersee，'hecarelesslyanswered；andtookupalight.

'theotherpatientlayinabackroomacrossasecondstaircase，whichwasaspeciesofloftoverastable.therewasalowplasteredceilingtoapartofit；therestwasopen，totheridgeofthetiledroof，andtherewerebeamsacross.hayandstrawwerestoredinthatportionoftheplace，otsforfiring，andaheapofapplesinsand.ihadtopassthroughthatpart，togetattheother.mymemoryiscircumstantialandunshaken.itryitwiththesedetails，andiseethemall，inthismycellinthebastille，nearthecloseofthetenthyearofmycaptivity，asisawthemallthatnight.