第30章TheMarionettes

第30章themarionettes

thepolicemanwasstandingatthecorneroftwenty-fourthstreetandaprodigiouslydarkalleynearwheretheelevatedrailroadcrossesthestreet.thetimewastwoo'clockinthemorning;theoutlookastretchofcold,drizzling,unsociableblacknessuntilthedawn.

aman,wearingalongovercoat,withhishattilteddowninfront,andcarryingsomethinginonehand,walkedsoftlybutrapidlyoutoftheblackalley.thepolicemanaccostedhimcivilly,butwiththeassuredairthatislinkedwithconsciousauthority.thehour,thealley'smustyreputation,thepedestrian'shaste,theburdenhecarried—theseeasilycombinedintothe"suspiciouscircumstances"thatrequiredilluminationattheofficer'shands.

the"suspect"haltedreadilyandtiltedbackhishat,exposing,intheflickeroftheelectriclights,anemotionless,smoothcountenancewitharatherlongnoseandsteadydarkeyes.thrustinghisglovedhandintoasidepocketofhisovercoat,hedrewoutacardandhandedittothepoliceman.holdingittocatchtheuncertainlight,theofficerreadthename"charlesspencerjames,m.d."thestreetandnumberoftheaddresswereofaneighborhoodsosolidandrespectableastosubdueevencuriosity.thepoliceman'sdownwardglanceatthearticlecarriedinthedoctor'shand—ahandsomemedicinecaseofblackleather,withsmallsilvermountings—furtherendorsedtheguaranteeofthecard.

"allright,doctor,"saidtheofficer,steppingaside,withanairofbulkyaffability."ordersaretobeextracareful.goodmanyburglarsandhold-upslately.badnighttobeout.notsocold,but—clammy."

withaformalinclinationofhishead,andawordortwocorroborativeoftheofficer'sestimateoftheweather,doctorjamescontinuedhissomewhatrapidprogress.threetimesthatnighthadapatrolmanacceptedhisprofessionalcardandthesightofhisparagonofamedicinecaseasvouchersforhishonestyofpersonandpurpose.hadanyoneofthoseofficersseenfit,onthemorrow,totesttheevidenceofthatcardhewouldhavefounditborneoutbythedocto'snameonahandsomedoorplate,hispresence,calmandwelldressed,inhiswell-equippedofficeprovideditwerenottooearly,doctorjamesbeingalateriser—andthetestimonyoftheneighborhoodtohisgoodcitizenship,hisdevotiontohisfamily,andhisessasapractitionerthetwoyearshehadlivedamongthem.

therefore,itwouldhavemuchsurprisedanyoneofthosezealousguardiansofthepeacecouldtheyhavetakenapeepintothatimmaculatemedicinecase.uponopeningit,thefirstarticletobeseenwouldhavebeenanelegantsetofthelatestconceivedtoolsusedbythe"boxman,"astheingenioussafeburglarnowdenominateshimself.speciallydesignedandconstructedweretheimplements—theshortbutpowerful"jimmy,"thecollectionofcuriouslyfashionedkeys,theblueddrillsandpuncheofthefinesttemper—capableofeatingtheirwayintochilledsteelasamouseeatsintoacheese,andtheclampsthatfastenlikealeechtothepolisheddoorofasafeandpulloutthecombinationknobasadentistextractsatooth.inalittlepouchintheinnersideofthe"medicine"casewasafour-ouncevialofnitroglycerine,nowhalfempty.underneaththetoolswasamassofcrumpledbanknotesandafewhandfulsofgoldcoin,themoney,altogether,amountingtoeighthundredandthirtydollars.

toaverylimitedcircleoffriendsdoctorjameswasknownas"theswell'greek.’"halfofthemysterioustermwasatributetohiscoolandgentlemanlikemanners;theotherhalfdenoted,intheargotofthebrotherhood,theleader,theplanner,theonewhobythepowerandprestigeofhisaddressandposition,securedtheinformationuponwhichtheybasedtheirplansanddesperateenterprises.

ofthiselectcircletheothermemberswereskitsiemorganandgumdecker,expert"boxmen,"andleopoldpretzfelder,ajewelerdowntown,whomanipulatedthe"sparklers"andotherornamentscollectedbytheworkingtrio.allgoodandloyalmen,asloosetonguedasmemnonandasfickleasthenorthstar.

thatnight'sworkhadnotbeenconsideredbythefirmtohaveyieldedmorethanamoderaterepayalfortheirpains.anold-styletwo-story,side-boltsafeinthedingyofficeofaverywealthyoldstyledry-goodsfirmonasaturdaynightshouldhaveexcretedmorethantwenty-fivehundreddollars.butthatwasalltheyfound,andtheyhaddividedit,thethreeofthem,intoequalsharesuponthespot,aswastheircustom.tenortwelvethousandwaswhattheyexpected.butoneoftheproprietorshadprovedtobejustatrifletooold-style.justafterdarkhehadcarriedhomeinashirtboxmostofthefundsonhand.

doctorjamesproceededuptwenty-fourthstreet,whichwas,toallappearance,depopulated.eventhetheatricalfolk,whoaffectthisdistrictasaplaceofresidence,werelongsinceabed.thedrizzlehadaccumulateduponthestreet;puddlesofitamongthestonesreceivedthefireofthearclights,andreturnedit,shatteredintoamyriadliquidspangles.acaptiouswind,shower-soakedandchilling,coughedfromthelaryngealfluesbetweenthehouses.

asthepractitioner'sfootstruckevenwiththecornerofatallbrickresidenceofmorepretensionthanitsfellowsthefrontdoorpoppedopen,andabawlingegressclattereddownthestepstothepavement.somemedleyofwordscamefromhermouth,addressed,likeasnot,toherself—therecourseofherracewhenaloneandbesetbyevil.shelookedtobeoneofthatoldvassalclassofthesouth—voluble,familiar,loyal,andirrepressible;herpersonpicturedit—fat,neat,aproned,andkerchiefed.

thissuddenapparition,spewedfromthesilenthouse,reachedthebottomofthestepsasdoctorjamescameopposite.herbraintransferringitsenergiesfromsoundtosight,sheceasedherclamorandfixedherpopeyesuponthecasethedoctorcarried.

"bressdelawd!"wasthebenisonthesightdrewfromher."isyouadoctor,suh?"

"yes,iamaphysician,"saiddoctorjames,pausing.

"denfo'god'ssakecomeandseemisterchandler,suh.hedonehadafitorsump'n.helayin'jistlikehewuzdead.missamysontmetogitadoctor.lawdknowswharoldcindy'daskearedoneupfrom,ifyou,suh,hadn'tcomealong.efoldmars'knowedoneten-hundredthpartofdesedoin'sdey'dbeshootin'gwineon,suh—pistolshootin'—leb'mfeetmarkedoffondeground,andev'ybodyaduellin'.anddatpo'lamb,missamy—"

"leadtheway,"saiddoctorjames,settinghisfootuponthestep,"ifyouwantmeasadoctor.asanauditori'mnotopentoengagements."

thenegressprecededhimintothehouseandupaflightofthicklycarpetedstairs.twicetheycametodimlylightedbranchinghallways.atthesecondonethenowpantingconductressturneddownahall,stoppingatadoorandopeningit.

"idonebroughtdedoctor,missamy."

doctorjamesenteredtheroom,andbowedslightlytoayoungladystandingbythesideofabed.hesethismedicinecaseuponachair,removedhisovercoat,throwingitoverthecaseandthebackofthechair,andadvancedwithquietself-possessiontothebedside.

therelayaman,sprawlingashehadfallen—amandressedrichlyintheprevailingmode,withonlyhisshoesremoved;lyingrelaxed,andasstillasthedead.

thereemanatedfromdoctorjamesanauraofcalmforceandreservestrengththatwasasmannainthedeserttotheweakanddesolateamonghispatrons.alwayshadwomen,especially,beenattractedbysomethinginhissick-roommanner.itwasnottheindulgentsuavityofthefashionablehealerbutamannerofpoise,ofsureness,ofabilitytoovercomefate,ofdeferenceandprotectionanddevotion.therewasanexploringmagnetisminhissteadfast,luminousbrowneyes;alatentauthorityintheimpassive,evenpriestly,tranquilityofhissmoothcountenancethatoutwardlyfittedhimforthepartofconfidantandconsoler.sometimes,athisfirstprofessionalvisit,womenwouldtellhimwheretheyhidtheirdiamondsatnightfromtheburglars.

withtheeaseofmuchpractice,doctorjames'sunrovingeyesestimatedtheorderandqualityoftheroom'sfurnishings.theappointmentswererichandcostly.thesameglancehadsecuredcognizanceofthelady'sappearance.shewassmallandscarcelypasttwenty.herfacepossessedthetitletoawinsomeprettiness,nowobscuredby(youwouldsay)ratherafixedmelancholythanthemoreviolentimprintofasuddensorrow.uponherforehead,aboveoneeyebrow,wasalividbruise,suffered,thephysician'seyetoldhim,withinthepastsixhours.

doctorjames'sfingerswenttotheman'swrist.hisalmostvocaleyesquestionedthelady.

"iammrs.chandler,"sheresponded,speakingwiththeplaintivesouthernslurandintonation."myhusbandwastakensuddenlyillabouttenminutesbeforeyoucame.hehashadattacksofhearttroublebefore—someofthemwereverybad."hisclothedstateandthelatehourseemedtoprompthertofurtherexplanation."hehadbeenoutlate;to—asupper,ibelieve."

doctorjamesnowturnedhisattentiontohispatient.inwhicheverofhis"professions"hehappenedtobeengaged,hewaswonttohonorthe"case"orthe"job"withhiswholeinterest.

thesickmanappearedtobeaboutthirty.hiscountenanceborealookofboldnessanddissipation,butwasnotwithoutasymmetryoffeatureandthefinelinesdrawnbyatasteandindulgenceinhumorthatgavetheredeemingtouch.therewasanodorofspilledwineabouthisclothes.

thephysicianlaidbackhisoutergarments,andthen,withapenknife,slittheshirt-frontfromcollartowaist.theobstacles.cleared,helaidhiseartotheheartandlistenedintently

"mitralregurgitation?"hesaid,softly,whenherose.thewordsendedwiththerisinginflectionofuncertainty.againlielistenedlong;andthistimehesaid,"mitralinsufficiency,"withtheaccentofanassureddiagnosis.

"madam,"hebegan,inthereassuringtonesthathadsooftenallayedanxiety,"thereisaprobability—"asheslowlyturnedhisheadtofacethelady,hesawherfall,whiteandswooning,intothearmsoftheoldnegress.

"po'lamb!po'lamb!hasdeydonekilledauntcindy'sownblessedchild?maydelawd'stroywidhiswrathdemwhatstoleheraway;whatbreakdatangelheart;whatleft—"

"liftherfeet,"saiddoctorjames,assistingtosupportthedroopingform."whereisherroom?shemustbeputtobed."

"inhere,suh."thewomannoddedherkerchiefedheadtowardadoor."dat'smissamy'sroom."

theycarriedherinthere,andlaidheronthebed.herpulsewasfaint,butregular.shepassedfromtheswoon,withoutrecoveringconsciousness,intoaprofoundslumber.

"sheisquiteexhausted,"saidthephysician."sleepisagoodremedy.whenshewakes,giveheratoddy—withanegginit,ifshecantakeit.howdidshegetthatbruiseuponherforehead?"

"shedonegotalickthere,suh.depo'lambfell—no,suh"—theoldwoman'sracialmutabilitysweptherintoasuddenflareofindignation—"oldcindyain'tgwineterliefordatdebble.hedoneit,suh.maydelawdwitherdehandwhat—darnow!cindypromisehersweetlambsheain'tgwinetell.missamygothurt,suh,ondehead."

doctorjamessteppedtoastandwhereahandsomelampburned,andturnedtheflamelow.

"stayherewithyourmistress,"heordered,"andkeepquietsoshewillsleep.ifshewakes,giveherthetoddy.ifshegrowsanyweaker,letmeknow.thereissomethingstrangeaboutit."

"dar'smo'stranget'ingsdandat'roundhere,"beganthenegress,butthephysicianhushedherinaseldom-employedperemptoryconcentratedvoicewithwhichhehadoftenallayedhysteriaitself.hereturnedtotheotherroom,closingthedoorsoftlybehindhim.themanonthebedhadnotmoved,buthiseyeswereopen.hislipsseemedtoformwords.doctorjamesbenthisheadtolisten."themoney!themoney!"waswhattheywerewhispering.

"callyouunderstandwhatisay?"askedthedoctor,speakinglow,butdistinctly.

theheadnoddedslightly.

"iamaphysician,sentforbyyourwife.youaremr.chandler,iamtold.youarequiteill.youmustnotexciteordistressyourselfatall."

thepatient'seyesseemedtobeckontohim.thedoctorstoopedtocatchthesamefaintwords.

"themoney—thetwentythousanddollars."

"whereisthismoney?—inthebank?"

theeyesexpressedanegative."tellher"—thewhisperwasgrowingfainter—"thetwentythousanddollars—hermoney"—hiseyeswanderedabouttheroom.

"youhaveplacedthismoneysomewhere?"—doctorjames'svoicewastoilinglikeasiren'stoconjurethesecretfromtheman'sfailingintelligenee—"isitinthisroom?"

hethoughthesawaflutteringassentinthedimmingeyes.thepulseunderhisfingerswasasfineandsmallasasilkthread.

therearoseindoctorjames'sbrainandhearttheinstinctsofhisotherprofession.promptly,asheactedineverything,hedecidedtolearnthewheleaboutsofthismoney,andatthecalculatedandcertaincostofahumanlife.

drawingfromhispocketalittlepadofprescriptionblanks,hescribbledupononeofthemaformulasuited,accordingtothebestpractice,totheneedsofthesufferer.goingtothedooroftheinnerroom,hesoftlycalledtheoldwoman,gavehertheprescription,andbadehertakeittosomedrugstoreandfetchthemedicine.