armadale-第171节

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time　is　from　two　to　four。〃

〃What　have　I　to　do　with　your　visitors？〃

〃Simply　this。　I　think　it　important　that　perfectly　respectable　and
perfectly　disinterested　witnesses　should　see　you；　in　my　house；　in
the　character　of　a　lady　who　has　come　to　consult　me。〃

〃Your　motive　seems　rather　far…fetched；　Is　it　the　only　motive　you
have　in　the　matter？〃

〃My　　dear；　dear　lady！〃　remonstrated　the　doctor；　〃have　I　any
concealments　from　_you？_　Surely；　you　ought　to　know　me　better　than
that？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　with　a　we　ary　contempt。　〃It's　dull　enough　of　me
not　to　understand　you　by　this　time。　Send　word　upstairs　when　I　am
wanted。〃　She　left　him；　and　went　back　to　her　room。


Two　o'clock　came；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　afterward　the
visitors　had　arrived。　Short　as　the　notice　had　been；　cheerless　as
the　Sanitarium　looked　to　spectators　from　without；　the　doctor's
invitation　had　been　largely　accepted；　nevertheless；　by　the　female
members　of　the　families　whom　he　had　addressed。　In　the　miserable
monotony　of　the　lives　led　by　a　large　section　of　the　middle
classes　of　England；　anything　is　welcome　to　the　women　which　offers
them　any　sort　of　harmless　refuge　from　the　established　tyranny　of
the　principle　that　all　human　happiness　begins　and　ends　at　home。
While　the　imperious　needs　of　a　commercial　country　limited　the
representatives　of　the　male　sex；　among　the　doctor's　visitors；　to
one　feeble　old　man　and　one　sleepy　little　boy；　the　women；　poor
souls；　to　the　number　of　no　less　than　sixteenold　and　young；
married　and　singlehad　seized　the　golden　opportunity　of　a　plunge
into　public　life。　Harmoniously　united　by　the　two　common　objects
which　they　all　had　in　viewin　the　first　place；　to　look　at　each
other；　and；　in　the　second　place；　to　look　at　the　Sanitariumthey
streamed　in　neatly　dressed　procession　through　the　doctor's　dreary
iron　gates；　with　a　thin　varnish　over　them　of　assumed　superiority
to　all　unladylike　excitement；　most　significant　and　most　pitiable
to　see！

The　proprietor　of　the　Sanitarium　received　his　visitors　in　the
hall　with　Miss　Gwilt　on　his　arm。　The　hungry　eyes　of　every　woman
in　the　company　overlooked　the　doctor　as　if　no　such　person　had
existed；　and；　fixing　on　the　strange　lady；　devoured　her　from　head
to　foot　in　an　instant。

〃My　First　Inmate；〃　said　the　doctor；　presenting　Miss　Gwilt。　〃This
lady　only　arrived　late　last　night；　and　she　takes　the　present
opportunity　（the　only　one　my　morning's　engagements　have　allowed
me　to　give　her）　of　going　over　the　Sanitarium。Allow　me；　ma'am；〃
he　went　on；　releasing　Miss　Gwilt；　and　giving　his　arm　to　the
eldest　lady　among　the　visitors。　〃Shattered　nervesdomestic
anxiety；〃　he　whispered；　confidentially。　〃Sweet　woman！　sad　case！〃
He　sighed　softly；　and　led　the　old　lady　across　the　hall。

The　flock　of　visitors　followed；　Miss　Gwilt　accompanying　them　in
silence；　and　walking　aloneamong　them；　but　not　of　themthe　last
of　all。

〃The　grounds；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；　wheeling
round；　and　addressing　his　audience　from　the　foot　of　the　stairs；
〃are；　as　you　have　seen；　in　a　partially　unfinished　condition。
Under　any　circumstances；　I　should　lay　little　stress　on　the
grounds；　having　Hampstead　Heath　so　near　at　hand；　and　carriage
exercise　and　horse　exercise　being　parts　of　my　System。　In　a　lesser
degree；　it　is　also　necessary　for　me　to　ask　your　indulgence　for
the　basement　floor；　on　which　we　now　stand。　The　waiting…room　and
study　on　that　side；　and　the　Dispensary　on　the　other　（to　which　I
shall　presently　ask　your　attention）；　are　completed。　But　the　large
drawing…room　is　still　in　the　decorator's　hands。　In　that　room
（when　the　walls　are　drynot　a　moment　before）　my　inmates　will
assemble　for　cheerful　society。　Nothing　will　be　spared　that　can
improve；　elevate；　and　adorn　life　at　these　happy　little
gatherings。　Every　evening；　for　example；　there　will　be　music　for
those　who　like　it。〃

At　this　point　there　was　a　faint　stir　among　the　visitors。　A　mother
of　a　family　interrupted　the　doctor。　She　begged　to　know　whether
music　〃every　evening〃　included　Sunday　evening；　and；　if　so；　what
music　was　performed？

〃Sacred　music；　of　course；　ma'am；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Handel　on
Sunday　eveningand　Haydn　occasionally；　when　not　too　cheerful。
But；　as　I　was　about　to　say；　music　is　not　the　only　entertainment
offered　to　my　nervous　inmates。　Amusing　reading　is　provided　for
those　who　prefer　books。〃

There　was　another　stir　among　the　visitors。　Another　mother　of　a
family　wished　to　know　whether　amusing　reading　meant　novels。

〃Only　such　novels　as　I　have　selected　and　perused　myself；　in　the
first　instance；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Nothing　painful；　ma'am！　There
may　be　plenty　that　is　painful　in　real　life；　but　for　that　very
reason；　we　don't　want　it　in　books。　The　English　novelist　who
enters　my　house　（no　foreign　novelist　will　be　admitted）　must
understand　his　art　as　the　healthy…minded　English　reader
understands　it　in　our　time。　He　must　know　that　our　purer　modern
taste；　our　higher　modern　morality；　limits　him　to　doing　exactly
two　things　for　us；　when　he　writes　us　a　book。　All　we　want　of　him
isoccasionally　to　make　us　laugh；　and　invariably　to　make　us
comfortable。〃

There　was　a　third　stir　among　the　visitorscaused　plainly　this
time　by　approval　of　the　sentiments　which　they　had　just　heard。　The
doctor；　wisely　cautious　of　disturbing　the　favorable　impression
that　he　had　produced；　dropped　the　subject　of　the　drawing…room；
and　led　the　way　upstairs。　As　before；　the　company　followed；　and；
as　before；　Miss　Gwilt　walked　silently　behind　them；　last　of　all。
One　after　another　the　ladies　looked　at　her　with　the　idea　of
speaking；　and　saw　something　in　her　face；　utterly　unintelligible
to　them；　which　checked　the　well…meant　words　on　their　lips。　The
prevalent　impression　was　that　the　Principal　of　the　Sanitarium　had
been　delicately　concealing　the　truth；　and　that　his　first　inmate
was　mad。

The　doctor　led　the　waywith　intervals　of　breathing…time　accorded
to　the　old　lady　on　his　armstraight　to　the　top　of　the　house。
Having　collected　his　visitors　in　the　corridor；　and　having　waved
his　hand　indicatively　at　the　numbered　doors　opening　out　of　it　on
either　side；　he　invited　the　company　to　look　into　any　or　all　of
the　rooms　at　their　own　pleasure。

〃Numbers　one　to　four；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；
〃include　the　dormitories　of　the　attendants。　Numbers　four　to　eight
are　rooms　intended　for　the　accommodation　of　the　poorer　class　of
patients；　whom　I　receive　on　terms　which　simply　cover　my
expenditurenothing　more。　In　the　cases　of　these　poorer　persons
among　my　suffering　fellow　creatures；　personal　piety　and　the
recommendation　of　two　clergymen　are　indispensable　to　admission。
Those　are　the　only　conditions　I　make；　but　those　I　insist　on。　Pray
observe　that　the　rooms　are　all　ventilated；　and　the　bedsteads　all
iron　and　kindly　notice；　as　we　descend　again　to　the　second　floor；
that　there　is　a　door　shutting　off　all　communication　between　the
second　story　and　the　top　story　when　necessary。　The　rooms　on　the
second　floor；　which　we　have　now　reached；　are　（with　the　exception
of　my　own　room）　entirely　devoted　to　the　reception　of
lady…inmatesexperience　having　convinced　me　that　the　greater
sensitiveness　of　the　female　constitution　necessitates　the　higher
position　of　the　sleeping　apartment；　with　a　view　to　the　greater
purity　and　freer　circulation　of　the　air。　Here　the　ladies　are
established　immediately　under　my　care；　while　my
assistant…physician　（whom　I　expect　to　arrive　in　a　week's　time）
looks　after　the　gentlemen　on　the　floor　beneath。　Observe；　again；
as　we　descend　to　this　lower；　or　first　floor；　a　second　door；
closing　all　communication　at　night　between　the　two　stories　to
every　one　but　the　assistant　physician　and　myself。　And　now　that　we
have　reached　the　gentleman's　part　of　the　house；　and　that　you　have
observed　for　yourselves　the　regulations　of　the　establishment；
permit　me　to　introduce　you　to　a　specimen　of　my　system　of
treatment　next。　I　can　exemplify　it　practically；　by　introducing
you　to　a　room　fitted　up；　under　my　own　direction；　for　the
accommodation　of　the　most　complicated　cases　of　nervous　suffering
and　nervous　delusion　that　can　come　under　my　care。〃

He　threw　open　the　door　of　a　room　at　one　extremity　of　the
corridor；　numbered　Four。　〃Look　in；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he
said；　〃and；　if　you　see　anything　remarkable；　pray　mention　it。〃

The　room　was　not　very　large；　but　it　was　well　lit　by　one　broad
window。　Comfortably　furnished　as　a　bedroom；　it　was　only
remarkable　among　other　rooms　of　the　same　sort　in　one　way。　It　had
no　fireplace。　The　visitors　having　noticed　this；　were　informed
that　the　room　was　warmed　in　winter　by　means　of　hot　water；　and
were　then　invited　back　again　into　the　corridor；　to　make　the
discoveries；　under　professional　direction；　which　they　were　unable
to　make　for　themselves。

〃A　word；　ladi　es　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃literally　a
word；　on　nervous　derangement　first。　What　is　the　process　of
treatment；　when；　let　us　say；　mental　anxiety　has　broken　you　down；
and　you　apply　to　your　doctor？　He　sees　you；　hears　you；　and　gives
you　two　prescriptions。　One　is　written　on　paper；　and　made　up　at
the　chemist's。　The　other　is　administered　by　word　of　mouth；　at　the
propitious　moment　when　the　fee　is　ready；　and　consists　in　a
general　recommendation　to　you　to　keep　your　mind　eas