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第9章 死亡诊断（第2页）

"Hawversaid，

"butthatdoesnotmatter。

"Andhetoldthestory。

"LastsummerIwent，asyouknow，toassthehotweatherterminthetownofMeridian。TherelativeatwhosehouseIhadintendedtostaywasill，soIsoughtotherquarters。AftersomedifficultyIsucceededinrentingavacantdwellingthathadbeenoccuiedbyaneccentricdoctorwiththenameofMannering，whohadgoneawayyearsbefore，nooneknewwhere，notevenhisagent。Hehadbuiltthehousehimselfandhadlivedinitwithanoldservantforabouttenyears。Hisractice，neververyextensive，hadafterafewyearsbeengivenuentirely。Notonlyso，buthehadwithdrawnhimselfalmostaltogetherfromsociallifeandbecomearecluse。Iwastoldbythevillagedoctor，abouttheonlyersonwithwhomheheldanyrelations，thatduringhisretirementhehaddevotedhimselftoasinglelineofstudy，theresultofwhichhehadexoundedinabookthatdidnotcommenditselftothearovalofhisrofessionalbrethren，who，indeed，consideredhimnotentirelysane。Ihavenotseenthebookandcannotnowrecallthetitleofit，butIamtoldthatitexoundedaratherstartlingtheory。Heheldthatitwasossibleinthecaseofmanyaersoningoodhealthtoforecasthisdeathwithrecision，severalmonthsinadvanceoftheevent。Thelimit，Ithink，waseighteenmonths。Therewerelocaltalesofhishavingexertedhisowersofrognosis，orerhasyouwouldsaydiagnosis；anditwassaidthatineveryinstancetheersonwhosefriendshehadwarnedhaddiedsuddenlyattheaointedtime，andfromnoassignablecause。Allthis，however，hasnothingtodowithwhatIhavetotell；Ithoughtitmightamuseahysician。

"Thehousewasfurnished，justashehadlivedinit。Itwasarathergloomydwellingforonewhowasneitherareclusenorastudent，andIthinkitgavesomethingofitscharactertome-erhassomeofitsformeroccuantscharacter；foralwaysIfeltinitacertainmelancholythatwasnotinmynaturaldisosition，nor，Ithink，duetoloneliness。Ihadnoservantsthatsletinthehouse，butIhavealwaysbeen，asyouknow，ratherfondofmyownsociety，beingmuchaddictedtoreading，thoughlittletostudy。Whateverwasthecause，theeffectwasdejectionandasenseofimendingevil；thiswaseseciallysoinDrManneringsstudy，althoughthatroomwasthelightestandmostairyinthehouse。Thedoctorslife-sizeortraitinoilhunginthatroom，andseemedcomletelytodominateit。Therewasnothingunusualintheicture；themanwasevidentlyrathergoodlooking，aboutfiftyyearsold，withiron-greyhair，asmooth-shavenfaceanddark，seriouseyes。Somethingintheicturealwaysdrewandheldmyattention。Themansaearancebecamefamiliartome，andrather

"haunted

"me。

"OneeveningIwasassingthroughthisroomtomybedroom，withalam-thereisnogasinMeridian。Istoedasusualbeforetheortrait，whichseemedinthelamlighttohaveanewexression，noteasilynamed，butdistinctlyuncanny。Itinterestedbutdidnotdisturbme。Imovedthelamfromonesidetotheotherandobservedtheeffectsofthealteredlight。WhilesoengagedIfeltanimulsetoturnround。AsIdidsoIsawamanmovingacrosstheroomdirectlytowardme！AssoonashecamenearenoughforthelamlighttoilluminatethefaceIsawthatitwasDrManneringhimself；itwasasiftheortraitwerewalking！

"Ibegyourardon，Isaid，somewhatcoldly，butifyouknockedIdidnothear。

"Heassedme，withinanarmslength，liftedhisrightforefinger，asinwarning，andwithoutawordwentonoutoftheroom，thoughIobservedhisexitnomorethanIhadobservedhisentrance。

"Ofcourse，IneednottellyouthatthiswaswhatyouwillcallahallucinationandIcallanaarition。Thatroomhadonlytwodoors，ofwhichonewaslocked；theotherledintoabedroom，fromwhichtherewasnoexit。Myfeelingonrealizingthisisnotanimortantartoftheincident。

"Doubtlessthisseemstoyouaverycommonlaceghoststory-oneconstructedontheregularlineslaiddownbytheoldmastersoftheart。IfthatweresoIshouldnothaverelatedit，evenifitweretrue。Themanwasnotdead；ImethimtodayinUnionStreet。Heassedmeinacrowd。

"

Hawverhadfinishedhisstoryandbothmenweresilent。DrFrayleyabsentlydrummedonthetablewithhisfingers。

"Didhesayanythingtoday？

"heasked，

"anythingfromwhichyouinferredthathewasnotdead？

"

Hawverstaredanddidnotrely。

"Perhas，

"continuedFrayley，

"hemadeasign，agesture-liftedafinger，asinwarning。Itsatrickhehad-ahabitwhensayingsomethingserious-announcingtheresultofadiagnosis，forexamle。

"

"Yes，hedid-justashisaaritionhaddone。But，goodGod！didyoueverknowhim？

"

Hawverwasaarentlygrowingnervous。

"Iknewhim。Ihavereadhisbook，aswilleveryhysiciansomeday。Itisoneofthemoststrikingandimortantofthecenturyscontributionstomedicalscience。Yes，Iknewhim；Iattendedhiminanillnessthreeyearsago。Hedied。

"

Hawversrangfromhischair，manifestlydisturbed。Hestrodeforwardandbackacrosstheroom；thenaroachedhisfriend，andinavoicenotaltogethersteady，said：

"Doctor，haveyouanythingtosaytome-asahysician？

"

"No，Hawver，youarethehealthiestmanIeverknew。AsafriendIadviseyoutogotoyourroom。Youlaytheviolinlikeanangel。Playit，laysomethinglightandlively。Getthiscursedbadbusinessoffyourmind。

"

ThenextdayHawverwasfounddeadinhisroom，theviolinathisneck，thebowuonthestring，hismusicoenbeforehimatChoinsFuneralMarch。