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第38章 掘墓盗尸人6（第1页）

hesulyofsubjectswasacontinualtroubletohimaswellastohismaster。Inthatlargeandbusyclass，therawmaterialoftheanatomistsketeretuallyrunningout;andthebusinessthusrenderednecessarywasnotonlyunleasantinitself，butthreateneddangerousconsequencestoallwhowereconcerned。ItwastheolicyofMr。Ktoasknoquestionsinhisdealingswiththetrade。

"Theybringthebody，andweaytherice，

"heusedtosay，dwellingonthealliteration—

"QUIDPROQUO

"。And，again，andsomewhatrofanely，

"Asknoquestions，

"hewouldtellhisassistants，

"forconsciencessake。Therewasnounderstandingthatthesubjectswererovidedbythecrimeofmurder。

"Hadthatideabeenbroachedtohiminwords，hewouldhaverecoiledinhorror;butthelightnessofhisseechuonsograveamatterwas，initself，anoffenceagainstgoodmanners，andatemtationtothemenwithwhomhedealt。Fettes，forinstance，hadoftenremarkedtohimselfuonthesingularfreshnessofthebodies。Hehadbeenstruckagainandagainbythehang-dog，abominablelooksoftheruffianswhocametohimbeforethedawn;anduttingthingstogetherclearlyinhisrivatethoughts，heerhasattributedameaningtooimmoralandtoocategoricaltotheunguardedcounselsofhismaster。Heunderstoodhisduty，inshort，tohavethreebranches:totakewhatwasbrought，toaytherice，andtoaverttheeyefromanyevidenceofcrime。

OneNovembermorningthisolicyofsilencewasutsharlytothetest。Hehadbeenawakeallnightwitharackingtoothache—acinghisroomlikeacagedbeastorthrowinghimselfinfuryonhisbed—andhadfallenatlastintothatrofound，uneasyslumberthatsooftenfollowsonanightofain，whenhewasawakenedbythethirdorfourthangryreetitionoftheconcertedsignal。Therewasathin，brightmoonshine;itwasbittercold，windy，andfrosty;thetownhadnotyetawakened，butanindefinablestiralreadyreludedthenoiseandbusinessoftheday。Theghoulshadcomelaterthanusual，andtheyseemedmorethanusuallyeagertobegone。Fettes，sickwithslee，lightedthemustairs。HeheardtheirgrumblingIrishvoicesthroughadream;andastheystriedthesackfromtheirsadmerchandiseheleaneddozing，withhisshoulderroedagainstthewall;hehadtoshakehimselftofindthementheirmoney。Ashedidsohiseyeslightedonthedeadface。Hestarted;hetooktwostesnearer，withthecandleraised。

"GodAlmighty!

"hecried。

"ThatisJaneGalbraith!

"

Themenanswerednothing，buttheyshufflednearerthedoor。

"Iknowher，Itellyou，

"hecontinued。

"Shewasaliveandheartyyesterday。Itsimossibleshecanbedead;itsimossibleyoushouldhavegotthisbodyfairly。

"

"Sure，sir，youremistakenentirely，

"saidoneofthemen。

ButtheotherlookedFettesdarklyintheeyes，anddemandedthemoneyonthesot。

Itwasimossibletomisconceivethethreatortoexaggeratethedanger。Theladsheartfailedhim。Hestammeredsomeexcuses，countedoutthesum，andsawhishatefulvisitorsdeart。Nosoonerweretheygonethanhehastenedtoconfirmhisdoubts。Byadozenunquestionablemarksheidentifiedthegirlhehadjestedwiththedaybefore。Hesaw，withhorror，marksuonherbodythatmightwellbetokenviolence。Aanicseizedhim，andhetookrefugeinhisroom。Therehereflectedatlengthoverthediscoverythathehadmade;consideredsoberlythebearingofMr。Ksinstructionsandthedangertohimselfofinterferenceinsoseriousabusiness，andatlast，insoreerlexity，determinedtowaitfortheadviceofhisimmediatesuerior，theclassassistant。

Thiswasayoungdoctor，WolfeMacfarlane，ahighfavouriteamongalltherecklessstudents，clever，dissiated，andunscruuloustothelastdegree。Hehadtravelledandstudiedabroad。Hismannerswereagreeableandalittleforward。Hewasanauthorityonthestage，skilfulontheiceorthelinkswithskateorgolf-club;hedressedwithniceaudacity，and，toutthefinishingtouchuonhisglory，heketagigandastrongtrotting-horse。WithFetteshewasontermsofintimacy;indeed，theirrelativeositionscalledforsomecommunityoflife;andwhensubjectswerescarcetheairwoulddrivefarintothecountryinMacfarlanesgig，visitanddesecratesomelonelygraveyard，andreturnbeforedawnwiththeirbootytothedoorofthedissecting-room。

OnthatarticularmorningMacfarlanearrivedsomewhatearlierthanhiswont。Fettesheardhim，andmethimonthestairs，toldhimhisstory，andshowedhimthecauseofhisalarm。Macfarlaneexaminedthemarksonherbody。

"Yes，