第37章 掘墓盗尸人5(第1页)
第37章掘墓盗尸人(5)
"Godprotectus,Mr。Fettes!"saidthelandlfirstintopossessionofhisaryse;Whatintheuhis?Thesearestrahingsyouhavebeensaying。"
&urowardus;helookeduseasui;Seeifyouhues,"saidhe。"ThatmanMaeisocross;thosethathavedonesoalreadyhaverepeoolate。"
Ahoutsomuishinghisthirdglass,farlesswaitiwo,hebadeusgood-byeah,uhelampofthehotel,intotheblaight。
&uroourplatheparlour,withthebigredfireandfourdles;aulatedassed,thefirstchillofoursurprisesoooaglowofcuriosity。Wesatlate;itwasthelatestsessionIhaveknowninthee。Ea,beforeweparted,hadhistheorythathewasboundtoprove;andnoneofushadanynearerbusihisworldthantotrackoutthepastofournedpanion,andsurprisethesecretthathesharedwiththegreatLondondoctor。Itis,butIbelieveIwasabetterhandatwoutastorythaherofmyfellowsattheGee;ahereisnownoothermanalivewhoarratetoyouthefollowingfoulandus。
Inhisyouudiedmeditheschoolsh。Hehadtalentofakihatpicksupswiftlywhatithearsaailsitforitsowleathome;buthewascivil,atteelligentinthepresenasters。Theysooasaladwholisteneddrememberedwell;nay,straseemedtomewhenIfirstheardit,hewasinthosedayswellfavoured,andpleasedbyhisexterior。Thereeriod,aextramuralteay,whomIshallheredesigheletterK。Hisnamewassubsequentlytoowell-known。ThemaskulkedthroughthestreetshihemobthatapplaudedattheexeofBurkecalledloudlyforthebloodofhisemployer。ButMr。Kofhisvogue;heenjoyedapopularityduepartlytohisowalytotheincapacityofhisrival,theuyprofessor。Thestude,sworebyhistesbelievedhimself,andwasbelievedbyothers,tohavelaidthefoundationsofsuhehadacquiredthefavourofthismeteorir。KwasaBONVIVANTaslishedteacher;helikedaslyillusiohanacarefulpreparation。InbothcapacitiesFettesenjoyedaidbythesedyearofhisattehehalf-regularpositionofseonstratororsub-assistantinhisclass。
Inthiscapacitythechargeofthetheatreaure-roomdevolvedinpartihisshoulders。Hehadtoaheessofthepremisesaoftheotherstudents,anditartofhisdutytosupply,reddividethevarioussubjects。Itwaswithaviewtothislast—atthattimeverydelicate—affairthathewaslodgedbyMr。Kinthesamewynd,andatlastinthesamebuilding,withthedisses。Here,afteranightofturbulentpleasures,hishandstillt,hissightstillmistyandfused,hewouldbecalledoutofbedintheblackhoursbeforethewinterdawnbytheunddesperateinterloperswhosuppliedthetable。Hewouldopeothesemen,sinfamhouttheland。Hewouldhelpthemwiththeirtragi,paythemtheirsordidpridremaiheyweregoheunfriendlyrelianity。Fromsuehewouldreturntosnatotherhourortwoofslumber,torepairtheabusesofthenight,andrefreshhimselfforthelaboursoftheday。
Fewladscouldhavebeenmoreiheimpressionsofalifethuspassedamongtheensignsofmortality。Hismindwasclosedagainstallgeneralsiderations。Heableofihefateaher,theslaveofhisowndesiresandlowambitions。Cold,light,andselfishiresort,hehadthatmodicumofprudence,miscalledmorality,whichkeepsamanfromidrunkennessorpu。Hecoveted,besides,ameasureofsiderationfromhismastersandhisfellow-pupils,andhehadofailspitheexternalpartsoflife。Thushemadeithispleasuretogaiioninhisstudies,anddayafterdayrenderedunimpeachableeye-serviployer,Mr。K。Forhisdayofworkheindemnifiedhimselfbynights,blackguardlye;abalaruck,theanthathecalledhiscedeclareditselft。