the red acorn-第38部分

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coming。　　But　we　certainly　intend　to　mitigate　in　some　degree　the　desolation　of　the　room　to　which　you　were　conducted。　　I　left　you　for　the　purpose　of　seeing　what　the　store…room　contained　that　would　contribute　a　trifle　toward　transforming　it　into　a　maiden's　bower〃

〃Cinderella's　fairy　godmother　couldn't　have　made　the　transformation　with　that　room；〃　she　said　with　a　little　shrug　of　despair。

〃Probably　notprobably　notand　I　lay　no　claim　to　even　the　least　of　the　powers　exercised　by　the　old　lady　with　the　wand。　　But　I　allow　no　man　to　surpass　me　in　the　matter　of　good　intentions。　　That　is　a　luxury　of　which　the　poorest　of　us　can　afford　an　abundance；　and　I　will　not　deny　myself　anything　that　is　so　cheap。〃

Rachel　was　beguiled　into　smiling　at　his　merry　cynicism。

〃Allusions　to　the　pavement　in　the　unmentionable　place　are　barred　in　this　connection；〃　he　continued　gayly。　　〃On　my　way　to　carry　out　these　good　intentionsat　some　one　else's　expense；　remember；　all　the　timeI　was　called　to　the　bedside　of　a　dying　man；　and　detained　there　some　time。　　When　I　at　last　returned　to　your　room；　I　judged　that　you　were　fast　asleep；　and　I　decided　not　to　disturb　you。〃

〃I　think　you　would　have　found　it　a　difficult　matter　to　have　roused　me。　　I　had　sunk　on　the　cot；　and　was　sleeping　the　sleep　of〃

〃The　just；〃　interposed　Dr。　Denslow；　gallantly。

〃No；　of　the　fatigued。〃

〃Well；　scientific　truth　compels　me　to　say　that　fatigue　is　a　surer　and　stronger　sedative　than　a　clear　conscience　even。　　I　know；　for　I　have　occasionally　tried　a　clear　conscienceonly　by　way　of　experiment；　you　know；〃　he　added；　apologetically。

〃Well；　whatever　the　case；　I　was　slepping　as　though　on　downy　beds　of　ease。〃

〃Then　my　mind　is　lightened　of　a　mountain…load　of　responsibility　for　having　made　you　pass　a　miserable　night。　　But　let's　go　in　to　breakfast。　　I　am　opposed　to　doing　anything　on　an　empty　stomacheven　to　holding　a　pleasant　conversation。　　It　invites　malaria；　and　malaria　brings　a　number　of　disagreeable　sensations　which　people　mistake　for　repentance；　remorse；　religious　awakening；　and　so　on；　according　to　their　mental　idiosyncrasies；　and　the　state　of　their　digestion。〃

The　breakfast　did　not　help　remove　the　unpleasant　impressions　already　made　upon　her　mind。　　The　cloth　that　covered　the　coarse　planks　of　the　table　was　unmistakably　a　well…worn　sheet。　　Tin　cups　and　platters　made　humble　substitution　for　china；　and　were　appropriately　accompanied　by　cast…iron　knives　and　two　tined　forks。

Two　Hospital　Stewardsdenoted　by　the　green　bands；　embroidered　with　CADUCEI；　around　their　armsand　the　same　number　of　Wardmasters；　formed　the　mess　which　sat　down　with　Dr。　Denslow　and　Rachel；　on　benches　around　the　table。

What　bouyant　cheerfulness　could　do　to　raise　Rachel's　spirits　and　give　an　appetizing　flavor　to　the　coarse　viands；　Dr。　Denslow　did。

〃I　apprehend；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　suspect　that　in　obtaining　this　steak　the　indefatigable　cook　made　a　mistake；　and　sliced　a　piece　from　a　side　of　sole　leather　hanging　near。　　This　was　not　the　case。　　It　was　selected　with　a　deep　physiological　design。　　Meat　of　this　character　consists　almost　wholly　of　fibrine；　the　least　heat…producing　constituent　of　flesh。　　By　excluding　all　fats　and　other　tender　portions；　and　confining　ourselves　to　fibrine；　we　are　the　better　able　to　stand　this　torrid　weather。〃

One　of　the　Hospital　Stewards　groaned　deeply。

〃What　is　the　matter；　'Squills'？〃　said　the　Doctor；　kindly。

〃I　was　thinking　of　the　monstrous　fibber…in　here；〃　said　〃Squills；〃　lugubriously。

〃'Squills；'　I　don't　know　how　I　can　properly　punish　the　disrespect　shown　our　young　lady　guest　and　your　superior　officer；　by　that　vile　pun　and　the　viler　implication　contained　in　it。〃

〃This　sugar；〃　continued　the　Doctor；　lifting　some　out　of　an　old　tomato　can　with　a　large　iron　spoon；　and　tendering　it　to　Rachel　for　her　coffee；　〃has　a　rich　golden　color；　which　is　totally　absent　from　the　paler　varieties　to　which　you　are　accustomed。　　Its　deeper　hue　comes　from　having　caught　more　of　the　Cuban　yellow　sun's　rays。〃

〃Yes；〃　interjected　〃Squills；〃　〃all　the　Cuban's　yellow　sons　raise。　Their　daughters；　too；　are　sometimes　almost　brown。〃

Dr。　Denslow　frowned。

〃What　a　queer　odor　it　has；〃　said　Rachel；　sniffing　it；　and　staying　the　spool　just　over　her　cup。

〃Has　it？〃　said　the　Doctor；　sniffing　too。　　〃O；　that's　nothing。　That's　only　chloroform。　　The　ants　were　very　bad；　and　we　put　some　in　to　kill　them　off。〃

〃I　don't　believe　I'll　take　any　in　my　coffee；　thank　you；〃　said　Rachel；　calmly。　　〃There　are　times　when　I　don't　like　it　sweetened。〃

〃But　you'll　certainly　take　cream；　then；〃　he　said；　breaking　off　the　cover　of　a　can　of　condensed　milk。　　〃Here　is　some　put　in　the　reverse　of　the　homeopathic　plan。　　Instead　of　being　the　30th　dilution；　it　is　about　the　30th　concentration。　　With　this　little　can；　and　his　pump　in　good　order；　a　milkman　could　supply　a　good　big　route　with　'pure　grass…fed　milk。'　　Within　these　narrow　walls　are　compressed　the　nutritive　juices　of　an　acre　of　fragrant　white　clover。〃

〃The　Doctor　was　formerly　a　lecturer　in　a　medical　college；〃　said　〃Squills〃　〃sotto　voce〃　to　Rachel。

Rachel's　appetite　had　seemed　sufficient　for　almost　any　food；　but　she　confined　her　breakfast　to　two　or　three　crackers　of　hard　bread；　and　a　few　sups　of　coffee。　　The　pleasantry　had　failed　of　its　desired　effect。　　It　was　like　vinegar　upon　niter；　or　the　singing　of　songs　to　an　heavy　heart。

As　they　rose　from　the　table　the　Doctor　informed　her　that　he　and　the　Stewards　were　about　to　make　their　morning　round　of　the　wards；　and　that　she　had　better　accompany　them。　　She　went　along　without　a　word。

They　walked　slowly　up　and　down　the　long　aisles　behind　the　Doctor；　who　stopped　before　each　cot；　and　closely　examined　its　occupant's　tongue；　pulse；　and　other　indicators　of　his　condition；　and　gave　prescriptions；　which　the　Steward　wrote　down；　as　to　medicine　and　food。　　What　was　better　still　were　his　words　of　sympathy　for　the　very　ill　and　of　cheery　encouragement　for　the　convalescent；　which　he　bestowed　upon　every　one。

〃A　visit　from　Dr。　Denslow　does　a　sick　man　more　good；〃　whispered　〃Squills〃　to　Rachel；　as　he　saw　her　eyes　light　up　with　admiration　at　the　Doctor's　tactful　kindliness；　〃than　all　the　drugs　in　the　dispensary。　　I　sometiems　believe　he's　one　of　them　that　can　cure　by　a　simple　laying…on　of　hands。　　He's　just　the　opposite　of　old　Moxon；　who'd　counteract　the　effect　of　the　best　medicine　in　the　world。〃

〃No。　19；　Quin。　Sulph。；　grains　16；　make　four　powders；　one　every　three　hours；〃　continued　〃Squills；〃　repeating　the　directions　as　he　received　them；　〃Spiritus　Frumenti；　1　oz。；　at　evening。　　No。　2　diet。　No。　20；　Dover's　powder　10　grains；　at　bedtime。　　No　1　diet。　　You；〃　addressing　himself　to　Rachel　again；　〃will　do　even　better　than　Dr。　Denslow；　soon。　　Can't　you　see　how　the　mere　sight　of　you　brightens　up　everybody　around　here？〃

Rachel　had　no　reply　ready　for　so　broad　a　compliment；　but　its　assertion　of　her　high　usefulness　went　far　to　reconcile　her　to　her　position。

She　wondered　silently　if　her　mission　was　to　be　confined　to　posing　as　a　thing　of　beauty　and　a　joy　forever。

This　differed　much　from　her　expectations；　for　she　dreaded　at　each　step　lest　the　next　bring　her　fact　to　face　with　some　horrible　task；　which　she　would　be　expected　to　undertake。　　But　the　Doctor；