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第37章 掘墓盗尸人5（第1页）

Godrotectus，Mr。Fettes!

"saidthelandlord，comingfirstintoossessionofhiscustomarysenses。

"Whatintheuniverseisallthis?Thesearestrangethingsyouhavebeensaying。

"

Fettesturnedtowardus;helookeduseachinsuccessionintheface。

"Seeifyoucanholdyourtongues，

"saidhe。

"ThatmanMacfarlaneisnotsafetocross;thosethathavedonesoalreadyhavereentedittoolate。

"

Andthen，withoutsomuchasfinishinghisthirdglass，farlesswaitingfortheothertwo，hebadeusgood-byeandwentforth，underthelamofthehotel，intotheblacknight。

Wethreeturnedtoourlacesinthearlour，withthebigredfireandfourclearcandles;andaswerecaitulatedwhathadassed，thefirstchillofoursurrisesoonchangedintoaglowofcuriosity。Wesatlate;itwasthelatestsessionIhaveknownintheoldGeorge。Eachman，beforewearted，hadhistheorythathewasboundtorove;andnoneofushadanynearerbusinessinthisworldthantotrackouttheastofourcondemnedcomanion，andsurrisethesecretthathesharedwiththegreatLondondoctor。Itisnogreatboast，butIbelieveIwasabetterhandatwormingoutastorythaneitherofmyfellowsattheGeorge;anderhasthereisnownoothermanalivewhocouldnarratetoyouthefollowingfoulandunnaturalevents。

InhisyoungdaysFettesstudiedmedicineintheschoolsofEdinburgh。Hehadtalentofakind，thetalentthaticksuswiftlywhatithearsandreadilyretailsitforitsown。Heworkedlittleathome;buthewascivil，attentive，andintelligentintheresenceofhismasters。Theysoonickedhimoutasaladwholistenedcloselyandrememberedwell;nay，strangeasitseemedtomewhenIfirstheardit，hewasinthosedayswellfavoured，andleasedbyhisexterior。Therewas，atthateriod，acertainextramuralteacherofanatomy，whomIshallheredesignatebytheletterK。Hisnamewassubsequentlytoowell-known。ThemanwhoboreitskulkedthroughthestreetsofEdinburghindisguise，whilethemobthatalaudedattheexecutionofBurkecalledloudlyforthebloodofhisemloyer。ButMr。Kwasthenatthetoofhisvogue;heenjoyedaoularitydueartlytohisowntalentandaddress，artlytotheincaacityofhisrival，theuniversityrofessor。Thestudents，atleast，sworebyhisname，andFettesbelievedhimself，andwasbelievedbyothers，tohavelaidthefoundationsofsuccesswhenhehadacquiredthefavourofthismeteoricallyfamousman。Mr。KwasaBONVIVANTaswellasanaccomlishedteacher;helikedaslyillusionnolessthanacarefulrearation。InbothcaacitiesFettesenjoyedanddeservedhisnotice，andbythesecondyearofhisattendanceheheldthehalf-regularositionofseconddemonstratororsub-assistantinhisclass。

Inthiscaacitythechargeofthetheatreandlecture-roomdevolvedinarticularuonhisshoulders。Hehadtoanswerforthecleanlinessoftheremisesandtheconductoftheotherstudents，anditwasaartofhisdutytosuly，receive，anddividethevarioussubjects。Itwaswithaviewtothislast—atthattimeverydelicate—affairthathewaslodgedbyMr。Kinthesamewynd，andatlastinthesamebuilding，withthedissecting-rooms。Here，afteranightofturbulentleasures，hishandstilltottering，hissightstillmistyandconfused，hewouldbecalledoutofbedintheblackhoursbeforethewinterdawnbytheuncleananddeserateinterloerswhosuliedthetable。Hewouldoenthedoortothesemen，sinceinfamousthroughouttheland。Hewouldhelthemwiththeirtragicburden，aythemtheirsordidrice，andremainalone，whentheyweregone，withtheunfriendlyrelicsofhumanity。Fromsuchascenehewouldreturntosnatchanotherhourortwoofslumber，toreairtheabusesofthenight，andrefreshhimselfforthelaboursoftheday。

Fewladscouldhavebeenmoreinsensibletotheimressionsofalifethusassedamongtheensignsofmortality。Hismindwasclosedagainstallgeneralconsiderations。Hewasincaableofinterestinthefateandfortunesofanother，theslaveofhisowndesiresandlowambitions。Cold，light，andselfishinthelastresort，hehadthatmodicumofrudence，miscalledmorality，whichkeesamanfrominconvenientdrunkennessorunishabletheft。Hecoveted，besides，ameasureofconsiderationfromhismastersandhisfellow-uils，andhehadnodesiretofailconsicuouslyintheexternalartsoflife。Thushemadeithisleasuretogainsomedistinctioninhisstudies，anddayafterdayrenderedunimeachableeye-servicetohisemloyer，Mr。K。Forhisdayofworkheindemnifiedhimselfbynightsofroaring，blackguardlyenjoyment;andwhenthatbalancehadbeenstruck，theorganthathecalledhisconsciencedeclareditselfcontent。