第 12 节
作者:炒作      更新:2024-07-17 14:41      字数:9322
  rheum ponticum; alipta; moschata; castor; spikenard; galangals; opoponax;
  anacardium; mastich; brimstone; peony; eringo; pulp of dates; red and
  white hermodactyls; roses; thyme; acorns; pennyroyal; gentian; the bark
  of the root of mandrake; germander; valerian; bishop's…weed; bayberries;
  long and white pepper; xylobalsamum; carnabadium; macedonian; parsley
  seeds; lovage; the seeds of rue; and sinon; of each a dram and a half; of
  pure gold; pure silver; pearls not perforated; the blatta byzantina; the
  bone of the stag's heart; of each the quantity of fourteen grains of
  wheat; of sapphire; emerald and jasper stones; each one dram; of hazel…
  nuts; two drams; of pellitory of Spain; shavings of ivory; calamus
  odoratus; each the quantity of twenty…nine grains of wheat; of honey or
  sugar a sufficient quantity。  Boil down and skim off。〃
  〃There;〃 he said; 〃that will fix the patient; give his brother a
  dipperful every three…quarters of an hour〃
  〃while he survives;〃 muttered Luigi
  〃and see that the room is kept wholesomely hot; and the doors and
  windows closed tight。  Keep Count Angelo nicely covered up with six or
  seven blankets; and when he is thirstywhich will be frequentlymoisten
  a 'rag in the vapor of the tea kettle and let his brother suck it。  When
  he is hungrywhich will also be frequently he must not be humored
  oftener than every seven or eight hours; then toast part of a cracker
  until it begins to brown; and give it to his brother。〃
  〃That is all very well; as far as Angelo is concerned;〃 said Luigi; 〃but
  what am I to eat?〃
  〃I do not see that there is anything the matter with you;〃 the doctor
  answered; 〃you may; of course; eat what you please。〃
  〃And also drink what I please; I suppose?〃
  〃Oh; certainlyat present。  When the violent and continuous perspiring
  has reduced your strength; I shall have to reduce your diet; of course;
  and also bleed you; but there is no occasion for that yet awhile。〃  He
  turned to Aunt Patsy and said: 〃He must be put to bed; and sat up with;
  and tended with the greatest care; and not allowed to stir for several
  days and nights。〃
  〃For one; I'm sacredly thankful for that;〃 said Luigi; 〃it postpones the
  funeralI'm not to be drowned to…day; anyhow。〃
  Angelo said quietly to the doctor:
  〃I will cheerfully submit to all your requirements; sir; up to two
  o'clock this afternoon; and will resume them after three; but cannot be
  confined to the house during that intermediate hour。〃
  〃Why; may I ask?〃
  〃Because I have entered the Baptist communion; and by appointment am to
  be baptised in the river at that hour。〃
  〃Oh; insanity!it cannot be allowed!〃
  Angelo answered with placid firmness:
  〃Nothing shall prevent it; if I am alive。〃
  〃Why; consider; my dear sir; in your condition it might prove fatal。〃
  A tender and ecstatic smile beamed from Angelo's eyes; and he broke forth
  in a tone of joyous fervency:
  〃Ah; how blessed it would be to die for such a causeit would be
  martyrdom!〃
  〃But your brotherconsider your brother; you would be risking his life;
  too。〃
  〃He risked mine an hour ago;〃 responded Angelo; gloomily; 〃did he
  consider me?〃  A thought swept through his mind that made him shudder。
  〃If I had not run; I might have been killed in a duel on the Sabbath day;
  and my soul would have been lostlost。〃
  〃Oh; don't fret; it wasn't in any danger;〃 said Luigi; irritably; 〃they
  wouldn't waste it for a little thing like that; there's a glass case all
  ready for it in the heavenly museum; and a pin to stick it up with。〃
  Aunt Patsy was shocked; and said:
  〃Looy; Looy!don't talk so; dear!〃
  Rowena's soft heart was pierced by Luigi's unfeeling words; and she
  murmured to herself; 〃Oh; if I but had the dear privilege of protecting
  and defending him with my weak voice!but alas! this sweet boon is
  denied me by the cruel conventions of social intercourse。〃
  〃Get their bed ready;〃 said Aunt Patsy to Nancy; 〃and shut up the windows
  and doors; and light their candles; and see that you drive all the
  mosquitoes out of their bar; and make up a good fire in their stove; and
  carry up some bags of hot ashes to lay to his feet〃
  〃and a shovel of fire for his head; and a mustard plaster for his neck;
  and some gum shoes for his ears;〃 Luigi interrupted; with temper; and
  added; to himself; 〃Damnation; I'm going to be roasted alive; I just know
  it!〃
  〃Why; Looy!  Do be quiet; I never saw such a fractious thing。  A body
  would think you didn't care for your brother。〃
  〃I don'tto that extent; Aunt Patsy。  I was glad the drowning was
  postponed a minute ago; but I'm not now。  No; that is all gone by; I want
  to be drowned。〃
  〃You'll bring a judgment on yourself just as sure as you live; if you go
  on like that。  Why; I never heard the beat of it。  Now; therethere!
  you've said enough。  Not another word out of youI won't have it!〃
  〃But; Aunt Patsy〃
  〃Luigi!  Didn't you hear what I told you?〃
  〃But; Aunt Patsy; Iwhy; I'm not going to set my heart and lungs afloat
  in that pail of sewage which this criminal here has been prescri〃
  〃Yes; you are; too。  You are going to be good; and do everything I tell
  you; like a dear;〃 and she tapped his cheek affectionately with her
  finger。  〃Rowena; take the prescription and go in the kitchen and hunt up
  the things and lay them out for me。  I'll sit up with my patient the rest
  of the night; doctor; I can't trust Nancy; she couldn't make Luigi take
  the medicine。  Of course; you'll drop in again during the day。  Have you
  got any more directions?〃
  〃No; I believe not; Aunt Patsy。  If I don't get in earlier; I'll be along
  by early candle…light; anyway。  Meantime; don't allow him to get out of
  his bed。〃
  Angelo said; with calm determination:
  〃I shall be baptized at two o'clock。  Nothing but death shall prevent
  me。〃
  The doctor said nothing aloud; but to himself he said:
  〃Why; this chap's got a manly side; after all!  Physically he's a coward;
  but morally he's a lion。  I'll go and tell the others about this; it will
  raise him a good deal in their estimationand the public will follow
  their lead; of course。〃
  Privately; Aunt Patsy applauded too; and was proud of Angelo's courage in
  the moral field as she was of Luigi's in the field of honor。
  The boy Henry was troubled; but the boy Joe said; inaudibly; and
  gratefully; 〃We're all honky; after all; and no postponement on account
  of the weather。〃
  CHAPTER VIII
  BAPTISM OF THE BETTER HALF
  By nine o'clock the town was humming with the news of the midnight duel;
  and there were but two opinions about it: one; that Luigi's pluck in the
  field was most praiseworthy and Angela's flight most scandalous; the
  other; that Angelo's courage in flying the field for conscience' sake was
  as fine and creditable as was Luigi's in holding the field in the face of
  the bullets。  The one opinion was held by half of the town; the other one
  was maintained by the other half。  The division was clean and exact; and
  it made two parties; an Angela party and a Luigi party。  The twins had
  suddenly become popular idols along with Pudd'nhead Wilson; and haloed
  with a glory as intense as his。  The children talked the duel all the way
  to Sunday…school; their elders talked it all the way to church; the choir
  discussed it behind their red curtain; it usurped the place of pious
  thought in the 〃nigger gallery。〃
  By noon the doctor had added the news; and spread it; that Count Angelo;
  in spite of his wound and all warnings and supplications; was resolute in
  his determination to be baptized at the hour appointed。  This swept the
  town like wildfire; and mightily reinforced the enthusiasm of the Angelo
  faction; who said; 〃If any doubted that it was moral courage that took
  him from the field; what have they to say now!〃
  Still the excitement grew。  All the morning it was traveling countryward;
  toward all points of the compass; so; whereas before only the farmers and
  their wives were intending to come and witness the remarkable baptism;
  a general holiday was now proclaimed and the children and negroes
  admitted to the privileges of the occasion。  All the farms for ten miles
  around were vacated; all the converging roads emptied long processions of
  wagons; horses; and yeomanry into the town。  The pack and cram of people
  vastly exceeded any that had ever been seen in that sleepy region before。
  The only thing that had ever even approached it; was the time long gone
  by; but never forgotten; nor even referred to without wonder and pride;
  when two circuses and a Fourth of July fell together。  But the glory of
  that occasion was extinguished now for good。  It was but a freshet to
  this deluge。
  The great invasion massed itself on the river…bank and waited hungrily
  for the immense event。  Waited; and wondered if it would really happen;
  or if the twin who was not a 〃professor〃 would stand out and prevent it。
  But they were not to be disappointed。  Angela was as good as his word。
  He came attended by an escort of honor composed of several hundred of the
  best citizens; all of the Angelo party; and when the immersion was
  finished they escorted him back home and would even have carried him on
  their shoulders; but that people might think they were