“Downthere，walkingontheroadtothevillageShewasinabluedress，andsheliftedtheveilofherbonnetandsaid：——’RamDass，givemysalaamstotheSahib，andtellhimthatIshallmeethimnextmonthatNuddea。’ThenIranaway，becauseIwasafraid。”
WhatDumoisesaidordidIdonotknowRamDassdeclaresthathesaidnothing，butwalkedupanddowntheverandahallthecoldnight，waitingfortheMemsahibtocomeupthehillandstretchingouthisarmsintothedarklikeamadmanButnoMemsahibcame，and，nextday，hewentontoSimlacross-questioningthebearereveryhour。
RamDasscouldonlysaythathehadmetMrsDumoiseandthatshehadliftedupherveilandgivenhimthemessagewhichhehadfaithfullyrepeatedtoDumoiseTothisstatementRamDassadhered。
HedidnotknowwhereNuddeawas，hadnofriendsatNuddea，andwouldmostcertainlynevergotoNuddea；eventhoughhispayweredoubled。
NuddeaisinBengal，andhasnothingwhatevertodowithadoctorservinginthePunjabItmustbemorethantwelvehundredmilesfromMeridki。
DumoisewentthroughSimlawithouthalting，andreturnedtoMeridkitheretotakeoverchargefromthemanwhohadbeenofficiatingforhimduringhistourThereweresomeDispensaryaccountstobeexplained，andsomerecentordersoftheSurgeon-Generaltobenoted，and，altogether，thetaking-overwasafullday’sworkIntheevening，Dumoisetoldhislocumtenens，whowasanoldfriendofhisbachelordays，whathadhappenedatBagi；andthemansaidthatRamDassmightaswellhavechosenTuticorinwhilehewasaboutit。
Atthatmomentatelegraph-peoncameinwithatelegramfromSimla，orderingDumoisenottotakeoverchargeatMeridki，buttogoatoncetoNuddeaonspecialdutyTherewasanastyoutbreakofcholeraatNuddea，andtheBengalGovernment，beingshorthanded，asusual，hadborrowedaSurgeonfromthePunjab。
Dumoisethrewthetelegramacrossthetableandsaid：——“Well？”
TheotherDoctorsaidnothingItwasallthathecouldsay。
ThenherememberedthatDumoisehadpassedthroughSimlaonhiswayfromBagi；andthusmight，possibly，haveheardthefirstnewsoftheimpendingtransfer。
Hetriedtoputthequestion，andtheimpliedsuspicionintowords，butDumoisestoppedhimwith：——“IfIhaddesiredTHAT，IshouldneverhavecomebackfromChiniIwasshootingthereIwishtolive，forIhavethingstodobutIshallnotbesorry。”
Theothermanbowedhishead，andhelped，inthetwilight，topackupDumoise’sjustopenedtrunksRamDassenteredwiththelamps。
“WhereistheSahibgoing？”heasked。
“ToNuddea。”saidDumoise，softly。
RamDassclawedDumoise’skneesandbootsandbeggedhimnottogo。
RamDassweptandhowledtillhewasturnedoutoftheroom。
ThenhewrappedupallhisbelongingsandcamebacktoaskforacharacterHewasnotgoingtoNuddeatoseehisSahibdie，and，perhapstodiehimself。
SoDumoisegavethemanhiswagesandwentdowntoNuddeaalone；theotherDoctorbiddinghimgood-byeasoneundersentenceofdeath。
Elevendayslater，hehadjoinedhisMemsahib；andtheBengalGovernmenthadtoborrowafreshDoctortocopewiththatepidemicatNuddeaThefirstimportationlaydeadinChooadangaDak-
Bungalow。
TOBEHELDFORREFERENCE。
BythehoofoftheWildGoatup-tossedFromtheCliffwhereShelayintheSun，FelltheStoneTotheTarnwherethedaylightislost；
SoShefellfromthelightoftheSun，Andalone。
Nowthefallwasordainedfromthefirst，WiththeGoatandtheCliffandtheTarn，ButtheStoneKnowsonlyHerlifeisaccursed，AsShesinksinthedepthsoftheTarn，Andalone。
Oh，ThouwhohasbuildedtheworldOh，ThouwhohastlightedtheSun！
Oh，ThouwhohastdarkenedtheTarn！
JudgeThouTheSinoftheStonethatwashurledBytheGoatfromthelightoftheSun，AsShesinksinthemireoftheTarn，Evennow——evennow——evennow！
FromtheUnpublishedPapersofMcIntoshJellaludin。
“Say，isitdawn，isitduskinthyBower，ThouwhomIlongfor，wholongestforme？
Ohbeitnight——beit——“
Herehefelloveralittlecamel-coltthatwassleepingintheSeraiwherethehorse-tradersandthebestoftheblackguardsfromCentralAsialive；and，becausehewasver...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：