【英文原著类】THE SECRET PLACES OF THE HEART(心灵隐秘处).pdf

THE SECRET PLACES OF THE HEART
THE SECRET PLACES
OF THE HEART
BY H. G. WELLS
1
THE SECRET PLACES OF THE HEART
CHAPTER THE FIRST
THE CONSULTATION
SECTION 1
The maid was a young woman of great natural calmness; she was
accustomed to let in visitors who had this air of being annoyed and finding
one umbrella too numerous for them. It mattered nothing to her that the
gentleman was asking for Dr. Martineau as if he was asking for something
with an unpleasant taste. Almost imperceptibly she relieved him of his
umbrella and juggled his hat and coat on to a massive mahogany stand.
"What name, Sir?" she asked, holding open the door of the consulting
room.
"Hardy," said the gentleman, and then yielding it reluctantly with its
distasteful three-year-old honour, "Sir Richmond Hardy."
The door closed softly behind him and he found himself in undivided
possession of the large indifferent apartment in which the nervous and
mental troubles of the outer world eddied for a time on their way to the
distinguished specialist. A bowl of daffodils, a handsome bookcase
containing bound Victorian magazines and antiquated medical works,
some paintings of Scotch scenery, three big armchairs, a buhl clock, and a
bronze Dancing Faun, by their want of any collective idea enhanced rather
than mitigated the promiscuous disregard of the room. He drifted to the
midmost of the three windows and stared out despondently at Harley
Street.
For a minute or so he remained as still and limp as an empty jacket on
its peg, and then a gust of irritation stirred him.
"Damned fool I was e here," he said..."DAMNED fool!
"Rush out of the place? . . .
"I've given my name." . . .
He heard the door behind him open and for a moment pretended not to
hear. Then he turned round. "I don't see what you can do for me," he said.
"I'm sure _I_ don't," said the doctor. "e here and talk."
2
THE SECRET PLACES OF THE HEART
There was something reassuringly inaggressive about t