住院的病人05（在线收听）

“This was a visit from a gentleman of the name of Blessington, who was a  complete stranger to me. He came up to my room one morning, and plunged into  business in an instant.

“‘You are the same Percy Trevelyan who has had so distinguished a career and  won a great prize lately?’ said he.

“I bowed.

“‘Answer me frankly,’ he continued, ‘for you will find it to your interest  to do so. You have all the cleverness which makes a successful man. Have you the  tact?’

“I could not help smiling at the abruptness of the question.

“‘I trust that I have my share,’ I said.

“‘Any bad habits? Not drawn towards drink, eh?’

“‘Really, sir!’ I cried.

“‘Quite right! That's all right! But I was bound to ask. With all these  qualities, why are you not in practice?’

“I shrugged my shoulders.

“‘Come, come!’ said he, in his bustling way. ‘It's the old story. More in  your brains than in your pocket, eh? What would you say if I were to start you  in Brook Street?’

“I stared at him in astonishment.

“‘Oh, it's for my sake, not for yours,’ he cried. ‘I'll be perfectly frank  with you, and if it suits you it will suit me very well. I have a few thousands  to invest, d'ye see, and I think I'll sink them in you.’

“‘But why?’ I gasped.

“‘Well, it's just like any other speculation, and safer than most.’

“‘What am I to do, then?’

“‘I'll tell you. I'll take the house, furnish it, pay the maids, and run the  whole place. All you have to do is just to wear out your chair in the  consulting-room. I'll let you have pocket-money and everything. Then you hand  over to me three quarters of what you earn, and you keep the other quarter for  yourself.’

“这就是一位名叫布莱星顿的绅士的来访。布莱星顿和我素不相识，一天早晨他突然走进我 房里，开门见山地谈到他的来意。

“‘你就是那位取得卓越成就，最近获奖的珀西-特里维廉先生吗？’他说道。

“我点了点头。

“‘请坦率地回答我的问题，’他继续说道，‘你会看到这样做对你是有好处的。你非常有 才华，会成为一个有造就的人。你明白吗？’“听到这样突如其来的问题，我不由得笑了起 来。

“‘我相信我会尽力而为的，’我说道。

“‘你有不一良嗜好吗？不酗酒吗？’“‘没有，先生！’我大声说道。

“‘太好了！这太好了！不过我必须问问，你既然有这些本事，为什么不开业行医呢？’“ 我耸了耸肩。

“‘是啊，是啊！’他赶忙说，‘这是毫不足怪的。虽然你脑子里装的东西很多，可是口袋 里却一无所有，对不对？要是我帮你在布鲁克街开业，你的意见如何？’

“我惊异地两眼盯着他。

“‘啊，这是为了我自己的利益，并不是为了你，’他大声说道，‘我对你十分坦率，如果 这对你合适的话，那对我就更加合适了。我有几千镑准备投资，你知道，我认为我可以投资 给你。”

“‘那为什么呢？’我忙问道。

“‘啊，这正象别的投机事业一样，不过比较更保险一些。’

“‘那么，我该做些什么事呢？’

“‘我自然要告诉你的。我要替你租房子，置家具，雇女仆，管理一切。你要做的只是坐在 诊室里看病。我给你零用钱和一切需用的东西。然后你把你赚的钱一交一给我四分之三，剩 下的四分之一，你自己留着。’