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The World Set Free-Part28_H. G. WELLS (1866-1946)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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on the outside by frost, but polished within and of a tremendous



solidity. And in a honeycomb of subtly lit apartments, were the

spotless research benches, the operating tables, the instruments



of brass, and fine glass and platinum and gold. Men and women

came from all parts of the world for study or experimental



research. They wore a common uniform of white and ate at long

tables together, but the patients lived in an upper part of the



buildings, and were cared for by nurses and skilled

attendants....



The first man to greet Karenin was Ciana, the scientific director

of the institution. Beside him was Rachel Borken, the chief



organiser. 'You are tired?' she asked, and old Karenin shook his

head.



'Cramped,' he said. 'I have wanted to visit such a place as

this.'



He spoke as if he had no other business with them.

There was a little pause.



'How many scientific people have you got here now?' he asked.

'Just three hundred and ninety-two,' said Rachel Borken.



'And the patients and attendants and so on?'

'Two thousand and thirty.'



'I shall be a patient,' said Karenin. 'I shall have to be a

patient. But I should like to see things first. Presently I will



be a patient.'

'You will come to my rooms?' suggested Ciana.



'And then I must talk to this doctor of yours,' said Karenin.

'But I would like to see a bit of this place and talk to some of



your people before it comes to that.'

He winced and moved forward.



'I have left most of my work in order,' he said.

'You have been working hard up to now?' asked Rachel Borken.



'Yes. And now I have nothing more to do--and it seems strange....

And it's a bother, this illness and having to come down to



oneself. This doorway and the row of windows is well done; the

gray granite and just the line of gold, and then those mountains



beyond through that arch. It's very well done....'

Section 2



Karenin lay on the bed with a soft white rug about him, and

Fowler, who was to be his surgeon sat on the edge of the bed and



talked to him. An assistant was seated quietly in the shadow

behind the bed. The examination had been made, and Karenin knew



what was before him. He was tired but serene.

'So I shall die,' he said, 'unless you operate?'



Fowler assented. 'And then,' said Karenin, smiling, 'probably I

shall die.'



'Not certainly.'

'Even if I do not die; shall I be able to work?'



'There is just a chance....'

'So firstly I shall probably die, and if I do not, then perhaps I



shall be a useless invalid?'

'I think if you live, you may be able to go on--as you do now.'



'Well, then, I suppose I must take the risk of it. Yet couldn't

you, Fowler, couldn't you drug me and patch me instead of all



this--vivisection? A few days of drugged and active life--and

then the end?'



Fowler thought. 'We are not sure enough yet to do things like

that,' he said.



'But a day is coming when you will be certain.'

Fowler nodded.



'You make me feel as though I was the last of

deformity--Deformity is uncertainty--inaccuracy. My body works



doubtfully, it is not even sure that it will die or live. I

suppose the time is not far off when such bodies as mine will no



longer be born into the world.'

'You see,' said Fowler, after a little pause, 'it is necessary



that spirits such as yours should be born into the world.'

'I suppose,' said Karenin, 'that my spirit has had its use. But



if you think that is because my body is as it is I think you are

mistaken. There is no peculiarvirtue in defect. I have always



chafed against--all this. If I could have moved more freely and




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