little novels-第31部分

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There　was　nothing　in　the　way　of　the　immediate　dispatch　of　my　message。　And　yet　the　hours　passed；　and　no　answer　was　received。　By　the　advice　of　the　clerk；　I　sent　a　second　telegram　to　the　London　office；　requesting　an　explanation。　The　reply　came　back　in　these　terms：

〃Improvements　in　street。　Houses　pulled　down。　No　trace　of　person　named　in　telegram。〃

I　mounted　my　horse；　and　rode　back　slowly　to　the　rectory。

〃The　day　of　his　return　to　me　will　bring　with　it　the　darkest　days　of　my　life。〃　。　。　。　。　。　〃I　shall　die　young；　and　die　miserably。　Have　you　interest　enough　still　left　in　me　to　wish　to　hear　of　it？〃　。。。。　〃You　_　shall_　hear　of　it。〃　Those　words　were　in　my　memory　while　I　rode　home　in　the　cloudless　moonlight　night。　They　were　so　vividly　present　to　me　that　I　could　hear　again　her　pretty　foreign　accent；　her　quiet　clear　tones；　as　she　spoke　them。　For　the　rest；　the　emotions　of　that　memorable　day　had　worn　me　out。　The　answer　from　the　telegraph　office　had　struck　me　with　a　strange　and　stony　despair。　My　mind　was　a　blank。　I　had　no　thoughts。　I　had　no　tears。

I　was　about　half…way　on　my　road　home；　and　I　had　just　heard　the　clock　of　a　village　church　strike　ten；　when　I　became　conscious；　little　by　little；　of　a　chilly　sensation　slowly　creeping　through　and　through　me　to　the　bones。　The　warm；　balmy　air　of　a　summer　night　was　abroad。　It　was　the　month　of　July。　In　the　month　of　July；　was　it　possible　that　any　living　creature　（in　good　health）　could　feel　cold？　It　was　_not_　possibleand　yet；　the　chilly　sensation　still　crept　through　and　through　me　to　the　bones。

I　looked　up。　I　looked　all　round　me。

My　horse　was　walking　along　an　open　highroad。　Neither　trees　nor　waters　were　near　me。　On　either　side；　the　flat　fields　stretched　away　bright　and　broad　in　the　moonlight。

I　stopped　my　horse；　and　looked　round　me　again。

Yes：　I　saw　it。　With　my　own　eyes　I　saw　it。　A　pillar　of　white　mistbetween　five　and　six　feet　high；　as　well　as　I　could　judgewas　moving　beside　me　at　the　edge　of　the　road；　on　my　left　hand。　When　I　stopped；　the　white　mist　stopped。　When　I　went　on；　the　white　mist　went　on。　I　pushed　my　horse　to　a　trotthe　pillar　of　mist　was　with　me。　I　urged　him　to　a　gallop…the　pillar　of　mist　was　with　me。　I　stopped　him　againthe　pillar　of　mist　stood　still。

The　white　color　of　it　was　the　white　color　of　the　fog　which　I　had　seen　over　the　riveron　the　night　when　I　had　gone　to　bid　her　farewell。　And　the　chill　which　had　then　crept　through　me　to　the　bones　was　the　chill　that　was　creeping　through　me　now。

I　went　on　again　slowly。　The　white　mist　went　on　again　slowlywith　the　clear　bright　night　all　round　it。

I　was　awed　rather　than　frightened。　There　was　one　moment；　and　one　only；　when　the　fear　came　to　me　that　my　reason　might　be　shaken。　I　caught　myself　keeping　time　to　the　slow　tramp　of　the　horse's　feet　with　the　slow　utterances　of　these　words；　repeated　over　and　over　again：　〃Jeromette　is　dead。　Jeromette　is　dead。〃　But　my　will　was　still　my　own：　I　was　able　to　control　myself；　to　impose　silence　on　my　own　muttering　lips。　And　I　rode　on　quietly。　And　the　pillar　of　mist　went　quietly　with　me。

My　groom　was　waiting　for　my　return　at　the　rectory　gate。　I　pointed　to　the　mist；　passing　through　the　gate　with　me。

〃Do　you　see　anything　there？〃　I　said。

The　man　looked　at　me　in　astonishment。

I　entered　the　rectory。　The　housekeeper　met　me　in　the　hall。　I　pointed　to　the　mist；　entering　with　me。

〃Do　you　see　anything　at　my　side？〃　I　asked。

The　housekeeper　looked　at　me　as　the　groom　had　looked　at　me。

〃I　am　afraid　you　are　not　well；　sir；〃　she　said。　〃Your　color　is　all　goneyou　are　shivering。　Let　me　get　you　a　glass　of　wine。　〃

I　went　into　my　study；　on　the　ground…floor；　and　took　the　chair　at　my　desk。　The　photograph　still　lay　where　I　had　left　it。　The　pillar　of　mist　floated　round　the　table；　and　stopped　opposite　to　me；　behind　the　photograph。

The　housekeeper　brought　in　the　wine。　I　put　the　glass　to　my　lips；　and　set　it　down　again。　The　chill　of　the　mist　was　in　the　wine。　There　was　no　taste；　no　reviving　spirit　in　it。　The　presence　of　the　housekeeper　oppressed　me。　My　dog　had　followed　her　into　the　room。　The　presence　of　the　animal　oppressed　me。　I　said　to　the　woman：　〃Leave　me　by　myself；　and　take　the　dog　with　you。〃

They　went　out；　and　left　me　alone　in　the　room。

I　sat　looking　at　the　pillar　of　mist；　hovering　opposite　to　me。

It　lengthened　slowly；　until　it　reached　to　the　ceiling。　As　it　lengthened；　it　grew　bright　and　luminous。　A　time　passed；　and　a　shadowy　appearance　showed　itself　in　the　center　of　the　light。　Little　by　little；　the　shadowy　appearance　took　the　outline　of　a　human　form。　Soft　brown　eyes；　tender　and　melancholy；　looked　at　me　through　the　unearthly　light　in　the　mist。　The　head　and　the　rest　of　the　face　broke　next　slowly　on　my　view。　Then　the　figure　gradually　revealed　itself；　moment　by　moment；　downward　and　downward　to　the　feet。　She　stood　before　me　as　I　had　last　seen　her；　in　her　purple…merino　dress；　with　the　black…silk　apron；　with　the　white　handkerchief　tied　loosely　round　her　neck。　She　stood　before　me；　in　the　gentle　beauty　that　I　remembered　so　well；　and　looked　at　me　as　she　had　looked　when　she　gave　me　her　last　kisswhen　her　tears　had　dropped　on　my　cheek。

I　fell　on　my　knees　at　the　table。　I　stretched　out　my　hands　to　her　imploringly。　I　said：　〃Speak　to　meO；　once　again　speak　to　me；　Jeromette。〃

Her　eyes　rested　on　me　with　a　divine　compassion　in　them。　She　lifted　her　hand；　and　pointed　to　the　photograph　on　my　desk；　with　a　gesture　which　bade　me　turn　the　card。　I　turned　it。　The　name　of　the　man　who　had　left　my　house　that　morning　was　inscribed　on　it；　in　her　own　handwriting。

I　looked　up　at　her　again；　when　I　had　read　it。　She　lifted　her　hand　once　more；　and　pointed　to　the　handkerchief　round　her　neck。　As　I　looked　at　it；　the　fair　white　silk　changed　horribly　in　colorthe　fair　white　silk　became　darkened　and　drenched　in　blood。

A　moment　moreand　the　vision　of　her　began　to　grow　dim。　By　slow　degrees；　the　fi　gure；　then　the　face；　faded　back　into　the　shadowy　appearance　that　I　had　first　seen。　The　luminous　inner　light　died　out　in　the　white　mist。　The　mist　itself　dropped　slowly　downwardfloated　a　moment　in　airy　circles　on　the　floorvanished。　Nothing　was　before　me　but　the　familiar　wall　of　the　room；　and　the　photograph　lying　face　downward　on　my　desk。

X。

THE　next　day；　the　newspapers　reported　the　discovery　of　a　murder　in　London。　A　Frenchwoman　was　the　victim。　She　had　been　killed　by　a　wound　in　the　throat。　The　crime　had　been　discovered　between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock　on　the　previous　night。

I　leave　you　to　draw　your　conclusion　from　what　I　have　related。　My　own　faith　in　the　reality　of　the　apparition　is　immovable。　I　say；　and　believe；　that　Jeromette　kept　her　word　with　me。　She　died　young；　and　died　miserably。　And　I　heard　of　it　from　herself。

Take　up　the　Trial　again；　and　look　at　the　circumstances　that　were　revealed　during　the　investigation　in　court。　His　motive　for　murdering　her　is　there。

You　will　see　that　she　did　indeed　marry　him　privately；　that　they　lived　together　contentedly；　until　the　fatal　day　when　she　discovered　that　his　fancy　had　been　caught　by　another　woman；　that　violent　quarrels　took　place　between　them；　from　that　time　to　the　time　when　my　sermon　showed　him　his　own　deadly　hatred　toward　her；　reflected　in　the　case　of　another　man；　that　she　discovered　his　place　of　retreat　in　my　house；　and　threatened　him　by　letter　with　the　public　assertion　of　her　conjugal　rights；　lastly；　that　a　man；　variously　described　by　different　witnesses；　was　seen　leaving　the　door　of　her　lodgings　on　the　night　of　the　murder。　The　Lawadvancing　no　further　than　thismay　have　discovered　circumstances　of　suspicion；　but　no　certainty。　The　Law；　in　default　of　direct　evidence　to　convict　the　prisoner；　may　have　rightly　decided　in　letting　him　go　free。

But　_I_　persisted　in　believing　that　the　man　was　guilty。　_I_　declare　that　he；　and　he　alone；　was　the　murderer　of　Jeromette。　And　now；　you　know　why。


MISS　MINA　AND　THE　GROOM

I。

I　HEAR　that　the　〃shocking　story　of　my　conduct〃　was　widely　circulated　at　the　ball；　and　that　public　opinion　（among　the　ladies）；　in　every　part　of　the　room；　declared　I　had　disgraced　myself。　But　there　was　one　dissentient　voice　in　this　chorus　of　general　condemnation。　You　spoke；　Madam；　with　all　the　authority　of　your　wide　celebrity　and　your　high　rank。　You　said：　〃I　am　personally　a　stranger　to　the　young　lady　who　is　the　subject　of　remark。　If　I　venture　to　interfere；　it　is　only　to　remind　you　that　there　are　two　sides　to　every　question。　May　I　ask　if　you　have　waited　to　pass　sentence；　until　you　have　heard　what　the　person　accused　has　to　say　in　her　own　defense？〃

These　just　and　generous　words　produced；　if　I　am　correctly　informed；　a　dead　silence。　Not　one　of　the　women　who　had　condemned　me　had　heard　me　in　my　own　defense。　Not　one　of　them　ventured　to　answer　you。

How　I　may　stand　in　the　opinions　of　such　persons　as　these；　is　a　matter　of　perfect　indifference　to　me。　My　one　anxiety　is　to　show　that　I　am　not　quite　unworthy　of　your　considerate　interference　in　my　favor。　Will　you　honor　me　by　reading　what　I　have　to　say　for　myself　in　these　pages？

I　will　pass　as　rapidly　as　I　can　over　the　subject　of　my　family；　and　I　will　abstain　（in　deference　to　motives　of　gratitude　and　honor）　from　mentioning　surnames　in　my　narrative。

My　father　was　the　second　son　of　an　English　nobleman。　A　German　lady　was　his　first　wife；　and　my　mother。　Left　a　widower；　he　married　for　the　second　time；　the　new　wife　being　of　American　birth。　She　took　a　stepmother's　dislike　to　mewhich；　in　some　degree　at　least；　I　must　own　that　I　deserved。

When　the　newly　married　pair　went　to　the　United　States　they　left　me　in　England；　by　my　own　desire；　to　live　under　the　protection　of　my　unclea　General　in　the　army。　This　good　man's　marriage　had　been　childless；　and　his　wife　（Lady　Claudia）　was；　perhaps　on　that　account；　as　kindly　ready　as　her　husband　to　receive　me　in　the　character　of　an　adopted　daughter。　I　may　add　here；　that　I　bear　my　German　mother's　Christian　name；　Wilhelmina。　All　my　friends；　in　the　days　when　I　had　friends；　used　to　shorten　this　to　Mina。　Be　my　friend　so　far；　and　call　me　Mina；　too。

After　these　few　words　of　introduction；　will　your　patience　bear　with　me；　if　I　try　to　make　you　better　acquainted　with　my　uncle　and　aunt；　and　if　I　allude　to　circumstances　connected　with　my　new　life　which　had；　as　I　fear；　some　influence　in　altering　my　character　for　the　worse？

I