little novels-第38部分

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　which　places　us　both　in　an　independent　position　for　life。

But　he　had　his　misgivings。　He　checked　me　when　I　tried　to　thank　him。

〃Come　back　in　a　year's　time；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　wait　to　be　thanked　till　the　experience　of　your　married　life　tells　me　that　I　have　deserved　it。〃

The　year　passed；　and　the　General　received　the　honest　expression　of　my　gratitude。　He　smiled　and　kissed　me；　but　there　was　something　in　his　face　which　suggested　that　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　yet。

〃Do　you　believe　that　I　have　spoken　sincerely？〃　I　asked。

〃I　firmly　believe　it；〃　he　answeredand　there　he　stopped。

A　wiser　woman　would　have　taken　the　hint　and　dropped　the　subject。　My　folly　persisted　in　putting　another　question：

〃Tell　me；　uncle。　Haven't　I　proved　that　I　was　right　when　I　married　my　groom？〃

〃No；　my　dear。　You　have　only　proved　that　you　are　a　lucky　woman！〃


MR。　LEPEL　AND　THE　HOUSEKEEPER

FIRST　EPOCH。

THE　Italians　are　born　actors。

At　this　conclusion　I　arrived；　sitting　in　a　Roman　theaternow　many　years　since。　My　friend　and　traveling　companion；　Rothsay；　cordially　agreed　with　me。　Experience　had　given　us　some　claim　to　form　an　opinion。　We　had　visited；　at　that　time；　nearly　every　city　in　Italy。　Where…ever　a　theater　was　open；　we　had　attended　the　performances　of　the　companies　which　travel　from　place　to　place；　and　we　had　never　seen　bad　acting　from　first　to　last。　Men　and　women；　whose　names　are　absolutely　unknown　in　England；　played　（in　modern　comedy　and　drama　for　the　most　part）　with　a　general　level　of　dramatic　ability　which　I　have　never　seen　equaled　in　the　theaters　of　other　nations。　Incapable　Italian　actors　there　must　be；　no　doubt。　For　my　own　part　I　have　only　discovered　them；　by　ones　and　twos；　in　England；　appearing　among　the　persons　engaged　to　support　Salvini　and　Ristori　before　the　audiences　of　London。

On　the　occasion　of　which　I　am　now　writing；　the　night's　performances　consisted　of　two　plays。　An　accident；　to　be　presently　related；　prevented　us　from　seeing　more　than　the　introductory　part　of　the　second　piece。　That　one　actin　respect　of　the　influence　which　the　remembrance　of　it　afterward　exercised　over　Rothsay　and　myselfclaims　a　place　of　its　own　in　the　opening　pages　of　the　present　narrative。

The　scene　of　the　story　was　laid　in　one　of　the　principalities　of　Italy；　in　the　bygone　days　of　the　Carbonaro　conspiracies。　The　chief　persons　were　two　young　noblemen；　friends　affectionately　attached　to　each　other；　and　a　beautiful　girl　born　in　the　lower　ranks　of　life

On　the　rising　of　the　curtain；　the　scene　before　us　was　the　courtyard　of　a　prison。　We　found　the　beautiful　girl　（called　Celia　as　well　as　I　can　recollect）　in　great　distress；　confiding　her　sorrows　to　the　jailer's　daughter。　Her　father　was　pining　in　the　prison；　charged　with　an　offense　of　which　he　was　innocent；　and　she　herself　was　suffering　the　tortures　of　hopeless　love。　She　was　on　the　point　of　confiding　her　secret　to　her　friend；　when　the　appearance　of　the　young　nobleman　closed　her　lips。　The　girls　at　once　withdrew；　and　the　two　friendswhom　I　now　only　remember　as　the　Marquis　and　the　Countbegan　the　dialogue　which　prepared　us　for　the　story　of　the　play。

The　Marquis　had　been　tried　for　conspiracy　against　the　reigning　Prince　and　his　government；　had　been　found　guilty；　and　is　condemned　to　be　shot　that　evening。　He　accepts　his　sentence　with　the　resignation　of　a　man　who　is　weary　of　his　life。　Young　as　he　is；　he　has　tried　the　round　of　pleasures　without　enjoyment；　he　has　no　interests；　no　aspirations；　no　hopes；　he　looks　on　death　as　a　welcome　release。　His　friend　the　Count；　admitted　to　a　farewell　interview；　has　invented　a　stratagem　by　which　the　prisoner　may　escape　and　take　to　flight。　The　Marquis　expresses　a　grateful　sense　of　obligation；　and　prefers　being　shot。　〃I　don't　value　my　life；〃　he　says；　〃I　am　not　a　happy　man　like　you。〃　Upon　this　the　Count　mentions　circumstances　which　he　has　hitherto　kept　secret。　He　loves　the　charming　Celia；　and　loves　in　vain。　Her　reputation　is　unsullied；　she　possesses　every　good　quality　that　a　man　can　desire　in　a　wifebut　the　Count's　social　position　forbids　him　to　marry　a　woman　of　low　birth。　He　is　heart…broken；　and　he　too　finds　life　without　hope　a　burden　that　is　not　to　be　borne。　The　Marquis　at　once　sees　a　way　of　devoting　himself　to　his　friend's　interests。　He　is　rich；　his　money　is　at　his　own　disposal；　he　will　bequeath　a　marriage　portion　to　Celia　which　will　make　her　one　of　the　richest　women　in　Italy。　The　Count　receives　this　proposal　with　a　sigh。　〃No　money；〃　he　says；　〃will　remove　the　obstacle　that　still　remains。　My　father's　fatal　objection　to　Celia　is　her　rank　in　life。　〃The　Marquis　walks　apartconsiders　a　littleconsults　his　watchand　returns　with　a　new　idea。　〃I　have　nearly　two　hours　of　life　still　left；〃　he　says。　〃Send　for　Celia：　she　was　here　just　now；　and　she　is　probably　in　her　father's　cell。〃　The　Count　is　at　a　loss　to　understand　what　this　proposal　means。　The　Marquis　explains　himself。　〃I　ask　your　permission；〃　he　resumes；　〃to　offer　marriage　to　Celiafor　your　sake。　The　chaplain　of　the　prison　will　perform　the　ceremony。　Before　dark；　the　girl　you　love　will　be　my　widow。　My　widow　is　a　lady　of　titlea　fit　wife　for　the　greatest　nobleman　in　the　land。〃　The　Count　protests　and　refuses　in　vain。　The　jailer　is　sent　to　find　Celia。　She　appears。　Unable　to　endure　the　scene；　the　Count　rushes　out　in　horror。　The　Marquis　takes　the　girl　into　his　confidence；　and　makes　his　excuses。　If　she　becomes　a　widow　of　rank；　she　may　not　only　marry　the　Count；　but　will　be　in　a　position　to　procure　the　liberty　of　the　innocent　old　man；　whose　strength　is　failing　him　under　the　rigors　of　imprisonment。　Celia　hesitates。　After　a　struggle　with　herself；　filial　love　prevails；　and　she　consents。　The　jailer　announces　that　the　chaplain　is　waiting；　the　bride　and　bridegroom　withdraw　to　the　prison　chapel。　Left　on　the　stage；　the　jailer　hears　a　distant　sound　in　the　city；　which　he　is　at　a　loss　to　understand。　It　sinks；　increases　again；　travels　nearer　to　the　prison；　and　now　betrays　itself　as　the　sound　of　multitudinous　voices　in　a　state　of　furious　uproar。　Has　the　conspiracy　broken　out　again？　Yes！　The　whole　population　has　risen；　the　soldiers　have　refused　to　fire　on　the　people；　the　terrified　Prince　has　dismissed　his　ministers；　and　promises　a　constitution。　The　Marquis；　returning　from　the　ceremony　which　has　just　made　Celia　his　wife；　is　presented　with　a　free　pardon；　and　with　the　offer　of　a　high　place　in　the　re…formed　ministry。　A　new　life　is　opening　before　himand　he　has　innocently　ruined　his　friend's　prospects！　On　this　striking　situation　the　drop…curtain　falls。

While　we　were　still　applauding　the　first　act；　Rothsay　alarmed　me：　he　dropped　from　his　seat　at　my　side；　like　a　man　struck　dead。　The　stifling　heat　in　the　theater　had　proved　too　much　for　him。　We　carried　him　out　at　once　into　the　fresh　air。　When　he　came　to　his　senses；　my　friend　entreated　me　to　leave　him；　and　see　the　end　of　the　play。　To　my　mind；　he　looked　as　if　he　might　faint　again。　I　insisted　on　going　back　with　him　to　our　hotel。

On　the　next　day　I　went　to　the　theater；　to　ascertain　if　the　play　would　be　repeated。　The　box…office　was　closed。　The　dramatic　company　had　left　Rome。

My　interest　in　discovering　how　the　story　ended　led　me　next　to　the　booksellers'　shopsin　the　hope　of　buying　the　play。　Nobody　knew　anything　about　it。　Nobody　could　tell　me　whether　it　was　the　original　work　of　an　Italian　writer；　or　whether　it　had　been　stolen　（and　probably　disfigured）　from　the　French。　As　a　fragment　I　had　seen　it。　As　a　fragment　it　has　remained　from　that　time　to　this。

SECOND　EPOCH。

ONE　of　my　objects　in　writing　these　lines　is　to　vindicate　the　character　of　an　innocent　woman　（formerly　in　my　service　as　housekeeper）　who　has　been　cruelly　slandered。　Absorbed　in　the　pursuit　of　my　purpose；　it　has　only　now　occurred　to　me　that　strangers　may　desire　to　know　something　more　than　they　know　now　of　myself　and　my　friend。　〃Give　us　some　idea；〃　they　may　say；　〃of　what　sort　of　persons　you　are；　if　you　wish　to　interest　us　at　the　outset　of　your　story。〃

A　most　reasonable　suggestion；　I　admit。　Unfortunately；　I　am　not　the　right　man　to　comply　with　it。

In　the　first　place；　I　cannot　pretend　to　pronounce　judgment　on　my　own　character。　In　the　second　place；　I　am　incapable　of　writing　impartially　of　my　friend。　At　the　imminent　　risk　of　his　own　life；　Rothsay　re　scued　me　from　a　dreadful　death　by　accident；　when　we　were　at　college　together。　Who　can　expect　me　to　speak　of　his　faults？　I　am　not　even　capable　of　seeing　them。

Under　these　embarrassing　circumstancesand　not　forgetting；　at　the　same　time；　that　a　servant's　opinion　of　his　master　and　his　master's　friends　may　generally　be　trusted　not　to　err　on　the　favorable　sideI　am　tempted　to　call　my　valet　as　a　witness　to　character。

I　slept　badly　on　our　first　night　at　Rome；　and　I　happened　to　be　awake　while　the　man　was　talking　of　us　confidentially　in　the　courtyard　of　the　hoteljust　under　my　bedroom　window。　Here；　to　the　best　of　my　recollection；　is　a　faithful　report　of　what　he　said　to　some　friend　among　the　servants　who　understood　English：

〃My　master's　well　connected；　you　must　knowthough　he's　only　plain　Mr。　Lepel。　His　uncle's　the　great　lawyer；　Lord　Lepel；　and　his　late　father　was　a　banker。　Rich；　did　you　say？　I　should　think　he　_was_　richand　be　hanged　to　him！　No；　not　married；　and　not　likely　to　be。　Owns　he　was　forty　last　birthday；　a　regular　old　bachelor。　Not　a　bad　sort；　taking　him　altogether。　The　worst　of　him　is；　he　is　one　of　the　most　indiscreet　persons　I　ever　met　with。　Does　the　queerest　things；　when　the　whim　takes　him；　and　doesn't　care　what　other　people　think　of　it。　They　say　the　Lepels　have　all　got　a　slate　loose　in　the　upper　story。　Oh；　no；　not　a　very　old　familyI　mean；　nothing　compared　to　the　family　of　his　friend；　young　Rothsay。　_They_　count　back；　as　I　have　heard；　to　the　ancient　kings　of　Scotland。　Between　ourselves；　the　ancient　kings　haven't　left　the　Rothsays　much　money。　They　would　be　glad；　I'll　be　bound；　to　get　my　rich　master　for　one　of　their　daughters。　Poor　as　Job；　I　tell　you。　This　young　fellow；　traveling　with　us；　has　never　had　a　spare　five…pound　note　since　he　was　born。　Plenty　of　brains　in　his　head；　I　grant　you；　and　a　little　too　apt　sometimes　to　be　suspicious　of　other　people。　But　liberaloh；　give　him　his　dueliberal　in　a　small　way。　Tips　me　with　a　sovereign　now　and　then。　I　take　itLord　bless　you；　I　take　it。　What　do　you　say？　Has　he　got　any　employment？