little novels-第6部分

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My　housekeeper　may　perhaps　be　eccentricbut　in　all　essentials　a　woman　in　a　thousand。　Do　you　feel　the　change　from　London　already？　Our　air　at　St。　Sallins　is　really　worthy　of　its　reputation。　Invalids　who　come　here　are　cured　as　if　by　magic。　What　do　you　think　of　Mrs。　Zant？　How　does　she　look？〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　evidently　expected　to　say　that　she　looked　better。　He　said　it。　Mr。　John　Zant　seemed　to　have　anticipated　a　stronger　expression　of　opinion。

〃Surprisingly　better！〃　he　pronounced。　〃Infinitely　better！　We　ought　both　to　be　grateful。　Pray　believe　that　we　_are_　grateful。〃

〃If　you　mean　grateful　to　me；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　remarked；　〃I　don't　quite　understand〃

〃You　don't　quite　understand？　Is　it　possible　that　you　have　forgotten　our　conversation　when　I　first　had　the　honor　of　receiving　you？　Look　at　Mrs。　Zant　again。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　looked；　and　Mrs。　Zant's　brother…in…law　explained　himself。

〃You　notice　the　return　of　her　color；　the　healthy　brightness　of　her　eyes。　（No；　my　dear；　I　am　not　paying　you　idle　compliments；　I　am　stating　plain　facts。）　For　that　happy　result；　Mr。　Rayburn；　we　are　indebted　to　you。〃

〃Surely　not？〃

〃Surely　yes！　It　was　at　your　valuable　suggestion　that　I　thought　of　inviting　my　sister…in…law　to　visit　me　at　St。　Sallins。　Ah；　you　remember　it　now。　Forgive　me　if　I　look　at　my　watch；　the　dinner　hour　is　on　my　mind。　Not；　as　your　dear　little　daughter　there　seems　to　think；　because　I　am　greedy；　but　because　I　am　always　punctual；　in　justice　to　the　cook。　Shall　we　see　you　to…morrow？　Call　early；　and　you　will　find　us　at　home。〃

He　gave　Mrs。　Zant　his　arm；　and　bowed　and　smiled；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　Lucy；　and　left　the　room。　Recalling　their　interview　at　the　hotel　in　London；　Mr。　Rayburn　now　understood　John　Zant's　object　（on　that　occasion）　in　assuming　the　character　of　a　helpless　man　in　need　of　a　sensible　suggestion。　If　Mrs。　Zant's　residence　under　his　roof　became　associated　with　evil　consequences；　he　could　declare　that　she　would　never　have　entered　the　house　but　for　Mr。　Rayburn's　advice。

With　the　next　day　came　the　hateful　necessity　of　returning　this　man's　visit。

Mr。　Rayburn　was　placed　between　two　alternatives。　In　Mrs。　Zant's　interests　he　must　remain；　no　matter　at　what　sacrifice　of　his　own　inclinations；　on　good　terms　with　her　brother…in…lawor　he　must　return　to　London；　and　leave　the　poor　woman　to　her　fate。　His　choice；　it　is　needless　to　say；　was　never　a　matter　of　doubt。　He　called　at　the　house；　and　did　his　innocent　bestwithout　in　the　least　deceiving　Mr。　John　Zantto　make　himself　agreeable　during　the　short　duration　of　his　visit。　Descending　the　stairs　on　his　way　out；　accompanied　by　Mrs。　Zant；　he　was　surprised　to　see　a　middle…aged　woman　in　the　hall；　who　looked　as　if　she　was　waiting　there　expressly　to　attract　notice。

〃The　housekeeper；〃　Mrs。　Zant　whispered。　〃She　is　impudent　enough　to　try　to　make　acquaintance　with　you。〃

This　was　exactly　what　the　housekeeper　was　waiting　in　the　hall　to　do。

〃I　hope　you　like　our　watering…place；　sir；〃　she　began。　〃If　I　can　be　of　service　to　you；　pray　command　me。　Any　friend　of　this　lady's　has　a　claim　on　meand　you　are　an　old　friend；　no　doubt。　I　am　only　the　housekeeper；　but　I　presume　to　take　a　sincere　interest　in　Mrs。　Zant；　and　I　am　indeed　glad　to　see　you　here。　We　none　of　us　knowdo　we？how　soon　we　may　want　a　friend。　No　offense；　I　hope？　Thank　you；　sir。　Good…morning。〃

There　was　nothing　in　the　woman's　eyes　which　indicated　an　unsettled　mind；　nothing　in　the　appearance　of　her　lips　which　suggested　habits　of　intoxication。　That　her　strange　outburst　of　familiarity　proceeded　from　some　strong　motive　seemed　to　be　more　than　probable。　Putting　together　what　Mrs。　Zant　had　already　told　him；　and　what　he　had　himself　observed；　Mr。　Rayburn　suspected　that　the　motive　might　be　found　in　the　housekeeper's　jealousy　of　her　master。

XI。

REFLECTING　in　the　solitude　of　his　own　room；　Mr。　Rayburn　felt　that　the　one　prudent　course　to　take　would　be　to　persuade　Mrs。　Zant　to　leave　St。　Sallins。　He　tried　to　prepare　her　for　this　strong　proceeding；　when　she　came　the　next　day　to　take　Lucy　out　for　a　walk。

〃If　you　still　regret　having　forced　yourself　to　accept　your　brother…in…law's　invitation；〃　was　all　he　ventured　to　say；　〃don't　forget　that　you　are　perfect　mistress　of　your　own　actions。　You　have　only　to　come　to　me　at　the　hotel；　and　I　will　take　you　back　to　London　by　the　next　train。〃

She　positively　refused　to　entertain　the　idea。

〃I　should　be　a　thankless　creature；　indeed；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　accepted　your　proposal。　Do　you　think　I　am　ungrateful　enough　to　involve　you　in　a　personal　quarrel　with　John　Zant？　No！　If　I　find　myself　forced　to　leave　the　house；　I　will　go　away　alone。〃

There　was　no　moving　her　from　this　resolution。　When　she　and　Lucy　had　gone　out　together；　Mr。　Rayburn　remained　at　the　hotel；　with　a　mind　ill　at　ease。　A　man　of　readier　mental　resources　might　have　felt　at　a　loss　how　to　act　for　the　best；　in　the　emergency　that　now　confronted　him。　While　he　was　still　as　far　as　ever　from　arriving　at　a　decision；　some　person　knocked　at　the　door。

Had　Mrs。　Zant　returned？　He　looked　up　as　the　door　was　opened；　and　saw　to　his　astonishmentMr。　John　Zant's　housekeeper。

〃Don't　let　me　alarm　you；　sir；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Mrs。　Zant　has　been　taken　a　little　faint；　at　the　door　of　our　house。　My　master　is　attending　to　her。〃

〃Where　is　the　child？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　asked。

〃I　was　bringing　her　back　to　you；　sir；　when　we　met　a　lady　and　her　little　girl　at　the　door　of　the　hotel。　They　were　on　their　way　to　the　beachand　Miss　Lucy　begged　hard　to　be　allowed　to　go　with　them。　The　lady　said　the　two　children　were　playfellows；　and　she　was　sure　you　would　not　object。〃

〃The　lady　is　quite　right。　Mrs。　Zant's　illness　is　not　serious；　I　hope？〃

〃I　think　not；　sir。　But　I　should　like　to　say　something　in　her　interests。　May　I？　Thank　you。〃　She　advanced　a　step　nearer　to　him；　and　spoke　her　next　words　in　a　whisper。　〃Take　Mrs。　Zant　away　from　this　place；　and　lose　no　time　in　doing　it。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　on　his　guard。　He　merely　asked：　〃Why？〃

The　housekeeper　answered　in　a　curiously　indirect　mannerpartly　in　jest；　as　it　seemed；　and　partly　in　earnest。

〃When　a　man　has　lost　his　wife；〃　she　said；　〃there's　some　difference　of　opinion　in　Parliament；　as　I　hear；　whether　he　does　right　or　wrong；　if　he　marries　his　wife's　sister。　Wait　a　bit！　I'm　coming　to　the　point。　My　master　is　one　who　has　a　long　head　on　his　shoulders；　he　sees　consequences　which　escape　the　notice　of　peopl　e　like　me。　In　his　way　of　thinking；　if　one　man　may　marry　his　wife's　sister；　and　no　harm　done；　where's　the　objection　if　another　man　pays　a　compliment　to　the　family；　and　marries　his　brother's　widow？　My　master；　if　you　please；　is　that　other　man。　Take　the　widow　away　before　she　marries　him。〃

This　was　beyond　endurance。

〃You　insult　Mrs。　Zant；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　answered；　〃if　you　suppose　that　such　a　thing　is　possible！〃

〃Oh！　I　insult　her；　do　I？　Listen　to　me。　One　of　three　things　will　happen。　She　will　be　entrapped　into　consenting　to　itor　frightened　into　consenting　to　itor　drugged　into　consenting　to　it〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　too　indignant　to　let　her　go　on。

〃You　are　talking　nonsense；〃　he　said。　〃There　can　be　no　marriage；　the　law　forbids　it。〃

〃Are　you　one　of　the　people　who　see　no　further　than　their　noses？〃　she　asked　insolently。　〃Won't　the　law　take　his　money？　Is　he　obliged　to　mention　that　he　is　related　to　her　by　marriage；　when　he　buys　the　license？〃　She　paused；　her　humor　changed；　she　stamped　furiously　on　the　floor。　The　true　motive　that　animated　her　showed　itself　in　her　next　words；　and　warned　Mr。　Rayburn　to　grant　a　more　favorable　hearing　than　he　had　accorded　to　her　yet。　〃If　you　won't　stop　it；〃　she　burst　out；　〃I　will！　If　he　marries　anybody；　he　is　bound　to　marry　ME。　Will　you　take　her　away？　I　ask　you；　for　the　last　time_will_　you　take　her　away？〃

The　tone　in　which　she　made　that　final　appeal　to　him　had　its　effect。

〃I　will　go　back　with　you　to　John　Zant's　house；〃　he　said；　〃and　judge　for　myself。〃

She　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm：

〃I　must　go　firstor　you　may　not　be　let　in。　Follow　me　in　five　minutes；　and　don't　knock　at　the　street　door。〃

On　the　point　of　leaving　him；　she　abruptly　returned。

〃We　have　forgotten　something；〃　she　said。　〃Suppose　my　master　refuses　to　see　you。　His　temper　might　get　the　better　of　him；　he　might　make　it　so　unpleasant　for　you　that　you　would　be　obliged　to　go。〃

〃_My_　temper　might　get　the　better　of　_me_；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　replied；　〃andif　I　thought　it　was　in　Mrs。　Zant's　interestsI　might　refuse　to　leave　the　house　unless　she　accompanied　me。〃

〃That　will　never　do；　sir。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　should　be　the　person　to　suffer。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃In　this　way。　If　you　picked　a　quarrel　with　my　master；　I　should　be　blamed　for　it　because　I　showed　you　upstairs。　Besides；　think　of　the　lady。　You　might　frighten　her　out　of　her　senses；　if　it　came　to　a　struggle　between　you　two　men。〃

The　language　was　exaggerated；　but　there　was　a　force　in　this　last　objection　which　Mr。　Rayburn　was　obliged　to　acknowledge。

〃And；　after　all；〃　the　housekeeper　continued；　〃he　has　more　right　over　her　than　you　have。　He　is　related　to　her；　and　you　are　only　her　friend。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　declined　to　let　himself　be　influenced　by　this　consideration；　〃Mr。　John　Zant　is　only　related　to　her　by　marriage；〃　he　said。　〃If　she　prefers　trusting　in　mecome　what　may　of　it；　I　will　be　worthy　of　her　confidence。〃

The　housekeeper　shook　her　head。

〃That　only　means　another　quarrel；〃　she　answered。　〃The　wise　way；　with　a　man　like　my　master；　is　the　peaceable　way。　We　must　manage　to　deceive　him。〃

〃I　don't　like　deceit。〃

〃In　that　case；　sir；　I'll　wish　you　good…by。　We　will　leave　Mrs。　Zant　to　do　the　best　she　can　for　herself。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　unreasonable。　He　positively　refused　to　adopt　this　alternative。

〃Will　you　hear　what　I　have　got　to　say？〃　the　housekeeper　asked。

〃There　can　be　no　harm　in　that；〃　he　admitted。　〃Go　on。〃

She　took　him　at　his　word。

〃When　you　called　at　our　house；〃　she　began；　〃did　you　notice　the　doors　in　the　passage；　on　the　first　floor？　Very　well。　One　of　them　is　the　door　of　the　drawing…room；　and　the　other　is　the　door　of　the　library。　Do　you　remember　the　drawing…room；　sir？〃

〃I　thought　it　a　large　well…lighted　room；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　answered。　〃And　I　noticed　a　doorway　in　the　wall；　with　a　handsome　curtain　hanging　over　it。〃

〃That's　enough　for　our　purpose；〃　the　housekeeper　resumed。　〃On　the　other　side　of　the　c