the queen of hearts-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


line。　Dwindling　ever　faster；　faster；　Dwindling　to　the　last…left
master；　From　mortal　ken；　from　light　of　day；　Monkton's　race　shall
pass　away。〃

〃The　prediction　seems　almost　vague　enough　to　have　been　uttered　by
an　ancient　oracle；〃　said　I；　observing　that　he　waited；　after
repeating　the　verses；　as　if　expecting　me　to　say　something。

〃Vague　or　not；　it　is　being　accomplished；〃　he　returned。　〃I　am　now
the　'last…left　master'the　last　of　that　elder　line　of　our　family
at　which　the　prediction　points；　and　the　corpse　of　Stephen　Monkton
is　not　in　the　vaults　of　Wincot　Abbey。　Wait　before　you　exclaim
against　me。　I　have　more　to　say　about　this。　Long　before　the　Abbey
was　ours；　when　we　lived　in　the　ancient　manor…house　near　it　（the
very　ruins　of　which　have　long　since　disappeared）；　the　family
burying…place　was　in　the　vault　under　the　Abbey　chapel。　Whether　in
those　remote　times　the　prediction　against　us　was　known　and
dreaded　or　not；　this　much　is　certain：　every　one　of　the　Monktons
（whether　living　at　the　Abbey　or　on　the　smaller　estate　in
Scotland）　was　buried　in　Wincot　vault；　no　matter　at　what　risk　or
what　sacrifice。　In　the　fierce　fighting　days　of　the　olden　time；
the　bodies　of　my　ancestors　who　fell　in　foreign　places　were
recovered　and　brought　back　to　Wincot；　though　it　often　cost　not
heavy　ransom　only；　but　desperate　bloodshed　as　well；　to　obtain
them。　This　superstition；　if　you　please　to　call　it　so；　has　never
died　out　of　the　family　from　that　time　to　the　present　day；　for
centuries　the　succession　of　the　dead　in　the　vault　at　the　Abbey
has　been　unbrokenabsolutely　unbrokenuntil　now。　The　place
mentioned　in　the　prediction　as　waiting　to　be　filled　is　Stephen
Monkton's　place；　the　voice　that　cries　vainly　to　the　earth　for
shelter　is　the　spirit…voice　of　the　dead。　As　surely　as　if　I　saw
it；　I　know　that　they　have　left　him　unburied　on　the　ground　where
he　fell！〃

He　stopped　me　before　I　could　utter　a　word　in　remonstrance　by
slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　and　pointing　in　the　same　direction
toward　which　his　eyes　had　wandered　a　short　time　since。

〃I　can　guess　what　you　want　to　ask　me；〃　he　exclaimed；　sternly　and
loudly；　〃you　want　to　ask　me　how　I　can　be　mad　enough　to　believe　in
a　doggerel　prophecy　uttered　in　an　age　of　superstition　to　awe　the
most　ignorant　hearers。　I　answer〃　（at　those　words　his　voice　sank
suddenly　to　a　whisper）；　〃I　answer；　because　_Stephen　Monkton
himself　stands　there　at　this　moment　confirming　me　in　my　belief_。〃

Whether　it　was　the　awe　and　horror　that　looked　out　ghastly　from
his　face　as　he　confronted　me；　whether　it　was　that　I　had　never
hitherto　fairly　believed　in　the　reports　about　his　madness；　and
that　the　conviction　of　their　truth　now　forced　itself　upon　me　on　a
sudden；　I　know　not；　but　I　felt　my　blood　curdling　as　he　spoke；　and
I　knew　in　my　own　heart；　as　I　sat　there　speechless；　that　I　dare
not　turn　round　and　look　where　he　was　still　pointing　close　at　my
side。

〃I　see　there；〃　he　went　on；　in　the　same　whispering　voice；　〃the
figure　of　a　dark…complexioned　man　standing　up　with　his　head
uncovered。　One　of　his　hands；　still　clutching　a　pistol；　has　fallen
to　his　side；　the　other　presses　a　bloody　handkerchief　over　his
mouth。　The　spasm　of　mortal　agony　convulses　his　features；　but　I
know　them　for　the　features　of　a　swarthy　man　who　twice　frightened
me　by　taking　me　up　in　his　arms　when　I　was　a　child　at　Wincot
Abbey。　I　asked　the　nurses　at　the　time　who　that　man　was；　and　they
told　me　it　was　my　uncle；　Stephen　Monkton。　Plainly；　as　if　he　stood
there　living；　I　see　him　now　at　your　side；　with　the　death…glare　in
his　great　black　eyes；　and　so　have　I　ever　seen　him；　since　the
moment　when　he　was　shot；　at　home　and　abroad；　waking　or　sleeping；
day　and　night；　we　are　always　together；　wherever　I　go！〃

His　whispering　tones　sank　into　almost　inaudible　murmuring　as　he
pronounced　these　last　words。　From　the　direction　and　expression　of
his　eyes；　I　suspected　that　he　was　speaking　to　the　apparition。　If
I　had　beheld　it　myself　at　that　moment；　it　would　have　been；　I
think；　a　less　horrible　sight　to　witness　than　to　see　him；　as　I　saw
him　now；　muttering　inarticulately　at　vacancy。　My　own　nerves　were
more　shaken　than　I　could　have　thought　possible　by　what　had
passed。　A　vague　dread　of　being　near　him　in　his　present　mood　came
over　me；　and　I　moved　back　a　step　or　two。

He　noticed　the　action　instantly。

〃Don't　go！　praypray　don't　go！　Have　I　alarmed　you？　Don't　you
believe　me？　Do　the　lights　make　your　eyes　ache？　I　only　asked　you
to　sit　in　the　glare　of　the　candles　because　I　could　not　bear　to
see　the　light　that　always　shines　from　the　phantom　there　at　dusk
shining　over　you　as　you　sat　in　the　shadow。　Don't　godon't　leave
me　yet！〃

There　was　an　utter　forlornness；　an　unspeakable　misery　in　his　face
as　he　spoke　these　words；　which　gave　me　back　my　self…possession　by
the　simple　process　of　first　moving　me　to　pity。　I　resumed　my
chair；　and　said　that　I　would　stay　with　him　as　long　as　he　wished。

〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times。　You　are　patience　and　kindness
itself；〃　he　said；　going　back　to　his　former　place
　and　resuming　his　former　gentleness　of　manner。　〃Now　that　I　have
got　over　my　first　confession　of　the　misery　that　follows　me　in
secret　wherever　I　go；　I　think　I　can　tell　you　calmly　all　that
remains　to　be　told。　You　see；　as　I　said；　my　Uncle　Stephen〃　he
turned　away　his　head　quickly；　and　looked　down　at　the　table　as　the
name　passed　his　lips〃my　Uncle　Stephen　came　twice　to　Wincot
while　I　was　a　child；　and　on　both　occasions　frightened　me
dreadfully。　He　only　took　me　up　in　his　arms　and　spoke　to　mevery
kindly；　as　I　afterward　heard；　for　_him_but　he　terrified　me；
nevertheless。　Perhaps　I　was　frightened　at　his　great　stature；　his
swarthy　complexion；　and　his　thick　black　hair　and　mustache；　as
other　children　might　have　been；　perhaps　the　mere　sight　of　him　had
some　strange　influence　on　me　which　I　could　not　then　understand
and　cannot　now　explain。　However　it　was；　I　used　to　dream　of　him
long　after　he　had　gone　away；　and　to　fancy　that　he　was　stealing　on
me　to　catch　me　up　in　his　arms　whenever　I　was　left　in　the　dark。
The　servants　who　took　care　of　me　found　this　out；　and　used　to
threaten　me　with　my　Uncle　Stephen　whenever　I　was　perverse　and
difficult　to　manage。　As　I　grew　up；　I　still　retained　my　vague
dread　and　abhorrence　of　our　absent　relative。　I　always　listened
intently；　yet　without　knowing　why；　whenever　his　name　was
mentioned　by　my　father　or　my　motherlistened　with　an
unaccountable　presentiment　that　something　terrible　had　happened
to　him；　or　was　about　to　happen　to　me。　This　feeling　only　changed
when　I　was　left　alone　in　the　Abbey；　and　then　it　seemed　to　merge
into　the　eager　curiosity　which　had　begun　to　grow　on　me；　rather
before　that　time；　about　the　origin　of　the　ancient　prophecy
predicting　the　extinction　of　our　race。　Are　you　following　me？〃

〃I　follow　every　word　with　the　closest　attention。〃

〃You　must　know；　then；　that　I　had　first　found　out　some　fragments
of　the　old　rhyme　in　which　the　prophecy　occurs　quoted　as　a
curiosity　in　an　antiquarian　book　in　the　library。　On　the　page
opposite　this　quotation　had　been　pasted　a　rude　old　wood…cut；
representing　a　dark…haired　man；　whose　face　was　so　strangely　like
what　I　remembered　of　my　Uncle　Stephen　that　the　portrait
absolutely　startled　me。　When　I　asked　my　father　about　thisit　was
then　just　before　his　deathhe　either　knew；　or　pretended　to　know；
nothing　of　it；　and　when　I　afterward　mentioned　the　prediction　he
fretfully　changed　the　subject。　It　was　just　the　same　with　our
chaplain　when　I　spoke　to　him。　He　said　the　portrait　had　been　done
centuries　before　my　uncle　was　born；　and　called　the　prophecy
doggerel　and　nonsense。　I　used　to　argue　with　him　on　the　latter
point；　asking　why　we　Catholics；　who　believed　that　the　gift　of
working　miracles　had　never　departed　from　certain　favored　persons；
might　not　just　as　well　believe　that　the　gift　of　prophecy　had
never　departed；　either？　He　would　not　dispute　with　me；　he　would
only　say　that　I　must　not　waste　time　in　thinking　of　such　trifles；
that　I　had　more　imagination　than　was　good　for　me；　and　must
suppress　instead　of　exciting　it。　Such　advice　as　this　only
irritated　my　curiosity。　I　determined　secretly　to　search
throughout　the　oldest　uninhabited　part　of　the　Abbey；　and　to　try
if　I　could　not　find　out　from　forgotten　family　records　what　the
portrait　was；　and　when　the　prophecy　had　been　first　written　or
uttered。　Did　you　ever　pass　a　day　alone　in　the　long…deserted
chambers　of　an　ancient　house？〃

〃Never！　such　solitude　as　that　is　not　at　all　to　my　taste。〃

〃Ah！　what　a　life　it　was　when　I　began　my　search。　I　should　like　to
live　it　over　again。　Such　tempting　suspense；　such　strange
discoveries；　such　wild　fancies；　such　inthralling　terrors；　all
belonged　to　that　life。　Only　think　of　breaking　open　the　door　of　a
room　which　no　living　soul　had　entered　before　you　for　nearly　a
hundred　years；　think　of　the　first　step　forward　into　a　region　of
airless；　awful　stillness；　where　the　light　falls　faint　and　sickly
through　closed　windows　and　rotting　curtains；　think　of　the　ghostly
creaking　of　the　old　floor　that　cries　out　on　you　for　treading　on
it；　step　as　softly　as　you　will；　think　of　arms；　helmets；　weird
tapestries　of　by…gone　days；　that　seem　to　be　moving　out　on　you
from　the　walls　as　you　first　walk　up　to　them　in　the　dim　light；
think　of　prying　into　great　cabinets　and　iron…clasped　chests；　not
knowing　what　horrors　may　appear　when　you　tear　them　open；　of
poring　over　their　contents　till　twilight　stole　on　you　and
darkness　grew　terrible　in　the　lonely　place；　of　trying　to　leave
it；　and　not　being　able　to　go；　as　if　something　held　you；　of　wind
wailing　at　you　outside；　of　shadows　darkening　round　you；　and
closing　you　up　in　obscurity　withinonly　think　of　these　things；
and　you　may　imagine　the　fascination　of　suspense　and　terror　in
such　a　life　as　mine　was　in　those　past　days。〃

（I　shrank　from　imagining　that　life：　it　was　bad　enough　to　see　its
results；　as　I　saw　them　before　me　now。）

〃Well；　my　search　lasted　months　and　months；　then　it　was　suspended
a　little；　then　resumed。　In　whatever　direction　I　pursued　it　I
always　found　something　to　lure　me　on。　Terrible　confessions　of
past　crimes；　shocking　proofs　of　secret　wickedness　that　had　been
hidden　securely　from　all　eyes　but　mine；　came　to　light。　Sometimes
these　discoveries　were　associated　with　particular　parts　of　the