the queen of hearts-第30部分

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these　discoveries　were　associated　with　particular　parts　of　the
Abbey；　which　have　had　a　horrible　interest　of　their　own　for　me
ever　since；　sometimes　with　certain　old　portraits　in　the
picture…gallery；　which　I　actually　dreaded　to　look　at　after　what　I
had　found　out。　There　were　periods　when　the　results　of　this　search
of　mine　so　horrified　me　that　I　determined　to　give　it　up　entirely；
but　I　never　could　persevere　in　my　resolution；　the　temptation　to
go　on　seemed　at　certain　intervals　to　get　too　strong　for　me；　and
then　I　yielded　to　it　again　and　again。　At　last　I　found　the　book
that　had　belonged　to　the　monks　with　the　whole　of　the　prophecy
written　in　the　blank　leaf。　This　first　success　encouraged　me　to
get　back　further　yet　in　the　family　records。　I　had　discovered
nothing　hitherto　of　the　identity　of　the　mysterious　portrait；　but
the　same　intuitive　conviction　which　had　assured　me　of　its
extraordinary　resemblance　to　my　Uncle　Stephen　seemed　also　to
assure　me　that　he　must　be　more　closely　connected　with　the
prophecy；　and　must　know　more　of　it　than　any　one　else。　I　had　no
means　of　holding　any　communication　with　him；　no　means　of
satisfying　myself　whether　this　strange　idea　of　mine　were　right　or
wrong；　until　the　day　when　my　doubts　were　settled　forever　by　the
same　terrible　proof　which　is　now　present　to　me　in　this　very
room。〃

He　paused　for　a　moment；　and　looked　at　me　intently　and
suspiciously；　then　asked　if　I　believed　all　he　had　said　to　me　so
far。　My　instant　reply　in　the　affirmative　seemed　to　satisfy　his
doubts；　and　he　went　on。

〃On　a　fine　evening　in　February　I　was　standing　alone　in　one　of　the
deserted　rooms　of　the　western　turret　at　the　Abbey；　looking　at　the
sunset。　Just　before　the　sun　went　down　I　felt　a　sensation　stealing
over　me　which　it　is　impossible　to　explain。　I　saw　nothing；　heard
nothing；　knew　nothing。　This　utter　self…oblivion　came　suddenly；　it
was　not　fainting；　for　I　did　not　fall　to　the　ground；　did　not　move
an　inch　from　my　place。　If　such　a　thing　could　be；　I　should　say　it
was　the　temporary　separation　of　soul　and　body　without　death；　but
all　description　of　my　situation　at　that　time　is　impossible。　Call
my　state　what　you　will；　trance　or　catalepsy；　I　know　that　I
remained　standing　by　the　window　utterly　unconsciousdead；　mind
and　bodyuntil　the　sun　had　set。　Then　I　came　to　my　senses　again；
and　then；　when　I　opened　my　eyes；　there　was　the　apparition　of
Stephen　Monkton　standing　opposite　to　me；　faintly　luminous；　just
as　it　stands　opposite　me　at　this　very　moment　by　your　side。〃

Was　this　before　the　news　of　the　duel　reached　England？〃　I　asked。

〃_Two　weeks　before_　the　news　of　it　reached　us　at　Wincot。　And　even
when　we　heard　of　the　duel；　we　did　not　hear　of　the　day　on　which　it
was　fought。　I　only　found　that　out　when　the　document　which　you
have　read　was　published　in　the　French　newspaper。　The　date　of　that
document；　you　will　remember；　is　February　22d；　and　it　is　stated
that　the　duel　was　fought　two　days　afterward。　I　wrote　down　in　my
pocketbook；　on　the　evening　when　I　saw　the　phantom；　the　day　of　the
month　on　which　it　first　appeared　to　me　。　That　day　was　the　24th　of
February。

He　paused　again；　as　if　expecting　me　to　say　something。　After　the
words　he　had　just　spoken；　what　could　I　say？　what　could　I　think？

〃Even　in　the　first　horror　of　first　seeing　the　apparition；〃　he
went　on；　〃the　prophecy　against　our　house　came　to　my　mind；　and
with　it　the　conviction　that　I　beheld　before　me；　in　that　spectral
presence；　the　warning　of　my　own　doom。　As　soon　as　I　recovered　a
little；　I　determined；　nevertheless；　to　test　the　reality　of　what　I
saw；　to　find　out　whether　I　was　the　dupe　of　my　own　diseased　fancy
or　not。　I　left　the　turret；　the　phantom　left　it　with　me。　I　made　an
excuse　to　have　the　drawing…room　at　the　Abbey　brilliantly　lighted
up；　the　figure　was　still　opposite　me。　I　walked　out　into　the　park；
it　was　there　in　the　clear　starlight。　I　went　away　from　home；　and
traveled　many　miles　to　the　sea…side；　still　the　tall　dark　man　in
his　death　agony　was　with　me。　After　this　I　strove　against　the
fatality　no　more。　I　returned　to　the　Abbey；　and　tried　to　resign
myself　to　my　misery。　But　this　was　not　to　be。　I　had　a　hope　that
was　dearer　to　me　than　my　own　life；　I　had　one　treasure　belonging
to　me　that　I　shuddered　at　the　prospect　of　losing；　and　when　the
phantom　presence　stood　a　warning　obstacle　between　me　and　this　one
treasure；　this　dearest　hope；　then　my　misery　grew　heavier　than　I
could　bear。　You　must　know　what　I　am　alluding　to；　you　must　have
heard　often　that　I　was　engaged　to　be　married？〃

〃Yes；　often。　I　have　some　acquaintance　myself　with　Miss　Elmslie。〃

〃You　never　can　know　all　that　she　has　sacrificed　for　menever　can
imagine　what　I　have　felt　for　years　and　years　past〃his　voice
trembled；　and　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes〃but　I　dare　not　trust
myself　to　speak　of　that；　the　thought　of　the　old　happy　days　in　the
Abbey　almost　breaks　my　heart　now。　Let　me　get　back　to　the　other
subject。　I　must　tell　you　that　I　kept　the　frightful　vision　which
pursued　me；　at　all　times　and　in　all　places；　a　secret　from
everybody；　knowing　the　vile　reports　about　my　having　inherited
madness　from　my　family；　and　fearing　that　an　unfair　advantage
would　be　taken　of　any　confession　that　I　might　make。　Though　the
phantom　always　stood　opposite　to　me；　and　therefore　always
appeared　either　before　or　by　the　side　of　any　person　to　whom　I
spoke；　I　soon　schooled　myself　to　hide　from　others　that　I　was
looking　at　it　except　on　rare　occasions；　when　I　have　perhaps
betrayed　myself　to　you。　But　my　self…possession　availed　me　nothing
with　Ada。　The　day　of　our　marriage　was　approaching。〃

He　stopped　and　shuddered。　I　waited　in　silence　till　he　had
controlled　himself。

〃Think；〃　he　went　on；　〃think　of　what　I　must　have　suffered　at
looking　always　on　that　hideous　vision　whenever　I　looked　on　my
betrothed　wife！　Think　of　my　taking　her　hand；　and　seeming　to　take
it　through　the　figure　of　the　apparition！　Think　of　the　calm
angel…face　and　the　tortured　specter…face　being　always　together
whenever　my　eyes　met　hers！　Think　of　this；　and　you　will　not　wonder
that　I　betrayed　my　secret　to　her。　She　eagerly　entreated　to　know
the　worstnay；　more；　she　insisted　on　knowing　it。　At　her　bidding
I　told　all；　and　then　left　her　free　to　break　our　engagement。　The
thought　of　death　was　in　my　heart　as　I　spoke　the　parting
wordsdeath　by　my　own　act；　if　life　still　held　out　after　our
separation。　She　suspected　that　thought；　she　knew　it；　and　never
left　me　till　her　good　influence　had　destroyed　it　forever。　But　for
her　I　should　not　have　been　alive　now；　but　for　her　I　should　never
have　attempted　the　project　which　has　brought　me　here。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　it　was　at　Miss　Elmslie's　suggestion　that　you
came　to　Naples？〃　I　asked；　in　amazement。

〃I　mean　that　what　she　said　suggested　the　design　which　has　brought
me　to　Naples；〃　he　answered。　〃While　I　believed　that　the　phantom
had　appeared　to　me　as　the　fatal　messenger　of　death；　there　was　no
comfortthere　was　misery；　rather；　in　hearing　her　say　that　no
power　on　earth　should　make　her　desert　me；　and　that　she　would　live
for　me；　and　for　me　only；　through　every　trial。　But　it　was　far
different　when　we　afterward　reasoned　together　about　the　purpose
which　the　apparition　had　come　to　fulfillfar　different　when　she
showed　me　that　its　mission　might　be　for　good　instead　of　for　evil；
and　that　the　warning　it　was　sent　to　give　might　be　to　my　profit
instead　of　to　my　loss。　At　those　words；　the　new　idea　which　gave
the　new　hope　of　life　came　to　me　in　an　instant。　I　believed　then；
what　I　believe　now；　that　I　have　a　supernatural　warrant　for　my
errand　here。　In　that　faith　I　live；　without　it　I　should　die。　_She_
never　ridiculed　it；　never　scorned　it　as　insanity。　Mark　what　I
say！　The　spirit　that　appeared　to　me　in　the　Abbeythat　has　never
left　me　sincethat　stands　there　now　by　your　side；　warns　me　to
escape　from　the　fatality　which　hangs　over　our　race；　and　commands
me；　if　I　would　avoid　it；　to　bury　the　unburied　dead。　Mortal　loves
and　mortal　interests　must　bow　to　that　awful　bidding。　The
specter…presence　will　never　leave　me　till　I　have　sheltered　the
corpse　that　cries　to　the　earth　to　cover　it！　I　dare　not　returnI
dare　not　marry　till　I　have　filled　the　place　that　is　empty　in
Wincot　vault。〃

His　eyes　flashed　and　dilatedhis　voice　deepeneda　fanatic
ecstasy　shone　in　his　expression　as　he　uttered　these　words。
Shocked　and　grieved　as　I　was；　I　made　no　attempt　to　remonstrate　or
to　reason　with　him。　It　would　have　been　useless　to　have　referred
to　any　of　the　usual　commonplaces　about　optical　delusions　or
diseased　imaginationsworse　than　useless　to　have　attempted　to
account　by　natural　causes　for　any　of　the　extraordinary
coincidences　and　events　of　which　he　had　spoken。　Briefly　as　he　had
referred　to　Miss　Elmslie；　he　had　said　enough　to　show　me　that　the
only　hope　of　the　poor　girl　who　loved　him　best　and　had　known　him
longest　of　any　one　was　in　humoring　his　delusions　to　the　last。　How
faithfully　she　still　clung　to　the　belief　that　she　could　restore
him！　How　resolutely　was　she　sacrificing　herself　to　his　morbid
fancies；　in　the　hope　of　a　happy　future　that　might　never　come！
Little　as　I　knew　of　Miss　Elmslie；　the　mere　thought　of　her
situation；　as　I　now　reflected　on　it；　made　me　feel　sick　at　heart。

〃They　call　me　Mad　Monkton！〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly　breaking　the
silence　between　us　during　the　last　few　minutes；　〃Here　and　in
England　everybody　believes　I　am　out　of　my　senses　except　Ada　and
you。　She　has　been　my　salvation；　and　you　will　be　my　salvation　too。
Something　told　me　that　when　I　first　met　you　walking　in　the　Villa
Peale。　I　struggled　against　the　strong　desire　that　was　in　me　to
trust　my　secret　to　you；　but　I　could　resist　it　no　longer　when　I
saw　you　to…night　at　the　ball；　the　phantom　seemed　to　draw　me　on　to
you　as　you　stood　alone　in　the　quiet　room。　Tell　me　more　of　that
idea　of　yours　about　finding　the　place　where　the　duel　was　fought。
If　I　set　out　to…morrow　to　seek　for　it　myself；　where　must　I　go　to
first？　where？〃　He　stopped；　his　strength　was　evidently　becoming
exhausted；　and　his　mind　was　growing　confused。　〃What　am　I　to　do？　I
can't　remember。　You　know　everythingwill　you　not　help　me？　My
misery　has　made　me　unable　to　help　myself。〃

He　stopped；　murmured　something　about　failing　if　he　went　to　the
frontier　alone；　and　spoke　confusedly　of　delays　that　might　be
fat