the queen of hearts-第49部分

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〃This　is　strictly　private？〃　inquires　the　husband。　I　nodded　my
head。

〃And　confidential？〃　says　the　wife。　I　nodded　again。

〃Do　you　see　any　objection；　dear；　to　obliging　the　sergeant　with　a
sight　of　the　books？〃　says　the　husband。

〃None　in　the　world；　love；　if　you　approve　of　it；〃　says　the　wife。

All　this　while　poor　Mr。　Yatman　sat　looking　the　picture　of
astonishment　and　distress；　q　uite　out　of　place　at　our　polite
conference。　The　books　were　brought；　and　one　minute's　look　at　the
pages　in　which　Mrs。　Yatman's　name　figured　was　enough；　and　more
than　enough；　to　prove　the　truth　of　every　word　that　I　had　spoken。

There；　in　one　book；　was　the　husband's　account　which　Mr。　Yatman
had　settled；　and　there；　in　the　other；　was　the　private　account；
crossed　off　also；　the　date　of　settlement　being　the　very　day　after
the　loss　of　the　cash…box。　This　said　private　account　amounted　to
the　sum　of　a　hundred　and　seventy…five　pounds；　odd　shillings；　and
it　extended　over　a　period　of　three　years。　Not　a　single
installment　had　been　paid　on　it。　Under　the　last　line　was　an　entry
to　this　effect：　〃Written　to　for　the　third　time；　June　23d。〃　I
pointed　to　it；　and　asked　the　milliner　if　that　meant　〃last　June。〃
Yes；　it　did　mean　last　June；　and　she　now　deeply　regretted　to　say
that　it　had　been　accompanied　by　a　threat　of　legal　proceedings。

〃I　thought　you　gave　good　customers　more　than　three　years'
credit？〃　says　I。

The　milliner　looks　at　Mr。　Yatman；　and　whispers　to　me；　〃Not　when　a
lady's　husband　gets　into　difficulties。〃

She　pointed　to　the　account　as　she　spoke。　The　entries　after　the
time　when　Mr。　Yatman's　circumstances　became　involved　were　just　as
extravagant；　for　a　person　in　his　wife's　situation；　as　the　entries
for　the　year　before　that　period。　If　the　lady　had　economized　in
other　things；　she　had　certainly　not　economized　in　the　matter　of
dress。

There　was　nothing　left　now　but　to　examine　the　cash…book；　for
form's　sake。　The　money　had　been　paid　in　notes；　the　amounts　and
numbers　of　which　exactly　tallied　with　the　figures　set　down　in　my
list。

After　that；　I　thought　it　best　to　get　Mr。　Yatman　out　of　the　house
immediately。　He　was　in　such　a　pitiable　condition　that　I　called　a
cab　and　accompanied　him　home　in　it。　At　first　he　cried　and　raved
like　a　child；　but　I　soon　quieted　him；　and　I　must　add；　to　his
credit；　that　he　made　me　a　most　handsome　apology　for　his　language
as　the　cab　drew　up　at　his　house　door。　In　return；　I　tried　to　give
him　some　advice　about　how　to　set　matters　right　for　the　future
with　his　wife。　He　paid　very　little　attention　to　me；　and　went
upstairs　muttering　to　himself　about　a　separation。　Whether　Mrs。
Yatman　will　come　cleverly　out　of　the　scrape　or　not　seems
doubtful。　I　should　say　myself　that　she　would　go　into　screeching
hysterics；　and　so　frighten　the　poor　man　into　forgiving　her。　But
this　is　no　business　of　ours。　So　far　as　we　are　concerned；　the　case
is　now　at　an　end；　and　the　present　report　may　come　to　a　conclusion
along　with　it。

I　remain；　accordingly；　yours　to　command；

THOMAS　BULMER。

_P。S_。I　have　to　add　that；　on　leaving　Rutherford　Street；　I　met
Mr。　Matthew　Sharpin　coming　to　pack　up　his　things。

〃Only　think！〃　says　he；　rubbing　his　hands　in　great　spirits；　〃I've
been　to　the　genteel　villa　residence；　and　the　moment　I　mentioned
my　business　they　kicked　me　out　directly。　There　were　two　witnesses
of　the　assault；　and　it's　worth　a　hundred　pounds　to　me　if　it's
worth　a　farthing。〃

〃I　wish　you　joy　of　your　luck；〃　says　I。

〃Thank　you；〃　says　he。　〃When　may　I　pay　you　the　same　compliment　on
finding　the　thief？〃

〃Whenever　you　like；〃　says　I；　〃for　the　thief　is　found。〃

〃Just　what　I　expected；〃　says　he。　〃I've　done　all　the　work；　and　now
you　cut　in　and　claim　all　the　creditMr。　Jay；　of　course。〃

〃No；〃　says　I。

〃Who　is　it　then？〃　says　he。

〃Ask　Mrs。　Yatman；〃　says　I。　〃She's　waiting　to　tell　you。〃

〃All　right！　I'd　much　rather　hear　it　from　that　charming　woman　than
from　you；〃　says　he；　and　goes　into　the　house　in　a　mighty　hurry。

What　do　you　think　of　that；　Inspector　Theakstone？　Would　you　like
to　stand　in　Mr。　Sharpin's　shoes？　I　shouldn't；　I　can　promise　you。

FROM　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE　TO　MR。　MATTHEW　SHARPIN。

July　12th。

SIRSergeant　Bulmer　has　already　told　you　to　consider　yourself
suspended　until　further　notice。　I　have　now　authority　to　add　that
your　services　as　a　member　of　the　Detective　police　are　positively
declined。　You　will　please　to　take　this　letter　as　notifying
officially　your　dismissal　from　the　force。

I　may　inform　you；　privately；　that　your　rejection　is　not　intended
to　cast　any　reflections　on　your　character。　It　merely　implies　that
you　are　not　quite　sharp　enough　for　our　purposes。　If　we　_are_　to
have　a　new　recruit　among　us；　we　should　infinitely　prefer　Mrs。
Yatman。

Your　obedient　servant；

FRANCIS　THEAKSTONE。


NOTE　ON　THE　PRECEDING　CORRESPONDENCE；　ADDED　BY　MR。　THEAKSTONE。

The　inspector　is　not　in　a　position　to　append　any　explanations　of
importance　to　the　last　of　the　letters。　It　has　been　discovered
that　Mr。　Matthew　Sharpin　left　the　house　in　Rutherford　Street　five
minutes　after　his　interview　outside　of　it　with　Sergeant　Bulmer；
his　manner　expressing　the　liveliest　emotions　of　terror　and
astonishment；　and　his　left　cheek　displaying　a　bright　patch　of
red；　which　looked　as　if　it　might　have　been　the　result　of　what　is
popularly　termed　a　smart　box　on　the　ear。　He　was　also　heard　by　the
shopman　at　Rutherford　Street　to　use　a　very　shocking　expression　in
reference　to　Mrs。　Yatman；　and　was　seen　to　clinch　his　fist
vindictively　as　he　ran　round　the　corner　of　the　street。　Nothing
more　has　been　heard　of　him；　and　it　is　conjectured　that　he　has
left　London　with　the　intention　of　offering　his　valuable　services
to　the　provincial　police。

On　the　interesting　domestic　subject　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Yatman　still
less　is　known。　It　has；　however；　been　positively　ascertained　that
the　medical　attendant　of　the　family　was　sent　for　in　a　great　hurry
on　the　day　when　Mr。　Yatman　returned　from　the　milliner's　shop。　The
neighboring　chemist　received；　soon　afterward；　a　prescription　of　a
soothing　nature　to　make　up　for　Mrs。　Yatman。　The　day　after；　Mr。
Yatman　purchased　some　smelling…salts　at　the　shop；　and　afterward
appeared　at　the　circulating　library　to　ask　for　a　novel
descriptive　of　high　life　that　would　amuse　an　invalid　lady。　It　has
been　inferred　from　these　circumstances　that　he　has　not　thought　it
desirable　to　carry　out　his　threat　of　separating　from　his　wife；　at
least　in　the　present　（presumed）　condition　of　that　lady's
sensitive　nervous　system。


THE　SEVENTH　DAY。

FINE　enough　for　our　guest　to　go　out　again。　Long；　feathery　lines
of　white　cloud　are　waving　upward　in　the　sky；　a　sign　of　coming
wind。

There　was　a　steamer　telegraphed　yesterday　from　the　West　Indies。
When　the　next　vessel　is　announced　from　abroad；　will　it　be
George's　ship？

I　don't　know　how　my　brothers　feel　to…day；　but　the　sudden
cessation　of　my　own　literary　labors　has　left　me　still　in　bad
spirits。　I　tried　to　occupy　my　mind　by　reading；　but　my　attention
wandered。　I　went　out　into　the　garden；　but　it　looked　dreary；　the
autumn　flowers　were　few　and　far　betweenthe　lawn　was　soaked　and
sodden　with　yesterday's　rain。　I　wandered　into　Owen's　room。　He　had
returned　to　his　painting；　but　was　not　working；　as　it　struck　me；
with　his　customary　assiduity　and　his　customary　sense　of
enjoyment。

We　had　a　long　talk　together　about　George　and　Jessie　and　the
future。　Owen　urged　me　to　risk　speaking　of　my　son　in　her　presence
once　more；　on　the　chance　of　making　her　betray　herself　on　a　second
occasion；　and　I　determined　to　take　his　advice。　But　she　was　in
such　high　spirits　when　she　came　home　to　dinner　on　this　Seventh
Day；　and　seemed　so　incapable；　for　the　time　being；　of　either
feeling　or　speaking　seriously；　that　I　thought　it　wiser　to　wait
till　her　variable　mood　altered　again　with　the　next　wet　day。

The　number　drawn　this　evening　was　Eight；　being　the　number　of　the
story　which　it　had　cost　Owen　so　much　labor　to　write。　He　looked　a
little　fluttered　and　anxious　as　he　opened　the　manuscript。　This
was　the　first　occasion　on　which　his　ability　as　a　narrator　was　to
be　brought　to　the　test；　and　I　saw　him　glance　nervously　at
Jessie's　attentive　face。

〃I　need　not　trouble　you　with　much　in　the　way　of　preface；〃　he
said。　〃This　is　the　story　of　a　very　remarkable　event　in　the　life
of　one　of　my　brother　clergymen。　He　and　I　became　acquainted
through　being　associated　with　each　other　in　the　management　of　a
Missionary　Society。　I　saw　him　for　the　last　time　in　London　when　he
was　about　to　leave　his　country　and　his　friends　forever；　and　was
then　informed　of　the　circumstances　which　have　afforded　the
material　for　this　narrative。〃


BROTHER　OWEN'S　STORY

of

THE　PARSON'S　SCRUPLE。


CHAPTER　I。


IF　you　had　been　in　the　far　West　of　England　about　thirteen　years
since；　and　if　you　had　happened　to　take　up　one　of　the　Cornish
newspapers　on　a　certain　day　of　the　month；　which　need　not　be
specially　mentioned；　you　would　have　seen　this　notice　of　a
marriage　at　the　top　of　a　column：


On　the　third　instant；　at　the　parish　church；　the　Reverend　Alfred
Carling；　Rector　of　Penliddy；　to　Emily　Harriet；　relict　of　the　late
Fergus　Duncan；　Esq。；　of　Glendarn；　N。　B。


The　rector's　marriage　did　not　produce　a　very　favorable　impression
in　the　town；　solely　in　consequence　of　the　unaccountable　private
and　unpretending　manner　in　which　the　ceremony　had　been　performed。
The　middle…aged　bride　and　bridegroom　had　walked　quietly　to　church
one　morning；　had　been　married　by　the　curate　before　any　one　was
aware　of　it；　and　had　embarked　immediately　afterward　in　the
steamer　for　Tenby；　where　they　proposed　to　pass　their　honeymoon。
The　bride　being　a　stranger　at　Penliddy；　all　inquiries　about　her
previous　history　were　fruitless；　and　the　townspeople　had　no
alternative　but　to　trust　to　their　own　investigations　for
enlightenment　when　the　rector　and　his　wife　came　home　to　settle
among　their　friends。

After　six　weeks'　absence　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carling　returned；　and　the
simple　story　of　the　rector's　courtship　and　marriage　was　gathered
together　in　fragments；　by　inquisitive　friends；　from　his　own　lips
and　from　the　lips　of　his　wife。

Mr。　Carling　and　Mrs。　Duncan　had　met　at　Torquay。　The　rector；　who
had　exchanged　houses　and　duties　for　the　season　with　a　brother
clergym