the queen of hearts-第5部分

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doubt；　even　if　we　made　the　attempt；　whether　we　should　succeed；　by
fair　means；　in　getting　him　beyond　the　servants'　hall。

Dismissing；　therefore；　all　idea　of　inviting　visitors　to　entertain
our　guest；　and　feeling；　at　the　same　time；　more　than　doubtful　of
her　chance　of　discovering　any　attraction　in　the　sober　society　of
the　inmates　of　the　house；　I　finish　my　dressing　and　go　down　to
breakfast；　secretly　veering　round　to　the　housekeeper's　opinion
that　Miss　Jessie　will　really　bring　matters　to　an　abrupt
conclusion　by　running　away。　I　find　Morgan　as　bitterly　resigned　to
his　destiny
　as　ever；　and　Owen　so　affectionately　anxious　to　make　himself　of
some　use；　and　so　lamentably　ignorant　of　how　to　begin；　that　I　am
driven　to　disembarrass　myself　of　him　at　the　outset　by　a
stratagem。

I　suggest　to　him　that　our　visitor　is　sure　to　be　interested　in
pictures；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pretty　attention；　on　his　part；
to　paint　her　a　landscape　to　hang　up　in　her　room。　Owen　brightens
directly；　informs　me　in　his　softest　tones　that　he　is　then　at　work
on　the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon；　and　inquires　whether　I　think　she
would　like　that　subject。　I　preserve　my　gravity　sufficiently　to
answer　in　the　affirmative；　and　my　brother　retires　meekly　to　his
studio；　to　depict　the　engulfing　of　a　city　and　the　destruction　of
a　population。　Morgan　withdraws　in　his　turn　to　the　top　of　the
tower；　threatening；　when　our　guest　comes；　to　draw　all　his　meals
up　to　his　new　residence　by　means　of　a　basket　and　string。　I　am
left　alone　for　an　hour；　and　then　the　upholsterer　arrives　from　the
county　town。

This　worthy　man；　on　being　informed　of　our　emergency；　sees　his
way；　apparently；　to　a　good　stroke　of　business；　and　thereupon　wins
my　lasting　gratitude　by　taking；　in　opposition　to　every　one　else；
a　bright　and　hopeful　view　of　existing　circumstances。

〃You'll　excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　says；　confidentially；　when　I　show　him
the　rooms　in　the　lean…to；　〃but　this　is　a　matter　of　experience。
I'm　a　family　man　myself；　with　grown…up　daughters　of　my　own；　and
the　natures　of　young　women　are　well　known　to　me。　Make　their　rooms
comfortable；　and　you　make　'em　happy。　Surround　their　lives；　sir；
with　a　suitable　atmosphere　of　furniture；　and　you　never　hear　a
word　of　complaint　drop　from　their　lips。　Now；　with　regard　to　these
rooms；　for　example；　siryou　put　a　neat　French　bedstead　in　that
corner；　with　curtains　conformablesay　a　tasty　chintz；　you　put　on
that　bedstead　what　I　will　term　a　sufficiency　of　bedding；　and　you
top　up　with　a　sweet　little　eider…down　quilt；　as　light　as　roses；
and　similar　the　same　in　color。　You　do　that；　and　what　follows？　You
please　her　eye　when　she　lies　down　at　night；　and　you　please　her
eye　when　she　gets　up　in　the　morningand　you're　all　right　so　far；
and　so　is　she。　I　will　not　dwell；　sir；　on　the　toilet…table；　nor
will　I　seek　to　detain　you　about　the　glass　to　show　her　figure；　and
the　other　glass　to　show　her　face；　because　I　have　the　articles　in
stock；　and　will　be　myself　answerable　for　their　effect　on　a　lady's
mind　and　person。〃

He　led　the　way　into　the　next　room　as　he　spoke；　and　arranged　its
future　fittings；　and　decorations；　as　he　had　already　planned　out
the　bedroom；　with　the　strictest　reference　to　the　connection　which
experience　had　shown　him　to　exist　between　comfortable　furniture
and　female　happiness。

Thus　far；　in　my　helpless　state　of　mind；　the　man's　confidence　had
impressed　me　in　spite　of　myself；　and　I　had　listened　to　him　in
superstitious　silence。　But　as　he　continued　to　rise；　by　regular
gradations；　from　one　climax　of　upholstery　to　another；　warning
visions　of　his　bill　disclosed　themselves　in　the　remote　background
of　the　scene　of　luxury　and　magnificence　which　my　friend　was
conjuring　up。　Certain　sharp　professional　instincts　of　bygone
times　resumed　their　influence　over　me；　I　began　to　start　doubts
and　ask　questions；　and　as　a　necessary　consequence　the　interview
between　us　soon　assumed　something　like　a　practical　form。

Having　ascertained　what　the　probable　expense　of　furnishing　would
amount　to　and　having　discovered　that　the　process　of　transforming
the　lean…to　（allowing　for　the　time　required　to　procure　certain
articles　of　rarity　from　Bristol）　would　occupy　nearly　a　fortnight；
I　dismissed　the　upholsterer　with　the　understanding　that　I　should
take　a　day　or　two　for　consideration；　and　let　him　know　the　result。
It　was　then　the　fifth　of　September；　and　our　Queen　of　Hearts　was
to　arrive　on　the　twentieth。　The　work；　therefore；　if　it　was　begun
on　the　seventh　or　eighth；　would　be　begun　in　time。

In　making　all　my　calculations　with　a　reference　to　the　twentieth
of　September；　I　relied　implicitly；　it　will　be　observed；　on　a
young　lady's　punctuality　in　keeping　an　appointment　which　she　had
herself　made。　I　can　only　account　for　such　extraordinary
simplicity　on　my　part　on　the　supposition　that　my　wits　had　become
sadly　rusted　by　long　seclusion　from　society。　Whether　it　was
referable　to　this　cause　or　not；　my　innocent　trustfulness　was　at
any　rate　destined　to　be　practically　rebuked　before　long　in　the
most　surprising　manner。　Little　did　I　suspect；　when　I　parted　from
the　upholsterer　on　the　fifth　of　the　month；　what　the　tenth　of　the
month　had　in　store　for　me。

On　the　seventh　I　made　up　my　mind　to　have　the　bedroom　furnished　at
once；　and　to　postpone　the　question　of　the　sitting…room　for　a　few
days　longer。　Having　dispatched　the　necessary　order　to　that
effect；　I　next　wrote　to　hire　the　piano　and　to　order　the　box　of
novels。　This　done；　I　congratulated　myself　on　the　forward　state　of
the　preparations；　and　sat　down　to　repose　in　the　atmosphere　of　my
own　happy　delusions。

On　the　ninth　the　wagon　arrived　with　the　furniture；　and　the　men
set　to　work　on　the　bedroom。　From　this　moment　Morgan　retired
definitely　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　Owen　became　too　nervous
to　lay　the　necessary　amount　of　paint　on　the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon。

On　the　tenth　the　work　was　proceeding　bravely。　Toward　noon　Owen
and　I　strolled　to　the　door　to　enjoy　the　fine　autumn　sunshine。　We
were　sitting　lazily　on　our　favorite　bench　in　front　of　the　tower
when　we　were　startled　by　a　shout　from　above　us。　Looking　up
directly；　we　saw　Morgan　half　in　and　half　out　of　his　narrow　window
In　the　seventh　story；　gesticulating　violently　with　the　stem　of
his　long　meerschaum　pipe　in　the　direction　of　the　road　below　us。

We　gazed　eagerly　in　the　quarter　thus　indicated；　but　our　low
position　prevented　us　for　some　time　from　seeing　anything。　At　last
we　both　discerned　an　old　yellow　post…chaise　distinctly　and
indisputably　approaching　us。

Owen　and　I　looked　at　one　another　in　panic…stricken　silence。　It
was　coming　to　usand　what　did　it　contain？　Do　pianos　travel　in
chaises？　Are　boxes　of　novels　conveyed　to　their　destination　by　a
postilion？　We　expected　the　piano　and　expected　the　novels；　but
nothing　elseunquestionably　nothing　else。

The　chaise　took　the　turn　in　the　road；　passed　through　the　gateless
gap　in　our　rough　inclosure…wall　of　loose　stone；　and　rapidly
approached　us。　A　bonnet　appeared　at　the　window　and　a　hand　gayly
waved　a　white　handkerchief。

Powers　of　caprice；　confusion；　and　dismay！　It　was　Jessie　Yelverton
herselfarriving；　without　a　word　of　warning；　exactly　ten　days
before　her　time。

CHAPTER　III。

OUR　QUEEN　OF'　HEARTS。

THE　chaise　stopped　in　front　of　us；　and　before　we　had　recovered
from　our　bewilderment　the　gardener　had　opened　the　door　and　let
down　the　steps。

A　bright；　laughing　face；　prettily　framed　round　by　a　black　veil
passed　over　the　head　and　tied　under　the　china　traveling…dress
of　a　nankeen　color；　studded　with　blue　buttons　and　trimmed　with
white　braida　light　brown　cloak　over　itlittle　neatly…gloved
hands；　which　seized　in　an　instant　on　one　of　mine　and　on　one　of
Owen'stwo　dark　blue　eyes；　which　seemed　to　look　us　both　through
and　through　in　a　momenta　clear；　full；　merrily　confident
voicea　look　and　manner　gayly　and　gracefully
self…possessedsuch　were　the　characteristics　of　our　fair　guest
which　first　struck　me　at　the　moment　when　she　left　the　postchaise
and　possessed　herself　of　my　hand。

〃Don't　begin　by　scolding　me；〃　she　said；　before　I　could　utter　a
word　of　welcome。　〃There　will　be　time　enough　for　that　in　the
course　of　the　next　six　weeks。　I　beg　pardon；　with　all　possible
humility；　for　the　offense　of　coming　ten　days　before　my　time。
Don't　ask　me　to　account　for　it；　please；　if　you　do；　I　shall　be
obliged　to　confess　the　truth。　My　dear　sir；　the　fact　is；　this　is
an　act　of　impulse。〃

She　paused；　and　looked　us　both　in　the　face　with　a　bright
confidence　in　her　own　flow　of　nonsense　that　was　perfectly
irresistible。

〃I　must　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　she　ran　on；　leading　the　way　to
the　bench；　and　inviting　us；　by　a　little　mock　gesture　of
supplication；　to　seat　ourselves　on　either　side　of　her。　〃I　feel　so
guilty　till　I've　told　you。　Dear　me！　how　nice　this　is！　Here　I　am
quite　at　home　already。　Isn't　it　odd？　Well；　and　how　do　you　think
it　happene　d？　The　morning　before　yesterday　Matildathere　is
Matilda；　picking　up　my　bonnet　from　the　bottom　of　that　remarkably
musty　carriageMatilda　came　and　woke　me　as　usual；　and　I　hadn't
an　idea　in　my　head；　I　assure　you；　till　she　began　to　brush　my
hair。　Can　you　account　for　it？I　can'tbut　she　seemed；　somehow；
to　brush　a　sudden　fancy　for　coming　here　into　my　head。　When　I　went
down　to　breakfast；　I　said　to　my　aunt；　'Darling；　I　have　an
irresistible　impulse　to　go　to　Wales　at　once；　instead　of　waiting
till　the　twentieth。'　She　made　all　the　necessary　objections；　poor
dear；　and　my　impulse　got　stronger　and　stronger　with　every　one　of
them。　'I'm　quite　certain；'　I　said；　'I　shall　never　go　at　all　if　I
don't　go　now。'　'In　that　case；'　says　my　aunt；　'ring　the　bell；　and
have　your　trunks　packed。　Your　whole　future　depends　on　your　going；
and　you　terrify　me　so　inexpressibly　that　I　shall　be　glad　to　get
rid　of　you。'　You　may　not　think　it；　to　look　at　herbut　Matilda　is
a　treasure；　and　in　three　hours　more　I　was　on　the　Great　Western
Railway。　I　have　not　the　least　idea　how　I　got　hereexcept　that
the　men　helped　me　everywhere。　They　are　always　such　delightful
creatures！　I　have　been　casting　myself；　and　my　maid；　and　my　trunks
on　their　tender　mercies　at　every　point　in　the　journey；　and　their
polite　attentions　exceed　all　belief。　I　slept　at　your　horrid
little　county　town　last　night；　and　the　night　before　I　missed　a
steamer　or　a　train；　I　for