the queen of hearts-第50部分

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had　exchanged　houses　and　duties　for　the　season　with　a　brother
clergyman　settled　at　Torquay；　had　called　on　Mrs。　Duncan　in　his
clerical　capacity；　and　had　come　away　from　the　interview　deeply
impressed　and　interested　by　the　widow's　manners　and　conversation。
The　visits　were　repeated；　the　acquaintance　grew　into　friendship；
and　the　friendship　into　loveardent；　devoted　love　on　both　sides。

Middle…aged　man　though　he　was；　this　was　Mr。　Carling's　first
attachment；　and　it　was　met　by　the　same　freshness　of　feeling　on
the　lady's　part。　Her　life　with　her　first　husband　had　not　been　a
happy　one。　She　had　made　the　fatal　mistake　of　marrying　to　please
her　parents　rather　than　herself；　and　had　repented　it　ever
afterward。　On　her　husband's　death　his　family　had　not　behaved　well
to　her；　and　she　had　passed　her　widowhood；　with　her　only　child；　a
daughter；　in　the　retirement　of　a　small　Scotch　town　many　miles
away　from　the　home　of　her　married　life。　After　a　time　the　little
girl's　health　had　begun　to　fail；　and；　by　the　doctor's　advice；　she
had　migrated　southward　to　the　mild　climate　of　Torquay。　The　change
had　proved　to　be　of　no　avail；　and；　rather　more　than　a　year　since；
the　child　had　died。　The　place　where　her　darling　was　buried　was　a
sacred　place　to　her　and　she　remained　a　resident　at　Torquay。　Her
position　in　the　world　was　now　a　lonely　one。　She　was　herself　an
only　child；　her　father　and　mother　were　both　dead；　and；　excepting
cousins；　her　one　near　relation　left　alive　was　a　maternal　uncle
living　in　London。

These　particulars　were　all　related　simply　and　unaffectedly　before
Mr。　Carling　ventured　on　the　confession　of　his　attachment。　When　he
made　his　proposal　of　marriage；　Mrs。　Duncan　received　it　with　an
excess　of　agitation　which　astonished　and　almost　alarmed　the
inexperienced　clergyman。　As　soon　as　she　could　speak；　she　begged
with　extraordinary　earnestness　and　anxiety　for　a　week　to　consider
her　answer；　and　requested　Mr。　Carling　not　to　visit　her　on　any
account　until　the　week　had　expired。

The　next　morning　she　and　her　maid　departed　for　London。　They　did
not　return　until　the　week　for　consideration　had　expired。　On　the
eighth　day　Mr。　Carling　called　again　and　was　accepted。

The　proposal　to　make　the　marriage　as　private　as　possible　came
from　the　lady。　She　had　been　to　London　to　consult　her　uncle　（whose
health；　she　regretted　to　say；　would　not　allow　him　to　travel　to
Cornwall　to　give　his　niece　away　at　the　altar）；　and　he　agreed　with
Mrs。　Duncan　that　the　wedding　could　not　be　too　private　and
unpretending。　If　it　was　made　public；　the　family　of　her　first
husband　would　expect　cards　to　be　sent　to　them；　and　a　renewal　of
intercourse；　which　would　be　painful　on　both　sides；　might　be　the
consequence。　Other　friends　in　Scotland；　again；　would　resent　her
marrying　a　second　time　at　her　age；　and　would　distress　her　and
annoy　her　future　husband　in　many　ways。　She　was　anxious　to　break
altogether　with　her　past　existence；　and　to　begin　a　new　and
happier　life　untrammeled　by　any　connection　with　former　times　and
troubles。　She　urged　these　points；　as　she　had　received　the　offer
of　marriage；　with　an　agitation　which　was　almost　painful　to　see。
This　peculiarity　in　her　conduct；　however；　which　might　have
irritated　some　men；　and　rendered　others　distrustful；　had　no
unfavorable　effect　on　Mr。　Carling。　He　set　it　down　to　an　excess　of
sensitiveness　and　delicacy　which　charmed　him。　He　was
himselfthough　he　never　would　confess　ita　shy；　nervous　man　by
nature。　Ostentation　of　any　sort　was　something　which　he　shrank
from　instinctively；　even　in　the　simplest　affairs　of　daily　life；
and　his　future　wife's　proposal　to　avoid　all　the　usual　ceremony
and　publicity　of　a　wedding　was　therefore　more　than　agreeable　to
himit　was　a　positive　relief。

The　courtship　was　kept　secret　at　Torquay；　and　the　marriage　was
celebrated　privately　at　Penliddy。　It　found　its　way　into　the　local
newspapers　as　a　matter　of　course；　but　it　was　not；　as　usual　in
such　cases；　also　advertised　in　the　_Times_。　Both　husband　and　wife
were　equally　happy　in　the　enjoyment　of　their　new　life；　and
equally　unsocial　in　taking　no　measures　whatever　to　publish　it　to
others。

Such　was　the　story　of　the　rector's　marriage。　Socially；　Mr。
Carling's　position　was　but　little　affected　either　way　by　the
change　in　his　life。　As　a　bachelor；　his　circle　of　friends　had　been
a　small　one；　and　when　he　married　he　made　no　attempt　to　enlarge
it。　He　had　never　been　popular　with　the　inhabitants　of　his　parish
generally。　Essentially　a　weak　man；　he　was；　like　other　weak　men；
only　capable　of　asserting　himself　positively　in　serious　matters
by　running　into　extremes。　As　a　consequence　of　this　moral　defect；
he　presented　some　singular　anomalies　in　character。　In　the
ordinary　affairs　of　life　he　was　the　gentlest　and　most　yielding　of
men；　but　in　all　that　related　to　strictness　of　religious　principle
he　was　the　sternest　and　the　most　aggressive　of　fanatics。　In　the
pulpit　he　was　a　preacher　of　merciless　sermonsan　interpreter　of
the　Bible　by　the　letter　rather　than　by　the　spirit；　as　pitiless
and　gloomy　as　one　of　the　Puritans　of　old；　while；　on　the　other
hand；　by　his　own　fireside　he　was　considerate；　forbearing；　and
humble　almost　to　a　fault。　As　a　necessary　result　of　this　singular
inconsistency　of　character；　he　was　feared；　and　sometimes　even
disliked；　by　the　members　of　his　congregation　who　only　knew　him　as
their　pastor；　and　he　was　prized　and　loved　by　the　small　circle　of
friends　who　also　knew　him　as　a　man。

Those　friends　gathered　round　him　more　closely　and　more
affectionately　than　ever　after　his　marriage；　not　on　his　own
account　only；　but　influenced　also　by　the　attractions　that　they
found　in　the　society　of　his　wife。　Her　refinement　and　gentleness
of　manner；　her　extraordinary　accomplishments　as　a　musician；　her
unvarying　sweetness　of　temper；　and　her　quick；　winning；　womanly
intelligence　in　conversation；　charmed　every　one　who　approached
her。　She　was　quoted　as　a　model　wife　and　woman　by　all　her
husband's　friends；　and　she　amply　deserved　the　character　that　they
gave　her。　Although　no　children　came　to　cheer　it；　a　happier　and　a
more　admirable　married　life　has　seldom　been　witnessed　in　this
world　than　the　life　which　was　once　to　be　seen　in　the　rectory
house　at　Penliddy。

With　these　necessary　explanations；　that　preliminary　part　of　my
narrative　of　which　the　events　may　be　massed　together　generally；
for　brevity's　sake；　comes　to　a　close。　What　I　have　next　to　tell　is
of　a　deeper　and　a　more　serious　interest；　and　must　be　carefully
related　in　detail。

The　rector　and　his　wife　had　lived　together　without；　as　I　honestly
believe；　a　harsh　word　or　an　unkind　look　once　passing　between　them
for　upward　of　two　years；　when　Mr。　Carling　took　his　first　step
toward　the　fatal　future　that　was　awaiting　him　by　devoting　his
leisure　hours　to　the　apparently　simple　a　nd　harmless　occupation
of　writing　a　pamphlet。

He　had　been　connected　for　many　years　with　one　of　our　great
Missionary　Societies；　and　had　taken　as　active　a　part　as　a　country
clergyman　could　in　the　management　of　its　affairs。　At　the　period
of　which　I　speak；　certain　influential　members　of　the　society　had
proposed　a　plan　for　greatly　extending　the　sphere　of　its
operations；　trusting　to　a　proportionate　increase　in　the　annual
subscriptions　to　defray　the　additional　expenses　of　the　new
movement。　The　question　was　not　now　brought　forward　for　the　first
time。　It　had　been　agitated　eight　years　previously；　and　the
settlement　of　it　had　been　at　that　time　deferred　to　a　future
opportunity。　The　revival　of　the　project；　as　usual　in　such　cases；
split　the　working　members　of　the　society　into　two　parties；　one
party　cautiously　objecting　to　run　any　risks；　the　other　hopefully
declaring　that　the　venture　was　a　safe　one；　and　that　success　was
sure　to　attend　it。　Mr。　Carling　sided　enthusiastically　with　the
members　who　espoused　this　latter　side　of　the　question；　and　the
object　of　his　pamphlet　was　to　address　the　subscribers　to　the
society　on　the　subject；　and　so　to　interest　them　in　it　as　to　win
their　charitable　support；　on　a　larger　scale　than　usual；　to　the
new　project。

He　had　worked　hard　at　his　pamphlet；　and　had　got　more　than　half
way　through　it；　when　he　found　himself　brought　to　a　stand…still
for　want　of　certain　facts　which　had　been　produced　on　the
discussion　of　the　question　eight　years　since；　and　which　were
necessary　to　the　full　and　fair　statement　of　his　case。

At　first　he　thought　of　writing　to　the　secretary　of　the　society
for　information；　but；　remembering　that　he　had　not　held　his　office
more　than　two　years；　he　had　thought　it　little　likely　that　this
gentleman　would　be　able　to　help　him；　and　looked　back　to　his　own
Diary　of　the　period　to　see　if　he　had　made　any　notes　in　it
relating　to　the　original　discussion　of　the　affair。　He　found　a
note　referring　in　general　terms　only　to　the　matter　in　hand；　but
alluding　at　the　end　to　a　report　in　the　_Times_　of　the　proceedings
of　a　deputation　from　the　society　which　had　waited　on　a　member　of
the　government　of　that　day；　and　to　certain　letters　to　the　editor
which　had　followed　the　publication　of　the　report。　The　note
described　these　letters　as　〃very　important；〃　and　Mr。　Carling
felt；　as　he　put　his　Diary　away　again；　that　the　successful
conclusion　of　his　pamphlet　now　depended　on　his　being　able　to　get
access　to　the　back　numbers　of　the　_Times_　of　eight　years　since。

It　was　winter　time　when　he　was　thus　stopped　in　his　work；　and　the
prospect　of　a　journey　to　London　（the　only　place　he　knew　of　at
which　files　of　the　paper　were　to　be　found）　did　not　present　many
attractions；　and　yet　he　could　see　no　other　and　easier　means　of
effecting　his　object。　After　considering　for　a　little　while　and
arriving　at　no　positive　conclusion；　he　left　the　study；　and　went
into　the　drawing…room　to　consult　his　wife。

He　found　her　working　industriously　by　the　blazing　fire。　She
looked　so　happy　and　comfortableso　gentle　and　charming　in　her
pretty　little　lace　cap；　and　her　warm　brown　morning…dress；　with
its　bright　cherry…colored　ribbons；　and　its　delicate　swan's　down
trimming　circling　round　her　neck　and　nestling　over　her　bosom；
that　he　stooped　and　kissed　her　with　the　tenderness　of　his
bridegroom　days　before　he　spoke。　When　he　told　her　of　the　cause
that　had　suspended　his　literary　occupation；　she　listened；　with
the　sensation　of　the　kiss　still　lin