the queen of hearts-第58部分

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with　fresh　provisions。　Where；　in　that　case；　must　he　stop？
Somewhere　in　Scotland；　supposing　he　didn't　alter　his　course　when
he　was　out　of　sight　of　your　seaport。　Where　in　Scotland？　Northward
on　the　main　land；　or　westward　at　one　of　the　islands？　Most　likely
on　the　main　land；　where　the　seaside　places　are　largest；　and　where
he　is　sure　of　getting　all　the　stores　he　wants。　Next；　what　is　our
business？　Not　to　risk　losing　a　link　in　the　chain　of　evidence　by
missing　any　place　where　he　has　put　his　foot　on　shore。　Not　to
overshoot　the　mark　when　we　want　to　hit　it　in　the　bull's…eye。　Not
to　waste　money　and　time　by　taking　a　long　trip　to　Sweden　till　we
know　that　we　must　absolutely　go　there。　Where　is　our　journey　of
discovery　to　take　us　to　first；　then？　Clearly　to　the　north　of
Scotland。　What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　William？　Is　my　catechism
all　correct；　or　has　your　strong　ale　muddled　my　head？〃

It　was　evident　by　this　time　that　no　ale　could　do　that；　and　I　told
him　so。　He　chuckled；　winked　at　me；　and；　taking　another　pinch　of
snuff；　said　he　would　now　turn　the　whole　case　over　in　his　mind
again；　and　make　sure　that　he　had　got　all　the　bearings　of　it　quite
clear。

By　the　time　we　reached　the　post…town　he　had　accomplished　this
mental　effort　to　his　own　perfect　satisfaction；　and　was　quite
ready　to　compare　the　ale　at　the　inn　with　the　ale　at　Darrock　Hall。
The　dog…cart　was　left　to　be　taken　back　the　next　morning　by　the
hostler。　A　post…chaise　and　horses　were　ordered　out。　A　loaf　of
bread；　a　Bologna　sausage；　and　two　bottles　of　sherry　were　put　into
the　pockets　of　the　carriage；　we　took　our　seats；　and　started
briskly　on　our　doubtful　journey。

〃One　word　more　of　friendly　advice；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　settling
himself　comfortably　in　his　corner　of　the　carriage。　〃Take　your
sleep；　William；　whenever　you　feel　that　you　can　get　it。　You　won't
find　yourself　in　bed　again　till　we　get　to　Glasgow。〃

CHAPTER　III。

ALTHOUGH　the　events　that　I　am　now　relating　happened　many　years
ago；　I　shall　still；　for　caution's　sake；　avoid　mentioning　by　name
the　various　places　visited　by　Mr。　Dark　and　myself　for　the　purpose
of　making　inquiries。　It　will　be　enough　if　I　describe　generally
what　we　did；　and　if　I　mention　in　substance　only　the　result　at
which　we　ultimately　arrived。

On　reaching　Glasgow；　Mr。　Dark　turned　the　whole　case　over　in　his
mind　once　more。　The　result　was　that　he　altered　his　original
intention　of　going　straight　to　the　north　of　Scotland；　considering
it　safer　to　make　sure；　if　possible；　of　the　course　the　yacht　had
taken　in　her　cruise　along　the　western　coast。

The　carrying　out　of　this　new　resolution　involved　the　necessity　of
delaying　our　onward　journey　by　perpetually　diverging　from　the
direct　road。　Three　times　we　were　sent　uselessly　to　wild　places　in
the　Hebrides　by　false　reports。　Twice　we　wandered　away　inland；
following　gentlemen　who　answered　generally　to　the　description　of
Mr。　James　Smith；　but　who　turned　out　to　be　the　wrong　men　as　soon
as　we　set　eyes　on　them。　These　vain　excursionsespecially　the
three　to　the　western　islandsconsumed　time　terribly。　It　was　more
than　two　months　from　the　day　when　we　had　left　Darrock　Hall　before
we　found　ourselves　up　at　the　very　top　of　Scotland　at　last；
driving　into　a　considerable　sea…side　town；　with　a　harbor　attached
to　it。　Thus　far　our　journey　had　led　to　no　results；　and　I　began　to
despair　of　success。　As　for　Mr。　Dark；　he　never　got　to　the　end　of
his　sweet　temper　and　his　wonderful　patience。

〃You　don't　know　how　to　wait；　William；〃　was　his　constant　remark
whenever　he　heard　me　complaining。　〃I　do。〃

We　drove　into　the　town　toward　evening　in　a　modest　little　gig；　and
put　up；　according　to　our　usual　custom；　at　one　of　the　inferior
inns。

〃We　must　begin　at　the　bottom；〃　Mr。　Dark　used　to　say。　〃High
company　in　a　coffee…room　won't　be　familiar　with　us；　low　company
in　a　tap…room　will。〃　And　he　certainly　proved　the　truth　of　his　own
words。　The　like　of　him　for　making　intimate　friends　of　total
strangers　at　the　shortest　notice　I　have　never　met　with　before　or
since。　Cautious　as　the　Scotch　are；　Mr。　Dark　seemed　to　have　the
knack　of　twisting　them　round　his　finger　as　he　pleased。　He　varied
his　way　artfully　with　different　men；　but　there　were　three
standing　opinions　of　his　which　he　made　a　point　of　expressing　in
all　varieties　of　company　while　we　were　in　Scotland。　In　the　first
place；　he　thought　the　view　of　Edinburgh　from　Arthur's　Seat　the
finest　in　the　world。　In　the　second　place；　he　considered　whisky　to
be　the　most　wholesome　spirit　in　the　world。　In　the　third　place；　he
believed　his　late　beloved　mother　to　be　the　best　woman　in　the
world。　It　may　be　worthy　of　note　that；　whenever　he　expressed　this
last　opinion　in　Scotland；　he　invariably　added　that　her　maiden
name　was　Macleod。

Well；　we　put　up　at　a　modest　little　inn　near　the　harbor。　I　was
dead　tired　with　the　journey；　and　lay　down　on　my　bed　to　get　some
rest。　Mr。　Dark；　whom　nothing　ever　fatigued；　left　me　to　take　his
toddy　and　pipe　among　the　company　in　the　taproom。

I　don't　know　how　long　I　had　been　asleep　when　I　was　roused　by　a
shake　on　my　shoulder。　The　room　was　pitch　dark；　and　I　felt　a　hand
suddenly　clapped　over　my　mouth。　Then　a　strong　smell　of　whisky　and
tobacco　saluted　my　nostrils；　and　a　whisper　stole　into　my　ear

〃William；　we　have　got　to　the　end　of　our　journey。〃

〃Mr。　Dark；〃　I　stammered　out；　〃is　that　you？　What；　in　Heaven's
name；　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　yacht　put　in　here；〃　was　the　answer；　still　in　a　whisper；　〃and
your　blackguard　of　a　master　came　ashore〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dark；〃　I　broke　in；　〃don't　tell　me　that　the　letter　is
true！〃

〃Every　word　of　it；〃　says　he。　〃He　was　married　here；　and　was　off
again　to　the　Mediterranean　with　Number　Two　a　good　three　weeks
before　we　left　your　mistress's　house。　Hush！　don't　say　a　word；　Go
to　sleep　again；　or　strike　a　light；　if　you　like　it　better。　Do
anything　but　come　downstairs　with　me。　I'm　going　to　find　out　all
the　particulars　without　seeming　to　want　to　know　one　of　them。
Yours　is　a　very　good…looking　face；　William；　but　it's　so
infernally　honest　that　I　can't　trust　it　in　the　tap…room。　I'm
making　friends　with　the　Scotchmen　already。　They　know　my　opinion
of　Arthur's　Seat；　they　_see_　what　I　think　of　whisky；　and　I　rather
think　it　won't　be　long　before　they　hear　that　my　mother's　maiden
name　was　Macleod。〃

With　those　words　he　slipped　out　of　the　room；　and　left　me；　as　he
had　found　me；　in　the　dark。

I　was　far　too　much　agitated　by　what　I　had　heard　to　think　of　going
to　sleep　again；　so　I　struck　a　light；　and　tried　to　amuse　myself　as
well　as　I　could　with　an　old　newspaper　that　had　been　stuffed　into
my　carpet　bag。　It　was　then　nearly　ten　o'clock。　Two　hours　later；
when　the　house　shut　up；　Mr。　Dark　came　back　to　me　again　in　high
spirits。

〃I　have　got　the　whole　case　here；〃　says　he；　tapping　his
forehead〃the　whole　case；　as　neat　and　clean　as　if　it　was　drawn
in　a　brief。　That　master　of　yours　doesn't　stick　at　a　trifle；
William。　It's　my　opinion　that　your　mistress　and　you　have　not　seen
the　last　of　him　yet。〃

We　were　sleeping　that　night　in　a　double…bedded　room。　As　soon　as
Mr。　Dark　had　secured　the　door　and　disposed　himself　comfortably　in
his　bed；　he　entered　on　a　detailed　narrative　of　the　particulars
communicated　to　him　in　the　tap…room。　The　substance　of　what　he
told　me　may　be　related　as　follows：

The　yacht　had　had　a　wonderful　run　all　the　way　to　Cape　Wrath。　On
rounding　that　headland　she　had　met　the　wind　nearly　dead　against
her；　and　had　beaten　every　inch　of　the　way　to　the　sea…port　town；
where　she　had　put　in　to　get　a　supply　of　provisions；　and　to　wait
for　a　change　in　the　wind。

Mr。　James　Smith　had　gone　ashore　to　look　about　him；　and　to　see
whether　the　principal　hotel　was　the　sort　of　house　at　which　he
would　like　to　stop　for　a　few　days。　In　the　course　of　his　wandering
about　the　town；　his　attention　had　been　attracted　to　a　decent
house；　where　lodgings　were　to　be　let；　by　the　sight　of　a　very
pretty　girl　sitting　at　work　at　the　parlor　window。　He　was　so
struck　by　her　face　that　he　came　back　twice　to　look　at　it；
determining；　the　second　time；　to　try　if　he　could　not　make
acquaintance　with　her　by　asking　to　see　the　lodgings。　He　was　shown
the　rooms　by　the　girl's　mother；　a　very　respectable　woman；　whom　he
discovered　to　be　the　wife　of　the　master　and　part　owner　of　a　small
coasting　ves　sel；　then　away　at　sea。　With　a　little　maneuvering　he
managed　to　get　into　the　parlor　where　the　daughter　was　at　work；
and　to　exchange　a　few　words　with　her。　Her　voice　and　manner
completed　the　attraction　of　her　face。　Mr。　James　Smith　decided；　in
his　headlong　way；　that　he　was　violently　in　love　with　her；　and；
without　hesitating　another　instant；　he　took　the　lodgings　on　the
spot　for　a　month　certain。

It　is　unnecessary　to　say　that　his　designs　on　the　girl　were　of　the
most　disgraceful　kind；　and　that　he　represented　himself　to　the
mother　and　daughter　as　a　single　man。　Helped　by　his　advantages　of
money；　position；　and　personal　appearance；　he　had　made　sure　that
the　ruin　of　the　girl　might　be　effected　with　very　little
difficulty；　but　he　soon　found　that　he　had　undertaken　no　easy
conquest。

The　mother's　watchfulness　never　slept；　and　the　daughter's
presence　of　mind　never　failed　her。　She　admired　Mr。　James　Smith's
tall　figure　and　splendid　whiskers；　she　showed　the　most
encouraging　partiality　for　his　society；　she　smiled　at　his
compliments；　and　blushed　whenever　he　looked　at　her；　but；　whether
it　was　cunning　or　whether　it　was　innocence；　she　seemed　incapable
of　understanding　that　his　advances　toward　her　were　of　any　other
than　an　honorable　kind。　At　the　slightest　approach　to　undue
familiarity；　she　drew　back　with　a　kind　of　contemptuous　surprise
in　her　face；　which　utterly　perplexed　Mr。　James　Smith。　He　had　not
calculated　on　that　sort　of　resistance；　and　he　could　not　see　his
way　to　overcoming　it。　The　weeks　passed；　the　month　for　which　he
had　taken　the　lodgings　expired。　Time　had　strengthened　the　girl's
hold　on　him　till　his　admiration　for　her　amounted　to　downright
infatuation；　and　he　had　not　advanced　one　step　yet　toward　the
fulfillment　of　the　vicious　purpose　with　which　he　had　entered　the
house。

At　this　time　he　must　have　made　some　fresh　attempt　on　the　girl's
virtue；　which　produced：　a　coolness　between　them；　for；　instead　of
taking　the　lodgings　for　another　term；　he　removed　to　his　yacht；　in
the　harb