the queen of hearts-第59部分

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virtue；　which　produced：　a　coolness　between　them；　for；　instead　of
taking　the　lodgings　for　another　term；　he　removed　to　his　yacht；　in
the　harbor；　and　slept　on　board　for　two　nights。

The　wind　was　now　fair；　and　the　stores　were　on　board；　but　he　gave
no　orders　to　the　sailing…master　to　weigh　anchor。　On　the　third
day；　the　cause　of　the　coolness；　whatever　it　was；　appears　to　have
been　removed；　and　he　returned　to　his　lodgings　on　shore。　Some　of
the　more　inquisitive　among　the　townspeople　observed　soon
afterward；　when　they　met　him　in　the　street；　that　he　looked　rather
anxious　and　uneasy。　The　conclusion　had　probably　forced　itself
upon　his　mind；　by　this　time；　that　he　must　decide　on　pursuing　one
of　two　courses：　either　he　must　resolve　to　make　the　sacrifice　of
leaving　the　girl　altogether；　or　he　must　commit　the　villainy　of
marrying　her。

Scoundrel　as　he　was；　he　hesitated　at　encountering　the
riskperhaps；　also；　at　being　guilty　of　the　crimeinvolved　in
this　last　alternative。　While　he　was　still　in　doubt；　the　father's
coasting　vessel　sailed　into　the　harbor；　and　the　father's　presence
on　the　scene　decided　him　at　last。　How　this　new　influence　acted　it
was　impossible　to　find　out　from　the　imperfect　evidence　of　persons
who　were　not　admitted　to　the　family　councils。　The　fact；　however；
was　certain　that　the　date　of　the　father's　return　and　the　date　of
Mr。　James　Smith's　first　wicked　resolution　to　marry　the　girl　might
both　be　fixed；　as　nearly　as　possible；　at　one　and　the　same　time。

Having　once　made　up　his　mind　to　the　commission　of　the　crime；　he
proceeded　with　all　possible　coolness　and　cunning　to　provide
against　the　chances　of　detection。

Returning　on　board　his　yacht　he　announced　that　he　had　given　up
his　intention　of　cruising　to　Sweden　and　that　he　intended　to　amuse
himself　by　a　long　fishing　tour　in　Scotland。　After　this
explanation；　he　ordered　the　vessel　to　be　laid　up　in　the　harbor；
gave　the　sailing…master　leave　of　absence　to　return　to　his　family
at　Cowes；　and　paid　off　the　whole　of　the　crew　from　the　mate　to　the
cabin…boy。　By　these　means　he　cleared　the　scene；　at　one　blow；　of
the　only　people　in　the　town　who　knew　of　the　existence　of　his
unhappy　wife。　After　that　the　news　of　his　approaching　marriage
might　be　made　public　without　risk　of　discovery；　his　own　common
name　being　of　itself　a　sufficient　protection　in　case　the　event
was　mentioned　in　the　Scotch　newspapers。　All　his　friends；　even　his
wife　herself；　might　read　a　report　of　the　marriage　of　Mr。　James
Smith　without　having　the　slightest　suspicion　of　who　the
bridegroom　really　was。

A　fortnight　after　the　paying　off　of　the　crew　he　was　married　to
the　merchant…captain's　daughter。　The　father　of　the　girl　was　well
known　among　his　fellow…townsmen　as　a　selfish；　grasping　man；　who
was　too　anxious　to　secure　a　rich　son…in…law　to　object　to　any
proposals　for　hastening　the　marriage。　He　and　his　wife；　and　a　few
intimate　relations　had　been　present　at　the　ceremony；　and　after　it
had　been　performed　the　newly…married　couple　left　the　town　at　once
for　a　honeymoon　trip　to　the　Highland　lakes。

Two　days　later；　however；　they　unexpectedly　returned；　announcing　a
complete　change　in　their　plans。　The　bridegroom　（thinking；
probably；　that　he　would　be　safer　out　of　England　than　in　it）　had
been　pleasing　the　bride's　fancy　by　his　descriptions　of　the
climate　and　the　scenery　of　southern　parts。　The　new　Mrs。　James
Smith　was　all　curosity　to　see　Spain　and　Italy；　and；　having　often
proved　herself　an　excellent　sailor　on　board　her　father's　vessel；
was　anxious　to　go　to　the　Mediterranean　in　the　easiest　way　by　sea。
Her　affectionate　husband；　having　now　no　other　object　in　life　than
to　gratify　her　wishes；　had　given　up　the　Highland　excursion；　and
had　returned　to　have　his　yacht　got　ready　for　sea　immediately。　In
this　explanation　there　was　nothing　to　awaken　the　suspicions　of
the　lady's　parents。　The　mother　thought　Mr。　James　Smith　a　model
among　bridegrooms。　The　father　lent　his　assistance　to　man　the
yacht　at　the　shortest　notice　with　as　smart　a　crew　as　could　be
picked　up　about　the　town。　Principally　through　his　exertions；　the
vessel　was　got　ready　for　sea　with　extraordinary　dispatch。　The
sails　were　bent；　the　provisions　were　put　on　board；　and　Mr。　James
Smith　sailed　for　the　Mediterranean　with　the　unfortunate　woman　who
believed　herself　to　be　his　wife；　before　Mr。　Dark　and　myself　set
forth　to　look　after　him　from　Darrock　Hall。

Such　was　the　true　account　of　my　master's　infamous　conduct　in
Scotland　as　it　was　related　to　me。　On　concluding；　Mr。　Dark　hinted
that　he　had　something　still　left　to　tell　me；　but　declared　that　he
was　too　sleepy　to　talk　any　more　that　night。　As　soon　as　we　were
awake　the　next　morning　he　returned　to　the　subject。

〃I　didn't　finish　all　I　had　to　say　last　night；　did　I？〃　he　began。

You　unfortunately　told　me　enough；　and　more　than　enough；　to　prove
the　truth　of　the　statement　in　the　anonymous　letter；〃　I　answered。

〃Yes；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃but　did　I　tell　you　who　wrote　the　anonymous
letter？〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　have　found　that　out！〃　says　I。

〃I　think　I　have；〃　was　the　cool　answer。　〃When　I　heard　about　your
precious　master　paying　off　the　regular　crew　of　the　yacht　I　put
the　circumstance　by　in　my　mind；　to　be　brought　out　again　and
sifted　a　little　as　soon　as　the　opportunity　offered。　It　offered　in
about　half　an　hour。　Says　I　to　the　gauger；　who　was　the　principal
talker　in　the　room：　'How　about　those　men　that　Mr。　Smith　paid　off？
Did　they　all　go　as　soon　as　they　got　their　money；　or　did　they　stop
here　till　they　had　spent　every　farthing　of　it　in　the
public…houses？'　The　gauger　laughs。　'No　such　luck；'　says　he；　in
the　broadest　possible　Scotch　（which　I　translate　into　English；
William；　for　your　benefit）；　'no　such　luck；　they　all　went　south；
to　spend　their　money　among　finer　people　than　usall；　that　is　to
say；　with　one　exception。　It　was　thought　the　steward　of　the　yacht
had　gone　along　with　the　rest；　when；　the　very　day　Mr。　Smith　sailed
for　the　Mediterranean；　who　should　turn　up　unexpectedly　but　the
steward　himself！　Where　he　had　been　hiding；　and　why　he　had　been
hiding；　nobody　could　tell。'　　'Perhaps　he　had　been　imitating　his
master；　and　looking　out　for　a　wife；'　says　I。　　'Likely　enough；'
says　the　gauger；　'he　gave　a　very　confused　account　of　himself；　and
he　cut　all　questions　short　by　going　away　south　in　a　violent
hurry。'　That　was　enough　for　me：　I　let　the　subject　drop。　Clear　as
daylight；　isn't　it；　William？　The
　steward　suspected　something　wrongthe　steward　waited　and
watchedthe　steward　wrote　that　anonymous　letter　to　your
mistress。　We　can　find　him；　if　we　want　him；　by　inquiring　at　Cowes；
and　we　can　send　to　the　church　for　legal　evidence　of　the　marriage
as　soon　as　we　are　instructed　to　do　so。　All　that　we　have　got　to　do
now　is　to　go　back　to　your　mistress；　and　see　what　course　she　means
to　take　under　the　circumstances。　It's　a　pretty　case；　William；　so
faran　uncommonly　pretty　case；　as　it　stands　at　present。〃

We　returned　to　Darrock　Hall　as　fast　as　coaches　and　post…horses
could　carry　us。

Having　from　the　first　believed　that　the　statement　in　the
anonymous　letter　was　true；　my　mistress　received　the　bad　news　we
brought　calmly　and　resignedlyso　far；　at　least；　as　outward
appearances　went。　She　astonished　and　disappointed　Mr。　Dark　by
declining　to　act　in　any　way　on　the　information　that　he　had
collected　for　her；　and　by　insisting　that　the　whole　affair　should
still　be　buried　in　the　profoundest　secrecy。　For　the　first　time
since　I　had　known　my　traveling　companion；　he　became　depressed　in
spirits　on　hearing　that　nothing　more　was　to　be　done；　and；
although　he　left　the　Hall　with　a　handsome　present；　he　left　it
discontentedly。

〃Such　a　pretty　case；　William；〃　says　he；　quite　sorrowfully；　as　we
shook　hands〃such　an　uncommonly　pretty　caseit's　a　thousand
pities　to　stop　it；　in　this　way；　before　it's　half　over！〃

〃You　don't　know　what　a　proud　lady　and　what　a　delicate　lady　my
mistress　is；〃　I　answered。　〃She　would　die　rather　than　expose　her
forlorn　situation　in　a　public　court　for　the　sake　of　punishing　her
husband。〃

〃Bless　your　simple　heart！〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃do　you　really　think；
now；　that　such　a　case　as　this　can　be　hushed　up？〃

〃Why　not；〃　I　asked；　〃if　we　all　keep　the　secret？〃

〃That　for　the　secret！〃　cries　Mr。　Dark；　snapping　his　fingers。
〃Your　master　will　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bag；　if　nobody　else
does。〃

〃My　master！〃　I　repeated；　in　amazement。

〃Yes；　your　master！〃　says　Mr。　Dark。　〃I　have　had　some　experience　in
my　time；　and　I　say　you　have　not　seen　the　last　of　him　yet。　Mark　my
words；　William；　Mr。　James　Smith　will　come　back。〃

With　that　prophecy；　Mr。　Dark　fretfully　treated　himself　to　a　last
pinch　of　snuff；　and　departed　in　dudgeon　on　his　journey　back　to
his　master　in　London。　His　last　words　hung　heavily　on　my　mind　for
days　after　he　had　gone。　It　was　some　weeks　before　I　got　over　a
habit　of　starting　whenever　the　bell　was　rung　at　the　front　door。

CHAPTER　IV。

OUR　life　at　the　Hall　soon　returned　to　its　old；　dreary　course。　The
lawyer　in　London　wrote　to　my　mistress　to　ask　her　to　come　and　stay
for　a　little　while　with　his　wife；　but　she　declined　the
invitation；　being　averse　to　facing　company　after　what　had
happened　to　her。　Though　she　tried　hard　to　keep　the　real　state　of
her　mind　concealed　from　all　about　her；　I；　for　one；　could　see
plainly　enough　that　she　was　pining　under　the　bitter　injury　that
had　been　inflicted　on　her。　What　effect　continued　solitude　might
have　had　on　her　spirits　I　tremble　to　think。

Fortunately　for　herself；　it　occurred　to　her；　before　long；　to　send
and　invite　Mr。　Meeke　to　resume　his　musical　practicing　with　her　at
the　Hall。　She　told　himand；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　with　perfect
truththat　any　implied　engagement　which　he　had　made　with　Mr。
James　Smith　was　now　canceled；　since　the　person　so　named　had
morally　forfeited　all　his　claims　as　a　husband；　first；　by　his
desertion　of　her；　and；　secondly；　by　his　criminal　marriage　with
another　woman。　After　stating　this　view　of　the　matter；　she　left　it
to　Mr。　Meeke　to　decide　whether　the　perfectly　innocent　connection
between　them　should　be　resumed　or　not。　The　little　parson；　after
hesitating　and　pondering　in　his　helpless　way；　ended　by　agreeing
with　my　mistress；　and　by　coming　back　once　more　to　the　Hall　with
his　fiddle　under　his　arm。　This　renewal　of　their　old　habits　might