the queen of hearts-第7部分

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aspect　of　her　character　was　a　new　surprise　to　us；　and　every　fresh
occupation　that　she　chose　was　a　fresh　contradiction　to　our
previous　expectations。　The　value　of　experience　as　a　guide　is
unquestionable　in　many　of　the　most　important　affairs　of　life；
but；　speaking　for　myself　personally；　I　never　understood　the　utter
futility　of　it；　where　a　woman　is　concerned；　until　I　was　brought
into　habits　of　daily　communication　with　our　fair　guest。

In　her　domestic　relations　with　ourselves　she　showed　that
exquisite　nicety　of　discrimination　in　studying　our　characters；
habits　and　tastes　which　comes　by　instinct　with　women；　and　which
even　the　longest　practice　rarely　teaches　in　similar　perfection　to
men。　She　saw　at　a　glance　all　the　underlying　tenderness　and
generosity　concealed　beneath　Owen's　external　shyness；
irresolution；　and　occasional　reserve；　and；　from　first　to　last；
even　in　her　gayest　moments；　there　was　always　a　certain
quietly…implied　considerationan　easy；　graceful；　delicate
deferencein　her　manner　toward　my　eldest　brother；　which　won　upon
me　and　upon　him　every　hour　in　the　day。

With　me　she　was　freer　in　her　talk；　quicker　in　her　actions；
readier　and　bolder　in　all　the　thousand　little　familiarities　of
our　daily　intercourse。　When　we　met　in　the　morning　she　always　took
Owen's　hand；　and　waited　till　he　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　In　my
case　she　put　both　her　hands　on　my　shoulders；　raised　herself　on
tiptoe；　and　saluted　me　briskly　on　both　checks　in　the　foreign　way。
She　never　differed　in　opinion　with　Owen　without　propitiating　him
first　by　some　little　artful　compliment　in　the　way　of　excuse。　She
argued　boldly　with　me　on　every　subject　under　the　sun；　law　and
politics　included；　and；　when　I　got　the　better　of　her；　never
hesitated　to　stop　me　by　putting　her　hand　on　my　lips；　or　by
dragging　me　out　into　the　garden　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence。

As　for　Morgan；　she　abandoned　all　restraint　in　his　case　on　the
second　day　of　her　sojourn　among　us。　She　had　asked　after　him　as
soon　as　she　was　settled　in　her　two　rooms　on　the　third　story；　had
insisted　on　knowing　why　he　lived　at　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　why
he　had　not　appeared　to　welcome　her　at　the　door；　had　entrapped　us
into　all　sorts　of　damaging　admissions；　and　had　thereupon
discovered　the　true　state　of　the　case　in　less　than　five　minutes。

From　that　time　my　unfortunate　second　brother　became　the　victim　of
all　that　was　mischievous　and　reckless　in　her　disposition。　She
forced　him　downstairs　by　a　series　of　maneuvers　which　rendered　his
refuge　uninhabitable；　and　then　pretended　to　fall　violently　in
love　with　him。　She　slipped　little　pink　three…cornered　notes　under
his　door；　entreating　him　to　make　appointments　with　her；　or
tenderly　inquiring　how　he　would　like　to　see　her　hair　dressed　at
dinner　on　that　day。　She　followed　him　into　the　garden；　sometimes
to　ask　for　the　privilege　of　smelling　his　tobacco…smoke；　sometimes
to　beg　for　a　lock　of　his　hair；　or　a　fragment　of　his　ragged　old
dressing…gown；　to　put　among　her　keepsakes。　She　sighed　at　him　when
he　was　in　a　passion；　and　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes　when　he
was　sulky。　In　short；　she　tormented　Morgan；　whenever　she　could
catch　him；　with　such　ingenious　and　such　relentless　malice；　that
he　actually　threatened　to　go　back　to　London；　and　prey　once　more；
in　the　unscrupulous　character　of　a　doctor；　on　the　credulity　of
mankind。

Thus　situated　in　her　relations　toward　ourselves；　and　thus
occupied　by　country　diversions　of　her　own　choosing；　Miss　Jessie
passed　her　time　at　The　Glen　Tower；　excepting　now　and　then　a　dull
hour　in　the　long　evenings；　to　her　guardian's　satisfactionand；
all　things　considered；　not　without　pleasure　to　herself。　Day
followed　day　in　calm　and　smooth　succession；　and　five　quiet　weeks
had　elapsed　out　of　the　six　during　which　her　stay　was　to　last
without　any　remarkable　occurrence　to　distinguish　them；　when　an
event　happened　which　personally　affected　me　in　a　very　serious
manner；　and　which　suddenly　caused　our　handsome　Queen　of　Hearts　to
become　the　object　of　my　deepest　anxiety　in　the　present；　and　of　my
dearest　hopes　for　the　future。

CHAPTER　IV。

OUR　GRAND　PROJECT。

AT　the　end　of　the　fifth　week　of　our　guest's　stay；　among　the
letters　which　the　morning's　post　brought　to　The　Glen　Tower　there
was　one　for　me；　from　my　son　George；　in　the　Crimea。

The　effect　which　this　letter　produced　in　our　little　circle
renders　it　necessary　that　I　should　present　it　here；　to　speak　for
itself。

This　is　what　I　read　alone　in　my　own　room：


〃MY　DEAREST　FATHERAfter　the　great　public　news　of　the　fall　of
Sebastopol；　have　you　any　ears　left　for　small　items　of　private
intelligence　from　insignificant　subaltern　officers？　Prepare；　if
you　have；　for　a　sudden　and　a　startling　announcement。　How　shall　I
write　the　words？　How　shall　I　tell　you　that　I　am　really　coming
home？

〃I　have　a　private　opportunity　of　sending　this　letter；　and　only　a
short　time　to　write　it　in；　so　I　must　put　many　things；　if　I　can；
into　few　words。　The　doctor　has　reported　me　fit　to　travel　at　last；
and　I　leave；　thanks　to　the　privilege　of　a　wounded　man；　by　the
next　ship。　The　name　of　the　vessel　and　the　time　of　starting　are　on
the　list　which　I　inclose。　I　have　made　all　my　calculations；　and；
allowing　for　every　possible　delay；　I　find　that　I　shall　be　with
you；　at　the　latest；　on　the　first　of　Novemberperhaps　some　days
earlier。

〃I　am　far　too　full　of　my　return；　and　of　something　else　connected
with　it　which　is　equally　dear　to　me；　to　say　anything　about　public
affairs；　more　especially　as　I　know　that　the　newspapers　must；　by
this　time；　have　given　you　plenty　of　information。　Let　me　fill　the
rest　of　this　paper　with　a　subject　which　is　very　near　to　my
heartnearer；　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　say；　than　the　great　triumph
of　my　countrymen；　in　which　my　disabled　condition　has　prevented　me
from　taking　any　share。

〃I　gathered　from　your　last　letter　that　Miss　Yelverton　was　to　pay
you　a　visit　this　autumn；　in　your　capacity　of　her　guardian。　If　she
is　already　with　you；　pray　move　heaven　and　earth　to　keep　her　at
The　Glen　Tower　till　I　come　back。　Do　you　anticipate　my　confession
from　this　entreaty？　My　dear；　dear　father；　all　my　hopes　rest　on
that　one　darling　treasure　which　you　are　guarding　perhaps；　at　this
moment；　under　your　own　roofall　my　happiness　depends　on　making
Jessie　Yelverton　my　wife。

〃If　I　did　not　sincerely　believe　that　you　will　heartily　approve　of
my　choice；　I　should　hardly　have　ventured　on　this　abrupt
confession。　Now　that　I　have　made　it；　let　me　go　on　and　tell　you
why　I　have　kept　my　attachment　up　to　this　time　a　secret　from　every
oneeven　from　Jessie　herself。　（You　see　I　call　her　by　her
Christian　name　already！）

〃I　should　have　risked　everything；　father；　and　have　laid　my　whole
heart　open　before　her　more　than　a　year　ago；　but　for　the　order
which　sent　our　regiment　out　to　take　its　share　in　this　great
struggle　of　the　Russian　war。　No　ordinary　change　in　my　life　would
have　silenced　me　on　the　subject　of　all　others　of　which　I　was　most
anxious　to　speak；　but　this　change　made　me　think　seriously　of　the
future；　and　out　of　those　thoughts　came　the　resolution　which　I
have　kept　until　this　time。　For　her　sake；　and　for　her　sake　only；　I
constrained　myself　to　leave　the　words　unspoken　which　might　have
made　her　my　promised　wife。　I　resolved　to　spare　her　the　dreadful
suspense　of　waiting　for　her　betrothed　husband　till　the　perils　of
war　might；　or　might　not；　give　him　back　to　her。　I　resolved　to　save
her　from　the　bitter　grief　of　my　death　if　a　bullet　laid　me　low。　I
resolved　to　preserve　her　from　the　wretched　sacrifice　of　herself
if　I　came　back；　as　many　a　brave　man　will　come　back　from　this　war；
invalided　for　life。　Leaving　her　untrammeled　by　any　engagement；
unsuspicious　perhaps　of　my　real　feelings　toward　her；　I　might　die；
and　know　that；　by　keeping　silence；　I　had　spared　a　pang　to　the
heart　that　was　dearest　to　me。　This　was　the　thought　that　stayed
the　words　on　my　lips　when　I　left　England；　uncertain　whether　I
should　ever　come　back。　If　I　had　loved　her　less　dearly；　if　her
happiness　had　been　less　precious　to　me；　I　might　have　given　way
under　the　hard　restraint　I　imposed　on　myself；　and　might　have
spoken　selfishly　at　the　last　moment。

〃And　now　the　time　of　trial　is　past；　the　war　is　over；　and；
although　I　still　walk　a　little　lame；　I　am；　thank　God；　in　as　good
health　and　in　much　better　spirits　than　when　I　left　home。　Oh；
father；　if　I　should　lose　her　nowif　I　should　get　no　reward　for
sparing　her　but　the　bitterest　of　all　disappointments！　Sometimes　I
am　vain　enough　to　think　that　I　made　some　little　impression　on
her；　sometimes　I　doubt　if　she　has　a　suspicion　of　my　love。　She
lives　in　a　gay　worldshe　is　the　center　of　perpetual
admirationmen　with　all　the　qualities　to　win　a　woman's　heart　are
perpetually　about　hercan　I；　dare　I　hope？　Yes；　I　must！　Only　keep
her；　I　entreat　you；　at　The　Glen　Tower。　In　that　quiet　world；　in
that　freedom　from　frivolities　and　temptations；　she　will　listen　to
me　as　she　might　listen　nowhere　else。　Keep　her；　my　dearest；
kindest　fatherand；　above　all　things；　breathe　not　a　word　to　her
of　this　letter。　I　have　surely　earned　the　privilege　of　being　the
first　to　open　her　eyes　to　the　truth。　She　must　know　nothing；　now
that　I　am　coming　home；　till　she　knows　all　from　my　own　lips。〃


Here　the　writing　hurriedly　broke　off。　I　am　only　giving　myself
credit　for　common　feeling；　I　trust；　when　I　confess　that　what　I
read　deeply　affected　me。　I　think　I　never　felt　so　fond　of　my　boy；
and　so　proud　of　him；　as　at　the　moment　when　I　laid　down　his
letter。

As　soon　as　I　could　control　my　spirits；　I　began　to　calculate　the
question　of　time　with　a　trembling　eagerness；　which　brought　back
to　my　mind　my　own　young　days　of　love　and　hope。　My　son　was　to　come
back；　at　the　latest；　on　the　first　of　November；　and　Jessie's
allotted　six　weeks　would　expire　on　the　twenty…second　of　October。
Ten　days　too　soon！　But　for　the　caprice　which　had　brought　her　to
us　exactly　that　number　of　days　before　her　time　she　would　have
been　in　the　house；　as　a　matter　of　necessity；　on　George's　return。

I　searched　back　in　my　memory　for　a　conversation　that　I　had　held
with　her　a　week　since　on　her　future　plans。　Toward　the　middle　of
November；　her　aunt；　Lady　Westwick；　had　arranged　to　go　to　her
house　in　Paris；　and　Jessie　was；　of　course；　to　accompany　herto
accompany　her　into