the queen of hearts-第70部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


I　was　shown　in。

He　was　sitting　on　the　side　of　his　bed；　with　his　head　drooping　and
his　hands　hanging　listlessly　over　his　knees　when　I　first　caught
sight　of　him。　At　the　sound　of　my　approach　he　started　to　his　feet；
and；　without　speaking　a　word；　flung　both　his　arms　round　my　neck

My　heart　swelled　up。

〃Tell　me　it's　not　true；　sir！　For　God's　sake；　tell　me　it's　not
true！〃　was　all　I　could　say　to　him。

He　never　answeredoh　me！　he　never　answered；　and　he　turned　away
his　face。

There　was　one　dreadful　moment　of　silence。　He　still　held　his　arms
round　my　neck；　and　on　a　sudden　he　put　his　lips　close　to　my　ear。

〃Did　you　get　your　money　out？〃　he　whispered。　〃Were　you　in　time　on
Saturday　afternoon？〃

I　broke　free　from　him　in　the　astonishment　of　hearing　those　words。

〃What！〃　I　cried　out　loud；　forgetting　the　third　person　at　the
window。　〃That　man　who　brought　the　message〃

〃Hush！〃　he　said；　putting　his　hand　on　my　lips。　〃There　was　no
better　man　to　be　found；　after　the　officers　had　taken　meI　know
no　more　about　him　than　you　doI　paid　him　well　as　a　chance
messenger；　and　risked　his　cheating　me　of　his　errand。〃

〃_You_　sent　him；　then！〃

〃I　sent　him。〃

My　story　is　over；　gentlemen。　There　is　no　need　for　me　to　tell　you
that　Mr。　Fauntleroy　was　found　guilty；　and　that　he　died　by　the
hangman's　hand。　It　was　in　my　power　to　soothe　his　last　moments　in
this　world　by　taking　on　myself　the　arrangement　of　some　of　his
private　affairs；　which；　while　they　remained　unsettled；　weighed
heavily　on　his　mind。　They　had　no　connection　with　the　crimes　he
had　committed；　so　I　could　do　him　the　last　little　service　he　was
ever　to　accept　at　my　hands　with　a　clear　conscience。

I　say　nothing　in　defense　of　his　characternothing　in　palliation
of　the　offense　for　which　he　suffered。　But　I　cannot　forget　that　in
the　time　of　his　most　fearful　extremity；　when　the　strong　arm　of
the　law　had　already　seized　him；　he　thought　of　the　young　man　whose
humble　fortunes　he　had　helped　to　build；　whose　heartfelt　gratitude
he　had　fairly　won；　whose　simple　faith　he　was　resolved　never　to
betray。　I　leave　it　to　greater　intellects　than　mine　to　reconcile
the　anomaly　of　his　reckless　falsehood　toward　others　and　his
steadfast　truth　toward　me。　It　is　as　certain　as　that　we　sit　here
that　one　of　Fauntleroy's　last　efforts　in　this　world　was　the
effort　he　made　to　preserve　me　from　being　a　loser　by　the　trust
that　I　had　placed　in　him。　There　is　the　secret　of　my　strange
tenderness　for　the　memory　of　a　felon；　that　is　why　the　word
villain　does　somehow　still　grate　on　my　heart　when　I　hear　it
associated　with　the　namethe　disgraced　name；　I　grant　youof　the
forger　Fauntleroy。　Pass　the　bottles；　young　gentlemen；　and　pardon
a　man　of　the　old　school　for　having　so　long　interrupted　your
conversation　with　a　story　of　the　old　time。


THE　TENTH　DAY。


THE　storm　has　burst　on　us　in　its　full　fury。　Last　night　the　stout
old　tower　rocked　on　its　foundations。

I　hardly　ventured　to　hope　that　the　messenger　who　brings　us　our
letters　from　the　villagethe　postman；　as　we　call　himwould　make
his　appearance　this　morning；　but　he　came　bravely　through　rain；
hail　and　wind。　The　old　pony　which　he　usually　rides　had　refused　to
face　the　storm；　and；　sooner　than　disappoint　us；　our　faithful
postman　had　boldly　started　for　The　Glen　Tower　on　foot。　All　his
early　life　had　been　passed　on　board　ship；　and；　at　sixty　years　of
age；　he　had　battled　his　way　that　morning　through　the　storm　on
shore　as　steadily　and　as　resolutely　as　ever　he　had　battled　it　in
his　youth　through　the　storm　at　sea。

I　opened　the　post…bag　eagerly。　There　were　two　letters　for　Jessie
from　young　lady　friends；　a　letter　for　Owen　from　a　charitable
society；　a　letter　to　me　upon　business；　andon　this　last　day；　of
all　othersno　newspaper！

I　sent　directly　to　the　kitchen　（where　the　drenched　and　weary
postman　was　receiving　the　hospitable　attentions　of　the　servants）
to　make　inquiries。　The　disheartening　answer　returned　was　that　the
newspaper　could　not　have　arrived　as　usual　by　the　morning's　post；
or　it　must　have　been　put　into　the　bag　along　with　the　letters。　No
such　accident　as　this　had　occurred；　except　on　one　former
occasion；　since　the　beginning　of　the　year。　And　now；　on　the　very
day　when　I　might　have　looked　confidently　for　news　of　George's
ship；　when　the　state　of　the　weather　made　the　finding　of　that　news
of　the　last　importance　to　my　peace　of　mind；　the　paper；　by　some
inconceivable　fatality；　had　failed　to　reach　me！　If　there　had　been
the　slightest　chance　of　borrowing　a　copy　in　the　village；　I　should
have　gone　there　myself　through　the　tempest　to　get　it。　If　there
had　been　the　faintest　possibility　of　communicating；　in　that
frightful　weather；　with　the　distant　county　town；　I　should　have
sent　there　or　gone　there　myself。　I　even　went　the　length　of
speaking　to　the　groom；　an　old　servant　whom　I　knew　I　could　trust。
The　man　stared　at　me　in　astonishment；　and　then　pointed　through
the　window　to　the　blinding　hail　and　the　writhing　trees。

〃No　horse　that　ever　was　foaled；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃would　face　_that_
for　long。　It's　a'most　a　miracle　that　the　postman　got　here　alive。
He　says　himself　that　he　dursn't　go　back　again。　I'll　try　it；　sir；
if　you　order　me；　but　if　an　accident　happens；　please　to　remember；
whatever　becomes　of　_me；_　that　I　warned　you　beforehand。〃

It　was　only　too　plain　that　the　servant　was　right；　and　I　dismissed
him。　What　I　suffered　from　that　one　accident　of　the　missing
newspaper　I　am　ashamed　to　tell。　No　educated　man　can　conceive　how
little　his　acquired　mental　advantages　will　avail　him　against　his
natural　human　inheritance　of　superstition；　under　certain
circumstances　of　fear　and　suspense；　until　he　has　passed　the
ordeal　in　his　own　proper　person。　We　most　of　us　soon　arrive　at　a
knowledge　of　the　extent　of　our　strength；　but　we　may　pass　a
lifetime　and　be　still　ignorant　of　the　extent　of　our　weakness。

Up　to　this　time　I　had　preserved　self…control　enough　to　hide　the
real　state　of　my　feelings　from　our　guest；　but　the　arrival　of　the
tenth　day；　and　the　unexpected　trial　it　had　brought　with　it；　found
me　at　the　end　of　my　resources。　Jessie's　acute　observation　soon
showed　her　that　something　had　gone　wrong；　and　she　questioned　me
on　the　subject　directly。　My　mind　was　in　such　a　state　of　confusion
that　no　excuse　occurred　to　me。　I　left　her　precipitately；　and
entreated　Owen　and　Morgan　to　keep　her　in　their　company；　and　out
of　mine；　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　My　strength　to　preserve　my
son's　secret　had　failed　me；　and　my　only　chance　of　resisting　the
betrayal　of　it　lay　in　the　childish　resource　of　keeping　out　of　the
way。　I　shut　myself　into　my　room　till　I　could　bear　it　no　longer。　I
watched　my　opportunity；　and　paid　stolen　visits　over　and　over
again　to　the　barometer　in　the　hall。　I　mounted　to　Morgan's　rooms
at　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　looked　out　hopelessly　through
rain…mist　and　scud　for　signs　of　a　carriage　on　the　flooded
valley…road　below　us。　I　stole　down　again　to　the　servants'　hall；
and　questioned　the　old　postman　（half…tipsy　by　this　time　with
restorative　mulled　ale）　about　his　past　experience　of　storms　at
sea；　drew　him　into　telling　long；　rambling；　wearisome　stories；　not
one…tenth　part　of　which　I　heard；　and　left　him　with　my　nervous
irritability　increased　tenfold　by　his　useless　attempts　to
interest　and　inform　me。　Hour　by　hour；　all　through　that　miserable
day；　I　opened　doors　and　windows　to　feel　for　myself　the　capricious
changes　of　the　storm　from　worse　to　better；　and　from　better　to
worse　again。　Now　I　sent　once　more　for　the　groom；　when　it　looked
lighter；　and　now　I　followed　him　hurriedly　to　the　stables；　to
countermand　my　own　rash　orders。　My　thoughts　seemed　to　drive　over
my　mind　as　the　rain　drove　over　the　earth；　the　confusion　within　me
was　the　image　in　little　of　the　mightier　turmoil　that　raged
outside。

Before　we　assembled　at　the　dinner…table；　Owen　whispered　to　me
that　he　had　made　my　excuses　to　our　guest；　and　that　I　need　dread
nothing　more　than　a　few　friendly　inquiries　about　my　health　when　I
saw　her　again。　The　meal　was　dispatched　hastily　and　quietly。
Toward　dusk　the　storm　began　to　lessen；　and　for　a　moment　the　idea
of　sending　to　the　town　occurred　to　me　once　more。　But；　now　that
the　obstacle　of　weather　had　been　removed；　the　obstacle　of
darkness　was　set　up　in　its　place。　I　felt　this；　I　felt　that　a　few
more　hours　would　decide　the　doubt　about　George；　so　far　as　this
last　day　was　concerned；　and　I　determined　to　wait　a　little　longer；
having　already　waited　so　long。　My　resolution　was　the　more
speedily　taken　in　this　matter；　as　I　had　now　made　up　my　mind；　in
sheer　despair；　to　tell　my　son's　secret　to　Jessie　if　he　failed　to
return　before　she　left　us。　My　reason　warned　me　that　I　should　put
myself　and　my　guest　in　a　false　position　by　taking　this　step；　but
something　stronger　than　my　reason　forbade　me　to　let　her　go　back
to　the　gay　world　and　its　temptations　without　first　speaking　to
her　of　George　in　the　lamentable　event　of　George　not　being　present
to　speak　for　himself。

We　were　a　sad　and　silent　little　company　when　the　clock　struck
eight　that　night；　and　when　we　met　for　the　last　time　to　hear　the
last　story。　The　shadow　of　the　approaching　farewellitself　the
shade　of　the　long　farewellrested　heavily　on　our　guest's
spirits。　The　gay　dresses　which　she　had　hitherto　put　on　to　honor
our　little　ceremony　were　all　packed　up；　and　the　plain　gown　she
wore　kept　the　journey　of　the　morrow　cruelly　before　her　eyes　and
ours。　A　quiet　melancholy　shed　its　tenderness　over　her　bright
young　face　as　she　drew　the　last　number；　for　form's　sake；　out　of
the　bowl；　and　handed　it　to　Owen　with　a　faint　smile。　Even　our
positions　at　the　table　were　altered　now。　Under　the　pretense　that
the　light　hurt　my　eyes；　I　moved　back　into　a　dim　corner；　to　keep
my　anxious　face　out　of　view。　Morgan；　looking　at　me　hard；　and
muttering　under　his　breath；　〃Thank　Heaven；　I　never　married！〃
stole　his　chair　by　degrees；　with　rough；　silent　kindness；　nearer
and　nearer　to　mine。　Jessie；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　vacated
her　place　next；　and；　saying　that　she　wanted　to　sit　close　to　one
of　us　on　the　farewell　night；　took　a　chair　at　Owen's　side。　Sad！
sad！　we　had　instinctively　broken　up　already；　so　far　as　our　places
at　the　table　were　concerned；　before　the　reading　of　the　last　story
had　so　much　as　begun。

It　was　a　relief　when　Owen'　s　quiet　voice