the queen of hearts-第79部分

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then；　the　moment　they　filled　it；　hushed　me　suddenly　to　rest。

When　I　came　to　myself　again　my　eyes　opened　upon　George。　I　was
lying　on　the　sofa；　still　in　the　same　room；　the　lights　we　had　read
by　in　the　evening　were　burning　on　the　table；　my　son　was　kneeling
at　my　pillow；　and　we　two　were　alone。


THE　MORNING。

THE　wind　is　fainter；　but　there　is　still　no　calm。　The　rain　is
ceasing；　but　there　is　still　no　sunshine。　The　view　from　my　window
shows　me　the　mist　heavy　on　the　earth；　and　a　dim　gray　veil　drawn
darkly　over　the　sky。　Less　than　twelve　hours　since；　such　a
prospect　would　have　saddened　me　for　the　day。　I　look　out　at　it
this　morning；　through　the　bright　medium　of　my　own　happiness；　and
not　the　shadow　of　a　shade　falls　across　the　steady　inner　sunshine
that　is　poring　over　my　heart。

The　pen　lingers　fondly　in　my　hand；　and　yet　it　is　little；　very
little；　that　I　have　left　to　say。　The　Purple　Volume　lies　open　by
my　side；　with　the　stories　ranged　together　in　it　in　the　order　in
which　they　were　read。　My　son　has　learned　to　prize　them　already　as
the　faithful　friends　who　served　him　at　his　utmost　need。　I　have
only　to　wind　off　the　little　thread　of　narrative　on　which　they　are
all　strung　together　before　the　volume　is　closed　and　our　anxious
literary　experiment　fairly　ended。


My　son　and　I　had　a　quiet　hour　together　on　that　happy　night
before　we　retired　to　rest。　The　little　love…plot　invented　in
George's　interests　now　required　one　last　stroke　of　diplomacy　to
complete　it　before　we　all　threw　off　our　masks　and　assumed　our
true　characters　for　the　future。　When　my　son　and　I　parted　for　the
night；　we　had　planned　the　necessary　stratagem　for　taking　our
lovely　guest　by　surprise　as　soon　as　she　was　out　of　her　bed　in　the
morning。

Shortly　after　seven　o'clock　I　sent　a　message　to　Jessie　by　her
maid；　informing　her　that　a　good　night's　rest　had　done　wonders　for
me；　and　that　I　expected　to　see　her　in　my　study　at　half　past
seven；　as　we　had　arranged　the　evening　before。　As　soon　as　her
answer；　promising　to　be　punctual　to　the　appointment；　had　reached
me；　I　took　George　into　my　studyleft　him　in　my　place　to　plead
his　own　causeand　stole　away；　five　minutes　before　the　half　hour；
to　join　my　brothers　in　the　breakfast…room。

Although　the　sense　of　my　own　happiness　disposed　me　to　take　the
brightest　view　of　my　son's　chances；　I　must　nevertheless
acknowledge　that　some　nervous　anxieties　still　fluttered　about　my
heart　while　the　slow　minutes　of　suspense　were　counting　themselves
out　in　the　breakfast…room。　I　had　as　little　attention　to　spare　for
Owen's　quiet　prognostications　of　success　as　for　Morgan's　pitiless
sarcasms　on　love；　courtship；　and　matrimony。　A　quarter　of　an　hour
elapsedthen　twenty　minutes。　The　hand　moved　on；　and　the　clock
pointed　to　five　minutes　to　eight；　before　I　heard　the　study　door
open；　and　before　the　sound　of　rapidly…advancing　footsteps　warned
me　that　George　was　coming　into　the　room。

His　beaming　face　told　the　good　news　before　a　word　could　be　spoken
on　either　side。　The　excess　of　his　happiness　literally　and　truly
deprived　him　of　speech。　He　stood　eagerly　looking　at　us　all　three；
with　outstretched　hands　and　glistening　eyes。

〃Have　I　folded　up　my　surplice　forever；〃　asked　Owen；　〃or　am　I　to
wear　it　once　again；　George；　in　your　service？〃

〃Answer　this　question　first；〃　interposed　Morgan；　with　a　look　of
grim　anxiety。　〃Have　you　actually　taken　your　young　woman　off　my
hands；　or　have　you　not？〃

No　direct　answer　followed　either　question。　George's　feelings　had
been　too　deeply　stirred　to　allow　him　to　return　jest　for　jest　at　a
moment's　notice。

〃Oh；　father；　how　can　I　thank　you！〃　he　said。　〃And　you！　and　you！〃
he　added；　looking　at　Owen　and　Morgan　gratefully。

〃You　must　thank　Chance　as　well　as　thank　us；〃　I　replied；　speaking
as　lightly　as　my　heart　would　let　me；　to　encourage　him。　〃The
advantage　of　numbers　in　our　little　love…plot　was　all　on　our　side。
Remember；　George；　we　were　three　to　one。〃

While　I　was　speaking　the　breakfast…room　door　opened　noiselessly；
and　showed　us　Jessie　standing　on　the　threshold；　uncertain　whether
to　join　us　or　to　run　back　to　her　own　room。　Her　bright　complexion
heightened　to　a　deep　glow；　the　tears　just　rising　in　her　eyes；　and
not　yet　falling　from　them；　her　delicate　lips　trembling　a　little；
as　if　they　were　still　shyly　conscious　of　other　lips　that　had
pressed　them　but　a　few　minutes　since；　her　attitude　irresolutely
graceful；　her　hair　just　disturbed　enough　over　her　forehead　and
her　cheeks　to　add　to　the　charm　of　themshe　stood　before　us；　the
loveliest　living　picture　of　youth；　and　tenderness；　and　virgin
love　that　eyes　ever　looked　on。　George　and　I　both　advanced
together　to　meet　her　at　the　door。　But　the　good；　grateful　girl　had
heard　from　my　son　the　true　story　of　all　that　I　had　done；　and
hoped；　and　suffered　for　the　last　ten　days；　and　showed　charmingly
how　she　felt　it　by　turning　at　once　to　_me_。

〃May　I　stop　at　the　Glen　Tower　a　little　longer？〃　she　asked；
simply。

〃If　you　think　you　can　get　through　your　evenings；　my　love；〃　I
answered。　〃'But　surely　you　forget　that　the　Purple　Volume　is
closed；　and　that　the　stories　have　all　come　to　an　end？〃

She　clasped　her　arms　round　my　neck；　and　laid　her　cheek　fondly
against　mine。

〃How　you　must　have　suffered　yesterday！〃　she　whispered；　softly。

〃And　how　happy　I　am　to…day！〃

The　tears　gathered　in　her　eyes　and　dropped　over　her　cheeks　as　she
raised　her　head　to　look　at　me　affectionately　when　I　said　those
words。　I　gently　unclasped　her　arms　and　led　her　to　George。

〃So　you　really　did　love　him；　then；　after　all；〃　I　whispered；
〃though　you　were　too　sly　to　let　me　discover　it？〃

A　smile　broke　out　among　the　tears　as　her　eyes　wandered　away　from
mine　and　stole　a　look　at　my　son。　The　clock　struck　the　hour；　and
the　servant　came　in　with　breakfast。　A　little　domestic
interruption　of　this　kind　was　all　that　was　wanted　to　put　us　at
our　ease。　We　drew　round　the　table　cheerfully；　and　set　the　Queen
of　Hearts　at　the　head　of　it；　in　the　character　of　mistress　of　the
house　already。






End