the darrow enigma-第41部分

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〃Please　don't　go；〃　she　said　to　me。　　〃I　would　prefer　you　should　hear
what　I　have　to　say。〃　　I=20reseated　myself　and　Gwen　drew　near　the
bedside。　　Maitland　was　now　awake　and　following　her　every　motion。

〃I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you；〃　she　said；　bending　over　him。
〃Do　you　feel　strong　enough　to　listen？〃　　He　nodded　his　head　and　she
continued。　　〃You　have　already　done　a　great　deal　for　me；　yet　I　come
to　you　now　to　ask　a　further　favour；　…　I　will　not　say　a　sacrifice
…　greater　than　all　the　rest。　　Will　you　try　to　grant　it？〃

The　rich；　deep　tones　of　her　voice；　vibrant　with　tender　earnestness；
seemed　to　me　irresistible。

〃I　will　do　anything　in　my　power；〃　the　invalid　replied；　never　once
moving　his　eyes　from　hers。

〃Then　Heaven　grant　it　be　within　your　power！〃　she　murmured；　scarcely
above　a　whisper。　　〃Try　not　to　despise　me　for　what　I　am　about　to　say。
Be　lenient　in　your　judgment。　　My　happiness；　perhaps　my　very　life；
depends　upon　this　issue。　　I　love　you　more　than　life；　try　to　love　me；
if　only　a　little！〃

I　watched　the　effect　of　this　declaration　with　a　good　deal　of　anxiety。
For　fully　half　a　minute　Maitland　seemed　to　doubt　the　evidence　of　his
senses。　　I　saw　him　pinch　himself　to　see　if　he　were　awake；　and　being
thus　reassured；　he　said　slowly：　〃Try　…　to　…　love　…　　…　you！　　In　vain
have　I　tried　not　to　love　you　from　the　moment　I　first　saw　you。　　Oh；
my　God！　　how　I　adore　you！〃　　He　reached　his　arms　out　toward　her；　and；
in　a　moment；　they　were　locked　in　each　other's　embrace。

I　saw　the　first　kiss　given　and　then　stole　stealthily　from　the　room。
There　was　now　no　need　of　a　doctor。　　The　weird；　irresistible　alchemy
of　love　was　at　work　and　the　reign　of　medicine　was　over。　　I　did　not
wish　to　dim　the　newly　found　light　by　my　shadow；　and；　…　well；　…　I
wanted　to　see　Jeannette；　so　I　left。

I　need　not　tell　you；　even　though　you　are　a　bachelor；　how　fast
Maitland　improved。　　Gwen　would　permit　no　one　else　to　nurse　him；　and
this　had　much　to　do　with　the　rapidity　of　his　recovery。　　In　a　month
he　was　able　to　go　out；　and　in　another　month　Gwen　became　Mrs。　Maitland。
A　happier　pair；　or　one　better　suited　to　each　other；　it　has　never
been　my　privilege　to　know。　　As　I　visited　them　in　their　new　home　I
became　more　and　more　dissatisfied　with　bachelor　existence；　and　there
were　times　when　I　had　half　a　mind　to　go　straight　to　Jeannette　and
ask　her　advice　in　the　matter。　　Ah；　those　days！　　They　will　never　come
to　me　again。　　Never　again　will　a　pink　and　white　angel　knock　so　loudly
at　my　heart；　or　be　so　warmly　welcomed。　　I　wonder　where　she　is　and　if
she　is　thinking　of　me。


And　now　I　may　as　well　stop；　for　my　narrative　is　over；　and　I　hear
someone　coming　along　the　hail；　doubtless　after　me。　　It　is　only
Harold；　so　I　may　add　a　word　or　two　more。　　I　am　writing　now　with
difficulty；　for　some　frolicsome　individual　has　placed　a　hand　over
my　eyes　and　says；　〃Guess。〃　I　can　just　see　to　write　between　the
fingers。　　Again　I　am　commanded；　〃　Guess！〃　so　I　say　carelessly；
〃Alice。〃　　Then；　would　you　believe　it；　someone　kisses　me　and
says：　〃Will　you　ever　have　done　with　that　writing？　　The　children
wish　me　to　inform　you　that　they　have　some　small　claim　upon　your
time。〃　　You　see　how　it　is。　　I've　got　to　stop；　so　I　say；　as　becomes
an　obedient　gentleman：　〃Very　well；　I　will　quit　upon　one　condition。
I　have　been　wondering　where　on　earth　you　were。　　Tell　me　what　you
have　been　doing　with　yourself。　　I　have　been　repeating　in　retrospect
all　the　horrors　of　bachelordom。〃

〃Why；　Ned　dear；〃　my　wife　replies；　〃I've　only　been　down…town
shopping　for　Harold　and　little　Jeannette。　　Bless　me；　I　should　think
I'd　been　gone　a　year！〃

〃Bless　you；　my　dear　Jeannette；〃　I　reply；　〃I　should　think　you　had；〃
and　I　draw　her　down　gently　into　my　lap　and　kiss　her　again　and　again
for　the　sake　of　the　conviction　it　will　carry。　　She　says　I　am
smothering　her；　which　means　she　is　convinced。


You　see　I　have　learned　some　things　since　I　was　a　bachelor。







End