the twins of table mountain-第17节

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your　cerebral　symptoms　interdicted　any　prolonged　mental　strain。〃

〃I　must　consult　a　few　papers；〃　responded　Mr。　Rightbody　curtly；　as
he　entered　his　library。

It　was　a　richly…furnished　apartment；　morbidly　severe　in　its
decorations；　which　were　symptomatic　of　a　gloomy　dyspepsia　of　art；
then　quite　prevalent。　　A　few　curios；　very　ugly；　but　providentially
equally　rare；　were　scattered　about。　　There　were　various　bronzes；
marbles；　and　casts；　all　requiring　explanation；　and　so　fulfilling
their　purpose　of　promoting　conversation；　and　exhibiting　the
erudition　of　their　owner。　　There　were　souvenirs　of　travel　with　a
history；　old　bric…a…brac　with　a　pedigree；　but　little　or　nothing
that　challenged　attention　for　itself　alone。　　In　all　cases　the
superiority　of　the　owner　to　his　possessions　was　admitted。　　As　a
natural　result；　nobody　ever　lingered　there；　the　servants　avoided
the　room；　and　no　child　was　ever　known　to　play　in　it。

Mr。　Rightbody　turned　up　the　gas；　and　from　a　cabinet　of　drawers；
precisely　labelled；　drew　a　package　of　letters。　　These　he　carefully
examined。　　All　were　discolored；　and　made　dignified　by　age；　but
some；　in　their　original　freshness；　must　have　appeared　trifling；　and
inconsistent　with　any　correspondent　of　Mr。　Rightbody。　　Nevertheless；
that　gentleman　spent　some　moments　in　carefully　perusing　them；
occasionally　referring　to　the　telegram　in　his　hand。　Suddenly
there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　Mr。　Rightbody　started；　made　a
half…unconscious　movement　to　return　the　letters　to　the　drawer；
turned　the　telegram　face　downwards；　and　then；　somewhat　harshly；
stammered；

〃Eh？　　Who's　there？　　Come　in。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　papa；〃　said　a　very　pretty　girl；　entering；
without；　however；　the　slightest　trace　of　apology　or　awe　in　her
manner；　and　taking　a　chair　with　the　self…possession　and　familiarity
of　an　habitue　of　the　room；　〃but　I　knew　it　was　not　your　habit　to
write　late；　so　I　supposed　you　were　not　busy。　　I　am　on　my　way　to
bed。〃

She　was　so　very　pretty；　and　withal　so　utterly　unconscious　of　it；　or
perhaps　so　consciously　superior　to　it；　that　one　was　provoked　into　a
more　critical　examination　of　her　face。　　But　this　only　resulted　in　a
reiteration　of　her　beauty；　and　perhaps　the　added　facts　that　her
dark　eyes　were　very　womanly；　her　rich　complexion　eloquent；　and　her
chiselled　lips　fell　enough　to　be　passionate　or　capricious；
notwithstanding　that　their　general　effect　suggested　neither
caprice；　womanly　weakness；　nor　passion。

With　the　instinct　of　an　embarrassed　man；　Mr。　Rightbody　touched　the
topic　he　would　have　preferred　to　avoid。

〃I　suppose　we　must　talk　over　to…morrow；〃　he　hesitated；　〃this　matter
of　yours　and　Mr。　Marvin's？　　Mrs。　Marvin　has　formally　spoken　to　your
mother。〃

Miss　Alice　lifted　her　bright　eyes　intelligently；　but　not　joyfully；
and　the　color　of　action；　rather　than　embarrasament；　rose　to　her
round　cheeks。

〃Yes；　HE　said　she　would；〃　she　answered　simply。

〃At　present；〃　continued　Mr。　Rightbody　still　awkwardly；　〃I　see　no
objection　to　the　proposed　arrangement。〃

Miss　Alice　opened　her　round　eyes　at　this。

〃Why；　papa；　I　thought　it　had　been　all　settled　long　ago！　　Mamma　knew
it；　you　knew　it。　　Last　July；　mamma　and　you　talked　it　over。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　returned　her　father；　fumbling　his　papers；　〃that　is
well；　we　will　talk　of　it　to…morrow。〃　　In　fact；　Mr。　Rightbody　HAD
intended　to　give　the　affair　a　proper　attitude　of　seriousness　and
solemnity　by　due　precision　of　speech；　and　some　apposite　reflections；
when　he　should　impart　the　news　to　his　daughter；　but　felt　himself
unable　to　do　it　now。　　〃I　am　glad；　Alice；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃that　you
have　quite　forgotten　your　previous　whims　and　fancies。　　You　see　WE
are　right。〃

〃Oh！　I　dare　say；　papa；　if　I'm　to　be　married　at　all；　that　Mr。　Marvin
is　in　every　way　suitable。〃

Mr。　Rightbody　looked　at　his　daughter　narrowly。　　There　was　not　the
slightest　impatience　nor　bitterness　in　her　manner：　it　was　as　well
regulated　as　the　sentiment　she　expressed。

〃Mr。　Marvin　is〃　he　began。

〃I　know　what　Mr。　Marvin　IS；〃　interrupted　Miss　Alice；　〃and　he　has
promised　me　that　I　shall　be　allowed　to　go　on　with　my　studies　the
same　as　before。　　I　shall　graduate　with　my　class；　and；　if　I　prefer
to　practise　my　profession；　I　can　do　so　in　two　years　after　our
marriage。〃

〃In　two　years？〃　queried　Mr。　Rightbody　curiously。

〃Yes。　　You　see；　in　case　we　should　have　a　child；　that　would　give　me
time　enough　to　wean　it。〃

Mr。　Rightbody　looked　at　this　flesh　of　his　flesh；　pretty　and
palpable　flesh　as　it　was；　but；　being　confronted　as　equally　with　the
brain　of　his　brain；　all　he　could　do　was　to　say　meekly；

〃Yes；　certainly。　　We　will　see　about　all　that　to…morrow。〃

Miss　Alice　rose。　　Something　in　the　free；　unfettered　swing　of　her
arms　as　she　rested　them　lightly；　after　a　half　yawn；　on　her　lithe
hips；　suggested　his　next　speech；　although　still　distrait　and
impatient。

〃You　continue　your　exercise　with　the　health…lift　yet；　I　see。〃

〃Yes；　papa；　but　I　had　to　give　up　the　flannels。　　I　don't　see　how
mamma　could　wear　them。　　But　my　dresses　are　high…necked；　and　by
bathing　I　toughen　my　skin。　　See！〃　she　added；　as；　with　a　child…like
unconsciousness；　she　unfastened　two　or　three　buttons　of　her　gown；
and　exposed　the　white　surface　of　her　throat　and　neck　to　her　father；
〃I　can　defy　a　chill。〃

Mr。　Rightbody；　with　something　akin　to　a　genuine　playful；　paternal
laugh；　leaned　forward　and　kissed　her　forehead。

〃It's　getting　late；　Ally；〃　he　said　parentally；　but　not　dictatorially。
〃Go　to　bed。〃

〃I　took　a　nap　of　three　hours　this　afternoon；〃　said　Miss　Alice；　with
a　dazzling　smile；　〃to　anticipate　this　dissipation。　　Good…night；
papa。　　To…morrow；　then。〃

〃To…morrow；〃　repeated　Mr。　Rightbody；　with　his　eyes　still　fixed　upon
the　girl　vaguely。　　〃Good…night。〃

Miss　Alice　tripped　from　the　room；　possibly　a　trifle　the　more　light…
heartedly　that　she　had　parted　from　her　father　in　one　of　his　rare
moments　of　illogical　human　weakness。　　And　perhaps　it　was　well　for
the　poor　girl　that　she　kept　this　single　remembrance　of　him；　when；　I
fear；　in　after…years；　his　methods；　his　reasoning；　and　indeed　all　he
had　tried　to　impress　upon　her　childhood；　had　faded　from　her　memory。

For；　when　she　had　left；　Mr。　Rightbody　fell　again　to　the　examination
of　his　old　letters。　　This　was　quite　absorbing；　so　much　so；　that　he
did　not　notice　the　footsteps　of　Mrs。　Rightbody；　on　the　staircase　as
she　passed　to　her　chamber；　nor　that　she　had　paused　on　the　landing
to　look　through　the　glass　half…door　on　her　husband；　as　he　sat　there
with　the　letters　beside　him；　and　the　telegram　opened　before　him。
Had　she　waited　a　moment　later；　she　would　have　seen　him　rise；　and
walk　to　the　sofa　with　a　disturbed　air　and　a　slight　confusion；　so
that；　on　reaching　it；　he　seemed　to　hesitate　to　lie　down；　although
pale　and　evidently　faint。　　Had　she　still　waited；　she　would　have
seen　him　rise　again　with　an　agonized　effort；　stagger　to　the　table；
fumblingly　refold　and　replace　the　papers　in　the　cabinet；　and　lock
it；　and；　although　now　but　half…conscious；　hold　the　telegram　over
the　gas…flame　till　it　was　consumed。

For；　had　she　waited　until　this　moment；　she　would　have　flown
unhesitatingly　to　his　aid；　as；　this　act　completed；　he　staggered
again；　reached　his　hand　toward　the　bell；　but　vainly；　and　then　fell
prone　upon　the　sofa。

But　alas！　no　providential　nor　accidental　hand　was　raised　to　save
him；　or　anticipate　the　progress　of　this　story。　　And　when；　half　an
hour　later；　Mrs。　Rightbody；　a　little　alarmed；　and　more　indignant　at
his　violation　of　the　doctor's　rules；　appeared　upon　the　threshold；
Mr。　Rightbody　lay　upon　the　sofa；　dead！

With　bustle；　with　thronging　feet；　with　the　irruption　of　strangers；
and　a　hurrying　to　and　fro；　but；　more　than　all；　with　an　impulse　and
emotion　unknown　to　the　mansion　when　its　owner　was　in　life；　Mrs。
Rightbody　strove　to　call　back　the　vanished　life；　but　in　vain。　　The
highest　medical　intelligence；　called　from　its　bed　at　this　strange
hour；　saw　only　the　demonstration　of　its　theories　made　a　year
before。　　Mr。　Rightbody　was　deadwithout　doubt；　without　mystery；
even　as　a　correct　man　should　dielogically；　and　indorsed　by　the
highest　medical　authority。

But　even　in　the　confusion；　Mrs。　Rightbody　managed　to　speed　a
messenger　to　the　telegraph…office　for　a　copy　of　the　despatch
received　by　Mr。　Rightbody；　but　now　missing。

In　the　solitude　of　her　own　room；　and　without　a　confidant；　she　read
these　words：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃＇Copy。＇

〃To　MR。　ADAMS　RIGHTBODY；　BOSTON；　MASS。

〃Joshua　Silsbie　died　suddenly　this　morning。　　His　last　request　was
that　you　should　remember　your　sacred　compact　with　him　of　thirty
years　ago。
　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃SEVENTY…FOUR。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃SEVENTY…FIVE。〃


In　the　darkened　home；　and　amid　the　formal　condolements　of　their
friends　who　had　called　to　gaze　upon　the　scarcely　cold　features　of
their　late　associate；　Mrs。　Rightbody　managed　to　send　another
despatch。　　It　was　addressed　to　〃Seventy…Four　and　Seventy…Five；〃
Cottonwood。　　In　a　few　hours　she　received　the　following　enigmatical
response：

〃A　horse…thief　named　Josh　Silsbie　was　lynched　yesterday　morning　by
the　Vigilantes　at　Deadwood。〃


PART　II。


The　spring　of　1874　was　retarded　in　the　California　sierras；　so　much
so