the darrow enigma-第21节

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The　long　sleep；　crowded　with　unremembered　dreams；　represented　the
period　when　I　was　under　Ragobah's　control；　…　the　horrible　night　on
Malabar　Hill　being　one　of　them；　…　and　the　waking　moments；　those
periods　when　my　feeble；　overridden　consciousness　flickered　back　to
dimly　light　for　a　time　the　gloom　of　this　intellectual　night。　　There
was　no　hope　for　me。　　Already　had　I　been　so　dominated　by　his　will　and
inspired　by　his　malice　as　to　attempt　the　life　of　my　lover。　　What
might　I　not　be　made　to　do　in　future？　　As　I　thought　of　this；　Ragobah's
last　threat　rang　with　a　sinister　warning　upon　my　ears　till　it　seemed
as　if　it　would　drive　me　into　madness。　　The　suspicion　grew　to　be　a
certainty　from　which　there　was　but　one　means　of　escape　…　death　…　and
I　determined　at　once　to　embrace　it　before　I　could　be　made　the
instrument　for　the　infliction　of　further　injury　upon　my　lover。　　I
seized　a　little　dagger　which　in　my　normal　moments　I　always　kept
concealed　about　me；　and　was　about　to　plunge　it　into　my　bosom　when　I
was　smitten　by　the　thought；　…　and　it　cut　me　as　the　steel　could　not
have　done；　…　that　Darrow　Sahib　would　never　know　the　truth；　and　that
his　love　for　me　would　be　forever　buried　beneath　a　mass　of　black
misgivings。　　The　certainty　of　this　conviction　paralysed　my　will；　and
my　arm　dropped　nervelessly　at　my　side。　　It　would　be　a　simple　matter；
I　thought；　to　find　some　way　of　confiding　my　story　to　you　and　pledging
you　to　explain　everything　to　Darrow　Sahib；　after　which　I　could　die
in　peace；　if　not　without　regret。　　But　it　was　not　so　easy　to
communicate　with　you　as　I　had　expected。　　Days　passed　before　I　had　a
chance　to　make　the　attempt；　and　the　only　result　of　it　was　to　show
me　how　closely　I　was　watched。　　If　Ragobah　were　absent；　there　was
always　someone　in　his　employ　who　made　it　his　business　to　acquaint
himself　with　my　every　movement。　　I　dare　not　take　the　time　to　tell
you　how　I　succeeded　in　obtaining　this　interview　further　than　to　say
that　I　was　able　to　win　to　my　cause　the　man　who　bore　my　message　to
you　…　a　servant　in　whom　Ragobah　has　the　utmost　confidence。　　When　my
husband　departed　this　morning　Kandia　was　left　in　charge　of　me；　and
so　your　visit　was　made　possible。

〃You　are　now　acquainted　with　the　trust　I　would　impose　upon　you：　swear
to　me；　Moro；　that　you　will　make　this　explanation　for　me　to　John
Darrow　and　to　no　other　human　being！　　Swear　it　by　the　love　you　once
said　you　bore　me！〃　　She　sank　back　exhausted　and　awaited　my　response。
For　a　moment　I　dared　not　trust　myself　to　speak；　yet　something　must
be　said。　　As　I　noted　her　impatience　I　replied：　〃Lona；　you　have　lifted
a　great　weight　from　my　heart　and　placed　a　lesser　one　upon　it。
Forgive　me　that　I　have　ever　doubted　you。　　Even　as　you　have　been　true
to　yourself；　I　swear　by　the　love　I　still　bear　you　to　deliver　your
message　to　Darrow　Sahib　and　to　no　other　human　being。　　I　shall　commit
your　words　at　once　to　writing　that　nothing　may　be　lost　through　the
failure　of　my　memory。〃

She　reached　her　hand　out　feebly　to　me；　and　never　shall　I　forget　the
look　of　gratitude　which　accompanied　its　tremulous　pressure　as　she
murmured：　〃After　John；　Moro；　you　are　dearest。　　I　shall　not　try　to
thank　you。　　May　the　ineffable　peace　which　you　bring　my　aching　heart
return　a　thousand…fold　into　your　own。　　Farewell。　　Ragobah　may　return
at　any　moment。　　Let　us　not　needlessly　imperil　your　safety。　　Once
more　good…bye。　　The　dew…drop　now　may　freely　fall　into　the　shining
sea。〃　　Poor　distraught　child！　　She　had　tried　to　adopt　her　lover's
religion　without　abandoning　her　own。　　I　bent　over　and　kissed　her。
It　was　my　first　and　last　kiss　and　she　gave　it　with　a　sweet　sadness；
the　memory　of　which；　through　all　these　years；　has　dwelt　in　the
better　part　of　me；　like　a　fragrance　in　the　vesture　of　the　soul。
One　long；　lingering　look　and　I　departed；　never　to　see　again　this
woman　I　had　so　fondly；　so　hopelessly　loved。

You　now　know　the　exact　nature　of　the　covenant　I　have　felt　constrained
to　violate。　　I　have　told　you　her　story　in　her　own　words。　　I　wrote　it
out　immediately　after　my　interview　with　her　and　have　read　it　so　many
times；　during　the　last　twenty　years；　that　I　have　committed　it　to
memory。　　The　recollection　of　that　last　meeting；　of　her　kiss　and　her
grateful　look　has　been　throughout　all　these　long；　weary　years　the
one　verdant　spot　in　the　desert　of　my　life。

＇Moro　Scindia　paused　here；　as　one　who　had　reached　the　end　of　his
narrative；　and　I　continued　my　interrogations。＇

Q。　Although　you　never　again　saw　your　cousin　you　must；　I　think；　have
heard　something　of　her　fate。

A　I　learned　of　it　through　Nana　Kandia；　the　servant　who　had　secretly
embraced　Lona's　cause；　and　who　had　borne　her　message　to　me。　　It
seems　that；　after　my　interview　with　her；　my　cousin　was　seized　with
a　consuming　desire　to　see　her　English　lover　once　more　before　her
death；　so　she　devised　a　plan　by　which；　with　Kandia's　help；　Darrow
Sahib　was　to　be　secretly　conducted　to　her　under　cover　of　night。　　She
wrote　a　letter　asking　him；　as　a　last　request；　to　meet　her　messenger
on　Malabar　Hill；　and　instructing　him　how　to　make　himself　known。
This　she　gave　to　Kandia　to　post　early　in　the　morning　of　the　day　upon
which　their　plan　was　to　be　put　into　execution。　　As　he　was　about
leaving　the　house　Ragobah　called　him　into　his　chamber　and　demanded
to　know　what　was　taking　him　forth　so　early　in　the　morning。　　Kandia
saw　at　once　that　the　purpose　of　his　errand　had　been　discovered；　and
determined　to　meet　the　issue　bravely。　　〃I　was　going　to　post　a　letter；
Sahib；〃　he　replied　quietly。　　〃Let　me　see　it！〃　Ragobah　roared。　　〃I
have　no　right　to　do　so；〃　Kandia　replied；　springing　toward　the　door。
But　be　was　not　quick　enough　for　the　wary　Ragobah；　who　felled　him　to
the　floor　with　a　chair　before　he　had　reached　the　threshold。　　When
he　returned　to　consciousness　he　found　his　assailant；　who　had
skilfully　opened　the　letter；　standing　over　him　perusing　it　in
malicious　glee。　　When　he　had　finished　reading　he　carefully　resealed
it　and　placed　it　in　his　pocket。　　Then　he　called　two　of　his　servants
and　gave　Kandia　into　their　charge　with　orders　to　gag　him；　to　bind
him　hand　and　foot；　and；　as　they　valued　their　lives；　not　to　permit
him　to　leave　the　room　till　he　ordered　it。

What　occurred　between　that　time　and　the　return　of　Ragobah；　wounded
and　furious；　late　in　the　evening；　we　can　only　surmise。　　He　doubtless
posted　the　letter；　and　went　himself　to　meet　Darrow　Sahib　on　Malabar
Hill。　　When　he　returned　home　he　hobbled　into　his　wife's　apartment
and　then　ordered　Kandia　to　be　sent　to　him。　　　His　left　leg　was　badly
crushed　and　his　face；　contorted　with　pain　and　fiendish　malevolence；
was　horrible　to　look　upon。

〃Our　trusty　friend　here；〃　he　said；　addressing　his　wife　and　pointing
to　Kandia；　〃could　not　conveniently　post　your　letter　this　morning；　my
dear；　so　I　did　it　myself。〃　　Lona's　face　turned　ashen　pale；　but　she
made　no　reply。

〃I　thought；〃　he　continued　in　his　sweetest　accents　and　with　the　same
demoniac　sarcasm；　〃that　you　would　be　anxious　to　know　if　the　Sahib
received　it；　…　our　mail　service　is　so　lax　of　late；　…　so　I　went　tonight
to　Malabar　Hill　to　see；　for　I　felt　certain　he　would　come　if　he　got
your　note；　and；　sure　enough；　he　was　there　even　ahead　of　time。　　I　was
obliged　to　forego　the　pleasure　of　bringing　him　to　you　on　account　of
two　most　unfortunate　accidents。　　As　you　see　I　hurt　my　foot；　and　poor
Darrow　Sahib　slipped　and　fell　headlong　into　the　well　in　the　little
cave。　　As　it　has　no　bottom　I　could　not；　of　course；　get　the　Sahib　out；
and　so　was　obliged　to　return；　as　best　I　could；　alone。〃　　As　he
finished　this　heartless　lie；　every　word　of　which　he　knew　was　a
poisoned　dart；　Lona　fell　fainting　upon　the　floor。　　Kandia　raised　her
gently；　expecting　to　find　her　dead；　but　was　able　at　length　to　revive
her。　　The　first　words　she　said　were　directed　to　Ragobah　in　a　voice
devoid　of　passion　or　reproach；　…　of　everything　in　fact　save　an
unutterable　weariness。

〃I　am　ill；〃　she　said；　〃will　you　permit　Nana　to　get　me　some　medicine
which　has　helped　me　in　similar　attacks？〃　　Ragobah's　reply　was
directed　to　Kandia。

〃You　may　do　as　the　Sahibah　bids　you；〃　was　all　he　said。

Kandia　turned　to　Lona　for　instructions　and　she　said　to　him；　〃Get　me
half　an　ounce　of　…　stay；　there　are　several　ingredients　…　I　had　better
write　them　down。〃　　She　wrote　upon　a　little　slip　of　paper；　naming
aloud　the　ingredients　and　quantities　as　she　did　so；　and　then　asked
Kandia　to　move　her　chair　to　an　open　window　before　he　left。　　When　he
had　done　so；　she　passed　him　the　note；　saying；　〃Please　get　it　as
quickly　as　possible。〃　　As　he　took　the　paper　she　seized　his　hand　for
a　moment　and　pressed　it　firmly。　　He　noticed　this　at　the　time；　but
its　significance　did　not　dawn　upon　him　until　he　had　nearly　reached
his　destination；　when；　all　at　once；　he　realised　with　a　pang　that　the
momentary　pressure　of　the　hand　and　the　mute　gratitude　which　shone
from　the　eyes　were　meant　as　a　farewell。　　His　first　impulse　was　to
hurriedly　retrace　his　steps；　but　before　he　had　acted　upon　it；　the
thought　occurred　to　him　that　she　intended　to　poison　herself　with　the
drugs　he　was　about　to　procure。　　If　this　were　the　case；　there　was　no
great　need　of　hurry。　　Then　he　began　to　recall　to　mind　the　names　of
the　drugs　she　had　mentioned　as　she　wrote　and　to　reflect　th