miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第15节
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〃My dear Richard； you are looking very strangely！ Is the heat of the
room too much for you？〃
〃Never mind the heat！ I have seen enough to…night to justify me in
insisting that your daughter and Launcelot Linzie shall meet no more
between this and the day of my marriage。〃 Sir Joseph attempted to speak。
Turlington declined to give him the opportunity。 〃Yes！ yes！ your opinion
of Linzie isn't mine； I know。 I saw you as thick as thieves together just
now。〃 Sir Joseph once more attempted to make himself heard。 Wearied by
Turlington's perpetual complaints of his daughter and his nephew； he was
sufficiently irritated by this time to have reported what Launce had
actually said to him if he had been allowed the chance。 But Turlington
persisted in going on。 〃I cannot prevent Linzie from being received in this
house； and at your sister's；〃 he said； 〃but I can keep him out of _my_
house in the country； and to the country let us go。 I propose a change in the
arrangements。 Have you any engagement for the Christmas holidays？〃
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He paused； and fixed his eyes attentively on Sir Joseph。 Sir Joseph；
looking a little surprised； replied briefly that he had no engagement。
〃In that case； 〃resumed Turlington； 〃I invite you all to Somersetshire；
and I propose that the marriage shall take place from my house； and not
from yours。 Do you refuse？〃
〃It is contrary to the usual course of proceeding in such cases；
Richard；〃 Sir Joseph began。
〃Do you refuse？〃 reiterated Turlington。 〃I tell you plainly； I shall place
a construction of my own upon your motive if you do。〃
〃No； Richard；〃 said Sir Joseph； quietly； 〃I accept。〃
Turlington drew back a step in silence。 Sir Joseph had turned the tables
on him； and had taken _him_ by surprise。
〃It will upset several plans； and be strongly objected to by the ladies；〃
proceeded the old gentleman。 〃But if nothing less will satisfy you； I say；
Yes！ I shall have occasion； when we meet to… morrow at Muswell Hill； to
appeal to your indulgence under circumstances which may greatly
astonish you。 The least I can do； in the meantime； is to set an example of
friendly sympathy and forbearance on my side。 No more now； Richard。
Hush！ the music！〃
It was impossible to make him explain himself further that night。
Turlington was left to interpret Sir Joseph's mysterious communication
with such doubtful aid to success as his own unassisted ingenuity might
afford。
The meeting of the next day at Muswell Hill had for its object as
Turlington had already been informedthe drawing of Natalie's marriage…
settlement。 Was the question of money at the bottom of Sir Joseph's
contemplated appeal to his indulgence？ He thought of his commercial
position。 The depression in the Levant trade still continued。 Never had his
business at any previous time required such constant attention； and repaid
that attention with so little profit。 The Bills of Lading had been already
used by the firm； in the ordinary course of trade； to obtain possession of
the goods。 The duplicates in the hands of Bulpit Brothers were literally
waste paper。 Repayment of the loan of forty thousand pounds （with
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Miss or Mrs。？
interest） was due in less than a month's time。 There was his commercial
position！ Was it possible that money…loving Sir Joseph had any
modification to propose in the matter of his daughter's dowry？ The bare
dread that it might be so struck him cold。 He quitted the houseand forgot
to wish Natalie goodnight。
Meanwhile； Launce had left the evening party before himand Launce
also found matter for serious reflection presented to his mind before he
slept that night。 In other words； he found； on reaching his lodgings； a letter
from his brother marked 〃private。〃 Had the inquiry into the secrets of
Turlington's early lifenow prolonged over some weeksled to positive
results at last？ Launce eagerly opened the letter。 It contained a Report and
a Summary。 He passed at once to the Summary； and read these words：
〃If you only want moral evidence to satisfy your own mind； your end
is gained。 There is； morally； no doubt that Turlington and the sea…captain
who cast the foreign sailor overboard to drown are on e and the same man。
Legally； the matter is beset by difficulties； Turlington having destroyed all
provable connection between his present self and his past life。 There is
only one chance for us。 A sailor on board the ship （who was in his master's
secrets） is supposed to be still living （under his master's protection）。 All
the black deeds of Turlington's early life are known to this man。 He can
prove the facts； if we can find him； and make it worth his while to speak。
Under what alias he is hidden we do not know。 His own name is Thomas
Wildfang。 If we are to make the attempt to find him； not a moment is to be
lost。 The expenses may be serious。 Let me know whether we are to go on；
or whether enough has been done to attain the end you have in view。〃
Enough had been donenot only to satisfy Launce； but to produce the
right effect on Sir Joseph's mind if Sir Joseph proved obdurate when the
secret of the marriage was revealed。 Launce wrote a line directing the
stoppage of the proceedings at the point which they had now reached。
〃Here is a reason for her not marrying Turlington；〃 he said to himself； as
he placed the papers under lock and key。 〃And if she doesn't marry
Turlington；〃 he added； with a lover's logic； 〃why shouldn't she marry Me？〃
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EIGHTH SCENE。
The Library。
The next day Sir Joseph Graybrooke； Sir Joseph's lawyer； Mr。 Dicas
（highly respectable and immensely rich）； and Richard Turlington were
assembled in the library at Muswell Hill； to discuss the question of
Natalie's marriage settlement。
After the usual preliminary phrases had been exchanged； Sir Joseph
showed some hesitation in openly approaching the question which the
little party of three had met to debate。 He avoided his lawyer's eye； and he
looked at Turlington rather uneasily。
〃Richard；〃 he began at last； 〃when I spoke to you about your marriage；
on board the yacht； I said I would give my daughter〃 Either his courage
or his breath failed him at that point。 He was obliged to wait a moment
before he could go on。
〃I said I would give my daughter half my fortune on her marriage；〃 he
resumed。 〃Forgive me； Richard。 I can't do it！〃
Mr。 Dicas； waiting for his instructions； laid down his pen and looked at
Sir Joseph's son…in…law elect。 What would Mr。 Turlington say？
He said nothing。 Sitting opposite the window； he rose when Sir Joseph
spoke； and placed himself at the other side of the table； with his back to
the light。
〃My eyes are weak this morning；〃 he said； in an unnaturally low tone
of voice。 〃The light hurts them。〃
He could find no more plausible excuse than that for concealing his
face in shadow from the scrutiny of the two men on either side of him。 The
continuous moral irritation of his unhappy courtshipa courtship which
had never advanced beyond the frigid familiarity of kissing Natalie's hand
in the presence of others had physically deteriorated him。 Even _his_
hardy nerves began to feel the long strain of suspicion that had been laid
unremittingly on them for weeks past。 His power of self…control he knew
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it himselfwas not to be relied on。 He could hide his face： he could no
longer command it。
〃Did you hear what I said； Richard？〃
〃I heard。 Go on。〃
Sir Joseph proceeded； gathering confidence as he advance
