malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第27节
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inferior to them。〃
〃We saw Mr。 and Mrs。 Lambert； too。 Emilia stopped and asked after
you； and sent you her love； auntie。〃
〃Love！〃 cried Aunt Jane。 〃She always does that。 She has sent me
love enough to rear a whole family on；more than I ever felt for anybody
in all my days。 But she does not really love any one。〃
〃I hope she will love her husband；〃 said Kate； rather seriously。
〃Mark my words； Kate！〃 said her aunt。 〃Nothing but unhappiness
will ever come of that marriage。 How can two people be happy who
have absolutely nothing in common？〃
〃But no two people have just the same tastes；〃 said Kate； 〃except
Harry and myself。 It is not expected。 It would be absurd for two people
to be divorced； because the one preferred white bread and the other
brown。〃
〃They would be divorced very soon；〃 said Aunt Jane； 〃for the one who
ate brown bread would not live long。〃
〃But it is possible that he might live； auntie； in spite of your prediction。
And perhaps people may be happy； even if you and I do not see how。〃
〃Nobody ever thinks I see anything；〃 said Aunt Jane； in some dejection。
〃You think I am nothing in the world but a sort of old oyster； making
amusement for people； and having no more to do with real life than
oysters have。〃
〃No； dearest！〃 cried Kate。 〃You have a great deal to do with all our
lives。 You are a dear old insidious sapper…and…miner； looking at first very
inoffensive； and then working your way into our affections； and spoiling
us with coaxing。 How you behave about children； for instance！〃
〃How？〃 said the other meekly。 〃As well as I can。〃
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〃But you pretend that you dislike them。〃
〃But I do dislike them。 How can anybody help it？ Hear them
swearing at this moment； boys of five； paddling in the water there！ Talk
about the murder of the innocents！ There are so few innocents to be
murdered！ If I only had a gun and could shoot！〃
〃You may not like those particular boys；〃 said Kate； 〃but you like good；
well…behaved children； very much。〃
〃It takes so many to take care of them！ People drive by here； with
carriages so large that two of the largest horses can hardly draw them； and
all full of those little beings。 They have a sort of roof； too； and seem to
expect to be out in all weathers。〃 〃If you had a family of children；
perhaps you would find such a travelling caravan very convenient；〃 said
Kate。
〃If I had such a family；〃 said her aunt； 〃I would have a separate
governess and guardian for each； very moral persons。 They should come
when each child was two； and stay till it was twenty。 The children should
all live apart； in order not to quarrel； and should meet once or twice a day
and bow to each other。 I think that each should learn a different language；
so as not to converse； and then； perhaps； they would not get each other
into mischief。〃
〃I am sure； auntie；〃 said Kate； 〃you have missed our small nephews
and nieces ever since their visit ended。 How still the house has been！〃
〃I do not know；〃 was the answer。 〃I hear a great many noises about
the house。 Somebody comes in late at night。 Perhaps it is Philip； but he
comes very softly in； wipes his feet very gently； like a clean thief； and
goes up stairs。〃
〃O auntie！〃 said Kate； 〃you know you have got over all such fancies。〃
〃They are not fancies；〃 said Aunt Jane。 〃Things do happen in houses！
Did I not look under the bed for a thief during fifteen years； and find one
at last？ Why should I not be allowed to hear something now？〃
〃But； dear Aunt Jane；〃 said Kate； 〃you never told me this before。〃
〃No；〃 said she。 〃I was beginning to tell you the other day； but Ruth
was just bringing in my handkerchiefs； and she had used so much bluing；
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they looked as if they had been washed in heaven； so that it was too
outrageous； and I forgot everything else。〃
〃But do you really hear anything？〃
〃Yes；〃 said her aunt。 〃Ruth declares she hears noises in those closets
that I had nailed up； you know； but that is nothing； of course she does。
Rats。 What I hear at night is the creaking of stairs； when I know that
nobody ought to be stirring。 If you observe； you will hear it too。 At least；
I should think you would； only that somehow everything always seems to
stop； when it is necessary to prove that I am foolish。〃
The girls had no especial engagement that evening； and so got into a
great excitement on the stairway over Aunt Jane's solicitudes。 They
convinced themselves that they heard all sorts of things；footfalls on
successive steps； the creak of a plank； the brushing of an arm against a
wall； the jar of some suspended object that was stirred in passing。 Once
they heard something fall on the floor； and roll from step to step； and yet
they themselves stood on the stairway； and nothing passed。 Then for some
time there was silence； but they would have persisted in their observations；
had not Philip come in from Mrs。 Meredith's in the midst of it； so that the
whole thing turned into a frolic； and they sat on the stairs and told ghost
stories half the night。
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CHAPTER XVII。
DISCOVERY。
THE next evening Kate and Philip went to a ball。 As Hope was
passing through the hall late in the evening； she heard a sudden； sharp cry
somewhere in the upper regions； that sounded； she thought； like a woman's
voice。 She stopped to hear； but there was silence。 It seemed to come
from the direction of Malbone's room； which was in the third story。 Again
came the cry； more gently； ending in a sort of sobbing monologue。 Gliding
rapidly up stairs in the dark； she paused at Philip's deserted room； but the
door was locked； and there was profound stillness。 She then descended；
and pausing at the great landing； heard other steps descending also。
Retreating to the end of the hall； she hastily lighted a candle； when the
steps ceased。 With her accustomed nerve； wishing to explore the thing
thoroughly； she put out the light and kept still。 As she expected； the
footsteps presently recommenced； descending stealthily； but drawing no
nearer； and seeming rather like sounds from an adjoining house； heard
through a party…wall。 This was impossible； as the house stood alone。
Flushed with excitement； she relighted the hall candles； and； taking one of
them； searched the whole entry and stairway； going down even to the large；
old…fashioned cellar。
Looking about her in this unfamiliar region； her eye fell on a door that
seemed to open into the wall； she had noticed a similar door on the story
above；one of the closet doors that had been nailed up by Aunt Jane's
order。 As she looked； however； a chill breath blew in from another
direction； extinguishing her lamp。 This air came from the outer door of the
cellar； and she had just time to withdraw into a corner before a man's steps
approached； passing close by her。
Even Hope's strong nerves had begun to yield； and a cold shudder
went through her。 Not daring to move； she pressed herself against the
wall； and her heart seemed to stop as the unseen stranger passed。 Instead
of his ascending where she had come down； as she had expected； she
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heard him grope his way toward the door she had seen in the wall。
There he seemed to find a stairway；
