the purcell papers-2-第9节

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made；　and　held　my　breath　in　momentary

expectation　of　the　execration　in　which　he

would　vent　his　surprise　and　disappointment。

I　closed　my　eyesthere　was　a

pause；　but　it　was　a　short　one。　I　heard

two　dull　blows；　given　in　rapid　succession：

a　quivering　sigh；　and　the　long…drawn；

heavy　breathing　of　the　sleeper　was　for

ever　suspended。　I　unclosed　my　eyes；　and

saw　the　murderer　fling　the　quilt　across　the

head　of　his　victim：　he　then；　with　the

instrument　of　death　still　in　his　hand；

proceeded　to　the　lobby…door；　upon　which　he

tapped　sharply　twice　or　thrice。　A　quick

step　was　then　heard　approaching；　and　a

voice　whispered　something　from　without。

Edward　answered；　with　a　kind　of　chuckle；

'Her　ladyship　is　past　complaining；　unlock

the　door；　in　the　devil's　name；　unless　you're

afraid　to　come　in；　and　help　me　to　lift　the

body　out　of　the　window。'



The　key　was　turned　in　the　lockthe

door　openedand　my　uncle　entered　the

room。



I　have　told　you　already　that　I　had

placed　myself　under　the　shade　of　a

projection　of　the　wall；　close　to　the　door。　I　had

instinctively　shrunk　down；　cowering

towards　the　ground　on　the　entrance　of

Edward　through　the　window。　When　my

uncle　entered　the　room　he　and　his　son

both　stood　so　very　close　to　me　that　his

hand　was　every　moment　upon　the　point　of

touching　my　face。　I　held　my　breath；　and

remained　motionless　as　death。



'You　had　no　interruption　from　the　next

room？'　said　my　uncle。



'No；'　was　the　brief　reply。



'Secure　the　jewels；　Ned；　the　French

harpy　must　not　lay　her　claws　upon　them。

You're　a　steady　hand；　by　G！　not

much　bloodeh？'



'Not　twenty　drops；'　replied　his　son；

'and　those　on　the　quilt。'



'I'm　glad　it's　over；'　whispered　my　uncle

again。　'We　must　lift　thethe　THING

through　the　window；　and　lay　the　rubbish

over　it。'



They　then　turned　to　the　bedside；　and；

winding　the　bed…clothes　round　the　body；

carried　it　between　them　slowly　to　the

window；　and；　exchanging　a　few　brief　words

with　some　one　below；　they　shoved　it　over

the　window…sill；　and　I　heard　it　fall　heavily

on　the　ground　underneath。



'I'll　take　the　jewels；'　said　my　uncle；

'there　are　two　caskets　in　the　lower

drawer。'



He　proceeded；　with　an　accuracy　which；

had　I　been　more　at　ease；　would　have

furnished　me　with　matter　of　astonishment；　to

lay　his　hand　upon　the　very　spot　where　my

jewels　lay；　and　having　possessed　himself

of　them；　he　called　to　his　son：



'Is　the　rope　made　fast　above？'



'I'm　not　a　foolto　be　sure　it　is；'

replied　he。



They　then　lowered　themselves　from　the

window。　I　now　rose　lightly　and　cautiously；

scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　from　my　place

of　concealment；　and　was　creeping　towards

the　door；　when　I　heard　my　cousin's　voice；

in　a　sharp　whisper；　exclaim：　'Scramble　up

again！　Gd　dn　you；　you've　forgot　to

lock　the　room…door！'　and　I　perceived；　by

the　straining　of　the　rope　which　hung　from

above；　that　the　mandate　was　instantly

obeyed。



Not　a　second　was　to　be　lost。　I　passed

through　the　door；　which　was　only　closed；

and　moved　as　rapidly　as　I　could；　consistently

with　stillness；　along　the　lobby。

Before　I　had　gone　many　yards；　I　heard

the　door　through　which　I　had　just　passed

double…locked　on　the　inside。　I　glided

down　the　stairs　in　terror；　lest；　at　every

corner；　I　should　meet　the　murderer　or　one

of　his　accomplices。



I　reached　the　hall；　and　listened　for　a

moment　to　ascertain　whether　all　was　silent

around；　no　sound　was　audible。　The　parlour

windows　opened　on　the　park；　and　through

one　of　them　I　might；　I　thought；　easily

effect　my　escape。　Accordingly；　I　hastily

entered；　but；　to　my　consternation；　a

candle　was　burning　in　the　room；　and　by

its　light　I　saw　a　figure　seated　at　the

dinner…table；　upon　which　lay　glasses；

bottles；　and　the　other　accompaniments　of

a　drinking…party。　Two　or　three　chairs

were　placed　about　the　table　irregularly；　as

if　hastily　abandoned　by　their　occupants。



A　single　glance　satisfied　me　that　the

figure　was　that　of　my　French　attendant。

She　was　fast　asleep；　having　probably

drank　deeply。　There　was　something

malignant　and　ghastly　in　the　calmness　of

this　bad　woman's　features；　dimly　illuminated

as　they　were　by　the　flickering　blaze

of　the　candle。　A　knife　lay　upon　the　table；

and　the　terrible　thought　struck　me

'Should　I　kill　this　sleeping　accomplice　in

the　guilt　of　the　murderer；　and　thus　secure

my　retreat？'



Nothing　could　be　easierit　was　but　to

draw　the　blade　across　her　throatthe

work　of　a　second。　An　instant's　pause；

however；　corrected　me。　'No；'　thought　I；

'the　God　who　has　conducted　me　thus　far

through　the　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death；

will　not　abandon　me　now。　I　will　fall　into

their　hands；　or　I　will　escape　hence；　but　it

shall　be　free　from　the　stain　of　blood。　His

will　be　done。'



I　felt　a　confidence　arising　from　this

reflection；　an　assurance　of　protection　which

I　cannot　describe。　There　was　no　other

means　of　escape；　so　I　advanced；　with　a

firm　step　and　collected　mind；　to　the

window。　I　noiselessly　withdrew　the　bars

and　unclosed　the　shuttersI　pushed　open

the　casement；　and；　without　waiting　to　look

behind　me；　I　ran　with　my　utmost　speed；

scarcely　feeling　the　ground　under　me；　down

the　avenue；　taking　care　to　keep　upon　the

grass　which　bordered　it。



I　did　not　for　a　moment　slack　my　speed；

and　I　had　now　gained　the　centre　point

between　the　park…gate　and　the　mansion…

house。　Here　the　avenue　made　a　wider

circuit；　and　in　order　to　avoid　delay；　I

directed　my　way　across　the　smooth　sward

round　which　the　pathway　wound；　intending；

at　the　opposite　side　of　the　flat；　at　a

point　which　I　distinguished　by　a　group　of

old　birch…trees；　to　enter　again　upon　the

beaten　track；　which　was　from　thence

tolerably　direct　to　the　gate。



I　had；　with　my　utmost　speed；　got　about

half　way　across　this　broad　flat；　when　the

rapid　treading　of　a　horse's　hoofs　struck

upon　my　ear。　My　heart　swelled　in　my

bosom　as　though　I　would　smother。　The

clattering　of　galloping　hoofs　approached

I　was　pursuedthey　were　now　upon　the

sward　on　which　I　was　runningthere　was

not　a　bush　or　a　bramble　to　shelter　me

and；　as　if　to　render　escape　altogether

desperate；　the　moon；　which　had　hitherto

been　obscured；　at　this　moment　shone　forth

with　a　broad　clear　light；　which　made　every

object　distinctly　visible。



The　sounds　were　now　close　behind　me。

I　felt　my　knees　bending　under　me；　with

the　sensation　which　torments　one　in

dreams。　I　reeledI　stumbledI　fell

and　at　the　same　instant　the　cause　of　my

alarm　wheeled　past　me　at　full　gallop。　It

was　one　of　the　young　fillies　which

pastured　loose　about　the　park；　whose

frolics　had　thus　all　but　maddened　me

with　terror。　I　scrambled　to　my　feet；　and

rushed　on　with　weak　but　rapid　steps；　my

sportive　companion　still　galloping　round

and　round　me　with　many　a　frisk　and　fling；

until；　at　length；　more　dead　than　alive；　I

reached　the　avenue…gate　and　crossed　the

stile；　I　scarce　knew　how。



I　ran　through　the　village；　in　which　all　was

silent　as　the　grave；　until　my　progress　was

arrested　by　the　hoarse　voice　of　a　sentinel；

who　cried：　'Who　goes　there？'　I　felt　that

I　was　now　safe。　I　turned　in　the　direction

of　the　voice；　and　fell　fainting　at　the

soldier's　feet。　When　I　came　to　myself；　I

was　sitting　in　a　miserable　hovel；

surrounded　by　strange　faces；　all　bespeaking

curiosity　and　compassion。



Many　soldiers　were　in　it　also：　indeed；

as　I　afterwards　found；　it　was　employed　as

a　guard…room　by　a　detachment　of　troops

quartered　for　that　night　in　the　town。　In

a　few　words　I　informed　their　officer　of　the

circumstances　which　had　occurred；　describing

also　the　appearance　of　the　persons

engaged　in　the　murder；　and　he；　without

loss　of　time；　proceeded　to　the　mansion…

house　of　Carrickleigh；　taking　with　him　a

party　of　his　men。　But　the　villains　had

discovered　their　mistake；　and　had　effected

their　escape　before　the　arrival　of　the

military。



The　Frenchwoman　was；　however；

arrested　in　the　neighbourhood　upon　the　next

day。　She　was　tried　and　condemned　upon

the　ensuing　assizes；　and　previous　to　her

execution；　confessed　that　'SHE　HAD　A

HAND　IN　MAKING　HUGH　TISDAL'S　BED。'　She

had　been　a　housekeeper　in　the　castle　at

the　time；　and　a　kind　of　chere　amie　of　my

uncle's。　She　was；　in　reality；　able　to　speak

English　like　a　native；　but　had　exclusively

used　the　French　language；　I　suppose　to

facilitate　her　disguise。　She　died　the　same

hardened　wretch　which　she　had　lived；

confessing　her　crimes　only；　as　she　alleged；　that

her　doing　so　might　involve　Sir　Arthur

Tn；　the　great　author　of　her　guilt　and

misery；　and　whom　she　now　regarded　with

unmitigated　detestation。



With　the　particulars　of　Sir　Arthur's　and

his　son's　escape；　as　far　as　they　are　known；

you　are　acquainted。　You　are　also　in

possession　of　their　after　fatethe　terrible；　the

tremendous　retribution　which；　after　long

delays　of　many　years；　finally　overtook　and

crushed