the queen of hearts-第12节

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BROTHER　OWEN'S　STORY

OF

THE　SIEGE　OF　THE　BLACK　COTTAGE。

To　begin　at　the　beginning；　I　must　take　you　back　to　the　time　after
my　mother's　death；　when　my　only　brother　had　gone　to　sea；　when　my
sister　was　out　at　service；　and　when　I　lived　alone　with　my　father
in　the　midst　of　a　moor　in　the　west　of　England。

The　moor　was　covered　with　great　limestone　rocks；　and　intersected
here　and　there　by　streamlets。　The　nearest　habitation　to　ours　was
situated　about　a　mile　and　a　half　off；　where　a　strip　of　the
fertile　land　stretched　out　into　the　waste　like　a　tongue。　Here　the
outbuildings　of　the　great　Moor　Farm；　then　in　the　possession　of　my
husband's　father；　began。　The　farm…lands　stretched　down　gently
into　a　beautiful　rich　valley；　lying　nicely　sheltered　by　the　high
platform　of　the　moor。　When　the　ground　began　to　rise　again；　miles
and　miles　away；　it　led　up　to　a　country　house　called　Holme　Manor；
belonging　to　a　gentleman　named　Knifton。　Mr。　Knifton　had　lately
married　a　young　lady　whom　my　mother　had　nursed；　and　whose
kindness　and　friendship　for　me；　her　foster…sister；　I　shall
remember　gratefully　to　the　last　day　of　my　life。　These　and　other
slight　particulars　it　is　necessary　to　my　story　that　I　should　tell
you；　and　it　is　also　necessary　that　you　should　be　especially
careful　to　bear　them　well　in　mind。

My　father　was　by　trade　a　stone…mason。　His　cottage　stood　a　mile
and　a　half　from　the　nearest　habitation。　In　all　other　directions
we　were　four　or　five　times　that　distance　from　neighbors。　Being
very　poor　people；　this　lonely　situation　had　one　great　attraction
for　uswe　lived　rent　free　on　it。　In　addition　to　that　advantage；
the　stones；　by　shaping　which　my　father　gained　his　livelihood；　lay
all　about　him　at　his　very　door；　so　that　he　thought　his　position；
solitary　as　it　was；　quite　an　enviable　one。　I　can　hardly　say　that
I　agreed　with　him；　though　I　never　complained。　I　was　very　fond　of
my　father；　and　managed　to　make　the　best　of　my　loneliness　with　the
thought　of　being　useful　to　him。　Mrs。　Knifton　wished　to　take　me
into　her　service　when　she　married；　but　I　declined；　unwillingly
enough；　for　my　father's　sake。　If　I　had　gone　away；　he　would　have
had　nobody　to　live　with　him；　and　my　mother　made　me　promise　on　her
death…bed　that　he　should　never　be　left　to　pine　away　alone　in　the
midst　of　the　bleak　moor。

Our　cottage；　small　as　it　was；　was　stoutly　and　snugly　built；　with
stone　from　the　moor　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　walls　were　lined
inside　and　fenced　outside　with　wood；　the　gift　of　Mr。　Knifton's
father　to　my　father。　This　double　covering　of　cracks　and　crevices；
which　would　have　been　superfluous　in　a　sheltered　position；　was
absolutely　necessary；　in　our　exposed　situation；　to　keep　out　the
cold　winds　which；　excepting　just　the　summer　months；　swept　over　us
continually　all　the　year　round。　The　outside　boards；　covering　our
roughly…built　stone　walls；　my　father　protected　against　the　wet
with　pitch　and　tar。　This　gave　to　our　little　abode　a　curiously
dark；　dingy　look；　especially　when　it　was　seen　from　a　distance；
and　so　it　had　come　to　be　called　in　the　neighborhood；　even　before
I　was　born；　The　Black　Cottage。

I　have　now　related　the　preliminary　particulars　which　it　is
desirable　that　you　should　know；　and　may　proceed　at　once　to　the
pleasanter　task　of　telling　you　my　story。

One　cloudy　autumn　day；　when　I　was　rather　more　than　eighteen　years
old；　a　herdsman　walked　over　from　Moor　Farm　with　a　letter　which
had　been　left　there　for　my　father。　It　came　from　a　builder　living
at　our　county　town；　half　a　day's　journey　off；　and　it　invited　my
father　to　come　to　him　and　give　his　judgment　about　an　estimate　for
some　stonework　on　a　very　large　scale。　My　father's　expenses　for
loss　of　time　were　to　be　paid；　and　he　was　to　have　his　share　of
employment　afterwards　in　preparing　the　stone。　He　was　only　too
glad；　therefore；　to　obey　the　directions　which　the　letter
contained；　and　to　prepare　at　once　for　his　long　walk　to　the　county
town。

Considering　the　time　at　which　he　received　the　letter；　and　the
necessity　of　resting　before　he　attempted　to　return；　it　was
impossible　for　him　to　avoid　being　away　from　home　for　one　night；
at　least。　He　proposed　to　me；　in　case　I　disliked　being　left　alone
in　the　Black　Cottage；　to　lock　the　door　and　to　take　me　to　Moor
Farm　to　sleep　with　any　one　of　the　milkmaids　who　would　give　me　a
share　of　her　bed。　I　by　no　means　liked　the　notion　of　sleeping　with
a　girl　whom　I　did　not　know；　and　I　saw　no　reason　to　feel　afraid　of
being　left　alone　for　only　one　night；　so　I　declined。　No　thieves
had　ever　come　near　us；　our　poverty　was　sufficient　protection
against　them；　and　of　other　dangers　there　were　none　that　even　the
most　timid　person　could　apprehend。　Accordingly；　I　got　my　father's
dinner；　laughing　at　the　notion　of　my　taking　refuge　under　the
protection　of　a　milkmaid　at　Moor　Farm。　He　started　for　his　walk　as
soon　as　he　had　done；　saying　he　should　try　and　be　back　by
dinner…time　the　next　day；　and　leaving　me　and　my　cat　Polly　to　take
care　of　the　house。

I　had　cleared　the　table　and　brightened　up　the　fire；　and　had　sat
down　to　my　work　with　the　cat　dozing　at　my　feet；　when　I　heard　the
trampling　of　horses；　and；　running　to　the　door；　saw　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Knifton；　with　their　groom　behind　them；　riding　up　to　the　Black
Cottage。　It　was　part　of　the　young　lady's　kindness　never　to
neglect　an　opportunity　of　coming　to　pay　me　a　friendly　visit；　and
her　husband　was　generally　willing　to　accompany　her　for　his　wife's
sake。　I　made　my　best　courtesy；　therefore；　with　a　great　deal　of
pleasure；　but　with　no　particular　surprise　at　seeing　them。　They
dismounted　and　entered　the　cottage；　laughing　and　talking　in　great
spirits。　I　soon　heard　that　they　were　riding　to　the　same　county
town　for　which　my　father　was　bound　and　that　they　intended　to　stay
with　some　friends　there　for　a　few　days；　and　to　return　home　on
horseback；　as　they　went　out。

I　heard　this；　and　I　also　discovered　that　they　had　been　having　an
argument；　in　jest；　about　money…matters；　as　they　rode　along　to　our
cottage。　Mrs。　Knifton　had　accused　her　husband　of　inveterate
extravagance；　and　of　never　being　able　to　go　out　with　money　in　his
pocket　without　spending　it　all；　if　he　possibly　could；　before　he
got　home　again。　Mr。　Knifton　had　laughingly　defended　himself　by
declaring　that　all　his　pocket…money　went　in　presents　for　his
wife；　and　that；　if　he　spent　it　lavishly；　it　was　under　her　sole
influence　and　superintendence。

〃We　are　going　to　Cliverton　now；〃　he　said　to　Mrs。　Knifton；　naming
the　county　town；　and　warming　himself　at　our　poor　fire　just　as
pleasantly　as　if　he　had　been　standing　on　his　own　grand　hearth。
〃You　will　stop　to　admire　every　pretty　thing　in　every　one　of　the
Cliverton　shop…windows；　I　shall　hand　you　the　purse；　and　you　will
go　in　and　buy。　When　we　have　reached　home　again；　and　you　　have　h　ad
time　to　get　tired　of　your　purchases；　you　will　clasp　your　hands　in
amazement；　and　declare　that　you　are　quite　shocked　at　my　habits　of
inveterate　extravagance。　I　am　only　the　banker　who　keeps　the
money；　you；　my　love；　are　the　spendthrift　who　throws　it　all　away！〃

〃Am　I；　sir？〃　said　Mrs。　Knifton；　with　a　look　of　mock　indignation。
〃We　will　see　if　I　am　to　be　misrepresented　in　this　way　with
impunity。　Bessie；　my　dear〃　（turning　to　me）；　〃you　shall　judge　how
far　I　deserve　the　character　which　that　unscrupulous　man　has　just
given　to　me。　_I_　am　the　spendthrift；　am　I？　And　you　are　only　the
banker？　Very　well。　Banker；　give　me　my　money　at　once；　if　you
please！〃

Mr。　Knifton　laughed；　and　took　some　gold　and　silver　from　his
waistcoat　pocket。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Knifton；　〃you　may　want　what　you　have　got
there　for　necessary　expenses。　Is　that　all　the　money　you　have
about　you？　What　do　I　feel　here？〃　and　she　tapped　her　husband　on
the　chest；　just　over　the　breast…pocket　of　his　coat。

Mr。　Knifton　laughed　again；　and　produced　his　pocketbook。　His　wife
snatched　it　out　of　his　hand；　opened　it；　and　drew　out　some
bank…notes；　put　them　back　again　immediately；　and；　closing　the
pocketbook；　stepped　across　the　room　to　my　poor　mother's　little
walnut…wood　book…case；　the　only　bit　of　valuable　furniture　we　had
in　the　house。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　there？〃　asked　Mr。　Knifton；　following
his　wife。

Mrs。　Knifton　opened　the　glass　door　of　the　book…case；　put　the
pocketbook　in　a　vacant　place　on　one　of　the　lower　shelves；　closed
and　locked　the　door　again；　and　gave　me　the　key。

〃You　called　me　a　spendthrift　just　now；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　my
answer。　Not　one　farthing　of　that　money　shall　you　spend　at
Cliverton　on　_me_。　Keep　the　key　in　your　pocket；　Bessie；　and；
whatever　Mr。　Knifton　may　say；　on　no　account　let　him　have　it　until
we　call　again　on　our　way　back。　No；　sir；　I　won't　trust　you　with
that　money　in　your　pocket　in　the　town　of　Cliverton。　I　will　make
sure　of　your　taking　it　all　home　again；　by　leaving　it　here　in　more
trustworthy　hands　than　yours　until　we　ride　back。　Bessie；　my　dear；
what　do　you　say　to　that　as　a　lesson　in　economy　inflicted　on　a
prudent　husband　by　a　spendthrift　wife？〃

She　took　Mr。　Knifton's　arm　while　she　spoke；　and　drew　him　away　to
the　door。　He　protested　and　made　some　resistance；　but　she　easily
carried　her　point；　for　he　was　far　too　fond　of　her　to　have　a　will
of　his　own　in　any　trifling　matter　between　them。　Whatever　the　men
might　say；　Mr。　Knifton　was　a