the queen of hearts-第19节

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own　baseness；　or　he　would　certainly　have　written　to　explain　and
to　justify　himself。

Such　were　the　particulars　which　I　gleaned　during　my　visit　to　my
father's　family。　To　my　mind；　they　tended　rather　to　deepen　than　to
reveal　the　mystery。　That　such　a　gentle；　docile；　affectionate
creature　as　Uncle　George　should　have　injured　the　brother　he　loved
by　word　or　deed　at　any　period　of　their　intercourse；　seemed
incredible；　but　that　he　should　have　been　guilty　of　an　act　of
baseness　at　the　very　time　when　my　sister　was　dying　was　simply　and
plainly　impossible。　And　yet　there　was　the　incomprehensible　fact
staring　me　in　the　face　that　the　death　of　Caroline　and　the
disappearance　of　Uncle　George　had　taken　plac　e　in　the　same　week！
Never　did　I　feel　more　daunted　and　bewildered　by　the　family　secret
than　after　I　had　heard　all　the　particulars　in　connection　with　it
that　my　father's　relatives　had　to　tell　me。

I　may　pass　over　the　events　of　the　next　few　years　of　my　life
briefly　enough。

My　nautical　pursuits　filled　up　all　my　time；　and　took　me　far　away
from　my　country　and　my　friends。　But；　whatever　I　did；　and　wherever
I　went；　the　memory　of　Uncle　George；　and　the　desire　to　penetrate
the　mystery　of　his　disappearance；　haunted　me　like　familiar
spirits。　Often；　in　the　lonely　watches　of　the　night　at　sea；　did　I
recall　the　dark　evening　on　the　beach；　the　strange　man's　hurried
embrace；　the　startling　sensation　of　feeling　his　tears　on　my
cheeks；　the　disappearance　of　him　before　I　had　breath　or
self…possession　enough　to　say　a　word。　Often　did　I　think　over　the
inexplicable　events　that　followed；　when　I　had　returned；　after　my
sister's　funeral；　to　my　father's　house；　and　oftener　still　did　I
puzzle　my　brains　vainly；　in　the　attempt　to　form　some　plan　for
inducing　my　mother　or　my　aunt　to　disclose　the　secret　which　they
had　hitherto　kept　from　me　so　perseveringly。　My　only　chance　of
knowing　what　had　really　happened　to　Uncle　George；　my　only　hope　of
seeing　him　again；　rested　with　those　two　near　and　dear　relatives。
I　despaired　of　ever　getting　my　mother　to　speak　on　the　forbidden
subject　after　what　had　passed　between　us；　but　I　felt　more
sanguine　about　my　prospects　of　ultimately　inducing　my　aunt　to
relax　in　her　discretion。　My　anticipations；　however；　in　this
direction　were　not　destined　to　be　fulfilled。　On　my　next　visit　to
England　I　found　my　aunt　prostrated　by　a　paralytic　attack；　which
deprived　her　of　the　power　of　speech。　She　died　soon　afterward　in
my　arms；　leaving　me　her　sole　heir。　I　searched　anxiously　among　her
papers　for　some　reference　to　the　family　mystery；　but　found　no
clew　to　guide　me。　All　my　mother's　letters　to　her　sister　at　the
time　of　Caroline's　illness　and　death　had　been　destroyed。

CHAPTER　III。

MORE　years　passed；　my　mother　followed　my　aunt　to　the　grave；　and
still　I　was　as　far　as　ever　from　making　any　discoveries　in
relation　to　Uncle　George。　Shortly　after　the　period　of　this　last
affliction　my　health　gave　way；　and　I　departed；　by　my　doctor's
advice；　to　try　some　baths　in　the　south　of　France。

I　traveled　slowly　to　my　destination；　turning　aside　from　the
direct　road；　and　stopping　wherever　I　pleased。　One　evening；　when　I
was　not　more　than　two　or　three　days'　journey　from　the　baths　to
which　I　was　bound；　I　was　struck　by　the　picturesque　situation　of　a
little　town　placed　on　the　brow　of　a　hill　at　some　distance　from
the　main　road；　and　resolved　to　have　a　nearer　look　at　the　place；
with　a　view　to　stopping　there　for　the　night；　if　it　pleased　me。　I
found　the　principal　inn　clean　and　quietordered　my　bed
thereand；　after　dinner；　strolled　out　to　look　at　the　church。　No
thought　of　Uncle　George　was　in　my　mind　when　I　entered　the
building；　and　yet；　at　that　very　moment；　chance　was　leading　me　to
the　discovery　which；　for　so　many　years　past；　I　had　vainly
endeavored　to　makethe　discovery　which　I　had　given　up　as
hopeless　since　the　day　of　my　mother's　death。

I　found　nothing　worth　notice　in　the　church；　and　was　about　to
leave　it　again；　when　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　pretty　view　through
a　side　door；　and　stopped　to　admire　it。

The　churchyard　formed　the　foreground；　and　below　it　the　hill…side
sloped　away　gently　into　the　plain；　over　which　the　sun　was　setting
in　full　glory。　The　cure　of　the　church　was　reading　his　breviary；
walking　up　and　down　a　gravel…path　that　parted　the　rows　of　graves。
In　the　course　of　my　wanderings　I　had　learned　to　speak　French　as
fluently　as　most　Englishmen；　and　when　the　priest　came　near　me　I
said　a　few　words　in　praise　of　the　view；　and　complimented　him　on
the　neatness　and　prettiness　of　the　churchyard。　He　answered　with
great　politeness；　and　we　got　into　conversation　together
immediately。

As　we　strolled　along　the　gravel…walk；　my　attention　was　attracted
by　one　of　the　graves　standing　apart　from　the　rest。　The　cross　at
the　head　of　it　differed　remarkably；　in　some　points　of　appearance；
from　the　crosses　on　the　other　graves。　While　all　the　rest　had
garlands　hung　on　them；　this　one　cross　was　quite　bare；　and；　more
extraordinary　still；　no　name　was　inscribed　on　it。

The　priest；　observing　that　I　stopped　to　look　at　the　grave；　shook
his　head　and　sighed。

〃A　countryman　of　yours　is　buried　there；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　present
at　his　death。　He　had　borne　the　burden　of　a　great　sorrow　among　us；
in　this　town；　for　many　weary　years；　and　his　conduct　had　taught　us
to　respect　and　pity　him　with　all　our　hearts。〃

〃How　is　it　that　his　name　is　not　inscribed　over　his　grave？〃　I
inquired。

〃It　was　suppressed　by　his　own　desire；〃　answered　the　priest；　with
some　little　hesitation。　〃He　confessed　to　me　in　his　last　moments
that　he　had　lived　here　under　an　assumed　name。　I　asked　his　real
name；　and　he　told　it　to　me；　with　the　particulars　of　his　sad
story。　He　had　reasons　for　desiring　to　be　forgotten　after　his
death。　Almost　the　last　words　he　spoke　were；　'Let　my　name　die　with
me。'　Almost　the　last　request　he　made　was　that　I　would　keep　that
name　a　secret　from　all　the　world　excepting　only　one　person。〃

〃Some　relative；　I　suppose？〃　said　I。

〃Yesa　nephew；〃　said　the　priest。

The　moment　the　last　word　was　out　of　his　mouth；　my　heart　gave　a
strange　answering　bound。　I　suppose　I　must　have　changed　color
also；　for　the　cure　looked　at　me　with　sudden　attention　and
interest。

〃A　nephew；〃　the　priest　went　on；　〃whom　he　had　loved　like　his　own
child。　He　told　me　that　if　this　nephew　ever　traced　him　to　his
burial…place；　and　asked　about　him；　I　was　free　in　that　case　to
disclose　all　I　knew。　'I　should　like　my　little　Charley　to　know　the
truth；'　he　said。　'In　spite　of　the　difference　in　our　ages；　Charley
and　I　were　playmates　years　ago。'　〃

My　heart　beat　faster；　and　I　felt　a　choking　sensation　at　the
throat　the　moment　I　heard　the　priest　unconsciously　mention　my
Christian　name　in　mentioning　the　dying　man's　last　words。

As　soon　as　I　could　steady　my　voice　and　feel　certain　of　my
self…possession；　I　communicated　my　family　name　to　the　cure；　and
asked　him　if　that　was　not　part　of　the　secret　that　he　had　been
requested　to　preserve。

He　started　back　several　steps；　and　clasped　his　hands　amazedly。

〃Can　it　be？〃　he　said；　in　low　tones；　gazing　at　me　earnestly；　with
something　like　dread　in　his　face。

I　gave　him　my　passport；　and　looked　away　toward　the　grave。　The
tears　came　into　my　eyes　as　the　recollections　of　past　days　crowded
back　on　me。　Hardly　knowing　what　I　did；　I　knelt　down　by　the　grave；
and　smoothed　the　grass　over　it　with　my　hand。　Oh；　Uncle　George；
why　not　have　told　your　secret　to　your　old　playmate？　Why　leave　him
to　find　you　_here？_

The　priest　raised　me　gently；　and　begged　me　to　go　with　him　into
his　own　house。　On　our　way　there；　I　mentioned　persons　and　places
that　I　thought　my　uncle　might　have　spoken　of；　in　order　to　satisfy
my　companion　that　I　was　really　the　person　I　represented　myself　to
be。　By　the　time　we　had　entered　his　little　parlor；　and　had　sat
down　alone　in　it；　we　were　almost　like　old　friends　together。

I　thought　it　best　that　I　should　begin　by　telling　all　that　I　have
related　here　on　the　subject　of　Uncle　George；　and　his
disappearance　from　home。　My　host　listened　with　a　very　sad　face；
and　said；　when　I　had　done：

〃I　can　understand　your　anxiety　to　know　what　I　am　authorized　to
tell　you；　but　pardon　me　if　I　say　first　that　there　are
circumstances　in　your　uncle's　story　which　it　may　pain　you　to
hear〃　He　stopped　suddenly。

〃Which　it　may　pain　me　to　hear　as　a　nephew？〃　I　asked。

〃No；〃　said　the　priest；　looking　away　from　me；　〃as　a　son。〃

I　gratefully　expressed　my　sense　of　the　delicacy　and　kindness
which　had　prompted　my　companion's　warning；　but　I　begged　him；　at
the　same　time；　to　keep　me　no　longer　in　suspense　and　to　tell　me
the　stern　truth；　no　matter　how　painfully　it　might　affect　me　as　a
listener。

〃In　telling　me　all　you　knew　about　what　you　term　the　Family
Secret；〃　said　the　priest；　〃you　have　mentioned　as　a　strange
coincidence　that　your　sister's　death　and　your　uncle's
disappearance　took　place　at　the　same　time。　Did　you　ever　suspect
what　cause　it　was　that　occasioned　your　sister's　death？〃

〃I　only　knew　what　my　father　told　me；　an　d　what　all　our　friends
believedthat　she　had　a　tumor　in　the　neck；　or；　as　I　sometimes
heard　it　stated；　from　the　effect　on　her　constitution　of　a　tumor
in　the　neck。〃

〃She　died　under　an　operation　for　the　removal　of　that　tumor；〃　said
the　priest；　in　low　t