the queen of hearts-第20节

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in　the　neck。〃

〃She　died　under　an　operation　for　the　removal　of　that　tumor；〃　said
the　priest；　in　low　tones；　〃and　the　operator　was　your　Uncle
George。〃

In　those　few　words　all　the　truth　burst　upon　me。

〃Console　yourself　with　the　thought　that　the　long　martyrdom　of　his
life　is　over；〃　the　priest　went　on。　〃He　rests；　he　is　at　peace。　He
and　his　little　darling　understand　each　other；　and　are　happy　now。
That　thought　bore　him　up　to　the　last　on　his　death…bed。　He　always
spoke　of　your　sister　as　his　'little　darling。'　He　firmly　believed
that　she　was　waiting　to　forgive　and　console　him　in　the　other
worldand　who　shall　say　he　was　deceived　in　that　belief？〃

Not　I！　Not　anyone　who　has　ever　loved　and　suffered；　surely！

〃It　was　out　of　the　depths　of　his　self…sacrificing　love　for　the
child　that　he　drew　the　fatal　courage　to　undertake　the　operation；〃
continued　the　priest。　〃Your　father　naturally　shrank　from
attempting　it。　His　medical　brethren　whom　he　consulted　all　doubted
the　propriety　of　taking　any　measures　for　the　removal　of　the
tumor；　in　the　particular　condition　and　situation　of　it　when　they
were　called　in。　Your　uncle　alone　differed　with　them。　He　was　too
modest　a　man　to　say　so；　but　your　mother　found　it　out。　The
deformity　of　her　beautiful　child　horrified　her。　She　was　desperate
enough　to　catch　at　the　faintest　hope　of　remedying　it　that　anyone
might　hold　out　to　her；　and　she　persuaded　your　uncle　to　put　his
opinion　to　the　proof。　Her　horror　at　the　deformity　of　the　child；
and　her　despair　at　the　prospect　of　its　lasting　for　life；　seem　to
have　utterly　blinded　her　to　all　natural　sense　of　the　danger　of
the　operation。　It　is　hard　to　know　how　to　say　it　to　you；　her　son；
but　it　must　be　told；　nevertheless；　that　one　day；　when　your　father
was　out；　she　untruly　informed　your　uncle　that　his　brother　had
consented　to　the　performance　of　the　operation；　and　that　he　had
gone　purposely　out　of　the　house　because　he　had　not　nerve　enough
to　stay　and　witness　it。　After　that；　your　uncle　no　longer
hesitated。　He　had　no　fear　of　results；　provided　he　could　be
certain　of　his　own　courage。　All　he　dreaded　was　the　effect　on　him
of　his　love　for　the　child　when　he　first　found　himself　face　to
face　with　the　dreadful　necessity　of　touching　her　skin　with　the
knife。〃

I　tried　hard　to　control　myself；　but　I　could　not　repress　a　shudder
at　those　words。

〃It　is　useless　to　shock　you　by　going　into　particulars；〃　said　the
priest；　considerately。　〃Let　it　be　enough　if　I　say　that　your
uncle's　fortitude　failed　to　support　him　when　he　wanted　it　most。
His　love　for　the　child　shook　the　firm　hand　which　had　never
trembled　before。　In　a　word；　the　operation　failed。　Your　father
returned；　and　found　his　child　dying。　The　frenzy　of　his　despair
when　the　truth　was　told　him　carried　him　to　excesses　which　it
shocks　me　to　mentionexcesses　which　began　in　his　degrading　his
brother　by　a　blow；　which　ended　in　his　binding　himself　by　an　oath
to　make　that　brother　suffer　public　punishment　for　his　fatal
rashness　in　a　court　of　law。　Your　uncle　was　too　heartbroken　by
what　had　happened　to　feel　those　outrages　as　some　men　might　have
felt　them。　He　looked　for　one　moment　at　his　sister…in…law　（I　do
not　like　to　say　your　mother；　considering　what　I　have　now　to　tell
you）；　to　see　if　she　would　acknowledge　that　she　had　encouraged　him
to　attempt　the　operation；　and　that　she　had　deceived　him　in　saying
that　he　had　his　brother's　permission　to　try　it。　She　was　silent；
and　when　she　spoke；　it　was　to　join　her　husband　in　denouncing　him
as　the　murderer　of　their　child。　Whether　fear　of　your　father's
anger；　or　revengeful　indignation　against　your　uncle　most　actuated
her；　I　cannot　presume　to　inquire　in　your　presence。　I　can　only
state　facts。〃

The　priest　paused　and　looked　at　me　anxiously。　I　could　not　speak
to　him　at　that　momentI　could　only　encourage　him　to　proceed　by
pressing　his　hand。

He　resumed　in　these　terms：

〃Meanwhile；　your　uncle　turned　to　your　father；　and　spoke　the　last
words　he　was　ever　to　address　to　his　eldest　brother　in　this　world。
He　said；　'I　have　deserved　the　worst　your　anger　can　inflict　on　me；
but　I　will　spare　you　the　scandal　of　bringing　me　to　justice　in
open　court。　The　law；　if　it　found　me　guilty；　could　at　the　worst
but　banish　me　from　my　country　and　my　friends。　I　will　go　of　my　own
accord。　God　is　my　witness　that　I　honestly　believed　I　could　save
the　child　from　deformity　and　suffering。　I　have　risked　all　and
lost　all。　My　heart　and　spirit　are　broken。　I　am　fit　for　nothing
but　to　go　and　hide　myself；　and　my　shame　and　misery；　from　all　eyes
that　have　ever　looked　on　me。　I　shall　never　come　back；　never
expect　your　pity　or　forgiveness。　If　you　think　less　harshly　of　me
when　I　am　gone；　keep　secret　what　has　happened；　let　no　other　lips
say　of　me　what　yours　and　your　wife's　have　said。　I　shall　think
that　forbearance　atonement　enoughatonement　greater　than　I　have
deserved。　Forget　me　in　this　world。　May　we　meet　in　another；　where
the　secrets　of　all　hearts　are　opened；　and　where　the　child　who　is
gone　before　may　make　peace　between　us！'　He　said　those　words　and
went　out。　Your　father　never　saw　him　or　heard　from　him　again。〃

I　knew　the　reason　now　why　my　father　had　never　confided　the　truth
to　anyone；　his　own　family　included。　My　mother　had　evidently
confessed　all　to　her　sister　under　the　seal　of　secrecy；　and　there
the　dreadful　disclosure　had　been　arrested。

〃Your　uncle　told　me；〃　the　priest　continued；　〃that　before　he　left
England　he　took　leave　of　you　by　stealth；　in　a　place　you　were
staying　at　by　the　sea…side。　Tie　had　not　the　heart　to　quit　his
country　and　his　friends　forever　without　kissing　you　for　the　last
time。　He　followed　you　in　the　dark；　and　caught　you　up　in　his　arms；
and　left　you　again　before　you　had　a　chance　of　discovering　him。
The　next　day　he　quitted　England。〃

〃For　this　place？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes。　He　had　spent　a　week　here　once　with　a　student　friend　at　the
time　when　he　was　a　pupil　in　the　Hotel　Dieu；　and　to　this　place　he
returned　to　hide；　to　suffer；　and　to　die。　We　all　saw　that　he　was　a
man　crushed　and　broken　by　some　great　sorrow；　and　we　respected　him
and　his　affliction。　He　lived　alone；　and　only　came　out　of　doors
toward　evening；　when　he　used　to　sit　on　the　brow　of　the　hill
yonder；　with　his　head　on　his　hand；　looking　toward　England。　That
place　seemed　a　favorite　with　him；　and　he　is　buried　close　by　it。
He　revealed　the　story　of　his　past　life　to　no　living　soul　here　but
me；　and　to　me　he　only　spoke　when　his　last　hour　was　approaching。
What　he　had　suffered　during　his　long　exile　no　man　can　presume　to
say。　I；　who　saw　more　of　him　than　anyone；　never　heard　a　word　of
complaint　fall　from　his　lips。　He　had　the　courage　of　the　martyrs
while　he　lived；　and　the　resignation　of　the　saints　when　he　died。
Just　at　the　last　his　mind　wandered。　He　said　he　saw　his　little
darling　waiting　by　the　bedside　to　lead　him　away；　and　he　died　with
a　smile　on　his　facethe　first　I　had　ever　seen　there。〃

The　priest　ceased；　and　we　went　out　together　in　the　mournful
twilight；　and　stood　for　a　little　while　on　the　brow　of　the　hill
where　Uncle　George　used　to　sit；　with　his　face　turned　toward
England。　How　my　heart　ached　for　him　as　I　thought　of　what　he　must
have　suffered　in　the　silence　and　solitude　of　his　long　exile！　Was
it　well　for　me　that　I　had　discovered　the　Family　Secret　at　last？　I
have　sometimes　thought　not。　I　have　sometimes　wished　that　the
darkness　had　never　been　cleared　away　which　once　hid　from　me　the
fate　of　Uncle　George。

THE　THIRD　DAY。

FINE　again。　Our　guest　rode　out；　with　her　ragged　little　groom；　as
usual。　There　was　no　news　yet　in　the　paperthat　is　to　say；　no
news　of　George　or　his　ship。

On　this　day　Morgan　completed　his　second　story；　and　in　two　or
three　days　more　I　expected　to　finish　the　last　of　my　own
contributions。　Owen　was　still　behindhand　and　still　despondent。

The　lot　drawing　to…night　was　Five。　This　proved　to　be　the　number
of　the　first　of　Morgan's　stories；　which　he　had　completed　before
we　began　the　readings。　His　second　story；　finished　this　day；　being
still　uncorrected　by　me；　could　not　yet　be　added　to　the　common
stock。

On　being　informed　that　it　had　come　to　his　turn　to　occupy　the
attention　of　the　company；　Morga　n　startled　us　by　immediately
objecting　to　the　trouble　of　reading　his　own　composition；　and　by
coolly　handing　it　over　to　me；　on　the　ground　that　my　numerous
corrections　had　made　it；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　my　story。

Owen　and　I　both　remonstrated；　and　Jessie；　mischievously
persisting　in　her　favorite　jest　at　Morgan's　expense；　entreated
that　he　would　read；　if　it　was　only　for　her　sake。　Finding　that　we
were　all　determined；　and　all　against　him；　he　declared　that；
rather　than　hear　our　voices　any　longer；　he　would　submit　to　the
minor　inconvenience　of　listening　to　his　own。　Accordingly；　he　took
his　manuscript　back　again；　and；　with　an　air　of　surly　resignation；
spread　it　open　before　him。

〃I　don't　think　you　will　like　this　story；　miss；〃　he　began；
addressing　Jessie；　〃but　I　shall　read　it；　nevertheless；　with　the
greatest　pleasure。　It　begins　in　a　stableit　gropes　its　way
through　a　dreamit　keeps　company　with　a　hostlerand　it　stops
without　an　end。　What　do　you　think　of　that？〃

After　favoring　his　audience　with　this　promising　preface；　Morgan
indulged　himself　in　a　chuckle　of　supreme　satisfaction；　and　then
began　to