the queen of hearts-第24节
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I stop here？〃
Besides the natural compassion and sadness moved in his heart by
what he heard； Isaac felt within him some mysterious influence at
work all the time the woman was speaking which utterly confused
his ideas and almost deprived him of his powers of speech。 All
that he could say in answer to her last reckless words was that
he would prevent her from attempting her own life； if he followed
her about all night to do it。 His rough； trembling earnestness
seemed to impress her。
〃I won't occasion you that trouble；〃 she answered； when he
repeated his threat。 〃You have given me a fancy for living by
speaking kindly to me。 No need for the mockery of protestations
and promises。 You may believe me without them。 Come to Fuller's
Meadow to…morrow at twelve； and you will find me alive； to answer
for myselfNo ！no money。 My ninepence will do to get me as
good a night's lodging as I want。〃
She nodded and left him。 He made no attempt to followhe felt no
suspicion that she was deceiving him。
〃It's strange； but I can't help believing her；〃 he said to
himself； and walked away； bewildered； toward home。
On entering the house； his mind was still so completely absorbed
by its new subject of interest that he took no notice of what his
mother was doing when he came in with the bottle of medicine。 She
had opened her old writing…desk in his absence； and was now
reading a paper attentively that lay inside it。 On every birthday
of Isaac's since she had written down the particulars of his
dream from his own lips； she had been accustomed to read that
same paper； and ponder over it in private。
The next day he went to Fuller's Meadow。
He had done only right in believing her so implicitly。 She was
there； punctual to a minute； to answer for herself。 The last…left
faint defenses in Isaac's heart against the fascination which a
word or look from her began inscrutably to exercise over him sank
down and vanished before her forever on that memorable morning。
When a man； previously insensible to the influence of women；
forms an attachment in middle life； the instances are rare
indeed； let the warning circumstances be what they may； in which
he is found capable of freeing himself from the tyranny of the
new ruling passion。 The charm of being spoken to familiarly；
fondly； and gratefully by a woman whose language and manners
still retained enough of their early refinement to hint at the
high social station that she had lost； would have been a
dangerous luxury to a man of Isaac's rank at the age of twenty。
But it was far more than thatit was certain ruin to himnow
that his heart was opening unworthily to a new influence at that
middle time of life when strong feelings of all kinds； once
implanted； strike root most stubbornly in a man's moral nature。 A
few more stolen interviews after that first morning in Fuller's
Meadow completed his infatuation。 In less than a month from the
time when he first met her； Isaac Scatchard had consented to give
Rebecca Murdoch a new interest in existence； and a chance of
recovering the character she had lost by promising to make her
his wife。
She had taken possession； not of his passions only； but of his
faculties as well。 All the mind he had he put into her keeping。
She directed him on every pointeven instructing him how to
break the news of his approaching marriage in the safest manner
to his mother。
〃If you tell her how you met me and who I am at first；〃 said the
cunning woman； 〃she will move heaven and earth to prevent our
marriage。 Say l am the sister of one of your fellow…servantsask
her to see me before you go into any more particularsand leave
it to me to do the rest。 I mean to make her love me next best to
you； Isaac； before she knows anything of who I really am。〃 The
motive of the deceit was sufficient to sanctify it to Isaac。 The
stratagem proposed relieved him of his one great anxiety； and
quieted his uneasy conscience on the subject of his mother。
Still； there was something wanting to perfect his happiness；
something that he could not realize； something mysteriously
untraceable； and yet something that perpetually made itself felt；
not when he was absent from Rebecca Murdoch； but； strange to say；
when he was actually in her presence！ She was kindness itself
with him。 She never made him feel his inferior capacities and
inferior manners。 She showed the sweetest anxiety to please him
in the smallest trifles； but； in spite of all these attractions；
he never could feel quite at his ease with her。 At their first
meeting； there had mingled with his admiration； when he looked in
her face； a faint； involuntary feeling of doubt whether that face
was entirely strange to him。 No after familiarity had the
slightest effect on this inexplicable； wearisome uncertainty。
Concealing the truth as he had been directed； he announced his
marriage engagement precipitately and confusedly to his mother on
the day when he contracted it。 Poor Mrs。 Scatchard showed her
perfect confidence in her son by flinging her arms round his
neck； and giving him joy of having found at last； in the sister
of one of his fellow…servants； a woman to comfort and care for
him after his mother was gone。 She was all eagerness to see the
woman of her son's choice； and the next day was fixed for the
introduction。
It was a bright sunny morning； and the little cottage parlor was
full of light as Mrs。 Scatchard； happy and expectant； dressed for
the occasion in her Sunday gown； sat waiting for her son and her
future daughter…in…law。
Punctual to the appointed time； Isaac hurriedly and nervously led
his promised wife into the room。 His mother rose to receive
heradvanced a few steps； smilinglooked Rebecca full in the
eyes； and suddenly stopped。 Her face； which had been flushed the
moment before； turned white in an instant； her eyes lost their
expression of softness and kindness； and assumed a blank look of
terror； her outstretched hands fell to her sides； and she
staggered back a few steps with a low cry to her son。
〃Isaac；〃 she whispered； clutching him fast by the arm when he
asked alarmedly if she was taken ill； 〃Isaac； does that woman's
face remind you of nothing？〃
Before he could answerbefore he could look round to where
Rebecca stood； astonished and angered by her reception； at the
lower end of the room； his mother pointed impatiently to her
writing…desk； and gave him the key。
〃Open it；〃 she said； in a quick breathless whisper。
〃What does this mean？ Why am I treated as if I had no business
here？ Does your mother want to insult me？〃 asked Rebecca；
angrily。
〃Open it； and give me the paper in the left…hand drawer。 Quick！
quick； for Heaven's sake！〃 said Mrs。 Scatchard； shrinking further
back in terror。
Isaac gave her the paper。 She looked it over eagerly for a
moment； then followed Rebecca； who was now turning away haughtily
to leave the room； and caught her by the shoulderabruptly
raised the long； loose sleeve of her gown； and glanced at her
hand and arm。 Something like fear began to steal over the angry
expression of Rebecca's face as she shook herself free from the
old woman's grasp。 〃Mad！〃 she said to herself； 〃and Isaac never
told me。〃 With these few words she left the room。
Isaac was hastening after her when his mother turned and stopped
his further progress。 It wrung his heart to see the misery and
terror in her face as she looked at him。
〃Light gray eyes；〃 she said； in low； mournful； awe…struck tones；
pointing toward the open door； 〃a droop in the left eyelid；
flaxen hair； with a gold…yellow streak in it； white arms； with a
down upon them； little lady's hand； with a reddish look under the
finger nailsThe Dream… Woman； Isaac； the Dream…Woman！〃
That faint cleaving doubt which he had never been able to shake
off in Rebecca Murdoch's presence was fatally set at rest
forever。 He had seen her face； then； beforeseven years before；
on his birthday； in the bedroom of the lonely inn。
〃Be warned！ oh； my son； be warned！ Isaac； Isaac； let her go； and
do you stop with me！〃
Something darkened the parlor window as those words were said。 A
sudden chill ran through him； and he glanced sidelong at the
shadow。 Rebecca Murdoch had come back。 She was peering in
curiously at them over the low window…blind。
〃I have promised to marry； mother；〃 he said； 〃and marry I must。〃
The tears came into his eyes as he spoke and dimmed his sight；
but he could just discern the fatal face outside moving away
again from the window。
His mother's head sank lower。
〃Are you faint？〃 he whispered。
〃Broken…hearted； Isaac。〃
He stooped down and kissed her。 The shadow； as he did so；
returned to the window； and the fatal face peered in curiously
once more。
CHAPTER IV。
THREE weeks after that day Isaac and Rebecca were man and wife。
All that was hopelessly dogged and stubborn in the man's moral
nature seemed to have closed round his fatal passion； and to have
fixed it unassailably in his heart。
After that first interview in the cottage parlor no consideration
would induce Mrs。 Scatchard to see her son's wife again or even
to talk of her when Isaac tried hard to plead her cause after
their marriage。
This course
