the queen of hearts-第33节

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throughout　the　oldest　uninhabited　part　of　the　Abbey；　and　to　try
if　I　could　not　find　out　from　forgotten　family　records　what　the
portrait　was；　and　when　the　prophecy　had　been　first　written　or
uttered。　Did　you　ever　pass　a　day　alone　in　the　long…deserted
chambers　of　an　ancient　house？〃

〃Never！　such　solitude　as　that　is　not　at　all　to　my　taste。〃

〃Ah！　what　a　life　it　was　when　I　began　my　search。　I　should　like　to
live　it　over　again。　Such　tempting　suspense；　such　strange
discoveries；　such　wild　fancies；　such　inthralling　terrors；　all
belonged　to　that　life。　Only　think　of　breaking　open　the　door　of　a
room　which　no　living　soul　had　entered　before　you　for　nearly　a
hundred　years；　think　of　the　first　step　forward　into　a　region　of
airless；　awful　stillness；　where　the　light　falls　faint　and　sickly
through　closed　windows　and　rotting　curtains；　think　of　the　ghostly
creaking　of　the　old　floor　that　cries　out　on　you　for　treading　on
it；　step　as　softly　as　you　will；　think　of　arms；　helmets；　weird
tapestries　of　by…gone　days；　that　seem　to　be　moving　out　on　you
from　the　walls　as　you　first　walk　up　to　them　in　the　dim　light；
think　of　prying　into　great　cabinets　and　iron…clasped　chests；　not
knowing　what　horrors　may　appear　when　you　tear　them　open；　of
poring　over　their　contents　till　twilight　stole　on　you　and
darkness　grew　terrible　in　the　lonely　place；　of　trying　to　leave
it；　and　not　being　able　to　go；　as　if　something　held　you；　of　wind
wailing　at　you　outside；　of　shadows　darkening　round　you；　and
closing　you　up　in　obscurity　withinonly　think　of　these　things；
and　you　may　imagine　the　fascination　of　suspense　and　terror　in
such　a　life　as　mine　was　in　those　past　days。〃

（I　shrank　from　imagining　that　life：　it　was　bad　enough　to　see　its
results；　as　I　saw　them　before　me　now。）

〃Well；　my　search　lasted　months　and　months；　then　it　was　suspended
a　little；　then　resumed。　In　whatever　direction　I　pursued　it　I
always　found　something　to　lure　me　on。　Terrible　confessions　of
past　crimes；　shocking　proofs　of　secret　wickedness　that　had　been
hidden　securely　from　all　eyes　but　mine；　came　to　light。　Sometimes
these　discoveries　were　associated　with　particular　parts　of　the
Abbey；　which　have　had　a　horrible　interest　of　their　own　for　me
ever　since；　sometimes　with　certain　old　portraits　in　the
picture…gallery；　which　I　actually　dreaded　to　look　at　after　what　I
had　found　out。　There　were　periods　when　the　results　of　this　search
of　mine　so　horrified　me　that　I　determined　to　give　it　up　entirely；
but　I　never　could　persevere　in　my　resolution；　the　temptation　to
go　on　seemed　at　certain　intervals　to　get　too　strong　for　me；　and
then　I　yielded　to　it　again　and　again。　At　last　I　found　the　book
that　had　belonged　to　the　monks　with　the　whole　of　the　prophecy
written　in　the　blank　leaf。　This　first　success　encouraged　me　to
get　back　further　yet　in　the　family　records。　I　had　discovered
nothing　hitherto　of　the　identity　of　the　mysterious　portrait；　but
the　same　intuitive　conviction　which　had　assured　me　of　its
extraordinary　resemblance　to　my　Uncle　Stephen　seemed　also　to
assure　me　that　he　must　be　more　closely　connected　with　the
prophecy；　and　must　know　more　of　it　than　any　one　else。　I　had　no
means　of　holding　any　communication　with　him；　no　means　of
satisfying　myself　whether　this　strange　idea　of　mine　were　right　or
wrong；　until　the　day　when　my　doubts　were　settled　forever　by　the
same　terrible　proof　which　is　now　present　to　me　in　this　very
room。〃

He　paused　for　a　moment；　and　looked　at　me　intently　and
suspiciously；　then　asked　if　I　believed　all　he　had　said　to　me　so
far。　My　instant　reply　in　the　affirmative　seemed　to　satisfy　his
doubts；　and　he　went　on。

〃On　a　fine　evening　in　February　I　was　standing　alone　in　one　of　the
deserted　rooms　of　the　western　turret　at　the　Abbey；　looking　at　the
sunset。　Just　before　the　sun　went　down　I　felt　a　sensation　stealing
over　me　which　it　is　impossible　to　explain。　I　saw　nothing；　heard
nothing；　knew　nothing。　This　utter　self…oblivion　came　suddenly；　it
was　not　fainting；　for　I　did　not　fall　to　the　ground；　did　not　move
an　inch　from　my　place。　If　such　a　thing　could　be；　I　should　say　it
was　the　temporary　separation　of　soul　and　body　without　death；　but
all　description　of　my　situation　at　that　time　is　impossible。　Call
my　state　what　you　will；　trance　or　catalepsy；　I　know　that　I
remained　standing　by　the　window　utterly　unconsciousdead；　mind
and　bodyuntil　the　sun　had　set。　Then　I　came　to　my　senses　again；
and　then；　when　I　opened　my　eyes；　there　was　the　apparition　of
Stephen　Monkton　standing　opposite　to　me；　faintly　luminous；　just
as　it　stands　opposite　me　at　this　very　moment　by　your　side。〃

Was　this　before　the　news　of　the　duel　reached　England？〃　I　asked。

〃_Two　weeks　before_　the　news　of　it　reached　us　at　Wincot。　And　even
when　we　heard　of　the　duel；　we　did　not　hear　of　the　day　on　which　it
was　fought。　I　only　found　that　out　when　the　document　which　you
have　read　was　published　in　the　French　newspaper。　The　date　of　that
document；　you　will　remember；　is　February　22d；　and　it　is　stated
that　the　duel　was　fought　two　days　afterward。　I　wrote　down　in　my
pocketbook；　on　the　evening　when　I　saw　the　phantom；　the　day　of　the
month　on　which　it　first　appeared　to　me　。　That　day　was　the　24th　of
February。

He　paused　again；　as　if　expecting　me　to　say　something。　After　the
words　he　had　just　spoken；　what　could　I　say？　what　could　I　think？

〃Even　in　the　first　horror　of　first　seeing　the　apparition；〃　he
went　on；　〃the　prophecy　against　our　house　came　to　my　mind；　and
with　it　the　conviction　that　I　beheld　before　me；　in　that　spectral
presence；　the　warning　of　my　own　doom。　As　soon　as　I　recovered　a
little；　I　determined；　nevertheless；　to　test　the　reality　of　what　I
saw；　to　find　out　whether　I　was　the　dupe　of　my　own　diseased　fancy
or　not。　I　left　the　turret；　the　phantom　left　it　with　me。　I　made　an
excuse　to　have　the　drawing…room　at　the　Abbey　brilliantly　lighted
up；　the　figure　was　still　opposite　me。　I　walked　out　into　the　park；
it　was　there　in　the　clear　starlight。　I　went　away　from　home；　and
traveled　many　miles　to　the　sea…side；　still　the　tall　dark　man　in
his　death　agony　was　with　me。　After　this　I　strove　against　the
fatality　no　more。　I　returned　to　the　Abbey；　and　tried　to　resign
myself　to　my　misery。　But　this　was　not　to　be。　I　had　a　hope　that
was　dearer　to　me　than　my　own　life；　I　had　one　treasure　belonging
to　me　that　I　shuddered　at　the　prospect　of　losing；　and　when　the
phantom　presence　stood　a　warning　obstacle　between　me　and　this　one
treasure；　this　dearest　hope；　then　my　misery　grew　heavier　than　I
could　bear。　You　must　know　what　I　am　alluding　to；　you　must　have
heard　often　that　I　was　engaged　to　be　married？〃

〃Yes；　often。　I　have　some　acquaintance　myself　with　Miss　Elmslie。〃

〃You　never　can　know　all　that　she　has　sacrificed　for　menever　can
imagine　what　I　have　felt　for　years　and　years　past〃his　voice
trembled；　and　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes〃but　I　dare　not　trust
myself　to　speak　of　that；　the　thought　of　the　old　happy　days　in　the
Abbey　almost　breaks　my　heart　now。　Let　me　get　back　to　the　other
subject。　I　must　tell　you　that　I　kept　the　frightful　vision　which
pursued　me；　at　all　times　and　in　all　places；　a　secret　from
everybody；　knowing　the　vile　reports　about　my　having　inherited
madness　from　my　family；　and　fearing　that　an　unfair　advantage
would　be　taken　of　any　confession　that　I　might　make。　Though　the
phantom　always　stood　opposite　to　me；　and　therefore　always
appeared　either　before　or　by　the　side　of　any　person　to　whom　I
spoke；　I　soon　schooled　myself　to　hide　from　others　that　I　was
looking　at　it　except　on　rare　occasions；　when　I　have　perhaps
betrayed　myself　to　you。　But　my　self…possession　availed　me　nothing
with　Ada。　The　day　of　our　marriage　was　approaching。〃

He　stopped　and　shuddered。　I　waited　in　silence　till　he　had
controlled　himself。

〃Think；〃　he　went　on；　〃think　of　what　I　must　have　suffered　at
looking　always　on　that　hideous　vision　whenever　I　looked　on　my
betrothed　wife！　Think　of　my　taking　her　hand；　and　seeming　to　take
it　through　the　figure　of　the　apparition！　Think　of　the　calm
angel…face　and　the　tortured　specter…face　being　always　together
whenever　my　eyes　met　hers！　Think　of　this；　and　you　will　not　wonder
that　I　betrayed　my　secret　to　her。　She　eagerly　entreated　to　know
the　worstnay；　more；　she　insisted　on　knowing　it。　At　her　bidding
I　told　all；　and　then　left　her　free　to　break　our　engagement。　The
thought　of　death　was　in　my　heart　as　I　spoke　the　parting
wordsdeath　by　my　own　act；　if　life　still　held　out　after　our
separation。　She　suspected　that　thought；　she　knew　it；　and　never
left　me　till　her　good　influence　had　destroyed　it　forever。　But　for
her　I　should　not　have　been　alive　now；　but　for　her　I　should　never
have　attempted　the　project　which　has　brought　me　here。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　it　was　at　Miss　Elmslie's　suggestion　that　you
came　to　Naples？〃　I　asked；　in　amazement。

〃I　mean　that　what　she　said　suggested　the　design　which　has　brought
me　to　Naples；〃　he　answered。　〃While　I　believed　that　the　phantom
had　appeared　to　me　as　the　fatal　messenger　of　death；　there　was　no
comfortthere　was　misery；　rather；　in　hearing　her　say　that　no
power　on　earth　should　make　her　desert　me；　and　that　she　would　live
for　me；　and　for　me　only；　through　every　trial。　But　it　was　far
different　when　we　afterward　reasoned　together　about　the　purpose
which　the　appar