the queen of hearts-第35节

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beenas　if　I　had　a　strong　personal　interest　in　hunting　out　his
remains！　Ridicule　moved　me　as　little　as　any　arguments　of　this
sort；　my　mind　was　made　up；　and　I　was　as　obstinate　then　as　I　am
now。

In　two　days'　time　I　had　got　everything　ready；　and　had　ordered　the
traveling　carriage　to　the　door　some　hours　earlier　than　we　had
originally　settled。　We　were　jovially　threatened　with　〃a　parting
cheer〃　by　all　our　English　acquaintances；　and　I　thought　it
desirable　to　avoid　this　on　my　friend's　account；　for　he　had　been
more　excited；　as　it　was；　by　the　preparations　for　the　journey　than
I　at　all　liked。　Accordingly；　soon　after　sunrise；　without　a　soul
in　the　street　to　stare　at　us；　we　privately　left　Naples。

Nobody　will　wonder；　I　think；　that　I　experienced　some　difficulty
in　realizing　my　own　position；　and　shrank　instinctively　from
looking　forward　a　single　day　into　the　future；　when　I　now　found
myself　starting；　in　company　with　〃Mad　Monkton；〃　to　hunt　for　the
body　of　a　dead　duelist　all　along　the　frontier　line　of　the　Roman
States！



CHAPTER　V。


I　HAD　settled　it　in　my　own　mind　that　we　had　better　make　the　town
of　Fondi；　close　on　the　frontier；　our　headquarters；　to　begin　with；
and　I　had　arranged；　with　the　assistance　of　the　embassy；　that　the
leaden　coffin　should　follow　us　so　far；　securely　nailed　up　in　its
packing…case。　Besides　our　passports；　we　were　well　furnished　with
letters　of　introduction　to　the　local　authorities　at　most　of　the
important　frontier　towns；　and；　to　crown　all；　we　had　money　enough
at　our　command　（thanks　to　Monkton's　vast　fortune）　to　make　sure　of
the　services　of　any　one　whom　we　wanted　to　assist　us　all　along　our
line　of　search。　These　various　resources　insured　us　every　facility
for　action；　provided　always　that　we　succeeded　in　discovering　the
body　of　the　dead　duelist。　But；　in　the　very　probable　event　of　our
failing　to　do　this；　our　future　prospectsmore　especially　after
the　responsibility　I　had　undertakenwere　of　anything　but　an
agreeable　nature　to　contemplate。　I　confess　I　felt　uneasy；　almost
hopeless；　as　we　posted；　in　the　dazzling　Italian　sunshine；　along
the　road　to　Fondi。

We　made　an　easy　two　days'　journey　of　it；　for　I　had　insisted；　on
Monkton's　account；　that　we　should　travel　slowly。

On　the　first　day　the　excessive　agitation　of　my　companion　a　little
alarmed　me；　he　showed；　in　many　ways；　more　symptoms　of　a
disordered　mind　than　I　had　yet　observed　in　him。　On　the　second
day；　however；　he　seemed　to　get　accustomed　to　contemplate　calmly
the　new　idea　of　the　search　on　which　we　were　bent；　and；　except　on
one　point；　he　was　cheerful　and　composed　enough。　Whenever　his　dead
uncle　formed　the　subject　of　conversation；　he　still　persistedon
the　strength　of　the　old　prophecy；　and　under　the　influence　of　the
apparition　which　he　saw；　or　thought　he　saw　alwaysin　asserting
that　the　corpse　of　Stephen　Monkton；　wherever　it　was；　lay　yet
unburied。　On　every　other　topic　he　deferred　to　me　with　the　utmost
readiness　and　docility；　on　this　he　maintained　his　strange　opinion
with　an　obstinacy　which　set　reason　and　persuasion　alike　at
defiance。

On　the　third　day　we　rested　at　Fondi。　The　packing…case；　with　the
coffin　in　it；　reached　us；　and　was　deposited　in　a　safe　place　under
lock　and　key。　We　engaged　some　mules；　and　found　a　man　to　act　as
guide　who　knew　the　country　thoroughly。　It　occurred　to　me　that　we
had　better　begin　by　confiding　th　e　real　object　of　our　journey
only　to　the　most　trustworthy　people　we　could　find　among　the
better…educated　classes。　For　this　reason　we　followed；　in　one
respect；　the　example　of　the　fatal　dueling…party；　by　starting；
early　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　with　sketch…books　and
color…boxes；　as　if　we　were　only　artists　in　search　of　the
picturesque。

After　traveling　some　hours　in　a　northerly　direction　within　the
Roman　frontier；　we　halted　to　rest　ourselves　and　our　mules　at　a
wild　little　village　far　out　of　the　track　of　tourists　in　general。

The　only　person　of　the　smallest　importance　in　the　place　was　the
priest；　and　to　him　I　addressed　my　first　inquiries；　leaving
Monkton　to　await　my　return　with　the　guide。　I　spoke　Italian　quite
fluently；　and　correctly　enough　for　my　purpose；　and　was　extremely
polite　and　cautious　in　introducing　my　business；　but　in　spite　of
all　the　pains　I　took；　I　only　succeeded　in　frightening　and
bewildering　the　poor　priest　more　and　more　with　every　fresh　word　I
said　to　him。　The　idea　of　a　dueling…party　and　a　dead　man　seemed　to
scare　him　out　of　his　senses。　He　bowed；　fidgeted；　cast　his　eyes　up
to　heaven；　and　piteously　shrugging　his　shoulders；　told　me；　with
rapid　Italian　circumlocution；　that　he　had　not　the　faintest　idea
of　what　I　was　talking　about。　This　was　my　first　failure。　I　confess
I　was　weak　enough　to　feel　a　little　dispirited　when　I　rejoined
Monkton　and　the　guide。

After　the　heat　of　the　day　was　over　we　resumed　our　journey。

About　three　miles　from　the　village；　the　road；　or　rather
cart…track；　branched　off　in　two　directions。　The　path　to　the
right；　our　guide　informed　us；　led　up　among　the　mountains　to　a
convent　about　six　miles　off。　If　we　penetrated　beyond　the　convent
we　should　soon　reach　the　Neapolitan　frontier。　The　path　to　the
left　led　far　inward　on　the　Roman　territory；　and　would　conduct　us
to　a　small　town　where　we　could　sleep　for　the　night。　Now　the　Roman
territory　presented　the　first　and　fittest　field　for　our　search；
and　the　convent　was　always　within　reach；　supposing　we　returned　to
Fondi　unsuccessful。　Besides；　the　path　to　the　left　led　over　the
widest　part　of　the　country　we　were　starting　to　explore；　and　I　was
always　for　vanquishing　the　greatest　difficulty　first；　so　we
decided　manfully　on　turning　to　the　left。　The　expedition　in　which
this　resolution　involved　us　lasted　a　whole　week；　and　produced　no
results。　We　discovered　absolutely　nothing；　and　returned　to　our
headquarters　at　Fondi　so　completely　baffled　that　we　did　not　know
whither　to　turn　our　steps　next。

I　was　made　much　more　uneasy　by　the　effect　of　our　failure　on
Monkton　than　by　the　failure　itself。　His　resolution　appeared　to
break　down　altogether　as　soon　as　we　began　to　retrace　our　steps。

He　became　first　fretful　and　capricious；　then　silent　and
desponding。　Finally；　he　sank　into　a　lethargy　of　body　and　mind
that　seriously　alarmed　me。　On　the　morning　after　our　return　to
Fondi　he　showed　a　strange　tendency　to　sleep　incessantly；　which
made　me　suspect　the　existence　of　some　physical　malady　in　his
brain。　The　whole　day　he　hardly　exchanged　a　word　with　me；　and
seemed　to　be　never　fairly　awake。　Early　the　next　morning　I　went
into　his　room；　and　found　him　as　silent　and　lethargic　as　ever。　His
servant；　who　was　with　us；　informed　me　that　Alfred　had　once　or
twice　before　exhibited　such　physical　symptoms　of　mental
exhaustion　as　we　were　now　observing　during　his　father's　lifetime
at　Wincot　Abbey。　This　piece　of　information　made　me　feel　easier；
and　left　my　mind　free　to　return　to　the　consideration　of　the
errand　which　had　brought　us　to　Fondi。

I　resolved　to　occupy　the　time　until　my　companion　got　better　in
prosecuting　our　search　by　myself。　That　path　to　the　right　hand
which　led　to　the　convent　had　not　yet　been　explored。　If　I　set　off
to　trace　it；　I　need　not　be　away　from　Monkton　more　than　one　night；
and　I　should　at　least　be　able；　on　my　return；　to　give　him　the
satisfaction　of　knowing　that　one　more　uncertainty　regarding　the
place　of　the　duel　had　been　cleared　up。　These　considerations
decided　me。　I　left　a　message　for　my　friend　in　case　he　asked　where
I　had　gone；　and　set　out　once　more　for　the　village　at　which　we　had
halted　when　starting　on　our　first　expedition。

Intending　to　walk　to　the　convent；　I　parted　company　with　the　guide
and　the　mules　where　the　track　branched　off；　leaving　them　to　go
back　to　the　village　and　await　my　return。

For　the　first　four　miles　the　path　gently　ascended　through　an　open
country；　then　became　abruptly　much　steeper；　and　led　me　deeper　and
deeper　among　thickets　and　endless　woods。　By　the　time　my　watch
informed　me　that　I　must　have　nearly　walked　my　appointed　distance；
the　view　was　bounded　on　all　sides　and　the　sky　was　shut　out
overhead　by　an　impervious　screen　of　leaves　and　branches。　I　still
followed　my　only　guide；　the　steep　path；　and　in　ten　minutes；
emerging　suddenly　on　a　plot　of　tolerably　clear　and　level　ground；
I　saw　the　convent　before　me。

It　was　a　dark；　low；　sinister…looking　place。　Not　a　sign　of　life　or
movement　was　visible　anywhere　about　it。　Green　stains　streaked　the
once　white　facade　of　the　chapel　in　all　directions。　Moss　clustered
thick　in　every　crevice　of　the　heavy　scowling　wall　that　surrounded
the　convent。　Long　lank　weeds　grew　out　of　the　fissures　of　roof　and
parapet；　and；　drooping　far　downward；　waved　wearily　in　and　out　of
the　barred　dormitory　windows。　The　very　cross　opposite　the
entrance…gate；　with　a　shocking　life…sized　figure　in　wood　nailed
to　it；　was　so　beset　at　the　base　with　crawling　creatures；　and
looked　so　slimy；　green；　and　rotten　all　the　way　up；　that　I
absolutely　shrank　from　it。

A　bell…rope　with　a　broken　handle　hung　by　the　gate。　I　approached
ithesitated；　I　hardly　knew　whylooked　up　at　the　convent　again；
and　then　walked　round　to　the　back　of　the　building；　partly　to　gain
time　to　consider　what　I　had　better　do　next；　partly　from　an
unaccountable　curiosity　that　urged　me；　strangely　to