the queen of hearts-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eyes　watering　and　twinkling　more　suspiciously　than　before。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　monk；　〃that's　an　ugly　sight　in　our　outhousea
very　ugly　sight；　certainly！〃

I　never　had　more　difficulty　in　keeping　my　temper　in　my　life　than
at　that　moment。　I　succeeded；　however；　in　repressing　a　very
disrespectful　expression　on　the　subject　of　monks　in　general；
which　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue；　and　made　another　attempt　to
conquer　the　old　man's　exasperating　reserve。　Fortunately　for　my
chances　of　succeeding　with　him；　I　was　a　snuff…taker　myself；　and　I
had　a　box　full　of　excellent　English　snuff　in　my　pocket；　which　I
now　produced　as　a　bribe。　It　was　my　last　resource。

〃I　thought　your　box　seemed　empty　just　now；〃　said　I；　〃will　you　try
a　pinch　out　of　mine？〃

The　offer　was　accepted　with　an　almost　youthful　alacrity　of
gesture。　The　Capuchin　took　the　largest　pinch　I　ever　saw　held
between　any　man's　finger　and　thumbinhaled　it　slowly　without
spilling　a　single　grainhalf　closed　his　eyesand；　wagging　his
head　gently；　patted　me　paternally　on　the　back。

〃Oh；　my　son；〃　said　the　monk；　〃what　delectable　snuff！　Oh；　my　son
and　amiable　traveler；　give　the　spiritual　father　who　loves　you　yet
another　tiny；　tiny　pinch！〃

〃Let　me　fill　your　box　for　you。　I　shall　have　plenty　left　for
myself。〃

The　battered　tin　snuff…box　was　given　to　me　before　I　had　done
speaking；　the　paternal　hand　patted　my　back　more　approvingly　than
ever；　the　feeble；　husky　voice　grew　glib　and　eloquent　in　my
praise。　I　had　evidently　found　out　the　weak　side　of　the　old
Capuchin；　and；　on　returning　him　his　box；　I　took　instan　t
advantage　of　the　discovery。

〃Excuse　my　troubling　you　on　the　subject　again；〃　I　said；　〃but　I
have　particular　reasons　for　wanting　to　hear　all　that　you　can　tell
me　in　explanation　of　that　horrible　sight　in　the　outhouse。〃

〃Come　in；〃　answered　the　monk。

He　drew　me　inside　the　gate；　closed　it；　and　then　leading　the　way
across　a　grass…grown　courtyard；　looking　out　on　a　weedy
kitchen…garden；　showed　me　into　a　long　room　with　a　low　ceiling；　a
dirty　dresser；　a　few　rudely…carved　stall　seats；　and　one　or　two
grim；　mildewed　pictures　for　ornaments。　This　was　the　sacristy。

〃There's　nobody　here；　and　it's　nice　and　cool；〃　said　the　old
Capuchin。　It　was　so　damp　that　I　actually　shivered。　〃Would　you
like　to　see　the　church？〃　said　the　monk；　〃a　jewel　of　a　church；　if
we　could　keep　it　in　repair；　but　we　can't。　Ah！　malediction　and
misery；　we　are　too　poor　to　keep　our　church　in　repair！〃

Here　he　shook　his　head　and　began　fumbling　with　a　large　bunch　of
keys。

〃Never　mind　the　church　now；〃　said　I。　〃Can　you；　or　can　you　not；
tell　me　what　I　want　to　know？〃

〃Everything；　from　beginning　to　endabsolutely　everything。　Why；　I
answered　the　gate…bellI　always　answer　the　gate…bell　here；〃　said
the　Capuchin。

〃What；　in　Heaven's　name；　has　the　gate…bell　to　do　with　the
unburied　corpse　in　your　house？〃

〃Listen；　son　of　mine；　and　you　shall　know。　Some　time　agosome
monthsah！　me；　I'm　old；　I've　lost　my　memory；　I　don't　know　how
many　monthsah！　miserable　me；　what　a　very　old；　old　monk　I　am！〃
Here　he　comforted　himself　with　another　pinch　of　snuff。

〃Never　mind　the　exact　time；〃　said　I。　〃I　don't　care　about　that。〃

〃Good；〃　said　the　Capuchin。　〃Now　I　can　go　on。　Well；　let　us　say　it
is　some　months　agowe　in　this　convent　are　all　at
breakfastwretched；　wretched　breakfasts；　son　of　mine；　in　this
convent！we　are　at　breakfast；　and　we　hear　_bang！　bang！_　twice
over。　'Guns；'　says　I。　'What　are　they　shooting　for？'　says　Brother
Jeremy。　'Game；'　says　Brother　Vincent。　'Aha！　game；'　says　Brother
Jeremy。　'If　I　hear　more；　I　shall　send　out　and　discover　what　it
means；'　says　the　father　superior。　We　hear　no　more；　and　we　go　on
with　our　wretched　breakfasts。〃

〃Where　did　the　report　of　firearms　come　from？〃　I　inquired。

〃From　down　belowbeyond　the　big　trees　at　the　back　of　the
convent；　where　there's　some　clear　groundnice　ground；　if　it
wasn't　for　the　pools　and　puddles。　But；　ah！　misery；　how　damp　we
are　in　these　parts！　how　very；　very　damp！〃

〃Well；　what　happened　after　the　report　of　firearms？〃

〃You　shall　hear。　We　are　still　at　breakfast；　all　silentfor　what
have　we　to　talk　about　here？　What　have　we　but　our　devotions；　our
kitchen…garden；　and　our　wretched；　wretched　bits　of　breakfasts　and
dinners？　I　say　we　are　all　silent；　when　there　comes　suddenly　such
a　ring　at　the　bell　as　never　was　heard　beforea　very　devil　of　a
ringa　ring　that　caught　us　all　with　our　bitsour　wretched；
wretched　bits！in　our　mouths；　and　stopped　us　before　we　could
swallow　them。　'Go；　brother　of　mine；'　says　the　father　superior　to
me；　'go；　it　is　your　dutygo　to　the　gate。'　I　am　bravea　very
lion　of　a　Capuchin。　I　slip　out　on　tiptoeI　waitI　listenI
pull　back　our　little　shutter　in　the　gateI　wait；　I　listen
againI　peep　through　the　holenothing；　absolutely　nothing　that
I　can　see。　I　am　braveI　am　not　to　be　daunted。　What　do　I　do　next？
I　open　the　gate。　Ah！　sacred　Mother　of　Heaven；　what　do　I　behold
lying　all　along　our　threshold？　A　mandead！a　big　man；　bigger
than　you；　bigger　than　me；　bigger　than　anybody　in　this
conventbuttoned　up　tight　in　a　fine　coat；　with　black　eyes；
staring；　staring　up　at　the　sky；　and　blood　soaking　through　and
through　the　front　of　his　shirt。　What　do　I　do？　I　scream　onceI
scream　twiceand　run　back　to　the　father　superior！〃

All　the　particulars　of　the　fatal　duel　which　I　had　gleaned　from
the　French　newspaper　in　Monkton's　room　at　Naples　recurred　vividly
to　my　memory。　The　suspicion　that　I　had　felt　when

I　looked　into　the　outhouse　became　a　certainty　as　I　listened　to
the　old　monk's　last　words。

〃So　far　I　understand；〃　said　I。　〃The　corpse　I　have　just　seen　in
the　outhouse　is　the　corpse　of　the　man　whom　you　found　dead　outside
your　gate。　Now　tell　me　why　you　have　not　given　the　remains　decent
burial。〃

〃Waitwaitwait；〃　answered　the　Capuchin。　〃The　father　superior
hears　me　scream　and　comes　out；　we　all　run　together　to　the　gate；
we　lift　up　the　big　man　and　look　at　him　close。　Dead！　dead　as　this
（smacking　the　dresser　with　his　hand）。　We　look　again；　and　see　a
bit　of　paper　pinned　to　the　collar　of　his　coat。　Aha！　son　of　mine；
you　start　at　that。　I　thought　I　should　make　you　start　at　last。〃

I　had　started；　indeed。　That　paper　was　doubtless　the　leaf
mentioned　in　the　second's　unfinished　narrative　as　having　been
torn　out　of　his　pocketbook；　and　inscribed　with　the　statement　of
how　the　dead　man　had　lost　his　life。　If　proof　positive　were　wanted
to　identify　the　dead　body；　here　was　such　proof　found。

〃What　do　you　think　was　written　on　the　bit　of　paper？〃　continued
the　Capuchin　〃We　read　and　shudder。　This　dead　man　has　been　killed
in　a　duelhe；　the　desperate；　the　miserable；　has　died　in　the
commission　of　mortal　sin；　and　the　men　who　saw　the　killing　of　him
ask　us　Capuchins；　holy　men；　servants　of　Heaven；　children　of　our
lord　the　Popethey　ask　_us_　to　give　him　burial！　Oh！　but　we　are
outraged　when　we　read　that；　we　groan；　we　wring　our　hands；　we　turn
away；　we　tear　our　beards；　we〃

〃Wait　one　moment；〃　said　I；　seeing　that　the　old　man　was　heating
himself　with　his　narrative；　and　was　likely；　unless　I　stopped　him；
to　talk　more　and　more　fluently　to　less　and　less　purpose〃wait　a
moment。　Have　you　preserved　the　paper　that　was　pinned　to　the　dead
man's　coat；　and　can　I　look　at　it？〃

The　Capuchin　seemed　on　the　point　of　giving　me　an　answer；　when　he
suddenly　checked　himself。　I　saw　his　eyes　wander　away　from　my
face；　and　at　the　same　moment　heard　a　door　softly　opened　and
closed　again　behind　me。

Looking　round　immediately；　I　observed　another　monk　in　the
sacristya　tall；　lean；　black…bearded　man；　in　whose　presence　my
old　friend　with　the　snuff…box　suddenly　became　quite　decorous　and
devotional　to　look　at。　I　suspected　I　was　in　the　presence　of　the
father　superior；　and　I　found　that　I　was　right　the　moment　he
addressed　me。

〃I　am　the　father　superior　of　this　convent；〃　he　said；　in　quiet；
clear　tones；　and　looking　me　straight　in　the　face　while　he　spoke；
with　coldly　attentive　eyes。　〃I　have　heard　the　latter　part　of　your
conversation；　and　I　wish　to　know　why　you　are　so　particularly
anxious　to　see　the　piece　of　paper　that　was　pinned　to　the　dead
man's　coat？〃

The　coolness　with　which　he　avowed　that　he　had　been　listening；　and
the　quietly　imperative　manner　in　which　he　put　his　concluding
question；　perplexed　and　startled　me。　I　hardly　knew　at　first　what
tone　I　ought　to　take　in　answering　him。　He　observed　my　hesitation；
and　attributing　it　to　the　wrong　cause；　signed　to　the　old　Capuchin
to　retire。　Humbly　stroking　his　long　gray　beard；　and　furtively
consoling　himself　with　a　private　pinch　of　the　〃delectable　snuff；〃
my　venerable　friend　shuffled　out　of　the　room；　making　a　profound
obeisance　at　the　door　just　before　he　disappeared。

〃Now；〃　said　the　father　superior；　as　coldly　as　ever；　〃I　am
waiting；　sir；　for　your　reply。〃

〃You　shall　have　it　in　the　fewest　possible　words；〃　said　I；
answering　him　in　his　own　tone。　〃I　find；　to　my　disgust　and　horror；
that　there　is　an　unburied　corpse　in　an　outhouse　attached　to　your
convent。　I　believe　that　corpse　to　be　the　body　of　an　English
gentleman　of　rank　and　fortune；　who　was　killed　in　a　duel。　I　have
come　into　this　neighborhood　with　the　nephew　and　only　relation　of
the　slain　man；　for　the　express　purpose　of　recovering　his　remains；
and　I　wish　to　see　the　paper　found　on　the　body；　bec