the queen of hearts-第4节

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speak；　Morgan　was　gone。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　Owen；　〃we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　We　must
brush　up　our　manners；　and　set　the　house　tidy；　and　amuse　her　as
well　as　we　can。　The　difficulty　is　where　to　put　her；　and；　when
that　is　settled；　the　next　puzzle　will　be；　what　to　order　in　to
make　her　comfortable。　It's　a　hard　thing；　brother；　to　say　what
will　or　what　will　not　please　a　young　lady's　taste。〃

Owen　looked　absently　at　me；　in　greater　bewilderment　than
everopened　his　eyes　in　perplexed　considerationrepeated　to
himself　slowly　the　word　〃tastes〃and　then　helped　me　with　this
suggestion：

〃Hadn't　we　better　begin；　Griffith；　by　getting　her　a　plum…cake？〃

〃My　dear　Owen；〃　I　remonstrated；　〃it　is　a　grown　young　woman　who　is
coming　to　see　us；　not　a　little　girl　from　school。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Owen；　more　confused　than　before。　〃YesI　see；　we
couldn't　do　wrong；　I　supposecould　we？if　we　got　her　a　little
dog；　and　a　lot　of　new　gowns。〃

There　was；　evidently；　no　more　help　in　the　way　of　advice　to　be
expected　from　Owen　than　from　Morgan　himself。　As　I　came　to　that
conclusion；　I　saw　through　the　window　our　old　housekeeper　on　her
way；　with　her　basket；　to　the　kitchen…garden；　and　left　the　room　to
ascertain　if　she　could　assist　us。

To　my　great　dismay；　the　housekeeper　took　even　a　more　gloomy　view
than　Morgan　of　the　approaching　event。　When　I　had　explained　all
the　circumstances　to　her；　she　carefully　put　down　her　basket；
crossed　her　arms；　and　said　to　me　in　slow；　deliberate；　mysterious
tones：

〃You　want　my　advice　about　what's　to　be　done　with　this　young
woman？　Well；　sir；　here's　my　advice：　Don't　you　trouble　your　head
about　her。　It　won't　be　no　use。　Mind；　I　tell　you；　it　won't　be　no
use。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃You　look　at　this　place；　sirit's　more　like　a　prison　than　a
house；　isn't　it？　You；　look　at　us　as　lives　in　it。　We've　got
（saving　your　presence）　a　foot　apiece　in　our　graves；　haven't　we？
When　you　was　young　yourself；　sir；　what　would　you　have　done　if
they　had　shut　you　up　for　six　weeks　in　such　a　place　as　this；　among
your　grandfathers　and　grandmothers；　with　their　feet　in　the
grave？〃

〃I　really　can't　say。〃

〃I　can；　sir。　You'd　have　run　away。　_She'll_　run　away。　Don't　you
worry　your　head　about　hershe'll　save　you　the　trouble。　I　tell
you　again；　she'll　run　away。〃

With　those　ominous　words　the　housekeeper　took　up　her　basket；
sighed　heavily；　and　left　me。

I　sat　down　under　a　tree　quite　helpless。　Here　was　the　whole
responsibility　shifted　upon　my　miserable　shoulders。　Not　a　lady　in
the　neighborhood　to　whom　I　could　apply　for　assistance；　and　the
nearest　shop　eight　miles　distant　from　us。　The　toughest　case　I
ever　had　to　conduct；　when　I　was　at　the　Bar；　was　plain　sailing
compared　with　the　difficulty　of　receiving　our　fair　guest。

It　was　absolutely　necessary；　however；　to　decide　at　once　where　she
was　to　sleep。　All　the　rooms　in　the　tower　were　of　stonedark；
gloomy；　and　cold　even　in　the　summer…time。　Impossible　to　put　her
in　any　one　of　them。　The　only　other　alternative　was　to　lodge　her
in　the　little　modern　lean…to；　which　I　have　already　described　as
being　tacked　on　to　the　side　of　the　old　building。　It　contained
three　cottage…rooms；　and　they　might　be　made　barely　habitable　for
a　young　lady。　But　then　those　rooms　were　occupied　by　Morgan。　His
books　were　in　one；　his　bed　was　in　another；　his　pipes　and　general
lumber　were　in　the　third。　Could　I　expect　him；　after　the　sour
similitudes　he　had　used　in　reference　to　our　expected　visitor；　to
turn　out　of　his　habitation　and　disarrange　all　his　habits　for　her
convenience？　The　bare　idea　of　proposing　the　thing　to　him　seemed
ridiculous；　and　yet　inexorable　necessity　left　me　no　choice　but　to
make　the　hopeless　experiment。　I　walked　back　to　the　tower　hastily
and　desperately；　to　face　the　worst　that　might　happen　before　my
courage　cooled　altogether。

On　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　hall　door　I　was　stopped；　to　my
great　amazement；　by　a　procession　of　three　of　the　farm…servants；
followed　by　Morgan；　all　walking　after　each　other；　in　Indian　file；
toward　the　spiral　staircase　that　led　to　the　top　of　the　tower。　The
first　of　the　servants　carried　the　materials　for　making　a　fire；
the　second　bore　an　inverted　arm…chair　on　his　head；　the　third
tottered　under　a　heavy　load　of　books；　while　Morgan　came　last；
with　his　canister　of　tobacco　in　his　hand；　his　dressing…gown　over
his　shoulders；　and　his　whole　collection　of　pipes　hugged　up
together　in　a　bundle　under　his　arm。

〃What　on　earth　does　this　mean？〃　I　inquired。

〃It　means　taking　Time　by　the　forelock；〃　answered　Morgan；　looking
at　me　with　a　smile　of　sour　satisfaction。　〃I've　got　the　start　of
your　young　woman；　Griffith；　and　I'm　making　the　most　of　it。〃

〃But　where；　in　Heaven's　name；　are　you　going？〃　I　asked；　as　the
head　man　of　the　procession　disappeared　with　his　firing　up　the
staircase。

〃How　high　is　this　tower？〃　retorted　Morgan。

〃Seven　stories；　to　be　sure；〃　I　replied。

〃Very　good；〃　said　my　eccentric　brother；　setting　his　foot　on　the
first　stair；　〃I'm　going　up　to　the　seventh。〃

〃You　can't；〃　I　shouted。

〃_She_　can't；　you　mean；〃　said　Morgan；　〃and　that's　exactly　why　I'm
going　there。〃

〃But　the　room　is　not　furnished。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

〃One　of　the　windows　has　fallen　to　pieces。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

〃There's　a　crow's　nest　in　the　corner。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

By　the　time　this　unanswerable　argument　had　attained　its　third
repetition；　Morgan；　in　his　turn；　had　disappeared　up　the　winding
stairs。　I　knew　him　too　well　to　attempt　any　further　protest。

Here　was　my　first　difficulty　smoothed　away　most　unexpectedly；　for
here　were　the　rooms　in　the　lean…to　placed　by　their　owner's　free
act　and　deed　at　my　disposal。　I　wrote　on　the　spot　to　the　one
upholsterer　of　our　distant　county　town　to　come　immediately　and
survey　the　premises；　and　sent　off　a　mounted　messenger　with　the
letter。　This　done；　and　the　necessary　order　also　dispatched　to　the
carpenter　and　glazier　to　set　them　at　work　on　Morgan's　sky…parlor
in　the　seventh　story；　I　began　to　feel；　for　the　first　time；　as　if
my　scattered　wits　were　coming　back　to　me。　By　the　time　the　evening
had　closed　in　I　had　hit　on　no　less　than　three　excellent　ideas；
all　providing　for　the　future　comfort　and　amusement　of　our　fair
guest。　The　first　idea　was　to　get　her　a　Welsh　pony；　the　second　was
to　hire　a　piano　from　the　county　town；　the　third　was　to　send　for　a
boxful　of　novels　from　London。　I　must　confess　I　thought　these
projects　for　pleasing　her　very　happily　conceived；　and　Owen　agreed
with　me。　Morgan；　as　usual；　took　the　opposite　view。　He　said　she
would　yawn　over　the　novels；　turn　up　her　nose　at　the　piano；　and
fracture　her　skull　with　the　pony。　As　for　the　housekeeper；　she
stuck　to　her　text　as　stoutly　in　the　evening　as　she　had　stuck　to
it　in　the　morning。　〃Pianner　or　no　pianner；　story…book　or　no
story…book；　pony　or　no　pony；　you　mark　my　words；　sirthat　young
woman　will　run　away。〃

Such　were　the　housekeeper's　parting　words　when　she　wished　me
good…night。

When　the　next　morning　came；　and　brought　with　it　that　terrible
waking　time　which　sets　a　man's　hopes　and　projects　before　him；　the
great　as　well　as　the　small；　stripped　bare　of　every　illusion；　it
is　not　to　be　concealed　that　I　felt　less　sanguine　of　our　success
in　entertaining　the　coming　guest。　So　far　as　external　preparations
were　concerned；　there　seemed；　indeed；　but　little　to　improve；　but
apart　from　these；　what　had　we　to　offer；　in　ourselves　and　our
society；　to　attract　her？　There　lay　the　knotty　point　of　the
question；　and　there　the　grand　difficulty　of　finding　an　answer。

I　fall　into　serious　reflection　while　I　am　dressing　on　the
pursuits　and　occupations　with　which　we　three　brothers　have　been
accustomed；　for　years　past；　to　beguile　the　time。　Are　they　at　all
likely；　in　the　case　of　any　one　of　us；　to　interest　or　amuse　her？

My　chief　occupation；　to　begin　with　the　youngest；　consists；　in
acting　as　steward　on　Owen's　property。　The　routine　of　my　duties
has　never　lost　its　sober　attraction　to　my　tastes；　for　it　has
always　employed　me　in　watching　the　best　interests　of　my　brother；
and　of　my　son　also；　who　is　one　day　to　be　his　heir。　But　can　I
expect　our　fair　guest　to　sympathize　with　such　family　concerns　as
these？　Clearly　not。

Morgan's　pursuit　comes　next　in　order　of　reviewa　pursuit　of　a
far　more　ambitious　nature　than　mine。　It　was　always　part　of　my
second　brother's　whimsical；　self…contradictory　character　to　view
with　the　profoundest　contempt　the　learned　profession　by　which　he
gained　his　livelihood；　and　he　is　now　occupying　the　long　leisure
hours　of　his　old　age　in　composing　a　voluminous　treatise；
intended；　one　of　these　days；　to　eject　the　whole　body　corporate　of
doctors　from　the　position　which　they　have　usurped　in　the
estimation　of　their　fellow…creatures。　This　daring　work　is
entitled　〃An　Examination　of　the　Claims　of　Medicine　on　the
Gratitude　of　Mankind。　Decided　in　the　Negative　by　a　Retired
Physician。〃　So　far　as　I　can　tell；　the　book　is　likely　to　extend　to
the　dimensions　of　an　Encyclopedia；　for　it　is　Morgan's　plan　to
treat　his　comprehensive　subject　principally　from　the　historical
point　of　view；　and　to　run　down　all　the　doctors　of　antiquity；　one
after　another；　in　regular　succession；　from　the　first　of　the
tribe。　When　I　last　heard　of　his　progress　he　was　hard　on　the　heels
o