the queen of hearts-第57节

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sense　of　relief；　so　far　as　his　literary　anxieties　were　concerned；
Mr。　Carling　went　home　early　to　see　what　the　quieting　medicine　had
done　for　his　wife。

She　had　dozed　a　little；　but　had　not　slept。　However；　she　was
evidently　better；　for　she　was　able　to　take　an　interest　in　the
sayings　and　doings　at　the　dinner…party；　and　questioned　her
husband　about　the　guests　and　the　conversation　with　all　a　woman's
curiosity　about　the　minutest　matters。　She　lay　with　her　face
turned　toward　him　and　her　eyes　meeting　his；　until　the　course　of
her　inquiries　drew　an　answer　from　him；　which　informed　her　of　his
fortunate　discovery　in　relation　to　Mr。　Rambert's　library；　and　of
the　prospect　it　afforded　of　his　resuming　his　labors　the　next　day。

When　he　mentioned　this　circumstance；　she　suddenly　turned　her　head
on　the　pillow　so　that　her　face　was　hidden　from　him；　and　he　cou　ld
see　through　the　counterpane　that　the　shivering；　which　he　had
observed　when　her　illness　had　seized　her　in　the　morning；　had
returned　again。

〃I　am　only　cold；〃　she　said；　in　a　hurried　way；　with　her　face　under
the　clothes。

He　rang　for　the　maid；　and　had　a　fresh　covering　placed　on　the　bed。
Observing　that　she　seemed　unwilling　to　be　disturbed；　he　did　not
remove　the　clothes　from　her　face　when　he　wished　her　goodnight；
but　pressed　his　lips　on　her　head；　and　patted　it　gently　with　his
hand。　She　shrank　at　the　touch　as　if　it　hurt　her；　light　as　it　was；
and　he　went　downstairs；　resolved　to　send　for　the　doctor　again　if
she　did　not　get　to　rest　on　being　left　quiet。　In　less　than　half　an
hour　afterward　the　maid　came　down　and　relieved　his　anxiety　by
reporting　that　her　mistress　was　asleep。

The　next　morning　he　found　her　in　better　spirits。　Her　eyes；　she
said；　felt　too　weak　to　bear　the　light；　so　she　kept　the　bedroom
darkened。　But　in　other　respects　she　had　little　to　complain　of。

After　answering　her　husband's　first　inquiries；　she　questioned　him
about　his　plans　for　the　day。　He　had　letters　to　write　which　would
occupy　him　until　twelve　o'clock。　At　two　o'clock　he　expected　the
volume　of　the　_Times_　to　arrive；　and　he　should　then　devote　the
rest　of　the　afternoon　to　his　work。　After　hearing　what　his　plans
were；　Mrs。　Carling　suggested　that　he　should　ride　out　after　he　had
done　his　letters；　so　as　to　get　some　exercise　at　the　fine　part　of
the　day；　and　she　then　reminded　him　that　a　longer　time　than　usual
had　elapsed　since　he　had　been　to　see　a　certain　old　pensioner　of
his；　who　had　nursed　him　as　a　child；　and　who　was　now　bedridden；　in
a　village　at　some　distance；　called　Tringweighton。　Although　the
rector　saw　no　immediate　necessity　for　making　this　charitable
visit；　the　more　especially　as　the　ride　to　the　village　and　back；
and　the　intermediate　time　devoted　to　gossip；　would　occupy　at
least　two　hours　and　a　half；　he　assented　to　his　wife's　proposal；
perceiving　that　she　urged　it　with　unusual　earnestness；　and　being
unwilling　to　thwart　her；　even　in　a　trifle；　at　a　time　when　she　was
ill。

Accordingly；　his　horse　was　at　the　door　at　twelve　precisely。
Impatient　to　get　back　to　the　precious　volume　of　the　_Times；_　he
rode　so　much　faster　than　usual；　and　so　shortened　his　visit　to　the
old　woman；　that　he　was　home　again　by　a　quarter　past　two。
Ascertaining　from　the　servant　who　opened　the　door　that　the　volume
had　been　left　by　Mr。　Rambert's　messenger　punctually　at　two；　he
ran　up　to　his　wife's　room　to　tell　her　about　his　visit　before　he
secluded　himself　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　over　his　work。　On
entering　the　bedroom　he　found　it　still　darkened；　and　he　was
struck　by　a　smell　of　burned　paper　in　it。

His　wife　（who　was　now　dressed　in　her　wrapper　and　lying　on　the
sofa）　accounted　for　the　smell　by　telling　him　that　she　had　fancied
the　room　felt　close；　and　that　she　had　burned　some　paperbeing
afraid　of　the　cold　air　if　she　opened　the　windowto　fumigate　it。
Her　eyes　were　evidently　still　weak；　for　she　kept　her　hand　over
them　while　she　spoke。　After　remaining　with　her　long　enough　to
relate　the　few　trivial　events　of　his　ride；　Mr。　Carling　descended
to　his　study　to　occupy　himself　at　last　with　the　volume　of　the
_Times_。

It　lay　on　his　table　in　the　shape　of　a　large　flat　brown　paper
package。　On　proceeding　to　undo　the　covering；　he　observed　that　it
had　been　very　carelessly　tied　up。　The　strings　were　crooked　and
loosely　knotted；　and　the　direction　bearing　his　name　and　address；
instead　of　being　in　the　middle　of　the　paper；　was　awkwardly　folded
over　at　the　edge　of　the　volume。　However；　his　business　was　with
the　inside　of　the　parcel；　so　he　tossed　away　the　covering　and　the
string；　and　began　at　once　to　hunt　through　the　volume　for　the
particular　number　of　the　paper　which　he　wished　first　to　consult。

He　soon　found　it；　with　the　report　of　the　speeches　delivered　by
the　members　of　the　deputation；　and　the　answer　returned　by　the
minister。　After　reading　through　the　report；　and　putting　a　mark　in
the　place　where　it　occurred；　he　turned　to　the　next　day's　number
of　the　paper；　to　see　what　further　hints　on　the　subject　the
letters　addressed　to　the　editor　might　happen　to　contain。

To　his　inexpressible　vexation　and　amazement；　he　found　that　one
number　of　the　paper　was　missing。

He　bent　the　two　sides　of　the　volume　back；　looked　closely　between
the　leaves；　and　saw　immediately　that　the　missing　number　had　been
cut　out。

A　vague　sense　of　something　like　alarm　began　to　mingle　with　his
first　feeling　of　disappointment。　He　wrote　at　once　to　Mr。　Rambert；
mentioning　the　discovery　he　had　just　made；　and　sent　the　note　off
by　his　groom；　with　orders　to　the　man　to　wait　for　an　answer。

The　reply　with　which　the　servant　returned　was　almost　insolent　in
the　shortness　and　coolness　of　its　tone。　Mr。　Rambert　had　no　books
in　his　library　which　were　not　in　perfect　condition。　The　volume　of
the　_Times_　had　left　his　house　perfect；　and　whatever　blame　might
attach　to　the　mutilation　of　it　rested　therefore　on　other
shoulders　than　those　of　the　owner。

Like　many　other　weak　men；　Mr。　Carling　was　secretly　touchy　on　the
subject　of　his　dignity。　After　reading　the　note　and　questioning
his　servants；　who　were　certain　that　the　volume　had　not　been
touched　till　he　had　opened　it；　he　resolved　that　the　missing
number　of　the　_Times_　should　be　procured　at　any　expense　and
inserted　in　its　place；　that　the　volume　should　be　sent　back
instantly　without　a　word　of　comment；　and　that　no　more　books　from
Mr。　Rambert's　library　should　enter　his　house。

He　walked　up　and　down　the　study　considering　what　first　step　he
should　take　to　effect　the　purpose　in　view。　Under　the　quickening
influence　of　his　irritation；　an　idea　occurred　to　him；　which；　if
it　had　only　entered　his　mind　the　day　before；　might　probably　have
proved　the　means　of　saving　him　from　placing　himself　under　an
obligation　to　Mr。　Rambert。　He　resolved　to　write　immediately　to
his　bookseller　and　publisher　in　London　（who　knew　him　well　as　an
old　and　excellent　customer）；　mentioning　the　date　of　the　back
number　of　the　_Times_　that　was　required；　and　authorizing　the
publisher　to　offer　any　reward　he　judged　necessary　to　any　person
who　might　have　the　means　of　procuring　it　at　the　office　of　the
paper　or　elsewhere。　This　letter　he　wrote　and　dispatched　in　good
time　for　the　London　post；　and　then　went　upstairs　to　see　his　wife
and　to　tell　her　what　had　happened。　Her　room　was　still　darkened
and　she　was　still　on　the　sofa。　On　the　subject　of　the　missing
number　she　said　nothing；　but　of　Mr。　Rambert　and　his　note　she
spoke　with　the　most　sovereign　contempt。　Of　course　the　pompous　old
fool　was　mistaken；　and　the　proper　thing　to　do　was　to　send　back
the　volume　instantly　and　take　no　more　notice　of　him。

〃It　shall　be　sent　back；〃　said　Mr。　Carling；　〃but　not　till　the
missing　number　is　replaced。〃　And　he　then　told　her　what　he　had
done。

The　effect　of　that　simple　piece　of　information　on　Mrs。　Carling
was　so　extraordinary　and　so　unaccountable　that　her　husband　fairly
stood　aghast。　For　the　first　time　since　their　marriage　he　saw　her
temper　suddenly　in　a　flame。　She　started　up　from　the　sofa　and
walked　about　the　room　as　if　she　had　lost　her　senses；　upbraiding
him　for　making　the　weakest　of　concessions　to　Mr。　Rambert's
insolent　assumption　that　the　rector　was　to　blame。　If　she　could
only　have　laid　hands　on　that　letter；　she　would　have　consulted　her
husband's　dignity　and　independence　by　putting　it　in　the　fire！　She
hoped　and　prayed　the　number　of　the　paper　might　not　be　found！　In
fact；　it　was　certain　that　the　number；　after　all　these　years；
could　not　possibly　be　hunted　up。　The　idea　of　his　acknowledging
himself　to　be　in　the　wrong　in　that　way；　when　he　knew　himself　to
be　in　the　right！　It　was　almost　ridiculousno；　it　was　_quite_
ridiculous！　And　she　threw　herself　back　on　the　sofa；　and　suddenly
burst　out　laughing。

At　the　first　word　of　remonstrance　which　fell　from　her　husband's
lips　her　mood　changed　again　in　an　instant。　She　sprang　up　once
more；　kissed　him　passionately；　with　the　tears　streaming　from　her
eyes；　and　implored　him　to　leave　her　alone　to　recover　herself。　He
quitted　the　room　so　seriously　alarmed　about　her　that　he　resolved
to　go　to　the　doctor　privately　and　question　him　on　the　spot。　There
was　an　unspeakable　dread　in　his　mind　that　the　ner　vous　attack
from　which　she　had　been　pronounced　to　be　suffering　might　be　a
mere　phrase　intended　to　prepare　him