the queen of hearts-第64节
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down in the hall。
〃Yes；〃 I replied； astonished at the question。 〃What do you want
with them？〃
〃Pack a couple in cases for traveling；〃 says Mr。 Dark； 〃with
lines； and hooks； and fly…books all complete。 Have a drop of the
ale before you goand don't stare； William； don't stare。 I'll
let the light in on you as soon as we are out of the house。 Off
with you for the rods！ I want to be on the road in five minutes。〃
When I came back with the rods and tackle I found Mr。 Dark in the
dog…cart。
〃Money； luggage； fishing…rods； papers of directions； copy of
anonymous letter； guide…book； map；〃 says he； running over in his
mind the things wanted for the journey〃all right so far。 Drive
off。〃
I took the reins and started the horse。 As we left the house I
saw my mistress and Josephine looking after us from two of the
windows on the second floor。 The memory of those two attentive
facesone so fair and so good； the other so yellow and so
wickedhaunted my mind perpetually for many days afterward。
〃Now； William；〃 says Mr。 Dark； when we were clear of the lodge
gates； 〃I'm going to begin by telling you that you must step out
of your own character till further notice。 You are a clerk in a
bank； and I'm another。 We have got our regular holiday； that
comes； like Christmas； once a year； and we are taking a little
tour in Scotland to see the curiosities； and to breathe the sea
air； and to get some fishing whenever we can。 I'm the fat cashier
who digs holes in a drawerful of gold with a copper shovel； and
you're the arithmetical young man who sits on a perch behind me
and keeps the books。 Scotland's a beautiful country； William。 Can
you make whisky…toddy？ I can； and； what's more； unlikely as the
thing may seem to you； I can actually drink it into the bargain。〃
〃Scotland！〃 says I。 〃What are we going to Scotland for？〃
〃Question for question；〃 says Mr。 Dark。 〃What are we starting on
a journey for？〃
〃To find my master；〃 I answered； 〃and to make sure if the letter
about him is true。〃
〃Very good；〃 says he。 〃How would you set about doing that； eh？〃
〃I should go and ask about him at Stockholm in Sweden； where he
said his letters were to be sent。〃
〃Should you； indeed？〃 says Mr。 Dark。 〃If you were a shepherd；
William； and had lost a sheep in Cumberland； would you begin
looking for it at the Land's End； or would you try a little
nearer home？〃
〃You're attempting to make a fool of me now；〃 says I。
〃No；〃 says Mr。 Dark； 〃I'm only letting the light in on you； as I
said I would。 Now listen to reason； William； and profit by it as
much as you can。 Mr。 James Smith says he is going on a cruise to
Sweden； and makes his word good； at the beginning； by starting
northward toward the coast of Scotland。 What does he go in？ A
yacht。 Do yachts carry live beasts and a butcher on board？ No。
Will joints of meat keep fresh all the way from Cumberland to
Sweden？ No。 Do gentlemen like living on salt provisions？ No。 What
follows from these three Noes？ That Mr。 James Smith must have
stopped somewhere on the way to S weden to supply his sea…larder
with fresh provisions。 Where； in that case； must he stop？
Somewhere in Scotland； supposing he didn't alter his course when
he was out of sight of your seaport。 Where in Scotland？ Northward
on the main land； or westward at one of the islands？ Most likely
on the main land； where the seaside places are largest； and where
he is sure of getting all the stores he wants。 Next； what is our
business？ Not to risk losing a link in the chain of evidence by
missing any place where he has put his foot on shore。 Not to
overshoot the mark when we want to hit it in the bull's…eye。 Not
to waste money and time by taking a long trip to Sweden till we
know that we must absolutely go there。 Where is our journey of
discovery to take us to first； then？ Clearly to the north of
Scotland。 What do you say to that； Mr。 William？ Is my catechism
all correct； or has your strong ale muddled my head？〃
It was evident by this time that no ale could do that； and I told
him so。 He chuckled； winked at me； and； taking another pinch of
snuff； said he would now turn the whole case over in his mind
again； and make sure that he had got all the bearings of it quite
clear。
By the time we reached the post…town he had accomplished this
mental effort to his own perfect satisfaction； and was quite
ready to compare the ale at the inn with the ale at Darrock Hall。
The dog…cart was left to be taken back the next morning by the
hostler。 A post…chaise and horses were ordered out。 A loaf of
bread； a Bologna sausage； and two bottles of sherry were put into
the pockets of the carriage； we took our seats； and started
briskly on our doubtful journey。
〃One word more of friendly advice；〃 says Mr。 Dark； settling
himself comfortably in his corner of the carriage。 〃Take your
sleep； William； whenever you feel that you can get it。 You won't
find yourself in bed again till we get to Glasgow。〃
CHAPTER III。
ALTHOUGH the events that I am now relating happened many years
ago； I shall still； for caution's sake； avoid mentioning by name
the various places visited by Mr。 Dark and myself for the purpose
of making inquiries。 It will be enough if I describe generally
what we did； and if I mention in substance only the result at
which we ultimately arrived。
On reaching Glasgow； Mr。 Dark turned the whole case over in his
mind once more。 The result was that he altered his original
intention of going straight to the north of Scotland； considering
it safer to make sure； if possible； of the course the yacht had
taken in her cruise along the western coast。
The carrying out of this new resolution involved the necessity of
delaying our onward journey by perpetually diverging from the
direct road。 Three times we were sent uselessly to wild places in
the Hebrides by false reports。 Twice we wandered away inland；
following gentlemen who answered generally to the description of
Mr。 James Smith； but who turned out to be the wrong men as soon
as we set eyes on them。 These vain excursionsespecially the
three to the western islandsconsumed time terribly。 It was more
than two months from the day when we had left Darrock Hall before
we found ourselves up at the very top of Scotland at last；
driving into a considerable sea…side town； with a harbor attached
to it。 Thus far our journey had led to no results； and I began to
despair of success。 As for Mr。 Dark； he never got to the end of
his sweet temper and his wonderful patience。
〃You don't know how to wait； William；〃 was his constant remark
whenever he heard me complaining。 〃I do。〃
We drove into the town toward evening in a modest little gig； and
put up； according to our usual custom； at one of the inferior
inns。
〃We must begin at the bottom；〃 Mr。 Dark used to say。 〃High
company in a coffee…room won't be familiar with us； low company
in a tap…room will。〃 And he certainly proved the truth of his own
words。 The like of him for making intimate friends of total
strangers at the shortest notice I have never met with before or
since。 Cautious as the Scotch are； Mr。 Dark seemed to have the
knack of twisting them round his finger as he pleased。 He varied
his way artfully with different men； but there were three
standing opinions of his which he made a point of expressing in
all varieties of company while we were in Scotland。 In the first
place； he thought the view of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat the
finest in the world。 In the second place； he considered whisky to
be the most wholesome spirit in the world。 In the third place； he
believed his late beloved mother to be the best woman in the
world。 It may be worthy of note that； whenever he expressed this
last opinion in Scotland； he invariably added that her maiden
name was Macleod。
Well； we put up at a modest little inn near the harbor。 I was
dead tired with the journey； and lay down on my bed to get some
rest。 Mr。 Dark； whom nothing ever fatigued； left me to take his
toddy and pipe among the company in the taproom。
I don't know how long I had been asleep when I was roused by a
shake on my shoulder。 The room was pitch dark； and I felt a hand
suddenly clapped over my mouth。 Then a strong smell of whisky and
tobacco saluted my nostrils； and a whisper stole into my ear
〃William； we have got to the end of our journey。〃
〃Mr。 Dark；〃 I stammered out； 〃is that you？ What； in Heaven's
name； do you mean？〃
〃The yacht put in here；〃 was the answer； still in a whisper； 〃and
your blackguard of a master came ashore〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Dark；〃 I broke in； 〃don't tell me that the letter is
true！〃
〃Every word of it；〃 says he。 〃He was married here； and was off
again to the Mediterranean with Number Two a good three weeks
before we left your mistress's house。 Hush！ don't say a word； Go
to sleep again； or strike a light； if you like it better。 Do
anything but come downstairs with me。 I'm going to find out all
the particulars without seeming to want to know one of them。
Yours is a very good…looking face； William； but it's so
infernally honest that I can't trust it in the tap…room。 I'm
making friends with the Scotchmen already。 They know my opinion
of Arthur's Seat； they _see_ what I think of
