the queen of hearts-第67节

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〃You　here　again！〃　he　said；　advancing　a　few　steps　toward　the
little　parson；　who　sat　trembling　all　over；　with　his　fiddle　hugged
up　in　his　arms　as　if　it　had　been　a　child。

Seeing　her　villainous　husband　advance；　my　mistress　moved；　too；　so
as　to　face　him。　He　turned　round　on　her　at　the　first　step　she
took；　as　quick　as　lightning。

〃You　shameless　woman！〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　look　me　in　　the　face　in
the　presence　of　that　man？〃　He　pointed；
　as　he　spoke；　to　Mr。　Meeke。

My　mistress　never　shrank　when　he　turned　upon　her。　Not　a　sign　of
fear　was　in　her　face　when　they　confronted　each　other。　Not　the
faintest　flush　of　anger　came　into　her　cheeks　when　he　spoke。　The
sense　of　the　insult　and　injury　that　he　had　inflicted　on　her；　and
the　consciousness　of　knowing　his　guilty　secret；　gave　her　all　her
self…possession　at　that　trying　moment。

〃I　ask　you　again；〃　he　repeated；　finding　that　she　did　not　answer
him；　〃how　dare　you　look　me　in　the　face　in　the　presence　of　that
man？〃

She　raised　her　steady　eyes　to　his　hat；　which　he　still　kept　on　his
head。

〃Who　has　taught　you　to　come　into　a　room　and　speak　to　a　lady　with
your　hat　on？〃　she　asked；　in　quiet；　contemptuous　tones。　〃Is　that　a
habit　which　is　sanctioned　by　_your　new　wife？_〃

My　eyes　were　on　him　as　she　said　those　last　words。　His　complexion；
naturally　dark　and　swarthy；　changed　instantly　to　a　livid　yellow
white；　his　hand　caught　at　the　chair　nearest　to　him；　and　he
dropped　into　it　heavily。

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment　of　silence；
looking　about　the　room　unsteadily　while　he　spoke。

〃You　do；〃　said　my　mistress。　〃Your　tongue　lies；　but　your　face
speaks　the　truth。〃

He　called　back　his　courage　and　audacity　by　a　desperate　effort；
and　started　up　from　the　chair　again　with　an　oath。

The　instant　before　this　happened　I　thought　I　heard　the　sound　of　a
rustling　dress　in　the　passage　outside；　as　if　one　of　the　women
servants　was　stealing　up　to　listen　outside　the　door。　I　should
have　gone　at　once　to　see　whether　this　was　the　case　or　not；　but　my
master　stopped　me　just　after　he　had　risen　from　the　chair。

〃Get　the　bed　made　in　the　Red　Room；　and　light　a　fire　there
directly；〃　he　said；　with　his　fiercest　look　and　in　his　roughest
tones。　〃When　I　ring　the　bell；　bring　me　a　kettle　of　boiling　water
and　a　bottle　of　brandy。　As　for　you；〃　he　continued；　turning　toward
Mr。　Meeke；　who　still　sat　pale　and　speechless　with　his　fiddle
hugged　up　in　his　arms；　〃leave　the　house；　or　you　won't　find　your
cloth　any　protection　to　you。〃

At　this　insult　the　blood　flew　into　my　mistress's　face。　Before　she
could　say　anything；　Mr。　James　Smith　raised　his　voice　loud　enough
to　drown　hers。

〃I　won't　hear　another　word　from　you；〃　he　cried　out；　brutally。
〃You　have　been　talking　like　a　mad　woman；　and　you　look　like　a　mad
woman。　You　are　out　of　your　senses。　As　sure　as　you　live；　I'll　have
you　examined　by　the　doctors　to…morrow。　Why　the　devil　do　you　stand
there；　you　scoundrel？〃　he　roared；　wheeling　round　on　his　heel　to
me。　〃Why　don't　you　obey　my　orders？〃

I　looked　at　my　mistress。　If　she　had　directed　me　to　knock　Mr。
James　Smith　down；　big　as　he　was；　I　think　at　that　moment　I　could
have　done　it。

〃Do　as　he　tells　you；　William；〃　she　said；　squeezing　one　of　her
hands　firmly　over　her　bosom；　as　if　she　was　trying　to　keep　down
the　rising　indignation　in　that　way。　〃This　is　the　last　order　of
his　giving　that　I　shall　ask　you　to　obey。〃

〃Do　you　threaten　me；　you　mad〃

He　finished　the　question　by　a　word　I　shall　not　repeat。

〃I　tell　you；〃　she　answered；　in　clear；　ringing；　resolute　tones；
〃that　you　have　outraged　me　past　all　forgiveness　and　all
endurance；　and　that　you　shall　never　insult　me　again　as　you　have
insulted　me　to…night。〃

After　saying　those　words　she　fixed　one　steady　look　on　him；　then
turned　away　and　walked　slowly　to　the　door。

A　minute　previously　Mr。　Meeke　had　summoned　courage　enough　to　get
up　and　leave　the　room　quietly。　I　noticed　him　walking　demurely
away；　close　to　the　wall；　with　his　fiddle　held　under　one　tail　of
his　long　frock…coat；　as　if　he　was　afraid　that　the　savage　passions
of　Mr。　James　Smith　might　be　wreaked　on　that　unoffending
instrument。　He　got　to　the　door　before　my　mistress。　As　he　softly
pulled　it　open；　I　saw　him　start；　and　the　rustling　of　the　gown
caught　my　ear　again　from　the　outside。

My　mistress　followed　him　into　the　passage；　turning；　however；　in
the　opposite　direction　to　that　taken　by　the　little　parson；　in
order　to　reach　the　staircase　that　led　to　her　own　room。　I　went　out
next；　leaving　Mr。　James　Smith　alone。

I　overtook　Mr。　Meeke　in　the　hall；　and　opened　the　door　for　him。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃but　did　you　come　upon　anybody
listening　outside　the　music…room　when　you　left　it　just　now？〃

〃Yes；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Meeke；　in　a　faint　voice；　〃I　think　it　was
Josephine；　but　I　was　so　dreadfully　agitated　that　I　can't　be　quite
certain　about　it。〃

Had　she　surprised　our　secret？　That　was　the　question　I　asked
myself　as　I　went　away　to　light　the　fire　in　the　Red　Room。　Calling
to　mind　the　exact　time　at　which　I　had　first　detected　the　rustling
outside　the　door；　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　she　had　only
heard　the　last　part　of　the　quarrel　between　my　mistress　and　her
rascal　of　a　husband。　Those　bold　words　about　the　〃new　wife〃　had
been　assuredly　spoken　before　I　heard　Josephine　stealing　up　to　the
door。

As　soon　as　the　fire　was　alight　and　the　bed　made；　I　went　back　to
the　music…room　to　announce　that　my　orders　had　been　obeyed。　Mr。
James　Smith　was　walking　up　and　down　in　a　perturbed　way；　still
keeping　his　hat　on。　He　followed　me　to　the　Red　Room　without　saying
a　word。

Ten　minutes　later　he　rang　for　the　kettle　and　the　bottle　of
brandy。　When　I　took　them　in　I　found　him　unpacking　a　small
carpet…bag；　which　was　the　only　luggage　he　had　brought　with　him。
He　still　kept　silence；　and　did　not　appear　to　take　any　notice　of
me。　I　left　him　immediately　without　our　having　so　much　as
exchanged　a　single　word。

So　far　as　I　could　tell；　the　night　passed　quietly。　The　next
morning　I　heard　that　my　mistress　was　suffering　so　severely　from　a
nervous　attack　that　she　was　unable　to　rise　from　her　bed。　It　was
no　surprise　to　me　to　be　told　that；　knowing　as　I　did　what　she　had
gone　through　the　night　before。

About　nine　o'clock　I　went　with　the　hot　water　to　the　Red　Room。
After　knocking　twice　I　tried　the　door；　and；　finding　it　not
locked；　went　in　with　the　jug　in　my　hand。

I　looked　at　the　bedI　looked　all　round　the　room。　Not　a　sign　of
Mr。　James　Smith　was　to　be　seen　anywhere。

Judging　by　appearances；　the　bed　had　certainly　been　occupied。
Thrown　across　the　counterpane　lay　the　nightgown　he　had　worn。　I
took　it　up　and　saw　some　spots　on　it。　I　looked　at　them　a　little
closer。　They　were　spots　of　blood。

CHAPTER　V。

THE　first　amazement　and　alarm　produced　by　this　discovery　deprived
me　of　my　presence　of　mind。　Without　stopping　to　think　what　I　ought
to　do　first；　I　ran　back　to　the　servants'　hall；　calling　out　that
something　had　happened　to　my　master。

All　the　household　hurried　directly　into　the　Red　Room；　Josephine
among　the　rest。　I　was　first　brought　to　my　senses；　as　it　were；　by
observing　the　strange　expression　of　her　countenance　when　she　saw
the　bed…gown　and　the　empty　room。　All　the　other　servants　were
bewildered　and　frightened。　She　alone；　after　giving　a　little
start；　recovered　herself　directly。　A　look　of　devilish
satisfaction　broke　out　on　her　face；　and　she　left　the　room　quickly
and　quietly；　without　exchanging　a　word　with　any　of　us。　I　saw
this；　and　it　aroused　my　suspicions。　There　is　no　need　to　mention
what　they　were；　for；　as　events　soon　showed；　they　were　entirely
wide　of　the　mark。

Having　come　to　myself　a　little；　I　sent　them　all　out　of　the　room
except　the　coachman。　We　two　then　examined　the　place。

The　Red　Room　was　usually　occupied　by　visitors。　It　was　on　the
ground　floor；　and　looked　out　into　the　garden。　We　found　the
window…shutters；　which　I　had　barred　overnight；　open；　but　the
window　itself　was　down。　The　fire　had　been　out　long　enough　for　the
grate　to　be　quite　cold。　Half　the　bottle　of　brandy　had　been　drunk。
The　carpet…bag　was　gone。　There　were　no　marks　of　violence　or
struggling　anywhere　about　the　bed　or　the　room。　We　examined　every
corner　carefully；　but　made　no　other　discoveries　than　these。

When　I　returned　to　the　servants'　hall；　bad　news　of　my　mistress
was　awaiting　me　there。　The　unusual　noise　and　confusion　in　the
house　had　reached　her　ears；　and　she　had　been　told　what　had
happened　without　sufficient　caution　being　exercised　in　preparing
her　to　hear　it。　In　her　weak；　nervous　state；　the　shock　of　the
intelligence　had　quite　prostrated　her。　She　had　fallen　into　a
swoon；　and　had　been　brought　back　to　her　senses　with　the　greatest
difficulty。　As　to　giving　me　or　anybody　else　directions　what　to　do
under　the　e　mbarrassing　circumstances　which　had　now　occurred；　she
was　totally　incapable　of　the　effort。

I　waited　till　the　middle　of　the　day；　in　the　hope　that　she　might
get　strong　enough　to　give　her　orders；　but　no　message　came　from
her。　At　last　I　resolved　to　send　and　ask　her　what　she　thought　it
best　to　do。　Josephine　was　the　proper　person　to　go　on　this　errand；
but　when　I　asked　for　Josephine；　she　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　The
housemaid；　who　had　searched　for　her　ineffectually；　brought　word
that　her　bonnet