the queen of hearts-第68节

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housemaid；　who　had　searched　for　her　ineffectually；　brought　word
that　her　bonnet　and　shawl　were　not　hanging　in　their　usual　places。
The　parlor…maid；　who　had　been　in　attendance　in　my　mistress's
room；　came　down　while　we　were　all　aghast　at　this　new
disappearance。　She　could　only　tell　us　that　Josephine　had　begged
her　to　do　lady's…maid's　duty　that　morning；　as　she　was　not　well。
Not　well！　And　the　first　result　of　her　illness　appeared　to　be　that
she　had　left　the　house！

I　cautioned　the　servants　on　no　account　to　mention　this
circumstance　to　my　mistress；　and　then　went　upstairs　myself　to
knock　at　her　door。　My　object　was　to　ask　if　I　might　count　on　her
approval　if　I　wrote　in　her　name　to　the　lawyer　in　London；　and　if　I
afterward　went　and　gave　information　of　what　had　occurred　to　the
nearest　justice　of　the　peace。　I　might　have　sent　to　make　this
inquiry　through　one　of　the　female　servants；　but　by　this　time；
though　not　naturally　suspicious；　I　had　got　to　distrust　everybody
in　the　house；　whether　they　deserved　it　or　not。

So　I　asked　the　question　myself；　standing　outside　the　door。　My
mistress　thanked　me　in　a　faint　voice；　and　begged　me　to　do　what　I
had　proposed　immediately。

I　went　into　my　own　bedroom　and　wrote　to　the　lawyer；　merely
telling　him　that　Mr。　James　Smith　had　appeared　unexpectedly　at　the
Hall；　and　that　events　had　occurred　in　consequence　which　required
his　immediate　presence。　I　made　the　letter　up　like　a　parcel；　and
sent　the　coachman　with　it　to　catch　the　mail　on　its　way　through　to
London。

The　next　thing　was　to　go　to　the　justice　of　the　peace。　The　nearest
lived　about　five　miles　off；　and　was　well　acquainted　with　my
mistress。　He　was　an　old　bachelor；　and　he　kept　house　with　his
brother；　who　was　a　widower。　The　two　were　much　respected　and
beloved　in　the　county；　being　kind；　unaffected　gentlemen；　who　did
a　great　deal　of　good　among　the　poor。　The　justice　was　Mr。　Robert
Nicholson；　and　his　brother；　the　widower；　was　Mr。　Philip。

I　had　got　my　hat　on；　and　was　asking　the　groom　which　horse　I　had
better　take；　when　an　open　carriage　drove　up　to　the　house。　It
contained　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson　and　two　persons　in　plain　clothes；
not　exactly　servants　and　not　exactly　gentlemen；　as　far　as　I　could
judge。　Mr。　Philip　looked　at　me；　when　I　touched　my　hat　to　him；　in
a　very　grave；　downcast　way；　and　asked　for　my　mistress。　I　told　him
she　was　ill　in　bed。　He　shook　his　head　at　hearing　that；　and　said
he　wished　to　speak　to　me　in　private。　I　showed　him　into　the
library。　One　of　the　men　in　plain　clothes　followed　us；　and　sat　in
the　hall。　The　other　waited　with　the　carriage。

〃I　was　just　going　out；　sir；〃　I　said；　as　I　set　a　chair　for　him；
〃to　speak　to　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　about　a　very　extraordinary
circumstance〃

〃I　know　what　you　refer　to；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　cutting　me　short
rather　abruptly；　〃and　I　must　beg；　for　reasons　which　will
presently　appear；　that　you　will　make　no　statement　of　any　sort　to
me　until　you　have　first　heard　what　I　have　to　say。　I　am　here　on　a
very　serious　and　a　very　shocking　errand；　which　deeply　concerns
your　mistress　and　you。〃

His　face　suggested　something　worse　than　his　words　expressed。　My
heart　began　to　beat　fast；　and　I　felt　that　I　was　turning　pale。

〃Your　master；　Mr。　James　Smith；〃　he　went　on；　〃came　here
unexpectedly　yesterday　evening；　and　slept　in　this　house　last
night。　Before　he　retired　to　rest　he　and　your　mistress　had　high
words　together；　which　ended；　I　am　sorry　to　hear；　in　a　threat　of　a
serious　nature　addressed　by　Mrs。　James　Smith　to　her　husband。　They
slept　in　separate　rooms。　This　morning　you　went　into　your　master's
room　and　saw　no　sign　of　him　there。　You　only　found　his　nightgown
on　the　bed；　spotted　with　blood。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said；　in　as　steady　a　voice　as　I　could　command。
〃Quite　true。〃

〃I　am　not　examining　you；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃I　am　only　making　a
certain　statement；　the　truth　of　which　you　can　admit　or　deny
before　my　brother。〃

〃Before　your　brother；　sir！〃　I　repeated。　〃Am　I　suspected　of
anything　wrong？〃

〃There　is　a　suspicion　that　Mr。　James　Smith　has　been　murdered；〃
was　the　answer　I　received　to　that　question。

My　flesh　began　to　creep　all　over　from　head　to　foot。

〃I　am　shockedI　am　horrified　to　say；〃　Mr。　Philip　went　on；　〃that
the　suspicion　affects　your　mistress　in　the　first　place；　and　you
in　the　second。〃

I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　what　I　felt　when　he　said　that。　No
words　of　mine；　no　words　of　anybody's；　could　give　an　idea　of　it。
What　other　men　would　have　done　in　my　situation　I　don't　know。　I
stood　before　Mr。　Philip；　staring　straight　at　him；　without
speaking；　without　moving；　almost　without　breathing。　If　he　or　any
other　man　had　struck　me　at　that　moment；　I　do　not　believe　I　should
have　felt　the　blow。

〃Both　my　brother　and　myself；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　〃have　such
unfeigned　respect　for　your　mistress；　such　sympathy　for　her　under
these　frightful　circumstances；　and　such　an　implicit　belief　in　her
capability　of　proving　her　innocence；　that　we　are　desirous　of
sparing　her　in　this　dreadful　emergency　as　much　as　possible。　For
those　reasons；　I　have　undertaken　to　come　here　with　the　persons
appointed　to　execute　my　brother's　warrant〃

〃Warrant；　sir！〃　I　said；　getting　command　of　my　voice　as　he
pronounced　that　word〃a　warrant　against　my　mistress！〃

〃Against　her　and　against　you；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃The　suspicious
circumstances　have　been　sworn　to　by　a　competent　witness；　who　has
declared　on　oath　that　your　mistress　is　guilty；　and　that　you　are
an　accomplice。〃

〃What　witness；　sir？〃

〃Your　mistress's　quadroon　maid；　who　came　to　my　brother　this
morning；　and　who　has　made　her　deposition　in　due　form。〃

〃And　who　is　as　false　as　hell；〃　I　cried　out　passionately；　〃in
every　word　she　says　against　my　mistress　and　against　me。〃

〃I　hopeno；　I　will　go　further；　and　say　I　believe　she　is　false；〃
said　Mr。　Philip。　〃But　her　perjury　must　he　proved；　and　the
necessary　examination　must　take　place。　My　carriage　is　going　back
to　my　brother's；　and　you　will　go　in　it；　in　charge　of　one　of　my
men；　who　has　the　warrant　to　take　you　in　custody。　I　shall　remain
here　with　the　man　who　is　waiting　in　the　hall；　and　before　any
steps　are　taken　to　execute　the　other　warrant；　I　shall　send　for
the　doctor　to　ascertain　when　your　mistress　can　be　removed。〃

〃Oh；　my　poor　mistress！〃　I　said；　〃this　will　be　the　death　of　her；
sir。〃

〃I　will　take　care　that　the　shock　shall　strike　her　as　tenderly　as
possible；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃I　am　here　for　that　express　purpose。
She　has　my　deepest　sympathy　and　respect；　and　shall　have　every
help　and　alleviation　that　I　can　afford　her。〃

The　hearing　him　say　that；　and　the　seeing　how　sincerely　he　meant
what　he　said；　was　the　first　gleam　of　comfort　in　the　dreadful
affliction　that　had　befallen　us。　I　felt　this；　I　felt　a　burning
anger　against　the　wretch　who　had　done　her　best　to　ruin　my
mistress's　fair　name　and　mine；　but　in　every　other　respect　I　was
like　a　man　who　had　been　stunned；　and　whose　faculties　had　not
perfectly　recovered　from　the　shock。　Mr。　Philip　was　obliged　to
remind　me　that　time　was　of　importance；　and　that　I　had　better　give
myself　up　immediately；　on　the　merciful　terms　which　his　kindness
offered　to　me。　I　acknowledged　that；　and　wished　him　good　morning。
But　a　mist　seemed　to　come　over　my　eyes　as　I　turned　round　to　go
awaya　mist　that　prevented　me　from　finding　my　way　to　the　door。
Mr。　Philip　opened　it　for　me；　and　said　a　friendly　word　or　two
which　I　could　hardly　hear。　The　man　waiting　outside　took　me　to　his
companion　in　the　carriage　at　the　door；　and　I　was　driven　away；　a
prisoner　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。

On　our　way　to　the　justice's；　what　little　thinking　faculty　I　had
left　in　me　was　all　occupied　in　the　attempt　to　trace　a　motive　for
the　inconceivable　treachery　and　falsehood　of　which　Josephine　had
been　guilty。

Her　words；　her　looks；　and　her　manner；　on　that　unfortunate　day
when　my　mistress　so　　far　forget　herself　as　to　strike；　her；　came
back　diml　y　to　my　memory；　and　led　to　the　inference　that　part　of
the　motive；　at　least；　of　which　I　was　in　search；　might　be　referred
to　what　had　happened　on　that　occasion。　But　was　this　the　only
reason　for　her　devilish　vengeance　against　my　mistress？　And；　even
if　it　were　so；　what　fancied　injuries　had　I　done　her？　Why　should　I
be　included　in　the　false　accusation？　In　the　dazed　state　of　my
faculties　at　that　time；　I　was　quite　incapable　of　seeking　the
answer　to　these　questions。　My　mind　was　clouded　all　over；　and　I
gave　up　the　attempt　to　clear　it　in　despair。

I　was　brought　before　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　that　day；　and　the　fiend
of　a　quadroon　was　examined　in　my　presence。　The　first　sight　of　her
face；　with　its　wicked　self…possession；　with　its　smooth　leering
triumph；　so　sickened　me　that　I　turned　my　head　away　and　never
looked　at　her　a　second　time　throughout　the　proceedings。　The
answers　she　gave　amounted　to　a　mere　repetition　of　the　deposition
to　which　she　had　already　sworn。　I　listened　to　her　with　the　most
breathless　attention；　and　was　thunderstruck　at　the　inconceivable
artfulness　with　which　she　had　mixed　up　truth　and　falsehood　in　her
charge　against　my　mistress　and　me。

This　was；　in　substance；　what　she　now　stated　in　my　presence：

After　describing　the　manner　of　Mr。　James　Smith's　arrival　at　the
Hall；　the　witness；　Josephine　Durand；　confessed　that　she　had　been
led　to　listen