the queen of hearts-第69节

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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　at　the　music…room　door　by　hearing　angry　voices
inside；　and　she　then　described；　truly　enough；　the　latter　part　of
the　altercation　between　husband　and　wife。　Fearing；　after　this；
that　something　serious　might　happen；　she　had　kept　watch　in　her
room；　which　was　on　the　same　floor　as　her　mistress's。　She　had
heard　her　mistress's　door　open　softly　between　one　and　two　in　the
morninghad　followed　her　mistress；　who　carried　a　small　lamp；
along　the　passage　and　down　the　stairs　into　the　hallhad　hidden
herself　in　the　porter's　chairhad　seen　her　mistress　take　a
dagger　in　a　green　sheath　from　a　collection　of　Eastern　curiosities
kept　in　the　hallhad　followed　her　again；　and　seen　her　softly
enter　the　Red　Roomhad　heard　the　heavy　breathing　of　Mr。　James
Smith；　which　gave　token　that　he　was　asleephad　slipped　into　an
empty　room；　next　door　to　the　Red　Roam；　and　had　waited　there　about
a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when　her　mistress　came　out　again　with　the
dagger　in　her　handhad　followed　her　mistress　again　into　the
hall；　where　she　had　put　the　dagger　back　into　its　placehad　seen
her　mistress　turn　into　a　side　passage　that　led　to　my　roomhad
heard　her　knock　at　my　door；　and　heard　me　answer　and　open　ithad
hidden　again　in　the　porter's　chairhad；　after　a　while；　seen　me
and　my　mistress　pass　together　into　the　passage　that　led　to　the
Red　Roomhad　watched　us　both　into　the　Red　Roomand　had　then；
through　fear　of　being　discovered　and　murdered　herself；　if　she
risked　detection　any　longer；　stolen　back　to　her　own　room　for　the
rest　of　the　night。

After　deposing　on　oath　to　the　truth　of　these　atrocious
falsehoods；　and　declaring；　in　conclusion；　that　Mr。　James　Smith
had　been　murdered　by　my　mistress；　and　that　I　was　an　accomplice；
the　quadroon　had　further　asserted；　in　order　to　show　a　motive　for
the　crime；　that　Mr。　Meeke　was　my　mistress's　lover；　that　he　had
been　forbidden　the　house　by　her　husband；　and　that　he　was　found　in
the　house；　and　alone　with　her；　on　the　evening　of　Mr。　James
Smith's　return。　Here　again　there　were　some　grains　of　truth
cunningly　mixed　up　with　a　revolting　lie；　and　they　had　their
effect　in　giving　to　the　falsehood　a　look　of　probability。

I　was　cautioned　in　the　usual　manner　and　asked　if　I　had　anything
to　say。

I　replied　that　I　was　innocent；　but　that　I　would　wait　for　legal
assistance　before　I　defended　myself。　The　justice　remanded　me　and
the　examination　was　over。　Three　days　later　my　unhappy　mistress
was　subjected　to　the　same　trial。　I　was　not　allowed　to　communicate
with　her。　All　I　knew　was　that　the　lawyer　had　arrived　from　London
to　help　her。　Toward　the　evening　he　was　admitted　to　see　me。　He
shook　his　head　sorrowfully　when　I　asked　after　my　mistress。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　she　has　sunk　under　the　horror　of
the　situation　in　which　that　vile　woman　has　placed　her。　Weakened
by　her　previous　agitation；　she　seems　to　have　given　way　under　this
last　shock；　tenderly　and　carefully　as　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson　broke
the　bad　news　to　her。　All　her　feelings　appeared　to　be　strangely
blunted　at　the　examination　to…day。　She　answered　the　questions　put
to　her　quite　correctly；　but　at　the　same　time　quite　mechanically；
with　no　change　in　her　complexion；　or　in　her　tone　of　voice；　or　in
her　manner；　from　beginning　to　end。　It　is　a　sad　thing；　William；
when　women　cannot　get　their　natural　vent　of　weeping；　and　your
mistress　has　not　shed　a　tear　since　she　left　Darrock　Hall。〃

〃But　surely；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃if　my　examination　has　not　proved
Josephine's　perjury；　my　mistress's　examination　must　have　exposed
it？〃

〃Nothing　will　expose　it；〃　answered　the　lawyer；　〃but　producing　Mr。
James　Smith；　or；　at　least；　legally　proving　that　he　is　alive。
Morally　speaking；　I　have　no　doubt　that　the　justice　before　whom
you　have　been　examined　is　as　firmly　convinced　as　we　can　be　that
the　quadroon　has　perjured　herself。　Morally　speaking；　he　believes
that　those　threats　which　your　mistress　unfortunately　used
referred　（as　she　said　they　did　to…day）　to　her　intention　of
leaving　the　Hall　early　in　the　morning；　with　you　for　her
attendant；　and　coming　to　me；　if　she　had　been　well　enough　to
travel；　to　seek　effectual　legal　protection　from　her　husband　for
the　future。　Mr。　Nicholson　believes　that；　and　I；　who　know　more　of
the　circumstances　than　he　does；　believe　also　that　Mr。　James　Smith
stole　away　from　Darrock　Hall　in　the　night　under　fear　of　being
indicted　for　bigamy。　But　if　I　can't　find　himif　I　can't　prove
him　to　be　aliveif　I　can't　account　for　those　spots　of　blood　on
the　night…gown；　the　accidental　circumstances　of　the　case　remain
unexplainedyour　mistress's　rash　language；　the　bad　terms　on
which　she　has　lived　with　her　husband；　and　her　unlucky　disregard
of　appearances　in　keeping　up　her　intercourse　with　Mr。　Meeke；　all
tell　dead　against　usand　the　justice　has　no　alternative；　in　a
legal　point　of　view；　but　to　remand　you　both；　as　he　has　now　done；
for　the　production　of　further　evidence。〃

〃But　how；　then；　in　Heaven's　name；　is　our　innocence　to　be　proved；
sir？〃　I　asked。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃by　finding　Mr。　James
Smith；　and；　in　the　second　place；　by　persuading　him；　when　he　is
found；　to　come　forward　and　declare　himself。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃that　he　would　hesitate　to
do　that；　when　he　knows　the　horrible　charge　to　which　his
disappearance　has　exposed　his　wife？　He　is　a　heartless　villain；　I
know；　but　surely〃

〃I　don't　suppose；〃　said　the　lawyer；　cutting　me　short；　〃that　he　is
quite　scoundrel　enough　to　decline　coming　forward；　supposing　he
ran　no　risk　by　doing　so。　But　remember　that　he　has　placed　himself
in　a　position　to　be　tried　for　bigamy；　and　that　he　believes　your
mistress　will　put　the　law　in　force　against　him。〃

I　had　forgotten　that　circumstance。　My　heart　sank　within　me　when
it　was　recalled　to　my　memory；　and　I　could　say　nothing　more。

〃It　is　a　very　serious　thing；〃　the　lawyer　went　on〃it　is　a
downright　offense　against　the　law　of　the　land　to　make　any　private
offer　of　a　compromise　to　this　man。　Knowing　what　we　know；　our　duty
as　good　citizens　is　to　give　such　information　as　may　bring　him　to
trial。　I　tell　you　plainly　that；　if　I　did　not　stand　toward　your
mistress　in　the　position　of　a　relation　as　well　as　a　legal
adviser；　I　should　think　twice　about　running　the　riskthe　very
serious　riskon　which　I　am　now　about　to　venture　for　her　sake。　As
it　is；　I　have　taken　the　right　measures　to　assure　Mr。　James　Smith
that　he　will　not　be　treated　according　to　his　deserts。　When　he
knows　what　the　circumstances　are；　he　will　trust　ussupposing
always　that　we　can　find　him。　The　search　about　this　neighborhood
has　been　quite　useless。　I　have　sent　private　instructions　by
to…day's　post　to　Mr。　Dark　in　London；　and　with　them　a
carefully…worded　form　of　advertisement　for　the　public　newspapers。
You　may　rest　assured　that　every　human　means　of　tracing　him　will
be　tried　forthwith。　In　the　meantime；　I　have　an　important　question
to　put　to　you　about　Josep　hine。　She　may　know　more　than　we　think
she　does；　she　may　have　surprised　the　secret　of　the　second
marriage；　and　may　be　keeping　it　in　reserve　to　use　against　us。　If
this　should　turn　out　to　be　the　case；　I　shall　want　some　other
chance　against　her　besides　the　chance　of　indicting　her　for
perjury。　As　to　her　motive　now　for　making　this　horrible
accusation；　what　can　you　tell　me　about　that；　William？〃

〃Her　motive　against　me；　sir？〃

〃No；　no；　not　against　you。　I　can　see　plainly　enough　that　she
accuses　you　because　it　is　necessary　to　do　so　to　add　to　the
probability　of　her　story；　which；　of　course；　assumes　that　you
helped　your　mistress　to　dispose　of　the　dead　body。　You　are　coolly
sacrificed　to　some　devilish　vengeance　against　her　mistress。　Let
us　get　at　that　first。

Has　there　ever　been　a　quarrel　between　them？〃

I　told　him　of　the　quarrel；　and　of　how　Josephine　had　looked　and
talked　when　she　showed　me　her　cheek。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　a　strong　motive　for　revenge　with　a
naturally　pitiless；　vindictive　woman。　But　is　that　all？　Had　your
mistress　any　hold　over　her？　Is　there　any　self…interest　mixed　up
along　with　this　motive　of　vengeance？　Think　a　little；　William。　Has
anything　ever　happened　in　the　house　to　compromise　this　woman；　or
to　make　her　fancy　herself　compromised？〃

The　remembrance　of　my　mistress's　lost　trinkets　and　handkerchiefs；
which　later　and　greater　troubles　had　put　out　of　my　mind；　flashed
back　into　my　memory　while　he　spoke。　I　told　him　immediately　of　the
alarm　in　the　house　when　the　loss　was　discovered。

〃Did　your　mistress　suspect　Josephine　and　question　her？〃　he　asked；
eagerly。

〃No；　sir；〃　I　replied。　〃Before　she　could　say　a　word；　Josephine
impudently　asked　who　she　suspected；　and　boldly　offered　her　own
boxes　to　be　searched。〃

The　lawyer's　face　turned　red　as　scarlet。　He　jumped　out　of　his
chair；　and　hit　me　such　a　smack　on　the　shoulder　that　I　thought　he
had　gone　mad。

〃By　Jupiter！〃　he　cried　out；　〃we　have　got　the　whip…hand　of　that
she…devil　at　last。〃

I　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。

〃Why；　man　alive；〃　he　said；　〃don't　you　see　how　it　is？　Josephine's
the　thief！　I　am　as　sure　of　it　as　that　you　and　I　are　talking
together。　This　vile　accusation　against　your　mistress　answers
another　purpose　besid