the queen of hearts-第70节
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together。 This vile accusation against your mistress answers
another purpose besides the vindictive one it is the very best
screen that the wretch could possibly set up to hide herself from
detection。 It has stopped your mistress and you from moving in
the matter； it exhibits her in the false character of an honest
witness against a couple of criminals； it gives her time to
dispose of the goods； or to hide them； or to do anything she
likes with them。 Stop！ let me be quite sure that I know what the
lost things are。 A pair of bracelets； three rings； and a lot of
lace pocket…handkerchiefsis that what you said？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Your mistress will describe them particularly； and I will take
the right steps the first thing to…morrow morning。 Good…evening；
William； and keep up your spirits。 It shan't be my fault if you
don't soon see the quadroon in the right place for herat the
prisoner's bar。〃
With that farewell he went out。
The days passed； and I did not see him again until the period of
my remand had expired。 On this occasion； when I once more
appeared before the justice； my mistress appeared with me。 The
first sight of her absolutely startled me； she was so sadly
altered。 Her face looked so pinched and thin that it was like the
face of an old woman。 The dull； vacant resignation of her
expression was something shocking to see。 It changed a little
when her eyes first turned heavily toward me； and she whispered；
with a faint smile； 〃I am sorry for you； WilliamI am very； very
sorry for you。〃 But as soon as she had said those words the blank
look returned； and she sat with her head drooping forward； quiet；
and inattentive； and hopelessso changed a being that her oldest
friends would hardly have known her。
Our examination was a mere formality。 There was no additional
evidence either for or against us； and we were remanded again for
another week。
I asked the lawyer； privately； if any chance had offered itself
of tracing Mr。 James Smith。 He looked mysterious； and only said
in answer； 〃Hope for the best。〃 I inquired next if any progress
had been made toward fixing the guilt of the robbery on
Josephine。
〃I never boast；〃 he replied。 〃But； cunning as she is； I should
not be surprised if Mr。 Dark and I； together； turned out to be
more than a match for her。〃
Mr。 Dark！ There was something in the mere mention of his name
that gave me confidence in the future。 If I could only have got
my poor mistress's sad； dazed face out of my mind； I should not
have had much depression of spirits to complain of during the
interval of time that elapsed between the second examination and
the third。
CHAPTER VI。
ON the third appearance of my mistress and myself before the
justice； I noticed some faces in the room which I had not seen
there before。 Greatly to my astonishmentfor the previous
examinations had been conducted as privately as possibleI
remarked the presence of two of the servants from the Hall； and
of three or four of the tenants on the Darrock estate； who lived
nearest to the house。 They all sat together on one side of the
justice…room。 Opposite to them and close at the side of a door；
stood my old acquaintance； Mr。 Dark； with his big snuff…box； his
jolly face； and his winking eye。 He nodded to me； when I looked
at him； as jauntily as if we were meeting at a party of pleasure。
The quadroon woman； who had been summoned to the examination； had
a chair placed opposite to the witness…box； and in a line with
the seat occupied by my poor mistress； whose looks； as I was
grieved to see； were not altered for the better。 The lawyer from
London was with her； and I stood behind her chair。
We were all quietly disposed in the room in this way； when the
justice； Mr。 Robert Nicholson； came in with his brother。 It might
have been only fancy； but I thought I could see in both their
faces that something remarkable had happened since we had met at
the last examination。
The deposition of Josephine Durand was read over by the clerk；
and she was asked if she had anything to add to it。 She replied
in the negative。 The justice then appealed to my mistress's
relation； the lawyer； to know if he could produce any evidence
relating to the charge against his clients。
〃I have evidence；〃 answered the lawyer； getting briskly on his
legs； 〃which I believe； sir； will justify me in asking for their
discharge。〃
〃Where are your witnesses？〃 inquired the justice； looking hard at
Josephine while he spoke。
〃One of them is in waiting； your worship；〃 said Mr。 Dark； opening
the door near which he was standing。
He went out of the room； remained away about a minute； and
returned with his witness at his heels。
My heart gave a bound as if it would jump out of my body。 There；
with his long hair cut short； and his bushy whiskers shaved
offthere； in his own proper person； safe and sound as ever； was
Mr。 James Smith！
The quadroon's iron nature resisted the shock of his unexpected
presence on the scene with a steadiness that was nothing short of
marvelous。 Her thin lips closed together convulsively； and there
was a slight movement in the muscles of her throat。 But not a
word； not a sign betrayed her。 Even the yellow tinge of her
complexion remained unchanged。
〃It is not necessary； sir； that I should waste time and words in
referring to the wicked and preposterous charge against my
clients；〃 said the lawyer； addressing Mr。 Robert Nicholson。 〃The
one sufficient justification for discharging them immediately is
before you at this moment in the person of that gentleman。 There；
sir； stands the murdered Mr。 James Smith； of Darrock Hall； alive
and well； to answer for himself。〃
〃That is not the man！〃 cried Josephine； her shrill voice just as
high； clear； and steady as ever； 〃I denounce that man as an
impostor。 Of my own knowledge； I deny that he is Mr。 James
Smith。〃
〃No doubt you do；〃 said the lawyer； 〃but we will prove his
identity for all that。〃
The first witness called was Mr。 Philip Nicholson。 He could swear
that he had seen Mr。 James Smith； and spoken to him at least a
dozen times。 The person now before h im was Mr。 James Smith；
altered as to personal appearance by having his hair cut short
and his whiskers shaved off； but still unmistakably the man he
assumed to be。
〃Conspiracy！〃 interrupted the prisoner； hissing the word out
viciously between her teeth。
〃If you are not silent；〃 said Mr。 Robert Nicholson； 〃you will be
removed from the room。 It will sooner meet the ends of justice；〃
he went on； addressing the lawyer； 〃if you prove the question of
identity by witnesses who have been in habits of daily
communication with Mr。 James Smith。〃
Upon this； one of the servants from the Hall was placed in the
box。
The alteration in his master's appearance evidently puzzled the
man。 Besides the perplexing change already adverted to； there was
also a change in Mr。 James Smith's expression and manner。 Rascal
as he was； I must do him the justice to say that he looked
startled and ashamed when he first caught sight of his
unfortunate wife。 The servant； who was used to be eyed
tyrannically by him； and ordered about roughly； seeing him now
for the first time abashed and silent； stammered and hesitated on
being asked to swear to his identity。
〃I can hardly say for certain； sir；〃 said the man； addressing the
justice in a bewildered manner。 〃He is like my master； and yet he
isn't。 If he wore whiskers and had his hair long； and if he was；
saying your presence； sir； a little more rough and ready in his
way； I could swear to him anywhere with a safe conscience。〃
Fortunately for us； at this moment Mr。 James Smith's feeling of
uneasiness at the situation in which he was placed changed to a
feeling of irritation at being coolly surveyed and then stupidly
doubted in the matter of his identity by one of his own servants。
〃Can't you say in plain words； you idiot； whether you know me or
whether you don't？〃 he called out； angrily。
〃That's his voice！〃 cried the servant； starting in the box。
〃Whiskers or no whiskers； that's him！〃
〃If there's any difficulty； your worship； about the gentleman's
hair；〃 said Mr。 Dark； coming forward with a grin； 〃here's a small
parcel which； I may make so bold as to say； will remove it。〃
Saying that； he opened the parcel； took some locks of hair out of
it； and held them up close to Mr。 James Smith's head。 〃A pretty
good match； your worship；〃 continued Mr。 Dark。 〃I have no doubt
the gentleman's head feels cooler now it's off。 We can't put the
whiskers on； I'm afraid； but they match the hair； and they are in
the paper （if one may say such a thing of whiskers） to speak for
themselves。〃
〃Lies！ lies！ lies！〃 screamed Josephine； losing her wicked
self…control at this stage of the proceedings。
The justice made a sign to two of the constables present as she
burst out with those exclamations； and the men removed her to an
adjoining room。
The second servant from the Hall was then put in the box； and was
followed by one of the tenants。 After what they had heard and
seen； neither of these men had any hesitation in swearing
positively to their master's identity。
〃It is quite unnecessary；〃 said the justice； as s
