the queen of hearts-第71节

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positively　to　their　master's　identity。

〃It　is　quite　unnecessary；〃　said　the　justice；　as　soon　as　the　box
was　empty　again；　〃to　examine　any　more　witnesses　as　to　the
question　of　identity。　All　the　legal　formalities　are　accomplished；
and　the　charge　against　the　prisoners　falls　to　the　ground。　I　have
great　pleasure　in　ordering　the　immediate　discharge　of　both　the
accused　persons；　and　in　declaring　from　this　place　that　they　leave
the　court　without　the　slightest　stain　on　their　characters。〃

He　bowed　low　to　my　mistress　as　he　said　that；　paused　a　moment；　and
then　looked　inquiringly　at　Mr。　James　Smith。

〃I　have　hitherto　abstained　from　making　any　remark　unconnected
with　the　immediate　matter　in　hand；〃　he　went　on。　〃But；　now　that　my
duty　is　done；　I　cannot　leave　this　chair　without　expressing　my
strong　sense　of　disapprobation　of　the　conduct　of　Mr。　James
Smithconduct　which；　whatever　may　be　the　motives　that　occasioned
it；　has　given　a　false　color　of　probability　to　a　most　horrible
charge　against　a　lady　of　unspotted　reputation；　and　against　a
person　in　a　lower　rank　of　life　whose　good　character　ought　not　to
have　been　imperiled　even　for　a　moment。　Mr。　Smith　may　or　may　not
choose　to　explain　his　mysterious　disappearance　from　Darrock　Hall；
and　the　equally　unaccountable　change　which　he　has　chosen　to　make
in　his　personal　appearance。　There　is　no　legal　charge　against　him；
but；　speaking　morally；　I　should　be　unworthy　of　the　place　I　hold
if　I　hesitated　to　declare　my　present　conviction　that　his　conduct
has　been　deceitful；　inconsiderate；　and　unfeeling　in　the　highest
degree。〃

To　this　sharp　reprimand　Mr。　James　Smith　（evidently　tutored
beforehand　as　to　what　he　was　to　say）　replied　that；　in　attending
before　the　justice；　he　wished　to　perform　a　plain　duty　and　to　keep
himself　strictly　within　the　letter　of　the　law。　He　apprehended
that　the　only　legal　obligation　laid　on　him　was　to　attend　in　that
court　to　declare　himself；　and　to　enable　competent　witnesses　to
prove　his　identity。　This　duty　accomplished；　he　had　merely　to　add
that　he　preferred　submitting　to　a　reprimand　from　the　bench　to
entering　into　explanations　which　would　involve　the　disclosure　of
domestic　circumstances　of　a　very　unhappy　nature。　After　that　brief
reply　he　had　nothing　further　to　say；　and　he　would　respectfully
request　the　justice's　permission　to　withdraw。

The　permission　was　accorded。　As　he　crossed　the　room　he　stopped
near　his　wife；　and　said；　confusedly；　in　a　very　low　tone：

〃I　have　done　you　many　injuries；　but　I　never　intended　this。　I　am
sorry　for　it。　Have　you　anything　to　say　to　me　before　I　go？〃

My　mistress　shuddered　and　hid　her　face。　He　waited　a　moment；　and；
finding　that　she　did　not　answer　him；　bowed　his　head　politely　and
went　out。　I　did　not　know　it　then；　but　I　had　seen　him　for　the　last
time。

After　he　had　gone；　the　lawyer；　addressing　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson；
said　that　he　had　an　application　to　make　in　reference　to　the　woman
Josephine　Durand。

At　the　mention　of　that　name　my　mistress　hurriedly　whispered　a　few
words　into　her　relation's　ear。　He　looked　toward　Mr。　Philip
Nicholson；　who　immediately　advanced；　offered　his　arm　to　my
mistress；　and　led　her　out。　I　was　about　to　follow；　when　Mr。　Dark
stopped　me；　and　begged　that　I　would　wait　a　few　minutes　longer；　in
order　to　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　seeing　〃the　end　of　the
case。〃

In　the　meantime；　the　justice　had　pronounced　the　necessary　order
to　have　the　quadroon　brought　back。　She　came　in；　as　bold　and
confident　as　ever。　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　looked　away　from　her　in
disgust　and　said　to　the　lawyer：

〃Your　application　is　to　have　her　committed　for　perjury；　of
course？〃

〃For　perjury？〃　said　Josephine；　with　her　wicked　smile。　〃Very　good。
I　shall　explain　some　little　matters　that　I　have　not　explained
before。　You　think　I　am　quite　at　your　mercy　now？　Bah！　I　shall　make
myself　a　thorn　in　your　sides　yet。〃

〃She　has　got　scent　of　the　second　marriage；〃　whispered　Mr。　Dark　to
me。

There　could　be　no　doubt　of　it。　She　had　evidently　been　listening
at　the　door　on　the　night　when　my　master　came　back　longer　than　I
had　supposed。　She　must　have　heard　those　words　about　〃the　new
wife〃she　might　even　have　seen　the　effect　of　them　on　Mr。　James
Smith。

〃We　do　not　at　present　propose　to　charge　Josephine　Durand　with
perjury；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃but　with　another　offense；　for　which
it　is　important　to　try　her　immediately；　in　order　to　effect　the
restoration　of　property　that　has　been　stolen。　I　charge　her　with
stealing　from　her　mistress；　while　in　her　service　at　Darrock　Hall；
a　pair　of　bracelets；　three　rings；　and　a　dozen　and　a　half　of　lace
pocket…handkerchiefs。　The　articles　in　question　were　taken　this
morning　from　between　the　mattresses　of　her　bed；　and　a　letter　was
found　in　the　same　place　which　clearly　proves　that　she　had
represented　the　property　as　belonging　to　herself；　and　that　she
had　tried　to　dispose　of　it　to　a　purchaser　in　London。〃　While　he
was　speaking；　Mr。　Dark　produced　the　jewelry；　the　handkerchiefs
and　the　letter；　and　laid　them　before　the　justice。

Even　Josephine's　extraordinary　powers　of　self…control　now　gave
way　at　last。　At　the　first　words　of　the　unexpected　charge　against
her　she　struck　her　hands　together　violently；　gnashed　her　sharp
white　teeth；　and　burst　out　with　a　torrent　of　fierce…sounding
words　in　some　foreig　n　language；　the　meaning　of　which　I　did　not
understand　then　and　cannot　explain　now。

〃I　think　that's　checkmate　for　marmzelle；〃　whispered　Mr。　Dark；
with　his　invariable　wink。　〃Suppose　you　go　back　to　the　Hall；　now；
William；　and　draw　a　jug　of　that　very　remarkable　old　ale　of　yours？
I'll　be　after　you　in　five　minutes；　as　soon　as　the　charge　is　made
out。〃

I　could　hardly　realize　it　when　I　found　myself　walking　back　to
Darrock　a　free　man　again。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　time　Mr。　Dark　joined　me；　and　drank　to
my　health；　happiness　and　prosperity　in　three　separate　tumblers。
After　performing　this　ceremony；　he　wagged　his　head　and　chuckled
with　an　appearance　of　such　excessive　enjoyment　that　I　could　not
avoid　remarking　on　his　high　spirits。

〃It's　the　case；　Williamit's　the　beautiful　neatness　of　the　case
that　quite　intoxicates　me。　Oh；　Lord；　what　a　happiness　it　is　to　be
concerned　in　such　a　job　as　this！〃　cries　Mr。　Dark；　slapping　his
stumpy　hands　on　his　fat　knees　in　a　sort　of　ecstasy。

I　had　a　very　different　opinion　of　the　case　for　my　own　part；　but　I
did　not　venture　on　expressing　it。　I　was　too　anxious　to　know　how
Mr。　James　Smith　had　been　discovered　and　produced　at　the
examination　to　enter　into　any　arguments。　Mr。　Dark　guessed　what
was　passing　in　my　mind；　and；　telling　me　to　sit　down　and　make
myself　comfortable；　volunteered　of　his　own　accord　to　inform　me　of
all　that　I　wanted　to　know。

〃When　I　got　my　instructions　and　my　statement　of　particulars；〃　he
began；　〃I　was　not　at　all　surprised　to　hear　that　Mr。　James　Smith
had　come　back。　（I　prophesied　that；　if　you　remember；　William；　the
last　time　we　met？）　But　I　was　a　good　deal　astonished；
nevertheless；　at　the　turn　things　had　taken；　and　I　can't　say　I
felt　very　hopeful　about　finding　our　man。　However；　I　followed　my
master's　directions；　and　put　the　advertisement　in　the　papers。　It
addressed　Mr。　James　Smith　by　name；　but　it　was　very　carefully
worded　as　to　what　was　wanted　of　him。　Two　days　after　it　appeared；
a　letter　came　to　our　office　in　a　woman's　handwriting。　It　was　my
business　to　open　the　letters；　and　I　opened　that。　The　writer　was
short　and　mysterious。　She　requested　that　somebody　would　call　from
our　office　at　a　certain　address；　between　the　hours　of　two　and
four　that　afternoon；　in　reference　to　the　advertisement　which　we
had　inserted　in　the　newspapers。　Of　course；　I　was　the　somebody　who
went。　I　kept　myself　from　building　up　hopes　by　the　way；　knowing
what　a　lot　of　Mr。　James　Smiths　there　were　in　London。　On　getting
to　the　house；　I　was　shown　into　the　drawing…room；　and　there；
dressed　in　a　wrapper　and　lying　on　a　sofa；　was　an　uncommonly
pretty　woman；　who　looked　as　if　she　was　just　recovering　from　an
illness。　She　had　a　newspaper　by　her　side；　and　came　to　the　point
at　once：　'My　husband's　name　is　James　Smith；'　she　says；　'and　I
have　my　reasons　for　wanting　to　know　if　he　is　the　person　you　are
in　search　of。'　I　described　our　man　as　Mr。　James　Smith；　of　Darrock
Hall；　Cumberland。　'I　know　no　such　person；'　says　she〃

〃What！　was　it　not　the　second　wife；　after　all？〃　I　broke　out。

〃Wait　a　bit；〃　says　Mr。　Dark。　〃I　mentioned　the　name　of　the　yacht
next；　and　she　started　up　on　the　sofa　as　if　she　had　been　shot。　'I
think　you　were　married　in　Scotland；　ma'am；'　says　I。　She　turns　as
pale　as　ashes；　and　drops　back　on　the　sofa；　and　says；　faintly：　'It
is　my　husband。　Oh；　sir；　what　has　happened？　What　do　you　want　with
him？　Is　he　in　debt？'　I　took　a　minute　to　think；　and　then　made　up
my　mind　to　tell　her　everything；　feeling　that　she　would　keep　her
husband　（as　she　called　him）　out　of　the　way　if　I　frightened　her　by
any　mysteries。　A　nice　job　I　had；　William；　as　you　may　suppose；
when　she　knew　about　the　bigamy　business。　What　with　screaming；
fainting；　crying；　and　blowing　me　up　（as　if　_I_　was　to　blame！）；
she　kept　me　by　that　sofa　of　hers　the　best　part　of　an　hourkept
me　there；　in　short；　till　Mr。　James　Smith　himself　came　back。　I
leave　you　to　judge　if　that　mended　matters。　He　found　me　mopping
the　poor　woman