the queen of hearts-第73节

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being　listened　to　previously　in　a　court　of　law。

〃In　short；〃　said　Mr。　Dark；　rising　to　take　his　leave；　〃as　I　have
told　you　already；　William；　it's　checkmate　for　marmzelle。　She
didn't　manage　the　business　of　the　robbery　half　as　sharply　as　I
should　have　expected。　She　certainly　began　well　enough　by　staying
modestly　at　a　lodging　in　the　village　to　give　her　attendance　at
the　examinations；　as　it　might　be　required；　nothing　could　look
more　innocent　and　respectable　so　far；　but　her　hiding　the　property
between　the　mattresses　of　her　bedthe　very　first　place　that　any
experienced　man　would　think　of　looking　inwas　such　an　amazingly
stupid　thing　to　do；　that　I　really　can't　account　for　it；　unless
her　mind　had　more　weighing　on　it　than　it　was　able　to　bear；　which；
considering　the　heavy　stakes　she　played　for；　is　likely　enough。
Anyhow；　her　hands　are　tied　now；　and　her　tongue　too；　for　the
matter　of　that。　Give　my　respects　to　your　mistress；　and　tell　her
that　her　runaway　husband　and　her　lying　maid　will　never　either　of
them　harm　her　again　as　long　as　they　live。　She　has　nothing　to　do
now　but　to　pluck　up　her　spirits　and　live　happy。　Here's　long　life
to　her　and　to　you；　William；　in　the　last　glass　of　ale；　and　here's
the　same　toast　to　myself　in　the　bottom　of　the　jug。〃

With　those　words　Mr。　Dark　pocketed　his　large　snuff…box；　gave　a
last　wink　with　his　bright　eye；　and　walked　rapidly　away；
whistling；　to　catch　the　London　coach。　From　that　time　to　this　he
and　I　have　never　met　again。

A　few　last　words　relating　to　my　mistress　and　to　the　other　persons
chiefly　concerned　in　this　narrative　will　conclude　all　that　it　is
now　necessary　for　me　to　say。

For　some　months　the　relatives　and　friends；　and　I　myself；　felt　sad
misgivings　on　my　poor　mistress's　account。　We　doubted　if　it　was
possible；　with　such　a　quick；　sensitive　nature　as　hers；　that　she
could　support　the　shock　which　had　been　inflicted　on　her。　But　our
powers　of　endurance　are；　as　I　have　learned　to　believe；　more　often
equal　to　the　burdens　laid　upon　us　than　we　are　apt　to　imagine。　I
have　seen　many　surprising　recoveries　from　illness　after　all　hope
had　been　lost；　and　I　have　lived　to　see　my　mistress　recover　from
the　grief　and　terror　which　we　once　thought　would　prove　fatal　to
her。　It　was　long　before　she　began　to　hold　up　her　head　again；　but
care　and　kindness；　and　time　and　change　wrought　their　effect　on
her　at　last。　She　is　not　now；　and　never　will　be　again；　the　woman
she　was　once；　her　manner　is　altered；　and　she　looks　older　by　many
a　year　than　she　really　is。　But　her　health　causes　us　no　anxiety
now；　her　spirits　are　calm　and　equal；　and　I　have　good　hope　that
many　quiet　years　of　service　in　her　house　are　left　for　me　still。　I
myself　have　married　during　the　long　interval　of　time　which　I　am
now　passing　over　in　a　few　words。　This　change　in　my　life　is；
perhaps；　not　worth　mentioning；　but　I　am　reminded　of　my　two　little
children　when　I　speak　of　my　mistress　in　her　present　position。　I
really　think　they　make　the　great　happiness；　and　interest；　and
amusement　of　her　life；　and　prevent　her　from　feeling　lonely　and
dried　up　at　heart。　It　is　a　pleasant　reflection　to　me　to　remember
this；　and　perhaps　it　may　be　the　same　to　you；　for　which　reason
only　I　speak　of　it。

As　for　the　other　persons　connected　with　the　troubles　at　Darrock
Hall；　I　may　mention　the　vile　woman　Josephine　first；　so　as　to　have
the　sooner　done　with　her。　Mr。　Dark's　guess；　when　he　tried　to
account　for　her　want　of　cunning　in　hiding　the　stolen　property；　by
saying　that　her　mind　might　have　had　more　　weighing　on　it　than　she
was　able　to　bear；　turned　out　to　b　e　nothing　less　than　the　plain
and　awful　truth。　After　she　had　been　found　guilty　of　the　robbery；
and　had　been　condemned　to　seven　years'　transportation；　a　worse
sentence　fell　upon　her　from　a　higher　tribunal　than　any　in　this
world。　While　she　was　still　in　the　county　jail；　previous　to　her
removal；　her　mind　gave　way；　the　madness　breaking　out　in　an
attempt　to　set　fire　to　the　prison。　Her　case　was　pronounced　to　be
hopeless　from　the　first。　The　lawful　asylum　received　her；　and　the
lawful　asylum　will　keep　her　to　the　end　of　her　days。

Mr。　James　Smith；　who；　in　my　humble　opinion；　deserved　hanging　by
law；　or　drowning　by　accident　at　least；　lived　quietly　abroad　with
his　Scotch　wife　（or　no　wife）　for　two　years；　and　then　died　in　the
most　quiet　and　customary　manner；　in　his　bed；　after　a　short
illness。　His　end　was　described　to　me　as　a　〃highly　edifying　one。〃
But　as　he　was　also　reported　to　have　sent　his　forgiveness　to　his
wifewhich　was　as　much　as　to　say　that　_he_　was　the　injured
person　of　the　twoI　take　leave　to　consider　that　he　was　the　same
impudent　vagabond　in　his　last　moments　that　he　had　been　all　his
life。　His　Scotch　widow　has　married　again；　and　is　now　settled　in
London。　I　hope　her　husband　is　all　her　own　property　this　time。

Mr。　Meeke　must　not　be　forgotten；　although　he　has　dropped　out　of
the　latter　part　of　my　story　because　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　the
serious　events　which　followed　Josephine's　perjury。　In　the
confusion　and　wretchedness　of　that　time；　he　was　treated　with　very
little　ceremony；　and　was　quite　passed　over　when　we　left　the
neighborhood。　After　pining　and　fretting　some　time；　as　we
afterward　heard；　in　his　lonely　parsonage；　he　resigned　his　living
at　the　first　chance　he　got；　and　took　a　sort　of　under…chaplain's
place　in　an　English　chapel　abroad。　He　writes　to　my　mistress　once
or　twice　a　year　to　ask　after　her　health　and　well…being；　and　she
writes　back　to　him。　That　is　all　the　communication　they　are　ever
likely　to　have　with　each　other。　The　music　they　once　played
together　will　never　sound　again。　Its　last　notes　have　long　since
faded　away　and　the　last　words　of　this　story；　trembling　on　the
lips　of　the　teller；　may　now　fade　with　them。


THE　NINTH　DAY。

A　LITTLE　change　in　the　weather。　The　rain　still　continues；　but　the
wind　is　not　quite　so　high。　Have　I　any　reason　to　believe；　because
it　is　calmer　on　land；　that　it　is　also　calmer　at　sea？　Perhaps　not。
But　my　mind　is　scarcely　so　uneasy　to…day；　nevertheless。

I　had　looked　over　the　newspaper　with　the　usual　result；　and　had
laid　it　down　with　the　customary　sense　of　disappointment；　when
Jessie　handed　me　a　letter　which　she　had　received　that　morning。　It
was　written　by　her　aunt；　and　it　upbraided　her　in　the　highly
exaggerated　terms　which　ladies　love　to　employ；　where　any　tender
interests　of　their　own　are　concerned；　for　her　long　silence　and
her　long　absence　from　home。　Home！　I　thought　of　my　poor　boy　and　of
the　one　hope　on　which　all　his　happiness　rested；　and　I　felt
jealous　of　the　word　when　I　saw　it　used　persuasively　in　a　letter
to　our　guest。　What　right　had　any　one　to　mention　〃home〃　to　her
until　George　had　spoken　first？

〃I　must　answer　it　by　return　of　post；〃　said　Jessie；　with　a　tone　of
sorrow　in　her　voice　for　which　my　heart　warmed　to　her。　〃You　have
been　very　kind　to　me；　you　have　taken　more　pains　to　interest　and
amuse　me　than　I　am　worth。　I　can　laugh　about　most　things；　but　I
can't　laugh　about　going　away。　I　am　honestly　and　sincerely　too
grateful　for　that。〃

She　paused；　came　round　to　where　I　was　sitting；　perched　herself　on
the　end　of　the　table；　and；　resting　her　hands　on　my　shoulders；
added　gently：

〃It　must　be　the　day　after　to…morrow；　must　it　not？〃

I　could　not　trust　myself　to　answer。　If　I　had　spoken；　I　should
have　betrayed　George's　secret　in　spite　of　myself。

〃To…morrow　is　the　tenth　day；〃　she　went　on；　softly。　〃It　looks　so
selfish　and　so　ungrateful　to　go　the　moment　I　have　heard　the　last
of　the　stories；　that　I　am　quite　distressed　at　being　obliged　to
enter　on　the　subject　at　all。　And　yet；　what　choice　is　left　me？
what　can　I　do　when　my　aunt　writes　to　me　in　that　way？〃

She　took　up　the　letter　again；　and　looked　at　it　so　ruefully　that　I
drew　her　head　a　little　nearer　to　me；　and　gratefully　kissed　the
smooth　white　forehead。

〃If　your　aunt　is　only　half　as　anxious　to　see　you　again；　my　love；
as　I　am　to　see　my　son；　I　must　forgive　her　for　taking　you　away
from　us。〃　The　words　came　from　me　without　premeditation。　It　was
not　calculation　this　time；　but　sheer　instinct　that　impelled　me　to
test　her　in　this　way；　once　more；　by　a　direct　reference　to　George。
She　was　so　close　to　me　that　I　felt　her　breath　quiver　on　my　cheek。
Her　eyes　had　been　fixed　on　my　face　a　moment　before；　but　they　now
wandered　away　from　it　constrainedly。　One　of　her　hands　trembled　a
little　on　my　shoulder；　and　she　took　it　off。

〃Thank　you　for　trying　to　make　our　parting　easier　to　me；〃　she
said；　quickly；　and　in　a　lower　tone　than　she　had　spoken　in　yet。　I
made　no　answer；　but　still　looked　her　anxiously　in　the　face。　For　a
few　seconds　her　nimble　delicate　fingers　nervously　folded　and
refolded　the　letter　from　her　aunt；　then　she　abruptly　changed　her
position。

〃The　sooner　I　write；　the　sooner　it　will　be　over；〃　she　said；　and
hurriedly　turned　away　to　the　paper…case　on　the　side…table。

How　was　the　change　in　her　manner　to　be　rightly　interpreted？　Was
she　hurt　by　what　I　had　said；　or　was　she　secretly　so　much　affected
by　it；　in　the　impressionable　state　of　her　mind　at　that　moment；　as
to　be　incapable　of　exerting　a　young　girl's　customary
self…control？　Her　looks；　actions；　and　language　might　bear　either
interpretation。　One　striking　omission　had　marked　her　conduct　when
I　had　referred　to　George's　ret