the queen of hearts-第84节

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Charing；　washing；　laying…out；　keeping　empty　housesnothing　comes
amiss　to　her。　She's　my　half…sister；　and　I　think　I　ought　to　know。〃

〃Did　you　say　she　went　out　charing？〃　I　asked；　making　believe　as　if
I　knew　of　somebody　who　might　employ　her。

〃Yes；　of　course　I　did；〃　answered　the　woman；　〃and　if　you　can　put　a
job　into　her　hands；　you'll　be　doing　a　good　turn　to　a　poor
hard…working　creature　as　wants　it。　She　lives　down　the　Mews　here
to　the　rightname　of　Horlick；　and　as　honest　a　woman　as　ever
stood　in　shoe…leather。　Now；　then；　ma'am；　what　for　you？〃

Another　customer　came　in　just　then；　and　occupied　her　attention。　I
left　the　shop；　passed　the　turning　that　led　down　to　the　Mews；
looked　up　at　the　name　of　the　street；　so　as　to　know　how　to　find　it
again；　and　then　ran　home　as　fast　as　I　could。　Perhaps　it　was　the
remembrance　of　my　strange　dream　striking　me　on　a　sudden；　or
perhaps　it　was　the　shock　of　the　discovery　I　had　just　made；　but　I
began　to　feel　frightened　without　knowing　why；　and　anxious　to　be
under　shelter　in　my　own　room。

It　Robert　should　come　back！　Oh；　what　a　relief　and　help　it　would
be　now　if　Robert　should　come　back！


May　1st。　On　getting　indoors　last　night；　the　first　thing　I　did；
after　striking　a　light；　was　to　take　the　ragged　cravat　off　the
candles；　and　smooth　it　out　on　the　table。　I　then　took　the　end　that
had　been　in　poor　Mary's　hand　out　of　my　writing…desk；　and　smoothed
that　out　too。　It　matched　the　torn　side　of　the　cravat　exactly。　I
put　them　together；　and　satisfied　myself　that　there　was　not　a
doubt　of　it。

Not　once　did　I　close　my　eyes　that　night。　A　kind　of　fever　got
possession　of　mea　vehement　yearning　to　go　on　from　this　first
discovery　and　find　out　more；　no　matter　what　the　risk　might　be。
The　cravat　now　really　became；　to　my　mind；　the　clew　that　I　thought
I　saw　in　my　dreamthe　clew　that　I　was　resolved　to　follow。　I
determined　to　go　to　Mrs。　Horlick　this　evening　on　my　return　from
work。

I　found　the　Mews　easily。　A　crook…backed　dwarf　of　a　man　was
lounging　at　the　corner　of　it　smoking　his　pipe。　Not　liking　his
looks；　I　did　not　inquire　of　him　where　Mrs。　Horlick　lived；　but
went　down　the　Mews　till　I　met　with　a　woman；　and　asked　her。　She
directed　me　to　the　right　number。　I　knocked　at　the　door；　and　Mrs。
Horlick　herselfa　lean；
　ill…tempered；　miserable…looking　womananswered　it。　I　told　her
at　once　that　I　had　come　to　ask　what　her　terms　were　for　charing。
She　stared　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　answered　my　question　civilly
enough。

〃You　look　surprised　at　a　stranger　like　me　finding　you　out；〃　I
said。　〃I　first　came　to　hear　of　you　last　night；　from　a　relation　of
yours；　in　rather　an　odd　way。〃

And　I　told　her　all　that　had　happened　in　the　chandler's　shop；
bringing　in　the　bundle　of　rags；　and　the　circumstance　of　my
carrying　home　the　candles　in　the　old　torn　cravat；　as　often　as
possible。

〃It's　the　first　time　I've　heard　of　anything　belonging　to　him
turning　out　any　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Horlick；　bitterly。

〃What！　the　spoiled　old　neck…handkerchief　belonged　to　your
husband；　did　it？〃　said　I；　at　a　venture。

〃Yes；　I　pitched　his　rotten　rag　of　a　neck…'andkercher　into　the
bundle　along　with　the　rest；　and　I　wish　I　could　have　pitched　him
in　after　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Horlick。　〃I'd　sell　him　cheap　at　any
ragshop。　There　he　stands；　smoking　his　pipe　at　the　end　of　the
Mews；　out　of　work　for　weeks　past；　the　idlest　humpbacked　pig　in
all　London！〃

She　pointed　to　the　man　whom　I　had　passed　on　entering　the　Mews。　My
cheeks　began　to　burn　and　my　knees　to　tremble；　for　I　knew　that　in
tracing　the　cravat　to　its　owner　I　was　advancing　a　step　toward　a
fresh　discovery。　I　wished　Mrs。　Horlick　good　evening；　and　said　I
would　write　and　mention　the　day　on　which　I　wanted　her。

What　I　had　just　been　told　put　a　thought　into　my　mind　that　I　was
afraid　to　follow　out。　I　have　heard　people　talk　of　being
light…headed；　and　I　felt　as　I　have　heard　them　say　they　felt　when
I　retraced　my　steps　up　the　Mews。　My　head　got　giddy；　and　my　eyes
seemed　able　to　see　nothing　but　the　figure　of　the　little
crook…backed　man；　still　smoking　his　pipe　in　his　former　place。　I
could　see　nothing　but　that；　I　could　think　of　nothing　but　the　mark
of　the　blow　on　my　poor　lost　Mary's　temple。　I　know　that　I　must
have　been　light…headed；　for　as　I　came　close　to　the　crook…backed
man　I　stopped　without　meaning　it。　The　minute　before；　there　had
been　no　idea　in　me　of　speaking　to　him。　I　did　not　know　how　to
speak；　or　in　what　way　it　would　be　safest　to　begin；　and　yet；　the
moment　I　came　face　to　face　with　him；　something　out　of　myself
seemed　to　stop　me；　and　to　make　me　speak　without　considering
beforehand；　without　thinking　of　consequences；　without　knowing；　I
may　almost　say；　what　words　I　was　uttering　till　the　instant　when
they　rose　to　my　lips。

〃When　your　old　neck…tie　was　torn；　did　you　know　that　one　end　of　it
went　to　the　rag…shop；　and　the　other　fell　into　my　hands？〃

I　said　these　bold　words　to　him　suddenly；　and；　as　it　seemed；
without　my　own　will　taking　any　part　in　them。

He　started；　stared；　changed　color。　He　was　too　much　amazed　by　my
sudden　speaking　to　find　an　answer　for　me。　When　he　did　open　his
lips；　it　was　to　say　rather　to　himself　than　me：

〃You're　not　the　girl。〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　with　a　strange　choking　at　my　heart；　〃I'm　her
friend。〃

By　this　time　he　had　recovered　his　surprise；　and　he　seemed　to　be
aware　that　he　had　let　out　more　than　he　ought。

〃You　may　be　anybody's　friend　you　like；〃　he　said；　brutally；　〃so
long　as　you　don't　come　jabbering　nonsense　here。　I　don't　know　you；
and　I　don't　understand　your　jokes。〃

He　turned　quickly　away　from　me　when　he　had　said　the　last　words。
He　had　never　once　looked　fairly　at　me　since　I　first　spoke　to　him。

Was　it　his　hand　that　had　struck　the　blow？　I　had　only　sixpence　in
my　pocket；　but　I　took　it　out　and　followed　him。　If　it　had　been　a
five…pound　note　I　should　have　done　the　same　in　the　state　I　was　in
then。

〃Would　a　pot　of　beer　help　you　to　understand　me？〃　I　said；　and
offered　him　the　sixpence。

〃A　pot　ain't　no　great　things；〃　he　answered；　taking　the　sixpence
doubtfully。

〃It　may　lead　to　something　better；〃　I　said。　His　eyes　began　to
twinkle；　and　he　came　close　to　me。　Oh；　how　my　legs　trembledhow
my　head　swam！

〃This　is　all　in　a　friendly　way；　is　it？〃　he　asked；　in　a　whisper。

I　nodded　my　head。　At　that　moment　I　could　not　have　spoken　for
worlds。

〃Friendly；　of　course；〃　he　went　on　to　himself；　〃or　there　would
have　been　a　policeman　in　it。　She　told　you；　I　suppose；　that　I
wasn't　the　man？〃

I　nodded　my　head　again。　It　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　myself
standing　upright。

〃I　suppose　it's　a　case　of　threatening　to　have　him　up；　and　make
him　settle　it　quietly　for　a　pound　or　two？　How　much　for　me　if　you
lay　hold　of　him？〃

〃Half。〃

I　began　to　be　afraid　that　he　would　suspect　something　if　I　was
still　silent。　The　wretch's　eyes　twinkled　again　and　he　came　yet
closer。

〃I　drove　him　to　the　Red　Lion；　corner　of　Dodd　Street　and　Rudgely
Street。　The　house　was　shut　up；　but　he　was　let　in　at　the　jug　and
bottle　door；　like　a　man　who　was　known　to　the　landlord。　That's　as
much　as　I　can　tell　you；　and　I'm　certain　I'm　right。　He　was　the
last　fare　I　took　up　at　night。　The　next　morning　master　gave　me　the
sacksaid　I　cribbed　his　corn　and　his　fares。　I　wish　I　had。〃

I　gathered　from　this　that　the　crook…backed　man　had　been　a
cab…driver。

〃Why　don't　you　speak？〃　he　asked；　suspiciously。　〃Has　she　been
telling　you　a　pack　of　lies　about　me？　What　did　she　say　when　she
came　home？〃

〃What　ought　she　to　have　said？〃

〃She　ought　to　have　said　my　fare　was　drunk；　and　she　came　in　the
way　as　he　was　going　to　get　into　the　cab。　That's　what　she　ought　to
have　said　to　begin　with。〃

〃But　after？〃

〃Well；　after；　my　fare；　by　way　of　larking　with　her；　puts　out　his
leg　for　to　trip　her　up；　and　she　stumbles　and　catches　at　me　for　to
save　herself；　and　tears　off　one　of　the　limp　ends　of　my　rotten　old
tie。　'What　do　you　mean　by　that；　you　brute？'　says　she；　turning
round　as　soon　as　she　was　steady　on　her　legs；　to　my　fare。　Says　my
fare　to　her：　'I　means　to　teach　you　to　keep　a　civil　tongue　in　your
head。'　And　he　ups　with　his　fist；　andwhat's　come　to　you；　now？
What　are　you　looking　at　me　like　that　for？　How　do　you　think　a　man
of　my　size　was　to　take　her　part　against　a　man　big　enough　to　have
eaten　me　up？　Look　as　much　as　you　like；　in　my　place　you　would　have
done　what　I　donedrew　off　when　he　shook　his　fist　at　you；　and
swore　he'd　be　the　death　of　you　if　you　didn't　start　your　horse　in
no　time。〃

I　saw　he　was　working　himself　up　into　a　rage；　but　I　could　not；　if
my　life　had　depended　on　it；　have　stood　near　him　or　looked　at　him
any　longer。　I　just　managed　to　stammer　out　that　I　had　been　walking
a　long　way；　and　that；　not　being　used　to　much　exercise；　I　felt
faint　and　giddy　with　fatigue。　He　only　changed　from　angry　to　sulky
when　I　made　that　excuse。　I　got　a　little　further　away　from　him；
and　then　added　that　if　he　would　be　at　the　Mews　entrance　the　next
evening　I　should　have　something　more　to　say　and　something　more　to
give　him。　He　grumbled　a　few　suspicious　words　in　answer　about
doubting　whether　he　should　trust　me　to　come　back。　Fortunately；　at
that　moment；　a　policeman　passed　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way。
He　slunk　down　the　Mews　immediately；　and　I　was　free　to　make　my
escape。

How　I　got　home　I　can't　say；　except　that