the queen of hearts-第87节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


quickly　and　kissed　my　forehead。　I　was　quite　overcome；　and　sank
down　and　hid　my　face　on　the　table。　When　I　looked　up　again　he　was
gone。

*　*　*　*　*　*　*

June　25th；　1841。　I　write　these　lines　on　my　wedding　morning；　when
little　more　than　a　year　has　passed　since　Robert　returned　to
England。

His　salary　was　increased　yesterday　to　one　hundred　and　fifty
pounds　a　year。　If　I　only　knew　where　Mr。　Mallinson　was；　I　would
write　and　tell　him　of　our　present　happiness。　But　for　the
situation　which　his　kindness　procured　for　Robert；　we　might　still
have　been　waiting　vainly　for　the　day　that　has　now　come。

I　am　to　work　at　home　for　the　future；　and　Sally　is　to　help　us　in
our　new　abode。　If　Mary　could　have　lived　to　see　this　day！　I　am　not
ungrateful　for　my　blessings；　but　oh；　how　I　miss　that　sweet　face
on　this　morning　of　all　others！

I　got　up　to…day　early　enough　to　go　alone　to　the　grave；　and　to
gather　the　nosegay　that　now　lies　before　me　from　the　flowers　that
grow　round　it。　I　shall　put　it　in　my　bosom　when　Robert　comes　to
fetch　me　to　the　church。　Mary　would　have　been　my　bridesmaid　if　she
had　lived；　and　I　can't　forget　Mary；　even　on　my　wedding…day。　。　。　。


THE　NIGHT。


THE　last　words　of　the　last　story　fell　low　and　trembling　from
Owen's　lips。　He　waited　for　a　moment　while　Jessie　dried　the　tears
which　Anne　Rodway's　simple　diary　had　drawn　from　her　warm　young
heart；　then　closed　the　manuscript；　and　taking　her　hand　patted　it
in　his　gentle；　fatherly　way。

〃You　will　be　glad　to　hear；　my　love；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　can　speak
from　personal　experience　of　Anne　Rodway's　happiness。　She　came　to
live　in　my　parish　soon　after　the　trial　at　which　she　appeared　as
chief　witness；　and　I　was　the　clergyman　who　married　her。　Months
before　that　I　knew　her　story；　and　had　read　those　portions　of　her
diary　which　you　have　just　heard。　When　I　made　her　my　little
present　on　her　wedding　day；　and　when　she　gratefully　entreated　me
to　tell　her　what　she　could　do　for　me　in　return；　I　asked　for　a
copy　of　her　diary　to　keep　among　the　papers　that　I　treasured　most。
'The　reading　of　it　now　and　then；'　I　said；　'will　encourage　that
faith　in　the　brighter　and　better　part　of　human　nature　which　I
hope；　by　God's　help；　to　preserve　pure　to　my　dying　day。'　In　that
way　I　became　possessed　of　the　manuscript：　it　was　Anne's　husband
who　made　the　copy　for　me。　You　have　noticed　a　few　withered　leaves
scattered　here　and　there　between　the　pages。　They　were　put　there；
years　since；　by　the　bride's　own　hand：　they　are　all　that　now
remain　of　the　flowers　that　Anne　Rodway　gathered　on　her　marriage
morning　from　Mary　Mallinson's　grave。〃

Jessie　tried　to　answer；　but　the　words　failed　on　her　lips。　Between
the　effect　of　the　story；　and　the　anticipation　of　the　parting　now
so　near　at　hand；　the　good；　impulsive；　affectionate　creature　was
fairly　overcome。　She　laid　her　head　on　Owen's　shoulder；　and　kept
tight　hold　of　his　hand；　and　let　her　heart　speak　simply　for
itself；　without　attempting　to　help　it　by　a　single　word。

The　silence　that　followed　was　broken　harshly　by　the　tower　clock。
The　heavy　hammer　slowly　rang　out　ten　strokes　through　the　gloomy
night…time　and　the　dying　storm。

I　waited　till　the　last　humming　echo　of　the　clock　fainted　into
dead　stillness。　I　listened　once　more　attentively；　and　again
listened　in　vain。　Then　I　rose；　and　proposed　to　my　brothers　that
we　should　leave　our　guest　to　compose　herself　for　the　night。

When　Owen　and　Morgan　were　ready　to　quit　the　room；　I　took　her　by
the　hand；　and　drew　her　a　little　aside。

〃You　leave　us　early；　my　dear；〃　I　said；　〃but；　before　you　go
to…morrow　morning〃

I　stopped　to　listen　for　the　last　time；　before　the　words　were
spoken　which　committed　me　to　the　desperate　experiment　of　pleading
George's　cause　in　defiance　of　his　own　request。　Nothing　caught　my
ear　but　the　sweep　of　the　weary　weakened　wind　and　the　melancholy
surging　of　the　shaken　trees。

〃But；　before　you　go　to…morrow　morning；〃　I　resumed；　〃I　want　to
speak　to　you　in　private。　We　shall　breakfast　at　eight　o'clock。　Is
it　asking　too　much　to　beg　you　to　come　and　see　me　alone　in　my
study　at　half　past　seven？〃

Just　as　her　lips　opened　to　answer　me　I　saw　a　change　pass　over　her
face。　I　had　kept　her　hand　in　mine　while　I　was　speaking；　and　I
must　have　pressed　it　unconsciously　so　hard　as　almost　to　hurt　her。
She　may　even　have　uttered　a　few　words　of　remonstrance；　but　they
never　reached　me：　my　whole　hearing　sense　was　seized；　absorbed；
petrified。　At　the　very　instant　when　I　had　ceased　speaking；　I；　and
I　alone；　heard　a　faint　sounda　sound　that　was　new　to　mefly
past　the　Glen　Tower　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。

〃Open　the　window；　for　God's　sake！〃　I　cried。

My　hand　mechanically　held　hers　tighter　and　tighter。　She　struggled
to　free　it；　looking　hard　at　me　with　pale　cheeks　and　frightened
eyes。　Owen　hastened　up　and　released　her；　and　put　his　arms　round
me。

〃Griffith；　Griffith！〃　he　whispered；　〃control　yourself；　for
George's　sake。〃

Morgan　hurried　to　the　window　and　threw　it　wide　open。

The　wind　and　rain　rushed　in　fiercely。　Welcome；　welcome　wind！　They
all　heard　it　now。　〃Oh；　Father　in　heaven；　so　merciful　to　fathers
on　earthmy　son；　my　son！〃

It　came　in；　louder　and　louder　with　every　gust　of　windthe
joyous；　rapid　gathering　roll　of　wheels。　My　eyes　fastened　on　her
as　if　they　could　see　to　her　heart；　while　she　stood　there　with　her
sweet　face　turned　on　me　all　pale　and　startled。　I　tried　to　speak
to　her；　I　tried　to　break　away　from　Owen's　arms；　to　throw　my　own
arms　round　her；　to　keep　her　on　my　bosom；　till　_he_　came　to　take
her　from　me。　But　all　my　strength　had　gone　in　the　long　waiting　and
the　long　suspense。　My　head　sank　on　Owen's　breastbut　I　still
heard　the　wheels。　Morgan　loosened　my　cravat；　and　sprinkled　water
over　my　faceI　still　heard　the　wheels。　The　poor　terrified　girl
ran　into　her　room；　and　came　back　with　her　smelling…saltsI　heard
the　carriage　stop　at　the　house。　The　room　whirled　round　and　round
with　me；　but　I　heard　the　eager　hurry　of　footsteps　in　the　hall；
and　the　opening　of　the　door。　In　another　moment　my　son's　voice
rose　clear　and　cheerful　from　below；　greeting　the　old　servants　who
loved　him。　The　dear；　familiar　tones　just　poured　into　my　ear；　and
then；　the　moment　they　filled　it；　hushed　me　suddenly　to　rest。

When　I　came　to　myself　again　my　eyes　opened　upon　George。　I　was
lying　on　the　sofa；　still　in　the　same　room；　the　lights　we　had　read
by　in　the　evening　were　burning　on　the　table；　my　son　was　kneeling
at　my　pillow；　and　we　two　were　alone。


THE　MORNING。

THE　wind　is　fainter；　but　there　is　still　no　calm。　The　rain　is
ceasing；　but　there　is　still　no　sunshine。　The　view　from　my　window
shows　me　the　mist　heavy　on　the　earth；　and　a　dim　gray　veil　drawn
darkly　over　the　sky。　Less　than　twelve　hours　since；　such　a
prospect　would　have　saddened　me　for　the　day。　I　look　out　at　it
this　morning；　through　the　bright　medium　of　my　own　happiness；　and
not　the　shadow　of　a　shade　falls　across　the　steady　inner　sunshine
that　is　poring　over　my　heart。

The　pen　lingers　fondly　in　my　hand；　and　yet　it　is　little；　very
little；　that　I　have　left　to　say。　The　Purple　Volume　lies　open　by
my　side；　with　the　stories　ranged　together　in　it　in　the　order　in
which　they　were　read。　My　son　has　learned　to　prize　them　already　as
the　faithful　friends　who　served　him　at　his　utmost　need。　I　have
only　to　wind　off　the　little　thread　of　narrative　on　which　they　are
all　strung　together　before　the　volume　is　closed　and　our　anxious
literary　experiment　fairly　ended。


My　son　and　I　had　a　quiet　hour　together　on　that　happy　night
before　we　retired　to　rest。　The　little　love…plot　invented　in
George's　interests　now　required　one　last　stroke　of　diplomacy　to
complete　it　before　we　all　threw　off　our　masks　and　assumed　our
true　characters　for　the　future。　When　my　son　and　I　parted　for　the
night；　we　had　planned　the　necessary　stratagem　for　taking　our
lovely　guest　by　surprise　as　soon　as　she　was　out　of　her　bed　in　the
morning。

Shortly　after　seven　o'clock　I　sent　a　message　to　Jessie　by　her
maid；　informing　her　that　a　good　night's　rest　had　done　wonders　for
me；　and　that　I　expected　to　see　her　in　my　study　at　half　past
seven；　as　we　had　arranged　the　evening　before。　As　soon　as　her
answer；　promising　to　be　punctual　to　the　appointment；　had　reached
me；　I　took　George　into　my　studyleft　him　in　my　place　to　plead
his　own　causeand　stole　away；　five　minutes　before　the　half　hour；
to　join　my　brothers　in　the　breakfast…room。

Although　the　sense　of　my　own　happiness　disposed　me　to　take　the
brightest　view　of　my　son's　chances；　I　must　nevertheless
acknowledge　that　some　nervous　anxieties　still　fluttered　about　my
heart　while　the　slow　minutes　of　suspense　were　counting　themselves
out　in　the　breakfast…room。　I　had　as　little　attention　to　spare　for
Owen's　quiet　prognostications　of　success　as　for　Morgan's　pitiless
sarcasms　on　love；　courtship；　and　matrimony。　A　quarter　of　an　hour
elapsedthen　twenty　minutes。　The　hand　moved　on；　and　the　clock
pointed　to　five　minutes　to　eight；　before　I　heard　the　study　door
open；　and　before　the　sound　of　rapidly…advancing　footsteps　warned
me　that　George　was　coming　into　the　room。

His　beaming　face　told　the　good　news　before　a　word　could　be　spoken
on　either　side。　The　excess　of　his　happiness　literally　and　truly
deprived　him　of　speech。　He　stood　eagerly　looking　at　us　all　thr