stories by modern american authors-第73节

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There　could　be　no　longer　any　doubt　of　it。　　This　was　some　portion　of

a　Romish　booksome　infamous　Popish　publication。　　Fool　that　I　was

not　to　see　it　all　before！　　But　there　was　yet　time。　　I　would　forbid

him　the　house。



I　had　just　formed　this　resolution　when　my　wife　entered。　　I　put　the

strange　leaf　in　my　pocket　and　took　my　hat。



〃Why；　you　are　not　going　out；　surely？〃　cried　Elsie；　surprised。



〃I　have　a　headache；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　will　take　a　short　walk。〃



Elsie　looked　at　me　with　a　peculiar　air　of　distrust。　　Her　woman's

instinct　told　her　that　there　was　something　wrong。　　Before　she　could

question　me；　however；　I　had　left　the　room　and　was　walking　rapidly

on　Hammond　Brake's　track。



He　heard　the　footsteps；　and　I　saw　his　figure；　black　against　the

sky；　stop　and　peer　back　through　the　dusk　to　see　who　was　following

him。



〃It　is　I；　Brake；〃　I　called　out。　　〃Stop；　I　wish　to　speak　with　you。〃



He　stopped；　and　in　a　minute　or　so　we　were　walking　side　by　side

along　the　road。　　My　fingers　itched　at　that　moment　to　be　on　his

throat。　　I　commenced　the　conversation。



〃Brake；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　a　very　plain　sort　of　man；　and　I　never　say

anything　without　good　reason。　　What　I　came　after　you　to　tell　you

is；　that　I　don't　wish　you　to　come　to　my　house　any　more；　or　to　speak

with　Elsie　any　farther　than　the　ordinary　salutations　go。　　It's　no

joke。　　I'm　quite　in　earnest。〃



Brake　started；　and；　stopping　short；　faced　me　suddenly　in　the　road。

〃What　have　I　done？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　surely　are　too　sensible　a　man

to　be　jealous；　Dayton。〃



〃Oh；〃　I　answered　scornfully；　〃not　jealous　in　the　ordinary　sense　of

the　word；　a　bit。　　But　I　don't　think　your　company　good　company　for

my　wife；　Brake。　　If　you　WILL　have　it　out　of　me；　I　suspect　you　of

being　a　Roman　Catholic；　and　of　trying　to　convert　my　wife。〃



A　smile　shot　across　his　face；　and　I　saw　his　sharp　white　teeth　gleam

for　an　instant　in　the　dusk。



〃Well；　what　if　I　am　a　Papist？〃　he　said；　with　a　strange　tone　of

triumph　in　his　voice。　　〃The　faith　is　not　criminal。　　Besides；　what

proof　have　you　that　I　was　attempting　to　proselyte　your　wife？〃



〃This；〃　said　I；　pulling　the　leaf　from　my　pocket〃this　leaf　from

one　of　those　devilish　Papist　books　you　and　she　were　reading　this

evening。　　I　picked　it　up　from　the　floor。　　Proof　enough；　I　think！〃



In　an　instant　Brake　had　snatched　the　leaf　from　my　hand　and　torn　it

into　atoms。



〃You　shall　be　obeyed；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　not　speak　with　Elsie　as

long　as　she　is　your　wife。　　Good　night。　　You　think　I'm　a　Papist；

then；　Dayton？　　You're　a　clever　fellow！〃



And　with　rather　a　sneering　chuckle　he　marched　on　along　the　road　and

vanished　into　the　darkness。





II



THE　SECRET　DISCOVERED





Brake　came　no　more。　　I　said　nothing　to　Elsie　about　his　prohibition；

and　his　name　was　never　mentioned。　　It　seemed　strange　to　me　that　she

should　not　speak　of　his　absence；　and　I　was　very　much　puzzled　by　her

silence。　　Her　moodiness　seemed　to　have　increased；　and；　what　was

most　remarkable；　in　proportion　as　she　grew　more　and　more　reserved；

the　intenser　were　the　bursts　of　affection　which　she　exhibited　for

me。　　She　would　strain　me　to　her　bosom　and　kiss　me；　as　if　she　and　I

were　about　to　be　parted　forever。　　Then　for　hours　she　would　remain

sitting　at　her　window；　silently　gazing；　with　that　terrible；　wistful

gaze　of　hers；　at　the　west。



I　will　confess　to　having　watched　my　wife　at　this　time。　　I　could　not

help　it。　　That　some　mystery　hung　about　her　I　felt　convinced。　　I

must　fathom　it　or　die。　　Her　honor　I　never　for　a　moment　doubted；　yet

there　seemed　to　weigh　continually　upon　me　the　prophecy　of　some

awful　domestic　calamity。　　This　time　the　prophecy　was　not　in　vain。



About　three　weeks　after　I　had　forbidden　Brake　my　house；　I　was

strolling　over　my　farm　in　the　evening　apparently　inspecting　my

agriculture；　but　in　reality　speculating　on　that　topic　which

latterly　was　ever　present　to　me。



There　was　a　little　knoll　covered　with　evergreen　oaks　at　the　end　of

the　lawn。　　It　was　a　picturesque　spot；　for　on　one　side　the　bank　went

off　into　a　sheer　precipice　of　about　eighty　feet　in　depth；　at　the

bottom　of　which　a　pretty　pool　lay；　that　in　the　summer　time　was

fringed　with　white　water…lilies。　　I　had　thought　of　building　a

summer…house　in　this　spot；　and　now　my　steps　mechanically　directed

themselves　toward　the　place。　　As　I　approached　I　heard　voices。　　I

stopped　and　listened　eagerly。　　A　few　seconds　enabled　me　to

ascertain　that　Hammond　Brake　and　my　wife　were　in　the　copse　talking

together。　　She　still　followed　him；　then；　and　he；　scoundrel　that　he

was；　had　broken　his　promise。　　A　fury　seemed　to　fill　my　veins　as　I

made　this　discovery。　　I　felt　the　impulse　strong　upon　me　to　rush

into　the　grove；　and　then　and　there　strangle　the　villain　who　was

poisoning　my　peace。　　But　with　a　powerful　effort　I　restrained

myself。　　It　was　necessary　that　I　should　overhear　what　was　said。　　I

threw　myself　flat　on　the　grass；　and　so　glided　silently　into　the

copse　until　I　was　completely　within　earshot。　　This　was　what　I

heard。



My　wife　was　sobbing。　　〃So　soonso　soon？　　IHammond；　give　me　a

little　time！〃



〃I　cannot；　Elsie。　　My　chief　orders　me　to　join　him。　　You　must

prepare　to　accompany　me。〃



〃No；　no！〃　murmured　Elsie。　　〃He　loves　me　so！　　And　I　love　him。　　Our

child；　toohow　can　I　rob　him　of　our　unborn　babe？〃



〃Another　sheep　for　our　flock；〃　answered　Brake　solemnly。　　〃Elsie；　do

you　forget　your　oath？　　Are　you　one　of　us；　or　are　you　a　common

hypocrite；　who　will　be　of　us　until　the　hour　of　self…sacrifice；　and

then　fly　like　a　coward？　　Elsie；　you　must　leave　to…night。〃



〃Ah！　my　husband；　my　husband！〃　sobbed　the　unhappy　woman。



〃You　have　no　husband；　woman；〃　cried　Brake　harshly。　　〃I　promised

Dayton　not　to　speak　to　you　as　long　as　you　were　his　wife；　but　the

vow　was　annulled　before　it　was　made。　　Your　husband　in　God　yet

awaits　you。　　You　will　yet　be　blessed　with　the　true　spouse。〃



〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　going　to　die；〃　cried　Elsie。　　〃How　can　I　ever

forsake　himhe　who　was　so　good　to　me？〃



〃Nonsense！　no　weakness。　　He　is　not　worthy　of　you。　　Go　home　and

prepare　for　your　journey。　　You　know　where　to　meet　me。　　I　will　have

everything　ready；　and　by　daybreak　there　shall　be　no　trace　of　us

left。　　Beware　of　permitting　your　husband　to　suspect　anything。　　He

is　not　very　shrewd　at　such　thingshe　thought　I　was　a　Jesuit　in

disguisebut　we　had　better　be　careful。　　Now　go。　　You　have　been　too

long　here　already。　　Bless　you；　sister。〃



A　few　faint　sobs；　a　rustling　of　leaves；　and　I　knew　that　Brake　was

alone。　　I　rose；　and　stepped　silently　into　the　open　space　in　which

he　stood。　　His　back　was　toward　me。　　His　arms　were　lifted　high　over

his　head　with　an　exultant　gesture；　and　I　could　see　his　profile；　as

it　slightly　turned　toward　me；　illuminated　with　a　smile　of　scornful

triumph。　　I　put　my　hand　suddenly　on　his　throat　from　behind；　and

flung　him　on　the　ground　before　he　could　utter　a　cry。



〃Not　a　word；〃　I　said；　unclasping　a　short…bladed　knife　which　I

carried；　〃answer　my　questions；　or；　by　heaven；　I　will　cut　your

throat　from　ear　to　ear！〃



He　looked　up　into　my　face　with　an　unflinching　eye；　and　set　his　lips

as　if　resolved　to　suffer　all。



〃What　are　you？　　Who　are　you？　　What　object　have　you　in　the　seduction

of　my　wife？〃



He　smiled；　but　was　silent。



〃Ah！　you　won't　answer。　　We'll　see。〃



I　pressed　the　knife　slowly　against　his　throat。　　His　face　contracted

spasmodically；　but　although　a　thin　red　thread　of　blood　sprang　out

along　the　edge　of　the　blade；　Brake　remained　mute。　　An　idea　suddenly

seized　me。　　This　sort　of　death　had　no　terrors　for　him。　　I　would　try

another。　　There　was　the　precipice。　　I　was　twice　as　powerful　as　he

was；　so　I　seized　him　in　my　arms；　and　in　a　moment　transported　him　to

the　margin　of　the　steep；　smooth　cliff；　the　edge　of　which　was

garnished　with　the　tough　stems　of　the　wild　vine。　　He　seemed　to　feel

it　was　useless　to　struggle　with　me；　so　allowed　me　passively　to　roll

him　over　the　edge。　　When　he　was　suspended　in　the　air；　I　gave　him　a

vine　stem　to　cling　to　and　let　him　go。　　He　swung　at　a　height　of

eighty　feet；　with　face　upturned　and　pale。　　He　dared　not　look　down。

I　seated　myself　on　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　with　my　knife　began

to　cut　into　the　thick　vine　a　foot　or　two　above　the　place　of　his

grasp。　　I　was　correct　in　my　calculation。　　This　terror　was　too　much

for　him。　　As　he　saw　the　notch　in　the　vine　getting　deeper　and

deeper；　his　determination　gave　way。



〃I'll　answer　you；〃　he　gasped　out；　gazing　at　me　with　starting

eyeballs；　〃what　do　you　ask？〃



〃What　are　you？〃　was　my　question；　as　I　ceased　cutting　at　the　stem。



〃A　Mormon；〃　was　the　answer；　uttered　with　a　groan。　　〃Take　me　up。　　My

hands　are　slipping。　　Quick！〃



〃And　you　wanted　my　wife　to　follow　you　to　that　infernal　Salt　Lake；

City；　I　suppose？〃



〃For　God's　sake；　release　me！　　I'll　quit　the　place；　never　to　come

back。　　Do　help　me　up；　DaytonI'm　falling！〃



I　felt　mightily　inclined　to　let　the　villain　drop；　but　it