little novels-第15节

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　dare　say　_your_　life　was　put　in　jeopardy　by　taking　women　in　boats。　Read　it　yourself；　and　let　it　be　a　warning　to　you　for　the　future。〃

Mr。　Cosway　looked　at　the　narrative　of　the　accidentand　revealed　the　romantic　mystery　of　his　life　by　a　burst　of　devout　exclamation；　expressed　in　the　words：

〃Thank　God；　my　wife's　drowned！〃

II。

To　declare　that　Sir　Peter　and　his　guests　were　all　struck　speechless；　by　discovering　in　this　way　that　Mr。　Cosway　was　a　married　man；　is　to　say　very　little。　The　general　impression　appeared　to　be　that　he　was　mad。　His　neighbors　at　the　table　all　drew　back　from　him；　with　the　one　exception　of　his　friend。　Mr。　Stone　looked　at　the　newspaper：　pressed　Mr。　Cosway's　hand　in　silent　sympathyand　addressed　himself　to　his　host。

〃Permit　me　to　make　my　friend's　apologies；〃　he　said；　until　he　is　composed　enough　to　act　for　himself。　The　circumstances　are　so　extraordinary　that　I　venture　to　think　they　excuse　him。　Will　you　allow　us　to　speak　to　you　privately？〃

Sir　Peter；　with　more　apologies　addressed　to　his　visitors；　opened　the　door　which　communicated　with　his　study。　Mr。　Stone　took　Mr。　Cosway's　arm；　and　led　him　out　of　the　room。　He　noticed　no　one；　spoke　to　no　onehe　moved　mechanically；　like　a　man　walking　in　his　sleep。

After　an　unendurable　interval　of　nearly　an　hour's　duration；　Sir　Peter　returned　alone　to　the　breakfast…room。　Mr。　Cosway　and　Mr。　Stone　had　already　taken　their　departure　for　London；　with　their　host's　entire　approval。

〃It　is　left　to　my　discretion　〃　Sir　Peter　proceeded；　〃to　repeat　to　you　what　I　have　heard　in　my　study。　I　will　do　so；　on　one　conditionthat　you　all　consider　yourselves　bound　in　honor　not　to　mention　the　true　names　and　the　real　places；　when　you　tell　the　story　to　others。〃

Subject　to　this　wise　reservation；　the　narrative　is　here　repeated　by　one　of　the　company。　Considering　how　he　may　perform　his　task　to　the　best　advantage；　he　finds　that　the　events　which　preceded　and　followed　Mr。　Cosway's　disastrous　marriage　resolve　themselves　into　certain　well…marked　divisions。　Adopting　this　arrangement；　he　proceeds　to　relate：

_The　First　Epoch　in　Mr。　Cosway's　Life。_

The　sailing　of　her　Majesty's　ship　_Albicore_　was　deferred　by　the　severe　illness　of　the　captain。　A　gentleman　not　possessed　of　political　influence　might；　after　the　doctor's　unpromising　report　of　him；　have　been　superseded　by　another　commanding　officer。　In　the　present　case；　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　showed　themselves　to　be　models　of　patience　and　sympathy。　They　kept　the　vessel　in　port；　waiting　the　captain's　recovery。

Among　the　unimportant　junior　officers；　not　wanted　on　board　under　these　circumstances；　and　favored　accordingly　by　obtaining　leave　to　wait　for　orders　on　shore；　were　two　yo　ung　men；　aged　respectively　twenty…two　and　twenty…three　years；　and　known　by　the　names　of　Cosway　and　Stone。　The　scene　which　now　introduces　them　opens　at　a　famous　seaport　on　the　south　coast　of　England；　and　discloses　the　two　young　gentlemen　at　dinner　in　a　private　room　at　their　inn。

〃I　think　that　last　bottle　of　champagne　was　corked；〃　Cosway　remarked。　〃Let's　try　another。　You're　nearest　the　bell；　Stone。　Ring。〃

Stone　rang；　under　protest。　He　was　the　elder　of　the　two　by　a　year；　and　he　set　an　example　of　discretion。

〃I　am　afraid　we　are　running　up　a　terrible　bill；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　been　here　more　than　three　weeks〃

〃And　we　have　denied　ourselves　nothing；〃　Cosway　added。　〃We　have　lived　like　princes。　Another　bottle　of　champagne；　waiter。　We　have　our　riding…horses；　and　our　carriage；　and　the　best　box　at　the　theater；　and　such　cigars　as　London　itself　could　not　produce。　I　call　that　making　the　most　of　life。　Try　the　new　bottle。　Glorious　drink；　isn't　it？　Why　doesn't　my　father　have　champagne　at　the　family　dinner…table？〃

〃Is　your　father　a　rich　man；　Cosway？〃

〃I　should　say　not。　He　didn't　give　me　anything　like　the　money　I　expected；　when　I　said　good…byand　I　rather　think　he　warned　me　solemnly；　at　parting；　to　take　the　greatest　care　of　it。'　There's　not　a　farthing　more　for　you；'　he　said；　'till　your　ship　returns　from　her　South　American　station。'　_Your_　father　is　a　clergyman；　Stone。〃

〃Well；　and　what　of　that？〃

〃And　some　clergymen　are　rich。〃

〃My　father　is　not　one　of　them；　Cosway。〃

〃Then　let　us　say　no　more　about　him。　Help　yourself；　and　pass　the　bottle。〃

Instead　of　adopting　this　suggestion；　Stone　rose　with　a　very　grave　face；　and　once　more　rang　the　bell。　〃Ask　the　landlady　to　step　up；〃　he　said；　when　the　waiter　appeared。

〃What　do　you　want　with　the　landlady？〃　Cosway　inquired。

〃I　want　the　bill。〃

The　landladyotherwise　Mrs。　Pounceentered　the　room。　She　was　short；　and　old；　and　fat；　and　painted；　and　a　widow。　Students　of　character；　as　revealed　in　the　face；　would　have　discovered　malice　and　cunning　in　her　bright　black　eyes；　and　a　bitter　vindictive　temper　in　the　lines　about　her　thin　red　lips。　Incapable　of　such　subtleties　of　analysis　as　these；　the　two　young　officers　differed　widely；　nevertheless；　in　their　opinions　of　Mrs。　Pounce。　Cosway's　reckless　sense　of　humor　delighted　in　pretending　to　be　in　love　with　her。　Stone　took　a　dislike　to　her　from　the　first。　When　his　friend　asked　for　the　reason；　he　made　a　strangely　obscure　answer。　〃Do　you　remember　that　morning　in　the　wood　when　you　killed　the　snake？〃　he　said。　〃I　took　a　dislike　to　the　snake。〃　Cosway　made　no　further　inquiries。

〃Well；　my　young　heroes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pounce　（always　loud；　always　cheerful；　and　always　familiar　with　her　guests）；　〃what　do　you　want　with　me　now？〃

〃Take　a　glass　of　champagne；　my　darling；〃　said　Cosway；　〃and　let　me　try　if　I　can　get　my　arm　round　your　waist。　That's　all　_I_　want　with　you。〃

The　landlady　passed　this　over　without　notice。　Though　she　had　spoken　to　both　of　them；　her　cunning　little　eyes　rested　on　Stone　from　the　moment　when　she　appeared　in　the　room。　She　knew　by　instinct　the　man　who　disliked　herand　she　waited　deliberately　for　Stone　to　reply。

〃We　have　been　here　some　time；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　shall　be　obliged；　ma'am；　if　you　will　let　us　have　our　bill。〃

Mrs。　Pounce　lifted　her　eyebrows　with　an　expression　of　innocent　surprise。

〃Has　the　captain　got　well；　and　must　you　go　on　board　to…night？〃　she　asked。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　Cosway　interposed。　〃We　have　no　news　of　the　captain；　and　we　are　going　to　the　theater　to…night。〃

〃But；〃　persisted　Stone；　〃we　want；　if　you　please；　to　have　the　bill。〃

〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Pounce；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　respect。　〃But　we　are　very　busy　downstairs；　and　we　hope　you　will　not　press　us　for　it　to…night？〃

〃Of　course　not！〃　cried　Cosway。

Mrs。　Pounce　instantly　left　the　room；　without　waiting　for　any　further　remark　from　Cosway's　friend。

〃I　wish　we　had　gone　to　some　other　house；〃　said　Stone。　〃You　mark　my　wordsthat　woman　means　to　cheat　us。〃

Cosway　expressed　his　dissent　from　this　opinion　in　the　most　amiable　manner。　He　filled　his　friend's　glass；　and　begged　him　not　to　say　ill…natured　things　of　Mrs。　Pounce。

But　Stone's　usually　smooth　temper　seemed　to　be　ruffled；　he　insisted　on　his　own　view。　〃She's　impudent　and　inquisitive；　if　she　is　not　downright　dishonest；〃　he　said。　〃What　right　had　she　to　ask　you　where　we　lived　when　we　were　at　home；　and　what　our　Christian　names　were；　and　which　of　us　was　oldest；　you　or　I？　Oh；　yesit's　all　very　well　to　say　she　only　showed　a　flattering　interest　in　us！　I　suppose　she　showed　a　flattering　interest　in　my　affairs；　when　I　awoke　a　little　earlier　than　usual；　and　caught　her　in　my　bedroom　with　my　pocketbook　in　her　hand。　Do　you　believe　she　was　going　to　lock　it　up　for　safety's　sake？　She　knows　how　much　money　we　have　got　as　well　as　we　know　it　ourselves。　Every　half…penny　we　have　will　be　in　her　pocket　tomorrow。　And　a　good　thing；　toowe　shall　be　obliged　to　leave　the　house。〃

Even　this　cogent　reasoning　failed　in　provoking　Cosway　to　reply。　He　took　Stone's　hat；　and　handed　it　with　the　utmost　politeness　to　his　foreboding　friend。　〃There's　only　one　remedy　for　such　a　state　of　mind　as　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Come　to　the　theater。〃


At　ten　o'clock　the　next　morning　Cosway　found　himself　alone　at　the　breakfast…table。　He　was　informed　that　Mr。　Stone　had　gone　out　for　a　little　walk；　and　would　be　back　directly。　Seating　himself　at　the　table；　he　perceived　an　envelope　on　his　plate；　which　evidently　inclosed　the　bill。　He　took　up　the　envelope；　considered　a　little；　and　put　it　back　again　unopened。　At　the　same　moment　Stone　burst　into　the　room　in　a　high　state　of　excitement。

〃News　that　will　astonish　you！〃　he　cried。　〃The　captain　arrived　yesterday　evening。　His　doctors　say　that　the　sea…voyage　will　complete　his　recovery。　The　ship　sails　to…dayand　we　are　ordered　to　report　ourselves　on　board　in　an　hour's　time。　Where's　the　bill？〃

Cosway　pointed　to　it。　Stone　took　it　out　of　the　envelope。

It　covered　two　sides　of　a　prodigiously　long　sheet　of　paper。　The　sum　total　was　brightly　decorated　with　lines　in　red　ink。　Stone　looked　at　the　total；　and　passed　it　in　silence　to　Cosway。　For　once；　even　Cosway　was　prostrated。　In　dreadful　stillness　the　two　young　men　produced　their　pocketbooks；　added　up　their　joint　stores　of　money；　and　compared　the　result　with　the　bill。　Their　united　resources　amounted　to　a　little　more　than　one…third　of　their　debt　to　the　landlady　of　the　inn。

The　only　alternative　that　presented　itself　was　to　send　for　Mrs。　Pounce；　to　state　the　circumstances　plainly；　and　to　propose　a　compromise　on　the　grand