little novels-第3节

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〃Am　I　likely　to　be　in　the　way　of　persons　who　wish　to　consult　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Certainly　not。　My　morning　hours　of　attendance　on　my　clients　are　from　eleven　to　one。〃　The　clock　on　the　mantelpiece　struck　the　quarter…past　one　as　he　spoke。　〃I　hope　you　don't　bring　me　bad　news？〃　he　said；　very　earnestly。　〃When　I　called　on　Mrs。　Zant　this　morning；　I　heard　that　she　had　gone　out　for　a　walk。　Is　it　indiscreet　to　ask　how　you　became　acquainted　with　her？〃

Mr。　Rayburn　at　once　mentioned　what　he　had　seen　and　heard　in　Kensington　Gardens；　not　forgetting　to　add　a　few　words；　which　described　his　interview　afterward　with　Mrs。　Zant。

The　lady's　brother…in…law　listened　with　an　interest　and　sympathy；　which　offered　the　strongest　possible　contrast　to　the　unprovoked　rudeness　of　the　mistress　of　the　lodging…house。　He　declared　that　he　could　only　do　justice　to　his　sense　of　obligation　by　following　Mr。　Rayburn's　example；　and　expressing　himself　as　frankly　as　if　he　had　been　speaking　to　an　old　friend。

〃The　sad　story　of　my　sister…in…law's　life；〃　he　said；　〃will；　I　think；　explain　certain　things　which　must　have　naturally　perplexed　you。　My　brother　was　introduced　to　her　at　the　house　of　an　Australian　gentleman；　on　a　visit　to　England。　She　was　then　employed　as　governess　to　his　daughters。　So　sincere　was　the　regard　felt　for　her　by　the　family　that　the　parents　had；　at　the　entreaty　of　their　children；　asked　her　to　accompany　them　when　they　returned　to　the　Colony。　The　governess　thankfully　accepted　the　proposal。〃

〃Had　she　no　relations　in　England？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　asked。

〃She　was　literally　alone　in　the　world；　sir。　When　I　tell　you　that　she　had　been　brought　up　in　the　Foundling　Hospital；　you　will　understand　what　I　mean。　Oh；　there　is　no　romance　in　my　sister…in…law's　story！　She　never　has　known；　or　will　know；　who　her　parents　were　or　why　they　deserted　her。　The　happiest　moment　in　her　life　was　the　moment　when　she　and　my　brother　first　met。　It　was　an　instance；　on　both　sides；　of　love　at　first　sight。　Though　not　a　rich　man；　my　brother　had　earned　a　sufficient　income　in　mercantile　pursuits。　His　character　spoke　for　itself。　In　a　word；　he　altered　all　the　poor　girl's　prospects；　as　we　then　hoped　and　believed；　for　the　better。　Her　employers　deferred　their　return　to　Australia；　so　that　she　might　be　married　from　their　house。　After　a　happy　life　of　a　few　weeks　only〃

His　voice　failed　him；　he　paused；　and　turned　his　face　from　the　light。

〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　able；　even　yet；　to　speak　composedly　of　my　brother's　death。　Let　me　only　say　that　the　poor　young　wife　was　a　widow；　before　the　happy　days　of　the　honeymoon　were　over。　That　dreadful　calamity　struck　her　down。　Before　my　brother　had　been　committed　to　the　grave；　her　life　was　in　danger　from　brain…fever。〃

Those　words　placed　in　a　new　light　Mr。　Rayburn's　first　fear　that　her　intellect　might　be　deranged。　Looking　at　him　attentively；　Mr。　Zant　seemed　to　understand　what　was　passing　in　the　mind　of　his　guest。

〃No！〃　he　said。　〃If　the　opinions　of　the　medical　men　are　to　be　trusted；　the　result　of　the　illness　is　injury　to　her　physical　strengthnot　injury　to　her　mind。　I　have　observed　in　her；　no　doubt；　a　certain　waywardness　of　temper　since　her　illness；　but　that　is　a　trifle。　As　an　example　of　what　I　mean；　I　may　tell　you　that　I　invited　her；　on　her　recovery；　to　pay　me　a　visit。　My　house　is　not　in　Londonthe　air　doesn't　agree　with　memy　place　of　residence　is　at　St。　Sallins…on…Sea。　I　am　not　myself　a　married　man；　but　my　excellent　housekeeper　would　have　received　Mrs。　Zant　with　the　utmost　kindness。　She　was　resolvedobstinately　resolved；　poor　thingto　remain　in　London。　It　is　needless　to　say　that；　in　her　melancholy　position；　I　am　attentive　to　her　slightest　wishes。　I　took　a　lodging　for　her；　and；　at　her　special　request；　I　chose　a　house　which　was　near　Kensington　Gardens。

〃Is　there　any　association　with　the　Gardens　which　led　Mrs。　Zant　to　make　that　request？〃

〃Some　association；　I　believe；　with　the　memory　of　her　husband。　By　the　way；　I　wish　to　be　sure　of　finding　her　at　home；　when　I　call　to…morrow。　Did　you　say　（in　the　course　of　your　interesting　statement）　that　she　intendedas　you　supposedto　return　to　Kensington　Gardens　to…morrow？　Or　has　my　memory　deceived　me？〃

〃Your　memory　is　perfectly　accurate。〃

〃Thank　you。　I　confess　I　am　not　only　distressed　by　what　you　have　told　me　of　Mrs。　ZantI　am　at　a　loss　to　know　how　to　act　for　the　best。　My　only　idea；　at　present；　is　to　try　change　of　air　and　scene。　What　do　you　think　yourself？〃

〃I　think　you　are　right。〃

Mr。　Zant　still　hesitated。

〃It　would　not　be　easy　for　me；　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃to　leave　my　patients　and　take　her　abroad。〃

The　obvious　reply　to　this　occurred　to　Mr。　Rayburn。　A　man　of　larger　worldly　experience　might　have　felt　certain　suspicions；　and　might　have　remained　silent。　Mr。　Rayburn　spoke。

〃Why　not　renew　your　invitation　and　take　her　to　your　house　at　the　seaside？〃　he　said。

In　the　perplexed　state　of　Mr。　Zant's　mind；　this　plain　course　of　action　had　apparently　failed　to　present　itself。　His　gloomy　face　brightened　directly。

〃The　very　thing！〃　he　said。　〃I　will　certainly　take　your　advice。　If　the　air　of　St。　Sallins　does　nothing　else；　it　will　improve　her　health　and　help　her　to　recover　her　good　looks。　Did　she　strike　you　as　having　been　（in　happier　days）　a　pretty　woman？〃

This　was　a　strangely　familiar　question　to　askalmost　an　indelicate　question；　under　the　circumstances　A　certain　furtive　expression　in　Mr。　Zant's　fine　dark　eyes　seemed　to　imply　that　it　had　been　put　with　a　purpose。　Was　it　possible　that　he　suspected　Mr。　Rayburn's　interest　in　his　sister…in…law　to　be　inspired　by　any　motive　which　was　not　perfectly　unselfish　and　perfectly　pure？　To　arrive　at　such　a　conclusion　as　this　might　be　to　judge　hastily　and　cruelly　of　a　man　who　was　perhaps　only　guilty　of　a　want　of　delicacy　of　feeling。　Mr。　Rayburn　honestly　did　his　best　to　assume　the　charitable　point　of　view。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　not　to　be　denied　that　his　words；　when　he　answered；　were　carefully　guarded；　and　that　he　rose　to　take　his　leave。

Mr。　John　Zant　hospitably　protested。

〃Why　are　you　in　such　a　hurry？　Must　you　really　go？　I　shall　have　the　honor　of　returning　your　visit　to…morrow；　when　I　have　made　arrangements　to　profit　by　that　excellent　suggestion　of　yours。　Good…by。　God　bless　you。〃

He　held　out　his　hand：　a　hand　with　a　smooth　　s　urface　and　a　tawny　color；　that　fervently　squeezed　the　fingers　of　a　departing　friend。　〃Is　that　man　a　scoundrel？〃　was　Mr。　Rayburn's　first　thought；　after　he　had　left　the　hotel。　His　moral　sense　set　all　hesitation　at　restand　answered：　〃You're　a　fool　if　you　doubt　it。〃

V。

DISTURBED　by　presentiments；　Mr。　Rayburn　returned　to　his　house　on　foot；　by　way　of　trying　what　exercise　would　do　toward　composing　his　mind。

The　experiment　failed。　He　went　upstairs　and　played　with　Lucy；　he　drank　an　extra　glass　of　wine　at　dinner；　he　took　the　child　and　her　governess　to　a　circus　in　the　evening；　he　ate　a　little　supper；　fortified　by　another　glass　of　wine；　before　he　went　to　bedand　still　those　vague　forebodings　of　evil　persisted　in　torturing　him。　Looking　back　through　his　past　life；　he　asked　himself　if　any　woman　（his　late　wife　of　course　excepted！）　had　ever　taken　the　predominant　place　in　his　thoughts　which　Mrs。　Zant　had　assumedwithout　any　discernible　reason　to　account　for　it？　If　he　had　ventured　to　answer　his　own　question；　the　reply　would　have　been：　Never！

All　the　next　day　he　waited　at　home；　in　expectation　of　Mr。　John　Zant's　promised　visit；　and　waited　in　vain。

Toward　evening　the　parlor…maid　appeared　at　the　family　tea…table；　and　presented　to　her　master　an　unusually　large　envelope　sealed　with　black　wax；　and　addressed　in　a　strange　handwriting。　The　absence　of　stamp　and　postmark　showed　that　it　had　been　left　at　the　house　by　a　messenger。

〃Who　brought　this？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　asked。

〃A　lady；　sirin　deep　mourning。〃

〃Did　she　leave　any　message？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

Having　drawn　the　inevitable　conclusion；　Mr。　Rayburn　shut　himself　up　in　his　library。　He　was　afraid　of　Lucy's　curiosity　and　Lucy's　questions；　if　he　read　Mrs。　Zant's　letter　in　his　daughter's　presence。

Looking　at　the　open　envelope　after　he　had　taken　out　the　leaves　of　writing　which　it　contained；　he　noticed　these　lines　traced　inside　the　cover：



〃My　one　excuse　for　troubling　you；　when　I　might　have　consulted　my　brother…in…law；　will　be　found　in　the　pages　which　I　inclose。　To　speak　plainly；　you　have　been　led　to　fear　that　I　am　not　in　my　right　senses。　For　this　very　reason；　I　now　appeal　to　you。　Your　dreadful　doubt　of　me；　sir；　is　my　doubt　too。　Read　what　I　have　written　about　myselfand　then　tell　me；　I　entreat　you；　which　I　am：　A　person　who　has　been　the　object　of　a　supernatural　revelation？　or　an　unfortunate　creature　who　is　only　fit　for　imprisonment　in　a　mad…house？〃



Mr。　Rayburn　opened　the　manuscript。　With　steady　attention；　which　soon　quickened　to　breathless　interest；　he　read　what　follows：

VI。

THE　LADY'S　MANUSCRIPT。

YESTERDAY　morning　the　sun　shone　in　a　clear　blue　skyafter　a　succession　of　cloudy　days；　counting　from　the　first　of　the　month。

The　radiant　light　had　its　animating　effect　on　my　poor　spirits。　I　had　passed　the　night　more　peacefully　than　usual；　undisturbed　by　the　dream；　so　cruelly　familiar　to　me；　that　my　lost　husband　is　still　livingthe　dream　from　which　I　always　wake　in　tears。　Never；　since　the　dark　days　of　my　sorrow；　have