little novels-第30节

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　have　lived　in　different　countries；　since　we　were　boys　at　school。　But　you　know　you　can　trust　me。〃

He　considered　a　little　with　himself。

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　I　can　trust　you。〃　He　waited　a　moment；　and　then　he　surprised　me　by　a　strange　question。

〃Do　you　believe；〃　he　asked；　〃that　the　spirits　of　the　dead　can　return　to　earth；　and　show　themselves　to　the　living？〃

I　answered　cautiouslyadopting　as　my　own　the　words　of　a　great　English　writer；　touching　the　subject　of　ghosts。

〃You　ask　me　a　question；〃　I　said；　〃which；　after　five　thousand　years；　is　yet　undecided。　On　that　account　alone；　it　is　a　question　not　to　be　trifled　with。〃

My　reply　seemed　to　satisfy　him。

〃Promise　me；〃　he　resumed；　〃that　you　will　keep　what　I　tell　you　a　secret　as　long　as　I　live。　After　my　death　I　care　little　what　happens。　Let　the　story　of　my　strange　experience　be　added　to　the　published　experience　of　those　other　men　who　have　seen　what　I　have　seen；　and　who　believe　what　I　believe。　The　world　will　not　be　the　worse；　and　may　be　the　better；　for　knowing　one　day　what　I　am　now　about　to　trust　to　your　ear　alone。〃

My　brother　never　again　alluded　to　the　narrative　which　he　had　confided　to　me；　until　the　later　time　when　I　was　sitting　by　his　deathbed。　He　asked　if　I　still　remembered　the　story　of　Jeromette。　〃Tell　it　to　others；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　have　told　it　to　you。〃

I　repeat　it　after　his　deathas　nearly　as　I　can　in　his　own　words。

II。

ON　a　fine　summer　evening；　many　years　since；　I　left　my　chambers　in　the　Temple；　to　meet　a　fellow…student；　who　had　proposed　to　me　a　night's　amusement　in　the　public　gardens　at　Cremorne。

You　were　then　on　your　way　to　India；　and　I　had　taken　my　degree　at　Oxford。　I　had　sadly　disappointed　my　father　by　choosing　the　Law　as　my　profession；　in　preference　to　the　Church。　At　that　time；　to　own　the　truth；　I　had　no　serious　intention　of　following　any　special　vocation。　I　simply　wanted　an　excuse　for　enjoying　the　pleasures　of　a　London　life。　The　study　of　the　Law　supplied　me　with　that　excuse。　And　I　chose　the　Law　as　my　profession　accordingly。

On　reaching　the　place　at　which　we　had　arranged　to　meet；　I　found　that　my　friend　had　not　kept　his　appointment。　After　waiting　vainly　for　ten　minutes；　my　patience　gave　way　and　I　went　into　the　Gardens　by　myself。

I　took　two　or　three　turns　round　the　platform　devoted　to　the　dancers　without　discovering　my　fellow…student；　and　without　seeing　any　other　person　with　whom　I　happened　to　be　acquainted　at　that　time。

For　some　reason　which　I　cannot　now　remember；　I　was　not　in　my　usual　good　spirits　that　evening。　The　noisy　music　jarred　on　my　nerves；　the　sight　of　the　gaping　crowd　round　the　platform　irritated　me；　the　blandishments　of　the　painted　ladies　of　the　profession　of　pleasure　saddened　and　disgusted　me。　I　opened　my　cigar…case；　and　turned　aside　into　one　of　the　quiet　by…walks　of　the　Gardens。

A　man　who　is　habitually　careful　in　choosing　his　cigar　has　this　advantage　over　a　man　who　is　habitually　careless。　He　can　always　count　on　smoking　the　best　cigar　in　his　case；　down　to　the　last。　I　was　still　absorbed　in　choosing　_my_　cigar；　when　I　heard　these　words　behind　mespoken　in　a　foreign　accent　and　in　a　woman's　voice：

〃Leave　me　directly；　sir！　I　wish　to　have　nothing　to　say　to　you。〃

I　turned　round　and　discovered　a　little　lady　very　simply　and　tastefully　dressed；　who　looked　both　angry　and　alarmed　as　she　rapidly　passed　me　on　her　way　to　the　more　frequented　part　of　the　Gardens。　A　man　（evidently　the　worse　for　the　wine　he　had　drunk　in　the　course　of　the　evening）　was　following　her；　and　was　pressing　his　tipsy　attentions　on　her　with　the　coarsest　insolence　of　speech　and　manner。　She　was　young　and　pretty；　and　she　cast　one　entreating　look　at　me　as　she　went　by；　which　it　was　not　in　manhoodperhaps　I　ought　to　say；　in　young…manhoodto　resist。

I　instantly　stepped　forward　to　protect　her；　careless　whether　I　involved　myself　in　a　discreditable　quarrel　with　a　blackguard　or　not。　As　a　matter　of　course；　the　fellow　resented　my　interference；　and　my　temper　gave　way。　Fortunately　for　me；　just　as　I　lifted　my　hand　to　knock　him　down；　at　policeman　appeared　who　had　noticed　that　he　was　drunk；　and　who　settled　the　dispute　officially　by　turning　him　out　of　the　Gardens。

I　led　her　away　from　the　crowd　that　had　collected。　She　was　evidently　frightenedI　felt　her　hand　trembling　on　my　armbut　she　had　one　great　merit；　she　made　no　fuss　about　it。

〃If　I　can　sit　down　for　a　few　minutes；〃　she　said　in　her　pretty　foreign　accent；　〃I　shall　soon　be　myself　again；　and　I　shall　not　trespass　any　further　on　your　kindness。　I　thank　you　very　much；　sir；　for　taking　care　of　me。〃

We　sat　down　on　a　bench　in　a　retired　par　t　of　the　Gardens；　near　a　little　fountain。　A　row　of　lighted　lamps　ran　round　the　outer　rim　of　the　basin。　I　could　see　her　plainly。

I　have　said　that　she　was　〃a　little　lady。〃　I　could　not　have　described　her　more　correctly　in　three　words。

Her　figure　was　slight　and　small：　she　was　a　well…made　miniature　of　a　woman　from　head　to　foot。　Her　hair　and　her　eyes　were　both　dark。　The　hair　curled　naturally；　the　expression　of　the　eyes　was　quiet；　and　rather　sad；　the　complexion；　as　I　then　saw　it；　very　pale；　the　little　mouth　perfectly　charming。　I　was　especially　attracted；　I　remembered；　by　the　carriage　of　her　head；　it　was　strikingly　graceful　and　spirited；　it　distinguished　her；　little　as　she　was　and　quiet　as　she　was；　among　the　thousands　of　other　women　in　the　Gardens；　as　a　creature　apart。　Even　the　one　marked　defect　in　hera　slight　〃cast〃　in　the　left　eyeseemed　to　add；　in　some　strange　way；　to　the　quaint　attractiveness　of　her　face。　I　have　already　spoken　of　the　tasteful　simplicity　of　her　dress。　I　ought　now　to　add　that　it　was　not　made　of　any　costly　material；　and　that　she　wore　no　jewels　or　ornaments　of　any　sort。　My　little　lady　was　not　rich；　even　a　man's　eye　could　see　that。

She　was　perfectly　unembarrassed　and　unaffected。　We　fell　as　easily　into　talk　as　if　we　had　been　friends　instead　of　strangers。

I　asked　how　it　was　that　she　had　no　companion　to　take　care　of　her。　〃You　are　too　young　and　too　pretty；〃　I　said　in　my　blunt　English　way；　〃to　trust　yourself　alone　in　such　a　place　as　this。〃

She　took　no　notice　of　the　compliment。　She　calmly　put　it　away　from　her　as　if　it　had　not　reached　her　ears。

〃I　have　no　friend　to　take　care　of　me；〃　she　said　simply。　〃I　was　sad　and　sorry　this　evening；　all　by　myself；　and　I　thought　I　would　go　to　the　Gardens　and　hear　the　music；　just　to　amuse　me。　It　is　not　much　to　pay　at　the　gate；　only　a　shilling。〃

〃No　friend　to　take　care　of　you？〃　I　repeated。　〃Surely　there　must　be　one　happy　man　who　might　have　been　here　with　you　to…night？〃

〃What　man　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked。

〃The　man；〃　I　answered　thoughtlessly；　〃whom　we　call；　in　England；　a　Sweetheart。〃

I　would　have　given　worlds　to　have　recalled　those　foolish　words　the　moment　they　passed　my　lips。　I　felt　that　I　had　taken　a　vulgar　liberty　with　her。　Her　face　saddened；　her　eyes　dropped　to　the　ground。　I　begged　her　pardon。

〃There　is　no　need　to　beg　my　pardon；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　wish　to　know；　siryes；　I　had　once　a　sweetheart；　as　you　call　it　in　England。　He　has　gone　away　and　left　me。　No　more　of　him；　if　you　please。　I　am　rested　now。　I　will　thank　you　again；　and　go　home。〃

She　rose　to　leave　me。

I　was　determined　not　to　part　with　her　in　that　way。　I　begged　to　be　allowed　to　see　her　safely　back　to　her　own　door。　She　hesitated。　I　took　a　man's　unfair　advantage　of　her；　by　appealing　to　her　fears。　I　said；　〃Suppose　the　blackguard　who　annoyed　you　should　be　waiting　outside　the　gates？〃　That　decided　her。　She　took　my　arm。　We　went　away　together　by　the　bank　of　the　Thames；　in　the　balmy　summer　night。

A　walk　of　half　an　hour　brought　us　to　the　house　in　which　she　lodgeda　shabby　little　house　in　a　by…street；　inhabited　evidently　by　very　poor　people。

She　held　out　her　hand　at　the　door；　and　wished　me　good…night。　I　was　too　much　interested　in　her　to　consent　to　leave　my　little　foreign　lady　without　the　hope　of　seeing　her　again。　I　asked　permission　to　call　on　her　the　next　day。　We　were　standing　under　the　light　of　the　street…lamp。　She　studied　my　face　with　a　grave　and　steady　attention　before　she　made　any　reply。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃I　think　I　do　know　a　gentleman　when　I　see　him。　You　may　come；　sir；　if　you　please；　and　call　upon　me　to…morrow。〃

So　we　parted。　So　I　entereddoubting　nothing；　foreboding　nothingon　a　scene　in　my　life　which　I　now　look　back　on　with　unfeigned　repentance　and　regret。

III。

I　AM　speaking　at　this　later　time　in　the　position　of　a　clergyman；　and　in　the　character　of　a　man　of　mature　age。　Remember　that；　and　you　will　understand　why　I　pass　as　rapidly　as　possible　over　the　events　of　the　next　year　of　my　lifewhy　I　say　as　little　as　I　can　of　the　errors　and　the　delusions　of　my　youth。

I　called　on　her　the　next　day。　I　repeated　my　visits　during　the　days　and　weeks　that　followed；　until　the　shabby　little　house　in　the　by…street　had　become　a　second　and　（I　say　it　with　shame　and　self…reproach）　a　dearer　home　to　me。

All　of　herself　and　her　story　which　she　thought　fit　to　confide　to　me　under　these　circumstances　may　be　repeated　to　you　in　few　words。

The　name　by　which　letters　were　addressed　to　her　was　〃Mademoiselle　Jeromette。〃　Among　the　ignorant　people　of　the　house　and　the　small　tradesmen　of　the　neighborhoodwho　found　her　name　not　easy　of　pronunciation　by　the　average　English　tongueshe　was　known　by　the　fr