little novels-第44节

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hief　of　the　household　came　to　an　end。　I　left　it　to　my　excellent　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Mozeen；　to　find　a　sober　successor　to　the　drunken　vagabond　who　had　been　sent　away。　She　discovered　a　respectable　young　mantall；　plump；　and　rosywhose　name　was　Joseph；　and　whose　character　was　beyond　reproach。　I　have　but　one　excuse　for　noticing　such　a　trifling　event　as　this。　It　took　its　place；　at　a　later　period；　in　the　chain　which　was　slowly　winding　itself　round　me。

My　uncle　had　asked　me　to　prolong　my　visit　and　I　should　probably　have　consented；　but　for　anxiety　on　the　subject　of　a　near　and　dear　relativemy　sister。　Her　health　had　been　failing　since　the　death　of　her　husband；　to　whom　she　was　tenderly　attached。　I　heard　news　of　her　while　I　was　in　Sussex；　which　hurried　me　back　to　town。　In　a　month　more；　her　death　deprived　me　of　my　last　living　relation。　She　left　no　children；　and　my　two　brothers　had　both　died　unmarried　while　they　were　still　young　men。

This　affliction　placed　me　in　a　position　of　serious　embarrassment；　in　regard　to　the　disposal　of　my　property　after　my　death。

I　had　hitherto　made　no　will；　being　well　aware　that　my　fortune　（which　was　entirely　in　money）　would　go　in　due　course　of　law　to　the　person　of　all　others　who　would　employ　it　to　the　best　purposethat　is　to　say；　to　my　sister　as　my　nearest　of　kin。　As　I　was　now　situated；　my　property　would　revert　to　my　uncle　if　I　died　intestate。　He　was　a　richer　man　than　I　was。　Of　his　two　children；　both　sons；　the　eldest　would　inherit　his　estates：　the　youngest　had　already　succeeded　to　his　mother's　ample　fortune。　Having　literally　no　family　claims　on　me；　I　felt　bound　to　recognize　the　wider　demands　of　poverty　and　misfortune；　and　to　devote　my　superfluous　wealth　to　increasing　the　revenues　of　charitable　institutions。　As　to　minor　legacies；　I　owed　it　to　my　good　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Mozeen；　not　to　forget　the　faithful　services　of　past　years。　Need　I　addif　I　had　been　free　to　act　as　I　pleasedthat　I　should　have　gladly　made　Rothsay　the　object　of　a　handsome　bequest？　But　this　was　not　to　be。　My　friend　was　a　man　morbidly　sensitive　on　the　subject　of　money。　In　the　early　days　of　our　intercourse　we　had　been　for　the　first　and　only　time　on　the　verge　of　a　quarrel；　when　I　had　asked　（as　a　favor　to　myself）　to　be　allowed　to　provide　for　him　in　my　will。

〃It　is　because　I　am　poor；〃　he　explained；　〃that　I　refuse　to　profit　by　your　kindnessthough　I　feel　it　gratefully。〃

I　failed　to　understand　himand　said　so　plainly。

〃You　will　understand　this；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　should　never　recover　my　sense　of　degradation；　if　a　mercenary　motive　on　my　side　was　associated　with　our　friendship。　Don't　say　it's　impossible！　You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　appearances　would　be　against　me；　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　Besides；　I　don't　want　money；　my　own　small　income　is　enough　for　me。　Make　me　your　executor　if　you　like；　and　leave　me　the　customary　present　of　five　hundred　pounds。　If　you　exceed　that　sum　I　declare　on　my　word　of　honor　that　I　will　not　touch　one　farthing　of　it。〃　He　took　my　hand；　and　pressed　it　fervently。　〃Do　me　a　favor；〃　he　said。　〃Never　let　us　speak　of　this　again　！〃

I　understood　that　I　must　yieldor　lose　my　friend。

In　now　making　my　will；　I　accordingly　appointed　Rothsay　one　of　my　executors；　on　the　terms　that　he　had　prescribed。　The　minor　legacies　having　been　next　duly　reduced　to　writing；　I　left　the　bulk　of　my　fortune　to　public　charities。

My　lawyer　laid　the　fair　copy　of　the　will　on　my　table。

〃A　dreary　disposition　of　property　for　a　man　of　your　age；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　to　receive　a　new　set　of　instructions　before　you　are　a　year　older。〃

〃What　instructions？〃　I　asked。

〃To　provide　for　your　wife　and　children；〃　he　answered。

My　wife　and　children！　The　idea　seemed　to　be　so　absurd　that　I　burst　out　laughing。　It　never　occurred　to　me　that　there　could　be　any　absurdity　from　my　own　point　of　view。

I　was　sitting　alone；　after　my　legal　adviser　had　taken　his　leave；　looking　absently　at　the　newly…engrossed　will；　when　I　heard　a　sharp　knock　at　the　house…door　which　I　thought　I　recognized。　In　another　minute　Rothsay's　bright　face　enlivened　my　dull　room。　He　had　returned　from　the　Mediterranean　that　morning。

〃Am　I　interrupting　you？〃　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　leaves　of　manuscript　before　me。　〃Are　you　writing　a　book？〃

〃I　am　making　my　will。〃

His　manner　changed；　he　looked　at　me　seriously。

〃Do　you　remember　what　I　said；　when　we　once　talked　of　your　will？〃　he　asked。　I　set　his　doubts　at　rest　immediatelybut　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　yet。　〃Can't　you　put　your　will　away？〃　he　suggested。　〃I　hate　the　sight　of　anything　that　reminds　me　of　death。〃

〃Give　me　a　minute　to　sign　it；〃　I　saidand　rang　to　summon　the　witnesses。

Mrs。　Mozeen　answered　the　bell。　Rothsay　looked　at　her；　as　if　he　wished　to　have　my　housekeeper　put　away　as　well　as　my　will。　From　the　first　moment　when　he　had　seen　her；　he　conceived　a　great　dislike　to　that　good　creature。　There　was　nothing；　I　am　sure；　personally　repellent　about　her。　She　was　a　little　slim　quiet　woman；　with　a　pale　complexion　and　bright　brown　eyes。　Her　movements　were　gentle；　her　voice　was　low；　her　decent　gray　dress　was　adapted　to　her　age。　Why　Rothsay　should　dislike　her　was　more　than　he　could　explain　himself。　He　turned　his　unreasonable　prejudice　into　a　jokeand　said　he　hated　a　woman　who　wore　slate　colored　cap…ribbons！

I　explained　to　Mrs。　Mozeen　that　I　wanted　witnesses　to　the　signature　of　my　will。　Naturally　enoughbeing　in　the　room　at　the　timeshe　asked　if　she　could　be　one　of　them。

I　was　obliged　to　say　No；　and　not　to　mortify　her；　I　gave　the　reason。

〃My　will　recognizes　what　I　owe　to　your　good　services；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　are　one　of　the　witnesses；　you　will　lose　your　legacy。　Send　up　the　men…servants。〃

With　her　customary　tact；　Mrs。　Mozeen　expressed　her　gratitude　silently；　by　a　lookand　left　the　room。

〃Why　couldn't　you　tell　that　woman　to　send　the　servants；　without　mentioning　her　legacy？〃　Rothsay　asked。　〃My　friend　Lepel；　you　have　done　a　very　foolish　thing。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃You　have　given　Mrs。　Mozeen　an　interest　in　your　death。〃

It　was　impossible　to　make　a　serious　reply　to　this　ridiculous　exhibition　of　Rothsay's　prejudice　against　poor　Mrs。　Mozeen。

〃When　am　I　to　be　murdered？〃　I　asked。　〃And　how　is　it　to　be　done？　Poison？〃

〃I'm　not　joking；〃　Rothsay　answered。　〃You　are　infatuated　about　your　housekeeper。　When　you　spoke　of　her　legacy；　did　you　notice　her　eyes。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　nothing　strike　you？〃

〃It　struck　me　that　they　were　unusually　well　preserved　eyes　for　a　woman　of　her　age。〃

The　appearance　of　the　valet　and　the　footman　put　an　end　to　this　idle　talk。　The　will　was　executed；　and　locked　up。　Our　conversation　turned　on　Rothsay's　travels　by　sea。　The　cruise　had　been　in　every　way　successful。　The　matchless　shores　of　the　Mediterranean　defied　description；　the　sailing　of　the　famous　yacht　had　proved　to　be　worthy　of　her　reputation；　and；　to　crown　all；　Rothsay　had　come　back　to　England；　in　a　fair　way；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　of　making　money。

〃I　have　discovered　a　treasure；〃　he　announced。

〃It　_was_　a　dirty　little　modern　picture；　picked　up　in　a　by…street　at　Palermo。　It　is　a　Virgin　and　Child；　by　Guido。〃

On　further　explanation　it　appeared　that　the　picture　exposed　for　sale　was　painted　on　copper。　Noticing　the　contrast　between　the　rare　material　and　the　wretchedly　bad　painting　that　covered　it；　Rothsay　had　called　t　o　mind　some　of　the　well…known　stories　of　valuable　works　of　art　that　had　been　painted　over　for　purposes　of　disguise。　The　price　asked　for　the　picture　amounted　to　little　more　than　the　value　of　the　metal。　Rothsay　bought　it。　His　knowledge　of　chemistry　enabled　him　to　put　his　suspicion　successfully　to　the　test；　and　one　of　the　guests　on　board　the　yachta　famous　French　artisthad　declared　his　conviction　that　the　picture　now　revealed　to　view　was　a　genuine　work　by　Guido。　Such　an　opinion　as　this　convinced　me　that　it　would　be　worth　while　to　submit　my　friend's　discovery　to　the　judgment　of　other　experts。　Consulted　independently；　these　critics　confirmed　the　view　taken　by　the　celebrated　personage　who　had　first　seen　the　work。　This　result　having　been　obtained；　Rothsay　asked　my　advice　next　on　the　question　of　selling　his　picture。　I　at　once　thought　of　my　uncle。　An　undoubted　work　by　Guido　would　surely　be　an　acquisition　to　his　gallery。　I　had　only　（in　accordance　with　his　own　request）　to　let　him　know　that　my　friend　had　returned　to　England。　We　might　take　the　picture　with　us；　when　we　received　our　invitation　to　Lord　Lepel's　house。

FOURTH　EPOCH。

My　uncle's　answer　arrived　by　return　of　post。　Other　engagements　obliged　him　to　defer　receiving　us　for　a　month。　At　the　end　of　that　time；　we　were　cordially　invited　to　visit　him；　and　to　stay　as　long　as　we　liked。

In　the　interval　that　now　passed；　other　events　occurredstill　of　the　trifling　kind。

One　afternoon；　just　as　I　was　thinking　of　taking　my　customary　ride　in　the　park；　the　servant　appeared　charged　with　a　basket　of　flowers；　and　with　a　message　from　Mrs。　Rymer；　requesting　me　to　honor　her　by　accepting　a　little　offering　from　her　daughter。　Hearing　that　she　was　then　waiting　in　the　hall；　I　told　the　man　to　show　her　in。　Susan　（as　I　ought　to　have　already　mentioned）　had　sent　her　exercises　to　me　regularly　every　week。　In　returning　them　corrected；　I　had　once　or　twice　added　a　word　of　well…deserved　approval。　The　offering　of　flowers　was　evidently　intended　to　ex