little novels-第58节

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andeur　everywhere！　I　wondered　if　even　such　an　income　as　eight　hundred　a　year　could　suffice　for　it　all。　In　a　moment　when　I　was　considering　this；　a　truly　frightful　suspicion　crossed　my　mind。　Did　these　mysterious　absences；　taken　in　connection　with　the　unbridled　luxury　that　surrounded　us；　mean　that　my　son…in…law　was　a　gamester？　a　shameless　shuffler　of　cards；　or　a　debauched　bettor　on　horses？　While　I　was　still　completely　overcome　by　my　own　previsions　of　evil；　my　daughter　put　her　arm　in　mine　to　take　me　to　the　top　of　the　house。

For　the　first　time　I　observed　a　bracelet　of　dazzling　gems　on　her　wrist。　〃Not　diamonds？〃　I　said。　She　answered；　with　as　much　composure　as　if　she　had　been　the　wife　of　a　nobleman；　〃Yes；　diamondsa　present　from　Marmaduke。〃　This　was　too　much　for　me；　my　previsions；　so　to　speak；　forced　their　way　into　words。　〃Oh；　my　poor　child！〃　I　burst　out；　〃I'm　in　mortal　fear　that　your　husband's　a　gamester！〃

She　showed　none　of　the　horror　I　had　anticipated；　she　only　shook　her　head　and　began　to　cry。

〃Worse　than　that；　I'm　afraid；〃　she　said。

I　was　petrified；　my　tongue　refused　its　office；　when　I　would　fain　have　asked　her　what　she　meant。　Her　besetting　sin；　poor　soul；　is　a　proud　spirit。　She　dried　her　eyes　on　a　sudden；　and　spoke　out　freely；　in　these　words：　〃I　am　not　going　to　cry　about　it。　The　other　day；　father；　we　were　out　walking　in　the　park。　A　horrid；　bold；　yellow…haired　woman　passed　us　in　an　open　carriage。　She　kissed　her　hand　to　Marmaduke；　and　called　out　to　him；　'How　are　you；　Marmy？'　I　was　so　indignant　that　I　pushed　him　away　from　me；　and　told　him　to　go　and　take　a　drive　with　his　lady。　He　burst　out　laughing。　'Nonsense！'　he　said；　'she　has　known　me　for　yearsyou　don't　understand　our　easy　London　manners。'　We　have　made　it　up　since　then；　but　I　have　my　own　opinion　of　the　creature　in　th　e　open　carriage。〃

Morally　speaking；　this　was　worse　than　all。　But；　logically　viewed；　it　completely　failed　as　a　means　of　accounting　for　the　diamond　bracelet　and　the　splendor　of　the　furniture。

We　went　on　to　the　uppermost　story。　It　was　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　house　by　a　stout　partition　of　wood；　and　a　door　covered　with　green　baize。

When　I　tried　the　door　it　was　locked。　〃Ha！〃　says　Felicia；　〃I　wanted　you　to　see　it　for　yourself！〃　More　suspicious　proceedings　on　the　part　of　my　son…in…law！　He　kept　the　door　constantly　locked；　and　the　key　in　his　pocket。　When　his　wife　asked　him　what　it　meant；　he　answered：　〃My　study　is　up　thereand　I　like　to　keep　it　entirely　to　myself。〃　After　such　a　reply　as　that；　the　preservation　of　my　daughter's　dignity　permitted　but　one　answer：　〃Oh；　keep　it　to　yourself；　by　all　means！〃

My　previsions；　upon　this；　assumed　another　form。

I　now　asked　myselfstill　in　connection　with　my　son…in…law's　extravagant　expenditurewhether　the　clew　to　the　mystery　might　not　haply　be　the　forging　of　bank…notes　on　the　other　side　of　the　baize　door。　My　mind　was　prepared　for　anything　by　this　time。　We　descended　again　into　the　dining…room。　Felicia　saw　how　my　spirits　were　dashed；　and　came　and　perched　upon　my　knee。　〃Enough　of　my　troubles　for　to…night；　father；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　going　to　be　your　little　girl　again；　and　we　will　talk　of　nothing　but　Cauldkirk；　until　Marmaduke　comes　back。〃　I　am　one　of　the　firmest　men　living；　but　I　could　not　keep　the　hot　tears　out　of　my　eyes　when　she　put　her　arm　round　my　neck　and　said　those　words。　By　good　fortune　I　was　sitting　with　my　back　to　the　lamp；　she　didn't　notice　me。

A　little　after　eleven　o'clock　Marmaduke　returned。　He　looked　pale　and　weary。　But　more　champagne；　and　this　time　something　to　eat　with　it；　seemed　to　set　him　to　rights　againno　doubt　by　relieving　him　from　the　reproaches　of　a　guilty　conscience。

I　had　been　warned　by　Felicia　to　keep　what　had　passed　between　us　a　secret　from　her　husband　for　the　present；　so　we　had　（superficially　speaking）　a　merry　end　to　the　evening。　My　son…in…law　was　nearly　as　good　company　as　ever；　and　wonderfully　fertile　in　suggestions　and　expedients　when　he　saw　they　were　wanted。　Hearing　from　his　wife；　to　whom　I　had　mentioned　it；　that　I　purposed　representing　the　decayed　condition　of　the　kirk　and　manse　to　the　owner　of　Cauldkirk　and　the　country　round　about；　he　strongly　urged　me　to　draw　up　a　list　of　repairs　that　were　most　needful；　before　I　waited　on　my　lord。　This　advice；　vicious　and　degraded　as　the　man　who　offered　it　may　be；　is　sound　advice　nevertheless。　I　shall　assuredly　take　it。

So　far　I　had　written　in　my　Diary；　in　the　forenoon。　Returning　to　my　daily　record；　after　a　lapse　of　some　hours；　I　have　a　new　mystery　of　iniquity　to　chronicle。　My　abominable　son…in…law　now　appears　（I　blush　to　write　it）　to　be　nothing　less　than　an　associate　of　thieves！

After　the　meal　they　call　luncheon；　I　thought　it　well　before　recreating　myself　with　the　sights　of　London；　to　attend　first　to　the　crying　necessities　of　the　kirk　and　the　manse。　Furnished　with　my　written　list；　I　presented　myself　at　his　lordship's　residence。　I　was　immediately　informed　that　he　was　otherwise　engaged；　and　could　not　possibly　receive　me。　If　I　wished　to　see　my　lord's　secretary；　Mr。　Helmsley；　I　could　do　so。　Consenting　to　this；　rather　than　fail　entirely　in　my　errand；　I　was　shown　into　the　secretary's　room。

Mr。　Helmsley　heard　what　I　had　to　say　civilly　enough；　expressing；　however；　grave　doubts　whether　his　lordship　would　do　anything　for　me；　the　demands　on　his　purse　being　insupportably　numerous　already。　However；　he　undertook　to　place　my　list　before　his　employer；　and　to　let　me　know　the　result。　〃Where　are　you　staying　in　London？〃　he　asked。　I　answered：　〃With　my　son…in…law；　Mr。　Marmaduke　Falmer。〃　Before　I　could　add　the　address；　the　secretary　started　to　his　feet　and　tossed　my　list　back　to　me　across　the　table　in　the　most　uncivil　manner。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　says　he；　〃your　assurance　exceeds　anything　I　ever　heard　of。　Your　son…in…law　is　concerned　in　the　robbery　of　her　ladyship's　diamond　braceletthe　discovery　was　made　not　an　hour　ago。　Leave　the　house；　sir；　and　consider　yourself　lucky　that　I　have　no　instructions　to　give　you　in　charge　to　the　police。〃　I　protested　against　this　unprovoked　outrage；　with　a　violence　of　language　which　I　would　rather　not　recall。　As　a　minister；　I　ought；　under　every　provocation；　to　have　preserved　my　self…control。

The　one　thing　to　do　next　was　to　drive　back　to　my　unhappy　daughter。

Her　guilty　husband　was　with　her。　I　was　too　angry　to　wait　for　a　fit　opportunity　of　speaking。　The　Christian　humility　which　I　have　all　my　life　cultivated　as　the　first　of　virtues　sank；　as　it　were；　from　under　me。　In　terms　of　burning　indignation　I　told　them　what　had　happened。　The　result　was　too　distressing　to　be　described。　It　ended　in　Felicia　giving　her　husband　back　the　bracelet。　The　hardened　reprobate　laughed　at　us。　〃Wait　till　I　have　seen　his　lordship　and　Mr。　Helmsley；〃　he　said；　and　left　the　house。

Does　he　mean　to　escape　to　foreign　parts？　Felicia；　womanlike；　believes　in　him　still；　she　is　quite　convinced　that　there　must　be　some　mistake。　I　am　myself　in　hourly　expectation　of　the　arrival　of　the　police。



With　gratitude　to　Providence；　I　note　before　going　to　bed　the　harmless　termination　of　the　affair　of　the　braceletso　far　as　Marmaduke　is　concerned。　The　agent　who　sold　him　the　jewel　has　been　forced　to　come　forward　and　state　the　truth。　His　lordship's　wife　is　the　guilty　person；　the　bracelet　was　hersa　present　from　her　husband。　Harassed　by　debts　that　she　dare　not　acknowledge；　she　sold　it；　my　lord　discovered　that　it　was　gone；　and　in　terror　of　his　anger　the　wretched　woman　took　refuge　in　a　lie。

She　declared　that　the　bracelet　had　been　stolen　from　her。　Asked　for　the　name　of　the　thief；　the　reckless　woman　（having　no　other　name　in　her　mind　at　the　moment）　mentioned　the　man　who　had　innocently　bought　the　jewel　of　her　agent；　otherwise　my　unfortunate　son…in…law。　Oh；　the　profligacy　of　the　modern　Babylon！　It　was　well　I　went　to　the　secretary　when　I　did　or　we　should　really　have　had　the　police　in　the　house。　Marmaduke　found　them　in　consultation　over　the　supposed　robbery；　asking　for　his　address。　There　was　a　dreadful　exhibition　of　violence　and　recrimination　at　his　lordship's　residence：　in　the　end　he　re…purchased　the　bracelet。　My　son…in…law's　money　has　been　returned　to　him；　and　Mr。　Helmsley　has　sent　me　a　written　apology。

In　a　worldly　sense；　this　would；　I　suppose；　be　called　a　satisfactory　ending。

It　is　not　so　to　my　mind。　I　freely　admit　that　I　too　hastily　distrusted　Marmaduke；　but　am　I；　on　that　account；　to　give　him　back　immediately　the　place　which　he　once　occupied　in　my　esteem？　Again　this　evening　he　mysteriously　quitted　the　house；　leaving　me　alone　with　Felicia；　and　giving　no　better　excuse　for　his　conduct　than　that　he　had　an　engagement。　And　this　when　I　have　a　double　claim　on　his　consideration；　as　his　father…in…law　and　his　guest。



September　11th。The　day　began　well　enough。　At　breakfast；　Marmaduke　spoke　feelingly　of　the　unhappy　result　of　my　visit　to　his　lordship；　and　asked　me　to　let　him　look　at　the　list　of　repairs。　〃It　is　just　useless　to　expect　anything　from　my　lord；　after　what　has　happened；〃　I　said。　〃Besides；　Mr。　Helmsley　gave　me　no　hope　when　I　stated　my　case　to　him。〃　Marmaduke　still　held　out　his　hand　for　the　list。　〃Let　me　try　if　I　can　get　some　subscribers；〃　he　replied。　This　was　kindly　meant；　at　any　rate。　I　gave　him　the　list；　and　I　began　to　recover　some　of　my　old　friendly　feeling　for　him。　Alas！　the　little　gle