little novels-第7节

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〃If　you　still　regret　having　forced　yourself　to　accept　your　brother…in…law's　invitation；〃　was　all　he　ventured　to　say；　〃don't　forget　that　you　are　perfect　mistress　of　your　own　actions。　You　have　only　to　come　to　me　at　the　hotel；　and　I　will　take　you　back　to　London　by　the　next　train。〃

She　positively　refused　to　entertain　the　idea。

〃I　should　be　a　thankless　creature；　indeed；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　accepted　your　proposal。　Do　you　think　I　am　ungrateful　enough　to　involve　you　in　a　personal　quarrel　with　John　Zant？　No！　If　I　find　myself　forced　to　leave　the　house；　I　will　go　away　alone。〃

There　was　no　moving　her　from　this　resolution。　When　she　and　Lucy　had　gone　out　together；　Mr。　Rayburn　remained　at　the　hotel；　with　a　mind　ill　at　ease。　A　man　of　readier　mental　resources　might　have　felt　at　a　loss　how　to　act　for　the　best；　in　the　emergency　that　now　confronted　him。　While　he　was　still　as　far　as　ever　from　arriving　at　a　decision；　some　person　knocked　at　the　door。

Had　Mrs。　Zant　returned？　He　looked　up　as　the　door　was　opened；　and　saw　to　his　astonishmentMr。　John　Zant's　housekeeper。

〃Don't　let　me　alarm　you；　sir；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Mrs。　Zant　has　been　taken　a　little　faint；　at　the　door　of　our　house。　My　master　is　attending　to　her。〃

〃Where　is　the　child？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　asked。

〃I　was　bringing　her　back　to　you；　sir；　when　we　met　a　lady　and　her　little　girl　at　the　door　of　the　hotel。　They　were　on　their　way　to　the　beachand　Miss　Lucy　begged　hard　to　be　allowed　to　go　with　them。　The　lady　said　the　two　children　were　playfellows；　and　she　was　sure　you　would　not　object。〃

〃The　lady　is　quite　right。　Mrs。　Zant's　illness　is　not　serious；　I　hope？〃

〃I　think　not；　sir。　But　I　should　like　to　say　something　in　her　interests。　May　I？　Thank　you。〃　She　advanced　a　step　nearer　to　him；　and　spoke　her　next　words　in　a　whisper。　〃Take　Mrs。　Zant　away　from　this　place；　and　lose　no　time　in　doing　it。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　on　his　guard。　He　merely　asked：　〃Why？〃

The　housekeeper　answered　in　a　curiously　indirect　mannerpartly　in　jest；　as　it　seemed；　and　partly　in　earnest。

〃When　a　man　has　lost　his　wife；〃　she　said；　〃there's　some　difference　of　opinion　in　Parliament；　as　I　hear；　whether　he　does　right　or　wrong；　if　he　marries　his　wife's　sister。　Wait　a　bit！　I'm　coming　to　the　point。　My　master　is　one　who　has　a　long　head　on　his　shoulders；　he　sees　consequences　which　escape　the　notice　of　peopl　e　like　me。　In　his　way　of　thinking；　if　one　man　may　marry　his　wife's　sister；　and　no　harm　done；　where's　the　objection　if　another　man　pays　a　compliment　to　the　family；　and　marries　his　brother's　widow？　My　master；　if　you　please；　is　that　other　man。　Take　the　widow　away　before　she　marries　him。〃

This　was　beyond　endurance。

〃You　insult　Mrs。　Zant；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　answered；　〃if　you　suppose　that　such　a　thing　is　possible！〃

〃Oh！　I　insult　her；　do　I？　Listen　to　me。　One　of　three　things　will　happen。　She　will　be　entrapped　into　consenting　to　itor　frightened　into　consenting　to　itor　drugged　into　consenting　to　it〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　too　indignant　to　let　her　go　on。

〃You　are　talking　nonsense；〃　he　said。　〃There　can　be　no　marriage；　the　law　forbids　it。〃

〃Are　you　one　of　the　people　who　see　no　further　than　their　noses？〃　she　asked　insolently。　〃Won't　the　law　take　his　money？　Is　he　obliged　to　mention　that　he　is　related　to　her　by　marriage；　when　he　buys　the　license？〃　She　paused；　her　humor　changed；　she　stamped　furiously　on　the　floor。　The　true　motive　that　animated　her　showed　itself　in　her　next　words；　and　warned　Mr。　Rayburn　to　grant　a　more　favorable　hearing　than　he　had　accorded　to　her　yet。　〃If　you　won't　stop　it；〃　she　burst　out；　〃I　will！　If　he　marries　anybody；　he　is　bound　to　marry　ME。　Will　you　take　her　away？　I　ask　you；　for　the　last　time_will_　you　take　her　away？〃

The　tone　in　which　she　made　that　final　appeal　to　him　had　its　effect。

〃I　will　go　back　with　you　to　John　Zant's　house；〃　he　said；　〃and　judge　for　myself。〃

She　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm：

〃I　must　go　firstor　you　may　not　be　let　in。　Follow　me　in　five　minutes；　and　don't　knock　at　the　street　door。〃

On　the　point　of　leaving　him；　she　abruptly　returned。

〃We　have　forgotten　something；〃　she　said。　〃Suppose　my　master　refuses　to　see　you。　His　temper　might　get　the　better　of　him；　he　might　make　it　so　unpleasant　for　you　that　you　would　be　obliged　to　go。〃

〃_My_　temper　might　get　the　better　of　_me_；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　replied；　〃andif　I　thought　it　was　in　Mrs。　Zant's　interestsI　might　refuse　to　leave　the　house　unless　she　accompanied　me。〃

〃That　will　never　do；　sir。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　should　be　the　person　to　suffer。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃In　this　way。　If　you　picked　a　quarrel　with　my　master；　I　should　be　blamed　for　it　because　I　showed　you　upstairs。　Besides；　think　of　the　lady。　You　might　frighten　her　out　of　her　senses；　if　it　came　to　a　struggle　between　you　two　men。〃

The　language　was　exaggerated；　but　there　was　a　force　in　this　last　objection　which　Mr。　Rayburn　was　obliged　to　acknowledge。

〃And；　after　all；〃　the　housekeeper　continued；　〃he　has　more　right　over　her　than　you　have。　He　is　related　to　her；　and　you　are　only　her　friend。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　declined　to　let　himself　be　influenced　by　this　consideration；　〃Mr。　John　Zant　is　only　related　to　her　by　marriage；〃　he　said。　〃If　she　prefers　trusting　in　mecome　what　may　of　it；　I　will　be　worthy　of　her　confidence。〃

The　housekeeper　shook　her　head。

〃That　only　means　another　quarrel；〃　she　answered。　〃The　wise　way；　with　a　man　like　my　master；　is　the　peaceable　way。　We　must　manage　to　deceive　him。〃

〃I　don't　like　deceit。〃

〃In　that　case；　sir；　I'll　wish　you　good…by。　We　will　leave　Mrs。　Zant　to　do　the　best　she　can　for　herself。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　was　unreasonable。　He　positively　refused　to　adopt　this　alternative。

〃Will　you　hear　what　I　have　got　to　say？〃　the　housekeeper　asked。

〃There　can　be　no　harm　in　that；〃　he　admitted。　〃Go　on。〃

She　took　him　at　his　word。

〃When　you　called　at　our　house；〃　she　began；　〃did　you　notice　the　doors　in　the　passage；　on　the　first　floor？　Very　well。　One　of　them　is　the　door　of　the　drawing…room；　and　the　other　is　the　door　of　the　library。　Do　you　remember　the　drawing…room；　sir？〃

〃I　thought　it　a　large　well…lighted　room；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　answered。　〃And　I　noticed　a　doorway　in　the　wall；　with　a　handsome　curtain　hanging　over　it。〃

〃That's　enough　for　our　purpose；〃　the　housekeeper　resumed。　〃On　the　other　side　of　the　curtain；　if　you　had　looked　in；　you　would　have　found　the　library。　Suppose　my　master　is　as　polite　as　usual；　and　begs　to　be　excused　for　not　receiving　you；　because　it　is　an　inconvenient　time。　And　suppose　you　are　polite　on　your　side　and　take　yourself　off　by　the　drawing…room　door。　You　will　find　me　waiting　downstairs；　on　the　first　landing。　Do　you　see　it　now？〃

〃I　can't　say　I　do。〃

〃You　surprise　me；　sir。　What　is　to　prevent　us　from　getting　back　softly　into　the　library；　by　the　door　in　the　passage？　And　why　shouldn't　we　use　that　second　way　into　the　library　as　a　means　of　discovering　what　may　be　going　on　in　the　drawing…room？　Safe　behind　the　curtain；　you　will　see　him　if　he　behaves　uncivilly　to　Mrs。　Zant；　or　you　will　hear　her　if　she　calls　for　help。　In　either　case；　you　may　be　as　rough　and　ready　with　my　master　as　you　find　needful；　it　will　be　he　who　has　frightened　her；　and　not　you。　And　who　can　blame　the　poor　housekeeper　because　Mr。　Rayburn　did　his　duty；　and　protected　a　helpless　woman？　There　is　my　plan；　sir。　Is　it　worth　trying？〃

He　answered；　sharply　enough：　〃I　don't　like　it。〃

The　housekeeper　opened　the　door　again；　and　wished　him　good…by。

If　Mr。　Rayburn　had　felt　no　more　than　an　ordinary　interest　in　Mrs。　Zant；　he　would　have　let　the　woman　go。　As　it　was；　he　stopped　her；　and；　after　some　further　protest　（which　proved　to　be　useless）；　he　ended　in　giving　way。

〃You　promise　to　follow　my　directions？〃　she　stipulated。

He　gave　the　promise。　She　smiled；　nodded；　and　left　him。　True　to　his　instructions；　Mr。　Rayburn　reckoned　five　minutes　by　his　watch；　before　he　followed　her。

XII。

THE　housekeeper　was　waiting　for　him；　with　the　street…door　ajar。

〃They　are　both　in　the　drawing…room；〃　she　whispered；　leading　the　way　upstairs。　〃Step　softly；　and　take　him　by　surprise。〃

A　table　of　oblong　shape　stood　midway　between　the　drawing…room　walls。　At　the　end　of　it　which　was　nearest　to　the　window；　Mrs。　Zant　was　pacing　to　and　fro　across　the　breadth　of　the　room。　At　the　opposite　end　of　the　table；　John　Zant　was　seated。　Taken　completely　by　surprise；　he　showed　himself　in　his　true　character。　He　started　to　his　feet；　and　protested　with　an　oath　against　the　intrusion　which　had　been　committed　on　him。

Heedless　of　his　action　and　his　language；　Mr。　Rayburn　could　look　at　nothing；　could　think　of　nothing；　but　Mrs。　Zant。　She　was　still　walking　slowly　to　and　fro；　unconscious　of　the　words　of　sympathy　which　he　addressed　to　her；　insensible　even　as　it　seemed　to　the　presence　of　other　persons　in　the　room。

John　Zant's　voice　broke　the　silence。　His　temper　was　under　control　again：　he　had　his　reasons　for　still　remaining　on　friendly　terms　with　Mr。　Rayburn。

〃I　am　sorry　I　forgot　myself　just　now；〃　he　said。

Mr。　Rayburn's　interest　was　concentrated　on　Mrs。　Zant；　he　took　no　notice　of　the　apology。

〃When　did　this　happen？〃　he　asked。

〃About　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ago。　I　was　fortunately　at　home。　Without　speaking　to　me；　without　noticing　me；　she　walked　upstairs　like　a　person　in　a　dream。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　suddenly　pointed　to　Mrs。　Zant。

〃L