little novels-第75节

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〃Has　that　man　Varleigh　lied？〃　he　asked；　〃or　have　you　given　_him_　hopes；　tooafter　what　you　said　to　me　yesterday？〃

〃I　said　nothing　to　you　yesterday　which　gives　you　any　right　to　put　that　question　to　me；〃　I　rejoined。　〃You　have　entirely　misunderstood　me；　if　you　think　so。〃

My　aunt　attempted　to　say　a　few　temperate　words；　in　the　hope　of　soothing　him。　He　waved　his　hand；　refusing　to　listen　to　her；　and　advanced　closer　to　me。

〃_You_　have　misunderstood　_me_；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　think　I　am　a　man　to　be　made　a　plaything　of　in　the　hands　of　a　coquette！〃

My　aunt　interposed　once　more；　with　a　resolution　which　I　had　not　expected　from　her。

〃Captain　Stanwick；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　forgetting　yourself。〃

He　paid　no　heed　to　her；　he　persisted　in　speaking　to　me。　〃It　is　my　misfortune　to　love　you；〃　he　burst　out。　〃My　whole　heart　is　set　on　you。　I　mean　to　be　your　husband；　and　no　other　man　living　shall　stand　in　my　way。　After　what　you　said　to　me　yesterday；　I　have　a　right　to　consider　that　you　have　favored　my　addresses。　This　is　not　a　mere　flirtation。　Don't　think　it！　I　say　it's　the　passion　of　a　life！　Do　you　hear？　It's　the　passion　of　a　man's　whole　life！　I　am　not　to　be　trifled　with。　I　have　had　a　night　of　sleepless　misery　about　youI　have　suffered　enough　for　youand　you're　not　worth　it。　Don't　laugh！　This　is　no　laughing　matter。　Take　care；　Bertha！　Take　care！〃

My　aunt　rose　from　her　chair。　She　astonished　me。　On　all　ordinary　occasions　the　most　retiring；　the　most　feminine　of　women；　she　now　walked　up　to　Captain　Stanwick　and　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　without　flinching　for　an　instant。

〃You　appear　to　have　forgotten　that　you　are　speaking　in　the　presence　of　two　ladies；〃　she　said。　〃Alter　your　tone；　sir；　or　I　shall　be　obliged　to　take　my　niece　out　of　the　room。〃

Half　angry；　half　frightened；　I　　tried　to　speak　in　my　turn。　My　aunt　signed　to　me　to　be　silent。　The　Captain　drew　back　a　step　as　if　he　felt　her　reproof。　But　his　eyes；　still　fixed　on　me；　were　as　fiercely　bright　as　ever。　_There_　the　gentleman's　superficial　good…breeding　failed　to　hide　the　natural　man　beneath。

〃I　will　leave　you　in　undisturbed　possession　of　the　room；〃　he　said　to　my　aunt　with　bitter　politeness。　〃Before　I　go；　permit　me　to　give　your　niece　an　opportunity　of　reconsidering　her　conduct　before　it　is　too　late。〃　My　aunt　drew　back；　leaving　him　free　to　speak　to　me。　After　considering　for　a　moment；　he　laid　his　hand　firmly；　but　not　roughly；　on　my　arm。　〃You　have　accepted　Lionel　Varleigh's　invitation　to　visit　him；〃　he　said；　〃under　pretense　of　seeing　his　curiosities。　Think　again　before　you　decide　on　keeping　that　engagement。　If　you　go　to　Varleigh　tomorrow；　you　will　repent　it　to　the　last　day　of　your　life。〃　Saying　those　words；　in　a　tone　which　made　me　tremble　in　spite　of　myself；　he　walked　to　the　door。　As　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　lock；　he　turned　toward　me　for　the　last　time。　〃I　forbid　you　to　go　to　Varleigh's　lodgings；〃　he　said；　very　distinctly　and　quietly。　〃Understand　what　I　tell　you。　I　forbid　it。〃

With　those　words　he　left　us。

My　aunt　sat　down　by　me　and　took　my　hand　kindly。　〃There　is　only　one　thing　to　be　done；〃　she　said；　〃we　must　return　at　once　to　Nettlegrove。　If　Captain　Stanwick　attempts　to　annoy　you　in　your　own　house；　we　have　neighbors　who　will　protect　us；　and　we　have　Mr。　Loring；　our　rector；　to　appeal　to　for　advice。　As　for　Mr。　Varleigh；　I　will　write　our　excuses　myself　before　we　go　away。〃

She　put　out　her　hand　to　ring　the　bell　and　order　the　carriage。　I　stopped　her。　My　childish　pride　urged　me　to　assert　myself　in　some　way；　after　the　passive　position　that　I　had　been　forced　to　occupy　during　the　interview　with　Captain　Stanwick。

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　not　acting　fairly　toward　Mr。　Varleigh　to　break　our　engagement　with　him。　Let　us　return　to　Nettlegrove　by　all　means；　but　let　us　first　call　on　Mr。　Varleigh　and　take　our　leave。　Are　we　to　behave　rudely　to　a　gentleman　who　has　always　treated　us　with　the　utmost　consideration；　because　Captain　Stanwick　has　tried　to　frighten　us　by　cowardly　threats？　The　commonest　feeling　of　self…respect　forbids　it。〃

My　aunt　protested　against　this　outbreak　of　folly　with　perfect　temper　and　good　sense。　But　my　obstinacy　（my　firmness　as　I　thought　it！）　was　immovable。　I　left　her　to　choose　between　going　with　me　to　Mr。　Varleigh；　or　letting　me　go　to　him　by　myself。　Finding　it　useless　to　resist；　she　decided；　it　is　needless　to　say；　on　going　with　me。

We　found　Mr。　Varleigh　very　courteous；　but　more　than　usually　grave　and　quiet。　Our　visit　only　lasted　for　a　few　minutes；　my　aunt　using　the　influence　of　her　age　and　her　position　to　shorten　it。　She　mentioned　family　affairs　as　the　motive　which　recalled　us　to　Nettlegrove。　I　took　it　on　myself　to　invite　Mr。　Varleigh　to　visit　me　at　my　own　house。　He　bowed　and　thanked　me；　without　engaging　himself　to　accept　the　invitation。　When　I　offered　him　my　hand　at　parting；　he　raised　it　to　his　lips；　and　kissed　it　with　a　fervor　that　agitated　me。　His　eyes　looked　into　mine　with　a　sorrowful　admiration；　with　a　lingering　regret；　as　if　they　were　taking　their　leave　of　me　for　a　long　while。　〃Don't　forget　me！〃　he　whispered；　as　he　stood　at　the　door；　while　I　followed　my　aunt　out。　〃Come　to　Nettlegrove；〃　I　whispered　back。　His　eyes　dropped　to　the　ground；　he　let　me　go　without　a　word　more。

This；　I　declare　solemnly；　was　all　that　passed　at　our　visit。　By　some　unexpressed　consent　among　us；　no　allusion　whatever　was　made　to　Captain　Stanwick；　not　even　his　name　was　mentioned。　I　never　knew　that　the　two　men　had　met；　just　before　we　called　on　Mr。　Varleigh。　Nothing　was　said　which　could　suggest　to　me　the　slightest　suspicion　of　any　arrangement　for　another　meeting　between　them　later　in　the　day。　Beyond　the　vague　threats　which　had　escaped　Captain　Stanwick's　lipsthreats　which　I　own　I　was　rash　enough　to　despiseI　had　no　warning　whatever　of　the　dreadful　events　which　happened　at　Maplesworth　on　the　day　after　our　return　to　Nettlegrove　Hall。

I　can　only　add　that　I　am　ready　to　submit　to　any　questions　that　may　be　put　to　me。　Pray　don't　think　me　a　heartless　woman。　My　worst　fault　was　ignorance。　In　those　days；　I　knew　nothing　of　the　false　pretenses　under　which　men　hide　what　is　selfish　and　savage　in　their　natures　from　the　women　whom　it　is　their　interest　to　deceive。

No。　2。Julius　Bender；　fencing…master；　testifies　and　says：

I　am　of　German　nationality；　established　in　England　as　teacher　of　the　use　of　the　sword　and　the　pistol　since　the　beginning　of　the　present　year。

Finding　business　slack　in　London；　it　unfortunately　occurred　to　me　to　try　what　I　could　do　in　the　country。　I　had　heard　of　Maplesworth　as　a　place　largely　frequented　by　visitors　on　account　of　the　scenery；　as　well　as　by　invalids　in　need　of　taking　the　waters；　and　I　opened　a　gallery　there　at　the　beginning　of　the　season　of　1817；　for　fencing　and　pistol　practice。　About　the　visitors　I　had　not　been　deceived；　there　were　plenty　of　idle　young　gentlemen　among　them　who　might　have　been　expected　to　patronize　my　establishment。　They　showed　the　most　barbarous　indifference　to　the　noble　art　of　attack　and　defensecame　by　twos　and　threes；　looked　at　my　gallery；　and　never　returned。　My　small　means　began　to　fail　me。　After　paying　my　expenses；　I　was　really　at　my　wits'　end　to　find　a　few　pounds　to　go　on　with；　in　the　hope　of　better　days。

One　gentleman；　I　remember；　who　came　to　see　me；　and　who　behaved　most　liberally。

He　described　himself　as　an　American；　and　said　he　had　traveled　a　great　deal。　As　my　ill　luck　would　have　it；　he　stood　in　no　need　of　my　instructions。　On　the　two　or　three　occasions　when　he　amused　himself　with　my　foils　and　my　pistols；　he　proved　to　be　one　of　the　most　expert　swordsmen　and　one　of　the　finest　shots　that　I　ever　met　with。　It　was　not　wonderful：　he　had　by　nature　cool　nerves　and　a　quick　eye；　and　he　had　been　taught　by　the　masters　of　the　art　in　Vienna　and　Paris。

Early　in　Julythe　9th　or　10th　of　the　month；　I　thinkI　was　sitting　alone　in　my　gallery；　looking　ruefully　enough　at　the　last　two　sovereigns　in　my　purse；　when　a　gentleman　was　announced　who　wanted　a　lesson。　〃A　_private_　lesson；〃　he　said；　with　emphasis；　looking　at　the　man　who　cleaned　and　took　care　of　my　weapons。

I　sent　the　man　out　of　the　room。　The　stranger　（an　Englishman；　and；　as　I　fancied；　judging　by　outward　appearances；　a　military　man　as　well）　took　from　his　pocket…book　a　fifty…pound　banknote；　and　held　it　up　before　me。　〃I　have　a　heavy　wager　depending　on　a　fencing　match；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have　no　time　to　improve　myself。　Teach　me　a　trick　which　will　make　me　a　match　for　a　man　skilled　in　the　use　of　the　foil；　and　keep　the　secretand　there　are　fifty　pounds　for　you。〃

I　hesitated。　I　did　indeed　hesitate；　poor　as　I　was。　But　this　devil　of　a　man　held　his　banknote　before　me　whichever　way　I　looked；　and　I　had　only　two　pounds　left　in　the　world！

〃Are　you　going　to　fight　a　duel？''　I　asked。

〃I　have　already　told　you　what　I　am　going　to　do；〃　he　answered。

I　waited　a　little。　The　infernal　bank…note　still　tempted　me。　In　spite　of　myself；　I　tried　him　again。

〃If　I　teach　you　the　trick；〃　I　persisted；　〃will　you　undertake　to　make　no　bad　use　of　your　lesson？〃

〃Yes；　〃　he　said；　impatiently　enough。

I　was　not　quite　satisfied　yet。

〃Will　you　promise　it；　on　your　word　of　honor？〃　I　asked。

〃Of　course　I　will；〃　he　answered。　〃Take　the　money；　and　don't　keep　me　waiting　any　longer。〃

I　took　the　money；　and　I　taught　him　the　trickand　I　regretted　it　almost　as　s