little novels-第77节
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e Hall。 My opportunities of improving my acquaintance with her had not been so numerous as I could have desired； and I sincerely regretted it。 She had produced a very favorable impression on me。 Singularly inexperienced and impulsivewith an odd mixture of shyness and vivacity in her manner； and subject now and then to outbursts of vanity and petulance which she was divertingly incapable of concealingI could detect； nevertheless； under the surface the signs which told of a true and generous nature； of a simple and pure heart。 Her personal appearance； I should add； was attractive in a remarkable degree。 There was something in it so peculiar； and at the same time so fascinating； that I am conscious it may have prejudiced me in her favor。 For fear of this acknowledgment being misunderstood； I think it right to add that I am old enough to be her grandfather； and that I am also a married man。
I told the servant to show Miss Laroche into my study。
The moment she entered the room； her appearance alarmed me： she looked literally panic…stricken。 I offered to send for my wife； she refused the proposal。 I entreated her to take time at least to compose herself。 It was not in her impulsive nature to do this。 She said； 〃Give me your hand to encourage me； and let me speak while I can。〃 I gave her my hand； poor soul。 I said； 〃Speak to me； my dear； as if I were your father。〃
So far as I could understand the incoherent statement which she addressed to me； she had been the object of admiration （while visiting Maplesworth） of two gentlemen； who both desired to marry her。 Hesitating between them and perfectly inexperienced in such matters； she had been the unfortunate cause of enmity between the rivals； and had returned to Nettlegrove； at her aunt's suggestion； as the best means of extricating herself from a very embarrassing position。 The removal failing to alleviate her distressing recollections of what had happened； she and her aunt had tried a further change by making a tour of two months on the Continent。 She had returned in a more quiet frame of mind。 To her great surprise； she had heard nothing of either of her two suitors； from the day when she left Maplesworth to the day when she presented herself at my rectory。
Early that morning she was walking； after breakfast； in the park at Nettlegrove when she heard footsteps behind her。 She turned； and found herself face to face with one of her suitors at Maplesworth。 I am informed that there is no necessity now for my suppressing the name。 The gentleman was Captain Stanwick。
He was so fearfully changed for the worse that she hardly knew him again。
After his first glance at her； he held his hand over his bloodshot eyes as if the sunlight hurt them。 Without a word to prepare her for the disclosure； he confessed that he had killed Mr。 Varleigh in a duel。 His remorse （he declared） had unsettled his reason： only a few days had passed since he had been released from confinement in an asylum。
〃You are the cause of it；〃 he said wildly。 〃It is for love of you。 I have but one hope left to live formy hope in you。 If you cast me off； my mind is made up。 I will give my life for the life that I have taken； I will die by my own hand。 Look at me； and you will see that I am in earnest。 My future as a living man depends on your decision。 Think of it to…day； and meet me here to…morrow。 Not at this time； the horrid daylight feels like fire in my eyes； and goes like fire to my brain。 Wait till sunsetyou will find me here。〃
He left her as suddenly as he had appeared。 When she had sufficiently recovered herself to be able to think； she decided on saying nothing of what had happened to her aunt。 She took her way to the rectory to seek my advice。
It is needless to encumber my narrative by any statement of the questions which I felt it my duty to put to her under these circumstances。 My inquiries informed me that Captain Stanwick had in the first instance produced a favorable impression on her。 The less showy qualities of Mr。 Varleigh had afterward grown on her liking； aided greatly by the repelling effect on her mind of the Captain's violent language and conduct when he had reason to suspect that his rival was being preferred to him。 When she knew the horrible news of Mr。 Varleigh's death； she 〃knew her own heart〃 （to repeat her exact words to me） by the shock that she felt。 Toward Captain Stanwick the only feeling of which she was now conscious was； naturally； a feeling of the strongest aversion。
My own course in this difficult and painful matter appeared to me to be clear。 〃It is your duty as a Christian to see this miserable man again；〃 I said。 〃And it is my duty as your friend and pastor； to sustain you under the trial。 I will go with you to…morrow to the place of meeting。
II。
THE next evening we found Captain Stanwick waiting for us in the park。
He drew back on seeing me。 I explained to him； temperately and firmly； what my position was。 With sullen looks he resigned himself to endure my presence。 By degrees I won his confidence。 My first impression of him remains unshakenthe man's reason was unsettled。 I suspected that the assertion of his release was a falsehood； and that he had really escaped from the asylum。 It was impossible to lure him into telling me where the place was。 He was too cunning to do thistoo cunning to say anything about his relations； when I tried to turn the talk that way next。 On the other hand； he spoke with a revolting readiness of the crime that he had committed； and of his settled resolution to destroy himself if Miss Laroche refused to be his wife。 〃I have nothing else to live for； I am alone in the world；〃 he said。 〃Even my servant has deserted me。 He knows how I killed Lionel Varleigh。〃 He paused and spoke his next words in a whisper to me。 〃I killed him by a trickhe was the best swordsman of the two。〃
This confession was so horrible that I could only attribute it to an insane delusion。 On pressing my inquiries； I found that the same idea must have occurred to the poor wretch's relations； and to the doctors who signed the certificates for placing him under medical care。 This conclusion （as I afterward heard） was greatly strengthened by the fact that Mr。 Varleigh's body had not been found on the reported scene of the duel。 As to the servant； he had deserted his master in London； and had never reappeared。 So far as my poor judgment went； the question before me was not of delivering a self…accused murderer to justice （with no corpse to testify against him）； but of restoring an insane man to the care of the persons who had been appointed to restrain him。
I tried to test the strength of his delusion in an interval when he was not urging his shocking entreaties on Miss Laroche。 〃How do you know that you killed Mr。 Varleigh？〃 I said。
He looked at me with a wild terror in his eyes。 Suddenly he lifted his right hand； and shook it in the air； with a moaning cry； which was unmistakably a cry of pain。 〃Should I see his ghost；〃 he asked； 〃if I had not killed him？ I know it； by the pain that wrings me in the hand that stabbed him。 Always in my right hand！ always the same pain at the moment when I see him！〃 He stopped and ground his teeth in the agony and reality of his delusion。 〃Look！〃 he cried。 〃Look between the two trees behind you。 There he iswith his dark hair； and his shaven face； and his steady look！ There he is； standing before me as he stood in the wood； with his eyes on my eyes； and his sword feeling mine！〃 He turned to Miss Laroche。 〃Do _you_ see him too？〃 he asked eagerly。 〃Tell me the truth。 My whole life depends on your telling me the truth。〃
She controlled herself with a wonderful courage。 〃I don't see him；〃 she answered。
He took out his handkerchief； and passed it over his face with a gasp of relief。 〃There is my last chance！〃 he said。 〃If she will be true to meif she will be always near me； morning； noon； and night； I shall be released from the sight of him。 See！ he is fading away already！ Gone！〃 h e cried； with a scream of exultation。 He fell on his knees； and looked at Miss Laroche like a savage adoring his idol。 〃Will you cast me off now？〃 he asked； humbly。 〃Lionel was fond of you in his lifetime。 His spirit is a merciful spirit。 He shrinks from frightening you； he has left me for your sake； he will release me for your sake。 Pity me； take me to live with youand I shall never see him again！〃
It was dreadful to hear him。 I saw that the poor girl could endure no more。 〃Leave us；〃 I whispered to her； 〃I will join you at the house。
He heard me； and instantly placed himself between us。 〃Let her promise； or she shan't go。〃
She felt； as I felt； the imperative necessity of saying anything that might soothe him。 At a sign from me she gave him her promise to return。
He was satisfiedhe insisted on kissing her hand； and then he let her go。 I had by this time succeeded in inducing him to trust me。 He proposed； of his own accord； that I should accompany him to the inn in the village at which he had been staying。 The landlord （naturally enough distrusting his wretched guest） had warned him that morning to find some other place of shelter。 I engaged to use my influence with the man to make him change his purpose； and I succeeded in effecting the ne
