little novels-第79节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


protected　from　discovery　by　the　trees　than　I　had　supposed。　She　had　seen　me；　I　heard　her　cry　of　alarm。　The　instant　afterward　I　saw　Stanwick　leap　over　the　rivulet　and　take　to　flight。　That　action　roused　me。　Without　stopping　for　a　word　of　explanation；　I　pursued　him。

Unhappily；　I　missed　my　footing　in　the　obscure　light；　and　fell　on　the　open　ground　beyond　the　stream。　When　I　had　gained　my　feet　once　more；　Stanwick　had　disappeared　among　the　trees　which　marked　the　boundary　of　the　park　beyond　me。　I　could　see　nothing　of　him；　and　I　could　hear　nothing　of　him；　when　I　came　out　on　the　high…road。　There　I　met　with　a　laboring　man　who　showed　me　the　way　to　the　village。　From　the　inn　I　sent　a　letter　to　Miss　Laroche's　aunt；　explaining　what　had　happened；　and　asking　leave　to　call　at　the　Hall　on　the　next　day。

Early　in　the　morning　the　rector　came　to　me　at　the　inn。　He　brought　sad　news。　Miss　Laroche　was　suffering　from　a　nervous　attack；　and　my　visit　to　the　Hall　must　be　deferred。　Speaking　next　of　the　missing　man；　I　heard　all　that　Mr。　Loring　could　tell　me。　My　intimate　knowledge　of　Stanwick　enabled　me　to　draw　my　own　conclusion　from　the　facts。　The　thought　instantly　crossed　my　mind　that　the　poor　wretch　might　have　committed　his　expiatory　suicide　at　the　very　spot　on　which　he　had　attempted　to　kill　me。　Leaving　the　rector　to　institute　the　necessary　inquiries；　I　took　post…horses　to　Maplesworth　on　my　way　to　Herne　Wood。

Advancing　from　the　high…road　to　the　wood；　I　saw　two　persons　at　a　little　distance　from　mea　man　in　the　dress　of　a　gamekeeper；　and　a　lad。　I　was　too　much　agitated　to　take　any　special　notice　of　them；　I　hurried　along　the　path　which　led　to　the　clearing。　My　presentiment　had　not　misled　me。　There　he　lay；　dead　on　the　scene　of　the　duel；　with　a　blood…stained　razor　by　his　side！　I　fell　on　my　knees　by　the　corpse；　I　took　his　cold　hand　in　mine；　and　I　thanked　God　that　I　had　forgiven　him　in　the　first　days　of　my　recovery。

I　was　still　kneeling；　when　I　felt　myself　seized　from　behind。　I　struggled　to　my　feet；　and　confronted　the　gamekeeper。　He　had　noticed　my　hurry　in　entering　the　wood；　his　suspicions　had　been　aroused；　and　he　and　the　lad　had　followed　me。　There　was　blood　on　my　clothes；　there　was　horror　in　my　face。　Appearances　were　plainly　against　me；　I　had　no　choice　but　to　accompany　the　gamekeeper　to　the　nearest　magistrate。

My　instructions　to　my　solicitor　forbade　him　to　vindicate　my　innocence　by　taking　any　technical　legal　objections　to　the　action　of　the　magistrate　or　of　the　coroner。　I　insisted　on　my　witnesses　being　summoned　to　the　lawyer's　office；　and　allowed　to　state；　in　their　own　way；　what　they　could　truly　declare　on　my　behalf；　and　I　left　my　defense　to　be　founded　upon　the　materials　thus　obtained。　In　the　meanwhile　I　was　detained　in　custody；　as　a　matter　of　course。

With　this　event　the　tragedy　of　the　duel　reached　its　culminating　point。　I　was　accused　of　murdering　the　man　who　had　attempted　to　take　my　life！



This　last　incident　having　been　related；　all　that　is　worth　noticing　in　my　contribution　to　the　present　narrative　comes　to　an　end。　I　was　tried　in　due　course　of　law。　The　evidence　taken　at　my　solicitor's　office　was　necessarily　altered　in　form；　though　not　in　substance；　by　the　examination　to　which　the　witnesses　were　subjected　in　a　court　of　justice。　So　thoroughly　did　our　defense　satisfy　the　jury；　that　they　became　restless　toward　the　close　of　the　proceedings；　and　returned　their　verdict　of　Not　Guilty　without　quitting　the　box。

When　I　was　a　free　man　again；　it　is　surely　needless　to　dwell　on　the　first　use　that　I　made　of　my　honorable　acquittal。　Whether　I　deserved　the　enviable　place　that　I　occupied　in　Bertha's　estimation；　it　is　not　for　me　to　say。　Let　me　leave　the　decision　to　the　lady　who　has　ceased　to　be　Miss　LarocheI　mean　the　lady　who　has　been　good　enough　to　become　my　wife。


MISS　DULANE　AND　MY　LORD。

Part　I。

TWO　REMONSTRATIONS。

I。

ONE　afternoon　old　Miss　Dulane　entered　her　drawing…room；　ready　to　receive　visitors；　dressed　in　splendor；　and　exhibiting　every　outward　appearance　of　a　defiant　frame　of　mind。

Just　as　a　saucy　bronze　nymph　on　the　mantelpiece　struck　the　quarter　to　three　on　an　elegant　clock　under　her　arm；　a　visitor　was　announced〃Mrs。　Newsham。〃

Miss　Dulane　wore　her　own　undisguised　gray　hair；　dressed　in　perfect　harmony　with　her　time　of　life。　Without　an　attempt　at　concealment；　she　submitted　to　be　too　short　and　too　stout。　Her　appearance　（if　it　had　only　been　made　to　speak）　would　have　said；　in　effect：　〃I　am　an　old　woman；　and　I　scorn　to　disguise　it。〃

Mrs。　Newsham；　tall　and　elegant；　painted　and　dyed；　acted　on　the　opposite　principle　in　dressing；　which　confesses　nothing。　On　exhibition　before　the　world；　this　lady's　disguise　asserted　that　she　had　reached　her　thirtieth　year　on　her　last　birthday。　Her　husband　was　discreetly　silent；　and　Father　Time　was　discreetly　silent：　they　both　knew　that　her　last　birthday　had　happened　thirty　years　since。

〃Shall　we　talk　of　the　weather　and　the　news；　my　dear？　Or　shall　we　come　to　the　object　of　your　visit　at　once？〃　So　Miss　Dulane　opened　the　interview。

〃Your　tone　and　manner；　my　good　friend；　are　no　doubt　provoked　by　the　report　in　the　newspaper　of　this　morning。　In　justice　to　you；　I　refuse　to　believe　the　report。〃　So　Mrs。　Newsham　adopted　her　friend's　suggestion。

〃You　kindness　is　thrown　away；　Elizabeth。　The　report　is　true。〃

〃Matilda；　you　shock　me！〃

〃Why？〃

〃At　your　age！〃

〃If　_he_　doesn't　object　to　my　age；　what　does　it　matter　to　_you？_〃

〃Don't　speak　of　that　man！〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃He　is　young　enough　to　be　your　son；　and　he　is　marrying　youimpudently；　undisguisedly　marrying　youfor　your　money！〃

〃And　I　am　marrying　himimpudently；　undisguisedly　marrying　himfor　his　rank。〃

〃You　needn't　remind　me；　Matilda；　that　you　are　the　daughter　of　a　tailor。〃

〃In　a　week　or　two　more；　Elizabeth；　I　shall　remind　you　that　I　am　the　wife　of　a　nobleman's　son。〃

〃A　younger　son；　don't　forget　that。〃

〃A　younger　son；　as　you　say。　He　finds　the　social　position；　and　I　find　the　moneyhalf　a　million　at　my　own　sole　disposal。　My　future　husband　is　a　good　fellow　in　his　way；　and　his　future　wife　is　anot　her　good　fellow　in　her　way。　To　look　at　your　grim　face；　one　would　suppose　there　were　no　such　things　in　the　world　as　marriages　of　convenience。〃

〃Not　at　your　time　of　life。　I　tell　you　plainly；　your　marriage　will　be　a　public　scandal。〃

〃That　doesn't　frighten　us；〃　Miss　Dulane　remarked。　〃We　are　resigned　to　every　ill…natured　thing　that　our　friends　can　say　of　us。　In　course　of　time；　the　next　nine　days'　wonder　will　claim　public　attention；　and　we　shall　be　forgotten。　I　shall　be　none　the　less　on　that　account　Lady　Howel　Beaucourt。　And　my　husband　will　be　happy　in　the　enjoyment　of　every　expensive　taste　which　a　poor　man　call　gratify；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　Have　you　any　more　objections　to　make？　Don't　hesitate　to　speak　plainly。〃

〃I　have　a　question　to　ask；　my　dear。〃

〃Charmed；　I　am　sure；　to　answer　itif　I　can。〃

〃Am　I　right　in　supposing　that　Lord　Howel　Beaucourt　is　about　half　your　age？〃

〃Yes；　dear；　my　future　husband　is　as　nearly　as　possible　half　as　old　as　I　am。〃

Mrs。　Newsham's　uneasy　virtue　shuddered。　〃What　a　profanation　of　marriage！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；〃　her　friend　pronounced　positively。　〃Marriage；　by　the　law　of　England　（as　my　lawyer　tells　me）；　is　nothing　but　a　contract。　Who　ever　heard　of　profaning　a　contract？〃

〃Call　it　what　you　please；　Matilda。　Do　you　expect　to　live　a　happy　life；　at　your　age；　with　a　young　man　for　your　husband？〃

〃A　happy　life；〃　Miss　Dulane　repeated；　〃because　it　will　be　an　innocent　life。〃　She　laid　a　certain　emphasis　on　the　last　word　but　one。

Mrs。　Newsham　resented　the　emphasis；　and　rose　to　go。　Her　last　words　were　the　bitterest　words　that　she　had　spoken　yet。

〃You　have　secured　such　a　truly　remarkable　husband；　my　dear；　that　I　am　emboldened　to　ask　a　great　favor。　Will　you　give　me　his　lordship's　photograph？〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Dulane；　〃I　won't　give　you　his　lordship's　photograph。〃

〃What　is　your　objection；　Matilda？〃

〃A　very　serious　objection；　Elizabeth。　You　are　not　pure　enough　in　mind　to　be　worthy　of　my　husband's　photograph。〃

With　that　reply　the　first　of　the　remonstrances　assumed　hostile　proportions；　and　came　to　an　untimely　end。

II。

THE　second　remonstrance　was　reserved　for　a　happier　fate。　It　took　its　rise　in　a　conversation　between　two　men　who　were　old　and　true　friends。　In　other　words；　it　led　to　no　quarreling。

The　elder　man　was　one　of　those　admirable　human　beings　who　are　cordial；　gentle；　and　good…tempered；　without　any　conscious　exercise　of　their　own　virtues。　He　was　generally　known　in　the　world　about　him　by　a　fond　and　familiar　use　of　his　Christian　name。　To　call　him　〃Sir　Richard〃　in　these　pages　（except　in　the　character　of　one　of　his　servants）　would　be　simply　ridiculous。　When　he　lent　his　money；　his　horses；　his　house；　and　（sometimes；　after　unlucky　friends　had　dropped　to　the　lowest　social　depths）　even　his　clothes；　this　general　benefactor　was　known；　in　the　best　society　and　the　worst　society　alike；　as　〃Dick。〃　He　filled　the　hundred　mouths　of　Rumor　with　his　nickname；　in　the　days　when　there　was　an　opera　in　London；　as　the　proprietor　of　the　〃Beauty…box。〃　The　ladies　who　occupied　the　box　were　all　invited　under　the　same　circumstances。　They　enjoyed　operatic　music；　but　their　husbands　and　fathers　were　not　rich　enough　to