the dynamiter-第17部分

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he　had　expected。　　For　all　that；　he　took　the　number　of　the　
cab；　and　spoke　for　a　few　seconds　and　with　a　decided　manner　in　
the　cabman's　ear。

'What　can　he　have　said？'　I　gasped；　as　soon　as　the　cab　had　
rolled　away。

'I　can　very　well　imagine；'　replied　my　champion；　'and　I　can　
assure　you　that　you　are　now　condemned　to　go　where　I　have　
said；　for；　should　we　attempt　to　change　our　destination　by　the　
way；　the　jarvey　will　drive　us　straight　to　a　police…office。　　
Let　me　compliment　you　on　your　nerves；'　he　added。　　'I　have　
had；　I　believe；　the　most　horrible　fright　of　my　existence。'

But　my　nerves；　which　he　so　much　misjudged；　were　in　so　strange　
a　disarray　that　speech　was　now　become　impossible；　and　we　made　
the　drive　thenceforward　in　unbroken　silence。　　When　we　arrived　
before　the　door　of　our　destination；　the　young　gentleman　
alighted；　opened　it　with　a　pass…key　like　one　who　was　at　home；　
bade　the　driver　carry　the　trunks　into　the　hall；　and　dismissed　
him　with　a　handsome　fee。　　He　then　led　me　into　this　dining…
room；　looking　nearly　as　you　behold　it；　but　with　certain　marks　
of　bachelor　occupancy；　and　hastened　to　pour　out　a　glass　of　
wine；　which　he　insisted　on　my　drinking。　　As　soon　as　I　could　
find　my　voice；　'In　God's　name；'　I　cried；　'where　am　I？'

He　told　me　I　was　in　his　house；　where　I　was　very　welcome；　and　
had　no　more　urgent　business　than　to　rest　myself　and　recover　
my　spirits。　　As　he　spoke　he　offered　me　another　glass　of　wine；　
of　which；　indeed；　I　stood　in　great　want；　for　I　was　faint；　and　
inclined　to　be　hysterical。　　Then　he　sat　down　beside　the　fire；　
lit　another　cigar；　and　for　some　time　observed　me　curiously　in　
silence。

'And　now；'　said　he；　'that　you　have　somewhat　restored　
yourself；　will　you　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me　in　what　sort　of　
crime　I　have　become　a　partner？　　Are　you　murderer；　smuggler；　
thief；　or　only　the　harmless　and　domestic　moonlight　flitter？'

I　had　been　already　shocked　by　his　lighting　a　cigar　without　
permission；　for　I　had　not　forgotten　the　one　he　threw　away　on　
our　first　meeting；　and　now；　at　these　explicit　insults；　I　
resolved　at　once　to　reconquer　his　esteem。　　The　judgment　of　
the　world　I　have　consistently　despised；　but　I　had　already　
begun　to　set　a　certain　value　on　the　good　opinion　of　my　
entertainer。　　Beginning　with　a　note　of　pathos；　but　soon　
brightening　into　my　habitual　vivacity　and　humour；　I　rapidly　
narrated　the　circumstances　of　my　birth；　my　flight；　and　
subsequent　misfortunes。　　He　heard　me　to　an　end　in　silence；　
gravely　smoking。　　'Miss　Fanshawe；'　said　he；　when　I　had　done；　
'you　are　a　very　comical　and　most　enchanting　creature；　and　I　
can　see　nothing　for　it　but　that　I　should　return　to…morrow　
morning　and　satisfy　your　landlady's　demands。'

'You　strangely　misinterpret　my　confidence；'　was　my　reply；　
'and　if　you　had　at　all　appreciated　my　character；　you　would　
understand　that　I　can　take　no　money　at　your　hands。'

'Your　landlady　will　doubtless　not　be　so　particular；'　he　
returned；　'nor　do　I　at　all　despair　of　persuading　even　your　
unconquerable　self。　　I　desire　you　to　examine　me　with　critical　
indulgence。　　My　name　is　Henry　Luxmore；　Lord　Southwark's　
second　son。　　I　possess　nine　thousand　a　year；　the　house　in　
which　we　are　now　sitting；　and　seven　others　in　the　best　
neighbourhoods　in　town。　　I　do　not　believe　I　am　repulsive　to　
the　eye；　and　as　for　my　character；　you　have　seen　me　under　
trial。　　I　think　you　simply　the　most　original　of　created　
beings；　I　need　not　tell　you　what　you　know　very　well；　that　you　
are　ravishingly　pretty；　and　I　have　nothing　more　to　add；　
except　that；　foolish　as　it　may　appear；　I　am　already　head　over　
heels　in　love　with　you。'

'Sir；'　said　I；　'I　am　prepared　to　be　misjudged；　but　while　I　
continue　to　accept　your　hospitality　that　fact　alone　should　be　
enough　to　protect　me　from　insult。'

'Pardon　me；'　said　he：　　'I　offer　you　marriage。'　　And　leaning　
back　in　his　chair　he　replaced　his　cigar　between　his　lips。

I　own　I　was　confounded　by　an　offer；　not　only　so　unprepared；　
but　couched　in　terms　so　singular。　　But　he　knew　very　well　how　
to　obtain　his　purposes；　for　he　was　not　only　handsome　in　
person；　but　his　very　coolness　had　a　charm；　and　to　make　a　long　
story　short；　a　fortnight　later　I　became　the　wife　of　the　
Honourable　Henry　Luxmore。

For　nearly　twenty　years　I　now　led　a　life　of　almost　perfect　
quiet。　　My　Henry　had　his　weaknesses；　I　was　twice　driven　to　
flee　from　his　roof；　but　not　for　long；　for　though　he　was　
easily　over…excited；　his　nature　was　placable　below　the　
surface；　and　with　all　his　faults；　I　loved　him　tenderly。　　At　
last　he　was　taken　from　me；　and　such　is　the　power　of　self…
deception；　and　so　strange　are　the　whims　of　the　dying；　he　
actually　assured　me；　with　his　latest　breath；　that　he　forgave　
the　violence　of　my　temper！

There　was　but　one　pledge　of　the　marriage；　my　daughter　Clara。　　
She　had；　indeed；　inherited　a　shadow　of　her　father's　failing；　
but　in　all　things　else；　unless　my　partial　eyes　deceived　me；　
she　derived　her　qualities　from　me；　and　might　be　called　my　
moral　image。　　On　my　side；　whatever　else　I　may　have　done　
amiss；　as　a　mother　I　was　above　reproach。　　Here；　then；　was　
surely　every　promise　for　the　future；　here；　at　last；　was　a　
relation　in　which　I　might　hope　to　taste　repose。　　But　it　was　
not　to　be。　　You　will　hardly　credit　me　when　I　inform　you　that　
she　ran　away　from　home；　yet　such　was　the　case。　　Some　whim　
about　oppressed　nationalities　…　Ireland；　Poland；　and　the　like　
…　has　turned　her　brain；　and　if　you　should　anywhere　encounter　
a　young　lady　（I　must　say；　of　remarkable　attractions）　
answering　to　the　name　of　Luxmore；　Lake；　or　Fonblanque　（for　I　
am　told　she　uses　these　indifferently；　as　well　as　many　
others）；　tell　her；　from　me；　that　I　forgive　her　cruelty；　and　
though　I　will　never　more　behold　her　face；　I　am　at　any　time　
prepared　to　make　her　a　liberal　allowance。

On　the　death　of　Mr。　Luxmore；　I　sought　oblivion　in　the　details　
of　business。　　I　believe　I　have　mentioned　that　seven　mansions；　
besides　this；　formed　part　of　Mr。　Luxmore's　property：　　I　have　
found　them　seven　white　elephants。　　The　greed　of　tenants；　the　
dishonesty　of　solicitors；　and　the　incapacity　that　sits　upon　
the　bench；　have　combined　together　to　make　these　houses　the　
burthen　of　my　life。　　I　had　no　sooner；　indeed；　begun　to　look　
into　these　matters　for　myself；　than　I　discovered　so　many　
injustices　and　met　with　so　much　studied　incivility；　that　I　
was　plunged　into　a　long　series　of　lawsuits；　some　of　which　are　
pending　to　this　day。　　You　must　have　heard　my　name　already；　I　
am　the　Mrs。　Luxmore　of　the　Law　Reports：　　a　strange　destiny；　
indeed；　for　one　born　with　an　almost　cowardly　desire　for　
peace！　　But　I　am　of　the　stamp　of　those　who；　when　they　have　
once　begun　a　task；　will　rather　die　than　leave　their　duty　
unfulfilled。　　I　have　met　with　every　obstacle：　　insolence　and　
ingratitude　from　my　own　lawyers；　in　my　adversaries；　that　
fault　of　obstinacy　which　is　to　me　perhaps　the　most　
distasteful　in　the　calendar；　from　the　bench；　civility　indeed　
…　always；　I　must　allow；　civility　…　but　never　a　spark　of　
independence；　never　that　knowledge　of　the　law　and　love　of　
justice　which　we　have　a　right　to　look　for　in　a　judge；　the　
most　august　of　human　officers。　　And　still；　against　all　these　
odds；　I　have　undissuadably　persevered。

It　was　after　the　loss　of　one　of　my　innumerable　cases　（a　
subject　on　which　I　will　not　dwell）　that　it　occurred　to　me　to　
make　a　melancholy　pilgrimage　to　my　various　houses。　　Four　were　
at　that　time　tenantless　and　closed；　like　pillars　of　salt；　
commemorating　the　corruption　of　the　age　and　the　decline　of　
private　virtue。　　Three　were　occupied　by　persons　who　had　
wearied　me　by　every　conceivable　unjust　demand　and　legal　
subterfuge　…　persons　whom；　at　that　very　hour；　I　was　moving　
heaven　and　earth　to　turn　into　the　street。　　This　was　perhaps　
the　sadder　spectacle　of　the　two；　and　my　heart　grew　hot　within　
me　to　behold　them　occupying；　in　my　very　teeth；　and　with　an　
insolent　ostentation；　these　handsome　structures　which　were　as　
much　mine　as　the　flesh　upon　my　body。

One　more　house　remained　for　me　to　visit；　that　in　which　we　now　
are。　　I　had　let　it　（for　at　that　period　I　lodged　in　a　hotel；　
the　life　that　I　have　always　preferred）　to　a　Colonel　
Geraldine；　a　gentleman　attached　to　Prince　Florizel　of　
Bohemia；　whom　you　must　certainly　have　heard　of；　and　I　had　
supposed；　from　the　character　and　position　of　my　tenant；　that　
here；　at　least；　I　was　safe　against　annoyance。　　What　was　my　
surprise　to　find　this　house　also　shuttered　and　apparently　
deserted！　　I　will　not　deny　that　I　was　offended；　I　conceived　
that　a　house；　like　a　yacht；　was　better　to　be　kept　in　
commission；　and　I　promised　myself　to　bring　the　matter　before　
my　solicitor　the　following　morning。　　Meanwhile　the　sight　
recalled　my　fancy　naturally　to　the　past；　and　yielding　to　the　
tender　influence　of　sentiment；　I　sat　down　opposite　the　door　
upon　the　garden　parapet。　　It　was　August；　and　a　sultry　
afternoon；　but　that　spot　is　sheltered；　as　you　may　observe　by　
daylight；　under　the　branches　of　a　spreading　chestnut；　the　
square；　too；　was　deserted；　there　was　a　sound　of　distant　music　
in　the　air；　and　all　combined　to　plunge　me　into　that　most　
agreeable　of　states；　which　is　neither　happiness　nor　sorrow；　
but　shares　the　poignancy　of　both。

From　this　I　was　recalled　by　the　arrival　of　a　large　van；　very　
handsomely　appointed；　drawn　by　valuable　horses；　mounted　by　
several　men　of　an　appearance　more　than　decent；　and　bearing　on　
its　panels；　instead　of　a　trader's　name；　a　coat…of…arms　too　
modest　to　be　deciphered　from　where　I　sat。　　It　drew　up　before　
my　house；　the　door　of　which　was　immediately　opened　by　one　of　
the　men。　　His　companions　…　I　counted　seven　of　them　in　all　…　
proceeded；　with　disciplined　activity；　to　take　from　the　van　
and　carry　into　the　house　a　variety　of　hampers；　bottle…
baskets；　and　boxes；　such　as　are　designed　for　plate　and　
napery。　　The　windows　of　the　dining…room　were　thrown　widely　
open；　as　though　to　air　it；　and　I　saw　some　of　those　within　
laying　the　table　for　a　meal。　　Plainly；　I　concluded；　my　tenant　
was　about　to　return；　and　while　still　determined　to　submit　to　
no　aggression　on　my　rights；　I　was　gratified　by　the　number　and　
discipline　of　his　attendants；　and　the　quiet　profusion　that　
appeared　t