the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第24部分
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turned to me and held out her hand。
〃You are very kind； Colonel Gerard。 You meant well； I am sure。〃
〃Madame；〃 said I； 〃if you can oblige me with the gentleman's name
and address I will arrange that he shall never trouble you again。〃
〃No scandal； I beg of you；〃 she cried。
〃Madame； I could not so far forget myself。 Rest assured that no
lady's name would ever be mentioned by me in the course of such an
incident。 In bidding me to go to blazes this gentleman has relieved me
from the embarrassment of having to invent a cause of quarrel。〃
〃Colonel Gerard；〃 said the lady； earnestly； 〃you must give me your
word as a soldier and a gentleman that this matter goes no farther； and also
that you will say nothing to my brother about what you have seen。
Promise me！〃
〃If I must。〃
〃I hold you to your word。 Now drive with me to High Combe； and I
will explain as we go。〃
The first words of her explanation went into me like a sabre…point。
〃That gentleman；〃 said she； 〃is my husband。〃
〃Your husband！〃
〃You must have known that I was married。〃 She seemed surprised at
my agitation。
〃I did not know。〃
〃This is Lord George Dacre。 We have been married two years。
There is no need to tell you how he wronged me。 I left him and sought a
refuge under my brother's roof。 Up till to…day he has left me there
unmolested。
What I must above all things avoid is the chance of a duel betwixt my
husband and my brother。 It is horrible to think of。 For this reason Lord
Rufton must know nothing of this chance meeting of to…day。〃
〃If my pistol could free you from this annoyance 〃
〃No； no； it is not to be thought of。 Remember your promise； Colonel
Gerard。 And not a word at High Combe of what you have seen！〃
Her husband！ I had pictured in my mind that she was a young widow。
This brown…faced brute with his 〃go to blazes〃 was the husband of this
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tender dove of a woman。 Oh； if she would but allow me to free her from
so odious an encumbrance！ There is no divorce so quick and certain as
that which I could give her。 But a promise is a promise； and I kept it to
the letter。 My mouth was sealed。
In a week I was to be sent back from Plymouth to St。 Malo； and it
seemed to me that I might never hear the sequel of the story。 And yet it
was destined that it should have a sequel and that I should play a very
pleasing and honourable part in it。
It was only three days after the event which I have described when
Lord Rufton burst hurriedly into my room。
His face was pale and his manner that of a man in extreme agitation。
〃Gerard；〃 he cried； 〃have you seen Lady Jane Dacre？〃
I had seen her after breakfast and it was now mid…day。
〃By Heaven； there's villainy here！〃 cried my poor friend； rushing about
like a madman。 〃The bailiff has been up to say that a chaise and pair
were seen driving full split down the Tavistock Road。 The blacksmith
heard a woman scream as it passed his forge。 Jane has disappeared。 By
the Lord； I believe that she has been kidnapped by this villain Dacre。〃
He rang the bell furiously。 〃Two horses； this instant！〃 he cried。
〃Colonel Gerard； your pistols！ Jane comes back with me this night from
Gravel Hanger or there will be a new master in High Combe Hall。〃
Behold us then within half an hour； like two knight… errants of old；
riding forth to the rescue of this lady in distress。 It was near Tavistock
that Lord Dacre lived； and at every house and toll…gate along the road we
heard the news of the flying post…chaise in front of us； so there could be no
doubt whither they were bound。 As we rode Lord Rufton told me of the
man whom we were pursuing。
His name； it seems； was a household word throughout all England for
every sort of mischief。 Wine； women； dice； cards； racingin all forms of
debauchery he had earned for himself a terrible name。 He was of an old
and noble family； and it had been hoped that he had sowed his wild oats
when he married the beautiful Lady Jane Rufton。
For some months he had indeed behaved well； and then he had
wounded her feelings in their most tender part by some unworthy liaison。
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She had fled from his house and taken refuge with her brother； from
whose care she had now been dragged once more； against her will。 I ask
you if two men could have had a fairer errand than that upon which Lord
Rufton and myself were riding。
〃That's Gravel Hanger；〃 he cried at last； pointing with his crop； and
there on the green side of a hill was an old brick and timber building as
beautiful as only an English country…house can be。 〃There's an inn by the
park…gate； and there we shall leave our horses；〃 he added。
For my own part it seemed to me that with so just a cause we should
have done best to ride boldly up to his door and summon him to surrender
the lady。 But there I was wrong。 For the one thing which every
Englishman fears is the law。 He makes it himself； and when he has once
made it it becomes a terrible tyrant before whom the bravest quails。 He
will smile at breaking his neck； but he will turn pale at breaking the law。
It seems； then； from what Lord Rufton told me as we walked through the
park； that we were on the wrong side of the law in this matter。 Lord
Dacre was in the right in carrying off his wife； since she did indeed belong
to him； and our own position now was nothing better than that of burglars
and trespassers。 It was not for burglars to openly approach the front door。
We could take the lady by force or by craft； but we could not take her by
right； for the law was against us。 This was what my friend explained to
me as we crept up toward the shelter of a shrubbery which was close to the
windows of the house。 Thence we could examine this fortress； see
whether we could effect a lodgment in it； and； above all； try to establish
some communication with the beautiful prisoner inside。
There we were； then； in the shrubbery； Lord Rufton and I； each with a
pistol in the pockets of our riding coats； and with the most resolute
determination in our hearts that we should not return without the lady。
Eagerly we scanned every window of the wide…spread house。
Not a sign could we see of the prisoner or of anyone else； but on the
gravel drive outside the door were the deep… sunk marks of the wheels of
the chaise。 There was no doubt that they had arrived。 Crouching
among the laurel bushes we held a whispered council of wary but a
singular interruption brought it to an end。
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Out of the door of the house there stepped a tall； flaxen… haired man；
such a figure as one would choose for the flank of a Grenadier company。
As he turned his brown face and his blue eyes toward us I recognised Lord
Dacre。
With long strides he came down the gravel path straight for the spot
where we lay。
〃Come out； Ned！〃 he shouted； 〃you'll have the game… keeper putting a
charge of shot into you。 Come out； man； and don't skulk behind the
bushes。〃
It was not a very heroic situation for us。 My poor friend rose with a
crimson face。 I sprang to my feet also and bowed with such dignity as I
could muster。
〃Halloa！ it's the Frenchman； is it？〃 said he； without returning my bow。
〃I've got a crow to pluck with him already。 As to you； Ned； I knew you
would be hot on our scent； and so I was looking out for you。 I saw you
cross the park and go to ground in the shrubbery。 Come in； man； and let
us have all the cards on the table。〃
He seemed master of the situation； this handsome giant of a man；
standing at his ease on his own ground while we slunk out of our hiding…
place。 Lord Rufton had said not a word； but I saw by his darkened brow
and his sombre eyes that the storm was gathering。 Lord Dacre led the
way into the house； and we followed close at his heels。
He ushered us himself into an oak…panelled sitting…room； closing the
door behind us。 Then he looked me up and down with insolent eyes。
〃Look here； Ned；〃 said he； 〃time was when an English family could
settle their own affairs in their own way。
What has this foreign fellow got to do with your sister and my wife？〃
〃Sir；〃 said I； 〃permit me to point out to you that this is not a case
merely of a sister or a wife； but
