elinor wyllys-2-第39部分

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　at　home。

He　then　called　at　Judge　Stone's：　〃Mrs。　S。　thought　him　handsome　young　man；　judge；　quite　ugly；　husband　says　eyes　a　greenish　colour；　wife　thinks　were　dark　brown；　height　about　my　own；　said　judge；　not　near　so　tall；　says　Mrs。　S。：　both　agreed　he　was　morose　in　temper；　and　dull　at　learning。〃

At　several　other　places　where　Harry　called；　he　found　that　William　Stanley　had　been　merely　known　by　sight。　Others　related　capital　stories　of　scrapes；　in　which　they　had　been　implicated　with　the　boy；　but　could　tell　Harry　very　little　to　the　purpose；　where　it　came　to　particular　questions。　Three　individuals　pronounced　him　tall；　four　thought　he　was　middle　sized；　two　declared　he　was　short。　Two　inferences；　however；　might　be　drawn　from　all　that　had　been　said：　William　Stanley　must　have　been　of　an　unpleasant　temper；　while　general　evidence　pronounced　him　rather　more　dull　than　most　boys。　With　these　two　facts　at　least　sufficiently　well　established；　while　his　head　was　filled　with　contradictory　visions；　of　hair；　eyes；　and　complexion；　of　various　shades　and　colours；　Harry　returned　in　the　evening；　quite　jaded　and　worn…out　with　his　day's　exertions；　not　the　least　of　which　had　been；　to　reconcile　totally　opposite　accounts　on　a　dozen　different　points。

Mrs。　Stanley　was　awaiting　his　return　with　much　anxiety；　and　while　Harry　was　drinking　an　excellent　cup　of　teathe　most　refreshing　thing　in　the　world　to　a　person　who　is　fatigued；　even　in　warm　weatherhe　reported　his　day's　work。　His　friend　seemed　to　think　the　account　anything　but　encouraging；　though　Harry　declared；　that　it　was　well　worth　the　labour　and　vexation　to　establish　the　two　facts；　regarding　the　young　man's　capacity　and　temper；　in　which　respects　he　certainly　differed　from　the　claimant。

〃What　miserable　hypocrites　both　this　man　and　his　lawyer　must　be！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃Hypocrisy　figures　often　enough　in　courts　of　justice；　ma'am；　and　is　only　too　often　successful　for　a　time。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　my　dear　Harry；　they　will　give　you　a　great　deal　of　trouble！〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；〃　replied　Hazlehurst；　〃but　still　I　hope　to　defeat　them；　and　in　the　end；　to　punish　their　vile　conspiracy。〃

〃A　defeat　would　he　distressing　to　both　Mr。　Wyllys　and　myself；　but　to　you；　my　dear　young　friend；　it　would　be　serious　indeed！〃　she　observed；　with　feeling。

〃We　shall　yet　gain　the　day；　I　trust；〃　said　Harry。　〃The　consequences　of　defeat　would　indeed　be　very　serious　to　me；〃　he　added。　〃In　such　a　case　I　should　lose　everything；　and　a　little　more；　as　Paddy　would　say。　I　made　a　deliberate　calculation　the　other　day；　and　I　find；　after　everything　I　own　has　been　given　up；　that　there　would　still　be　a　debt　of　some　thirty　thousand　dollars　to　pay　off。〃

〃It　is　wise；　I　suppose；　to　be　prepared　for　the　worst；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley；　sadly；　〃but　in　such　a　case；　Harry；　you　must　look　to　your　friends。　Remember；　that　I　should　consider　it　a　duty　to　assist　you；　in　any　pecuniary　difficulties　which　might　result　from　a　defeat。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　ma'am；　I　am　grateful　for　the　offer。　In　case　of　our　failure；　I　should　certainly　apply　to　my　immediate　friends；　for　I　could　never　bear　the　thought　of　being　in　debt　to　those　rascals。　But　if　the　affair　turns　out　in　that　way；　I　must　stay　at　home　and　work　hard；　to　clear　myself　entirely。　I　am　young；　and　if　we　fail　to　repel　this　claim；　still　I　shall　hope　by　industry　and　prudence；　to　discharge　all　obligations　before　I　am　many　years　older。〃

〃I　have　never　doubted；　Harry；　that　in　either　case　you　would　do　what　is　just　and　honourable；　but　I　mourn　that　there　should　be　any　danger　of　such　a　sacrifice。〃

〃It　would　be　a　sacrifice；　indeed；　including　much　that　I　have　valued　heretoforetastes；　habits；　partialities；　prospects；　fortune；　hopesall　must　undergo　a　change；　all　must　he　sacrificed。〃

〃And　hopes　are　often　a　precious　part　of　a　young　man's　portion；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。

Hazlehurst　happened　to　raise　his　eyes　as　she　spoke；　and；　from　the　expression　of　her　face；　he　fancied　that　she　was　thinking　of　Mrs。　Creighton。　He　changed　colour；　and　remained　silent　a　moment。

〃You　would　be　compelled　to　give　up　your　connexion　with　Mr。　Henley；〃　she　observed；　by　way　of　renewing　the　conversation。

〃Yes；　of　course；　I　should　have　to　abandon　that；　I　could　not　afford　it；　I　should　have　to　devote　myself　to　my　profession。　I　have　no　notion；　however；　of　striking　my　colours　to　these　land…pirates　until　after　a　hard　battle；　I　assure　you；〃　he　said；　more　cheerfully。　〃Great　generals　always　prepare　for　a　retreat；　and　so　shall　I；　but　only　as　the　last　extremity。　Indeed；　I　think　our　affairs　look　more　encouraging　just　now。　It　seems　next　to　impossible；　for　such　a　plot　to　hold　together　in　all　its　parts；　we　shall　be　able　probably；　to　find　out　more　than　one　weak　point　which　will　not　bear　an　attack。〃

〃It　is　certainly　important　to　establish　the　difference　in　temper　and　capacity；　between　the　claimant　and　William　Stanley；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃Highly　important；　Ellsworth　is　hard　at　work；　too；　in　tracing　the　past　life　of　the　sailor；　and　by　his　last　letters；　I　find　he　had　written　to　young　Stanley's　school…master；　and　to　the　family　physician。　He　had　seen　the　sailor；　and　in　addition　to　Mr。　Wyllys's　remarks　upon　his　gait；　which　is　different　from　that　of　William　when　a　boy；　Ellsworth　writes；　that　he　was　very　much　struck　with　the　shape　of　the　man's　limbs；　so　different　from　those　of　the　portrait　of　Mr。　Stanley's　son；　when　a　lad；　which　they　have　at　Wyllys…Roof；　he　thinks　the　family　physician　may　help　him　there；　fortunately；　he　is　still　living。〃

〃It　is　a　great　pity　the　nurse's　faculties　should　have　failed！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃Yes；　it's　a　pity；　indeed；　her　evidence　would　have　been　very　important。　But　we　shall　do　without　her；　I　hope。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　Wyllys…Roof　again；　before　the　trial？〃

〃No；　I　shall　have　too　much　to　do；　here　and　in　Philadelphia。　Mr。　Wyllys　has　kindly　asked　me；　however；　to　go　there；　as　soon　as　the　matter　is　settled；　whether　for　good　or　for　evil。〃

〃I　thought　I　heard　you　talking　over　with　Mr。　de　Vaux；　some　boating　excursion；　to　take　place　in　August；　from　Longbridge；　has　it　been　given　up？〃

〃Not　given　up；　but　de　Vaux　very　good…naturedly　proposed　postponing　it；　until　after　my　affairs　were　settled。　It　is　to　take　place　as　soon　as　I　am　ready；　whether　I　shall　join　it　with　flying　colours；　or　as　a　worsted　man；　time　alone　can　decide。〃

The　mail　was　just　then　brought　in；　as　usual　there　was　a　letter　for　Harry；　from　Ellsworth。

〃Wyllys…Roof；　August；　183…。

〃Our　application　to　the　family　physician　proves　entirely　successful；　my　dear　Hazlehurst；　my　physiological　propensities　were　not　at　fault。　I　had　a　letter　last　evening　from　Dr。　H…；　who　now　lives　in　Baltimore；　and　he　professes　himself　ready　to　swear　to　the　formation　of　young　Stanley's　hands　and　feet；　which　he　says　resembled　those　of　Mr。　Stanley；　the　father；　and　the　three　children；　who　died　before　William　S。　grew　up。　His　account　agrees　entirely　with　the　portrait　of　the　boy；　as　it　now　exists　at　Wyllys…Roof；　the　arms　and　hands　are　long；　the　fingers　slender；　nails　elongated；　as　you　well　know；　Mr。　Clapp's　client　is　the　very　reverse　of　thishis　hands　are　short　and　thick；　his　fingers　what；　in　common　parlance；　would　be　called　dumpy。　I　was　struck　with　the　fact　when　I　first　saw　him　in　the　street。　Now；　what　stronger　evidence　could　we　have？　A　slender　lad　of　seventeen　may　become　a　heavy；　corpulent　man　of　forty；　but　to　change　the　formation　of　hands；　fingers；　and　nails；　is　beyond　the　reach　of　even　Clapp's　cunning。　We　are　much　obliged　to　the　artist；　for　his　accuracy　in　representing　the　hands　of　the　boy　exactly　as　they　were。　This　testimony　I　look　upon　as　quite　conclusive。　As　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　G…；　whose　pupil　young　Stanley　was　for　several　years；　we　find　that　he　is　no　longer　living；　but　I　have　obtained　the　names　of　several　of　the　young's　man's　companions；　who　will　be　able　to　confirm　the　fact　of　his　dullness；　several　of　the　professors　at　the　University　are　also　living；　and　will　no　doubt　be　able　to　assist　us。　I　have　written　a　dozen　letters　on　these　points；　but　received　no　answers　as　yet。　So　far　so　good；　we　shall　succeed；　I　trust。　Mr。　Wyllys　bids　you　not　forget　to　find　out　if　Clapp　has　really　been　at　Greatwood；　as　we　suspected。　The　ladies　send　you　many　kind　and　encouraging　messages。　Josephine；　as　usual；　sympathizes　in　all　our　movements。　She　says：　'Give　Mr。　Hazlehurst　all　sorts　of　kind　greetings　from　me；　anything　you　please　short　of　my　love；　which　would　not　be　proper；　I　suppose。'　I　had　a　charming　row　on　the　river　last　evening；　with　the　ladies。　I　never　managed　a　law…suit　in　such　agreeable　quarters　before。

〃Faithfully　yours；

〃F。　E。〃



CHAPTER　XVII。　｛XL｝

〃What　say　you；　can　you　love　this　gentleman？〃　Romeo　and　Juliet。

｛William　Shakespeare；　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃；　I。iii。79｝

JANE'S　strength　and　spirits　were　gradually　improving。　She　had　been　persuaded　to　take　a　daily　airing　and　had　consented　to　see　one　or　two　of　the　ladies　in　her　room。　Mr。　Wyllys　always　passed　half　an　hour　with　her；　every　afternoon；　and　at　length　she　came　down　stairs；　and　joined　the　family　in　the　drawing…room；　for　a　short　time　in　the　evening。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Robert　Hazlehurst；　who　came　from　Philadelphia　to　pass　a　day　or　two　with　her；　found　her　much　better　than　they　had　expected。

Charlie　Hubbard　returned　to　the　grey　cottage；　with　his　portfolio　full　of　sketches；　intending　to　pass　several　months　at　home；　in　finishing　his　pictures　of　Lake　George；　the　school…room　having　been　converted　into　a　painting…room　for　his　use。　Miss　Patsey's　little　flock　were　dispersed　for　a　time；　and　Charlie　was　even　in　hopes　of　persuading　his　mother　and　sister　to　accompany　him　to　New　York；　where　Mary　Hubbard；　the　youngest　sister；　was　now　engaged　in　giving　music　lessons。　He　felt　himself　quite　a　rich　man；　and　drew　up　a　plausible　plan　for　hiring　a　small　house　in　some　cheap　situation；　where　they　might　all　live　together；　but　Miss　Patsey　shook　her　head；　she　thought　they　could　not　afford　it。　Still；　it　was　delightful　to　her；　to　listen　to　plans　devised　by　Charlie's　warm　heart；　she　seemed　to　love　him　more　than　ever；　since　he　had　even　sacrificed　his　moustaches　to　his　mother's　prejudice　against　such　foreign　fashions。

〃Keep　your　money；　Charles；　we　can　make　out　very　well　in　the　old　cottage；　more　comfortably　than　we　have　ever　done　before。　You　will　want　all　you　can　make　one　of　these　days；　wh