stories by modern american authors-第22部分

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copy　of　Leonardo's　〃Last　Supper；〃　and　a　copy　of　this　very　〃Last

Supper；〃　done　by　Rubini　the　younger；　at　Florence；　I　had　known；　for

some　time；　to　be　in　the　possession　of　Nicolino。　　This　point；

therefore；　I　considered　as　sufficiently　settled。　　I　chuckled

excessively　when　I　thought　of　my　acumen。　　It　was　the　first　time　I

had　ever　known　Wyatt　to　keep　from　me　any　of　his　artistical　secrets；

but　here　he　evidently　intended　to　steal　a　march　upon　me；　and

smuggle　a　fine　picture　to　New　York；　under　my　very　nose；　expecting

me　to　know　nothing　of　the　matter。　　I　resolved　to　quiz　him　WELL；　now

and　hereafter。



One　thing；　however；　annoyed　me　not　a　little。　　The　box　did　NOT　go

into　the　extra　stateroom。　　It　was　deposited　in　Wyatt's　own；　and

there；　too；　it　remained；　occupying　very　nearly　the　whole　of　the

floorno　doubt　to　the　exceeding　discomfort　of　the　artist　and　his

wife；this　the　more　especially　as　the　tar　or　paint　with　which　it

was　lettered　in　sprawling　capitals；　emitted　a　strong；　disagreeable；

and；　to　my　fancy；　a　peculiarly　disgusting　odor。　　On　the　lid　were

painted　the　words〃Mrs。　Adelaide　Curtis；　Albany；　New　York。　　Charge

of　Cornelius　Wyatt；　Esq。　　This　side　up。　　To　be　handled　with　care。〃



Now；　I　was　aware　that　Mrs。　Adelaide　Curtis；　of　Albany；　was　the

artist's　wife's　mother；but　then　I　looked　upon　the　whole　address

as　a　mystification；　intended　especially　for　myself。　　I　made　up　my

mind；　of　course；　that　the　box　and　contents　would　never　get　farther

north　than　the　studio　of　my　misanthropic　friend；　in　Chambers

Street；　New　York。



For　the　first　three　or　four　days　we　had　fine　weather；　although　the

wind　was　dead　ahead；　having　chopped　round　to　the　northward；

immediately　upon　our　losing　sight　of　the　coast。　　The　passengers

were；　consequently；　in　high　spirits　and　disposed　to　be　social。　　I

MUST　except；　however；　Wyatt　and　his　sisters；　who　behaved　stiffly；

and；　I　could　not　help　thinking；　uncourteously　to　the　rest　of　the

party。　　Wyatt's　conduct　I　did　not　so　much　regard。　　He　was　gloomy；

even　beyond　his　usual　habitin　fact　he　was　MOROSEbut　in　him　I

was　prepared　for　eccentricity。　　For　the　sisters；　however；　I　could

make　no　excuse。　　They　secluded　themselves　in　their　staterooms

during　the　greater　part　of　the　passage；　and　absolutely　refused；

although　I　repeatedly　urged　them；　to　hold　communication　with　any

person　on　board。



Mrs。　Wyatt　herself　was　far　more　agreeable。　　That　is　to　say；　she　was

CHATTY；　and　to　be　chatty　is　no　slight　recommendation　at　sea。　　She

became　EXCESSIVELY　intimate　with　most　of　the　ladies；　and；　to　my

profound　astonishment；　evinced　no　equivocal　disposition　to　coquet

with　the　men。　　She　amused　us　all　very　much。　　I　say　〃amused〃and

scarcely　know　how　to　explain　myself。　　The　truth　is；　I　soon　found

that　Mrs。　W。　was　far　oftener　laughed　AT　than　WITH。　　The　gentlemen

said　little　about　her；　but　the　ladies；　in　a　little　while；

pronounced　her　〃a　good…hearted　thing；　rather　indifferent　looking；

totally　uneducated；　and　decidedly　vulgar。〃　　The　great　wonder　was；

how　Wyatt　had　been　entrapped　into　such　a　match。　　Wealth　was　the

general　solutionbut　this　I　knew　to　be　no　solution　at　all；　for

Wyatt　had　told　me　that　she　neither　brought　him　a　dollar　nor　had　any

expectations　from　any　source　whatever。　　〃He　had　married；〃　he　said；

〃for　love；　and　for　love　only；　and　his　bride　was　far　more　than

worthy　of　his　love。〃　　When　I　thought　of　these　expressions；　on　the

part　of　my　friend；　I　confess　that　I　felt　indescribably　puzzled。

Could　it　be　possible　that　he　was　taking　leave　of　his　senses？　　What

else　could　I　think？　　HE；　so　refined；　so　intellectual；　so

fastidious；　with　so　exquisite　a　perception　of　the　faulty；　and　so

keen　an　appreciation　of　the　beautiful！　　To　be　sure；　the　lady　seemed

especially　fond　of　HIMparticularly　so　in　his　absencewhen　she

made　herself　ridiculous　by　frequent　quotations　of　what　had　been

said　by　her　〃beloved　husband；　Mr。　Wyatt。〃　　The　word　〃husband〃

seemed　foreverto　use　one　of　her　own　delicate　expressionsforever

〃on　the　tip　of　her　tongue。〃　　In　the　meantime；　it　was　observed　by

all　on　board；　that　he　avoided　HER　in　the　most　pointed　manner；　and；

for　the　most　part；　shut　himself　up　alone　in　his　state…room；　where；

in　fact；　he　might　have　been　said　to　live　altogether；　leaving　his

wife　at　full　liberty　to　amuse　herself　as　she　thought　best；　in　the

public　society　of　the　main　cabin。



My　conclusion；　from　what　I　saw　and　heard；　was；　that；　the　artist；　by

some　unaccountable　freak　of　fate；　or　perhaps　in　some　fit　of

enthusiastic　and　fanciful　passion；　had　been　induced　to　unite

himself　with　a　person　altogether　beneath　him；　and　that　the　natural

result；　entire　and　speedy　disgust；　had　ensued。　　I　pitied　him　from

the　bottom　of　my　heartbut　could　not；　for　that　reason；　quite

forgive　his　incommunicativeness　in　the　matter　of　the　〃Last　Supper。〃

For　this　I　resolved　to　have　my　revenge。



One　day　he　came　upon　deck；　and；　taking　his　arm　as　had　been　my　wont；

I　sauntered　with　him　backward　and　forward。　　His　gloom；　however

（which　I　considered　quite　natural　under　the　circumstances）；　seemed

entirely　unabated。　　He　said　little；　and　that　moodily；　and　with

evident　effort。　　I　ventured　a　jest　or　two；　and　he　made　a　sickening

attempt　at　a　smile。　　Poor　fellow！as　I　thought　of　HIS　WIFE；　I

wondered　that　he　could　have　heart　to　put　on　even　the　semblance　of

mirth。　　At　last　I　ventured　a　home　thrust。　　I　determined　to　commence

a　series　of　covert　insinuations；　or　innuendoes；　about　the　oblong

boxjust　to　let　him　perceive；　gradually；　that　I　was　NOT　altogether

the　butt；　or　victim；　of　his　little　bit　of　pleasant　mystification。

My　first　observation　was　by　way　of　opening　a　masked　battery。　　I

said　something　about　the　〃peculiar　shape　of　THAT　box；〃and；　as　I

spoke　the　words；　I　smiled　knowingly；　winked；　and　touched　him　gently

with　my　forefinger　in　the　ribs。



The　manner　in　which　Wyatt　received　this　harmless　pleasantry

convinced　me；　at　once；　that　he　was　mad。　　At　first　he　stared　at　me

as　if　he　found　it　impossible　to　comprehend　the　witticism　of　my

remark；　but　as　its　point　seemed　slowly　to　make　its　way　into　his

brain；　his　eyes；　in　the　same　proportion；　seemed　protruding　from

their　sockets。　　Then　he　grew　very　redthen　hideously　palethen；

as　if　highly　amused　with　what　I　had　insinuated；　he　began　a　loud　and

boisterous　laugh；　which；　to　my　astonishment；　he　kept　up；　with


gradually　increasing　vigor；　for　ten　minutes　or　more。　　In

conclusion；　he　fell　flat　and　heavily　upon　the　deck。　　When　I　ran　to

uplift　him；　to　all　appearance　he　was　DEAD。



I　called　assistance；　and；　with　much　difficulty；　we　brought　him　to

himself。　　Upon　reviving　he　spoke　incoherently　for　some　time。　　At

length　we　bled　him　and　put　him　to　bed。　　The　next　morning　he　was

quite　recovered；　so　far　as　regarded　his　mere　bodily　health。　　Of　his

mind　I　say　nothing；　of　course。　　I　avoided　him　during　the　rest　of

the　passage；　by　advice　of　the　captain；　who　seemed　to　coincide　with

me　altogether　in　my　views　of　his　insanity；　but　cautioned　me　to　say

nothing　on　this　head　to　any　person　on　board。



Several　circumstances　occurred　immediately　after　this　fit　of　Wyatt

which　contributed　to　heighten　the　curiosity　with　which　I　was

already　possessed。　　Among　other　things；　this：　I　had　been　nervous

drank　too　much　strong　green　tea；　and　slept　ill　at　nightin　fact；

for　two　nights　I　could　not　be　properly　said　to　sleep　at　all。　　Now；

my　state…room　opened　into　the　main　cabin；　or　dining…room；　as　did

those　of　all　the　single　men　on　board。　　Wyatt's　three　rooms　were　in

the　after…cabin；　which　was　separated　from　the　main　one　by　a　slight

sliding　door；　never　locked　even　at　night。　　As　we　were　almost

constantly　on　a　wind；　and　the　breeze　was　not　a　little　stiff；　the

ship　heeled　to　leeward　very　considerably；　and　whenever　her

starboard　side　was　to　leeward；　the　sliding　door　between　the　cabins

slid　open；　and　so　remained；　nobody　taking　the　trouble　to　get　up　and

shut　it。　　But　my　berth　was　in　such　a　position；　that　when　my　own

state…room　door　was　open；　as　well　as　the　sliding　door　in　question

（and　my　own　door　was　ALWAYS　open　on　account　of　the　heat；）　I　could

see　into　the　after…cabin　quite　distinctly；　and　just　at　that　portion

of　it；　too；　where　were　situated　the　state…rooms　of　Mr。　Wyatt。

Well；　during　two　nights　（NOT　consecutive）　while　I　lay　awake；　I

clearly　saw　Mrs。　W。；　about　eleven　o'clock　upon　each　night；　steal

cautiously　from　the　state…room　of　Mr。　W。；　and　enter　the　extra　room；

where　she　remained　until　daybreak；　when　she　was　called　by　her

husband　and　went　back。　　That　they　were　virtually　separated　was

clear。　　They　had　separate　apartmentsno　doubt　in　contemplation　of

a　more　permanent　divorce；　and　here；　after　all　I　thought　was　the

mystery　of　the　extra　stateroom。



There　was　another　circumstance；　too；　which　interested　me　much。

During　the　two　wakeful　nights　in　question；　and　immediately　after

the　disappearance　of　Mrs。　Wyatt　into　the　extra　stateroom；　I　was

attracted　by　certain　singular　cautious；　subdued　noises　in　that　of

her　husband。　　After　listening　to　them　for　some　time；　with

thoughtful　attention；　I　at　length　succeeded　perfectly　in

translating　their　import。　　They　were　sounds　occasioned　by　the

artist　in　prying　open　the　oblong　box；　by　means　of　a　chisel　and

malletthe　latter　being　apparently　muffled；　or　deadened；　by　some

soft　woollen　or　cotton　substance　in　which　its　head　was　enveloped。



In　this　manner　I　fancied　I　could　distinguish　the　precise　moment

when　he　fairly　disengaged　the　lidalso；　that　I　could　determine

when　he　removed　it　altogether；　and　when　he　deposited　it　upon　the

lower　berth　in　his　room；　this　latter　point　I　knew；　for　example；　by

certain　slight　taps　which　the　lid　made　in　striking　against　the

wooden　edges　of　the　berth；　as　he　endeavored　to　lay　it　down　VERY

gentlythere　being　no　room　for　it　on　the　floor。　　After　this　there

was　a　dead　stillness；　and　I　heard　nothing　more；　upon　either

occasion；　until　nearly　daybreak；　unless；　perhaps；　I　may　mention　a

low　sobbing；　or　murmuring　sound；　so　very　much　suppressed　as　to