little novels-第30部分

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days　of　the　summer　vacation　still　left　us　alone　together　in　the　house。

〃Excuse　me　for　noticing　it；〃　I　said　to　him　one　morning；　while　we　were　engaged　over　our　books〃I　cannot　help　observing　that　you　appear　to　have　some　trouble　on　your　mind。　Is　it　indiscreet；　on　my　part；　to　ask　if　I　can　be　of　any　use　to　you？〃

He　changed　colorlooked　up　at　me　quicklylooked　down　again　at　his　bookstruggled　hard　with　some　secret　fear　or　secret　reluctance　that　was　in　himand　suddenly　burst　out　with　this　extraordinary　question：　〃I　suppose　you　were　in　earnest　when　you　preached　that　sermon　in　London？〃

〃I　am　astonished　that　you　should　doubt　it；〃　I　replied。

He　paused　again；　struggled　with　himself　again；　and　startled　me　by　a　second　outbreak；　even　stranger　than　the　first。

〃I　am　one　of　the　people　you　preached　at　in　your　sermon；〃　he　said。　〃That's　the　true　reason　why　I　asked　you　to　take　me　for　your　pupil。　Don't　turn　me　out！　When　you　talked　to　your　congregation　of　tortured　and　tempted　people；　you　talked　of　Me。〃

I　was　so　astonished　by　the　confession；　that　I　lost　my　presence　of　mind。　For　the　moment；　I　was　unable　to　answer　him。

〃Don't　turn　me　out！〃　he　repeated。　〃Help　me　against　myself。　I　am　telling　you　the　truth。　As　God　is　my　witness；　I　am　telling　you　the　truth！〃

〃Tell　me　the　_whole_　truth；〃　I　said；　〃and　rely　on　my　consoling　and　helping　yourely　on　my　being　your　friend。〃

In　the　fervor　of　the　moment；　I　took　his　hand。　It　lay　cold　and　still　in　mine；　it　mutely　warned　me　that　I　had　a　sullen　and　a　secret　nature　to　deal　with。

〃There　must　be　no　concealment　between　us；〃　I　resumed。　〃You　have　entered　my　house；　by　your　own　confession；　under　false　pretenses。　It　is　your　duty　to　me；　and　your　duty　to　yourself；　to　speak　out。〃

The　man's　inveterate　reservecast　off　for　the　moment　onlyrenewed　its　hold　on　him。　He　considered；　carefully　considered；　his　next　words　before　he　permitted　them　to　pass　his　lips。

〃A　person　is　in　the　way　of　my　prospects　in　life；〃　he　began　slowly；　with　his　eyes　cast　down　on　his　book。　〃A　person　provokes　me　horribly。　I　feel　dreadful　temptations　（like　the　man　you　spoke　of　in　your　sermon）　when　I　am　in　the　person's　company。　Teach　me　to　resist　temptation。　I　am　afraid　of　myself；　if　I　see　the　person　again。　You　are　the　only　man　who　can　help　me。　Do　it　while　you　can。〃

He　stopped；　and　passed　his　handkerchief　over　his　forehead。

〃Will　that　do？〃　he　askedstill　with　his　eyes　on　his　book。

〃It　will　_not_　do；〃　I　answered。　〃You　are　so　far　from　really　opening　your　heart　to　me；　that　you　won't　even　let　me　know　whether　it　is　a　man　or　a　woman　who　stands　in　the　way　of　your　prospects　in　life。　You　used　the　word　'person；'　over　and　over　againrather　than　say　'he'　or　'she'　when　you　speak　of　the　provocation　which　is　trying　you。　How　can　I　help　a　man　who　has　so　little　confidence　in　me　as　that？〃

My　reply　evidently　found　him　at　the　end　of　his　resources。　He　tried；　tried　desperately；　to　say　more　than　he　had　said　yet。　No！　The　words　seemed　to　stick　in　his　throat。　Not　one　of　them　would　pass　his　lips。

〃Give　me　time；〃　he　pleaded　piteously。　〃I　can't　bring　myself　to　it；　all　at　once。　I　mean　well。　Upon　my　soul；　I　mean　well。　But　I　am　slow　at　this　sort　of　thing。　Wait　till　to…morrow。〃

To…morrow　cameand　again　he　put　it　off。

〃One　more　day！〃　he　said。　〃You　don't　know　how　hard　it　is　to　speak　plainly。　I　am　half　afraid；　I　am　half　ashamed。　Give　me　one　more　day。〃

I　had　hitherto　only　disliked　him。　Try　as　I　might　（and　did）　to　make　merciful　allowance　for　his　reserve；　I　began　to　despise　him　now。

VIII。

THE　day　of　the　deferred　confession　came；　and　brought　an　event　with　it；　for　which　both　he　and　I　were　alike　unprepared。　Would　he　really　have　confided　in　me　but　for　that　event？　He　must　either　have　done　it；　or　have　abandoned　the　purpose　which　had　led　him　into　my　house。

We　met　as　usual　at　the　breakfast…table。　My　housekeeper　brought　in　my　letters　of　the　morning。　To　my　surprise；　instead　of　leaving　the　room　again　as　usual；　she　walked　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　table；　and　laid　a　letter　before　my　senior　pupilthe　first　letter；　since　his　residence　with　me；　which　had　been　delivered　to　him　under　my　roof。

He　started；　and　took　up　the　letter。　He　looked　at　the　address。　A　spasm　of　suppressed　fury　passed　across　his　face；　his　breath　came　quickly；　his　hand　trembled　as　it　held　the　letter。　So　far；　I　said　nothing。　I　waited　to　see　whether　he　would　open　the　envelope　in　my　presence　or　not。

He　was　afraid　to　open　it　in　my　presence。　He　got　on　his　feet；　he　said；　in　tones　so　low　that　I　could　barely　hear　him：　〃Please　excuse　me　for　a　minute〃and　left　the　room。

I　waited　for　half　an　hourfor　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　thatand　then　I　sent　to　ask　if　he　had　forgotten　his　breakfast。

In　a　minute　more；　I　heard　his　footstep　in　the　hall。　He　opened　the　breakfast…room　door；　and　stood　on　the　threshold；　with　a　small　traveling…bag　in　his　hand。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said；　still　standing　at　the　door。　〃I　must　ask　for　leave　of　absence　for　a　day　or　two。　Business　in　London。〃

〃Can　I　be　of　any　use？〃　I　asked。　〃I　am　afraid　your　letter　has　brought　you　bad　news？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Bad　news。　I　have　no　time　for　breakfast。〃

〃Wait　a　few　minutes；〃　I　urged。　〃Wait　long　enough　to　treat　me　like　your　friendto　tell　me　what　your　trouble　is　before　you　go。〃

He　made　no　reply。　He　stepped　into　the　hall　and　closed　the　doorthen　opened　it　again　a　little　way；　without　showing　himself。

〃Business　in　London；〃　he　repeatedas　if　he　thought　it　highly　important　to　inform　me　of　the　nature　of　his　errand。　The　door　closed　for　the　second　time。　He　was　gone。

I　went　into　my　study；　and　carefully　considered　what　had　happened。

The　result　of　my　reflections　is　easily　described。　I　determined　on　discontinuing　my　relations　with　my　senior　pupil。　In　writing　to　his　father　（which　I　did；　with　all　due　courtesy　and　respect；　by　that　day's　post）；　I　mentioned　as　my　reason　for　arriving　at　this　decision：First；　that　I　had　found　it　impossible　to　win　the　confidence　of　his　son。　Secondly；　that　his　son　had　that　morning　suddenly　and　mysteriously　left　my　house　for　London；　and　that　I　must　decline　accepting　any　further　responsibility　toward　him；　as　the　necessary　consequence。

I　had　put　my　letter　in　the　post…bag；　and　was　beginning　to　feel　a　little　easier　after　having　written　it；　when　my　housekeeper　appeared　in　the　study；　with　a　very　grave　face；　and　with　something　hidden　apparently　in　her　closed　hand。

〃Would　you　please　look；　sir；　at　what　we　have　found　in　the　gentleman's　bedroom；　since　he　went　away　this　morning？〃

I　knew　the　housekeeper　to　possess　a　woman's　full　share　of　that　amicable　weakness　of　the　sex　which　goes　by　the　name　of　〃Curiosity。〃　I　had　also；　in　various　indirect　ways；　become　aware　that　my　senior　pupil's　strange　departure　had　largely　increased　the　disposition　among　the　women　of　my　household　to　regard　him　as　the　victim　of　an　unhappy　attachment。　The　time　was　ripe；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　for　checking　any　further　gossip　about　him；　and　any　renewed　attempts　at　prying　into　his　affairs　in　his　absence。

〃Your　only　business　in　my　pupil's　bedroom；〃　I　said　to　the　housekeeper；　〃is　to　see　that　it　is　kept　clean；　and　that　it　is　properly　aired。　There　must　be　no　interference；　if　you　please；　with　his　letters；　or　his　papers；　or　with　anything　else　that　he　has　left　behind　him。　Put　back　directly　whatever　you　may　have　found　in　his　room。〃

The　housekeeper　had　her　full　share　of　a　woman's　temper　as　well　as　of　a　woman's　curiosity。　She　listened　to　me　with　a　rising　color；　and　a　just　perceptible　toss　of　the　head。

〃Must　I　put　it　back；　sir；　on　the　floor；　between　the　bed　and　the　wall？〃　she　inquired；　with　an　ironical　assumption　of　the　humblest　deference　to　my　wishes。　〃_That's_　where　the　girl　found　it　when　she　was　sweeping　the　room。　Anybody　can　see　for　themselves；〃　pursued　the　housekeeper　indignantly；　〃that　the　poor　gentleman　has　gone　away　broken…hearted。　　And　there；　in　my　opinion；　is　the　hussy　who　is　the　cause　of　it！〃

With　those　words；　she　made　me　a　low　curtsey；　and　laid　a　small　photographic　portrait　on　the　desk　at　which　I　was　sitting。

I　looked　at　the　photograph。

In　an　instant；　my　heart　was　beating　wildlymy　head　turned　giddythe　housekeeper；　the　furniture；　the　walls　of　the　room；　all　swayed　and　whirled　round　me。

The　portrait　that　had　been　found　in　my　senior　pupil's　bedroom　was　the　portrait　of　Jeromette！

IX。

I　HAD　sent　the　housekeeper　out　of　my　study。　I　was　alone；　with　the　photograph　of　the　Frenchwoman　on　my　desk。

There　could　surely　be　little　doubt　about　the　discovery　that　had　burst　upon　me。　The　man　who　had　stolen　his　way　into　my　house；　driven　by　the　terror　of　a　temptation　that　he　dared　not　reveal；　and　the　man　who　had　been　my　unknown　rival　in　the　by…gone　time；　were　one　and　the　same！

Recovering　self…possession　enough　to　realize　this　plain　truth；　the　inferences　that　followed　forced　their　way　into　my　mind　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　unnamed　person　who　was　the　obstacle　to　my　pupil's　prospects　in　life；　the　unnamed　person　in　whose　company　he　was　assailed　by　temptations　which　made　him　tremble　for　himself；　stood　revealed　to　me　now　as　being；　in　all　human　probability；　no　other　than　Jeromette。　Had　she　bound　him　in　the　fetters　of　the　marriage　which　he　had　himself　proposed？　Had　she　discovered　his　place　of　refuge　in　my　house？　And　was　the　letter　that　had　been　delivered　to　him　of　her　writing？　Assuming　these　questions　to　be　answered　in　the　affirmative；　what；　in　that　case；　was　his　〃business　in　London〃？　I　remembered　how　he　had　spoken　to　me　of　his　temptations；　I　recalled　the　expression　that　had　crossed　his　face　when　he　recognized　the　handwriting　on　the　letterand　the　conclusion　that　followed　literally　shook　me　to　the　soul。　Ordering　my　horse　to　be　saddled；　I　rode　instantly　to　the　railway…station。

The　train　by　which　he　had　traveled　to　London　had　reached　the　terminus　nearly　an　hour　since。　The　one　useful　course　that　I　could　take；　by　way　of　quieting　the　dreadful　misgivings　crowding　one　after　another　on　my　mind；　was　to　telegraph　to　Jeromette　at　the　address　at　which　I　had　last　seen　her。　I　sent　the　subjoined　messageprepaying　the　reply：

〃If　you　are　in　any　trouble；　telegraph　to　me。　I　will　be　with　you　by　the　first　train。　Answer；　in　any　case。〃

There　was　nothing　in　the　way　of　the　immediate　dispatch　of　my　message。　And　yet　the　hours　passed；　and　no　answer　was　received。　By　the　advice　of　t