little novels-第7部分

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g　over　it。〃

〃That's　enough　for　our　purpose；〃　the　housekeeper　resumed。　〃On　the　other　side　of　the　curtain；　if　you　had　looked　in；　you　would　have　found　the　library。　Suppose　my　master　is　as　polite　as　usual；　and　begs　to　be　excused　for　not　receiving　you；　because　it　is　an　inconvenient　time。　And　suppose　you　are　polite　on　your　side　and　take　yourself　off　by　the　drawing…room　door。　You　will　find　me　waiting　downstairs；　on　the　first　landing。　Do　you　see　it　now？〃

〃I　can't　say　I　do。〃

〃You　surprise　me；　sir。　What　is　to　prevent　us　from　getting　back　softly　into　the　library；　by　the　door　in　the　passage？　And　why　shouldn't　we　use　that　second　way　into　the　library　as　a　means　of　discovering　what　may　be　going　on　in　the　drawing…room？　Safe　behind　the　curtain；　you　will　see　him　if　he　behaves　uncivilly　to　Mrs。　Zant；　or　you　will　hear　her　if　she　calls　for　help。　In　either　case；　you　may　be　as　rough　and　ready　with　my　master　as　you　find　needful；　it　will　be　he　who　has　frightened　her；　and　not　you。　And　who　can　blame　the　poor　housekeeper　because　Mr。　Rayburn　did　his　duty；　and　protected　a　helpless　woman？　There　is　my　plan；　sir。　Is　it　worth　trying？〃

He　answered；　sharply　enough：　〃I　don't　like　it。〃

The　housekeeper　opened　the　door　again；　and　wished　him　good…by。

If　Mr。　Rayburn　had　felt　no　more　than　an　ordinary　interest　in　Mrs。　Zant；　he　would　have　let　the　woman　go。　As　it　was；　he　stopped　her；　and；　after　some　further　protest　（which　proved　to　be　useless）；　he　ended　in　giving　way。

〃You　promise　to　follow　my　directions？〃　she　stipulated。

He　gave　the　promise。　She　smiled；　nodded；　and　left　him。　True　to　his　instructions；　Mr。　Rayburn　reckoned　five　minutes　by　his　watch；　before　he　followed　her。

XII。

THE　housekeeper　was　waiting　for　him；　with　the　street…door　ajar。

〃They　are　both　in　the　drawing…room；〃　she　whispered；　leading　the　way　upstairs。　〃Step　softly；　and　take　him　by　surprise。〃

A　table　of　oblong　shape　stood　midway　between　the　drawing…room　walls。　At　the　end　of　it　which　was　nearest　to　the　window；　Mrs。　Zant　was　pacing　to　and　fro　across　the　breadth　of　the　room。　At　the　opposite　end　of　the　table；　John　Zant　was　seated。　Taken　completely　by　surprise；　he　showed　himself　in　his　true　character。　He　started　to　his　feet；　and　protested　with　an　oath　against　the　intrusion　which　had　been　committed　on　him。

Heedless　of　his　action　and　his　language；　Mr。　Rayburn　could　look　at　nothing；　could　think　of　nothing；　but　Mrs。　Zant。　She　was　still　walking　slowly　to　and　fro；　unconscious　of　the　words　of　sympathy　which　he　addressed　to　her；　insensible　even　as　it　seemed　to　the　presence　of　other　persons　in　the　room。

John　Zant's　voice　broke　the　silence。　His　temper　was　under　control　again：　he　had　his　reasons　for　still　remaining　on　friendly　terms　with　Mr。　Rayburn。

〃I　am　sorry　I　forgot　myself　just　now；〃　he　said。

Mr。　Rayburn's　interest　was　concentrated　on　Mrs。　Zant；　he　took　no　notice　of　the　apology。

〃When　did　this　happen？〃　he　asked。

〃About　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ago。　I　was　fortunately　at　home。　Without　speaking　to　me；　without　noticing　me；　she　walked　upstairs　like　a　person　in　a　dream。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　suddenly　pointed　to　Mrs。　Zant。

〃Look　at　her！〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　change！〃

All　restlessness　in　her　movements　had　come　to　an　end。　She　was　standing　at　the　further　end　of　the　table；　which　was　nearest　to　the　window；　in　the　full　flow　of　sunlight　pouring　at　that　moment　over　her　face。　Her　eyes　looked　out　straight　before　hervoid　of　all　expression。　Her　lips　were　a　little　parted：　her　head　drooped　slightly　toward　her　shoulder；　in　an　attitude　which　suggested　listening　for　something　or　waiting　for　something。　In　the　warm　brilliant　light；　she　stood　before　the　two　men；　a　living　creature　self…isolated　in　a　stillness　like　the　stillness　of　death。

John　Zant　was　ready　with　the　expression　of　his　opinion。

〃A　nervous　seizure；〃　he　said。　〃Something　resembling　catalepsy；　as　you　see。〃

〃Have　you　sent　for　a　doctor？〃

〃A　doctor　is　not　wanted。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon。　It　seems　to　me　that　medical　help　is　absolutely　necessary。〃

〃Be　so　good　as　to　remember；　〃　Mr。　John　Zant　answered；　〃that　the　decision　rests　with　me；　as　the　lady's　relative。　I　am　sensible　of　the　honor　which　your　visit　confers　on　me。　But　the　time　has　been　unhappily　chosen。　Forgive　me　if　I　suggest　that　you　will　do　well　to　retire。〃

Mr。　Rayburn　had　not　forgotten　the　housekeeper's　advice；　or　the　promise　which　she　had　exacted　from　him。　But　the　expression　in　John　Zant's　face　was　a　serious　trial　　to　his　self…control。　He　hesitated；　and　looked　back　at　Mrs。　Zant。

If　he　provoked　a　quarrel　by　remaining　in　the　room；　the　one　alternative　would　be　the　removal　of　her　by　force。　Fear　of　the　consequences　to　herself；　if　she　was　suddenly　and　roughly　roused　from　her　trance；　was　the　one　consideration　which　reconciled　him　to　submission。　He　withdrew。

The　housekeeper　was　waiting　for　him　below；　on　the　first　landing。　When　the　door　of　the　drawing…room　had　been　closed　again；　she　signed　to　him　to　follow　her；　and　returned　up　the　stairs。　After　another　struggle　with　himself；　he　obeyed。　They　entered　the　library　from　the　corridorand　placed　themselves　behind　the　closed　curtain　which　hung　over　the　doorway。　It　was　easy　so　to　arrange　the　edge　of　the　drapery　as　to　observe；　without　exciting　suspicion；　whatever　was　going　on　in　the　next　room。

Mrs。　Zant's　brother…in…law　was　approaching　her　at　the　time　when　Mr。　Rayburn　saw　him　again。

In　the　instant　afterward；　she　movedbefore　he　had　completely　passed　over　the　space　between　them。　Her　still　figure　began　to　tremble。　She　lifted　her　drooping　head。　For　a　moment　there　was　a　shrinking　in　heras　if　she　had　been　touched　by　something。　She　seemed　to　recognize　the　touch：　she　was　still　again。

John　Zant　watched　the　change。　It　suggested　to　him　that　she　was　beginning　to　recover　her　senses。　He　tried　the　experiment　of　speaking　to　her。

〃My　love；　my　sweet　angel；　come　to　the　heart　that　adores　you！〃

He　advanced　again；　he　passed　into　the　flood　of　sunlight　pouring　over　her。

〃Rouse　yourself！〃　he　said。

She　still　remained　in　the　same　position；　apparently　at　his　mercy；　neither　hearing　him　nor　seeing　him。

〃Rouse　yourself！〃　he　repeated。　〃My　darling；　come　to　me！〃

At　the　instant　when　he　attempted　to　embrace　herat　the　instant　when　Mr。　Rayburn　rushed　into　the　roomJohn　Zant's　arms；　suddenly　turning　rigid；　remained　outstretched。　With　a　shriek　of　horror；　he　struggled　to　draw　them　backstruggled；　in　the　empty　brightness　of　the　sunshine；　as　if　some　invisible　grip　had　seized　him。

〃What　has　got　me？〃　the　wretch　screamed。　〃Who　is　holding　my　hands？　Oh；　the　cold　of　it！　the　cold　of　it！〃

His　features　became　convulsed；　his　eyes　turned　upward　until　only　the　white　eyeballs　were　visible。　He　fell　prostrate　with　a　crash　that　shook　the　room。

The　housekeeper　ran　in。　She　knelt　by　her　master's　body。　With　one　hand　she　loosened　his　cravat。　With　the　other　she　pointed　to　the　end　of　the　table。

Mrs。　Zant　still　kept　her　place；　but　there　was　another　change。　Little　by　little；　her　eyes　recovered　their　natural　living　expressionthen　slowly　closed。　She　tottered　backward　from　the　table；　and　lifted　her　hands　wildly；　as　if　to　grasp　at　something　which　might　support　her。　Mr。　Rayburn　hurried　to　her　before　she　felllifted　her　in　his　armsand　carried　her　out　of　the　room。

One　of　the　servants　met　them　in　the　hall。　He　sent　her　for　a　carriage。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　more；　Mrs。　Zant　was　safe　under　his　care　at　the　hotel。

XIII。

THAT　night　a　note；　written　by　the　housekeeper；　was　delivered　to　Mrs。　Zant。

〃The　doctors　give　little　hope。　The　paralytic　stroke　is　spreading　upward　to　his　face。　If　death　spares　him；　he　will　live　a　helpless　man。　I　shall　take　care　of　him　to　the　last。　As　for　youforget　him。〃

Mrs。　Zant　gave　the　note　to　Mr。　Rayburn。

〃Read　it；　and　destroy　it；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　written　in　ignorance　of　the　terrible　truth。〃

He　obeyedand　looked　at　her　in　silence；　waiting　to　hear　more。　She　hid　her　face。　The　few　words　she　had　addressed　to　him；　after　a　struggle　with　herself；　fell　slowly　and　reluctantly　from　her　lips。

She　said：　〃No　mortal　hand　held　the　hands　of　John　Zant。　The　guardian　spirit　was　with　me。　The　promised　protection　was　with　me。　I　know　it。　I　wish　to　know　no　more。〃

Having　spoken；　she　rose　to　retire。　He　opened　the　door　for　her；　seeing　that　she　needed　rest　in　her　own　room。

Left　by　himself；　he　began　to　consider　the　prospect　that　was　before　him　in　the　future。　How　was　he　to　regard　the　woman　who　had　just　left　him？　As　a　poor　creature　weakened　by　disease；　the　victim　of　her　own　nervous　delusion？　or　as　the　chosen　object　of　a　supernatural　revelationunparalleled　by　any　similar　revelation　that　he　had　heard　of；　or　had　found　recorded　in　books？　His　first　discovery　of　the　place　that　she　really　held　in　his　estimation　dawned　on　his　mind；　when　he　felt　himself　recoiling　from　the　conclusion　which　presented　her　to　his　pity；　and　yielding　to　the　nobler　conviction　which　felt　with　her　faith；　and　raised　her　to　a　place　apart　among　other　women。

XIV。

THEY　left　St。　Sallins　the　next　day。

Arrived　at　the　end　of　the　journey；　Lucy　held　fast　by　Mrs。　Zant's　hand。　Tears　were　rising　in　the　child's　eyes。

〃Are　we　to　bid　her　good…by？〃　she　said　sadly　to　her　father。

He　seemed　to　be　unwilling　to　trust　himself　to　speak；　he　only　said：

〃My　dear；　ask　her　yourself。〃

But　the　result　justified　him。　Lucy　was　happy　again。


MISS　MORRIS　AND　THE　STRANGER。

I。

WHEN　I　first　saw　him；　he　was　lost　in　one　of　the　Dead　Cities　of　Englandsituated　on　the　South　Coast；　and　called　Sandwich。

Shall　I　describe　Sandwich？　I　think　not。　Let　us　own　the　truth；　descriptions　of　places；　however　nicely　they　may　be　written；　are　always　more　or　less　dull。　Being　a　woman；　I　naturally　hate　dullness。　Perhaps　some　description　of　Sandwich　may　drop　out；　as　it　were；　from　my　report　of　our　conversation　when　we　first　met　as　strangers　in　the　street。

He　began　irritably。　〃I've　lost　myself；〃　he　said。

〃People　who　don't　know　the　town　often　do　that；〃　I　remarked。

He　went　on：　〃Which　is　my　way　to　the　Fleur　de　Lys　Inn？〃

His　way　was；　in　the　first　place；　to　retrace　his　steps。　Then　to　turn　to　the　left。　Then　to　go　on　until　he　found　two　streets　meeting。　Then　to　take　the　street　on　the　right。　Then　to　look　out　for　the　second　turning　on　the　left。　Then　to　follow　the　turning　until　he　smelled　stablesand　there　was　the　inn。　I　put　it　in　the　clearest