the queen of hearts-第51部分

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that　had　suspended　his　literary　occupation；　she　listened；　with
the　sensation　of　the　kiss　still　lingering　in　her　downcast　eyes
and　her　smiling　lips；　until　he　came　to　the　subject　of　his　Diary
and　its　reference　to　the　newspaper。

As　he　mentioned　the　name　of　the　_Times_　she　altered　and　looked
him　straight　in　the　face　gravely。

〃Can　you　suggest　any　plan；　love；〃　he　went　on；　〃which　may　save　me
the　necessity　of　a　journey　to　London　at　this　bleak　time　of　the
year？　I　must　positively　have　this　information；　and；　so　far　as　I
can　see；　London　is　the　only　place　at　which　I　can　hope　to　meet
with　a　file　of　the　_Times_。〃

〃A　file　of　the　_Times？_〃　she　repeated。

〃Yesof　eight　years　since；〃　he　said。

The　instant　the　words　passed　his　lips　he　saw　her　face　overspread
by　a　ghastly　paleness；　her　eyes　fixed　on　him　with　a　strange
mixture　of　rigidity　and　vacancy　in　their　look；　her　hands；　with
her　work　held　tight　in　them；　dropped　slowly　on　her　lap；　and　a
shiver　ran　through　her　from　head　to　foot。

He　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　snatched　the　smelling…salts　from　her
work…table；　thinking　she　was　going　to　faint。　She　put　the　bottle
from　her；　when　he　offered　it；　with　a　hand　that　thrilled　him　with
the　deadly　coldness　of　its　touch；　and　said；　in　a　whisper：

〃A　sudden　chill；　dearlet　me　go　upstairs　and　lie　down。〃

He　took　her　to　her　room。　As　he　laid　her　down　on　the　bed；　she
caught　his　hand；　and　said；　entreatingly：

〃You　won't　go　to　London；　darling；　and　leave　me　here　ill？〃

He　promised　that　nothing　should　separate　him　from　her　until　she
was　well　again；　and　then　ran　downstairs　to　send　for　the　doctor。
The　doctor　came；　and　pronounced　that　Mrs。　Carling　was　only
suffering　from　a　nervous　attack；　that　there　was　not　the　least
reason　to　be　alarmed；　and　that；　with　proper　care；　she　would　be
well　again　in　a　few　days。

Both　husband　and　wife　had　a　dinner　engagement　in　the　town　for
that　evening。　Mr。　Carling　proposed　to　write　an　apology　and　to
remain　with　his　wife。　But　she　would　not　hear　of　his　abandoning
the　party　on　her　account。　The　doctor　also　recommended　that　his
patient　should　be　left　to　her　maid's　care；　to　fall　asleep　under
the　influence　of　the　quieting　medicine　which　he　meant　to　give
her。　Yielding　to　this　advice；　Mr。　Carling　did　his　best　to
suppress　his　own　anxieties；　and　went　to　the　dinner…party。


CHAPTER　II。


AMONG　the　guests　whom　the　rector　met　was　a　gentleman　named
Rambert；　a　single　man　of　large　fortune；　well　known　in　the
neighborhood　of　Penliddy　as　the　owner　of　a　noble　country…seat　and
the　possessor　of　a　magnificent　library。

Mr。　Rambert　（with　whom　Mr。　Carling　was　well　acquainted）　greeted
him　at　the　dinner…party　with　friendly　expressions　of　regret　at
the　time　that　had　elapsed　since　they　had　last　seen　each　other；
and　mentioned　that　he　had　recently　been　adding　to　his　collection
of　books　some　rare　old　volumes　of　theology；　which　he　thought　the
rector　might　find　it　useful　to　look　over。　Mr。　Carling；　with　the
necessity　of　finishing　his　pamphlet　uppermost　in　his　mind；
replied；　jestingly；　that　the　species　of　literature　which　he　was
just　then　most　interested　in　examining　happened　to　be　precisely
of　the　sort　which　（excepting　novels；　perhaps）　had　least　affinity
to　theological　writing。　The　necessary　explanation　followed　this
avowal　as　a　matter　of　course；　and；　to　Mr。　Carling's　great
delight；　his　friend　turned　on　him　gayly　with　the　most　surprising
and　satisfactory　of　answers：

〃You　don't　know　half　the　resources　of　my　miles　of　bookshelves；〃
he　said；　〃or　you　would　never　have　thought　of　going　to　London　for
what　you　can　get　from　me。　A　whole　side　of　one　of　my　rooms
upstairs　is　devoted　to　periodical　literature。　I　have　reviews；
magazines；　and　three　weekly　newspapers；　bound；　in　each　case；　from
the　first　number；　and；　what　is　just　now　more　to　your　purpose；　I
have　the　_Times_　for　the　last　fifteen　years　in　huge　half…yearly
volumes。　Give　me　the　date　to…night；　and　you　shall　have　the　volume
you　want　by　two　o'clock　to…morrow　afternoon。〃

The　necessary　information　was　given　at　once；　and；　with　a　great
sense　of　relief；　so　far　as　his　literary　anxieties　were　concerned；
Mr。　Carling　went　home　early　to　see　what　the　quieting　medicine　had
done　for　his　wife。

She　had　dozed　a　little；　but　had　not　slept。　However；　she　was
evidently　better；　for　she　was　able　to　take　an　interest　in　the
sayings　and　doings　at　the　dinner…party；　and　questioned　her
husband　about　the　guests　and　the　conversation　with　all　a　woman's
curiosity　about　the　minutest　matters。　She　lay　with　her　face
turned　toward　him　and　her　eyes　meeting　his；　until　the　course　of
her　inquiries　drew　an　answer　from　him；　which　informed　her　of　his
fortunate　discovery　in　relation　to　Mr。　Rambert's　library；　and　of
the　prospect　it　afforded　of　his　resuming　his　labors　the　next　day。

When　he　mentioned　this　circumstance；　she　suddenly　turned　her　head
on　the　pillow　so　that　her　face　was　hidden　from　him；　and　he　cou　ld
see　through　the　counterpane　that　the　shivering；　which　he　had
observed　when　her　illness　had　seized　her　in　the　morning；　had
returned　again。

〃I　am　only　cold；〃　she　said；　in　a　hurried　way；　with　her　face　under
the　clothes。

He　rang　for　the　maid；　and　had　a　fresh　covering　placed　on　the　bed。
Observing　that　she　seemed　unwilling　to　be　disturbed；　he　did　not
remove　the　clothes　from　her　face　when　he　wished　her　goodnight；
but　pressed　his　lips　on　her　head；　and　patted　it　gently　with　his
hand。　She　shrank　at　the　touch　as　if　it　hurt　her；　light　as　it　was；
and　he　went　downstairs；　resolved　to　send　for　the　doctor　again　if
she　did　not　get　to　rest　on　being　left　quiet。　In　less　than　half　an
hour　afterward　the　maid　came　down　and　relieved　his　anxiety　by
reporting　that　her　mistress　was　asleep。

The　next　morning　he　found　her　in　better　spirits。　Her　eyes；　she
said；　felt　too　weak　to　bear　the　light；　so　she　kept　the　bedroom
darkened。　But　in　other　respects　she　had　little　to　complain　of。

After　answering　her　husband's　first　inquiries；　she　questioned　him
about　his　plans　for　the　day。　He　had　letters　to　write　which　would
occupy　him　until　twelve　o'clock。　At　two　o'clock　he　expected　the
volume　of　the　_Times_　to　arrive；　and　he　should　then　devote　the
rest　of　the　afternoon　to　his　work。　After　hearing　what　his　plans
were；　Mrs。　Carling　suggested　that　he　should　ride　out　after　he　had
done　his　letters；　so　as　to　get　some　exercise　at　the　fine　part　of
the　day；　and　she　then　reminded　him　that　a　longer　time　than　usual
had　elapsed　since　he　had　been　to　see　a　certain　old　pensioner　of
his；　who　had　nursed　him　as　a　child；　and　who　was　now　bedridden；　in
a　village　at　some　distance；　called　Tringweighton。　Although　the
rector　saw　no　immediate　necessity　for　making　this　charitable
visit；　the　more　especially　as　the　ride　to　the　village　and　back；
and　the　intermediate　time　devoted　to　gossip；　would　occupy　at
least　two　hours　and　a　half；　he　assented　to　his　wife's　proposal；
perceiving　that　she　urged　it　with　unusual　earnestness；　and　being
unwilling　to　thwart　her；　even　in　a　trifle；　at　a　time　when　she　was
ill。

Accordingly；　his　horse　was　at　the　door　at　twelve　precisely。
Impatient　to　get　back　to　the　precious　volume　of　the　_Times；_　he
rode　so　much　faster　than　usual；　and　so　shortened　his　visit　to　the
old　woman；　that　he　was　home　again　by　a　quarter　past　two。
Ascertaining　from　the　servant　who　opened　the　door　that　the　volume
had　been　left　by　Mr。　Rambert's　messenger　punctually　at　two；　he
ran　up　to　his　wife's　room　to　tell　her　about　his　visit　before　he
secluded　himself　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　over　his　work。　On
entering　the　bedroom　he　found　it　still　darkened；　and　he　was
struck　by　a　smell　of　burned　paper　in　it。

His　wife　（who　was　now　dressed　in　her　wrapper　and　lying　on　the
sofa）　accounted　for　the　smell　by　telling　him　that　she　had　fancied
the　room　felt　close；　and　that　she　had　burned　some　paperbeing
afraid　of　the　cold　air　if　she　opened　the　windowto　fumigate　it。
Her　eyes　were　evidently　still　weak；　for　she　kept　her　hand　over
them　while　she　spoke。　After　remaining　with　her　long　enough　to
relate　the　few　trivial　events　of　his　ride；　Mr。　Carling　descended
to　his　study　to　occupy　himself　at　last　with　the　volume　of　the
_Times_。

It　lay　on　his　table　in　the　shape　of　a　large　flat　brown　paper
package。　On　proceeding　to　undo　the　covering；　he　observed　that　it
had　been　very　carelessly　tied　up。　The　strings　were　crooked　and
loosely　knotted；　and　the　direction　bearing　his　name　and　address；
instead　of　being　in　the　middle　of　the　paper；　was　awkwardly　folded
over　at　the　edge　of　the　volume。　However；　his　business　was　with
the　inside　of　the　parcel；　so　he　tossed　away　the　covering　and　the
string；　and　began　at　once　to　hunt　through　the　volume　for　the
particular　number　of　the　paper　which　he　wished　first　to　consult。

He　soon　found　it；　with　the　report　of　the　speeches　delivered　by
the　members　of　the　deputation；　and　the　answer　returned　by　the
minister。　After　reading　through　the　report；　and　putting　a　mark　in
the　place　where　it　occurred；　he　turned　to　the　next　day's　number
of　the　paper；　to　see　what　further　hints　on　the　subject　the
letters　addressed　to　the　editor　might　happen　to　contain。

To　his　inexpressible　vexation　and　amazement；　he　found　that　one
number　of　the　paper　was　missing。

He　bent　the　two　sides　of　the　volume　back；　looked　closely　between
the　leaves；　and　saw　immediately　that　the　missing　number　had　been
cut　out。

A　vague　sense　of　something　like　alarm　began　to　mingle　with　his
first　feeling　of　disappointment。　He　wrote　at　once　to　Mr。　Rambert；
mentioning　the　discovery　he　had　just　made；　and　sent　the　note　off
by　his　groom；　with　orders　to　the　man　to　wait　for　an　answer。

The　reply　with　which　the　servant　returned　was　almost　insolent　in
the　shortness　and　coolness　of　its　tone。　Mr。　Rambert　had　no　books
in　his　library　which　were　not　in　perfect　condition。　The　volume　of
the　_Times_　had　left　his　house　perfect；　and　whatever　blame　might
attach　to　the　mutilation　of　it　rested　therefore　on　other
shoulders　than　those　of　the　owner。

Like　many　other　weak　men；　Mr。　Carling　was　secretly　touchy　on　the
subject　of　his　dignity。　After　reading　the　note　and　questioning
his　servants；　who　were　certain　that　the　volume　had　not　been
touched　till　he　had　opened　it；　he　resolved　that　the　missing
number　of　the　_Times_　should　be　procured　at　any　expense　and
insert