the queen of hearts-第78部分

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He　still　spoke　calmly；　but　there　was　something　in　the　look　of　his
eyes　which　showed　me　that　he　was　suffering　in　spirit。　A　sudden
nervousness　overcame　me；　and　I　was　obliged　to　sit　down。

〃You　knew　Mary　Mallinson；　sir？〃　I　asked；　as　quietly　as　I　could。

〃I　am　her　brother。〃

I　clasped　my　hands　and　hid　my　face　in　despair。　Oh；　the　bitterness
of　heart　with　which　I　heard　him　say　those　simple　words！

〃You　were　very　kind　to　her；〃　said　the　calm；　tearless　man。　〃In　her
name　and　for　her　sake；　I　thank　you。〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃why　did　you　never　write　to　her　when　you　were
in　foreign　parts？〃

〃I　wrote　often；〃　he　answered；　〃but　each　of　my　letters　contained　a
remittance　of　money。　Did　Mary　tell　you　she　had　a　stepmother？　If
she　did；　you　may　guess　why　none　of　my　letters　were　allowed　to
reach　her。　I　now　know　that　this　woman　robbed　my　sister。　Has　she
lied　in　telling　me　that　she　was　never　informed　of　Mary's　place　of
abode？〃

I　remembered　that　Mary　had　never　communicated　with　her　stepmother
after　the　separation；　and　could　therefore　assure　him　that　the
woman　had　spoken　the　truth。

He　paused　for　a　moment　after　that；　and　sighed。　Then　he　took　out　a
pocket…book；　and　said：

〃I　have　already　arranged　for　the　payment　of　any　legal　expenses
that　may　have　been　incurred　by　the　trial；　but　I　have　still　to
reimburse　you　for　the　funeral　charges　which　you　so　generously
defrayed。　Excuse　my　speaking　bluntly　on　this　subject；　I　am
accustomed　to　look　on　all　matters　where　money　is　concerned　purely
as　matters　of　business。〃

I　saw　that　he　was　taking　several　bank…notes　out　of　the
pocket…book；　and　stopped　him。

〃I　will　gratefully　receive　back　the　little　money　I　actually　paid；
sir；　because　I　am　not　well　off；　and　it　would　be　an　ungracious　act
of　pride　in　me　to　refuse　it　from　you；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　see　you
handling　bank…notes；　any　one　of　which　is　far　beyond　the　amount
you　have　to　repay　me。　Pray　put　them　back；　sir。　What　I　did　for
your　poor　lost　sister　I　did　from　my　love　and　fondness　for　her。
You　have　thanked　me　for　that；　and　your　thanks　are　all　I　can
receive。〃

He　had　hitherto　concealed　his　feelings；　but　I　saw　them　now　begin
to　get　the　better　of　him。　His　eyes　softened；　and　he　took　my　hand
and　squeezed　it　hard。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　with　all　my
heart。〃

There　was　silence　between　us；　for　I　was　crying；　and　I　believe；　at
heart；　he　was　crying　too。　At　last　he　dropped　my　hand；　and　seemed
to　change　back；　by　an　effort；　to　his　former　calmness。

〃Is　there　no　one　belonging　to　you　to　whom　I　can　be　of　service？〃
he　asked。　〃I　see　among　the　witnesses　on　the　trial　the　name　of　a
young　man　who　appears　to　have　assisted　you　in　the　inquiries　which
led　to　the　prisoner's　conviction。　Is　he　a　relation？〃

〃No；　sirat　least；　not　nowbut　I　hope〃

〃What？〃

〃I　hope　that　he　may；　one　day；　be　the　nearest　and　dearest　relation
to　me　that　a　woman　can　have。〃　I　said　those　words　boldly；　because
I　was　afraid　of　his　otherwise　taking　some　wrong　view　of　the
connection　between　Robert　and　me

〃One　day？〃　he　repeated。　〃One　day　may　be　a　long　time　hence。〃

〃We　are　neither　of　us　well　off；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃One　day　means　the
day　when　we　are　a　little　richer　than　we　are　now。〃

〃Is　the　young　man　educated？　Can　he　produce　testimonials　to　his
character？　Oblige　me　by　writing　his　name　and　address　down　on　the
back　of　that　card。〃

When　I　had　obeyed；　in　a　handwriting　which　I　am　afraid　did　me　no
credit；　he　took　out　another　card　and　gave　it　to　me。

〃I　shall　leave　England　to…morrow；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　nothing　now
to　keep　me　in　my　own　country。　If　you　are　ever　in　any　difficulty
or　distress　（which　I　pray　God　you　may　never　be）；　apply　to　my
London　agent；　whose　address　you　have　there。〃

He　stopped；　and　looked　at　me　attentively；　then　took　my　hand
again。

〃Wher　e　is　she　buried？〃　he　said；　suddenly；　in　a　quick　whisper；
turning　his　head　away。

I　told　him；　and　added　that　we　had　made　the　grave　as　beautiful　as
we　could　with　grass　and　flowers。　I　saw　his　lips　whiten　and
tremble。

〃God　bless　and　reward　you！〃　he　said；　and　drew　me　toward　him
quickly　and　kissed　my　forehead。　I　was　quite　overcome；　and　sank
down　and　hid　my　face　on　the　table。　When　I　looked　up　again　he　was
gone。

*　*　*　*　*　*　*

June　25th；　1841。　I　write　these　lines　on　my　wedding　morning；　when
little　more　than　a　year　has　passed　since　Robert　returned　to
England。

His　salary　was　increased　yesterday　to　one　hundred　and　fifty
pounds　a　year。　If　I　only　knew　where　Mr。　Mallinson　was；　I　would
write　and　tell　him　of　our　present　happiness。　But　for　the
situation　which　his　kindness　procured　for　Robert；　we　might　still
have　been　waiting　vainly　for　the　day　that　has　now　come。

I　am　to　work　at　home　for　the　future；　and　Sally　is　to　help　us　in
our　new　abode。　If　Mary　could　have　lived　to　see　this　day！　I　am　not
ungrateful　for　my　blessings；　but　oh；　how　I　miss　that　sweet　face
on　this　morning　of　all　others！

I　got　up　to…day　early　enough　to　go　alone　to　the　grave；　and　to
gather　the　nosegay　that　now　lies　before　me　from　the　flowers　that
grow　round　it。　I　shall　put　it　in　my　bosom　when　Robert　comes　to
fetch　me　to　the　church。　Mary　would　have　been　my　bridesmaid　if　she
had　lived；　and　I　can't　forget　Mary；　even　on　my　wedding…day。　。　。　。


THE　NIGHT。


THE　last　words　of　the　last　story　fell　low　and　trembling　from
Owen's　lips。　He　waited　for　a　moment　while　Jessie　dried　the　tears
which　Anne　Rodway's　simple　diary　had　drawn　from　her　warm　young
heart；　then　closed　the　manuscript；　and　taking　her　hand　patted　it
in　his　gentle；　fatherly　way。

〃You　will　be　glad　to　hear；　my　love；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　can　speak
from　personal　experience　of　Anne　Rodway's　happiness。　She　came　to
live　in　my　parish　soon　after　the　trial　at　which　she　appeared　as
chief　witness；　and　I　was　the　clergyman　who　married　her。　Months
before　that　I　knew　her　story；　and　had　read　those　portions　of　her
diary　which　you　have　just　heard。　When　I　made　her　my　little
present　on　her　wedding　day；　and　when　she　gratefully　entreated　me
to　tell　her　what　she　could　do　for　me　in　return；　I　asked　for　a
copy　of　her　diary　to　keep　among　the　papers　that　I　treasured　most。
'The　reading　of　it　now　and　then；'　I　said；　'will　encourage　that
faith　in　the　brighter　and　better　part　of　human　nature　which　I
hope；　by　God's　help；　to　preserve　pure　to　my　dying　day。'　In　that
way　I　became　possessed　of　the　manuscript：　it　was　Anne's　husband
who　made　the　copy　for　me。　You　have　noticed　a　few　withered　leaves
scattered　here　and　there　between　the　pages。　They　were　put　there；
years　since；　by　the　bride's　own　hand：　they　are　all　that　now
remain　of　the　flowers　that　Anne　Rodway　gathered　on　her　marriage
morning　from　Mary　Mallinson's　grave。〃

Jessie　tried　to　answer；　but　the　words　failed　on　her　lips。　Between
the　effect　of　the　story；　and　the　anticipation　of　the　parting　now
so　near　at　hand；　the　good；　impulsive；　affectionate　creature　was
fairly　overcome。　She　laid　her　head　on　Owen's　shoulder；　and　kept
tight　hold　of　his　hand；　and　let　her　heart　speak　simply　for
itself；　without　attempting　to　help　it　by　a　single　word。

The　silence　that　followed　was　broken　harshly　by　the　tower　clock。
The　heavy　hammer　slowly　rang　out　ten　strokes　through　the　gloomy
night…time　and　the　dying　storm。

I　waited　till　the　last　humming　echo　of　the　clock　fainted　into
dead　stillness。　I　listened　once　more　attentively；　and　again
listened　in　vain。　Then　I　rose；　and　proposed　to　my　brothers　that
we　should　leave　our　guest　to　compose　herself　for　the　night。

When　Owen　and　Morgan　were　ready　to　quit　the　room；　I　took　her　by
the　hand；　and　drew　her　a　little　aside。

〃You　leave　us　early；　my　dear；〃　I　said；　〃but；　before　you　go
to…morrow　morning〃

I　stopped　to　listen　for　the　last　time；　before　the　words　were
spoken　which　committed　me　to　the　desperate　experiment　of　pleading
George's　cause　in　defiance　of　his　own　request。　Nothing　caught　my
ear　but　the　sweep　of　the　weary　weakened　wind　and　the　melancholy
surging　of　the　shaken　trees。

〃But；　before　you　go　to…morrow　morning；〃　I　resumed；　〃I　want　to
speak　to　you　in　private。　We　shall　breakfast　at　eight　o'clock。　Is
it　asking　too　much　to　beg　you　to　come　and　see　me　alone　in　my
study　at　half　past　seven？〃

Just　as　her　lips　opened　to　answer　me　I　saw　a　change　pass　over　her
face。　I　had　kept　her　hand　in　mine　while　I　was　speaking；　and　I
must　have　pressed　it　unconsciously　so　hard　as　almost　to　hurt　her。
She　may　even　have　uttered　a　few　words　of　remonstrance；　but　they
never　reached　me：　my　whole　hearing　sense　was　seized；　absorbed；
petrified。　At　the　very　instant　when　I　had　ceased　speaking；　I；　and
I　alone；　heard　a　faint　sounda　sound　that　was　new　to　mefly
past　the　Glen　Tower　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。

〃Open　the　window；　for　God's　sake！〃　I　cried。

My　hand　mechanically　held　hers　tighter　and　tighter。　She　struggled
to　free　it；　looking　hard　at　me　with　pale　cheeks　and　frightened
eyes。　Owen　hastened　up　and　released　her；　and　put　his　arms　round
me。

〃Griffith；　Griffith！〃　he　whispered；　〃control　yourself；　for
George's　sake。〃

Morgan　hurried　to　the　window　and　threw　it　wide　open。

The　wind　and　rain　rushed　in　fiercely。　Welcome；　welcome　wind！　They
all　heard　it　now。　〃Oh；　Father　in　heaven；　so　merciful　to　fathers
on　earthmy　son；　my　son！〃

It　came　in；　louder　and　louder　with　every　gust　of　windthe
joyous；　rapid　gathering　roll　of　wheels。　My　eyes　fastened　on　her
as　if　they　could　see　to　her　heart；　while　she　stood　there　with　her
sweet　face　turned　on　me　all　pale　and　startled。　I　tried　to　speak
to　her；　I　tried　to　break　away　from　Owen's　arms；　to　throw　my　own
arms　round　her；　to　keep　her　on　my　bosom；　till　_he_　came　to　take
her　from　me。　But　all　my　strength　had　gone　in　the　long　waiting　and
the　long　suspense。　My　head　sank　on　Owen's　breastbut　I　still
heard　the　wheels。　Morgan　loosened　my　cravat；　and　sprinkled　water
over　my　faceI　still　heard　the　wheels。　The　poor　terrified　girl
ran　into　her　room；　and　came　back　with　her　smelling…saltsI　heard
the　carriage　stop　at　the　house。　The　room　whirled　round　and　round
with　me；　but　I　heard　the　eager　hurry　of　footsteps　in　the　hall；
and　the　opening　of　the　door。　In　another　moment　my　son's　voice
rose　clear　and　cheerful　from　below；　greeting　the　old　servants　who
loved　him。　The　dear；　familiar　tones　just　poured　into　my　ear；　and
then；　the　moment　they　filled　it；　hushed　me　sudd