the filigree ball-第35部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


how　I　had　slept。　　I　replied；　as　truth；　if　not　courtesy；　demanded；
'Not　as　well　as　usual；'　whereupon　her　eyes　fell　and　she　remarked
quite　hurriedly；　'I　am　so　sorry；　you　shall　have　another　room
tonight；'　adding；　in　what　appeared　to　be　an　unconscious　whisper：
'There　is　no　use；　all　feel　it；　even　the　young　and　the　gay；'　then
aloud　and　with　irrepressible　anxiety：　'You　didn't　see　anything；
dear？'

〃'No！'　I　protested　in　suddenly　awakened　dismay；　'only　the　strange
eyes　of　that　queer　drawing　peering　at　me　through　the　curtains　of　my
bed。　　Is　it　…　is　it　a　haunted　room？'

〃Her　look　was　a　shocked　one；　her　protest　quite　vehement。　　'Oh；　no！
No　one　has　ever　witnessed　anything　like　a　ghost　there；　but　every
one　finds　it　impossible　to　sleep　in　that　bed　or　even　in　the　room。
I　do　not　know　why；　unless　it　is　that　my　father　spent　so　many　weary
years　of　incessant　wakefulness　inside　its　walls。'

〃'And　did　he　die　in　that　bed？'　I　asked。

〃She　gave　a　startled　shiver；　and　drew　me　hurriedly　downstairs。　As
we　paused　at　the　foot；　she　pressed　my　hand　and　whispered：

〃'Yes；　at　night；　with　the　full　of　the　moon　upon　him。'

〃I　answered　her　look　with　one　she　probably　understood　as　little　as
I　did　hers。　　I　had　heard　of　this　father　of　hers。　　He　had　been　a
terrible　old　man　and　had　left　a　terrible　memory　behind　him。

〃The　next　day　my　room　was　changed　according　to　her　promise；　but　in
the　light　of　the　charges　I　have　since　heard　uttered　against　that
house　and　the　family　who　inhabit　it；　I　am　glad　that　I　spent　one　night
in　what；　if　it　was　not　a　haunted　chamber；　had　certainly　a　very
thrilling　effect　upon　its　occupants。〃

Second　passage；　the　italics　showing　where　it　was　most　heavily　marked。

〃The　house　contained　another　room　as　interesting　as　the　one　I　have
already　mentioned。　　It　went　by　the　name　of　the　library　and　its　walls
were　heavily　lined　with　books；　but　the　family　never　sat　there；　nor
was　I　ever　fortunate　enough　to　see　it　with　its　doors　unclosed　except
on　the　occasion　of　the　grand　reception　Mistress　Callista　gave　in　my
honor。　　I　have　a　fancy　for　big　rooms　and　more　than　once　urged　my
hostess　to　tell　me　why　this　one　stood　neglected。　　But　the　lady　was
not　communicative　on　this　topic　and　it　was　from　another　member　of
the　household　I　learned　that　its　precincts　had　been　forever　clouded
by　the　unexpected　death　within　them　of　one　of　her　father's　friends；
a　noted　army　officer。

〃Why　this　should　have　occasioned　a　permanent　disuse　of　the　spot　I
could　not　understand；　and　as　every　one　who　conversed　on　this　topic
invariably　gave　the　impression　of　saying　less　than　the　subject
demanded；　my　curiosity　soon　became　too　much　for　me　and　I　attacked
Miss　Callista　once　again　in　regard　to　it。　　She　gave　me　a　quick　smile；
for　she　was　always　amiable；　but　shook　her　head　and　introduced　another
topic。　　But　one　night　when　the　wind　was　howling　in　the　chimneys　and
the　sense　of　loneliness　was　even　greater　than　usual　in　the　great
house；　we　drew　together　on　the　rug　in　front　of　my　bedroom　fire；　and；
as　the　embers　burned　down　to　ashes　before　us；　Miss　Callista　became
more　communicative。

〃Her　heart　was　heavy；　she　told　me；　had　been　heavy　for　years。　　Perhaps
some　ray　of　comfort　would　reach　her　if　she　took　a　friend　into　her
confidence。　　God　knew　that　she　needed　one；　especially　on　nights　like
this；　when　the　wind　woke　echoes　all　over　the　house　and　it　was　hard
to　tell　which　most　to　fear；　the　sounds　which　came　from　no　one　knew
where；　or　the　silence　which　settled　after。

〃She　trembled　as　she　said　this；　and　instinctively　drew　nearer　my
side　so　that　our　heads　almost　touched　over　the　flickering　flame　from
whose　heat　and　light　we　sought　courage。　　She　seemed　to　feel　grateful
for　this　contact；　and　the　next　minute；　flinging　all　her　scruples　to
the　wind；　she　began　a　relation　of　events　which　more　or　less　answered
my　late　unwelcome　queries。

〃The　death　in　the　library；　about　which　her　most　perplexing　memory
hung；　took　place　when　she　was　a　child　and　her　father　held　that　high
governmental　position　which　has　reflected　so　much　credit　upon　the
family。　　Her　father　and　the　man　who　thus　perished　had　been　intimate
friends。　　They　had　fought　together　in　the　War　of　1812　and　received
the　same　distinguishing　marks　of　presidential　approval　afterward。
They　were　both　members　of　an　important　commission　which　brought　them
into　diplomatic　relations　with　England。　　It　was　while　serving　on　this
commission　that　the　sudden　break　occurred　which　ended　all　intimate
relations　between　them；；　and　created　a　change　in　her　father　that　was
equally　remarked　at　home　and　abroad。　　What　occasioned　this　break　no
one　knew。　　Whether　his　great　ambition　had　received　some　check　through
the　jealousy　of　this　so…called　friend　…　a　supposition　which　did　not
seem　possible；　as　he　rose　rapidly　after　this　…　or　on　account　of　other
causes　darkly　hinted　at　by　his　contemporaries；　but　never　breaking
into　open　gossip；　he　was　never　the　same　man　afterwards。　　His　children；
who　used　to　rush　with　effusion　to　greet　him；　now　shrank　into　corners
at　his　step；　or　slid　behind　half　open　doors；　whence　they　peered　with
fearful　interest　at　his　tall　figure；　pacing　in　moody　silence　the
halls　of　his　ancestral　home；　or　sitting　with　frowning　brows　over　the
embers　dying　away　on　the　great　hearthstone　of　his　famous　library。

〃Their　mother；　who　was　an　invalid；　did　not　share　these　terrors。　　The
father　was　ever　tender　of　her；　and　the　only　smile　they　ever　saw　on
his　face　came　with　his　entrance　into　her　darkened　room。

〃Such　were　Callista　Moore's　first　memories。　　Those　which　followed
were　more　definite　and　much　more　startling。　　President　Jackson；　who
had　a　high　opinion　of　her　father's　ability；　advanced　him　rapidly。
Finally　a　position　was　given　him　which　raised　him　into　national
prominence。　　As　this　had　been　the　goal　of　his　ambition　for　years；
he　was　much　gratified　by　this　appointment；　and　though　his　smiles
came　no　more　frequently；　his　frowns　lightened；　and　from　being
positively　threatening；　became　simply　morose。

〃Why　this　moroseness　should　have　sharpened　into　menace　after　an
unexpected　visit　from　his　once　dear；　but　long　estranged
companion…in…arms；　his　daughter；　even　after　long　years　of　constant
brooding　upon　this　subject；　dares　not　decide。　　If　she　could　she
might　be　happier。

〃The　general　was　a　kindly　man；　sharp　of　face　and　of　a　tall　thin
figure；　but　with　an　eye　to　draw　children　and　make　them　happy　with
a　look。　　But　his　effect　on　the　father　was　different。　　From　the
moment　the　two　met　in　the　great　hall　below；　the　temper　of　the　host
betrayed　how　little　he　welcomed　this　guest。　　He　did　not　fail　in
courtesy　…　the　Moores　are　always　gentlemen　…　but　it　was　a　hard
courtesy；　which　cut　while　it　flattered。　　The　two　children；　shrinking
from　its　edge　without　knowing　what　it　was　that　hurt　them；　slunk　to
covert；　and　from　behind　the　two　pillars　which　mark　the　entrance　to
the　library；　watched　the　two　men　as　they　walked　up　and　down　the
halls　discussing　the　merits　of　this　and　that　detail　of　the　freshly
furnished　mansion。　　These　two　innocent；　but　eager　spies；　whom　fear
rather　than　curiosity　held　in　hiding；　even　caught　some　of　the
sentences　which　passed　between　tire　so…called　friends；　and　though
these　necessarily　conveyed　but　little　meaning　to　their　childish
minds；　the　words　forming　them　were　never　forgotten；　as　witness
these　phrases　confided　to　me　by　Mistress　Callista　twenty…five　years
afterward。

〃'You　have　much　that　most　men　lack；'　remarked　the　general；　as　they
paused　to　admire　some　little　specimen　of　Italian　art　which　had　been
lately　received　from　Genoa。　　'You　have　money　…　too　much　money；　Moore；
by　an　amount　I　might　easily　name　…　a　home　which　some　might　call
palatial；　a　lovely；　if　not　altogether　healthy　wife；　two　fine
children；　and　all　the　honor　which　a　man　in　a　commonwealth　like　this
should　ask　for。　　Drop　politics。'

〃'Politics　are　my　life；'　was　the　cold　response。　　'To　bid　me　drop
them　is　to　bid　me　commit　suicide。'　　Then；　as　an　afterthought　to
which　a　moment　of　intervening　silence　added　emphasis；　'And　for　you
to　drive　me　from　them　would　be　an　act　little　short　of　murder。'

〃'Justice　dealt　upon　a　traitor　is　not　murder；'　was　the　stern　and
unyielding　reply。　　'By　one　black　deed　of　treacherous　barter　and　sale；
of　which　none　of　your　countrymen　is　cognizant　but　myself；　you　have
forfeited　the　confidence　of　this　government。　　Were　I；　who　so
unhappily　surprised　your　secret；　to　allow　you　to　continue　in　your
present　place　of　trust；　I　myself　would　be　a　traitor　to　the　republic
for　which　I　have　fought　and　for　which　I　am　ready　to　die。　　That　is
why　I　ask　you　to　resign　before　…'

〃The　two　children　did　not　catch　the　threat　latent　in　that　last
word；　but　they　realized　the　force　of　it　from　their　father's　look
and　were　surprised　when　he　quietly　said：

〃'You　declare　yourself　to　be　the　only　man　on　the　commission　who　is
acquainted　with　the　facts　you　are　pleased　to　style　traitorous？'

〃The　general's　lips　curled。　　'Have　I　not　said？'　he　asked。

〃Something　in　this　stern　honesty　seemed　to　affect　the　father。　　His
face　turned　away　and　it　was　the　other's　voice　which　was　next　heard。
A　change　had　taken　place　in　it　and　it　sounded　almost　mellow　as　it
gave　form　to　these　words：

〃'Alpheus；　we　have　been　friends。　　You　shall　have　two　weeks　in　which
to　think　over　my　demand　and　decide。　　If　at　the　end　of　that　time　you
have　not　returned　to　domestic　life　you　may　expect　another　visit　from
me　which　can　not　fail　of　consequences。　　You　know　my　temper　when
roused。　　Do　not　force　me　into　a　position　which　will　cause　us　both
endless　regret。'

〃Perhaps　the　father　answered；　perhaps　he　did　not。　　The　children
heard　nothing　further；　but　they　witnessed　the　gloom　with　which　he
rode　away　to　the　White　House　the　next　day。　　Remembering　the　general's
threat；　they　imagined　in　their　childish　hearts　that　their　father　had
gone　to　give　up　his　post　and　newly　acquired　honors。　　But　he　returned
at　night　without　having　done　so；　and　from　that　day　on　carried　his
head　higher　and　showed　himself　more　and　more　the　master；　both　at　home
and　abroad。

〃But　he　was　restless；　very　restless；　and　possibly　to　allay　a　great
mental　uneasiness；　he　began　having　some　changes　made　in　the　house；
changes　which　occupied　much　of　his　time　and　with　which　he　never
seeme