initials only-第36部分

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　had　been　in　town　an　hour。　　Oswald；　the　cleverest　man；　Doris；　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　Western　Pennsylvania。

He　had　accepted　the　gossip　then；　he　had　not　seen　her　and　it　all　seemed　very　natural；　…　hardly　worth　a　moment's　thought。　　But　now！

And　here；　the　other　Demon　sprang　erect　and　grappled　with　him　before　the　first　one　had　let　go　his　hold。　　Oswald　and　Challoner！　　The　secret；　unknown　something　which　had　softened　that　hard　man's　eye　when　his　brother's　name　was　mentioned！　　He　had　noted　it　and　realised　the　mystery；　a　mystery　before　which　sleep　and　rest　must　fly；　a　mystery　to　which　he　must　now　give　his　thought；　whatever　the　cost；　whatever　the　loss　to　those　heavenly　dreams　the　magic　of　which　was　so　new　it　seemed　to　envelope　him　in　the　balm　of　Paradise。　　Away；　then；　image　of　light！　　Let　the　faculties　thou　hast　dazed；　act　again。　There　is　more　than　Fate's　caprice　in　Challoner's　interest　in　a　man　he　never　saw。　　Ghosts　of　old　memories　rise　and　demand　a　hearing。　Facts；　trivial　and　commonplace　enough　to　have　been　lost　in　oblivion　with　the　day　which　gave　them　birth；　throng　again　from　the　past；　proving　that　nought　dies　without　a　possibility　of　resurrection。　Their　power　over　this　brooding　man　is　shown　by　the　force　with　which　his　fingers　crush　against　his　bowed　forehead。　　Oswald　and　Challoner！　Had　he　found　the　connecting　link？　　Had　it　been　…　could　it　have　been　Edith？　　The　preposterous　is　sometimes　true；　could　it　be　true　in　this　case？

He　recalled　the　letters　read　to　him　as　hers　in　that　room　of　his　in　Brooklyn。　　He　had　hardly　noted　them　then；　he　was　so　sure　of　their　being　forgeries；　gotten　up　by　the　police　to　mislead　him。　　Could　they　have　been　real；　the　effusions　of　her　mind；　the　breathings　of　her　heart；　directed　to　an　actual　0。　B。；　and　that　0。　B。；　his　brother？　They　had　not　been　meant　for　him。　　He　had　read　enough　of　the　mawkish　lines　to　be　sure　of　that。　　None　of　the　allusions　fitted　in　with　the　facts　of　their　mutual　intercourse。　　But　they　might　with　those　of　another　man；　they　might　with　the　possible　acts　and　affections　of　Oswald　whose　temperament　was　wholly　different　from　his　and　who　might　have　loved　her；　should　it　ever　be　shown　that　they　had　met　and　known　each　other。　　And　this　was　not　an　impossibility。　　Oswald　had　been　east；　Oswald　had　even　been　in　the　Berkshires　before　himself。　　Oswald　　…　Why　it　was　Oswald　who　had　suggested　that　he　should　go　there　…　go　where　she　still　was。　　Why　this　second　coincidence；　if　there　were　no　tie　…　if　the　Challoners　and　Oswald　were　as　far　apart　as　they　seemed　and　as　conventionalities　would　naturally　place　them。　　Oswald　was　a　sentimentalist；　but　very　reserved　about　his　sentimentalities。　　If　these　suppositions　were　true；　he　had　had　a　sentimentalist's　motive　for　what　he　did。　　As　Orlando　realised　this；　he　rose　from　his　seat；　aghast　at　the　possibilities　confronting　him　from　this　line　of　thought。　　Should　he　contemplate　them？　　Risk　his　reason　by　dwelling　on　a　supposition　which　might　have　no　foundation　in　fact？　　No。　　His　brain　was　too　full　…　his　purposes　too　important　for　any　unnecessary　strain　to　be　put　upon　his　faculties。　　No　thinking！　　　investigation　first。　　Mr。　Challoner　should　be　able　to　settle　this　question。　　He　would　see　him。　　Even　at　this　late　hour　he　ought　to　be　able　to　find　him　in　one　of　the　rooms　below；　and；　by　they　force　of　an　irresistible　demand；　learn　in　a　moment　whether　he　had　to　do　with　a　mere　chimera　of　his　own　overwrought　fancy；　or　with　a　fact　which　would　call　into　play　all　the　resources　of　an　hitherto　unconquered　and　undaunted　nature。

There　was　a　wood…fire　burning　in　the　sitting…room　that　night；　and　around　it　was　grouped　a　number　of　men　with　their　papers　and　pipes。　Mr。　Brotherson；　entering；　naturally　looked　that　way　for　the　man　he　was　in　search　of；　and　was　disappointed　not　to　find　him　there；　but　on　casting　his　glances　elsewhere；　he　was　relieved　to　see　him　standing　in　one　of　the　windows　overlooking　the　street。　　His　back　was　to　the　room　and　he　seemed　to　be　lost　in　a　fit　of　abstraction。

As　Orlando　crossed　to　him；　he　had　time　to　observe　how　much　whiter　was　this　man's　head　than　in　the　last　interview　he　had　held　with　him　in　the　coroner's　office　in　New　York。　　But　this　evidence　of　grief　in　one　with　whom　he　had　little；　if　anything；　in　common；　neither　touched　his　feelings　nor　deterred　his　step。　　The　awakening　of　his　heart　to　new　and　profound　emotions　had　not　softened　him　towards　the　sufferings　of　others　if　those　others　stood　without　the　pale　he　had　previously　raised　as　the　legitimate　boundary　of　a　just　man's　sympathies。

He　was；　as　I　have　said；　an　extraordinary　specimen　of　manly　vigour　in　body　and　in　mind；　and　his　presence　in　any　company　always　attracted　attention　and　roused；　if　it　never　satisfied；　curiosity。　Conversation　accordingly　ceased　as　he　strode　up　to　Mr。　Challoner's　side；　so　that　his　words　were　quite　audible　as　he　addressed　that　gentleman　with　a　somewhat　curt：

〃You　see　me　again；　Mr。　Challoner。　　May　I　beg　of　you　a　few　minutes'　further　conversation？　　I　will　not　detain　you　long。〃

The　grey　head　turned；　and　the　many　eyes　watching　showed　surprise　at　the　expression　of　dislike　and　repulsion　with　which　this　New　York　gentleman　met　the　request　thus　emphatically　urged。　　But　his　answer　was　courteous　enough。　　If　Mr。　Brotherson　knew　a　place　where　they　would　be　left　undisturbed；　he　would　listen　to　him　if　he　would　be　very　brief。

For　reply；　the　other　pointed　to　a　small　room　quite　unoccupied　which　opened　out　of　the　one　in　which　they　then　stood。　　Mr。　Challoner　bowed　and　in　an　other　moment　the　door　dosed　upon　them；　to　the　infinite　disappointment　of　the　men　about　the　hearth。

〃What　do　you　wish　to　ask？〃　was　Mr。　Challoner's　immediate　inquiry。

〃This；　I　make　no　apologies　and　expect　in　answer　nothing　more　than　an　unequivocal　yes　or　no。　　You　tell　me　that　you　have　never　met　my　brother。　　Can　that　be　said　of　the　other　members　of　your　family　　…　of　your　deceased　daughter；　in　fact？〃

〃No。〃

〃She　was　acquainted　with　Oswald　Brotherson？〃

〃She　was。〃

〃Without　your　knowledge？〃

〃Entirely　so。〃

〃Corresponded　with　him？〃

〃Not　exactly。〃

〃How；　not　exactly？〃

〃He　wrote　to　her　…　occasionally。　　She　wrote　to　him　frequently　…　but　she　never　sent　her　letters。〃

〃Ah！〃

The　exclamation　was　sharp；　short　and　conveyed　little。　　Yet　with　its　escape；　the　whole　scaffolding　of　this　man's　hold　upon　life　and　his　own　fate　went　down　in　indistinguishable　chaos。　　Mr。　Challoner　realised　a　sense　of　havoc；　though　the　eyes　bent　upon　his　countenance　had　not　wavered；　nor　the　stalwart　figure　moved。

〃I　have　read　some　of　those　letters；〃　the　inventor　finally　acknowledged。　　〃The　police　took　great　pains　to　place　them　under　my　eye；　supposing　them　to　have　been　meant　for　me　because　of　the　initials　written　on　the　wrapper。　　But　they　were　meant　for　Oswald。　You　believe　that　now？〃

〃I　know　it。〃

〃And　that　is　why　I　found　you　in　the　same　house　with　him。〃

〃It　is。　　Providence　has　robbed　me　of　my　daughter；　if　this　brother　of　yours　should　prove　to　be　the　man　I　am　led　to　expect；　I　shall　ask　him　to　take　that　place　in　my　heart　and　life　which　was　once　hers。〃

A　quick　recoil；　a　smothered　exclamation　on　the　part　of　the　man　he　addressed。　　A　barb　had　been　hidden　in　this　simple　statement　which　had　reached　some　deeply…hidden　but　vulnerable　spot　in　Brotherson's　　breast；　which　had　never　been　pierced　before。　　His　eye　which　alone　seemed　alive；　still　rested　piercingly　upon　that　of　Mr。　Challoner；　but　its　light　was　fast　fading；　and　speedily　became　lost　in　a　dimness　in　which　the　other　seemed　to　see　extinguished　the　last　upflaring　embers　of　those　inner　fires　which　feed　the　aspiring　soul。　It　was　a　sight　no　man　could　see　unmoved。　　Mr。　Challoner　turned　sharply　away；　in　dread　of　the　abyss　which　the　next　word　he　uttered　might　open　between　them。

But　Orlando　Brotherson　possessed　resources　of　strength　of　which；　possibly；　he　was　not　aware　himself。　　When　Mr。　Challoner；　still　more　affected　by　the　silence　than　by　the　dread　I　have　mentioned；　turned　to　confront　him　again；　it　was　to　find　his　features　composed　and　　his　glance　clear。　　He　had　conquered　all　outward　manifestation　of　the　mysterious　emotion　which　for　an　instant　had　laid　his　proud　spirit　low。　　　　〃You　are　considerate　of　my　brother；〃　were　the　words　with　which　he　re…opened　this　painful　conversation。　　〃　You　will　not　find　your　confidence　misplaced。　　Oswald　is　a　straightforward　fellow；　of　few　faults。〃

〃I　believe　it。　　No　man　can　be　so　universally　beloved　without　some　very　substantial　claims　to　regard。　　I　am　glad　to　see　that　your　opinion；　though　given　somewhat　coldly；　coincides　with　that　of　his　friends。〃　　　〃I　am　not　given　to　exaggeration；〃　was　the　even　reply。

The　flush　which　had　come　into　Mr。　Challoner's　cheek　under　the　effort　he　had　made　to　sustain　with　unflinching　heroism　this　interview　with　the　man　he　looked　upon　as　his　mortal　enemy；　slowly　faded　out　till　he　looked　the　wraith　of　himself　even　to　the　unsympathetic　eyes　of　Orlando　Brotherson。　　A　duty　lay　before　him　which　would　tax　to　its　utmost　extent　his　already　greatly　weakened　self…control。　　Nothing　which　had　yet　passed　showed　that　this　man　realised　the　fact　that　Oswald　had　been　kept　in　ignorance　of　Miss　Challoner's　death。　　If　these　brothers　were　to　meet　on　the　morrow；　it　must　be　with　the　full　understanding　that　this　especial　topic　was　to　be　completely　avoided。　But　in　what　words　could　he　urge　such　a　request　upon　this　man？　　None　suggested　themselves；　yet　he　had　promised　Miss　Scott　that　he　would　ensure　his　silence　in　this　regard；　and　it　was　with　this　difficulty　and　no　other　he　had　been　struggling　when　Mr。　Brotherson　came　upon　him　in　the　other　room。

〃You　have　still　something　to　say；〃　suggested　the　latter；　as　an　oppressive　silence　swallowed　up　that　icy　sentence　I　have　already　recorded。

〃I　have；〃　returned　Mr。　Challoner；　regaining　his　courage　under　the　exigencies　of　the　moment。　　〃Miss　Scott　is　very　anxious　to　have　your　promise　that　you　will　avoid　all　disagreeable　topics　with　your　brother　till　the　doctor　pronounces　him　strong　enough　to　meet　the　trouble　which　awaits　him。〃

〃You　mean　…〃

〃He　is　not　as　unhappy　as　we。　　He　knows　nothing　of　the　affliction　which　has　befallen　him。　　He　was　taken　ill　…〃　The　rest　was　almost　inaudible。

But　Orlando　Brotherson　had　no　difficulty　in　understanding　him；　and　for　the　second　time　in　this　extraordinary　interview；　he　gave　evidences