cw.imarriedadeadman-第33部分

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　They　wouldn't　let　him　go…　They'd　never　let　him　go　again…　He　wouldn't　e　back…　He'd　never　e　back　to　her…
　〃Oh；　for　the　love　of　God；　help　me！　I　can't　take　any　more　of　this！〃
　And　then；　as　in　the　fairy　tales；　as　in　the　story…books　of　old；　where　everything　always　es　out　all　right；　where　good　is　good　and　bad　is　bad；　and　the　magic　spell　is　always　broken　just　in　time　for　the　happy　ending；　there　it　was…right　under　her　eyes…
　Lying　there；　waiting。　Only　asking　to　be　picked　up。　A　white　oblong；　a　sealed　envelope。　A　letter　from　the　dead。
　A　voice　trapped　in　it　seemed　to　whisper　through　the　seams　to　her；　faint；　far　away：　〃When　you're　in　the　most　need；　and　I'm　not　here；　open　this。　When　your　need　is　the　greatest；　and　you're　all　alone。　Goodbye；　my　daughter；　my　daughter；　goodbye　。　。　。〃
　
　
　〃I；　Grace　Parmentier　Hazzard；　wife　of　Donald　Sedgwick　Hazzard；　being　on　my　death…bed；　and　in　the　presence　of　my　attorney　and　lifelong　counsellor　Tyrus　Winthrop；　who　will　duly　notarize　my　signature　to　this　and　bear　witness　to　it　if　called　upon　to　do　so　by　the　legally　constituted　authorities；　hereby　make　the　following　statement；　of　my　own　free　will　and　volition；　and　declare　it　to　be　the　truth：
　That　at　approximately　10。30　P。M。　on　the　evening　of　24th　September；　being　alone　in　the　house　with　just　my　devoted　friend　and　housekeeper；　Josephine　Walker；　and　my　grandchild；　I　received　a　long…distance　telephone…call　from　Hastings；　in　the　neighboring　State。　That　the　caller　was　a　certain　Harry　Carter；　known　to　me　as　a　private　investigator　and　employed　by　my　family　and　myself　as　such。　That　he　informed　me　that　just　a　few　moments　earlier　my　beloved　daughter…in…law；　Patrice；　the　widow　of　my　late　son；　Hugh；　had　been　driven　against　her　will　to　Hastings　by　a　man　using　the　name　of　Stephen　Georgesson；　and　had　there　been　pelled　to　enter　into　a　marriage…ceremony　with　him　under　duress。　And　that　at　that　time；　while　he　spoke　to　me；　they　were　on　their　way　back　here；　to　this　city；　together。
　Upon　receipt　of　this　information；　and　having　obtained　from　this　Mr。　Carter　the　address　of　the　aforementioned　Stephen　Georgesson；　I　dressed　myself；　called　Josephine　Walker　to　me；　and　told　her　I　was　going　out；　and　would　be　away　for　only　a　short　time。　She　tried　to　dissuade　me；　and　to　prevail　upon　me　to　reveal　my　purpose　and　where　I　was　going；　but　I　would　not　I　instructed　her　to　wait　for　me　close　beside　the　front　door；　in　order　to　admit　me　at　once　upon　my　return；　and　under　no　circumstances；　then　or　at　any　later　time；　to　reveal　to　anyone　that　I　had　left　the　house　at　that　time　or　under　those　circumstances。　I　caused　her　to　take　an　oath　upon　the　Bible；　and　knowing　the　nature　of　her　religious　beliefs　and　early　upbringing　knew　she　would　not　break　it　afterward　no　matter　what　befell。
　I　removed　and　carried　with　me　a　gun　which　habitually　was　kept　in　a　desk　in　the　library　of　my　home；　having　first　inserted　into　it　the　cartridges。　In　order　to　lessen　recognition　as　much　as　possible；　I　put　on　the　heavy　veil　of　mourning　which　I　had　worn　at　the　time　of　the　death　of　my　elder　son。
　I　walked　a　short　distance　from　my　own　door；　entirely　alone　and　unacpanied；　and　at　the　first　opportunity　engaged　a　public　taxicab。　In　it　I　went　to　the　quarters　of　Stephen　Georgesson；　to　seek　him　out。　I　found　he　had　not　yet　returned　when　I　first　arrived；　and　I　therefore　waited；　sitting　in　the　taxi　a　short　distance　from　his　door；　until　I　saw　him　return　and　enter。　As　soon　as　he　had；　I　immediately　entered　in　turn；　right　after　him；　and　was　admitted　by　him。　I　raised　my　veil　in　order　to　let　him　see　my　face；　and　I　could　see　that　he　guessed　who　I　was；　although　he'd　never　seen　me　before。
　I　asked　him　if　it　was　true　that　he　had　just　now　forced　my　dead　son's　wife　to　enter　a　marriage…pact　with　him；　as　had　been　reported　to　me。
　He　readily　admitted　it；　naming　the　place　and　time。
　Those　were　the　only　words　that　passed　between　us。　Nothing　further　was　said。　Nothing　further　needed　to　be。
　I　immediately　took　out　the　gun；　held　it　close　toward　him；　and　fired　it　at　him　as　he　stood　there　before　me。
　I　fired　it　only　once。　I　would　have　fired　it　more　than　once；　if　necessary；　in　order　to　kill　him；　it　was　my　full　intention　to　kill　him。　But　having　waited　to　see　if　he　would　move　again；　and　seeing　that　he　did　not；　but　lay　as　he　had　fallen；　then　and　only　then　I　refrained　from　firing　it　any　more　and　left　the　place。
　I　had　myself　returned　to　my　own　home　in　the　same　taxi　that　had　brought　me。　Within　a　short　time　after；　I　became　extremely　ill　from　the　excitement　and　strain　I　had　undergone。　And　now；　knowing　that　I　am　dying；　and　being　in　full　possession　of　my　faculties　and　with　full　realization　of　what　I　am　doing；　I　wish　to　make　this　statement　before　I　pass　away　and　have　it；　in　the　case　of　wrongful　accusation　of　others；　should　that　occur；　brought　to　the　attention　of　those　duly　constituted　to　deal　with　the　matter。　But　only　in　such　case；　not　otherwise。
　
　（Signed）　Grace　Parmentier　Hazzard。
　（Witnessed　and　attested）
　Tyrus　Winthrop；　Att'y　at　Law。〃
　
　She　reached　the　downstairs　doorway　with　it　too　late。　The　doorway　was　empty　by　the　time　she　swayed　that　far；　and　clung　there；　all　dazed　and　disheveled。　They'd　gone；　and　he'd　gone　with　them。
　She　just　stood　there　in　the　doorway。　Empty　in　an　empty　doorway。
　
　
　48
　
　And　then；　there　he　was　at　last。
　He　was　so　very　real；　so　photographically　real　down　there；　that　paradoxically；　she　couldn't　quite　believe　she　was　seeing　him。　The　very　herringbone　weave　of　his　coat　stood　out；　as　if　a　magnifying　glass　were　being　held　to　the　pattern；　for　her　special　inspection。　The　haggardness　of　his　face；　the　faint　trace　of　shadow　where　he　needed　a　shave；　she　could　see　everything　about　him　so　clearly；　as　if　he　were　much　nearer　than　he　was。　Fatigue；　maybe；　did　that；　by　some　reverse　process　of　concentration。　Or　eyes　dilated　from　long　straining　to　see　him；　so　that　now　they　saw　him　with　abnormal　clarity。
　Anyway；　there　he　was。
　He　turned；　and　came　in　toward　the　house。　And　just　before　he　took　the　final　step　that　would　have　carried　him　too　far　in　under　her　to　be　in　sight　any　more；　his　eyes　went　up　to　the　window　and　he　saw　her。
　〃Bill；〃　she　said　silently　through　the　glass；　and　her　two　hands　flattened　to　the　pane；　as　if　framing　the　unheard　word　into　a　benediction。
　〃Patrice；〃　he　said　silently；　from　down　below；　and　though　she　didn't　hear　him；　didn't　even　see　his　lips　move；　she　knew　that　was　what　he　said。　Just　her　name。　So　little；　so　much。
　Suddenly　she'd　fled　from　the　room　as　madly　as　though　she'd　just　been　scalded。　The　upflung　curtain　settled　down　again　to　true；　and　the　backflung　door　ricocheted　back　again　toward　closure；　and　she　was　already　gone。　The　baby's　wondering　head　turned　after　her　far　too　slowly　to　catch　her　in　her　sight
　Then　she　stopped　short　again；　below　the　turn　of　the　stairs；　and　waited　for　him　there；　unable　to　move　any　further。　Stood　waiting　for　him　to　e　to　her。
　He　left　his　hat；　just　as　though　this　were　any　other　time　he　was　returning　home；　and　came　on　up　to　where　she　was　standing。　And　somehow　her　head；　as　if　it　were　tired　of　being　all　alone；　went　down　upon　his　shoulder　and　stayed　there　against　his　own。
　They　didn't　speak　at　first　Just　stood　there　pressed　together；　heads　close。　There　was　no　message；　there　was　only…being　together。
　〃I'm　back；　Patrice；〃　was　all　he　said　at　last。
　She　shuddered　a　little　and　nestled　closer。　〃Bill；　now　what　will　they…？〃
　〃Nothing。　It's　over。　It's　already　through。　At　least；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned。　That　was　just　for　purposes　of　identification。　I　had　to　go　with　them　and　look　at　him；　that　was　all。〃
　〃Bill；　I　opened　this。　She　says…〃
　She　gave　it　to　him。　He　read　it。
　〃Did　you　show　it　to　anyone　else？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Don't〃　He　tore　it　once　across；　and　stuffed　the　remnants　into　his　pocket。
　〃But　suppose…？〃
　〃It's　not　needed。　His　gambler…friends　are　already　down　on　the　books　for　it；　by　this　time。　They　told　me　they　found　evidence　to　indicate　that　a　big　card…game　had　taken　place　up　there　earlier　that　night。〃
　〃I　didn't　see　any。〃
　He　gave　her　an　eloquent　look。　〃They　did。　By　the　time　they　got　there。〃
　She　widened　her　eyes　a　little　at　him。
　〃They're　willing　to　let　it　go　at　that　So　let　us　let　it　go　at　that　too；　Patrice。〃　He　sighed　heavily。　〃I'm　all…in。　Feel　like　I've　been　on　my　feet　for　a　week　straight。　I'd　like　to　sleep　forever。〃
　〃Not　forever；　Bill；　not　forever。　Because　I'll　be　waiting　around；　and　that　would　be　so　long…〃
　His　lips　sought　the　side　of　her　face；　and　he　kissed　her　with　a　sort　of　blind　stupefaction。
　〃Walk　me　up　as　far　as　the　door　of　my　room；　Patrice。　Like　to　take　a　look　at　the　youngster；　before　I　turn　in。〃
　His　arm　slipped　wearily　around　her　waist。
　〃Our　youngster　from　now　on；〃　he　added　softly。
　
　49
　
　〃Mr。　William　Hazzard　was　married　yesterday　to　Mrs。　Patrice　Hazzard；　widow　of　the　late　Hugh　Hazzard；　at　a　quiet　ceremony　at　St。　Bartholomew's　Episcopal　Church；　in　this　city；　performed　by　the　Reverend　Francis　Allgood。　There　were　no　attendants。　Following　their　marriage　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hazzard　left　immediately　for　a　honeymoon　trip　through　the　Canadian　Rockies。〃…All　Caulfield　morning　and　evening　newspapers。
　
　
　50
　
　When　the　reading　of　the　will　had　been　concluded…that　was　on　a　Monday　following　their　return；　about　a　month　later…Winthrop　asked　the　two　of　them　to　remain　behind　a　moment　after　the　room　had　been　cleared。　He　went　over　and　closed　the　door　after　the　others　present　had　left。　Then　he　went　to　the　wall；　opened　a　built…in　safe；　and　took　out　an　envelope。　He　sat　down　at　his　desk。
　〃Bill　and　Patrice；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　meant　for　you　alone。〃
　They　exchanged　a　look。
　〃It　is　not　part　of　the　estate；　so　it　concerns　no　one　else　but　the　two　of　you。
　〃It　is　from　her；　of　course。　It　was　transcribed　on　her　death…bed；　less　than　an　hour　before　she　died。〃
　〃But　we　already…〃　Bill　tried　to　say。
　Winthrop　silenced　him　with　upturned　hand。　〃There　were　two　of　them。　This　is　the　second。　Both　dictated　to　me　during　the　hours　of　that　same　night；　or　I　should　say；　early　morning。　This　follows　the　other。　The　first　she　gave　you　herself　that　same　night；　as　you　know。　The　other　she　turned　over　to　me。　I　was　to　hold　it　until　today；　as　I　have　done。　Her　instructions　to　me　were：　it　is　for　the　two　of　you　alike。　It　is　not　to　be　delivered　to　the　one　without