hunted down-第2章

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I　still　thought　his　pity　was　not　quite　genuine；　and　I　still

suspected　an　unaccountable　sneer　under　all　this；　until　he　said；　as

we　were　parted；　like　the　other　knots　of　talkers；　by　the

announcement　of　dinner：



'Mr。　Sampson；　you　are　surprised　to　see　me　so　moved　on　behalf　of　a

man　whom　I　have　never　known。　　I　am　not　so　disinterested　as　you　may

suppose。　　I　have　suffered；　and　recently　too；　from　death　myself。　　I

have　lost　one　of　two　charming　nieces；　who　were　my　constant

companions。　　She　died　young　…　barely　three…and…twenty；　and　even　her

remaining　sister　is　far　from　strong。　　The　world　is　a　grave！'



He　said　this　with　deep　feeling；　and　I　felt　reproached　for　the

coldness　of　my　manner。　　Coldness　and　distrust　had　been　engendered

in　me；　I　knew；　by　my　bad　experiences；　they　were　not　natural　to　me；

and　I　often　thought　how　much　I　had　lost　in　life；　losing

trustfulness；　and　how　little　I　had　gained；　gaining　hard　caution。

This　state　of　mind　being　habitual　to　me；　I　troubled　myself　more

about　this　conversation　than　I　might　have　troubled　myself　about　a

greater　matter。　　I　listened　to　his　talk　at　dinner；　and　observed　how

readily　other　men　responded　to　it；　and　with　what　a　graceful

instinct　he　adapted　his　subjects　to　the　knowledge　and　habits　of

those　he　talked　with。　　As；　in　talking　with　me；　he　had　easily

started　the　subject　I　might　be　supposed　to　understand　best；　and　to

be　the　most　interested　in；　so；　in　talking　with　others；　he　guided

himself　by　the　same　rule。　　The　company　was　of　a　varied　character；

but　he　was　not　at　fault；　that　I　could　discover；　with　any　member　of

it。　　He　knew　just　as　much　of　each　man's　pursuit　as　made　him

agreeable　to　that　man　in　reference　to　it；　and　just　as　little　as

made　it　natural　in　him　to　seek　modestly　for　information　when　the

theme　was　broached。



As　he　talked　and　talked　…　but　really　not　too　much；　for　the　rest　of

us　seemed　to　force　it　upon　him　…　I　became　quite　angry　with　myself。

I　took　his　face　to　pieces　in　my　mind；　like　a　watch；　and　examined　it

in　detail。　　I　could　not　say　much　against　any　of　his　features

separately；　I　could　say　even　less　against　them　when　they　were　put

together。　　'Then　is　it　not　monstrous；'　I　asked　myself；　'that

because　a　man　happens　to　part　his　hair　straight　up　the　middle　of

his　head；　I　should　permit　myself　to　suspect；　and　even　to　detest

him？'



（I　may　stop　to　remark　that　this　was　no　proof　of　my　sense。　　An

observer　of　men　who　finds　himself　steadily　repelled　by　some

apparently　trifling　thing　in　a　stranger　is　right　to　give　it　great

weight。　　It　may　be　the　clue　to　the　whole　mystery。　　A　hair　or　two

will　show　where　a　lion　is　hidden。　　A　very　little　key　will　open　a

very　heavy　door。）



I　took　my　part　in　the　conversation　with　him　after　a　time；　and　we

got　on　remarkably　well。　　In　the　drawing…room　I　asked　the　host　how

long　he　had　known　Mr。　Slinkton。　　He　answered；　not　many　months；　he

had　met　him　at　the　house　of　a　celebrated　painter　then　present；　who

had　known　him　well　when　he　was　travelling　with　his　nieces　in　Italy

for　their　health。　　His　plans　in　life　being　broken　by　the　death　of

one　of　them；　he　was　reading　with　the　intention　of　going　back　to

college　as　a　matter　of　form；　taking　his　degree；　and　going　into

orders。　　I　could　not　but　argue　with　myself　that　here　was　the　true

explanation　of　his　interest　in　poor　Meltham；　and　that　I　had　been

almost　brutal　in　my　distrust　on　that　simple　head。







III。





On　the　very　next　day　but　one　I　was　sitting　behind　my　glass

partition；　as　before；　when　he　came　into　the　outer　office；　as

before。　　The　moment　I　saw　him　again　without　hearing　him；　I　hated

him　worse　than　ever。



It　was　only　for　a　moment　that　I　had　this　opportunity；　for　he　waved

his　tight…fitting　black　glove　the　instant　I　looked　at　him；　and　came

straight　in。



'Mr。　Sampson；　good…day！　　I　presume；　you　see；　upon　your　kind

permission　to　intrude　upon　you。　　I　don't　keep　my　word　in　being

justified　by　business；　for　my　business　here　…　if　I　may　so　abuse　the

word　…　is　of　the　slightest　nature。'



I　asked；　was　it　anything　I　could　assist　him　in？



'I　thank　you；　no。　　I　merely　called　to　inquire　outside　whether　my

dilatory　friend　had　been　so　false　to　himself　as　to　be　practical　and

sensible。　　But；　of　course；　he　has　done　nothing。　　I　gave　him　your

papers　with　my　own　hand；　and　he　was　hot　upon　the　intention；　but　of

course　he　has　done　nothing。　　Apart　from　the　general　human

disinclination　to　do　anything　that　ought　to　be　done；　I　dare　say

there　is　a　specially　about　assuring　one's　life。　　You　find　it　like

will…making。　　People　are　so　superstitious；　and　take　it　for　granted

they　will　die　soon　afterwards。'



'Up　here；　if　you　please；　straight　up　here；　Mr。　Sampson。　　Neither　to

the　right　nor　to　the　left。'　　I　almost　fancied　I　could　hear　him

breathe　the　words　as　he　sat　smiling　at　me；　with　that　intolerable

parting　exactly　opposite　the　bridge　of　my　nose。



'There　is　such　a　feeling　sometimes；　no　doubt；'　I　replied；　'but　I

don't　think　it　obtains　to　any　great　extent。'



'Well；'　said　he；　with　a　shrug　and　a　smile；　'I　wish　some　good　angel

would　influence　my　friend　in　the　right　direction。　　I　rashly

promised　his　mother　and　sister　in　Norfolk　to　see　it　done；　and　he

promised　them　that　he　would　do　it。　　But　I　suppose　he　never　will。'



He　spoke　for　a　minute　or　two　on　indifferent　topics；　and　went　away。



I　had　scarcely　unlocked　the　drawers　of　my　writing…table　next

morning；　when　he　reappeared。　　I　noticed　that　he　came　straight　to

the　door　in　the　glass　partition；　and　did　not　pause　a　single　moment

outside。



'Can　you　spare　me　two　minutes；　my　dear　Mr。　Sampson？'



'By　all　means。'



'Much　obliged；'　laying　his　hat　and　umbrella　on　the　table；　'I　came

early；　not　to　interrupt　you。　　The　fact　is；　I　am　taken　by　surprise

in　reference　to　this　proposal　my　friend　has　made。'



'Has　he　made　one？'　said　I。



'Ye…es；'　he　answered；　deliberately　looking　at　me；　and　then　a　bright

idea　seemed　to　strike　him　…　'or　he　only　tells　me　he　has。　　Perhaps

that　may　be　a　new　way　of　evading　the　matter。　　By　Jupiter；　I　never

thought　of　that！'



Mr。　Adams　was　opening　the　morning's　letters　in　the　outer　office。

'What　is　the　name；　Mr。　Slinkton？'　I　asked。



'Beckwith。'



I　looked　out　at　the　door　and　requested　Mr。　Adams；　if　there　were　a

proposal　in　that　name；　to　bring　it　in。　　He　had　already　laid　it　out

of　his　hand　on　the　counter。　　It　was　easily　selected　from　the　rest；

and　he　gave　it　me。　　Alfred　Beckwith。　　Proposal　to　effect　a　policy

with　us　for　two　thousand　pounds。　　Dated　yesterday。



'From　the　Middle　Temple；　I　see；　Mr。　Slinkton。'



'Yes。　　He　lives　on　the　same　staircase　with　me；　his　door　is

opposite。　　I　never　thought　he　would　make　me　his　reference　though。'



'It　seems　natural　enough　that　he　should。'



'Quite　so；　Mr。　Sampson；　but　I　never　thought　of　it。　　Let　me　see。'

He　took　the　printed　paper　from　his　pocket。　　'How　am　I　to　answer　all

these　questions？'



'According　to　the　truth；　of　course；'　said　I。



'O；　of　course！'　he　answered；　looking　up　from　the　paper　with　a

smile；　'I　meant　they　were　so　many。　　But　you　do　right　to　be

particular。　　It　stands　to　reason　that　you　must　be　particular。　　Will

you　allow　me　to　use　your　pen　and　ink？'



'Certainly。'



'And　your　desk？'



'Certainly。'



He　had　been　hovering　about　between　his　hat　and　his　umbrella　for　a

place　to　write　on。　　He　now　sat　down　in　my　chair；　at　my　blotting…

paper　and　inkstand；　with　the　long　walk　up　his　head　in　accurate

perspective　before　me；　as　I　stood　with　my　back　to　the　fire。



Before　answering　each　question　he　ran　over　it　aloud；　and　discussed

it。　　How　long　had　he　known　Mr。　Alfred　Beckwith？　　That　he　had　to

calculate　by　years　upon　his　fingers。　　What　were　his　habits？　　No

difficulty　about　them；　temperate　in　the　last　degree；　and　took　a

little　too　much　exercise；　if　anything。　　All　the　answers　were

satisfactory。　　When　he　had　written　them　all；　he　looked　them　over；

and　finally　signed　them　in　a　very　pretty　hand。　　He　supposed　he　had

now　done　with　the　business。　　I　told　him　he　was　not　likely　to　be

troubled　any　farther。　　Should　he　leave　the　papers　there？　If　he

pleased。　　Much　obliged。　　Good…morning。



I　had　had　one　other　visitor　before　him；　not　at　the　office；　but　at

my　own　house。　　That　visitor　had　come　to　my　bedside　when　it　was　not

yet　daylight；　and　had　been　seen　by　no　one　else　but　by　my　faithful

confidential　servant。



A　second　reference　paper　（for　we　required　always　two）　was　sent　down

into　Norfolk；　and　was　duly　received　back　by　post。　　This；　likewise；

was　satisfactorily　answered　in　every　respect。　　Our　forms　were　all

complied　with；　we　accepted　the　proposal；　and　the　premium　for　one

year　was　paid。







IV。





For　six　or　seven　months　I　saw　no　more　of　Mr。　Slinkton。　　He　called

once　at　my　house；　but　I　was　not　at　home；　and　he　once　asked　me　to

dine　with　him　in　the　Temple；　but　I　was　engaged。　　His　friend's

assurance　was　effected　in　March。　　Late　in　September　or　early　in

October　I　was　down　at　Scarborough　for　a　breath　of　sea…air；　where　I

met　him　on　the　beach。　　It　was　a　hot　evening；　he　came　toward　me　with

his　hat　in　his　hand；　and　there　was　the　walk　I　had　felt　so　strongly

disinclined　to　take　in　perfect　order　again；　exactly　in　front　of　the

bridge　of　my　nose。



He　was　not　alone；　but　had　a　young　lady　on　his　arm。



She　was　dressed　in　mourning；　and　I　looked　at　her　with　great

interest。　　She　had　the　appearance　of　being　extremely　delicate；　and

her　face　was　remarkably　pale　and　melancholy；　but　she　was　very

pretty。　　He　introduced　her　as　his　niece；　Miss　Niner。



'Are　you　strolling；　Mr。　Sampson？　　Is　it　possible　you　can　be　idle？'



It　WAS　possible；　and　I　WAS　strolling。



'Shall　we　stroll　together？'



'With　pleasure。'



The　young　lady　walked　between　us；　and　we　walked　on　the　cool　sea

sand；　in　the　direction　of　Filey。



'There　have　been　wheels　here；'　said　Mr。　Slinkton。　　'And　now　I　look

again；　the　wheels　of　a　hand…carriage！　　Margaret；　my　love；　your

shadow　without　doubt！'



'Miss　Niner's　shadow？'　I　repeated；　looking　down　at　it　on　the　sand。



'Not　that　one；'　Mr。　Slinkton　returned；　laughing。　　'Margaret；　my

dear；　tell　Mr。　Sampson。'



'Indeed；'　said　the　young　lady；　turning　to　me；　'there　is　nothing　to

tell　…　except　that　I　constantly　see　the　same　invalid　old　gentleman

at　all　times；　wherever　I　go。　　I　have　mentioned　it　to　my　uncle；　and

he　calls　the　gentleman　my　shadow。'



'Does　he　live　in　Scarborough？'　I　asked。



'He　is　staying　here。'



'Do　you　live　in　Scarborough？'



'No；　I　am　staying　here。　　My　uncle　has　placed　me　with　a　family　here；

for　my　health。'



'And　your　shadow？'　said　I；　smiling。



'My　shadow；'　she　answered；　smiling　too；　'is　…　like　myself　…　not

very　robust；　I　fear；　for　I　lose　my　shadow　sometimes；　as　my　shadow

loses　me　at　other　times。　　We　both　seem　liable　to　confinement　to　the

house。　　I　have　not　seen　my　shadow　for　days　and　days；　but　it　does

oddly　happen；　occasionally；　that　wherever