hunted down-第3章

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

oddly　happen；　occasionally；　that　wherever　I　go；　for　many　days

together；　this　gentleman　goes。　　We　have　come　together　in　the　most

unfrequented　nooks　on　this　shore。'



'Is　this　he？'　said　I；　pointing　before　us。



The　wheels　had　swept　down　to　the　water's　edge；　and　described　a

great　loop　on　the　sand　in　turning。　　Bringing　the　loop　back　towards

us；　and　spinning　it　out　as　it　came；　was　a　hand…carriage；　drawn　by　a

man。



'Yes；'　said　Miss　Niner；　'this　really　is　my　shadow；　uncle。'



As　the　carriage　approached　us　and　we　approached　the　carriage；　I　saw

within　it　an　old　man；　whose　head　was　sunk　on　his　breast；　and　who

was　enveloped　in　a　variety　of　wrappers。　　He　was　drawn　by　a　very

quiet　but　very　keen…looking　man；　with　iron…gray　hair；　who　was

slightly　lame。　　They　had　passed　us；　when　the　carriage　stopped；　and

the　old　gentleman　within；　putting　out　his　arm；　called　to　me　by　my

name。　　I　went　back；　and　was　absent　from　Mr。　Slinkton　and　his　niece

for　about　five　minutes。



When　I　rejoined　them；　Mr。　Slinkton　was　the　first　to　speak。　　Indeed；

he　said　to　me　in　a　raised　voice　before　I　came　up　with　him：



'It　is　well　you　have　not　been　longer；　or　my　niece　might　have　died

of　curiosity　to　know　who　her　shadow　is；　Mr。　Sampson。'



'An　old　East　India　Director；'　said　I。　　'An　intimate　friend　of　our

friend's；　at　whose　house　I　first　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you。

A　certain　Major　Banks。　　You　have　heard　of　him？'



'Never。'



'Very　rich；　Miss　Niner；　but　very　old；　and　very　crippled。　　An

amiable　man；　sensible　…　much　interested　in　you。　　He　has　just　been

expatiating　on　the　affection　that　he　has　observed　to　exist　between

you　and　your　uncle。'



Mr。　Slinkton　was　holding　his　hat　again；　and　he　passed　his　hand　up

the　straight　walk；　as　if　he　himself　went　up　it　serenely；　after　me。



'Mr。　Sampson；'　he　said；　tenderly　pressing　his　niece's　arm　in　his；

'our　affection　was　always　a　strong　one；　for　we　have　had　but　few

near　ties。　　We　have　still　fewer　now。　　We　have　associations　to　bring

us　together；　that　are　not　of　this　world；　Margaret。'



'Dear　uncle！'　murmured　the　young　lady；　and　turned　her　face　aside　to

hide　her　tears。



'My　niece　and　I　have　such　remembrances　and　regrets　in　common；　Mr。

Sampson；'　he　feelingly　pursued；　'that　it　would　be　strange　indeed　if

the　relations　between　us　were　cold　or　indifferent。　　If　I　remember　a

conversation　we　once　had　together；　you　will　understand　the

reference　I　make。　　Cheer　up；　dear　Margaret。　　Don't　droop；　don't

droop。　　My　Margaret！　　I　cannot　bear　to　see　you　droop！'



The　poor　young　lady　was　very　much　affected；　but　controlled　herself。

His　feelings；　too；　were　very　acute。　　In　a　word；　he　found　himself

under　such　great　need　of　a　restorative；　that　he　presently　went

away；　to　take　a　bath　of　sea…water；　leaving　the　young　lady　and　me

sitting　by　a　point　of　rock；　and　probably　presuming　…　but　that　you

will　say　was　a　pardonable　indulgence　in　a　luxury　…　that　she　would

praise　him　with　all　her　heart。



She　did；　poor　thing！　　With　all　her　confiding　heart；　she　praised　him

to　me；　for　his　care　of　her　dead　sister；　and　for　his　untiring

devotion　in　her　last　illness。　　The　sister　had　wasted　away　very

slowly；　and　wild　and　terrible　fantasies　had　come　over　her　toward

the　end；　but　he　had　never　been　impatient　with　her；　or　at　a　loss；

had　always　been　gentle；　watchful；　and　self…possessed。　　The　sister

had　known　him；　as　she　had　known　him；　to　be　the　best　of　men；　the

kindest　of　men；　and　yet　a　man　of　such　admirable　strength　of

character；　as　to　be　a　very　tower　for　the　support　of　their　weak

natures　while　their　poor　lives　endured。



'I　shall　leave　him；　Mr。　Sampson；　very　soon；'　said　the　young　lady；

'I　know　my　life　is　drawing　to　an　end；　and　when　I　am　gone；　I　hope　he

will　marry　and　be　happy。　　I　am　sure　he　has　lived　single　so　long；

only　for　my　sake；　and　for　my　poor；　poor　sister's。'



The　little　hand…carriage　had　made　another　great　loop　on　the　damp

sand；　and　was　coming　back　again；　gradually　spinning　out　a　slim

figure　of　eight；　half　a　mile　long。



'Young　lady；'　said　I；　looking　around；　laying　my　hand　upon　her　arm；

and　speaking　in　a　low　voice；　'time　presses。　　You　hear　the　gentle

murmur　of　that　sea？'



She　looked　at　me　with　the　utmost　wonder　and　alarm；　saying；　'Yes！'



'And　you　know　what　a　voice　is　in　it　when　the　storm　comes？'



'Yes！'



'You　see　how　quiet　and　peaceful　it　lies　before　us；　and　you　know

what　an　awful　sight　of　power　without　pity　it　might　be；　this　very

night！'



'Yes！'



'But　if　you　had　never　heard　or　seen　it；　or　heard　of　it　in　its

cruelty；　could　you　believe　that　it　beats　every　inanimate　thing　in

its　way　to　pieces；　without　mercy；　and　destroys　life　without

remorse？'



'You　terrify　me；　sir；　by　these　questions！'



'To　save　you；　young　lady；　to　save　you！　　For　God's　sake；　collect

your　strength　and　collect　your　firmness！　　If　you　were　here　alone；

and　hemmed　in　by　the　rising　tide　on　the　flow　to　fifty　feet　above

your　head；　you　could　not　be　in　greater　danger　than　the　danger　you

are　now　to　be　saved　from。'



The　figure　on　the　sand　was　spun　out；　and　straggled　off　into　a

crooked　little　jerk　that　ended　at　the　cliff　very　near　us。



'As　I　am；　before　Heaven　and　the　Judge　of　all　mankind；　your　friend；

and　your　dead　sister's　friend；　I　solemnly　entreat　you；　Miss　Niner；

without　one　moment's　loss　of　time；　to　come　to　this　gentleman　with

me！'



If　the　little　carriage　had　been　less　near　to　us；　I　doubt　if　I　could

have　got　her　away；　but　it　was　so　near　that　we　were　there　before　she

had　recovered　the　hurry　of　being　urged　from　the　rock。　　I　did　not

remain　there　with　her　two　minutes。　　Certainly　within　five；　I　had

the　inexpressible　satisfaction　of　seeing　her　…　from　the　point　we

had　sat　on；　and　to　which　I　had　returned　…　half　supported　and　half

carried　up　some　rude　steps　notched　in　the　cliff；　by　the　figure　of

an　active　man。　　With　that　figure　beside　her；　I　knew　she　was　safe

anywhere。



I　sat　alone　on　the　rock；　awaiting　Mr。　Slinkton's　return。　　The

twilight　was　deepening　and　the　shadows　were　heavy；　when　he　came

round　the　point；　with　his　hat　hanging　at　his　button…hole；　smoothing

his　wet　hair　with　one　of　his　hands；　and　picking　out　the　old　path

with　the　other　and　a　pocket…comb。



'My　niece　not　here；　Mr。　Sampson？'　he　said；　looking　about。



'Miss　Niner　seemed　to　feel　a　chill　in　the　air　after　the　sun　was

down；　and　has　gone　home。'



He　looked　surprised；　as　though　she　were　not　accustomed　to　do

anything　without　him；　even　to　originate　so　slight　a　proceeding。



'I　persuaded　Miss　Niner；'　I　explained。



'Ah！'　said　he。　　'She　is　easily　persuaded　…　for　her　good。　　Thank

you；　Mr。　Sampson；　she　is　better　within　doors。　　The　bathing…place

was　farther　than　I　thought；　to　say　the　truth。'



'Miss　Niner　is　very　delicate；'　I　observed。



He　shook　his　head　and　drew　a　deep　sigh。　　'Very；　very；　very。　　You

may　recollect　my　saying　so。　　The　time　that　has　since　intervened　has

not　strengthened　her。　　The　gloomy　shadow　that　fell　upon　her　sister

so　early　in　life　seems；　in　my　anxious　eyes；　to　gather　over　her；

ever　darker；　ever　darker。　　Dear　Margaret；　dear　Margaret！　　But　we

must　hope。'



The　hand…carriage　was　spinning　away　before　us　at　a　most　indecorous

pace　for　an　invalid　vehicle；　and　was　making　most　irregular　curves

upon　the　sand。　　Mr。　Slinkton；　noticing　it　after　he　had　put　his

handkerchief　to　his　eyes；　said；



'If　I　may　judge　from　appearances；　your　friend　will　be　upset；　Mr。

Sampson。'



'It　looks　probable；　certainly；'　said　I。



'The　servant　must　be　drunk。'



'The　servants　of　old　gentlemen　will　get　drunk　sometimes；'　said　I。



'The　major　draws　very　light；　Mr。　Sampson。'



'The　major　does　draw　light；'　said　I。



By　this　time　the　carriage；　much　to　my　relief；　was　lost　in　the

darkness。　　We　walked　on　for　a　little；　side　by　side　over　the　sand；

in　silence。　　After　a　short　while　he　said；　in　a　voice　still　affected

by　the　emotion　that　his　niece's　state　of　health　had　awakened　in

him；



'Do　you　stay　here　long；　Mr。　Sampson？'



'Why；　no。　　I　am　going　away　to…night。'



'So　soon？　　But　business　always　holds　you　in　request。　　Men　like　Mr。

Sampson　are　too　important　to　others；　to　be　spared　to　their　own　need

of　relaxation　and　enjoyment。'



'I　don't　know　about　that；'　said　I。　　'However；　I　am　going　back。'



'To　London？'



'To　London。'



'I　shall　be　there　too；　soon　after　you。'



I　knew　that　as　well　as　he　did。　　But　I　did　not　tell　him　so。　　Any

more　than　I　told　him　what　defensive　weapon　my　right　hand　rested　on

in　my　pocket；　as　I　walked　by　his　side。　　Any　more　than　I　told　him

why　I　did　not　walk　on　the　sea　side　of　him　with　the　night　closing

in。



We　left　the　beach；　and　our　ways　diverged。　　We　exchanged　goodnight；

and　had　parted　indeed；　when　he　said；　returning；



'Mr。　Sampson；　MAY　I　ask？　　Poor　Meltham；　whom　we　spoke　of；　…　dead

yet？'



'Not　when　I　last　heard　of　him；　but　too　broken　a　man　to　live　long；

and　hopelessly　lost　to　his　old　calling。'



'Dear；　dear；　dear！'　said　he；　with　great　feeling。　　'Sad；　sad；　sad！

The　world　is　a　grave！'　　And　so　went　his　way。



It　was　not　his　fault　if　the　world　were　not　a　grave；　but　I　did　not

call　that　observation　after　him；　any　more　than　I　had　mentioned

those　other　things　just　now　enumerated。　　He　went　his　way；　and　I

went　mine　with　all　expedition。　　This　happened；　as　I　have　said；

either　at　the　end　of　September　or　beginning　of　October。　　The　next

time　I　saw　him；　and　the　last　time；　was　late　in　November。







V。





I　had　a　very　particular　engagement　to　breakfast　in　the　Temple。　　It

was　a　bitter　north…easterly　morning；　and　the　sleet　and　slush　lay

inches　deep　in　the　streets。　　I　could　get　no　conveyance；　and　was

soon　wet　to　the　knees；　but　I　should　have　been　true　to　that

appointment；　though　I　had　to　wade　to　it　up　to　my　neck　in　the　same

impediments。



The　appointment　took　me　to　some　chambers　in　the　Temple。　　They　were

at　the　top　of　a　lonely　corner　house　overlooking　the　river。　　The

name；　MR。　ALFRED　BECKWITH；　was　painted　on　the　outer　door。　　On　the

door　opposite；　on　the　same　landing；　the　name　MR。　JULIUS　SLINKTON。

The　doors　of　both　sets　of　chambers　stood　open；　so　that　anything

said　aloud　in　one　set　could　be　heard　in　the　other。



I　had　never　been　in　those　chambers　before。　　They　were　dismal；

close；　unwholesome；　and　oppressive；　the　furniture；　originally　good；

and　not　yet　old；　was　faded　and　dirty；　…　the　rooms　were　in　great

disorder；　there　was　a　strong　prevailing　smell　of　opium；　brandy；　and

tobacco；　the　grate　and　fire…irons　were　splashed　all　over　with

unsightly　blotches　of　rust；　and　on　a　sofa　by　the　fire；　in　the　room

where　breakfast　had　been　prepared；　lay　the　host；　Mr。　Beckwith；　a

man　with　all　the　appearances　of　the　worst　kind　of　drunkard；　very

far　advanced　upon　his　shameful　way　to　death。



'Slinkton　is　not　come　yet；'　said　this　creature；　staggering　up　when

I　went　in；　'I'll　call　hi