the purcell papers-2-第5章

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！



formidable　expression　of　my　uncle's

countenance　while　he　talked；　though　hypothetically；

of　murder；　combined　to　arouse　all

my　worst　suspicions　of　him。　I　dreaded　to

look　upon　the　face　that　had　so　recently

worn　the　appalling　livery　of　guilt　and

malignity。　I　regarded　it　with　the

mingled　fear　and　loathing　with　which　one

looks　upon　an　object　which　has　tortured

them　in　a　nightmare。



In　a　few　days　after　the　interview；　the

particulars　of　which　I　have　just　related；　I

found　a　note　upon　my　toilet…table；　and　on

opening　it　I　read　as　follows：





　　　　　'MY　DEAR　LADY　MARGARET；

　　　　　　　　　　'You　will　be　perhaps　surprised　to

see　a　strange　face　in　your　room　to…day。　I

have　dismissed　your　Irish　maid；　and

secured　a　French　one　to　wait　upon　youa

step　rendered　necessary　by　my　proposing

shortly　to　visit　the　Continent；　with　all　my

family。

　　　　　　　　　　'Your　faithful　guardian；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'ARTHUR　TN。'





On　inquiry；　I　found　that　my　faithful

attendant　was　actually　gone；　and　far　on

her　way　to　the　town　of　Galway；　and　in

her　stead　there　appeared　a　tall；　raw…boned；

ill…looking；　elderly　Frenchwoman；　whose

sullen　and　presuming　manners　seemed　to

imply　that　her　vocation　had　never　before

been　that　of　a　lady's…maid。　I　could　not

help　regarding　her　as　a　creature　of　my

uncle's；　and　therefore　to　be　dreaded；

even　had　she　been　in　no　other　way　suspicious。



Days　and　weeks　passed　away　without

any；　even　a　momentary　doubt　upon　my

part；　as　to　the　course　to　be　pursued　by　me。

The　allotted　period　had　at　length　elapsed；

the　day　arrived　on　which　I　was　to

communicate　my　decision　to　my　uncle。

Although　my　resolution　had　never　for　a

moment　wavered；　I　could　not　shake　of

the　dread　of　the　approaching　colloquy；

and　my　heart　sunk　within　me　as　I　heard

the　expected　summons。



I　had　not　seen　my　cousin　Edward　since

the　occurrence　of　the　grand　eclaircissment；

he　must　have　studiously　avoided

meI　suppose　from　policy；　it　could　not

have　been　from　delicacy。　I　was　prepared

for　a　terrific　burst　of　fury　from　my　uncle；

as　soon　as　I　should　make　known　my

determination；　and　I　not　unreasonably

feared　that　some　act　of　violence　or　of

intimidation　would　next　be　resorted　to。



Filled　with　these　dreary　forebodings；　I

fearfully　opened　the　study　door；　and　the

next　minute　I　stood　in　my　uncle's

presence。　He　received　me　with　a　politeness

which　I　dreaded；　as　arguing　a　favourable

anticipation　respecting　the　answer

which　I　was　to　give；　and　after　some　slight

delay；　he　began　by　saying：



'It　will　be　a　relief　to　both　of　us；　I

believe；　to　bring　this　conversation　as　soon

as　possible　to　an　issue。　You　will　excuse

me；　then；　my　dear　niece；　for　speaking　with

an　abruptness　which；　under　other

circumstances；　would　be　unpardonable。　You

have；　I　am　certain；　given　the　subject　of

our　last　interview　fair　and　serious　con…

sideration；　and　I　trust　that　you　are　now

prepared　with　candour　to　lay　your　answer

before　me。　A　few　words　will　sufficewe

perfectly　understand　one　another。'



He　paused；　and　I；　though　feeling　that　I

stood　upon　a　mine　which　might　in　an

instant　explode；　nevertheless　answered　with

perfect　composure：



'I　must　now；　sir；　make　the　same　reply

which　I　did　upon　the　last　occasion；　and　I

reiterate　the　declaration　which　I　then

made；　that　I　never　can　nor　will；　while　life

and　reason　remain；　consent　to　a　union　with

my　cousin　Edward。'



This　announcement　wrought　no　apparent

change　in　Sir　Arthur；　except　that　he

became　deadly；　almost　lividly　pale。　He

seemed　lost　in　dark　thought　for　a　minute；

and　then　with　a　slight　effort　said：



'You　have　answered　me　honestly　and

directly；　and　you　say　your　resolution　is

unchangeable。　Well；　would　it　had　been

otherwisewould　it　had　been　otherwise

but　be　it　as　it　isI　am　satisfied。'



He　gave　me　his　handit　was　cold　and

damp　as　death；　under　an　assumed　calmness；

it　was　evident　that　he　was　fearfully

agitated。　He　continued　to　hold　my　hand

with　an　almost　painful　pressure；　while；　as

if　unconsciously；　seeming　to　forget　my

presence；　he　muttered：



'Strange；　strange；　strange；　indeed！

fatuity；　helpless　fatuity！'　there　was　here　a

long　pause。　'Madness　INDEED　to　strain　a

cable　that　is　rotten　to　the　very　heartit

must　breakand　thenall　goes。'



There　was　again　a　pause　of　some

minutes；　after　which；　suddenly　changing

his　voice　and　manner　to　one　of　wakeful

alacrity；　he　exclaimed：



'Margaret；　my　son　Edward　shall　plague

you　no　more。　He　leaves　this　country　on

to…morrow　for　Francehe　shall　speak　no

more　upon　this　subjectnever；　never

morewhatever　events　depended　upon

your　answer　must　now　take　their　own

course；　but；　as　for　this　fruitless　proposal；　it

has　been　tried　enough；　it　can　be　repeated

no　more。'



At　these　words　he　coldly　suffered　my

hand　to　drop；　as　if　to　express　his　total

abandonment　of　all　his　projected　schemes

of　alliance；　and　certainly　the　action；　with

the　accompanying　words；　produced　upon

my　mind　a　more　solemn　and　depressing

effect　than　I　believed　possible　to　have

been　caused　by　the　course　which　I　had

determined　to　pursue；　it　struck　upon　my

heart　with　an　awe　and　heaviness　which

WILL　accompany　the　accomplishment　of　an

important　and　irrevocable　act；　even　though

no　doubt　or　scruple　remains　to　make　it

possible　that　the　agent　should　wish　it　undone。



'Well；'　said　my　uncle；　after　a　little　time；

'we　now　cease　to　speak　upon　this　topic；

never　to　resume　it　again。　Remember　you

shall　have　no　farther　uneasiness　from

Edward；　he　leaves　Ireland　for　France　on

to…morrow；　this　will　be　a　relief　to　you。

May　I　depend　upon　your　HONOUR　that　no

word　touching　the　subject　of　this　interview

shall　ever　escape　you？'



I　gave　him　the　desired　assurance；　he

said：



'It　is　wellI　am　satisfiedwe　have

nothing　more；　I　believe；　to　say　upon

either　side；　and　my　presence　must　be　a

restraint　upon　you；　I　shall　therefore　bid

you　farewell。'



I　then　left　the　apartment；　scarcely

knowing　what　to　think　of　the　strange

interview　which　had　just　taken　place。



On　the　next　day　my　uncle　took　occasion

to　tell　me　that　Edward　had　actually

sailed；　if　his　intention　had　not　been

interfered　with　by　adverse　circumstances；　and

two　days　subsequently　he　actually　produced

a　letter　from　his　son；　written；　as　it

said；　ON　BOARD；　and　despatched　while　the

ship　was　getting　under　weigh。　This　was

a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　and　as　being

likely　to　prove　so；　it　was　no　doubt

communicated　to　me　by　Sir　Arthur。



During　all　this　trying　period；　I　had

found　infinite　consolation　in　the　society

and　sympathy　of　my　dear　cousin　Emily。

I　never　in　after…life　formed　a　friendship　so

close；　so　fervent；　and　upon　which；　in　all　its

progress；　I　could　look　back　with　feelings

of　such　unalloyed　pleasure；　upon　whose

termination　I　must　ever　dwell　with　so

deep；　yet　so　unembittered　regret。　In

cheerful　converse　with　her　I　soon

recovered　my　spirits　considerably；　and

passed　my　time　agreeably　enough；

although　still　in　the　strictest　seclusion。



Matters　went　on　sufficiently　smooth；

although　I　could　not　help　sometimes

feeling　a　momentary；　but　horrible

uncertainty　respecting　my　uncle's　character；

which　was　not　altogether　unwarranted　by

the　circumstances　of　the　two　trying

interviews　whose　particulars　I　have　just

detailed。　The　unpleasant　impression　which

these　conferences　were　calculated　to　leave

upon　my　mind；　was　fast　wearing　away；

when　there　occurred　a　circumstance；　slight

indeed　in　itself；　but　calculated　irresistibly

to　awaken　all　my　worst　suspicions；　and　to

overwhelm　me　again　with　anxiety　and

terror。



I　had　one　day　left　the　house　with　my

cousin　Emily；　in　order　to　take　a　ramble　of

considerable　length；　for　the　purpose　of

sketching　some　favourite　views；　and　we

had　walked　about　half　a　mile　when　I

perceived　that　we　had　forgotten　our　drawing

materials；　the　absence　of　which　would　have

defeated　the　object　of　our　walk。　Laughing

at　our　own　thoughtlessness；　we　returned

to　the　house；　and　leaving　Emily　without；　I

ran　upstairs　to　procure　the　drawing…books

and　pencils；　which　lay　in　my　bedroom。



As　I　ran　up　the　stairs　I　was　met　by　the

tall；　ill…looking　Frenchwoman；　evidently

a　good　deal　flurried。



'Que　veut；　madame？'　said　she；　with　a

more　decided　effort　to　be　polite　than　I　had

ever　known　her　make　before。





'No；　nono　matter；'　said　I；　hastily

running　by　her　in　the　direction　of　my

room。



'Madame；'　cried　she；　in　a　high　key；

'restez　ici；　s'il　vous　plait；　votre　chambre

n'est　pas　faiteyour　room　is　not　ready

for　your　reception　yet。'



I　continued　to　move　on　without　heeding

her。　She　was　some　way　behind　me；　and

feeling　that　she　could　not　otherwise　prevent

my　entrance；　for　I　was　now　upon　the

very　lobby；　she　made　a　desperate　attempt

to　seize　hold　of　my　person：　she　succeeded

in　grasping　the　end　of　my　shawl；　which

she　drew　from　my　shoulders；　but　slipping　at

the　same　time　upon　the　polished　oak　floor；

she　fell　at　full　length　upon　the　boards。



A　little　frightened　as　well　as　angry　at

the　rudeness　of　this　strange　woman；　I

hastily　pushed　open　the　door　of　my　room；

at　which　I　now　stood；　in　order　to　escape

from　her；　but　great　was　my　amazement

on　entering　to　find　the　apartment　preoccupied。



The　window　was　open；　and　beside　it

stood　two　male　figures；　they　appeared　to

be　examining　the　fastenings　of　the　casement；

and　their　backs　were　turned　towards

the　door。　One　of　them　was　my　uncle；

they　both　turned　on　my　entrance；　as　if

startled。　The　stranger　was　booted　and

cloaked；　and　wore　a　heavy　broad…leafed　hat

over　his　brows。　He　turned　but　for　a　moment；

and　averted　his　face；　but　I　had　seen

enough　to　convince　me　that　he　was　no

other　than　my　cousin　Edward。　My　uncle

had　some　iron　instrument　in　his　hand；

which　he　hastily　concealed　behind　his　back；

and　coming　towards　me；　said　something　as

if　in　an　explanatory　tone；　but　I　was　too

much　shocked　and　confounded　to　understand

what　it　might　be。　He　said　something

about　'REPAIRSwindowframes

cold；　and　safety。'



I　did　not　wait；　however；　to　ask　or　to

receive　explanations；　but　hastily　left　the

room。　As　I　went　down　the　stairs　I

thought　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　Frenchwoman

in　all　the　shrill　volubility　of　excuse；

which　was　met；　however；　by　suppressed

but　vehement　imprecations；　or　what

seemed　to　me　to　be　such；　in　which　the

voice　of　my　cousin　Edward　distinctly

mingled。



I　joined　my　cousin　Emily　quite　out　of

breath。　I　need　not　say　that　my　head　was

too　full　of　other　things　to　think　much　of

drawing　for　that　day。　I　imparted　to　her

frankly　the　cause　of　my　alarms；　but　at　the

same　time　as　gently　as　I　could；　and　with

tears　she　promised　vigilance；　and　devotion；

and　love。　I　never　had　reason　for　a

moment　to　repent　the　unreserved　confidence

which　I　then　reposed　in　her。　She　was　no

less　surprised　tha