round the sofa-第2章
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was coming； still I was ailing； and weary of my life； but still Mr。
Dawson gave hopes of my ultimate recovery。 My father and mother came
and went； but they could not stay long； they had so many claims upon
them。 Mrs。 Margaret Dawson had become my dear friend； although；
perhaps； I had never exchanged as many words with her as I had with
Miss Mackenzie； but then with Mrs。 Dawson every word was a pearl or a
diamond。
People began to drop off from Edinburgh； only a few were left； and I
am not sure if our Monday evenings were not all the pleasanter。
There was Mr。 Sperano； the Italian exile； banished even from France；
where he had long resided； and now teaching Italian with meek
diligence in the northern city； there was Mr。 Preston； the
Westmoreland squire； or； as he preferred to be called； statesman；
whose wife had come to Edinburgh for the education of their numerous
family； and who； whenever her husband had come over on one of his
occasional visits； was only too glad to accompany him to Mrs。
Dawson's Monday evenings； he and the invalid lady having been friends
from long ago。 These and ourselves kept steady visitors； and enjoyed
ourselves all the more from having the more of Mrs。 Dawson's society。
One evening I had brought the little stool close to her sofa； and was
caressing her thin white hand； when the thought came into my head and
out I spoke it。
〃Tell me； dear Mrs。 Dawson；〃 said I； 〃how long you have been in
Edinburgh； you do not speak Scotch； and Mr。 Dawson says he is not
Scotch。〃
〃No； I am LancashireLiverpool…born；〃 said she； smiling。 〃Don't you
hear it in my broad tongue？〃
〃I hear something different to other people； but I like it because it
is just you； is that Lancashire？〃
〃I dare say it is； for； though I am sure Lady Ludlow took pains
enough to correct me in my younger days； I never could get rightly
over the accent。〃
〃Lady Ludlow；〃 said I； 〃what had she to do with you？ I heard you
talking about her to Lady Madeline Stuart the first evening I ever
came here； you and she seemed so fond of Lady Ludlow； who is she？〃
〃She is dead； my child； dead long ago。〃
I felt sorry I had spoken about her； Mrs。 Dawson looked so grave and
sad。 I suppose she perceived my sorrow； for she went on and said
〃My dear； I like to talk and to think of Lady Ludlow： she was my
true； kind friend and benefactress for many years； ask me what you
like about her； and do not think you give me pain。〃
I grew bold at this。
〃Will you tell me all about her； then； please； Mrs。 Dawson？〃
〃Nay；〃 said she； smiling； 〃that would be too long a story。 Here are
Signor Sperano； and Miss Duncan； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Preston are coming
to…night； Mr。 Preston told me； how would they like to hear an old…
world story which； after all； would be no story at all； neither
beginning； nor middle； nor end； only a bundle of recollections？〃
〃If you speak of me； madame；〃 said Signor Sperano； 〃I can only say
you do me one great honour by recounting in my presence anything
about any person that has ever interested you。〃
Miss Duncan tried to say something of the same kind。 In the middle
of her confused speech； Mr。 and Mrs。 Preston came in。 I sprang up； I
went to meet them。
〃Oh；〃 said I； 〃Mrs。 Dawson is just going to tell us all about Lady
Ludlow； and a great deal more； only she is afraid it won't interest
anybody： do say you would like to hear it！〃
Mrs。 Dawson smiled at me； and in reply to their urgency she promised
to tell us all about Lady Ludlow； on condition that each one of us
should； after she had ended； narrate something interesting； which we
had either heard； or which had fallen within our own experience。 We
all promised willingly； and then gathered round her sofa to hear what
she could tell us about my Lady Ludlow。
＇At this point comes 〃My Lady Ludlow〃already released by Project
Gutenberg＇
As any one may guess； it had taken Mrs。 Dawson several Monday
evenings to narrate all this history of the days of her youth。 Miss
Duncan thought it would be a good exercise for me； both in memory and
composition； to write out on Tuesday mornings all that I had heard
the night before； and thus it came to pass that I have the manuscript
of 〃My Lady Ludlow〃 now lying by me。
Mr。 Dawson had often come in and out of the room during the time that
his sister had been telling us about Lady Ludlow。 He would stop； and
listen a little； and smile or sigh as the case might be。 The Monday
after the dear old lady had wound up her tale （if tale it could be
called）； we felt rather at a loss what to talk about； we had grown so
accustomed to listen to Mrs。 Dawson。 I remember I was saying； 〃Oh；
dear！ I wish some one would tell us another story！〃 when her brother
said； as if in answer to my speech； that he had drawn up a paper all
ready for the Philosophical Society； and that perhaps we might care
to hear it before it was sent off： it was in a great measure
compiled from a French book； published by one of the Academies； and
rather dry in itself； but to which Mr。 Dawson's attention had been
directed； after a tour he had made in England during the past year；
in which he had noticed small walled…up doors in unusual parts of
some old parish churches； and had been told that they had formerly
been appropriated to the use of some half…heathen race； who； before
the days of gipsies； held the same outcast pariah position in most of
the countries of western Europe。 Mr。 Dawson had been recommended to
the French book which he named； as containing the fullest and most
authentic account of this mysterious race； the Cagots。 I did not
think I should like hearing this paper as much as a story； but； of
course； as he meant it kindly； we were bound to submit； and I found
it； on the whole； more interesting than I anticipated。
＇At this point comes 〃An Accursed Race〃already released by Project
Gutenberg＇
For some time past I had observed that Miss Duncan made a good deal
of occupation for herself in writing； but that she did not like me to
notice her employment。 Of course this made me all the more curious；
and many were my silent conjecturessome of them so near the truth
that I was not much surprised when； after Mr。 Dawson had finished
reading his Paper to us； she hesitated； coughed； and abruptly
introduced a little formal speech； to the effect that she had noted
down an old Welsh story the particulars of which had often been told
her in her youth； as she lived close to the place where the events
occurred。 Everybody pressed her to read the manuscript； which she
now produced from her reticule； but； when on the point of beginning；
her nervousness seemed to overcome her； and she made so many
apologies for its being the first and only attempt she had ever made
at that kind of composition； that I began to wonder if we should ever
arrive at the story at all。 At length； in a high…pitched； ill…
assured voice； she read out the title：
〃THE DOOM OF THE GRIFFITHS。〃
＇At this point comes 〃The Doom of the Griffiths〃already released by
Project Gutenberg＇
You cannot think how kindly Mrs。 Dawson thanked Miss Duncan for
writing and reading this story。 She shook my poor； pale governess so
tenderly by the hand that the tears came into her eyes； and the
colour to her checks。
〃I though you had been so kind； I liked hearing about Lady Ludlow； I
fancied； perhaps； I could do something to give a little pleasure；〃
were the half…finished sentences Miss Duncan stammered out。 I am
sure it was the wish to earn similar kind words from Mrs。 Dawson；
that made Mrs。 Preston try and rummage through her memory to see if
she could not recollect some fact； or event； or history； which might
interested Mrs。 Dawson and the little party that gathered round her
sofa。 Mrs。 Preston it was who told us the following tale：
〃HALF A LIFE…TIME AGO。〃
＇At this point comes 〃Half a Life…Time Ago〃already released by
Project Gutenberg＇
When this narrative was finished； Mrs。 Dawson called on our two
gentlemen； Signor Sperano and Mr。 Preston； and told them that they
had hitherto been amused or interested； but that it was now their
turn to amuse or interest。 They looked at each other as if this
application of hers took them by surprise； and seemed altogether as
much abashed as well…grown men can ever be。 Signor Sperano was the
first to recover himself： after thinking a little； he said …
〃Your will； dear lady； is law。 Next Monday evening； I will bring you
an old； old story； which I found among the papers of the good old
priest who first welcomed me to England。 It was but a poor return
for his generous kindness； but I had the opportunity of nursing him
through the cholera； of which he died。 He left me all that he had
no moneybut his scanty furniture； his book of prayers； his crucifix
and rosary； and his papers。 How some of those papers came into his
hands I know not。 They had evidently been written many years before
the venerable man was born； and I doubt whether he had ever examined
the bundles； which had come down to him from some old ancestor； or in
some strange bequest。 His life was too busy to leave any time for
the gratification of mere curiosity； I； alas！ have only had too much
leisure。〃
Next Monday； Signor Sperano read to us the story which I will call
〃THE POOR CLARE。〃
＇At this point comes 〃The Poor Clare〃already released by Project
Gutenberg＇
Now； of all our party who had first listened to my Lady Ludlow； Mr。
Preston was the only one who had not told us something； either of
information； tradition； history； or legend。 We naturally turned to
him； but we did not like asking him directly for his contribution；
for he was a grave； reserved； and silent man。
He understood us； however； and； rousing himself as it were； he said …
〃I know you wish me to tell you； in my turn； of something which I
have learnt during my life。 I could tell you something of my own
life； and of a life dearer still to my memory； but I have shunk from
narrating anything so purely personal。 Yet； shrink as I will； no
other but those sad recollections will present themselves to my mind。
I call them sad when I think of the end of it all。 However； I am not
going to moralize。 If my dear brother's life and death does not
speak for itself； no words of mine will teach you what may be learnt
from it。〃
End
