the queen of hearts-第20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！


forms　an　attachment　in　middle　life；　the　instances　are　rare
indeed；　let　the　warning　circumstances　be　what　they　may；　in　which
he　is　found　capable　of　freeing　himself　from　the　tyranny　of　the
new　ruling　passion。　The　charm　of　being　spoken　to　familiarly；
fondly；　and　gratefully　by　a　woman　whose　language　and　manners
still　retained　enough　of　their　early　refinement　to　hint　at　the
high　social　station　that　she　had　lost；　would　have　been　a
dangerous　luxury　to　a　man　of　Isaac's　rank　at　the　age　of　twenty。
But　it　was　far　more　than　thatit　was　certain　ruin　to　himnow
that　his　heart　was　opening　unworthily　to　a　new　influence　at　that
middle　time　of　life　when　strong　feelings　of　all　kinds；　once
implanted；　strike　root　most　stubbornly　in　a　man's　moral　nature。　A
few　more　stolen　interviews　after　that　first　morning　in　Fuller's
Meadow　completed　his　infatuation。　In　less　than　a　month　from　the
time　when　he　first　met　her；　Isaac　Scatchard　had　consented　to　give
Rebecca　Murdoch　a　new　interest　in　existence；　and　a　chance　of
recovering　the　character　she　had　lost　by　promising　to　make　her
his　wife。

She　had　taken　possession；　not　of　his　passions　only；　but　of　his
faculties　as　well。　All　the　mind　he　had　he　put　into　her　keeping。
She　directed　him　on　every　pointeven　instructing　him　how　to
break　the　news　of　his　approaching　marriage　in　the　safest　manner
to　his　mother。

〃If　you　tell　her　how　you　met　me　and　who　I　am　at　first；〃　said　the
cunning　woman；　〃she　will　move　heaven　and　earth　to　prevent　our
marriage。　Say　l　am　the　sister　of　one　of　your　fellow…servantsask
her　to　see　me　before　you　go　into　any　more　particularsand　leave
it　to　me　to　do　the　rest。　I　mean　to　make　her　love　me　next　best　to
you；　Isaac；　before　she　knows　anything　of　who　I　really　am。〃　The
motive　of　the　deceit　was　sufficient　to　sanctify　it　to　Isaac。　The
stratagem　proposed　relieved　him　of　his　one　great　anxiety；　and
quieted　his　uneasy　conscience　on　the　subject　of　his　mother。
Still；　there　was　something　wanting　to　perfect　his　happiness；
something　that　he　could　not　realize；　something　mysteriously
untraceable；　and　yet　something　that　perpetually　made　itself　felt；
not　when　he　was　absent　from　Rebecca　Murdoch；　but；　strange　to　say；
when　he　was　actually　in　her　presence！　She　was　kindness　itself
with　him。　She　never　made　him　feel　his　inferior　capacities　and
inferior　manners。　She　showed　the　sweetest　anxiety　to　please　him
in　the　smallest　trifles；　but；　in　spite　of　all　these　attractions；
he　never　could　feel　quite　at　his　ease　with　her。　At　their　first
meeting；　there　had　mingled　with　his　admiration；　when　he　looked　in
her　face；　a　faint；　involuntary　feeling　of　doubt　whether　that　face
was　entirely　strange　to　him。　No　after　familiarity　had　the
slightest　effect　on　this　inexplicable；　wearisome　uncertainty。

Concealing　the　truth　as　he　had　been　directed；　he　announced　his
marriage　engagement　precipitately　and　confusedly　to　his　mother　on
the　day　when　he　contracted　it。　Poor　Mrs。　Scatchard　showed　her
perfect　confidence　in　her　son　by　flinging　her　arms　round　his
neck；　and　giving　him　joy　of　having　found　at　last；　in　the　sister
of　one　of　his　fellow…servants；　a　woman　to　comfort　and　care　for
him　after　his　mother　was　gone。　She　was　all　eagerness　to　see　the
woman　of　her　son's　choice；　and　the　next　day　was　fixed　for　the
introduction。

It　was　a　bright　sunny　morning；　and　the　little　cottage　parlor　was
full　of　light　as　Mrs。　Scatchard；　happy　and　expectant；　dressed　for
the　occasion　in　her　Sunday　gown；　sat　waiting　for　her　son　and　her
future　daughter…in…law。

Punctual　to　the　appointed　time；　Isaac　hurriedly　and　nervously　led
his　promised　wife　into　the　room。　His　mother　rose　to　receive
heradvanced　a　few　steps；　smilinglooked　Rebecca　full　in　the
eyes；　and　suddenly　stopped。　Her　face；　which　had　been　flushed　the
moment　before；　turned　white　in　an　instant；　her　eyes　lost　their
expression　of　softness　and　kindness；　and　assumed　a　blank　look　of
terror；　her　outstretched　hands　fell　to　her　sides；　and　she
staggered　back　a　few　steps　with　a　low　cry　to　her　son。

〃Isaac；〃　she　whispered；　clutching　him　fast　by　the　arm　when　he
asked　alarmedly　if　she　was　taken　ill；　〃Isaac；　does　that　woman's
face　remind　you　of　nothing？〃

Before　he　could　answerbefore　he　could　look　round　to　where
Rebecca　stood；　astonished　and　angered　by　her　reception；　at　the
lower　end　of　the　room；　his　mother　pointed　impatiently　to　her
writing…desk；　and　gave　him　the　key。

〃Open　it；〃　she　said；　in　a　quick　breathless　whisper。

〃What　does　this　mean？　Why　am　I　treated　as　if　I　had　no　business
here？　Does　your　mother　want　to　insult　me？〃　asked　Rebecca；
angrily。

〃Open　it；　and　give　me　the　paper　in　the　left…hand　drawer。　Quick！
quick；　for　Heaven's　sake！〃　said　Mrs。　Scatchard；　shrinking　further
back　in　terror。

Isaac　gave　her　the　paper。　She　looked　it　over　eagerly　for　a
moment；　then　followed　Rebecca；　who　was　now　turning　away　haughtily
to　leave　the　room；　and　caught　her　by　the　shoulderabruptly
raised　the　long；　loose　sleeve　of　her　gown；　and　glanced　at　her
hand　and　arm。　Something　like　fear　began　to　steal　over　the　angry
expression　of　Rebecca's　face　as　she　shook　herself　free　from　the
old　woman's　grasp。　〃Mad！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃and　Isaac　never
told　me。〃　With　these　few　words　she　left　the　room。

Isaac　was　hastening　after　her　when　his　mother　turned　and　stopped
his　further　progress。　It　wrung　his　heart　to　see　the　misery　and
terror　in　her　face　as　she　looked　at　him。

〃Light　gray　eyes；〃　she　said；　in　low；　mournful；　awe…struck　tones；
pointing　toward　the　open　door；　〃a　droop　in　the　left　eyelid；
flaxen　hair；　with　a　gold…yellow　streak　in　it；　white　arms；　with　a
down　upon　them；　little　lady's　hand；　with　a　reddish　look　under　the
finger　nailsThe　Dream…　Woman；　Isaac；　the　Dream…Woman！〃

That　faint　cleaving　doubt　which　he　had　never　been　able　to　shake
off　in　Rebecca　Murdoch's　presence　was　fatally　set　at　rest
forever。　He　had　seen　her　face；　then；　beforeseven　years　before；
on　his　birthday；　in　the　bedroom　of　the　lonely　inn。

〃Be　warned！　oh；　my　son；　be　warned！　Isaac；　Isaac；　let　her　go；　and
do　you　stop　with　me！〃

Something　darkened　the　parlor　window　as　those　words　were　said。　A
sudden　chill　ran　through　him；　and　he　glanced　sidelong　at　the
shadow。　Rebecca　Murdoch　had　come　back。　She　was　peering　in
curiously　at　them　over　the　low　window…blind。

〃I　have　promised　to　marry；　mother；〃　he　said；　〃and　marry　I　must。〃

The　tears　came　into　his　eyes　as　he　spoke　and　dimmed　his　sight；
but　he　could　just　discern　the　fatal　face　outside　moving　away
again　from　the　window。

His　mother's　head　sank　lower。

〃Are　you　faint？〃　he　whispered。

〃Broken…hearted；　Isaac。〃

He　stooped　down　and　kissed　her。　The　shadow；　as　he　did　so；
returned　to　the　window；　and　the　fatal　face　peered　in　curiously
once　more。

CHAPTER　IV。

THREE　weeks　after　that　day　Isaac　and　Rebecca　were　man　and　wife。
All　that　was　hopelessly　dogged　and　stubborn　in　the　man's　moral
nature　seemed　to　have　closed　round　his　fatal　passion；　and　to　have
fixed　it　unassailably　in　his　heart。

After　that　first　interview　in　the　cottage　parlor　no　consideration
would　induce　Mrs。　Scatchard　to　see　her　son's　wife　again　or　even
to　talk　of　her　when　Isaac　tried　hard　to　plead　her　cause　after
their　marriage。

This　course　of　conduct　was　not　in　any　degree　occasioned　by　a
discovery　of　the　degradation　in　which　Rebecca　had　lived。　There
was　no　question　of　that　between　mother　and　son。　There　was　no
question　of　anything　but　the　fearfully…exact　resemblance　between
the　living；　breathing　woman　and　the　specter…woman　of　Isaac's
dream。

Rebecca　on　her　side　neither　felt　nor　expressed　the　slightest
sorrow　at　the　estrangement　between　herself　and　her　mother…in…law。
Isaac；　for　the　sake　of　peace；　had　never　contradicted　her　first
idea　that　age　and　long　illness　had　affected　Mrs。　Scatchard's
mind。　He　even　allowed　his　wife　to　upbraid　him　for　not　having
confessed　this　to　her　at　the　time　of　their　marriage　engagement；
rather　than　risk　anything　by　hinting　at　the　truth。　The　sacrifice
of　his　integrity　before　his　one　all…mastering　delusion　seemed　but
a　small　thing；　and　cost　his　conscience　but　little　after　the
sacrifices　he　had　already　made。

The　time　of　waking　from　this　delusionthe　cruel　and　the　rueful
timewas　not　far　off。　After　some　quiet　months　of　married　life；
as　the　summer　was　ending；　and　the　year　was　getting　on　toward　the
month　of　his　birthday；　Isaac　found　his　wife　altering　toward　him。
She　grew　sullen　and　contemptuous；　she　formed　acquaintances　of　the
most　dangerous　kind　in　defiance　of　his　objections；　his
entreaties；　and　his　commands；　and；　worst　of　all；　she　learned；　ere
long；　after　every　fresh　difference　with　her　husband；　to　seek　the
deadly　self…oblivion　of　drink。　Little　by　little；　after　the　first
miserable　discovery　that　his　wife　was　keeping　company　with
drunkards；　the　shocking　certainty　forced　itself　on　Isaac　that　she
had　grown　to　be　a　drunkard　herself。

He　had　been　in　a　sadly　desponding　state　for　some　time　before　the
occurrence　of　these　domestic　calamities。　His　mother's　health；　as
he　could　but　too　plainly　discern　every　time　he　went　to　see　her　at
the　cottage；　was　failing　fast；　and　he　upbraided　himself　in　secret
as　the　cause　of　the　bodily　and　mental　suffering　she　endured。　When
to　his　remorse　on　his　mother's　account　was　added　the　shame　and
misery　occasioned　by　the　discovery　of　his　wife's　degradation；　he
sank　under　the　double　trialhis　face　began　to　alter　fast；　and　he
looked　what　he　was；　a　spirit…broken　man。

His　mother；　still　struggling　bravely　against　the　illness　that　was
hurrying　her　to　the　grave；　was　the　first　to　notice　the　sad
alteration　in　him；　and　the　first　to　hear　of　his　last　worst
trouble　with　his　wife。　She　could　only　weep　bitterly　on　the　day
when　he　made　his　humiliating　confession；　but　on　the　next　occasion
when　he　went　to　see　her　she　had　taken　a　resolution　in　reference
to　his　domestic　afflictions　which　astonished　and　even　alarmed
him。　He　found　her　dressed　to　go　out；　and　on　asking　the　reason
received　this　answer：

〃I　am　not　long　for　this　world；　Isaac；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　shall　not
feel　easy　on　my　death…bed　unless　I　have　done　my　best　to　the　last
to　make　my　son　happy。　I　mean　to　put　my　own　fears　and　my　own
feelings　out　of　the　question；　and　to　go　with　you　to　your　wife；
and　try　what　I　can　do　to　reclaim　her。　Give　me　your　arm；　Isaac；
and　let　me　do　the　last　thing　I　can　in　this　world　to　help　my　son
before　it　is　too　late。〃

He　could　not　disobey　her；　and　they　walked　together　slowly　toward
his　miserable　home。

It　was　only　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　when　they　reached　the
cottage　where　he　lived。　It　was　their　dinner…hour；　and　Rebecca　was
in　the　kitchen。　He　was　thus　able　to　take　his　mother　quietly　into
the　parlor；　and　then　prepare　his　wife　for　the　interview。　She　had
fortunately　drunk　but　little　at　that　early　hour；　and　she　was　less
sullen　and　capricious　than　usual。

He　returned　to　his　mother　with　his　mind　tolerably　at　ease。　His
wife　soon　followed　him　into　the　parlor；　and　the　m　eeting　between
her　and　Mrs。　Scatchard　passed　off　better　than　he　had　ventured　to
anticipate；　though　he　observed　with　secret　apprehension　that　his
mother；　resolutely　as　she　controlled　herself　in　other　respects；
could　not　look　his　wife　in　the　face　when　she　spoke　to　her。　It　was
a　relief　to　him；　therefore；　when　Rebecca　began　to　lay　the　cloth。

She　laid　the