the queen of hearts-第24章

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worth　thirty　thousand　a　year。　He　goes　out　everywhere　under　the
impression　that　he　may　meet　with　somebody　who　has　been　let　into
the　secret　of　the　place　where　the　mysterious　duel　was　fought。　If
you　are　introduced　to　him　he　is　sure　to　ask　you　whether　you　know
anything　about　it；　but　beware　of　following　up　the　subject　after
you　have　answered　him；　unless　you　want　to　make　sure　that　he　is
out　of　his　senses。　In　that　case；　only　talk　of　his　uncle；　and　the
result　will　rather　more　than　satisfy　you。〃

A　day　or　two　after　this　conversation　with　my　friend　the
_attache；_　I　met　Monkton　at　an　evening　party。

The　moment　he　heard　my　name　mentioned；　his　face　flushed　up；　he
drew　me　away　into　a　corner；　and　referring　to　his　cool　reception
of　my　advance　years　ago　toward　making　his　acquaintance；　asked　my
pardon　for　what　he　termed　his　inexcusable　ingratitude　with　an
earnestness　and　an　agitation　which　utterly　astonished　me。　His
next　proceeding　was　to　question　me；　as　my　friend　had　said　he
would；　about　the　place　of　the　mysterious　duel。

An　extraordinary　change　came　over　him　while　he　interrogated　me　on
this　point。　Instead　of　looking　into　my　face　as　they　had　looked
hitherto；　his　eyes　wandered　away；　and　fixed　themselves　intensely；
almost　fiercely；　either　on　the　perfectly　empty　wall　at　our　side；
or　on　the　vacant　space　between　the　wall　and　ourselves；　it　was
impossible　to　say　which。　I　had　come　to　Naples　from　Spain　by　sea；
and　briefly　told　him　so；　as　the　best　way　of　satisfying　him　that　I
could　not　assist　his　inquiries。　He　pursued　them　no　further；　and；
mindful　of　my　friend's　warning；　I　took　care　to　lead　the
conversation　to　general　topics。　He　looked　back　at　me　directly；
and；　as　long　as　we　stood　in　our　corner；　his　eyes　never　wandered
away　again　to　the　empty　wall　or　the　vacant　space　at　our　side。

Though　more　ready　to　listen　than　to　speak；　his　conversation；　when
he　did　talk；　had　no　trace　of　anything　the　least　like　insanity
about　it。　He　had　evidently　read；　not　generally　only；　but　deeply
as　well；　and　could　apply　his　reading　with　singular　felicity　to
the　illustration　of　almost　any　subject　under　discussion；　neither
obtruding　his　knowledge　absurdly；　nor　concealing　it　affectedly。
His　manner　was　in　itself　a　standing　protest　against　such　a
nickname　as　〃Mad　Monkton。〃　He　was　so　shy；　so　quiet；　so　composed
and　gentle　in　all　his　actions；　that　at　times　I　should　have　been
almost　inclined　to　call　him　effeminate。　We　had　a　long　talk
together　on　the　first　evening　of　our　meeting；　we　often　saw　each
other　afterward；　and　never　lost　a　single　opportunity　of　bettering
our　acquaintance。　I　felt　that　he　had　taken　a　liking　to　me；　and；
in　spite　of　what　I　had　heard　about　his　behavior　to　Miss　Elmslie；
in　spite　of　the　suspicions　which　the　history　of　his　family　and
his　own　conduct　had　arrayed　against　him；　I　began　to　like　〃Mad
Monkton〃　as　much　as　he　liked　me。　We　took　many　a　quiet　ride
together　in　the　country；　and　sailed　often　along　the　shores　of　the
Bay　on　either　side。　But　for　two　eccentricities　in　his　conduct；
which　I　could　not　at　all　understand；　I　should　soon　have　felt　as
much　at　my　ease　in　his　society　as　if　he　had　been　my　own　brother。

The　first　of　these　eccentricities　consisted　in　the　reappearance
on　several　occasions　of　the　odd　expression　in　his　eyes　which　I
had　first　seen　when　he　asked　me　whether　I　knew　anything　about　the
duel。　No　matter　what　we　were　talking　about；　or　where　we　happened
to　be；　there　were　times　when　he　would　suddenly　look　away　from　my
face；　now　on　one　side　of　me；　now　on　the　other；　but　always　where
there　was　nothing　to　see；　and　always　with　the　same　intensity　and
fierceness　in　his　eyes。　This　looked　so　like　madnessor
hypochondria　at　the　leastthat　I　felt　afraid　to　ask　him　about
it；　and　always　pretended　not　to　observe　him。

The　second　peculiarity　in　his　conduct　was　that　he　never　referred；
while　in　my　company；　to　the　reports　about　his　errand　at　Naples；
and　never　once　spoke　of　Miss　Elmslie；　or　of　his　life　at　Wincot
Abbey。　This　not　only　astonished　me；　but　amazed　those　who　had
noticed　our　intimacy；　and　who　had　made　sure　that　I　must　be　the
depositary　of　all　his　secrets。　But　the　time　was　near　at　hand　when
this　mystery；　and　some　other　mysteries　of　which　I　had　no
suspicion　at　that　period；　were　all　to　be　revealed。

I　met　him　one　night　at　a　large　ball；　given　by　a　Russian　nobleman；
whose　name　I　could　not　pronounce　then；　and　cannot　remember　now。　I
had　wandered　away　from　reception…room；　ballroom；　and　cardroom；　to
a　small　apartment　at　one　extremity　of　the　palace；　which　was　half
conservatory；　half　boudoir；　and　which　had　been　prettily
illuminated　for　the　occasion　with　Chinese　lanterns。　Nobody　was　in
the　room　when　I　got　there。　The　view　over　the　Mediterranean；
bathed　in　the　bright　softness　of　Italian　moonlight；　was　so　lovely
that　I　remained　for　a　long　time　at　the　window；　looking　out；　and
listening　to　the　dance…music　which　faintly　reached　me　from　the
ballroom。　My　thoughts　were　far　away　with　the　relations　I　had　left
in　England；　when　I　was　startled　out　of　them　by　hearing　my　name
softly　pronounced。

I　looked　round　directly；　and　saw　Monkton　standing　in　the　room。　A
livid　paleness　overspread　his　face；　and　his　eyes　were　turned　away
from　me　with　the　same　extraordinary　expression　in　them　to　which　I
have　already　alluded。

〃Do　you　mind　leaving　the　ball　early　to…night？〃　he　asked；　still
not　looking　at　me。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　I。　〃Can　I　do　anything　for　you？　Are　you　ill？〃

〃Noat　least　nothing　to　speak　of。　Will　you　come　to　my　rooms？〃

〃At　once；　if　you　like。〃

〃No；　not　at　once。　_I_　must　go　home　directly；　but　don't　you　come
to　me　for　half　an　hour　yet。　You　have　not　been　at　my　rooms　before；
I　know；　but　you　will　easily　find　them　out；　they　are　close　by。
There　is　a　card　with　my　address。　I　_must_　speak　to　you　to…night；
my　life　depends　on　it。　Pray　come！　for　God's　sake；　come　when　the
half　hour　is　up！〃

I　promised　to　be　punctual；　and　he　left　me　directly。

Most　people　will　be　easily　able　to　imagine　the　state　of　nervous
impatience　and　vague　expectation　in　which　I　passed　the　allotted
period　of　delay；　after　hearing　such　words　as　those　Monkton　had
spoken　to　me。　Before　the　half　hour　had　quite　expired　I　began　to
make　my　way　out　through　the　ballroom。

At　the　head　of　the　staircase　my　friend；　the　_attache；_　met　me。

〃What！　going　away　already？〃　Said　he。

〃Yes；　and　on　a　very　curious　expedition。　I　am　going　to　Monkton's
rooms；　by　his　own　invitation。〃

〃You　don't　mean　it！　Upon　my　honor；　you're　a　bold　fellow　to　trust
yourself　alone　with　'Mad　Monkton'　when　the　moon　is　at　the　full。〃

〃He　is　ill；　poor　fellow。　Besides；　I　don't　think　him　half　as　mad
as　you　do。〃

〃We　won't　dispute　about　that；　but　mark　my　words；　he　has　not　asked
you　to　go　where　no　visitor　has　ever　been　admitted　before　without
a　special　purpose。　I　predict　that　you　will　see　or　hear　something
to…night　which　you　will　remember　for　the　rest　of　your　life。〃

We　parted。　When　I　knocked　at　the　courtyard　gate　of　the　house
where　Monkton　lived；　my　friend's　last　words　on　the　palace
staircase　recurred　to　me；　and；　though　I　had　laughed　at　him　when
he　spoke　them；　I　began　to　suspect　even　then　that　his　prediction
would　be　fulfilled。

CHAPTER　III。


THE　porter　who　let　me　into　the　house　where　Monkton　lived　directed
me　to　the　floor　on　which　his　rooms　were　situated。　On　getting
upstairs；　I　found　his　door　on　the　landing　ajar。　He　heard　my
footsteps；　I　suppose；　for　he　called　to　me　to　come　in　before　I
could　knock。

I　entered；　and　found　him　sitting　by　the　table；　with　some　loose
letters　in　his　hand；　which　he　was　just　tying　together　into　a
packet。　I　noticed；　as　he　asked　me　to　sit　down；　that　his　express
ion　looked　more　composed；　though　the　paleness　had　not　yet　left
his　face。　He　thanked　me　for　coming；　repeated　that　he　had
something　very　important　to　say　to　me；　and　then　stopped　short；
apparently　too　much　embarrassed　to　proceed。　I　tried　to　set　him　at
his　ease　by　assuring　him　that；　if　my　assistance　or　advice　could
be　of　any　use；　I　was　ready　to　place　myself　and　my　time　heartily
and　unreservedly　at　his　service。

As　I　said　this　I　saw　his　eyes　beginning　to　wander　away　from　my
faceto　wander　slowly；　inch　by　inch；　as　it　were；　until　they
stopped　at　a　certain　point；　with　the　same　fixed　stare　into
vacancy　which　had　so　often　startled　me　on　former　occasions。　The
whole　expression　of　his　face　altered　as　I　had　never　yet　seen　it
alter；　he　sat　before　me　looking　like　a　man　in　a　death…trance。

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　he　said；　slowly　and　faintly；　speaking；　not
to　me；　but　in　the　direction　in　which　his　eyes　were　still　fixed。
〃I　know　you　can　help　me；　but〃

He　stopped；　his　face　whitened　horribly；　and　the　perspiration
broke　out　all　over　it。　He　tried　to　continuesaid　a　word　or
twothen　stopped　again。　Seriously　alarmed　about　him；　I　rose　from
my　chair　with　the　intention　of　getting　him　some　water　from　a　jug
which　I　saw　standing　on　a　side…table。

He　sprang　up　at　the　same　moment。　All　the　suspicions　I　had　ever
heard　whispered　against　his　sanity　flashed　over　my　mind　in　an
instant；　and　I　involuntarily　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two。

〃Stop；〃　he　said；　seating　himself　again；　〃don't　mind　me；　and　don't
leave　your　chair。　I　wantI　wish；　if　you　please；　to　make　a　little
alteration；　before　we　say　anything　more。　Do　you　mind　sitting　in　a
strong　light？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

I　had　hitherto　been　seated　in　the　shade　of　his　reading…lamp；　the
only　light　in　the　room。

As　I　answered　him　he　rose　again；　and；　going　into　another
apartment；　returned　with　a　large　lamp　in　his　hand；　then　took　two
candles　from　the　side…table；　and　two　others　from　the　chimney
piece；　placed　them　all；　to　my　amazement；　together；　so　as　to　stand
exactly　between　us；　and　then　tried　to　light　them。　His　hand
trembled　so　that　he　was　obliged　to　give　up　the　attempt；　and　allow
me　to　come　to　his　assistance。　By　his　direction；　I　took　the　shade
off　the　reading…lamp　after　I　had　lit　the　other　lamp　and　the　four
candles。　When　we　sat　down　again；　with　this　concentration　of　light
between　us；　his　better　and　gentler　manner　began　to　return；　and
while　he　now　addressed　me　he　spoke　without　the　slightest
hesitation。

〃It　is　useless　to　ask　whether　you　have　heard　the　reports　about
me；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　that　you　have。　My　purpose　to…night　is　to
give　you　some　reasonable　explanation　of　the　conduct　which　has
produced　those　reports。　My　secret　has　been　hitherto　confided　to
one　person　only；　I　am　now　about　to　trust　it　to　your　keeping；　with
a　special　object　which　will　appear　as　I　go　on。　First；　however；　I
must　begin　by　telling　you　exactly　what　the　great　difficulty　is
which　obliges　me　to　be　still　absent　from　England。　I　want　your
advice　and　your　help；　and；　to　conceal　nothing　from　you；　I　want
also　to　test　your　forbearance　and　your　friendly　sympathy；　before
I　can　venture　on　thrusting　my　miserable　secret　into　your　keeping。
Will　you　pardon　this　apparent　distrust　of　your　frank　and　open
characterthis　apparent　ingratitude　for　your　kindness　toward　me
ever　since　we　first　met？〃

I　begged　him　not　to　speak　of　these　things；　but　to　go　on。

〃You　know；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　I　am　here　to　recover　the　body　of
my　Uncle　Stephen；　and　to　carry　it　back　with　me　to　our　family
burial…place　in　England；　and　you　must　also　be　aware　that　I　have
not　yet　succeeded　in　discovering　his　remains。　Try