the queen of hearts-第26章

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about　that。　But　first　give　me　your　advice；　help　me　in　my　great
distress　and　suspense。　Remember；　you　promised　me　you　would。〃

I　made　an　effort　to　collect　my　thoughts；　and　succeeded。　It　was
useless　to　treat　the　affair　otherwise　than　seriously　in　his
presence；　it　would　have　been　cruel　not　to　have　advised　him　as　I
best　could。

〃You　know；〃　I　said；　〃that　two　days　after　the　drawing　up　of　the
agreement　at　Naples；　the　duel　was　fought　out　of　the　Neapolitan
States。　This　fact　has　of　course　led　you　to　the　conclusion　that
all　inquiries　about　localities　had　better　be　confined　to　the
Roman　territory？〃

〃Certainly；　the　search；　such　as　it　is；　has　been　made　there；　and
there　only。　If　I　can　believe　the　police；　they　and　their　agents
have　inquired　for　the　place　where　the　duel　was　fought　（offering　a
large　reward　in　my　name　to　the　person　who　can　discover　it）　all
along　the　high　road　from　Naples　to　Rome。　They　have　also
circulatedat　least　so　they　tell　medescriptions　of　the
duelists　and　their　seconds；　have　left　an　agent　to　superintend
investigations　at　the　post…house；　and　another　at　the　town
mentioned　as　meeting…points　in　the　agreement；　and　have
endeavored；　by　correspondence　with　foreign　authorities；　to　trace
the　Count　St。　Lo　and　Monsieur　Dalville　to　their　place　or　places
of　refuge。　All　these　efforts；　supposing　them　to　have　been　really
made；　have　hitherto　proved　utterly　fruitless。〃

〃My　impression　is；〃　said　I；　after　a　moment's　consideration；　〃that
all　inquiries　made　along　the　high　road；　or　anywhere　near　Rome；
are　likely　to　be　made　in　vain。　As　to　the　discovery　of　your
uncle's　remains；　that　is；　I　think；　identical　with　the　discovery
of　the　place　where　he　was　shot；　for　those　engaged　in　the　duel
would　certainly　not　risk　detection　by　carrying　a　corpse　any
distance　with　them　in　their　flight。　The　place；　then；
　is　all　that　we　want　to　find　out。　Now　let　us　consider　for　a
moment。　The　dueling…party　changed　carriages；　traveled　separately；
two　and　two；　doubtless　took　roundabout　roads；　stopped　at　the
post…house　and　the　town　as　a　blind；　walked；　perhaps；　a
considerable　distance　unguided。　Depend　upon　it；　such　precautions
as　these　（which　we　know　they　must　have　employed）　left　them　very
little　time　out　of　the　two　daysthough　they　might　start　at
sunrise　and　not　stop　at　night…fallfor　straightforward
traveling。　My　belief　therefore　is；　that　the　duel　was　fought
somewhere　near　the　Neapolitan　frontier；　and；　if　I　had　been　the
police　agent　who　conducted　the　search；　I　should　only　have　pursued
it　parallel　with　the　frontier；　starting　from　west　to　east　till　I
got　up　among　the　lonely　places　in　the　mountains。　That　is　my　idea；
do　you　think　it　worth　anything？〃

His　face　flushed　all　over　in　an　instant。　〃I　think　it　an
inspiration！〃　he　cried。　〃Not　a　day　is　to　be　lost　in　carrying　out
our　plan。　The　police　are　not　to　be　trusted　with　it。　I　must　start
myself　to…morrow　morning；　and　you〃

He　stopped；　his　face　grew　suddenly　pale；　he　sighed　heavily；　his
eyes　wandered　once　more　into　the　fixed　look　at　vacancy；　and　the
rigid；　deathly　expression　fastened　again　upon　all　his　features。

〃I　must　tell　you　my　secret　before　I　talk　of　to…morrow；〃　he
proceeded；　faintly。　〃If　I　hesitated　any　longer　at　confessing
everything；　I　should　be　unworthy　of　your　past　kindness；　unworthy
of　the　help　which　it　is　my　last　hope　that　you　will　gladly　give　me
when　you　have　heard　all。〃

I　begged　him　to　wait　until　he　was　more　composed；　until　he　was
better　able　to　speak；　but　he　did　not　appear　to　notice　what　I
said。　Slowly；　and　struggling　as　it　seemed　against　himself；　he
turned　a　little　away　from　me；　and；　bending　his　head　over　the
table；　supported　it　on　his　hand。　The　packet　of　letters　with　which
I　had　seen　him　occupied　when　I　came　in　lay　just　beneath　his　eyes。
He　looked　down　on　it　steadfastly　when　he　next　spoke　to　me。

CHAPTER　IV。

〃You　were　born；　I　believe；　in　our　county；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps；
therefore；　you　may　have　heard　at　some　time　of　a　curious　old
prophecy　about　our　family；　which　is　still　preserved　among　the
traditions　of　Wincot　Abbey？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　such　a　prophecy；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　never　knew
in　what　terms　it　was　expressed。　It　professed　to　predict　the
extinction　of　your　family；　or　something　of　that　sort；　did　it
not？〃

〃No　inquiries；〃　he　went　on；　〃have　traced　back　that　prophecy　to
the　time　when　it　was　first　made；　none　of　our　family　records　tell
us　anything　of　its　origin。　Old　servants　and　old　tenants　of　ours
remember　to　have　heard　it　from　their　fathers　and　grandfathers。
The　monks；　whom　we　succeeded　in　the　Abbey　in　Henry　the　Eighth's
time；　got　knowledge　of　it　in　some　way；　for　I　myself　discovered
the　rhymes；　in　which　we　know　the　prophecy　to　have　been　preserved
from　a　very　remote　period；　written　on　a　blank　leaf　of　one　of　the
Abbey　manuscripts。　These　are　the　verses；　if　verses　they　deserve
to　be　called：

When　in　Wincot　vault　a　place　Waits　for　one　of　Monkton's　race
When　that　one　forlorn　shall　lie　Graveless　under　open　sky；
Beggared　of　six　feet　of　earth；　Though　lord　of　acres　from　his
birth　That　shall　be　a　certain　sign　Of　the　end　of　Monkton's
line。　Dwindling　ever　faster；　faster；　Dwindling　to　the　last…left
master；　From　mortal　ken；　from　light　of　day；　Monkton's　race　shall
pass　away。〃

〃The　prediction　seems　almost　vague　enough　to　have　been　uttered　by
an　ancient　oracle；〃　said　I；　observing　that　he　waited；　after
repeating　the　verses；　as　if　expecting　me　to　say　something。

〃Vague　or　not；　it　is　being　accomplished；〃　he　returned。　〃I　am　now
the　'last…left　master'the　last　of　that　elder　line　of　our　family
at　which　the　prediction　points；　and　the　corpse　of　Stephen　Monkton
is　not　in　the　vaults　of　Wincot　Abbey。　Wait　before　you　exclaim
against　me。　I　have　more　to　say　about　this。　Long　before　the　Abbey
was　ours；　when　we　lived　in　the　ancient　manor…house　near　it　（the
very　ruins　of　which　have　long　since　disappeared）；　the　family
burying…place　was　in　the　vault　under　the　Abbey　chapel。　Whether　in
those　remote　times　the　prediction　against　us　was　known　and
dreaded　or　not；　this　much　is　certain：　every　one　of　the　Monktons
（whether　living　at　the　Abbey　or　on　the　smaller　estate　in
Scotland）　was　buried　in　Wincot　vault；　no　matter　at　what　risk　or
what　sacrifice。　In　the　fierce　fighting　days　of　the　olden　time；
the　bodies　of　my　ancestors　who　fell　in　foreign　places　were
recovered　and　brought　back　to　Wincot；　though　it　often　cost　not
heavy　ransom　only；　but　desperate　bloodshed　as　well；　to　obtain
them。　This　superstition；　if　you　please　to　call　it　so；　has　never
died　out　of　the　family　from　that　time　to　the　present　day；　for
centuries　the　succession　of　the　dead　in　the　vault　at　the　Abbey
has　been　unbrokenabsolutely　unbrokenuntil　now。　The　place
mentioned　in　the　prediction　as　waiting　to　be　filled　is　Stephen
Monkton's　place；　the　voice　that　cries　vainly　to　the　earth　for
shelter　is　the　spirit…voice　of　the　dead。　As　surely　as　if　I　saw
it；　I　know　that　they　have　left　him　unburied　on　the　ground　where
he　fell！〃

He　stopped　me　before　I　could　utter　a　word　in　remonstrance　by
slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　and　pointing　in　the　same　direction
toward　which　his　eyes　had　wandered　a　short　time　since。

〃I　can　guess　what　you　want　to　ask　me；〃　he　exclaimed；　sternly　and
loudly；　〃you　want　to　ask　me　how　I　can　be　mad　enough　to　believe　in
a　doggerel　prophecy　uttered　in　an　age　of　superstition　to　awe　the
most　ignorant　hearers。　I　answer〃　（at　those　words　his　voice　sank
suddenly　to　a　whisper）；　〃I　answer；　because　_Stephen　Monkton
himself　stands　there　at　this　moment　confirming　me　in　my　belief_。〃

Whether　it　was　the　awe　and　horror　that　looked　out　ghastly　from
his　face　as　he　confronted　me；　whether　it　was　that　I　had　never
hitherto　fairly　believed　in　the　reports　about　his　madness；　and
that　the　conviction　of　their　truth　now　forced　itself　upon　me　on　a
sudden；　I　know　not；　but　I　felt　my　blood　curdling　as　he　spoke；　and
I　knew　in　my　own　heart；　as　I　sat　there　speechless；　that　I　dare
not　turn　round　and　look　where　he　was　still　pointing　close　at　my
side。

〃I　see　there；〃　he　went　on；　in　the　same　whispering　voice；　〃the
figure　of　a　dark…complexioned　man　standing　up　with　his　head
uncovered。　One　of　his　hands；　still　clutching　a　pistol；　has　fallen
to　his　side；　the　other　presses　a　bloody　handkerchief　over　his
mouth。　The　spasm　of　mortal　agony　convulses　his　features；　but　I
know　them　for　the　features　of　a　swarthy　man　who　twice　frightened
me　by　taking　me　up　in　his　arms　when　I　was　a　child　at　Wincot
Abbey。　I　asked　the　nurses　at　the　time　who　that　man　was；　and　they
told　me　it　was　my　uncle；　Stephen　Monkton。　Plainly；　as　if　he　stood
there　living；　I　see　him　now　at　your　side；　with　the　death…glare　in
his　great　black　eyes；　and　so　have　I　ever　seen　him；　since　the
moment　when　he　was　shot；　at　home　and　abroad；　waking　or　sleeping；
day　and　night；　we　are　always　together；　wherever　I　go！〃

His　whispering　tones　sank　into　almost　inaudible　murmuring　as　he
pronounced　these　last　words。　From　the　direction　and　expression　of
his　eyes；　I　suspected　that　he　was　speaking　to　the　apparition。　If
I　had　beheld　it　myself　at　that　moment；　it　would　have　been；　I
think；　a　less　horrible　sight　to　witness　than　to　see　him；　as　I　saw
him　now；　muttering　inarticulately　at　vacancy。　My　own　nerves　were
more　shaken　than　I　could　have　thought　possible　by　what　had
passed。　A　vague　dread　of　being　near　him　in　his　present　mood　came
over　me；　and　I　moved　back　a　step　or　two。

He　noticed　the　action　instantly。

〃Don't　go！　praypray　don't　go！　Have　I　alarmed　you？　Don't　you
believe　me？　Do　the　lights　make　your　eyes　ache？　I　only　asked　you
to　sit　in　the　glare　of　the　candles　because　I　could　not　bear　to
see　the　light　that　always　shines　from　the　phantom　there　at　dusk
shining　over　you　as　you　sat　in　the　shadow。　Don't　godon't　leave
me　yet！〃

There　was　an　utter　forlornness；　an　unspeakable　misery　in　his　face
as　he　spoke　these　words；　which　gave　me　back　my　self…possession　by
the　simple　process　of　first　moving　me　to　pity。　I　resumed　my
chair；　and　said　that　I　would　stay　with　him　as　long　as　he　wished。

〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times。　You　are　patience　and　kindness
itself；〃　he　said；　going　back　to　his　former　place
　and　resuming　his　former　gentleness　of　manner。　〃Now　that　I　have
got　over　my　first　confession　of　the　misery　that　follows　me　in
secret　wherever　I　go；　I　think　I　can　tell　you　calmly　all　that
remains　to　be　told。　You　see；　as　I　said；　my　Uncle　Stephen〃　he
turned　away　his　head　quickly；　and　looked　down　at　the　table　as　the
name　passed　his　lips〃my　Uncle　Stephen　came　twice　to　Wincot
while　I　was　a　child；　and　on　both　occasions　frightened　me
dreadfully。　He　only　took　me　up　in　his　arms　and　spoke　to　mevery
kindly；　as　I　afterward　heard；　for　_him_but　he　terrified　me；
nevertheless。　Perhaps　I　was　frightened　at　his　great　stature；　his
swarthy　complexion；　and　his　thick　black　hair　and　mustache；　as
other　children　might　have　been；　perhaps　the　mere　sight　of　him　had
some　strange　influence　on　me　which　I　could　not　then　understand
and　cannot　now　explain。　However　it　was；　I　used　to　dream　of　him
long　after　he　had　gone　away；　and　to　fancy　that　he　was　stealing　on
me　to　catch　me　up　in　his　arms　whenever　I　was　left　in　the　dark。
The　servants　who　took　care　of　me　found　this　out；　and　used　to
threaten　me　with　my　Uncle　Stephen　whenever　I　was　perverse　and
difficult　to　manage。　As　I　grew　up；　I　still　retained