the queen of hearts-第3章

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hitherto　used　to　write　to　me　with　tolerable　regularity；　seemed
now；　for　some　reason　that　I　could　not　conjecture；　to　have
forgotten　my　existence。　Ultimately　I　was　reminded　of　my　ward　by
one　of　George's　own　letters；　in　which　he　asked　for　news　of　her；
and　I　wrote　at　once　to　Mr。　Yelverton。　The　answer　that　reached　me
was　written　by　his　wife：　he　was　dangerously　ill。　The　next　letter
that　came　informed　me　of　his　death。　This　happened　early　in　the
spring　of　the　year　1855。

I　am　ashamed　to　confess　it；　but　the　change　in　my　own　position　was
the　first　idea　that　crossed　my　mind　when　I　read　the　news　of　Mr。
Yelverton's　death。　I　was　now　left　sole　guardian；　and　Jessie
Yelverton　wanted　a　year　still　of　coming　of　age。

By　the　next　day's　post　I　wrote　to　her　about　the　altered　state　of
the　relations　between　us。　She　was　then　on　the　Continent　with　her
aunt；　having　gone　abroad　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　year。
Consequently；　so　far　as　eighteen　hundred　and　fifty…five　was
concerned；　the　condition　exacted　by　the　will　yet　remained　to　be
performed。　She　had　still　six　weeks　to　passher　last　six　weeks；
seeing　that　she　was　now　twenty　years　oldunder　the　roof　of　one
of　her　guardians；　and　I　was　now　the　only　guardian　left。

In　due　course　of　time　I　received　my　answer；　written　on
rose…colored　paper；　and　expressed　throughout　in　a　tone　of　light；
easy；　feminine　banter；　which　amused　me　in　spite　of　myself。　Miss
Jessie；　according　to　her　own　account；　was　hesitating；　on　receipt
of　my　letter；　between　two　alternativesthe　one；　of　allowing
herself　to　be　buried　six　weeks　in　The　Glen　Tower；　the　other；　of
breaking　the　condition；　giving　up　the　money；　and　remaining
magnanimously　contented　with　nothing　but　a　life…interest　in　her
father's　property。　At　present　she　inclined　decidedly　toward
giving　up　the　money　and　escaping　the　clutches　of　〃the　three
horrid　old　men；〃　but　she　would　let　me　know　again　if　she　happened
to　change　her　mind。　And　so；　with　best　love；　she　would　beg　to
remain　always　affectionately　mine；　as　long　as　she　was　well　out　of
my　reach。

The　summer　passed；　the　autumn　came；　and　I　never　heard　from　her
again。　Under　ordinary　circumstances；　this　long　silence　might　have
made　me　feel　a　little　uneasy。　But　news　reached　me　about　this　time
from　the　Crimea　that　my　son　was　woundednot　dangerously；　thank
God；　but　still　severely　enough　to　be　　la　id　upand　all　my
anxieties　were　now　centered　in　that　direction。　By　the　beginning
of　September；　however；　I　got　better　accounts　of　him；　and　my　mind
was　made　easy　enough　to　let　me　think　of　Jessie　again。　Just　as　I
was　considering　the　necessity　of　writing　once　more　to　my
refractory　ward；　a　second　letter　arrived　from　her。　She　had
returned　at　last　from　abroad；　had　suddenly　changed　her　mind；
suddenly　grown　sick　of　society；　suddenly　become　enamored　of　the
pleasures　of　retirement；　and　suddenly　found　out　that　the　three
horrid　old　men　were　three　dear　old　men；　and　that　six　weeks'
solitude　at　The　Glen　Tower　was　the　luxury；　of　all　others；　that
she　languished　for　most。　As　a　necessary　result　of　this　altered
state　of　things；　she　would　therefore　now　propose　to　spend　her
allotted　six　weeks　with　her　guardian。　We　might　certainly　expect
her　on　the　twentieth　of　September；　and　she　would　take　the
greatest　care　to　fit　herself　for　our　society　by　arriving　in　the
lowest　possible　spirits；　and　bringing　her　own　sackcloth　and　ashes
along　with　her。

The　first　ordeal　to　which　this　alarming　letter　forced　me　to
submit　was　the　breaking　of　the　news　it　contained　to　my　two
brothers。　The　disclosure　affected　them　very　differently。　Poor
dear　Owen　merely　turned　pale；　lifted　his　weak；　thin　hands　in　a
panic…stricken　manner；　and　then　sat　staring　at　me　in　speechless
and　motionless　bewilderment。　Morgan　stood　up　straight　before　me；
plunged　both　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　burst　suddenly　into　the
harshest　laugh　I　ever　heard　from　his　lips；　and　told　me；　with　an
air　of　triumph；　that　it　was　exactly　what　he　expected。

〃What　you　expected？〃　I　repeated；　in　astonishment。

〃Yes；〃　returned　Morgan；　with　his　bitterest　emphasis。　〃It　doesn't
surprise　me　in　the　least。　It's　the　way　things　go　in　this
worldit's　the　regular　moral　see…saw　of　good　and　evilthe　old
story　with　the　old　end　to　it。　They　were　too　happy　in　the　garden
of　Edendown　comes　the　serpent　and　turns　them　out。　Solomon　was
too　wisedown　comes　the　Queen　of　Sheba；　and　makes　a　fool　of　him。
We've　been　too　comfortable　at　The　Glen　Towerdown　comes　a　woman；
and　sets　us　all　three　by　the　ears　together。　All　I　wonder　at　is
that　it　hasn't　happened　before。〃　With　those　words　Morgan
resignedly　took　out　his　pipe；　put　on　his　old　felt　hat　and　turned
to　the　door。

〃You're　not　going　away　before　she　comes？〃　exclaimed　Owen；
piteously。　〃Don't　leave　usplease　don't　leave　us！〃

〃Going！〃　cried　Morgan；　with　great　contempt。　〃What　should　I　gain
by　that？　When　destiny　has　found　a　man　out；　and　heated　his
gridiron　for　him；　he　has　nothing　left　to　do；　that　I　know　of；　but
to　get　up　and　sit　on　it。〃

I　opened　my　lips　to　protest　against　the　implied　comparison
between　a　young　lady　and　a　hot　gridiron；　but；　before　I　could
speak；　Morgan　was　gone。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　Owen；　〃we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　We　must
brush　up　our　manners；　and　set　the　house　tidy；　and　amuse　her　as
well　as　we　can。　The　difficulty　is　where　to　put　her；　and；　when
that　is　settled；　the　next　puzzle　will　be；　what　to　order　in　to
make　her　comfortable。　It's　a　hard　thing；　brother；　to　say　what
will　or　what　will　not　please　a　young　lady's　taste。〃

Owen　looked　absently　at　me；　in　greater　bewilderment　than
everopened　his　eyes　in　perplexed　considerationrepeated　to
himself　slowly　the　word　〃tastes〃and　then　helped　me　with　this
suggestion：

〃Hadn't　we　better　begin；　Griffith；　by　getting　her　a　plum…cake？〃

〃My　dear　Owen；〃　I　remonstrated；　〃it　is　a　grown　young　woman　who　is
coming　to　see　us；　not　a　little　girl　from　school。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Owen；　more　confused　than　before。　〃YesI　see；　we
couldn't　do　wrong；　I　supposecould　we？if　we　got　her　a　little
dog；　and　a　lot　of　new　gowns。〃

There　was；　evidently；　no　more　help　in　the　way　of　advice　to　be
expected　from　Owen　than　from　Morgan　himself。　As　I　came　to　that
conclusion；　I　saw　through　the　window　our　old　housekeeper　on　her
way；　with　her　basket；　to　the　kitchen…garden；　and　left　the　room　to
ascertain　if　she　could　assist　us。

To　my　great　dismay；　the　housekeeper　took　even　a　more　gloomy　view
than　Morgan　of　the　approaching　event。　When　I　had　explained　all
the　circumstances　to　her；　she　carefully　put　down　her　basket；
crossed　her　arms；　and　said　to　me　in　slow；　deliberate；　mysterious
tones：

〃You　want　my　advice　about　what's　to　be　done　with　this　young
woman？　Well；　sir；　here's　my　advice：　Don't　you　trouble　your　head
about　her。　It　won't　be　no　use。　Mind；　I　tell　you；　it　won't　be　no
use。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃You　look　at　this　place；　sirit's　more　like　a　prison　than　a
house；　isn't　it？　You；　look　at　us　as　lives　in　it。　We've　got
（saving　your　presence）　a　foot　apiece　in　our　graves；　haven't　we？
When　you　was　young　yourself；　sir；　what　would　you　have　done　if
they　had　shut　you　up　for　six　weeks　in　such　a　place　as　this；　among
your　grandfathers　and　grandmothers；　with　their　feet　in　the
grave？〃

〃I　really　can't　say。〃

〃I　can；　sir。　You'd　have　run　away。　_She'll_　run　away。　Don't　you
worry　your　head　about　hershe'll　save　you　the　trouble。　I　tell
you　again；　she'll　run　away。〃

With　those　ominous　words　the　housekeeper　took　up　her　basket；
sighed　heavily；　and　left　me。

I　sat　down　under　a　tree　quite　helpless。　Here　was　the　whole
responsibility　shifted　upon　my　miserable　shoulders。　Not　a　lady　in
the　neighborhood　to　whom　I　could　apply　for　assistance；　and　the
nearest　shop　eight　miles　distant　from　us。　The　toughest　case　I
ever　had　to　conduct；　when　I　was　at　the　Bar；　was　plain　sailing
compared　with　the　difficulty　of　receiving　our　fair　guest。

It　was　absolutely　necessary；　however；　to　decide　at　once　where　she
was　to　sleep。　All　the　rooms　in　the　tower　were　of　stonedark；
gloomy；　and　cold　even　in　the　summer…time。　Impossible　to　put　her
in　any　one　of　them。　The　only　other　alternative　was　to　lodge　her
in　the　little　modern　lean…to；　which　I　have　already　described　as
being　tacked　on　to　the　side　of　the　old　building。　It　contained
three　cottage…rooms；　and　they　might　be　made　barely　habitable　for
a　young　lady。　But　then　those　rooms　were　occupied　by　Morgan。　His
books　were　in　one；　his　bed　was　in　another；　his　pipes　and　general
lumber　were　in　the　third。　Could　I　expect　him；　after　the　sour
similitudes　he　had　used　in　reference　to　our　expected　visitor；　to
turn　out　of　his　habitation　and　disarrange　all　his　habits　for　her
convenience？　The　bare　idea　of　proposing　the　thing　to　him　seemed
ridiculous；　and　yet　inexorable　necessity　left　me　no　choice　but　to
make　the　hopeless　experiment。　I　walked　back　to　the　tower　hastily
and　desperately；　to　face　the　worst　that　might　happen　before　my
courage　cooled　altogether。

On　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　hall　door　I　was　stopped；　to　my
great　amazement；　by　a　procession　of　three　of　the　farm…servants；
followed　by　Morgan；　all　walking　after　each　other；　in　Indian　file；
toward　the　spiral　staircase　that　led　to　the　top　of　the　tower。　The
first　of　the　servants　carried　the　materials　for　making　a　fire；
the　second　bore　an　inverted　arm…chair　on　his　head；　the　third
tottered　under　a　heavy　load　of　books；　while　Morgan　came　last；
with　his　canister　of　tobacco　in　his　hand；　his　dressing…gown　over
his　shoulders；　and　his　whole　collection　of　pipes　hugged　up
together　in　a　bundle　under　his　arm。

〃What　on　earth　does　this　mean？〃　I　inquired。

〃It　means　taking　Time　by　the　forelock；〃　answered　Morgan；　looking
at　me　with　a　smile　of　sour　satisfaction。　〃I've　got　the　start　of
your　young　woman；　Griffith；　and　I'm　making　the　most　of　it。〃

〃But　where；　in　Heaven's　name；　are　you　going？〃　I　asked；　as　the
head　man　of　the　procession　disappeared　with　his　firing　up　the
staircase。

〃How　high　is　this　tower？〃　retorted　Morgan。

〃Seven　stories；　to　be　sure；〃　I　replied。

〃Very　good；〃　said　my　eccentric　brother；　setting　his　foot　on　the
first　stair；　〃I'm　going　up　to　the　seventh。〃

〃You　can't；〃　I　shouted。

〃_She_　can't；　you　mean；〃　said　Morgan；　〃and　that's　exactly　why　I'm
going　there。〃

〃But　the　room　is　not　furnished。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

〃One　of　the　windows　has　fallen　to　pieces。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

〃There's　a　crow's　nest　in　the　corner。〃

〃It's　out　of　her　reach。〃

By　the　time　this　unanswerable　argument　had　attained　its　third
repetition；　Morgan；　in　his　turn；　had　disappeared　up　the　winding
stairs。　I　knew　him　too　well　to　attempt　any　further　protest。

Here　was　my　first　difficulty　smoothed　away　most　unexpectedly；　for
here　were　the　rooms　in　the　lean…to　placed　by　their　owner's　free
act　and　deed　at　my　disposal。　I　wrote　on　the　spot　to　the　one
upholsterer　of　our　distant　county　town　to　come　immediately　and
survey　the　premises；　and　sent　off　a　mounted　messenger　with　the
letter。　This　done；　and　the　necessary　order　also　dispatched　to　the
carpenter　and　glazier　to　set　them　at　work　on　Morgan's　sky…parlor
in　the　seventh　story；　I　began　to　feel；　for　the　first　time；　as　if
my　scattered　wits　were　coming　back　to　me。　By　the　time　the　evening
had　closed　in　I　had　hit　on　no　less　than　three　excellent　ideas；
all　providing　for　the　future　comfort　and　amus