the queen of hearts-第46章

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hand；　by　his　own　fireside　he　was　considerate；　forbearing；　and
humble　almost　to　a　fault。　As　a　necessary　result　of　this　singular
inconsistency　of　character；　he　was　feared；　and　sometimes　even
disliked；　by　the　members　of　his　congregation　who　only　knew　him　as
their　pastor；　and　he　was　prized　and　loved　by　the　small　circle　of
friends　who　also　knew　him　as　a　man。

Those　friends　gathered　round　him　more　closely　and　more
affectionately　than　ever　after　his　marriage；　not　on　his　own
account　only；　but　influenced　also　by　the　attractions　that　they
found　in　the　society　of　his　wife。　Her　refinement　and　gentleness
of　manner；　her　extraordinary　accomplishments　as　a　musician；　her
unvarying　sweetness　of　temper；　and　her　quick；　winning；　womanly
intelligence　in　conversation；　charmed　every　one　who　approached
her。　She　was　quoted　as　a　model　wife　and　woman　by　all　her
husband's　friends；　and　she　amply　deserved　the　character　that　they
gave　her。　Although　no　children　came　to　cheer　it；　a　happier　and　a
more　admirable　married　life　has　seldom　been　witnessed　in　this
world　than　the　life　which　was　once　to　be　seen　in　the　rectory
house　at　Penliddy。

With　these　necessary　explanations；　that　preliminary　part　of　my
narrative　of　which　the　events　may　be　massed　together　generally；
for　brevity's　sake；　comes　to　a　close。　What　I　have　next　to　tell　is
of　a　deeper　and　a　more　serious　interest；　and　must　be　carefully
related　in　detail。

The　rector　and　his　wife　had　lived　together　without；　as　I　honestly
believe；　a　harsh　word　or　an　unkind　look　once　passing　between　them
for　upward　of　two　years；　when　Mr。　Carling　took　his　first　step
toward　the　fatal　future　that　was　awaiting　him　by　devoting　his
leisure　hours　to　the　apparently　simple　a　nd　harmless　occupation
of　writing　a　pamphlet。

He　had　been　connected　for　many　years　with　one　of　our　great
Missionary　Societies；　and　had　taken　as　active　a　part　as　a　country
clergyman　could　in　the　management　of　its　affairs。　At　the　period
of　which　I　speak；　certain　influential　members　of　the　society　had
proposed　a　plan　for　greatly　extending　the　sphere　of　its
operations；　trusting　to　a　proportionate　increase　in　the　annual
subscriptions　to　defray　the　additional　expenses　of　the　new
movement。　The　question　was　not　now　brought　forward　for　the　first
time。　It　had　been　agitated　eight　years　previously；　and　the
settlement　of　it　had　been　at　that　time　deferred　to　a　future
opportunity。　The　revival　of　the　project；　as　usual　in　such　cases；
split　the　working　members　of　the　society　into　two　parties；　one
party　cautiously　objecting　to　run　any　risks；　the　other　hopefully
declaring　that　the　venture　was　a　safe　one；　and　that　success　was
sure　to　attend　it。　Mr。　Carling　sided　enthusiastically　with　the
members　who　espoused　this　latter　side　of　the　question；　and　the
object　of　his　pamphlet　was　to　address　the　subscribers　to　the
society　on　the　subject；　and　so　to　interest　them　in　it　as　to　win
their　charitable　support；　on　a　larger　scale　than　usual；　to　the
new　project。

He　had　worked　hard　at　his　pamphlet；　and　had　got　more　than　half
way　through　it；　when　he　found　himself　brought　to　a　stand…still
for　want　of　certain　facts　which　had　been　produced　on　the
discussion　of　the　question　eight　years　since；　and　which　were
necessary　to　the　full　and　fair　statement　of　his　case。

At　first　he　thought　of　writing　to　the　secretary　of　the　society
for　information；　but；　remembering　that　he　had　not　held　his　office
more　than　two　years；　he　had　thought　it　little　likely　that　this
gentleman　would　be　able　to　help　him；　and　looked　back　to　his　own
Diary　of　the　period　to　see　if　he　had　made　any　notes　in　it
relating　to　the　original　discussion　of　the　affair。　He　found　a
note　referring　in　general　terms　only　to　the　matter　in　hand；　but
alluding　at　the　end　to　a　report　in　the　_Times_　of　the　proceedings
of　a　deputation　from　the　society　which　had　waited　on　a　member　of
the　government　of　that　day；　and　to　certain　letters　to　the　editor
which　had　followed　the　publication　of　the　report。　The　note
described　these　letters　as　〃very　important；〃　and　Mr。　Carling
felt；　as　he　put　his　Diary　away　again；　that　the　successful
conclusion　of　his　pamphlet　now　depended　on　his　being　able　to　get
access　to　the　back　numbers　of　the　_Times_　of　eight　years　since。

It　was　winter　time　when　he　was　thus　stopped　in　his　work；　and　the
prospect　of　a　journey　to　London　（the　only　place　he　knew　of　at
which　files　of　the　paper　were　to　be　found）　did　not　present　many
attractions；　and　yet　he　could　see　no　other　and　easier　means　of
effecting　his　object。　After　considering　for　a　little　while　and
arriving　at　no　positive　conclusion；　he　left　the　study；　and　went
into　the　drawing…room　to　consult　his　wife。

He　found　her　working　industriously　by　the　blazing　fire。　She
looked　so　happy　and　comfortableso　gentle　and　charming　in　her
pretty　little　lace　cap；　and　her　warm　brown　morning…dress；　with
its　bright　cherry…colored　ribbons；　and　its　delicate　swan's　down
trimming　circling　round　her　neck　and　nestling　over　her　bosom；
that　he　stooped　and　kissed　her　with　the　tenderness　of　his
bridegroom　days　before　he　spoke。　When　he　told　her　of　the　cause
that　had　suspended　his　literary　occupation；　she　listened；　with
the　sensation　of　the　kiss　still　lingering　in　her　downcast　eyes
and　her　smiling　lips；　until　he　came　to　the　subject　of　his　Diary
and　its　reference　to　the　newspaper。

As　he　mentioned　the　name　of　the　_Times_　she　altered　and　looked
him　straight　in　the　face　gravely。

〃Can　you　suggest　any　plan；　love；〃　he　went　on；　〃which　may　save　me
the　necessity　of　a　journey　to　London　at　this　bleak　time　of　the
year？　I　must　positively　have　this　information；　and；　so　far　as　I
can　see；　London　is　the　only　place　at　which　I　can　hope　to　meet
with　a　file　of　the　_Times_。〃

〃A　file　of　the　_Times？_〃　she　repeated。

〃Yesof　eight　years　since；〃　he　said。

The　instant　the　words　passed　his　lips　he　saw　her　face　overspread
by　a　ghastly　paleness；　her　eyes　fixed　on　him　with　a　strange
mixture　of　rigidity　and　vacancy　in　their　look；　her　hands；　with
her　work　held　tight　in　them；　dropped　slowly　on　her　lap；　and　a
shiver　ran　through　her　from　head　to　foot。

He　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　snatched　the　smelling…salts　from　her
work…table；　thinking　she　was　going　to　faint。　She　put　the　bottle
from　her；　when　he　offered　it；　with　a　hand　that　thrilled　him　with
the　deadly　coldness　of　its　touch；　and　said；　in　a　whisper：

〃A　sudden　chill；　dearlet　me　go　upstairs　and　lie　down。〃

He　took　her　to　her　room。　As　he　laid　her　down　on　the　bed；　she
caught　his　hand；　and　said；　entreatingly：

〃You　won't　go　to　London；　darling；　and　leave　me　here　ill？〃

He　promised　that　nothing　should　separate　him　from　her　until　she
was　well　again；　and　then　ran　downstairs　to　send　for　the　doctor。
The　doctor　came；　and　pronounced　that　Mrs。　Carling　was　only
suffering　from　a　nervous　attack；　that　there　was　not　the　least
reason　to　be　alarmed；　and　that；　with　proper　care；　she　would　be
well　again　in　a　few　days。

Both　husband　and　wife　had　a　dinner　engagement　in　the　town　for
that　evening。　Mr。　Carling　proposed　to　write　an　apology　and　to
remain　with　his　wife。　But　she　would　not　hear　of　his　abandoning
the　party　on　her　account。　The　doctor　also　recommended　that　his
patient　should　be　left　to　her　maid's　care；　to　fall　asleep　under
the　influence　of　the　quieting　medicine　which　he　meant　to　give
her。　Yielding　to　this　advice；　Mr。　Carling　did　his　best　to
suppress　his　own　anxieties；　and　went　to　the　dinner…party。


CHAPTER　II。


AMONG　the　guests　whom　the　rector　met　was　a　gentleman　named
Rambert；　a　single　man　of　large　fortune；　well　known　in　the
neighborhood　of　Penliddy　as　the　owner　of　a　noble　country…seat　and
the　possessor　of　a　magnificent　library。

Mr。　Rambert　（with　whom　Mr。　Carling　was　well　acquainted）　greeted
him　at　the　dinner…party　with　friendly　expressions　of　regret　at
the　time　that　had　elapsed　since　they　had　last　seen　each　other；
and　mentioned　that　he　had　recently　been　adding　to　his　collection
of　books　some　rare　old　volumes　of　theology；　which　he　thought　the
rector　might　find　it　useful　to　look　over。　Mr。　Carling；　with　the
necessity　of　finishing　his　pamphlet　uppermost　in　his　mind；
replied；　jestingly；　that　the　species　of　literature　which　he　was
just　then　most　interested　in　examining　happened　to　be　precisely
of　the　sort　which　（excepting　novels；　perhaps）　had　least　affinity
to　theological　writing。　The　necessary　explanation　followed　this
avowal　as　a　matter　of　course；　and；　to　Mr。　Carling's　great
delight；　his　friend　turned　on　him　gayly　with　the　most　surprising
and　satisfactory　of　answers：

〃You　don't　know　half　the　resources　of　my　miles　of　bookshelves；〃
he　said；　〃or　you　would　never　have　thought　of　going　to　London　for
what　you　can　get　from　me。　A　whole　side　of　one　of　my　rooms
upstairs　is　devoted　to　periodical　literature。　I　have　reviews；
magazines；　and　three　weekly　newspapers；　bound；　in　each　case；　from
the　first　number；　and；　what　is　just　now　more　to　your　purpose；　I
have　the　_Times_　for　the　last　fifteen　years　in　huge　half…yearly
volumes。　Give　me　the　date　to…night；　and　you　shall　have　the　volume
you　want　by　two　o'clock　to…morrow　afternoon。〃

The　necessary　information　was　given　at　once；　and；　with　a　great
sense　of　relief；　so　far　as　his　literary　anxieties　were　concerned；
Mr。　Carling　went　home　early　to　see　what　the　quieting　medicine　had
done　for　his　wife。

She　had　dozed　a　little；　but　had　not　slept。　However；　she　was
evidently　better；　for　she　was　able　to　take　an　interest　in　the
sayings　and　doings　at　the　dinner…party；　and　questioned　her
husband　about　the　guests　and　the　conversation　with　all　a　woman's
curiosity　about　the　minutest　matters。　She　lay　with　her　face
turned　toward　him　and　her　eyes　meeting　his；　until　the　course　of
her　inquiries　drew　an　answer　from　him；　which　informed　her　of　his
fortunate　discovery　in　relation　to　Mr。　Rambert's　library；　and　of
the　prospect　it　afforded　of　his　resuming　his　labors　the　next　day。

When　he　mentioned　this　circumstance；　she　suddenly　turned　her　head
on　the　pillow　so　that　her　face　was　hidden　from　him；　and　he　cou　ld
see　through　the　counterpane　that　the　shivering；　which　he　had
observed　when　her　illness　had　seized　her　in　the　morning；　had
returned　again。

〃I　am　only　cold；〃　she　said；　in　a　hurried　way；　with　her　face　under
the　clothes。

He　rang　for　the　maid；　and　had　a　fresh　covering　placed　on　the　bed。
Observing　that　she　seemed　unwilling　to　be　disturbed；　he　did　not
remove　the　clothes　from　her　face　when　he　wished　her　goodnight；
but　pressed　his　lips　on　her　head；　and　patted　it　gently　with　his
hand。　She　shrank　at　the　touch　as　if　it　hurt　her；　light　as　it　was；
and　he　went　downstairs；　resolved　to　send　for　the　doctor　again　if
she　did　not　get　to　rest　on　being　left　quiet。　In　less　than　half　an
hour　afterward　the　maid　came　down　and　relieved　his　anxiety　by
reporting　that　her　mistress　was　asleep。

The　next　morning　he　found　her　in　better　spirits。　Her　eyes；　she
said；　felt　too　weak　to　bear　the　light；　so　she　kept　the　bedroom
darkened。　But　in　other　respects　she　had　little　to　complain　of。

After　answering　her　husband's　first　inquiries；　she　questioned　him
about　his　plans　for　the　day。　He　had　letters　to　write　which　would
occupy　him　until　twelve　o'clock。　At　two　o'clock　he　expected　the
volume　of　the　_Times_　to　arrive；　and　he　should　then　devote　the
rest　of　the　afternoon　to　his　work。　Af