the queen of hearts-第49章

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The　number　drawn　happened　to　be　the　last　of　the　seriesTenand
the　last　also　of　the　stories　which　I　had　written。　There　were　now
but　two　numbers　left　in　the　bowl。　Owen　and　Morgan　had　each　one
reading　more　to　accomplish　before　our　guest's　stay　came　to　an
end；　and　the　manuscripts　in　the　Purple　Volume　were　all　exhausted。

〃This　new　story　of　mine；〃　I　said；　〃is　not；　like　the　story　I　last
read；　a　narrative　of　adventure　happening　to　myself；　but　of
adventures　that　happened　to　a　lady　of　my　acquaintance。　I　was
brought　into　contact；　in　the　first　instance；　with　one　of　her　male
relatives；　and；　in　the　second　instance；　with　the　lady　herself；　by
certain　professional　circumstances　which　I　need　not　particularly
describe。　They　involved　a　dry　question　of　wills　and　title…deeds
in　no　way　connected　with　this　story；　but　sufficiently　important
to　interest　me　as　a　lawyer。　The　case　came　to　trial　at　the　Assizes
on　my　circuit；　and　I　won　it　in　the　face　of　some　very　strong
points；　very　well　put；　on　the　other　side。　I　was　in　poor　health　at
the　time；　and　my　exertions　so　completely　knocked　me　up　that　I　was
confined　to　bed　in　my　lodgings　for　a　week　or　more〃

〃And　the　grateful　lady　came　and　nursed　you；　I　suppose；〃　said　the
Queen　of　Hearts；　in　her　smart；　off…h　and　way。

〃The　grateful　lady　did　something　much　more　natural　in　her
position；　and　much　more　useful　in　mine；〃　I　answered〃she　sent
her　servant　to　attend　on　me。　He　was　an　elderly　man；　who　had　been
in　her　service　since　the　time　of　her　first　marriage；　and　he　was
also　one　of　the　most　sensible　and　well…informed　persons　whom　I
have　ever　met　with　in　his　station　of　life。　From　hints　which　he
dropped　while　he　was　at　my　bedside；　I　discovered　for　the　first
time　that　his　mistress　had　been　unfortunate　in　her　second
marriage；　and　that　the　troubles　of　that　period　of　her　life　had
ended　in　one　of　the　most　singular　events　which　had　happened　in
that　part　of　England　for　many　a　long　day　past。　It　is　hardly
necessary　to　say　that；　before　I　allowed　the　man　to　enter　into　any
particulars；　I　stipulated　that　he　should　obtain　his　mistress's
leave　to　communicate　what　he　knew。　Having　gained　this；　and　having
further　surprised　me　by　mentioning　that　he　had　been　himself
connected　with　all　the　circumstances；　he　told　me　the　whole　story
in　the　fullest　detail。　I　have　now　tried　to　reproduce　it　as　nearly
as　I　could　in　his　own　language。　Imagine；　therefore；　that　I　am
just　languidly　recovering　in　bed；　and　that　a　respectable　elderly
man；　in　quiet　black　costume；　is　sitting　at　my　pillow　and　speaking
to　me　in　these　terms〃

Thus　ending　my　little　preface；　I　opened　the　manuscript　and　began
my　last　story。


BROTHER　GRIFFITH'S　STORY

of

A　PLOT　IN　PRIVATE　LIFE。


CHAPTER　I。


THE　first　place　I　got　when　I　began　going　out　to　service　was　not　a
very　profitable　one。　I　certainly　gained　the　advantage　of　learning
my　business　thoroughly；　but　I　never　had　my　due　in　the　matter　of
wages。　My　master　was　made　a　bankrupt；　and　his　servants　suffered
with　the　rest　of　his　creditors

My　second　situation；　however；　amply　compensated　me　for　my　want　of
luck　in　the　first。　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　enter　the　service　of
Mr。　and　Mrs。　Norcross。　My　master　was　a　very　rich　gentleman。　He
had　the　Darrock　house　and　lands　in　Cumberland；　an　estate　also　in
Yorkshire；　and　a　very　large　property　in　Jamaica；　which　produced；
at　that　time　and　for　some　years　afterward；　a　great　income。　Out　in
the　West　Indies　he　met　with　a　pretty　young　lady；　a　governess　in
an　English　family；　and；　taking　a　violent　fancy　to　her；　married
her；　though　she　was　a　good　five…and…twenty　years　younger　than
himself。　After　the　wedding　they　came　to　England；　and　it　was　at
this　time　that　I　was　lucky　enough　to　be　engaged　by　them　as　a
servant。

I　lived　with　my　new　master　and　mistress　three　years。　They　had　no
children。　At　the　end　of　that　period　Mr。　Norcross　died。　He　was
sharp　enough　to　foresee　that　his　young　widow　would　marry　again；
and　he　bequeathed　his　property　so　that　it　all　went　to　Mrs。
Norcross　first；　and　then　to　any　children　she　might　have　by　a
second　marriage；　and；　failing　that；　to　relations　and　friends　of
his　own。　I　did　not　suffer　by　my　master's　death；　for　his　widow
kept　me　in　her　service。　I　had　attended　on　Mr。　Norcross　all
through　his　last　illness；　and　had　made　myself　useful　enough　to
win　my　mistress's　favor　and　gratitude。　Besides　me　she　also
retained　her　maid　in　her　servicea　quadroon　woman　named
Josephine；　whom　she　brought　with　her　from　the　West　Indies。　Even
at　that　time　I　disliked　the　half…breed's　wheedling　manners；　and
her　cruel；　tawny　face；　and　wondered　how　my　mistress　could　be　so
fond　of　her　as　she　was。　Time　showed　that　I　was　right　in
distrusting　this　woman。　I　shall　have　much　more　to　say　about　her
when　I　get　further　advanced　with　my　story。

Meanwhile　I　have　next　to　relate　that　my　mistress　broke　up　the
rest　of　her　establishment；　and；　taking　me　and　the　lady's　maid
with　her；　went　to　travel　on　the　Continent。

Among　other　wonderful　places　we　visited　Paris；　Genoa；　Venice；
Florence；　Rome；　and　Naples；　staying　in　some　of　those　cities　for
months　together。　The　fame　of　my　mistress's　riches　followed　her
wherever　she　went；　and　there　were　plenty　of　gentlemen；　foreigners
as　well　as　Englishmen；　who　were　anxious　enough　to　get　into　her
good　graces　and　to　prevail　on　her　to　marry　them。　Nobody
succeeded；　however；　in　producing　any　very　strong　or　lasting
impression　on　her；　and　when　we　came　back　to　England；　after　more
than　two　years　of　absence；　Mrs。　Norcross　was　still　a　widow；　and
showed　no　signs　of　wanting　to　change　her　condition。

We　went　to　the　house　on　the　Yorkshire　estate　first；　but　my
mistress　did　not　fancy　some　of　the　company　round　about；　so　we
moved　again　to　Darrock　Hall；　and　made　excursions　from　time　to
time　in　the　lake　district；　some　miles　off。　On　one　of　these　trips
Mrs。　Norcross　met　with　some　old　friends；　who　introduced　her　to　a
gentleman　of　their　party　bearing　the　very　common　and　very
uninteresting　name　of　Mr。　James　Smith。

He　was　a　tall；　fine　young　man　enough；　with　black　hair；　which　grew
very　long；　and　the　biggest；　bushiest　pair　of　black　whiskers　I
ever　saw。　Altogether　he　had　a　rakish；　unsettled　look；　and　a
bounceable　way　of　talking　which　made　him　the　prominent　person　in
company。　He　was　poor　enough　himself；　as　I　heard　from　his　servant；
but　well　connecteda　gentleman　by　birth　and　education；　though
his　manners　were　so　free。　What　my　mistress　saw　to　like　in　him　I
don't　know；　but　when　she　asked　her　friends　to　stay　with　her　at
Darrock；　she　included　Mr。　James　Smith　in　the　invitation。　We　had　a
fine；　gay；　noisy　time　of　it　at　the　Hall；　the　strange　gentleman；
in　particular；　making　himself　as　much　at　home　as　if　the　place
belonged　to　him。　I　was　surprised　at　Mrs。　Norcross　putting　up　with
him　as　she　did；　but　I　was　fairly　thunderstruck　some　months
afterward　when　I　heard　that　she　and　her　free…and…easy　visitor
were　actually　going　to　be　married！　She　had　refused　offers　by
dozens　abroad；　from　higher；　and　richer；　and　better…behaved　men。
It　seemed　next　to　impossible　that　she　could　seriously　think　of
throwing　herself　away　upon　such　a　hare…brained；　headlong；
penniless　young　gentleman　as　Mr。　James　Smith。

Married；　nevertheless；　they　were；　in　due　course　of　time；　and；
after　spending　the　honeymoon　abroad；　they　came　back　to　Darrock
Hall。

I　soon　found　that　my　new　master　had　a　very　variable　temper。　There
were　some　days　when　he　was　as　easy；　and　familiar；　and　pleasant
with　his　servants　as　any　gentleman　need　be。　At　other　times　some
devil　within　him　seemed　to　get　possession　of　his　whole　nature。　He
flew　into　violent　passions；　and　took　wrong　ideas　into　his　head；
which　no　reasoning　or　remonstrance　could　remove。　It　rather　amazed
me；　considering　how　gay　he　was　in　his　tastes；　and　how　restless
his　habits　were；　that　he　should　consent　to　live　at　such　a　quiet；
dull　place　as　Darrock。　The　reason　for　this；　however；　soon　came
out。　Mr。　James　Smith　was　not　much　of　a　sportsman；　he　cared
nothing　for　indoor　amusements；　such　as　reading；　music；　and　so
forth；　and　he　had　no　ambition　for　representing　the　county　in
parliament。　The　one　pursuit　that　he　was　really　fond　of　was
yachting。　Darrock　was　within　sixteen　miles　of　a　sea…port　town；
with　an　excellent　harbor；　and　to　this　accident　of　position　the
Hall　was　entirely　indebted　for　recommending　itself　as　a　place　of
residence　to　Mr。　James　Smith。

He　had　such　an　untiring　enjoyment　and　delight　in　cruising　about
at　sea；　and　all　his　ideas　of　pleasure　seemed　to　be　so　closely
connected　with　his　remembrance　of　the　sailing　trips　he　had　taken
on　board　different　yachts　belonging　to　his　friends；　that　I　verily
believe　his　chief　object　in　marrying　my　mistress　was　to　get　the
command　of　money　enough　to　keep　a　vessel　for　himself。　Be　that　as
it　may；　it　is　certain　that　he　prevailed　on　her；　some　time　after
their　marriage；　to　make　him　a　present　of　a　fine　schooner　yacht；
which　was　brought　round　from　Cowes　to　our　coast…town；　and　kept
always　waiting　ready　for　him　in　the　harbor。

His　wife　required　some　little　persuasion　before　she　could　make　up
her　mind　to　let　him　have　the　vessel。　She　suffered　so　much　from
sea…sickness　that　pleasure…sailing　was　out　of　the　question　for
her；　and；　being　very　fond　of　her　husband；　she　was　naturally
unwilling　that　he　should　engage　in　an　amusement　which　took　him
away　from　her。　However；　Mr。　James　Smith　used　his　influence　over
her　cleverly；　promising　that　he　would　never　go　away　without　first
asking　her　leave；　and　engaging　that　his　terms　of　absence　at　sea
should　never　last　for　more
　than　a　week　or　ten　days　at　a　time。　Accordingly；　my　mistress；　who
was　the　kindest　and　most　unselfish　woman　in　the　world；　put　her
own　feelings　aside；　and　made　her　husband　happy　in　the　possession
of　a　vessel　of　his　own。

While　my　master　was　away　cruising；　my　mistress　had　a　dull　time　of
it　at　the　Hall。　The　few　gentlefolks　there　were　in　our　part　of　the
county　lived　at　a　distance；　and　could　only　come　to　Darrock　when
they　were　asked　to　stay　there　for　some　days　together。　As　for　the
village　near　us；　there　was　but　one　person　living　in　it　whom　my
mistress　could　think　of　asking　to　the　Hall；　and　that　person　was
the　clergyman　who　did　duty　at　the　church。

This　gentleman's　name　was　Mr。　Meeke。　He　was　a　single　man；　very
young；　and　very　lonely　in　his　position。　He　had　a　mild；
melancholy；　pasty…looking　face；　and　was　as　shy　and　soft…spoken　as
a　little　girlaltogether；　what　one　may　call；　without　being
unjust　or　severe；　a　poor；　weak　creature；　and；　out　of　all　sight；
the　very　worst　preacher　I　ever　sat　under　in　my　life。　The　one
thing　he　did；　which；　as　I　heard；　he　could　really　do　well；　was
playing　on　the　fiddle。　He　was　uncommonly　fond　of　musicso　much
so　that　he　often　took　his　instrument　out　with　him　when　he　went
for　a　walk。　This　taste　of　his　was　his　great　recommendation　to　my
mistress；　who　was　a　wonderfully　fine　player　on　the　piano；　and　who
was　delighted　to　get　such　a　performer　as　Mr。　Meeke　to　play　duets
with　her。　Besides　liking　his　society　for　this　reason；　she　felt
for　him　in　his　lonely　position；　naturally　enough；　I　think；
considering　how　often　she　was　left　in　solitude　herself。　Mr。
Meeke；　on　his　side；　when　he　got　over　his　first　shyness；　was　only
too　glad　to　leave　his　lonesome　little　parsonage　for　the　fine
music…room　at　the