the queen of hearts-第54章

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Two　days　later；　however；　they　unexpectedly　returned；　announcing　a
complete　change　in　their　plans。　The　bridegroom　（thinking；
probably；　that　he　would　be　safer　out　of　England　than　in　it）　had
been　pleasing　the　bride's　fancy　by　his　descriptions　of　the
climate　and　the　scenery　of　southern　parts。　The　new　Mrs。　James
Smith　was　all　curosity　to　see　Spain　and　Italy；　and；　having　often
proved　herself　an　excellent　sailor　on　board　her　father's　vessel；
was　anxious　to　go　to　the　Mediterranean　in　the　easiest　way　by　sea。
Her　affectionate　husband；　having　now　no　other　object　in　life　than
to　gratify　her　wishes；　had　given　up　the　Highland　excursion；　and
had　returned　to　have　his　yacht　got　ready　for　sea　immediately。　In
this　explanation　there　was　nothing　to　awaken　the　suspicions　of
the　lady's　parents。　The　mother　thought　Mr。　James　Smith　a　model
among　bridegrooms。　The　father　lent　his　assistance　to　man　the
yacht　at　the　shortest　notice　with　as　smart　a　crew　as　could　be
picked　up　about　the　town。　Principally　through　his　exertions；　the
vessel　was　got　ready　for　sea　with　extraordinary　dispatch。　The
sails　were　bent；　the　provisions　were　put　on　board；　and　Mr。　James
Smith　sailed　for　the　Mediterranean　with　the　unfortunate　woman　who
believed　herself　to　be　his　wife；　before　Mr。　Dark　and　myself　set
forth　to　look　after　him　from　Darrock　Hall。

Such　was　the　true　account　of　my　master's　infamous　conduct　in
Scotland　as　it　was　related　to　me。　On　concluding；　Mr。　Dark　hinted
that　he　had　something　still　left　to　tell　me；　but　declared　that　he
was　too　sleepy　to　talk　any　more　that　night。　As　soon　as　we　were
awake　the　next　morning　he　returned　to　the　subject。

〃I　didn't　finish　all　I　had　to　say　last　night；　did　I？〃　he　began。

You　unfortunately　told　me　enough；　and　more　than　enough；　to　prove
the　truth　of　the　statement　in　the　anonymous　letter；〃　I　answered。

〃Yes；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃but　did　I　tell　you　who　wrote　the　anonymous
letter？〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　have　found　that　out！〃　says　I。

〃I　think　I　have；〃　was　the　cool　answer。　〃When　I　heard　about　your
precious　master　paying　off　the　regular　crew　of　the　yacht　I　put
the　circumstance　by　in　my　mind；　to　be　brought　out　again　and
sifted　a　little　as　soon　as　the　opportunity　offered。　It　offered　in
about　half　an　hour。　Says　I　to　the　gauger；　who　was　the　principal
talker　in　the　room：　'How　about　those　men　that　Mr。　Smith　paid　off？
Did　they　all　go　as　soon　as　they　got　their　money；　or　did　they　stop
here　till　they　had　spent　every　farthing　of　it　in　the
public…houses？'　The　gauger　laughs。　'No　such　luck；'　says　he；　in
the　broadest　possible　Scotch　（which　I　translate　into　English；
William；　for　your　benefit）；　'no　such　luck；　they　all　went　south；
to　spend　their　money　among　finer　people　than　usall；　that　is　to
say；　with　one　exception。　It　was　thought　the　steward　of　the　yacht
had　gone　along　with　the　rest；　when；　the　very　day　Mr。　Smith　sailed
for　the　Mediterranean；　who　should　turn　up　unexpectedly　but　the
steward　himself！　Where　he　had　been　hiding；　and　why　he　had　been
hiding；　nobody　could　tell。'　　'Perhaps　he　had　been　imitating　his
master；　and　looking　out　for　a　wife；'　says　I。　　'Likely　enough；'
says　the　gauger；　'he　gave　a　very　confused　account　of　himself；　and
he　cut　all　questions　short　by　going　away　south　in　a　violent
hurry。'　That　was　enough　for　me：　I　let　the　subject　drop。　Clear　as
daylight；　isn't　it；　William？　The
　steward　suspected　something　wrongthe　steward　waited　and
watchedthe　steward　wrote　that　anonymous　letter　to　your
mistress。　We　can　find　him；　if　we　want　him；　by　inquiring　at　Cowes；
and　we　can　send　to　the　church　for　legal　evidence　of　the　marriage
as　soon　as　we　are　instructed　to　do　so。　All　that　we　have　got　to　do
now　is　to　go　back　to　your　mistress；　and　see　what　course　she　means
to　take　under　the　circumstances。　It's　a　pretty　case；　William；　so
faran　uncommonly　pretty　case；　as　it　stands　at　present。〃

We　returned　to　Darrock　Hall　as　fast　as　coaches　and　post…horses
could　carry　us。

Having　from　the　first　believed　that　the　statement　in　the
anonymous　letter　was　true；　my　mistress　received　the　bad　news　we
brought　calmly　and　resignedlyso　far；　at　least；　as　outward
appearances　went。　She　astonished　and　disappointed　Mr。　Dark　by
declining　to　act　in　any　way　on　the　information　that　he　had
collected　for　her；　and　by　insisting　that　the　whole　affair　should
still　be　buried　in　the　profoundest　secrecy。　For　the　first　time
since　I　had　known　my　traveling　companion；　he　became　depressed　in
spirits　on　hearing　that　nothing　more　was　to　be　done；　and；
although　he　left　the　Hall　with　a　handsome　present；　he　left　it
discontentedly。

〃Such　a　pretty　case；　William；〃　says　he；　quite　sorrowfully；　as　we
shook　hands〃such　an　uncommonly　pretty　caseit's　a　thousand
pities　to　stop　it；　in　this　way；　before　it's　half　over！〃

〃You　don't　know　what　a　proud　lady　and　what　a　delicate　lady　my
mistress　is；〃　I　answered。　〃She　would　die　rather　than　expose　her
forlorn　situation　in　a　public　court　for　the　sake　of　punishing　her
husband。〃

〃Bless　your　simple　heart！〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃do　you　really　think；
now；　that　such　a　case　as　this　can　be　hushed　up？〃

〃Why　not；〃　I　asked；　〃if　we　all　keep　the　secret？〃

〃That　for　the　secret！〃　cries　Mr。　Dark；　snapping　his　fingers。
〃Your　master　will　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bag；　if　nobody　else
does。〃

〃My　master！〃　I　repeated；　in　amazement。

〃Yes；　your　master！〃　says　Mr。　Dark。　〃I　have　had　some　experience　in
my　time；　and　I　say　you　have　not　seen　the　last　of　him　yet。　Mark　my
words；　William；　Mr。　James　Smith　will　come　back。〃

With　that　prophecy；　Mr。　Dark　fretfully　treated　himself　to　a　last
pinch　of　snuff；　and　departed　in　dudgeon　on　his　journey　back　to
his　master　in　London。　His　last　words　hung　heavily　on　my　mind　for
days　after　he　had　gone。　It　was　some　weeks　before　I　got　over　a
habit　of　starting　whenever　the　bell　was　rung　at　the　front　door。

CHAPTER　IV。

OUR　life　at　the　Hall　soon　returned　to　its　old；　dreary　course。　The
lawyer　in　London　wrote　to　my　mistress　to　ask　her　to　come　and　stay
for　a　little　while　with　his　wife；　but　she　declined　the
invitation；　being　averse　to　facing　company　after　what　had
happened　to　her。　Though　she　tried　hard　to　keep　the　real　state　of
her　mind　concealed　from　all　about　her；　I；　for　one；　could　see
plainly　enough　that　she　was　pining　under　the　bitter　injury　that
had　been　inflicted　on　her。　What　effect　continued　solitude　might
have　had　on　her　spirits　I　tremble　to　think。

Fortunately　for　herself；　it　occurred　to　her；　before　long；　to　send
and　invite　Mr。　Meeke　to　resume　his　musical　practicing　with　her　at
the　Hall。　She　told　himand；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　with　perfect
truththat　any　implied　engagement　which　he　had　made　with　Mr。
James　Smith　was　now　canceled；　since　the　person　so　named　had
morally　forfeited　all　his　claims　as　a　husband；　first；　by　his
desertion　of　her；　and；　secondly；　by　his　criminal　marriage　with
another　woman。　After　stating　this　view　of　the　matter；　she　left　it
to　Mr。　Meeke　to　decide　whether　the　perfectly　innocent　connection
between　them　should　be　resumed　or　not。　The　little　parson；　after
hesitating　and　pondering　in　his　helpless　way；　ended　by　agreeing
with　my　mistress；　and　by　coming　back　once　more　to　the　Hall　with
his　fiddle　under　his　arm。　This　renewal　of　their　old　habits　might
have　been　imprudent　enough；　as　tending　to　weaken　my　mistress's
case　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　but；　for　all　that；　it　was　the　most
sensible　course　she　could　take　for　her　own　sake。　The　harmless
company　of　Mr。　Meeke；　and　the　relief　of　playing　the　old　tunes
again　in　the　old　way；　saved　her；　I　verily　believe；　from　sinking
altogether　under　the　oppression　of　the　shocking　situation　in
which　she　was　now　placed。

So；　with　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Meeke　and　his　fiddle；　my　mistress
got　though　the　weary　time。　The　winter　passed；　the　spring　came；
and　no　fresh　tidings　reached　us　of　Mr。　James　Smith。　It　had　been　a
long；　hard　winter　that　year；　and　the　spring　was　backward　and
rainy。　The　first　really　fine　day　we　had　was　the　day　that　fell　on
the　fourteenth　of　March。

I　am　particular　in　mentioning　this　date　merely　because　it　is
fixed　forever　in　my　memory。　As　long　as　there　is　life　in　me　I
shall　remember　that　fourteenth　of　March；　and　the　smallest
circumstances　connected　with　it。

The　day　began　ill；　with　what　superstitious　people　would　think　a
bad　omen。　My　mistress　remained　late　in　her　room　in　the　morning；
amusing　herself　by　looking　over　her　clothes；　and　by　setting　to
rights　some　drawers　in　her　cabinet　which　she　had　not　opened　for
some　time　past。　Just　before　luncheon　we　were　startled　by　hearing
the　drawing…room　bell　rung　violently。　I　ran　up　to　see　what　was
the　matter；　and　the　quadroon；　Josephine；　who　had　heard　the　bell
in　another　part　of　the　house；　hastened　to　answer　it　also。　She　got
into　the　drawing…room　first；　and　I　followed　close　on　her　heels。
My　mistress　was　standing　alone　on　the　hearth…rug；　with　an
appearance　of　great　discomposure　in　her　face　and　manner。

〃I　have　been　robbed！〃　she　said；　vehemently；　〃I　don't　know　when　or
how；　but　I　miss　a　pair　of　bracelets；　three　rings；　and　a　quantity
of　old…fashioned　lace　pocket…handkerchiefs。〃

〃If　you　have　any　suspicions；　ma'am；〃　said　Josephine；　in　a　sharp；
sudden　way；　〃say　who　they　point　at。　My　boxes；　for　one；　are　quite
at　your　disposal。〃

〃Who　asked　about　your　boxes？〃　said　my　mistress；　angrily。　〃Be　a
little　less　ready　with　your　answer；　if　you　please；　the　next　time
I　speak。〃

She　then　turned　to　me；　and　began　explaining　the　circumstances
under　which　she　had　discovered　her　loss。　I　suggested　that　the
missing　things　should　be　well　searched　for　first；　and　then；　if
nothing　came　of　that；　that　I　should　go　for　the　constable；　and
place　the　matter　under　his　direction。

My　mistress　agreed　to　this　plan；　and　the　search　was　undertaken
immediately。　It　lasted　till　dinner…time；　and　led　to　no　results。　I
then　proposed　going　for　the　constable。　But　my　mistress　said　it
was　too　late　to　do　anything　that　day；　and　told　me　to　wait　at
table　as　usual；　and　to　go　on　my　errand　the　first　thing　the　next
morning。　Mr。　Meeke　was　coming　with　some　new　music　in　the　evening；
and　I　suspect　she　was　not　willing　to　be　disturbed　at　her　favorite
occupation　by　the　arrival　of　the　constable。

When　dinner　was　over　the　parson　came；　and　the　concert　went　on　as
usual　through　the　evening。　At　ten　o'clock　I　took　up　the　tray；
with　the　wine；　and　soda…water；　and　biscuits。　Just　as　I　was
opening　one　of　the　bottles　of　soda…water；　there　was　a　sound　of
wheels　on　the　drive　outside；　and　a　ring　at　the　bell。

I　had　unfastened　the　wires　of　the　cork；　and　could　not　put　the
bottle　down　to　run　at　once　to　the　door。　One　of　the　female
servants　answered　it。　I　heard　a　sort　of　half　screamthen　the
sound　of　a　footstep　that　was　familiar　to　me。

My　mistress　turned　round　from　the　piano；　and　looked　me　hard　in
the　face。

〃William；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　know　that　step？〃　Before　I　could
answer　the　door　was　pushed　open；　and　Mr。　James　Smith　walked　into
the　room。

He　had　his　hat　on。　His　long　hair　flowed　down　under　it　over　the
collar　of　his　coat；　his　bright　black　eyes；　after　resting　an
instant　on　my　mistress；　turned　to　Mr。　Meeke。　His　heavy　eyebrows
met　together；　and　one　of　his　hands　went　up　to　one　of　his　bushy
black　whiskers；　and　pulled　at　it　angrily。

〃You　here　again！〃　he　said；　advancing　a　few　steps　toward　the
little　parson；