the queen of hearts-第56章

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better　take；　when　an　open　carriage　drove　up　to　the　house。　It
contained　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson　and　two　persons　in　plain　clothes；
not　exactly　servants　and　not　exactly　gentlemen；　as　far　as　I　could
judge。　Mr。　Philip　looked　at　me；　when　I　touched　my　hat　to　him；　in
a　very　grave；　downcast　way；　and　asked　for　my　mistress。　I　told　him
she　was　ill　in　bed。　He　shook　his　head　at　hearing　that；　and　said
he　wished　to　speak　to　me　in　private。　I　showed　him　into　the
library。　One　of　the　men　in　plain　clothes　followed　us；　and　sat　in
the　hall。　The　other　waited　with　the　carriage。

〃I　was　just　going　out；　sir；〃　I　said；　as　I　set　a　chair　for　him；
〃to　speak　to　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　about　a　very　extraordinary
circumstance〃

〃I　know　what　you　refer　to；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　cutting　me　short
rather　abruptly；　〃and　I　must　beg；　for　reasons　which　will
presently　appear；　that　you　will　make　no　statement　of　any　sort　to
me　until　you　have　first　heard　what　I　have　to　say。　I　am　here　on　a
very　serious　and　a　very　shocking　errand；　which　deeply　concerns
your　mistress　and　you。〃

His　face　suggested　something　worse　than　his　words　expressed。　My
heart　began　to　beat　fast；　and　I　felt　that　I　was　turning　pale。

〃Your　master；　Mr。　James　Smith；〃　he　went　on；　〃came　here
unexpectedly　yesterday　evening；　and　slept　in　this　house　last
night。　Before　he　retired　to　rest　he　and　your　mistress　had　high
words　together；　which　ended；　I　am　sorry　to　hear；　in　a　threat　of　a
serious　nature　addressed　by　Mrs。　James　Smith　to　her　husband。　They
slept　in　separate　rooms。　This　morning　you　went　into　your　master's
room　and　saw　no　sign　of　him　there。　You　only　found　his　nightgown
on　the　bed；　spotted　with　blood。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said；　in　as　steady　a　voice　as　I　could　command。
〃Quite　true。〃

〃I　am　not　examining　you；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃I　am　only　making　a
certain　statement；　the　truth　of　which　you　can　admit　or　deny
before　my　brother。〃

〃Before　your　brother；　sir！〃　I　repeated。　〃Am　I　suspected　of
anything　wrong？〃

〃There　is　a　suspicion　that　Mr。　James　Smith　has　been　murdered；〃
was　the　answer　I　received　to　that　question。

My　flesh　began　to　creep　all　over　from　head　to　foot。

〃I　am　shockedI　am　horrified　to　say；〃　Mr。　Philip　went　on；　〃that
the　suspicion　affects　your　mistress　in　the　first　place；　and　you
in　the　second。〃

I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　what　I　felt　when　he　said　that。　No
words　of　mine；　no　words　of　anybody's；　could　give　an　idea　of　it。
What　other　men　would　have　done　in　my　situation　I　don't　know。　I
stood　before　Mr。　Philip；　staring　straight　at　him；　without
speaking；　without　moving；　almost　without　breathing。　If　he　or　any
other　man　had　struck　me　at　that　moment；　I　do　not　believe　I　should
have　felt　the　blow。

〃Both　my　brother　and　myself；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　〃have　such
unfeigned　respect　for　your　mistress；　such　sympathy　for　her　under
these　frightful　circumstances；　and　such　an　implicit　belief　in　her
capability　of　proving　her　innocence；　that　we　are　desirous　of
sparing　her　in　this　dreadful　emergency　as　much　as　possible。　For
those　reasons；　I　have　undertaken　to　come　here　with　the　persons
appointed　to　execute　my　brother's　warrant〃

〃Warrant；　sir！〃　I　said；　getting　command　of　my　voice　as　he
pronounced　that　word〃a　warrant　against　my　mistress！〃

〃Against　her　and　against　you；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃The　suspicious
circumstances　have　been　sworn　to　by　a　competent　witness；　who　has
declared　on　oath　that　your　mistress　is　guilty；　and　that　you　are
an　accomplice。〃

〃What　witness；　sir？〃

〃Your　mistress's　quadroon　maid；　who　came　to　my　brother　this
morning；　and　who　has　made　her　deposition　in　due　form。〃

〃And　who　is　as　false　as　hell；〃　I　cried　out　passionately；　〃in
every　word　she　says　against　my　mistress　and　against　me。〃

〃I　hopeno；　I　will　go　further；　and　say　I　believe　she　is　false；〃
said　Mr。　Philip。　〃But　her　perjury　must　he　proved；　and　the
necessary　examination　must　take　place。　My　carriage　is　going　back
to　my　brother's；　and　you　will　go　in　it；　in　charge　of　one　of　my
men；　who　has　the　warrant　to　take　you　in　custody。　I　shall　remain
here　with　the　man　who　is　waiting　in　the　hall；　and　before　any
steps　are　taken　to　execute　the　other　warrant；　I　shall　send　for
the　doctor　to　ascertain　when　your　mistress　can　be　removed。〃

〃Oh；　my　poor　mistress！〃　I　said；　〃this　will　be　the　death　of　her；
sir。〃

〃I　will　take　care　that　the　shock　shall　strike　her　as　tenderly　as
possible；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃I　am　here　for　that　express　purpose。
She　has　my　deepest　sympathy　and　respect；　and　shall　have　every
help　and　alleviation　that　I　can　afford　her。〃

The　hearing　him　say　that；　and　the　seeing　how　sincerely　he　meant
what　he　said；　was　the　first　gleam　of　comfort　in　the　dreadful
affliction　that　had　befallen　us。　I　felt　this；　I　felt　a　burning
anger　against　the　wretch　who　had　done　her　best　to　ruin　my
mistress's　fair　name　and　mine；　but　in　every　other　respect　I　was
like　a　man　who　had　been　stunned；　and　whose　faculties　had　not
perfectly　recovered　from　the　shock。　Mr。　Philip　was　obliged　to
remind　me　that　time　was　of　importance；　and　that　I　had　better　give
myself　up　immediately；　on　the　merciful　terms　which　his　kindness
offered　to　me。　I　acknowledged　that；　and　wished　him　good　morning。
But　a　mist　seemed　to　come　over　my　eyes　as　I　turned　round　to　go
awaya　mist　that　prevented　me　from　finding　my　way　to　the　door。
Mr。　Philip　opened　it　for　me；　and　said　a　friendly　word　or　two
which　I　could　hardly　hear。　The　man　waiting　outside　took　me　to　his
companion　in　the　carriage　at　the　door；　and　I　was　driven　away；　a
prisoner　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。

On　our　way　to　the　justice's；　what　little　thinking　faculty　I　had
left　in　me　was　all　occupied　in　the　attempt　to　trace　a　motive　for
the　inconceivable　treachery　and　falsehood　of　which　Josephine　had
been　guilty。

Her　words；　her　looks；　and　her　manner；　on　that　unfortunate　day
when　my　mistress　so　　far　forget　herself　as　to　strike；　her；　came
back　diml　y　to　my　memory；　and　led　to　the　inference　that　part　of
the　motive；　at　least；　of　which　I　was　in　search；　might　be　referred
to　what　had　happened　on　that　occasion。　But　was　this　the　only
reason　for　her　devilish　vengeance　against　my　mistress？　And；　even
if　it　were　so；　what　fancied　injuries　had　I　done　her？　Why　should　I
be　included　in　the　false　accusation？　In　the　dazed　state　of　my
faculties　at　that　time；　I　was　quite　incapable　of　seeking　the
answer　to　these　questions。　My　mind　was　clouded　all　over；　and　I
gave　up　the　attempt　to　clear　it　in　despair。

I　was　brought　before　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　that　day；　and　the　fiend
of　a　quadroon　was　examined　in　my　presence。　The　first　sight　of　her
face；　with　its　wicked　self…possession；　with　its　smooth　leering
triumph；　so　sickened　me　that　I　turned　my　head　away　and　never
looked　at　her　a　second　time　throughout　the　proceedings。　The
answers　she　gave　amounted　to　a　mere　repetition　of　the　deposition
to　which　she　had　already　sworn。　I　listened　to　her　with　the　most
breathless　attention；　and　was　thunderstruck　at　the　inconceivable
artfulness　with　which　she　had　mixed　up　truth　and　falsehood　in　her
charge　against　my　mistress　and　me。

This　was；　in　substance；　what　she　now　stated　in　my　presence：

After　describing　the　manner　of　Mr。　James　Smith's　arrival　at　the
Hall；　the　witness；　Josephine　Durand；　confessed　that　she　had　been
led　to　listen　at　the　music…room　door　by　hearing　angry　voices
inside；　and　she　then　described；　truly　enough；　the　latter　part　of
the　altercation　between　husband　and　wife。　Fearing；　after　this；
that　something　serious　might　happen；　she　had　kept　watch　in　her
room；　which　was　on　the　same　floor　as　her　mistress's。　She　had
heard　her　mistress's　door　open　softly　between　one　and　two　in　the
morninghad　followed　her　mistress；　who　carried　a　small　lamp；
along　the　passage　and　down　the　stairs　into　the　hallhad　hidden
herself　in　the　porter's　chairhad　seen　her　mistress　take　a
dagger　in　a　green　sheath　from　a　collection　of　Eastern　curiosities
kept　in　the　hallhad　followed　her　again；　and　seen　her　softly
enter　the　Red　Roomhad　heard　the　heavy　breathing　of　Mr。　James
Smith；　which　gave　token　that　he　was　asleephad　slipped　into　an
empty　room；　next　door　to　the　Red　Roam；　and　had　waited　there　about
a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when　her　mistress　came　out　again　with　the
dagger　in　her　handhad　followed　her　mistress　again　into　the
hall；　where　she　had　put　the　dagger　back　into　its　placehad　seen
her　mistress　turn　into　a　side　passage　that　led　to　my　roomhad
heard　her　knock　at　my　door；　and　heard　me　answer　and　open　ithad
hidden　again　in　the　porter's　chairhad；　after　a　while；　seen　me
and　my　mistress　pass　together　into　the　passage　that　led　to　the
Red　Roomhad　watched　us　both　into　the　Red　Roomand　had　then；
through　fear　of　being　discovered　and　murdered　herself；　if　she
risked　detection　any　longer；　stolen　back　to　her　own　room　for　the
rest　of　the　night。

After　deposing　on　oath　to　the　truth　of　these　atrocious
falsehoods；　and　declaring；　in　conclusion；　that　Mr。　James　Smith
had　been　murdered　by　my　mistress；　and　that　I　was　an　accomplice；
the　quadroon　had　further　asserted；　in　order　to　show　a　motive　for
the　crime；　that　Mr。　Meeke　was　my　mistress's　lover；　that　he　had
been　forbidden　the　house　by　her　husband；　and　that　he　was　found　in
the　house；　and　alone　with　her；　on　the　evening　of　Mr。　James
Smith's　return。　Here　again　there　were　some　grains　of　truth
cunningly　mixed　up　with　a　revolting　lie；　and　they　had　their
effect　in　giving　to　the　falsehood　a　look　of　probability。

I　was　cautioned　in　the　usual　manner　and　asked　if　I　had　anything
to　say。

I　replied　that　I　was　innocent；　but　that　I　would　wait　for　legal
assistance　before　I　defended　myself。　The　justice　remanded　me　and
the　examination　was　over。　Three　days　later　my　unhappy　mistress
was　subjected　to　the　same　trial。　I　was　not　allowed　to　communicate
with　her。　All　I　knew　was　that　the　lawyer　had　arrived　from　London
to　help　her。　Toward　the　evening　he　was　admitted　to　see　me。　He
shook　his　head　sorrowfully　when　I　asked　after　my　mistress。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　she　has　sunk　under　the　horror　of
the　situation　in　which　that　vile　woman　has　placed　her。　Weakened
by　her　previous　agitation；　she　seems　to　have　given　way　under　this
last　shock；　tenderly　and　carefully　as　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson　broke
the　bad　news　to　her。　All　her　feelings　appeared　to　be　strangely
blunted　at　the　examination　to…day。　She　answered　the　questions　put
to　her　quite　correctly；　but　at　the　same　time　quite　mechanically；
with　no　change　in　her　complexion；　or　in　her　tone　of　voice；　or　in
her　manner；　from　beginning　to　end。　It　is　a　sad　thing；　William；
when　women　cannot　get　their　natural　vent　of　weeping；　and　your
mistress　has　not　shed　a　tear　since　she　left　Darrock　Hall。〃

〃But　surely；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃if　my　examination　has　not　proved
Josephine's　perjury；　my　mistress's　examination　must　have　exposed
it？〃

〃Nothing　will　expose　it；〃　answered　the　lawyer；　〃but　producing　Mr。
James　Smith；　or；　at　least；　legally　proving　that　he　is　alive。
Morally　speaking；　I　have　no　doubt　that　the　justice　before　whom
you　have　been　examined　is　as　firmly　convinced　as　we　can　be　that
the　quadroon　has　perjured　herself。　Morally　speaking；　he　believes
that　those　threats　which　your　mistress　unfortunately　used
referred　（as　she　said　they　did　to…day）　to　her　intention　of
leaving　the　Hall　early　in　the　morning；　with　you　for　her
attendant；　and　coming　to　me；　if　she　had　been　well　e