the queen of hearts-第6章

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boots　and　shoes　dangling　by　laces　and　ribbons　round　his　iron
legs。　A　worm…eaten；　steel…clasped　casket；　dragged　out　of　a
corner；　frowned　on　the　upholsterer's　brand…new　toilet…table；　and
held　a　miscellaneous　assortment　of　combs；　hairpins；　and　brushes。
Here　stood　a　gloomy　antique　chair；　the　patriarch　of　its　tribe；
whose　arms　of　blackened　oak　embraced　a　pair　of　pert；　new　deal
bonnet…boxes　not　a　fortnight　old。　There；　thrown　down　lightly　on　a
rugged　tapestry　table…cover；　the　long　labor　of　centuries　past；
lay　the　brief；　delicate　work　of　a　week　ago　in　the　shape　of　silk
and　muslin　dresses　turned　inside　out。　In　the　midst　of　all　these
confusions　and　contradictions；　Miss　Jessie　ranged　to　and　fro；　the
active　center　of　the　whole　scene　of　disorder；　now　singing　at　the
top　of　her　voice；　and　now　declaring　in　her　lighthearted　way　that
one　of　us　must　make　up　his　mind　to　marry　her　immediately；　as　she
was　determined　to　settle　for　the　rest　of　her　life　at　The　Glen
Tower。

She　followed　up　that　announcement；　when　we　met　at　dinner；　by
inquiring　if　we　quite　understood　by　this　time　that　she　had　left
her　〃company　manners〃　in　London；　and　that　she　meant　to　govern　us
all　at　her　absolute　will　and　pleasure；　throughout　the　whole
period　of　her　stay。　Having　thus　provided　at　the　outset　for　the
due　recognition　of　her　authority　by　the　household　generally　and
individually　having　briskly　planned　out　all　her　own　forthcoming
occupations　and　amusements　over　the　wine　and　fruit　at　dessert；
and　having　positively　settled；　between　her　first　and　second　cups
of　tea；　where　our　connection　with　them　was　to　begin　and　where　it
was　to　end；　she　had　actually　succeeded；　when　the　time　came　to
separate　for　the　night；　in　setting　us　as　much　at　our　ease；　and　in
making　herself　as　completely　a　necessary　part　of　our　household　as
if　she　had　lived　among　us　for　years　and　years　　past。


Such　was　our　first　day's　experience　of　the　formidable　guest　whose
anticipated　visit　had　so　sorely　and　so　absurdly　discomposed　us
all。　I　could　hardly　believe　that　I　had　actually　wasted　hours　of
precious　time　in　worrying　myself　and　everybody　else　in　the　house
about　the　best　means　of　laboriously　entertaining　a　lively；
high…spirited　girl；　who　was　perfectly　capable；　without　an　effort
on　her　own　part　or　on　ours；　of　entertaining　herself。

Having　upset　every　one　of　our　calculations　on　the　first　day　of
her　arrival；　she　next　falsified　all　our　predictions　before　she
had　been　with　us　a　week。　Instead　of　fracturing　her　skull　with　the
pony；　as　Morgan　had　prophesied；　she　sat　the　sturdy；　sure…footed；
mischievous　little　brute　as　if　she　were　part　and　parcel　of
himself。　With　an　old　water…proof　cloak　of　mine　on　her　shoulders；
with　a　broad…flapped　Spanish　hat　of　Owen's　on　her　head；　with　a
wild　imp　of　a　Welsh　boy　following　her　as　guide　and　groom　on　a
bare…backed　pony；　and　with　one　of　the　largest　and　ugliest
cur…dogs　in　England　（which　she　had　picked　up；　lost　and　starved　by
the　wayside）　barking　at　her　heels；　she　scoured　the　country　in　all
directions；　and　came　back　to　dinner；　as　she　herself　expressed　it；
〃with　the　manners　of　an　Amazon；　the　complexion　of　a　dairy…maid；
and　the　appetite　of　a　wolf。〃

On　days　when　incessant　rain　kept　her　indoors；　she　amused　herself
with　a　new　freak。　Making　friends　everywhere；　as　became　The　Queen
of　Hearts；　she　even　ingratiated　herself　with　the　sour　old
housekeeper；　who　had　predicted　so　obstinately　that　she　was
certain　to　run　away。　To　the　amazement　of　everybody　in　the　house；
she　spent　hours　in　the　kitchen；　learning　to　make　puddings　and
pies；　and　trying　all　sorts　of　recipes　with　very　varying　success；
from　an　antiquated　cookery　book　which　she　had　discovered　at　the
back　of　my　bookshelves。　At　other　times；　when　I　expected　her　to　be
upstairs；　languidly　examining　her　finery；　and　idly　polishing　her
trinkets；　I　heard　of　her　in　the　stables；　feeding　the　rabbits；　and
talking　to　the　raven；　or　found　her　in　the　conservatory；
fumigating　the　plants；　and　half　suffocating　the　gardener；　who　was
trying　to　moderate　her　enthusiasm　in　the　production　of　smoke。

Instead　of　finding　amusement；　as　we　had　expected；　in　Owen's
studio；　she　puckered　up　her　pretty　face　in　grimaces　of　disgust　at
the　smell　of　paint　in　the　room；　and　declared　that　the　horrors　of
the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon　made　her　feel　hysterical。　Instead　of
showing　a　total　want　of　interest　in　my　business　occupations　on
the　estate；　she　destroyed　my　dignity　as　steward　by　joining　me　in
my　rounds　on　her　pony；　with　her　vagabond　retinue　at　her　heels。
Instead　of　devouring　the　novels　I　had　ordered　for　her；　she　left
them　in　the　box；　and　put　her　feet　on　it　when　she　felt　sleepy
after　a　hard　day's　riding。　Instead　of　practicing　for　hours　every
evening　at　the　piano；　which　I　had　hired　with　such　a　firm
conviction　of　her　using　it；　she　showed　us　tricks　on　the　cards；
taught　us　new　games；　initiated　us　into　the　mystics　of　dominoes；
challenged　us　with　riddles；　an　even　attempted　to　stimulate　us
into　acting　charadesin　short；　tried　every　evening　amusement　in
the　whole　category　except　the　amusement　of　music。　Every　new
aspect　of　her　character　was　a　new　surprise　to　us；　and　every　fresh
occupation　that　she　chose　was　a　fresh　contradiction　to　our
previous　expectations。　The　value　of　experience　as　a　guide　is
unquestionable　in　many　of　the　most　important　affairs　of　life；
but；　speaking　for　myself　personally；　I　never　understood　the　utter
futility　of　it；　where　a　woman　is　concerned；　until　I　was　brought
into　habits　of　daily　communication　with　our　fair　guest。

In　her　domestic　relations　with　ourselves　she　showed　that
exquisite　nicety　of　discrimination　in　studying　our　characters；
habits　and　tastes　which　comes　by　instinct　with　women；　and　which
even　the　longest　practice　rarely　teaches　in　similar　perfection　to
men。　She　saw　at　a　glance　all　the　underlying　tenderness　and
generosity　concealed　beneath　Owen's　external　shyness；
irresolution；　and　occasional　reserve；　and；　from　first　to　last；
even　in　her　gayest　moments；　there　was　always　a　certain
quietly…implied　considerationan　easy；　graceful；　delicate
deferencein　her　manner　toward　my　eldest　brother；　which　won　upon
me　and　upon　him　every　hour　in　the　day。

With　me　she　was　freer　in　her　talk；　quicker　in　her　actions；
readier　and　bolder　in　all　the　thousand　little　familiarities　of
our　daily　intercourse。　When　we　met　in　the　morning　she　always　took
Owen's　hand；　and　waited　till　he　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　In　my
case　she　put　both　her　hands　on　my　shoulders；　raised　herself　on
tiptoe；　and　saluted　me　briskly　on　both　checks　in　the　foreign　way。
She　never　differed　in　opinion　with　Owen　without　propitiating　him
first　by　some　little　artful　compliment　in　the　way　of　excuse。　She
argued　boldly　with　me　on　every　subject　under　the　sun；　law　and
politics　included；　and；　when　I　got　the　better　of　her；　never
hesitated　to　stop　me　by　putting　her　hand　on　my　lips；　or　by
dragging　me　out　into　the　garden　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence。

As　for　Morgan；　she　abandoned　all　restraint　in　his　case　on　the
second　day　of　her　sojourn　among　us。　She　had　asked　after　him　as
soon　as　she　was　settled　in　her　two　rooms　on　the　third　story；　had
insisted　on　knowing　why　he　lived　at　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　why
he　had　not　appeared　to　welcome　her　at　the　door；　had　entrapped　us
into　all　sorts　of　damaging　admissions；　and　had　thereupon
discovered　the　true　state　of　the　case　in　less　than　five　minutes。

From　that　time　my　unfortunate　second　brother　became　the　victim　of
all　that　was　mischievous　and　reckless　in　her　disposition。　She
forced　him　downstairs　by　a　series　of　maneuvers　which　rendered　his
refuge　uninhabitable；　and　then　pretended　to　fall　violently　in
love　with　him。　She　slipped　little　pink　three…cornered　notes　under
his　door；　entreating　him　to　make　appointments　with　her；　or
tenderly　inquiring　how　he　would　like　to　see　her　hair　dressed　at
dinner　on　that　day。　She　followed　him　into　the　garden；　sometimes
to　ask　for　the　privilege　of　smelling　his　tobacco…smoke；　sometimes
to　beg　for　a　lock　of　his　hair；　or　a　fragment　of　his　ragged　old
dressing…gown；　to　put　among　her　keepsakes。　She　sighed　at　him　when
he　was　in　a　passion；　and　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes　when　he
was　sulky。　In　short；　she　tormented　Morgan；　whenever　she　could
catch　him；　with　such　ingenious　and　such　relentless　malice；　that
he　actually　threatened　to　go　back　to　London；　and　prey　once　more；
in　the　unscrupulous　character　of　a　doctor；　on　the　credulity　of
mankind。

Thus　situated　in　her　relations　toward　ourselves；　and　thus
occupied　by　country　diversions　of　her　own　choosing；　Miss　Jessie
passed　her　time　at　The　Glen　Tower；　excepting　now　and　then　a　dull
hour　in　the　long　evenings；　to　her　guardian's　satisfactionand；
all　things　considered；　not　without　pleasure　to　herself。　Day
followed　day　in　calm　and　smooth　succession；　and　five　quiet　weeks
had　elapsed　out　of　the　six　during　which　her　stay　was　to　last
without　any　remarkable　occurrence　to　distinguish　them；　when　an
event　happened　which　personally　affected　me　in　a　very　serious
manner；　and　which　suddenly　caused　our　handsome　Queen　of　Hearts　to
become　the　object　of　my　deepest　anxiety　in　the　present；　and　of　my
dearest　hopes　for　the　future。

CHAPTER　IV。

OUR　GRAND　PROJECT。

AT　the　end　of　the　fifth　week　of　our　guest's　stay；　among　the
letters　which　the　morning's　post　brought　to　The　Glen　Tower　there
was　one　for　me；　from　my　son　George；　in　the　Crimea。

The　effect　which　this　letter　produced　in　our　little　circle
renders　it　necessary　that　I　should　present　it　here；　to　speak　for
itself。

This　is　what　I　read　alone　in　my　own　room：


〃MY　DEAREST　FATHERAfter　the　great　public　news　of　the　fall　of
Sebastopol；　have　you　any　ears　left　for　small　items　of　private
intelligence　from　insignificant　subaltern　officers？　Prepare；　if
you　have；　for　a　sudden　and　a　startling　announcement。　How　shall　I
write　the　words？　How　shall　I　tell　you　that　I　am　really　coming
home？

〃I　have　a　private　opportunity　of　sending　this　letter；　and　only　a
short　time　to　write　it　in；　so　I　must　put　many　things；　if　I　can；
into　few　words。　The　doctor　has　reported　me　fit　to　travel　at　last；
and　I　leave；　thanks　to　the　privilege　of　a　wounded　man；　by　the
next　ship。　The　name　of　the　vessel　and　the　time　of　starting　are　on
the　list　which　I　inclose。　I　have　made　all　my　calculations；　and；
allowing　for　every　possible　delay；　I　find　that　I　shall　be　with
you；　at　the　latest；　on　the　first　of　Novemberperhaps　some　days
earlier。

〃I　am　far　too　full　of　my　return；　and　of　something　else　connected
with　it　which　is　equally　dear　to　me；　to　say　anything　about　public
affairs；　more　especially　as　I　know　that　the　newspapers　must；　by
this　time；　have　given　you　plenty　of　information。　Let　me　fill　the
rest　of　this　paper　with　a　subject　which　is　very　near　to　my
heartnearer；　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　say；　than　the　great　triumph
of　my　countrymen；　in　which　my　disabled　condition　has　prevented　me
from　taking　any　share。

〃I　gathered　from　your　last　letter　that　Miss　Yelverton　was　to　pay
you　a　visit　this　autumn；　in　your　capacity　of　her　guardian。　If　she
is　already　with　you；　pray　move　heaven　and　earth　to　keep　her　at
The　Glen　Tower　till　I　come　back。　Do　you　anticipate　my　confession
from　this　entreaty？　My　dear；　dear　father；　all　my　hopes　rest　on
that　one　darling　treasure　which　you　are　guarding　perhaps；　at　this
moment；