the queen of hearts-第8章

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autumn　evenings。

I　parried　her　questions　by　the　best　excuses　I　could　offer；
changed　the　conversation　for　the　next　five　minutes；　and　then；
making　a　sudden　remembrance　of　business　my　apology　for　leaving
her；　hastily　withdrew　to　devote　myself　to　the　new　idea　in　the
solitude　of　my　own　room。

A　little　quiet　thinking　convinced　me　that　I　had　discovered　a
means　not　only　of　occupying　her　idle　time；　but　of　decoying　her
into　staying　on　with　us；　evening　by　evening；　until　my　son's
return。　The　new　project　which　she　had　herself　unconsciously
suggested　involved　nothing　less　than　acting　forthwith　on　her　own
chance　hint；　and　appealing　to　her　interest　and　curiosity　by　the
recital　of　incidents　and　adventures　drawn　from　my　own　personal
experience　and　（if　I　could　get　them　to　help　me）　from　the
experience　of　my　brothers　as　well。　Strange　people　and　startling
events　had　connected　themselves　with　Owen's　past　life　as　a
clergyman；　with　Morgan's　past　life　as　a　doctor；　and　with　my　past
life　as　a　lawyer；　which　offered　elements　of　interest　of　a　strong
and　striking　kind　ready　to　our　hands。　If　these　narratives　were
written　plainly　and　unpretendingly；　if　one　of　them　was　read　every
evening；　under　circumstances　that　should　pique　the　curiosity　and
impress　the　imagination　of　our　young　guest；　the　very　occupation
was　found　for　her　weary　hours　which　would　gratify　her　tastes；
appeal　to　her　natural　interest　in　the　early　lives　of　my　brothers
and　myself；　and　lure　her　insensibly　into　prolonging　her　visit　by
ten　days　without　exciting　a　suspicion　of　our　real　motive　for
detaining　her。

I　sat　down　at　my　desk；　I　hid　my　face　in　my　hands　to　keep　out　all
impressions　of　external　and　present　things；　and　I　searched　back
through　the　mysterious　labyrinth　of　the　Past；　through　the　dun；
ever…deepening　twilight　of　the　years　that　were　gone。

Slowly；　out　of　the　awful　shadows；　the　Ghosts　of　Memory　rose　about
me。　The　dead　population　of　a　vanished　world　came　back　to　life
round　me；　a　living　man。　Men　and　women　whose　earthly　pilgrimage
had　ended　long　since；　returned　upon　me　from　the　unknown　spheres；
and　fond；　familiar　voices　burst　their　way　back　to　my　ears　through
the　heavy　silence　of　the　grave。　Moving　by　me　in　the　nameless
inner　light；　which　no　eye　saw　but　mine；　the　dead　procession　of
immaterial　scenes　and　beings　unrolled　its　silent　length。　I　saw
once　more　the　pleading　face　of　a　friend　of　early　days；　with　the
haunting　vision　that　had　tortured　him　through　life　by　his　side
againwith　the　long…forgotten　despair　in　his　eyes　which　had　once
touched　my　heart；　and　bound　me　to　him；　till　I　had　tracked　his
destiny　through　its　darkest　windings　to　the　end。　I　saw　the　figure
of　an　innocent　woman　passing　to　and　fro　in　an　ancient　country
house；　with　the　shadow　of　a　strange　suspicion　stealing　after　her
wherever　she　went。　I　saw　a　man　worn　by　hardship　and　old　age；
stretched　dreaming　on　the　straw　of　a　stable；　and　muttering　in　his
dream　the　terrible　secret　of　his　life。

Other　scenes　and　persons　followed　these；　less　vivid　in　their
revival；　but　still　always　recognizable　and　distinct；　a　young　girl
alone　by　night；　and　in　peril　of　her　life；　in　a　cottage　on　a
dreary　mooran　upper　chamber　of　an　inn；　with　two　beds　in　it；　the
curtains　of　one　bed　closed；　and　a　man　standing　by　them；　waiting；
yet　dreading　to　draw　them　backa　husband　secretly　following　the
first　traces　of　a　mystery　which　his　wife's　anxious　love　had
fatally　hidden　from　him　since　the　day　when　they　first　met；　these；
and　other　visions　like　them；　shadowy　reflections　of　the　living
beings　and　the　real　events　that　had　been　once；　peopled　the
solitude　and　the　emptiness　around　me。　They　haunted　me　still　when
I　tried　to　break　the　chain　of　thought　which　my　own　efforts　had
wound　about　my　mind；　they　followed　me　to　and　fro　in　the　room；　and
they　came　out　with　me　when　I　left　it。　I　had　lifted　the　veil　from
the　Past　for　myself；　and　I　was　now　to　rest　no　more　till　I　had
lifted　it　for　others。

I　went　at　once　to　my　eldest　brother　and　showed　him　my　son's
letter；　and　told　him　all　that　I　have　written　here。　His　kind　heart
was　touched　as　mine　had　been。　He　felt　for　my　suspense；　he　shared
my　anxiety；　he　laid　aside　his　own　occupation　on　the　spot。

〃Only　tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃how　I　can　help；　and　I　will　give　every　h
our　in　the　day　to　you　and　to　George。〃

I　had　come　to　him　with　my　mind　almost　as　full　of　his　past　life　as
of　my　own；　I　recalled　to　his　memory　events　in　his　experience　as　a
working　clergyman　in　London；　I　set　him　looking　among　papers　which
he　had　preserved　for　half　his　lifetime；　and　the　very　existence　of
which　he　had　forgotten　long　since；　I　recalled　to　him　the　names　of
persons　to　whose　necessities　he　had　ministered　in　his　sacred
office；　and　whose　stories　he　had　heard　from　their　own　lips　or
received　under　their　own　handwriting。　When　we　parted　he　was
certain　of　what　he　was　wanted　to　do；　and　was　resolute　on　that
very　day　to　begin　the　work。

I　went　to　Morgan　next；　and　appealed　to　him　as　I　had　already
appealed　to　Owen。　It　was　only　part　of　his　odd　character　to　start
all　sorts　of　eccentric　objections　in　reply；　to　affect　a　cynical
indifference；　which　he　was　far　from　really　and　truly　feeling；　and
to　indulge　in　plenty　of　quaint　sarcasm　on　the　subject　of　Jessie
and　his　nephew　George。　I　waited　till　these　little
surface…ebullitions　had　all　expended　themselves；　and　then　pressed
my　point　again　with　the　earnestness　and　anxiety　that　I　really
felt。

Evidently　touched　by　the　manner　of　my　appeal　to　him　even　more
than　by　the　language　in　which　it　was　expressed；　Morgan　took
refuge　in　his　customary　abruptness；　spread　out　his　paper
violently　on　the　table；　seized　his　pen　and　ink；　and　told　me　quite
fiercely　to　give　him　his　work　and　let　him　tackle　it　at　once。

I　set　myself　to　recall　to　his　memory　some　very　remarkable
experiences　of　his　own　in　his　professional　days；　but　he　stopped
me　before　I　had　half　done。

〃I　understand；〃　he　said；　taking　a　savage　dip　at　the　ink；　〃I'm　to
make　her　flesh　creep；　and　to　frighten　her　out　of　her　wits。　I'll
do　it　with　a　vengeance！〃

Reserving　to　myself　privately　an　editorial　right　of　supervision
over　Morgan's　contributions；　I　returned　to　my　own　room　to　begin
my　shareby　far　the　largest　oneof　the　task　before　us。　The
stimulus　applied　to　my　mind　by　my　son's　letter　must　have　been　a
strong　one　indeed；　for　I　had　hardly　been　more　than　an　hour　at　my
desk　before　I　found　the　old　literary　facility　of　my　youthful
days；　when　I　was　a　writer　for　the　magazines；　returning　to　me　as
if　by　magic。　I　worked　on　unremittingly　till　dinner…time；　and　then
resumed　the　pen　after　we　had　all　separated　for　the　night。　At　two
o'clock　the　next　morning　I　found　myselfGod　help
me！masquerading；　as　it　were；　in　my　own　long…lost　character　of　a
hard…writing　young　man；　with　the　old　familiar　cup　of　strong　tea
by　my　side；　and　the　old　familiar　wet　towel　tied　round　my　head。

My　review　of　the　progress　I　had　made；　when　I　looked　back　at　my
pages　of　manuscript；　yielded　all　the　encouragement　I　wanted　to
drive　me　on。　It　is　only　just；　however；　to　add　to　the　record　of
this　first　day's　attempt；　that　the　literary　labor　which　it
involved　was　by　no　means　of　the　most　trying　kind。　The　great
strain　on　the　intellectthe　strain　of　inventionwas　spared　me
by　my　having　real　characters　and　events　ready　to　my　hand。　If　I
had　been　called　on　to　create；　I　should；　in　all　probability；　have
suffered　severely　by　contrast　with　the　very　worst　of　those
unfortunate　novelists　whom　Jessie　had　so　rashly　and　so
thoughtlessly　condemned。　It　is　not　wonderful　that　the　public
should　rarely　know　how　to　estimate　the　vast　service　which　is　done
to　them　by　the　production　of　a　good　book；　seeing　that　they　are；
for　the　most　part；　utterly　ignorant　of　the　immense　difficulty　of
writing　even　a　bad　one。

The　next　day　was　fine；　to　my　great　relief；　and　our　visitor；　while
we　were　at　work；　enjoyed　her　customary　scamper　on　the　pony；　and
her　customary　rambles　afterward　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　house。
Although　I　had　interruptions　to　contend　with　on　the　part　of　Owen
and　Morgan；　neither　of　whom　possessed　my　experience　in　the
production　of　what　heavy　people　call　〃light　literature；〃　and　both
of　whom　consequently　wanted　assistance；　still　I　made　great
progress；　and　earned　my　hours　of　repose　on　the　evening　of　the
second　day。

On　that　evening　I　risked　the　worst；　and　opened　my　negotiations
for　the　future　with　〃The　Queen　of　Hearts。〃

About　an　hour　after　the　tea　had　been　removed；　and　when　I　happened
to　be　left　alone　in　the　room　with　her；　I　noticed　that　she　rose
suddenly　and　went　to　the　writing…table。　My　suspicions　were
aroused　directly；　and　I　entered　on　the　dangerous　subject　by
inquiring　if　she　intended　to　write　to　her　aunt。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃I　promised　to　write　when　the　last　week　came。　If
you　had　paid　me　the　compliment　of　asking　me　to　stay　a　little
longer；　I　should　have　returned　it　by　telling　you　I　was　sorry　to
go。　As　it　is；　I　mean　to　be　sulky　and　say　nothing。〃

With　those　words　she　took　up　her　pen　to　begin　the　letter。

〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　remonstrated。　〃I　was　just　on　the　point　of
begging　you　to　stay　when　I　spoke。〃

〃Were　you；　indeed？〃　she　returned。　〃I　never　believed　in
coincidences　of　that　sort　before；　but　now；　of　course；　I　put　the
most　unlimited　faith　in　them！〃

〃Will　you　believe　in　plain　proofs？〃　I　asked；　adopting　her　humor。
〃How　do　you　think　I　and　my　brothers　have　been　employing　ourselves
all　day　to…day　and　all　day　yesterday？　Guess　what　we　have　been
about。〃

〃Congratulating　yourselves　in　secret　on　my　approaching
departure；〃　she　answered；　tapping　her　chin　saucily　with　the
feather…end　of　her　pen。

I　seized　the　opportunity　of　astonishing　her；　and　forthwith　told
her　the　truth。　She　started　up　from　the　table；　and　approached　me
with　the　eagerness　of　a　child；　her　eyes　sparkling；　and　her　cheeks
flushed。

〃Do　you　really　mean　it？〃　she　said。

I　assured　her　that　I　was　in　earnest。　She　thereupon　not　only
expressed　an　interest　in　our　undertaking；　which　was　evidently
sincere；　but；　with　characteristic　impatience；　wanted　to　begin　the
first　evening's　reading　on　that　very　night。　I　disappointed　her
sadly　by　explaining　that　we　required　time　to　prepare　ourselves；
and　by　assuring　her　that　we　should　not　be　ready　for　the　next　five
days。　On　the　sixth　day；　I　added；　we　should　be　able　to　begin；　and
to　go　on；　without　missing　an　evening；　for　probably　ten　days　more。

〃The　next　five　days？〃　she　replied。　〃Why；　that　will　just　bring　us
to　the　end　of　my　six　weeks'　visit。　I　suppose　you　are　not　setting
a　trap　to　catch　me？　This　is　not　a　trick　of　you　three　cunning　old
gentlemen　to　make　me　stay　on；　is　it？〃

I　quailed　inwardly　as　that　dangerously　close　guess　at　the　truth
passed　her　lips。

〃You　forget；〃　I　said；　〃that　the　idea　only　occurred　to　me　after
what　you　said　yesterday。　If　it　had　struck　me　earlier；　we　should
have　been　ready　earlier；　and　then　where　would　your　suspicions
have　been？〃

〃I　am　ashamed　of　having　felt　them；〃　she　said；　in　her　frank；
hearty　way。　〃I　retract　the　word　'trap；'　and　I　beg　pardon　for
calling　you　'three　cunning　old　gentlemen。'　But　what　am　I　to　say
to　my　aunt？〃

She　moved　back　to　the　writing…table　as　she　spoke。

〃Say　nothing；〃　I　replied；　〃till　you　have　heard　the　first　story。
Shut　up　the　paper…case　till　that　time；　and　then　decide　when　yo