little novels-第47章

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Speaking　of　relief；　I　must　record　that　Judith　has　gone　away　to　Aberdeen　on　a　visit　to　some　friends。　〃You'll　be　wretched　enough　here；〃　she　said　at　parting；　〃all　by　yourself。〃　Pure　vanity　and　self…complacence！　It　may　be　resignation　to　her　absence；　or　it　may　be　natural　force　of　mind；　I　began　to　be　more　easy　and　composed　the　moment　I　was　alone；　and　this　blessed　state　of　feeling　has　continued　uninterruptedly　ever　since。

V。

September　5th。A　sudden　change　in　my　life；　which　it　absolutely　startles　me　to　record。　I　am　going　to　London！

My　purpose　in　taking　this　most　serious　step　is　of　a　twofold　nature。　I　have　a　greater　and　a　lesser　object　in　view。

The　greater　object　is　to　see　my　daughter；　and　to　judge　for　myself　whether　certain　doubts　on　the　vital　question　of　her　happiness；　which　　now　torment　me　night　and　day；　are　unhappily　founded　on　truth。　She　and　her　husband　returned　in　August　from　their　wedding…tour；　and　took　up　their　abode　in　Marmaduke's　new　residence　in　London。　Up　to　this　time；　Felicia's　letters　to　me　were；　in　very　truth；　the　delight　of　my　lifeshe　was　so　entirely　happy；　so　amazed　and　delighted　with　all　the　wonderful　things　she　saw；　so　full　of　love　and　admiration　for　the　best　husband　that　ever　lived。　Since　her　return　to　London；　I　perceive　a　complete　change。

She　makes　no　positive　complaint；　but　she　writes　in　a　tone　of　weariness　and　discontent；　she　says　next　to　nothing　of　Marmaduke；　and　she　dwells　perpetually　on　the　one　idea　of　my　going　to　London　to　see　her。　I　hope　with　my　whole　heart　that　I　am　wrong；　but　the　rare　allusions　to　her　husband；　and　the　constantly　repeated　desire　to　see　her　father　（while　she　has　not　been　yet　three　months　married）；　seem　to　me　to　be　bad　signs。　In　brief；　my　anxiety　is　too　great　to　be　endured。　I　have　so　arranged　matters　with　one　of　my　brethren　as　to　be　free　to　travel　to　London　cheaply　by　steamer；　and　I　begin　the　journey　tomorrow。

My　lesser　object　may　be　dismissed　in　two　words。　Having　already　decided　on　going　to　London；　I　propose　to　call　on　the　wealthy　nobleman　who　owns　all　the　land　hereabouts；　and　represent　to　him　the　discreditable；　and　indeed　dangerous；　condition　of　the　parish　kirk　for　want　of　means　to　institute　the　necessary　repairs。　If　I　find　myself　well　received；　I　shall　put　in　a　word　for　the　manse；　which　is　almost　in　as　deplorable　a　condition　as　the　church。　My　lord　is　a　wealthy　manmay　his　heart　and　his　purse　be　opened　unto　me！

Sister　Judith　is　packing　my　portmanteau。　According　to　custom；　she　forbodes　the　worst。　〃Never　forget；〃　she　says；　〃that　I　warned　you　against　Marmaduke；　on　the　first　night　when　he　entered　the　house。〃

VI。

September　10th。After　more　delays　than　one；　on　land　and　sea；　I　was　at　last　set　ashore　near　the　Tower；　on　the　afternoon　of　yesterday。　God　help　us；　my　worst　anticipations　have　been　realized！　My　beloved　Felicia　has　urgent　and　serious　need　of　me。

It　is　not　to　be　denied　that　I　made　my　entry　into　my　son…in…law's　house　in　a　disturbed　and　irritated　frame　of　mind。　First；　my　temper　was　tried　by　the　almost　interminable　journey；　in　the　noisy　and　comfortless　vehicle　which　they　call　a　cab；　from　the　river…wharf　to　the　west…end　of　London；　where　Marmaduke　lives。　In　the　second　place；　I　was　scandalized　and　alarmed　by　an　incident　which　took　placestill　on　the　endless　journey　from　east　to　westin　a　street　hard　by　the　market　of　Covent　Garden。

We　had　just　approached　a　large　building；　most　profusely　illuminated　with　gas；　and　exhibiting　prodigious　colored　placards　having　inscribed　on　them　nothing　but　the　name　of　Barrymore。　The　cab　came　suddenly　to　a　standstill；　and　looking　out　to　see　what　the　obstacle　might　be；　I　discovered　a　huge　concourse　of　men　and　women；　drawn　across　the　pavement　and　road　alike；　so　that　it　seemed　impossible　to　pass　by　them。　I　inquired　of　my　driver　what　this　assembling　of　the　people　meant。　〃Oh；〃　says　he；　〃Barrymore　has　made　another　hit。〃　This　answer　being　perfectly　unintelligible　to　me；　I　requested　some　further　explanation；　and　discovered　that　〃Barrymore〃　was　the　name　of　a　stage…player　favored　by　the　populace；　that　the　building　was　a　theater；　and　that　all　these　creatures　with　immortal　souls　were　waiting；　before　the　doors　opened；　to　get　places　at　the　show！

The　emotions　of　sorrow　and　indignation　caused　by　this　discovery　so　absorbed　me　that　I　failed　to　notice　an　attempt　the　driver　made　to　pass　through；　where　the　crowd　seemed　to　be　thinner；　until　the　offended　people　resented　the　proceeding。　Some　of　them　seized　the　horse's　head；　others　were　on　the　point　of　pulling　the　driver　off　his　box；　when　providentially　the　police　interfered。　Under　their　protection；　we　drew　back；　and　reached　our　destination　in　safety；　by　another　way。　I　record　this　otherwise　unimportant　affair；　because　it　grieved　and　revolted　me　（when　I　thought　of　the　people's　souls）；　and　so　indisposed　my　mind　to　take　cheerful　views　of　anything。　Under　these　circumstances；　I　would　fain　hope　that　I　have　exaggerated　the　true　state　of　the　case；　in　respect　to　my　daughter's　married　life。

My　good　girl　almost　smothered　me　with　kisses。　When　I　at　last　got　a　fair　opportunity　of　observing　her；　I　thought　her　looking　pale　and　worn　and　anxious。　Query：　Should　I　have　arrived　at　this　conclusion　if　I　had　met　with　no　example　of　the　wicked　dissipations　of　London；　and　if　I　had　ridden　at　my　ease　in　a　comfortable　vehicle？

They　had　a　succulent　meal　ready　for　me；　and；　what　I　call；　fair　enough　whisky　out　of　Scotland。　Here　again　I　remarked　that　Felicia　ate　very　little。　and　Marmaduke　nothing　at　all。　He　drank　wine；　tooand；　good　heavens；　champagne　wine！a　needless　waste　of　money　surely　when　there　was　whisky　on　the　table。　My　appetite　being　satisfied；　my　son…in…law　went　out　of　the　room；　and　returned　with　his　hat　in　his　hand。　〃You　and　Felicia　have　many　things　to　talk　about　on　your　first　evening　together。　I'll　leave　you　for　a　whileI　shall　only　be　in　the　way。〃　So　he　spoke。　It　was　in　vain　that　his　wife　and　I　assured　him　he　was　not　in　the　way　at　all。　He　kissed　his　hand；　and　smiled　pleasantly；　and　left　us。

〃There；　father！〃　says　Felicia。　〃For　the　last　ten　days　he　has　gone　out　like　that；　and　left　me　alone　for　the　whole　evening。　When　we　first　returned　from　Switzerland；　he　left　me　in　the　same　mysterious　way；　only　it　was　after　breakfast　then。　Now　he　stays　at　home　in　the　daytime；　and　goes　out　at　night。〃

I　inquired　if　she　had　not　summoned　him　to　give　her　some　explanation。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　his　explanation；〃　says　Felicia。　〃When　he　went　away　in　the　daytime；　he　told　me　he　had　business　in　the　City。　Since　he　took　to　going　out　at　night；　he　says　he　goes　to　his　club。〃

〃Have　you　asked　where　his　club　is；　my　dear？〃

〃He　says　it's　in　Pall　Mall。　There　are　dozens　of　clubs　in　that　streetand　he　has　never　told　me　the　name　of　_his_　club。　I　am　completely　shut　out　of　his　confidence。　Would　you　believe　it；　father？　he　has　not　introduced　one　of　his　friends　to　me　since　we　came　home。　I　doubt　if　they　know　where　he　lives；　since　he　took　this　house。〃

What　could　I　say？

I　said　nothing；　and　looked　round　the　room。　It　was　fitted　up　with　perfectly　palatial　magnificence。　I　am　an　ignorant　man　in　matters　of　this　sort；　and　partly　to　satisfy　my　curiosity；　partly　to　change　the　subject；　I　asked　to　see　the　house。　Mercy　preserve　us；　the　same　grandeur　everywhere！　I　wondered　if　even　such　an　income　as　eight　hundred　a　year　could　suffice　for　it　all。　In　a　moment　when　I　was　considering　this；　a　truly　frightful　suspicion　crossed　my　mind。　Did　these　mysterious　absences；　taken　in　connection　with　the　unbridled　luxury　that　surrounded　us；　mean　that　my　son…in…law　was　a　gamester？　a　shameless　shuffler　of　cards；　or　a　debauched　bettor　on　horses？　While　I　was　still　completely　overcome　by　my　own　previsions　of　evil；　my　daughter　put　her　arm　in　mine　to　take　me　to　the　top　of　the　house。

For　the　first　time　I　observed　a　bracelet　of　dazzling　gems　on　her　wrist。　〃Not　diamonds？〃　I　said。　She　answered；　with　as　much　composure　as　if　she　had　been　the　wife　of　a　nobleman；　〃Yes；　diamondsa　present　from　Marmaduke。〃　This　was　too　much　for　me；　my　previsions；　so　to　speak；　forced　their　way　into　words。　〃Oh；　my　poor　child！〃　I　burst　out；　〃I'm　in　mortal　fear　that　your　husband's　a　gamester！〃

She　showed　none　of　the　horror　I　had　anticipated；　she　only　shook　her　head　and　began　to　cry。

〃Worse　than　that；　I'm　afraid；〃　she　said。

I　was　petrified；　my　tongue　refused　its　office；　when　I　would　fain　have　asked　her　what　she　meant。　Her　besetting　sin；　poor　soul；　is　a　proud　spirit。　She　dried　her　eyes　on　a　sudden；　and　spoke　out　freely；　in　these　words：　〃I　am　not　going　to　cry　about　it。　The　other　day；　father；　we　were　out　walking　in　the　park。　A　horrid；　bold；　yellow…haired　woman　passed　us　in　an　open　carriage。　She　kissed　her　hand　to　Marmaduke；　and　called　out　to　him；　'How　are　you；　Marmy？'　I　was　so　indignant　that　I　pushed　him　away　from　me；　and　told　him　to　go　and　take　a　drive　with　his　lady。　He　burst　out　laughing。　'Nonsense！'　he　said；　'she　has　known　me　for　yearsyou　don't　understand　our　easy　London　manners。'　We　have　made　it　up　since　then；　but　I　have　my　own　opinion　of　the　creature　in　th　e　open　carriage。〃

Morally　speaking；　this　was　worse　than　all。　But；　logically　viewed；　it　completely　failed　as　a　means　of　accounting　for　the　diamond　bracelet　and　the　splendor　of　the　furniture。

We　went　on　to　the　uppermost　story。　It　was　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　house　by　a　stout　partition　of　wood；　and　a　door　covered　with　green　baize。

When　I　tried　the　door　it　was　locked。　〃Ha！〃　says　Felicia；　〃I　wanted　you　to　see　it　for　yourself！〃　More　suspicious　proceedings　on　the　part　of　my　son…in…law！　He　kept　the　door　constantly　locked；　and　the　key　in　his　pocket。　When　his　wife　asked　him　what　it　meant；　he　answered：　〃My　study　is　up　thereand　I　like　to　keep　it　entirely　to　myself。〃　After　such　a　reply　as　that；　the　preservation　of　my　daughter's　dignity　permitted　but　one　answer：　〃Oh；　keep　it　to　yourself；　by　all　means！〃

My　previsions；　upon　this；　assumed　another　form。

I　now　asked　myselfstill　in　connection　with　my　son…in…law's　extravagant　expenditurewhether　the　clew　to　the　mystery　might　not　haply　be　the　forging　of　bank…notes　on　the　other　side　of　the　baize　door。　My　mind　was　prepared　for　anything　by　this　time。　We　descended　again　into　the　dining…room。　Felicia　saw　how　my　spirits　were　dashed；　and　came　and　perched　upon　my　knee。　〃Enough　of　my　troubles　for　to…night；　father；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　going　to　be　your　little　girl　again；　and　we　will　talk　of　nothing　but　Cauldkirk；　until　Marmaduke　comes　back。〃　I　am　one　of　the　firmest　men　living；　but　I　could　not　keep　the　hot　tears　out　of　my　eyes　when　she　put　her　arm　round　my　neck　and　said　those　words。　By　good　fortune　I　was　sitting　with　my　back　to　the　lamp；　she　didn't　notice　me。

A　little　after　eleven　o'clock　Marmaduke　returned。　He　looked　pale　and　weary。　But　more　champagne；　and　this　time　something　to　eat　with　it；　seemed　to　set　him　to　rights　againno　doubt　by　relieving　him　from　the　reproaches　of　a　guilty　conscience。

I　had　been　warned　by　Felicia　to　keep　what　had　passed　between　us　a　secret　from　her　husband　for　the　present；　so　we　had　（superficially　speaking）　a　merry　end　to　the　evening。　My　son…in…law　was　nearly　as　good　company　as　ever；　and　wonderfully　fertile　in　suggestions　and　expedients　when　he　saw　they　were　wanted。　Hearing　from　his　wife；　to　whom　I　had　mentioned　it；　that　I　purposed　representing　the　decayed　condition　of　the　kirk　and　manse　to　the　owner　of　Cauldki