the notch on the ax and on being found out-第59章

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bedroom；　however；　which；　as　I　have　said；　lay　among　the　private
apartments　of　the　house；　opened　into　a　passage　which　led　into　a
broad　gallery；　or　upper　chamber；　stretching　right　across　the　end　of
the　hall。　　From　this　you　descended　by　means　of　a　small　staircase　in
oak；　whose　carved　balustrade；　bending　round　the　corner　of　the　hall；
formed　one　of　the　prettiest　features　of　the　picturesque　old　room。
The　barrier　which　ran　along　the　front　of　the　gallery　was　in　solid
oak；　and　of　such　a　height　that；　unless　standing　close　up　to　it；　you
could　neither　see　nor　be　seen　by　the　occupants　of　the　room　below。
On　approaching　this　gallery　I　heard　voices　in　the　hall。　　They　were
George's　and　Alan's；　evidently　in　hot　discussion。　　As　I　issued　from
the　passage；　George　was　speaking；　and　his　voice　had　that
exasperated　tone　in　which　an　angry　man　tries　to　bring　to　a　close　an
argument　in　which　he　has　lost　his　temper。　　〃For　heaven's　sake　leave
it　alone；　Alan；　I　neither　can　nor　will　interfere。　　We　have　enough
to　bear　from　these　cursed　traditions　as　it　is；　without　adding　one
which　has　no　foundation　whatever　to　justify　ita　mere　contemptible
piece　of　superstition。〃

〃No　member　of　our　family　has　a　right　to　call　any　tradition
contemptible　which　is　connected　with　that　place；　and　you　know　it；〃
answered　Alan；　and　though　he　spoke　low；　his　voice　trembled　with
some　strong　emotion。　　A　first　impulse　of　hesitation　which　I　had　had
I　checked；　feeling　that　as　I　had　heard　so　much　it　was　fairer　to　go
on；　and　I　advanced　to　the　top　of　the　staircase。　　Alan　stood　by　the
fireplace　facing　me；　but　far　too　occupied　to　see　me。　　His　last
speech　had　seemingly　aroused　George　to　fury；　for　the　latter　turned
on　him　now　with　savage　passion。

〃Damn　it　all；　Alan！〃　he　cried；　〃can't　you　be　quiet？　　I　will　be
master　in　my　own　house。　　Take　care；　I　tell　you；　the　curse　may　not
be　quite　fulfilled　yet　after　all。〃

As　George　uttered　these　words；　Alan　lifted　his　eyes　to　him　with　a
glance　of　awful　horror：　his　face　turned　ghastly　white；　his　lips
trembled　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　answered　back　with　one　half…
whispered　word　of　supreme　appeal〃George！〃　　There　was　a　long…
drawn；　unutterable　anguish　in　his　tone；　and　his　voice；　though
scarcely　audible；　penetrated　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　and
seemed　to　hang　quivering　in　the　air　around　one　after　the　sound　had
ceased。　　Then　there　was　a　terrible　stillness。　　Alan　stood　trembling
in　every　limb；　incapable　apparently　of　speech　or　action；　and　George
faced　him；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　he　was。　　For　an　instant　they
remained　thus；　while　I　looked　breathlessly　on。　　Then　George；　with　a
muttered　imprecation；　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　the　room。　　Alan
followed　him　as　he　went　with　dull　lifeless　eyes；　and　as　the　door
closed　he　breathed　deeply；　with　a　breath　that　was　almost　a　groan。

Taking　my　courage　in　both　hands；　I　now　descended　the　stairs；　and　at
the　sound　of　my　footfall　he　glanced　up；　started；　and　then　came
rapidly　to　meet　me。

〃Evie！　you　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　notice　you。　　How　long　have
you　been　here？〃　　He　was　still　quite　white；　and　I　noticed　that　he
panted　for　breath　as　he　spoke。

〃Not　long；〃　I　answered；　timidly；　and　rather　spasmodically；　〃I　only
heard　a　sentence　or　two。　　You　wanted　George　to　do　something　about
some　tradition　or　other；and　he　was　angry；and　he　said　something
about　the　curse。〃

While　I　spoke　Alan　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　reading　through
them；　as　I　knew；　into　my　mind。　　When　I　had　finished　he　turned　his
gaze　away　satisfied；　and　answered　very　quietly；　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃
Then　he　went　back　to　the　fireplace；　rested　his　arm　against　the　high
mantelpiece　above　it；　and　leaning　his　forehead　on　his　arm；　remained
silently　looking　into　the　fire。　　I　could　see　by　his　bent　brow　and
compressed　lips　that　he　was　engaged　upon　some　earnest　train　of
thought　or　reasoning；　and　I　stood　waitingworried；　puzzled；
curious；　but　above　all　things；　pitiful；　and　oh！　longing　so
intensely　to　help　him　if　I　could。　　Presently　he　straightened
himself　a　little；　and　addressed　me　more　in　his　ordinary　tone　of
voice；　though　without　looking　round。　　〃So　I　hear　they　have　changed
your　room。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　And　then；　flushing　rather；　〃Is　that　what　you
and　George　have　been　quarreling　about？〃　　I　received　no　reply；　and
taking　this　silence　for　assent；　I　went　on　deprecatingly；　〃Because
you　know；　if　it　was；　I　think　you　are　rather　foolish；　Alan。　　As　I
understand；　two　girls　are　said　to　have　died　in　that　room　more　than
a　hundred　years　ago；　and　for　that　reason　there　is　a　prejudice
against　putting　a　girl　to　sleep　there。　　That　is　all。　　Merely　a
vague；　unreasonable　tradition。〃

Alan　took　a　moment　to　answer。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　at　length；　speaking　slowly；　and　as　if　replying　to
arguments　in　his　own　mind　as　much　as　to　those　which　I　had　uttered。
〃Yes；　it　is　nothing　but　a　tradition　after　all；　and　that　of　the　very
vaguest　and　most　unsupported　kind。〃

〃Is　there　even　any　proof　that　girls　have　not　slept　there　since
those　two　died？〃　I　asked。　　I　think　that　the　suggestion　conveyed　in
this　question　was　a　relief　to　him；　for　after　a　moment's　pause；　as
if　to　search　his　memory；　he　turned　round。

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　think　that　there　is　any　such　proof；　and
I　have　no　doubt　that　you　are　right；　and　that　it　is　a　mere　prejudice
that　makes　me　dislike　your　sleeping　there。〃

〃Then；〃　I　said；　with　a　little　assumption　of　sisterly　superiority；
〃I　think　George　was　right；　and　that　you　were　wrong。〃

Alan　smiled；a　smiled　which　sat　oddly　on　the　still　pale　face；　and
in　the　wearied；　worn…looking　eyes。　　〃Very　likely；〃　he　said；　〃I
daresay　that　I　am　superstitious。　　I　have　had　things　to　make　me　so。〃
Then　coming　nearer　to　me；　and　laying　his　hands　on　my　shoulders；　he
went　on；　smiling　more　brightly；　〃We　are　a　queer…tempered；　bad…
nerved　race；　we　Mervyns；　and　you　must　not　take　us　too　seriously；
Evie。　　The　best　thing　that　you　can　do　with　our　odd　ways　is　to
ignore　them。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　I　answered；　laughing；　too　glad　to　have　won　him
back　to　even　temporary　brightness；　〃as　long　as　you　and　George　don't
come　to　blows　over　the　question　of　where　I　am　to　sleep；　which　after
all　is　chiefly　my　concern；and　Lucy's。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　it　is；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　tone；　〃and　now　be
off　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　is　defending　the　tea…table
single…handed　all　this　time。〃

I　obeyed；　and　should　have　gone　more　cheerfully　had　I　not　turned　at
the　doorway　to　look　back　at　him；　and　caught　one　glimpse　of　his　face
as　he　sank　heavily　down　into　the　large　arm…chair　by　the　fireside。

However；　by　dinner…time　he　appeared　to　have　dismissed　all　painful
reflections　from　his　mind；　or　to　have　buried　them　too　deep　for
discovery。　　The　people　staying　in　the　house　were；　in　spite　of　my
sense　of　grievance　at　their　arrival；　individually　pleasant；　and
after　dinner　I　discovered　them　to　be　socially　well　assorted。　　For
the　first　hour　or　two；　indeed；　after　their　arrival；　each　glared　at
the　other　across　those　triple　lines　of　moral　fortification　behind
which　every　well…bred　Briton　takes　refuge　on　appearing　at　a
friend's　country…house。　　But　flags　of　truce　were　interchanged　over
the　soup；　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　during　the　roast；　and　the
terms　of　a　treaty　of　peace　and　amity　were　finally　ratified　under
the　sympathetic　influence　of　George's　best　champagne。　　For　the
achievement　of　this　happy　result　Alan　certainly　worked　hard；　and
received　therefor　many　a　grateful　glance　from　his　sister…in…law。
He　was　more　excited　than　I　had　ever　seen　him　before；　and　talked
brilliantly　and　wellthough　perhaps　not　as　exclusively　to　his
neighbors　as　they　may　have　wished。　　His　eyes　and　his　attention
seemed　everywhere　at　once：　one　moment　he　was　throwing　remarks
across　to　some　despairing　couple　opposite；　and　the　next　he　was
breaking　an　embarrassing　pause　in　the　conversation　by　some　rapid
sally　of　nonsense　addressed　to　the　table　in　general。　　He　formed　a
great　contrast　to　his　brother；　who　sat　gloomy　and　dejected；　making
little　or　no　response　to　the　advances　of　the　two　dowagers　between
whom　he　was　placed。　　After　dinner　the　younger　members　of　the　party
spent　the　evening　by　Alan's　initiative；　and　chiefly　under　his
direction；　in　a　series　of　lively　and　rather　riotous　games　such　as
my　nursery　days　had　delighted　in；　and　my　schoolroom　ones　had
disdained。　　It　was　a　great　and　happy　surprise　to　discover　that；
grown　up；　I　might　again　enjoy　them。　　I　did　so；　hugely；　and　when
bedtime　came　all　memories　more　serious　than　those　of　〃musical
chairs〃　or　〃follow　my　leader〃　had　vanished　from　my　mind。　　I　think；
from　Alan's　glance　as　he　handed　me　my　bed　candle；　that　the　pleasure
and　excitement　must　have　improved　my　looks。

〃I　hope　you　have　enjoyed　your　first　evening　of　gayety；　Evie；〃　he
said。

〃I　have；〃　I　answered；　with　happy　conviction；　〃and　really　I　believe
that　it　is　chiefly　owing　to　you；　Alan。〃　　He　met　my　smile　by
another；　but　I　think　that　there　must　have　been　something　in　his
look　which　recalled　other　thoughts；　for　as　I　started　up　the　stairs
I　threw　a　mischievous　glance　back　at　him　and　whispered；　〃Now　for
the　horrors　of　the　haunted　chamber。〃

He　laughed　rather　loudly；　and　saying　〃Good…night；　and　good…luck；〃
turned　to　attend　to　the　other　ladies。

His　wishes　were　certainly　fulfilled。　　I　got　to　bed　quickly；　andas
soon　as　my　happy　excitement　was　sufficiently　calmed　to　admit　of　it
to　sleep。　　The　only　thing　which　disturbed　me　was　the　wind；　which
blew　fiercely　and　loudly　all　the　earlier　portion　of　the　night；　half
arousing　me　more　than　once。　　I　spoke　of　it　at　breakfast　the　next
morning；　but　the　rest　of　the　world　seemed　to　have　slept　too　heavily
to　have　been　aware　of　it。


IV


The　men　went　out　shooting　directly　after　breakfast；　and　we　women
passed　the　day　in　orthodox　country…house　fashion；working　and
eating；　walking　and　riding；　driving　and　playing　croquet；　and　above；
beyond；　and　through　all　things；　chattering。　　Beyond　a　passing　sigh
while　I　was　washing　my　hands；　or　a　moment　of　mournful　remembrance
while　I　changed　my　dress；　I　had　scarcely　time　even　to　regret　the
quiet　happiness　of　the　week　that　was　past。　　In　the　evening　we
danced　in　the　great　hall。　　I　had　two　valses　with　Alan。　　During　a
pause　for　breath；　I　found　that　we　were　standing　near　the　fireplace；
on　the　very　spot　where　he　and　George　had　stood　on　the　previous
afternoon。　　The　recollection　made　me　involuntarily　glance　up　at　his
face。　　It　looked　sad　and　worried；　and　the　thought　suddenly　struck
me　that　his　extravagant　spirits　of　the　night　before；　and　even　his
quieter；　careful　cheerfulness　of　to…night；　had　been　but　artificial
moods　at　best。　　He　turned；　and　finding　my　eyes　fixed　on　him；　at
once　plunged　into　conversation；　discussed　the　peculiarities　of　one
of　the　guests；　good…humoredly　enough；　but　with　so　much　fun　as　to
make　me　laugh　in　spite　of　myself。　　Then　we　danced　again。　　The
plaintive　music；　the　smooth　floor；　and　the　partner　were　all　alike
perfect；　and　I　experienced　that　entire　delight　of　physical
enjoyment　which　I　believe　nothing　but　a　valse　under　such
circumstances　can　give。　　When　it　was　over　I　turned　to　Alan；　and
exclaimed　with　impulsive　appeal；　〃Oh；　I　am　so　happy；you　must　be
happy　too！〃　　He　smiled　rather　uncertainly；　and　answered；　〃Don't
bother　yourself　about　me；　Evie；　I　am　all　right。　　I　told　you　t