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小说: elinor wyllys-2 字数: 每页3500字

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〃You were away from home; doctor; more than I was; and probably do not remember William's face as distinctly as I do。 I am quite confident his eyes were a clear; deep blue。〃

〃Well; I should have called them a light brown。〃

〃Were they large?〃 asked Harry。

〃Of a common size; I think;〃 said the brother。

〃Remarkably small; I should say;〃 added the sister。

〃What colour was his hair?〃 asked Harry; giving up the eyes。

〃Black;〃 said the doctor。

〃Not black; Johndark perhaps; but more of an auburn; like his father's portrait;〃 said Mrs。 Lawson。

〃Why; that is black; certainly。〃

〃Oh; no; auburna rich; dark auburn。〃

〃There is a greyish cast in that portrait; I think;〃 said Harry。

〃Grey; oh; no; Mr。 Stanley's hair was in perfect colour when he died; I remember him distinctly; seeing him as often as I did;〃 said the lady。 〃The hair of the Stanley family is generally auburn;〃 she added。

〃What do you call auburn?〃 said the doctor。

〃A dark; rich brown; like William Stanley's。〃

〃Now I call Mr。 Robert Hazlehurst's hair auburn。〃

〃My brother's hair! Why that is sometimes pronounced sandy; and even red; occasionally;〃 said Harry。

〃Not red; Lawson's hair is red。〃

〃Mr。 Lawson's hair is more of a flaxen shade;〃 said the wife; a little quickly。

Despairing of settling the particular shade of the hair; Harry then inquired if there was any strongly marked peculiarity of face or person about William Stanley?

Here both agreed that they had never remarked anything of the kind; it appeared that the young man was made more like the rest of the world; than became the hero of such a singular career。

〃Do you think you should know him; if you were to see him again; after such a long interval?〃

〃Well; I don't know;〃 said the doctor; 〃some people change very much; from boys to middle…aged manhood; others alter but little。〃

〃I have no doubt that I could tell in a moment; if this person is William Stanley or an impostor;〃 said Mrs。 Lawson。 〃Think how much we were together; as children; for ten years of his life; he was half the time at our house。 I am sure if this sailor were William Stanley; he would have come to see some of us; long since。〃

〃Did he visit you when he was last at Greatwood?〃

〃No; he did not come at that time; but I saw him very often in the village; and riding about。〃

〃Do you remember his stuttering at all?〃

〃No; I never heard him that I know of; I don't believe he ever stuttered。〃

〃He did stutter once in a while; Sophia; when he was in a passion。〃

〃I never heard him。〃

〃Young Stanley had one good quality; Mr。 Hazlehurst; with all his faults; he spoke the truthyou could believe what he said。〃

〃My good brother; you are mistaken there; I can assure you。 Time and again have I known him tell falsehoods when he got into a scrape; many is the time he has coaxed and teased; till he got us children into mischiefhe was a great tease; you know〃

〃Not more so than most boys;〃 interposed the doctor。

〃And after he had got us into trouble; I remember perfectly; that he would not acknowledge it was his fault。 Oh; no; you could not by any means depend upon what he said。〃

〃Was he much of a talker?〃

〃No; rather silent。〃

〃Quite silent:〃 both brother and sister were in unison here; at last。

〃He was good…looking; you think; Mrs。 Lawson?〃

〃Oh; yes; good…looking; certainly;〃 replied the lady。

〃Rather good…looking; but when he was last at home; his features had grown somewhat coarse; and his expression was altered for the worse;〃 said the doctor。

〃He was free with his money; I believe?〃

〃Very extravagant;〃 said Mrs。 Lawson。

〃He didn't care a fig for money; unless it was refused him;〃 said the doctor。

〃Was there anything particular about his teeth?〃

〃He had fine teeth;〃 said Mrs。 Lawson; 〃but he did not show them much。〃

〃A good set of teeth; if I remember right;〃 added the doctor。

〃His complexion was rather dark; I believe?〃 said Harry。

〃More sallow than dark;〃 said the lady。

〃Not so very sallow;〃 said the gentleman。

〃You asked just now about his eyes; Mr。 Hazlehurst; it strikes me they were much the colour of yours。〃

〃But mine are grey;〃 said Harry。

〃More of a hazel; I think。〃

〃Oh; no; William Stanley's eyes were as different as possible from Mr。 Hazlehurst's; in colour and shape!〃 exclaimed the lady。

The conversation continued some time longer; but the specimen just given will suffice to show its character; nothing of importance was elicited; and not one point decidedly settled; which had not been already known to Harry。 He continued his round of visits throughout the day; with much the same result。 The memories of the people about Greatwood seemed to be playing at cross…purposes; and yet there was no doubt; that all those persons to whom Hazlehurst applied; had known young Stanley for years; and there was every reason to believe they were well disposed to give all the evidence in their power。

》From Mrs。 Lawson's; Harry went to the house of another acquaintance; a Captain Johnson; and the following is the amount of what he gathered here; as it was hastily entered in his note…book:

〃Eyes grey; hair black; rather stout for his age; sullen temper; very dull; bad company cause of his ruin; not cold…hearted; stuttered a little when excited; expression good when a boy; but much changed when first came home from sea; Billings the cause of his ruin。〃

So much for Captain Johnson。 The next stopping…place was at a man's; by the name of Hill; who had been coachman at Mr。 Stanley's for several years; his account follows:

〃Hill says: 'Would get in a passion when couldn't have his own way; have heard him stutter; always in some scrape or other after first went to college; eyes blue; hair brown; sharp enough when he pleased; but always heard he hated books; short for his age when first went to sea; and thin; had grown three or four inches when he came back; should have thought him five feet eight or nine; when last saw him; face grown fuller and red; when came home。'〃

》From Hill's; Harry went to see Mr。 Anderson; who had kept the principal tavern at Franklin Cross…Roads; during William Stanley's boyhood; but he was not at home。

He then called at Judge Stone's: 〃Mrs。 S。 thought him handsome young man; judge; quite ugly; husband says eyes a greenish colour; wife thinks were dark brown; height about my own; said judge; not near so tall; says Mrs。 S。: both agreed he was morose in temper; and dull at learning。〃

At several other places where Harry called; he found that William Stanley had been merely known by sight。 Others related capital stories of scrapes; in which they had been implicated with the boy; but could tell Harry very little to the purpose; where it came to particular questions。 Three individuals pronounced him tall; four thought he was middle sized; two declared he was short。 Two inferences; however; might be drawn from all that had been said: William Stanley must have been of an unpleasant temper; while general evidence pronounced him rather more dull than most boys。 With these two facts at least sufficiently well established; while his head was filled with contradictory visions; of hair; eyes; and complexion; of various shades and colours; Harry returned in the evening; quite jaded and worn…out with his day's exertions; not the least of which had been; to reconcile totally opposite accounts on a dozen different points。

Mrs。 Stanley was awaiting his return with much anxiety; and while Harry was drinking an excellent cup of teathe most refreshing thing in the world to a person who is fatigued; even in warm weatherhe reported his day's work。 His friend seemed to think the account anything but encouraging; though Harry declared; that it was well worth the labour and vexation to establish the two facts; regarding the young man's capacity and temper; in which respects he certainly differed from the claimant。

〃What miserable hypocrites both this man and his lawyer must be!〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Stanley。

〃Hypocrisy figures often enough in courts of justice; ma'am; and is only too often successful for a time。〃

〃I am afraid; my dear Harry; they will give you a great deal of trouble!〃

〃I have no doubt of it;〃 replied Hazlehurst; 〃but still I hope to defeat them; and in the end; to punish their vile conspiracy。〃

〃A defeat would he distressing to both Mr。 Wyllys and myself; but to you; my dear young friend; it would be serious indeed!〃 she observed; with feeling。

〃We shall yet gain the day; I trust;〃 said Harry。 〃The consequences of defeat would indeed be very serious to me;〃 he added。 〃In such a case I should lose everything; and a little more; as Paddy would say。 I made a deliberate calculation the other day; and I find; after everything I own has been given up; that there would still be a debt of some thirty thousand dollars to pay off。〃

〃It is wise; I suppose; to be prepared for the worst;〃 said Mrs。 Stanley; sadly; 〃but in such a case; Harry; you must look to your friends。 Remember; that I should consider it a duty to assist you; in any pecuniary difficulties which might result from a defeat。〃

〃You are very good; ma'am; I am grateful for the offer。 In case of our failure; I should certainly apply to my immediate friends; for I could never bear the thought of being in debt to those rascals。 But if the affair turns out in that way; I must stay at home and work hard; to clear myself entirely。 I am young; and if we fail to repel this claim; still I shall hope by industry and prudence; to discharge all obligations before I am many years older。〃

〃I have never doubted; Harry; that in either case you would do what is just and honourable; but I mourn that there should be any danger of such a sacrifice。〃

〃It would be a sacrifice; indeed; including much that I have valued heretoforetastes; habits; partialities; prospects; fortune; hopesall must undergo a change; all must he sacrificed。〃

〃And hopes are often a precious part of a young man's portion;〃 said Mrs。 Stanley。

Hazlehurst happened to raise his eyes as she spoke; and; from the expression of her face; he fancied that she was thinking of Mrs。 Creighton。 He changed colour; and remained silent a moment。

〃You would be compelled to give up your connexion with Mr。 Henley;〃 she observed; by way of renewing the conversation。

〃Yes; of course; I should have to abandon that; I could not afford it; I should have to devote myself to my profession。 I have no notion; however; of striking my colours to these land…pirates until after a hard battle; I assure you;〃 he said; more cheerfully。 〃Great generals always prepare for a retreat; and so shall I; but only as the last extremity。 Indeed; I think our affairs look more encouraging just now。 It seems next to impossible; for such a plot to hold together in all its parts; we shall be able probably; to find out more than one weak point which will not bear an attack。〃

〃It is certainly important to establish the difference in temper and capacity; between the claimant and William Stanley;〃 said Mrs。 Stanley。

〃Highly important; Ellsworth is hard at work; too; in tracing the past life of the sailor; and by his last letters; I find he had written to young Stanley's school…master; and to the family physician。 He had seen the

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