little novels-第23章

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〃No；　Mr。　Lismore；　I　mean　exactly　what　I　have　said。　You　now　know　that　the　recovery　of　your　credit　and　your　peace　of　mind　rests　entirely　with　yourself。〃

After　a　moment　of　reflection　he　took　her　hand　and　raised　it　respectfully　to　his　lips。　〃You　are　a　noble　woman！〃　he　said。

She　made　no　reply。　With　drooping　head　and　downcast　eyes　she　waited　for　his　decision。　He　accepted　his　responsibility。

〃I　must　not；　and　dare　not；　think　of　the　hardship　of　my　own　position；〃　he　said；　〃I　owe　it　to　you　to　speak　without　reference　to　the　future　that　may　be　in　store　for　me。　No　man　can　be　worthy　of　the　sacrifice　which　your　generous　forgetfulness　of　yourself　is　willing　to　make。　I　respect　you；　I　admire　you；　I　thank　you　with　my　whole　heart。　Leave　me　to　my　fate；　Mrs。　Callenderand　let　me　go。〃

He　rose。　She　stopped　him　by　a　gesture。

〃A　_young_　woman；〃　she　answered；　would　shrink　from　sayingwhat　I；　as　an　old　woman；　mean　to　say　now。　I　refuse　to　leave　you　to　your　fate。　I　ask　you　to　prove　that　you　respect　me；　admire　me；　and　thank　me　with　your　whole　heart。　Take　one　day　to　thinkand　let　me　hear　the　result。　You　promise　me　this？〃

He　promised。　〃Now　go；〃　she　said。

VII。

NEXT　morning　Ernest　received　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Callender。　She　wrote　to　him　as　follows：



〃There　are　some　considerations　which　I　ought　to　have　mentioned　yesterday　evening；　before　you　left　my　house。

〃I　ought　to　have　reminded　youif　you　consent　to　reconsider　your　decisionthat　the　circumstances　do　not　require　you　to　pledge　yourself　to　me　absolutely。

〃At　my　age；　I　can　with　perfect　propriety　assure　you　that　I　regard　our　marriage　simply　and　solely　as　a　formality　which　we　must　fulfill；　if　I　am　to　carry　out　my　intention　of　standing　between　you　and　ruin。

〃Thereforeif　the　missing　ship　appears　in　time；　the　only　reason　for　the　marriage　is　at　an　end。　We　shall　be　as　good　friends　as　ever；　without　the　encumbrance　of　a　formal　tie　to　bind　us。

〃In　the　other　event；　I　should　ask　you　to　submit　to　certain　restrictions　which；　remembering　my　position；　you　will　understand　and　excuse。

〃We　are　to　live　together；　it　is　unnecessary　to　say；　as　mother　and　son。　The　marriage　ceremony　is　to　be　strictly　private；　and　you　are　so　to　arrange　your　affairs　that；　immediately　afterward；　we　leave　England　for　any　foreign　place　which　you　prefer。　Some　of　my　friends；　and　（perhaps）　some　of　your　friends；　will　certainly　misinterpret　our　motivesif　we　stay　in　our　own　countryin　a　manner　which　would　be　unendurable　to　a　woman　like　me。

〃As　to　our　future　lives；　I　have　the　most　perfect　confidence　in　you；　and　I　should　leave　you　in　the　same　position　of　independence　which　you　occupy　now。　When　you　wish　for　my　company　you　will　always　be　welcome。　At　other　times；　you　are　your　own　master。　I　live　on　my　side　of　the　house；　and　you　live　on　yoursand　I　am　to　be　allowed　my　hours　of　solitude　every　day；　in　the　pursuit　of　musical　occupations；　which　have　been　happily　associated　with　all　my　past　life　and　which　I　trust　confidently　to　your　indulgence。

〃A　last　word；　to　remind　you　of　what　you　may　be　too　kind　to　think　of　yourself。

〃At　my　age；　you　cannot；　in　the　course　of　Nature；　be　troubled　by　the　society　of　a　grateful　old　woman　for　many　years。　You　are　young　enough　to　look　forward　to　another　marriage；　which　shall　be　something　more　than　a　mere　form。　Even　if　you　meet　with　the　happy　woman　in　my　lifetime；　honestly　tell　me　of　itand　I　promise　to　tell　her　that　she　has　only　to　wait。

〃In　the　meantime；　don't　think；　because　I　write　composedly；　that　I　write　heartlessly。　You　pleased　and　interested　me；　when　I　first　saw　you；　at　the　public　meeting。　I　don't　think　I　could　have　proposed；　what　you　call　this　sacrifice　of　myself；　to　a　man　who　had　personally　repelled　methough　I　might　have　felt　my　debt　of　gratitude　as　sincerely　as　ever。　Whether　your　ship　is　saved；　or　whether　your　ship　is　lost；　old　Mary　Callender　likes　youand　owns　it　without　false　shame。

〃Let　me　have　your　answer　this　evening；　either　personally　or　by　letterwhichever　you　like　best。〃

VIII。

MRS。　CALLENDER　received　a　written　answer　long　before　the　evening。　It　said　much　in　few　words：

〃A　man　impenetrable　to　kindness　might　be　able　to　resist　your　letter。　I　am　not　that　man。　Your　great　heart　has　conquered　me。〃



The　few　formalities　which　precede　marriage　by　special　license　were　observed　by　Ernest。　While　the　destiny　of　their　future　lives　was　still　in　suspense；　an　unacknowledged　feeling　of　embarrassment；　on　either　side；　kept　Ernest　and　Mrs。　Callender　apart。　Every　day　brought　the　lady　her　report　of　the　state　of　affairs　in　the　City；　written　always　in　the　same　words：　〃No　news　of　the　ship。〃

IX。

ON　the　day　before　the　ship…owner's　liabilities　became　due；　the　terms　of　the　report　from　the　City　remained　unchangedand　the　special　license　was　put　to　its　contemplated　use。　Mrs。　Callender's　lawyer　and　Mrs。　Callender's　maid　were　the　only　persons　trusted　with　the　secret。　Leaving　the　chief　clerk　in　charge　of　the　business；　with　every　pecuniary　demand　on　his　employer　satisfied　in　full；　the　strangely　married　pair　quitted　England。

They　arranged　to　wait　for　a　few　days　in　Paris；　to　receive　any　letters　of　importance　which　might　have　been　addressed　to　Ernest　in　the　interval。　On　the　evening　of　their　arrival；　a　telegram　from　London　was　waiting　at　their　hotel。　It　announced　that　the　missing　ship　had　passed　up　Channelundiscovered　in　a　fog；　until　she　reached　the　Downson　the　day　before　Ernest's　liabilities　fell　due。

〃Do　you　regret　it？〃　Mrs。　Lismore　said　to　her　husband。

〃Not　for　a　moment！〃　he　answered。

They　decided　on　pursuing　their　journey　as　far　as　Munich。

Mrs。　Lismore's　taste　for　music　was　matched　by　Ernest's　taste　for　painting。　In　his　leisure　hours　he　cultivated　the　art；　and　delighted　in　it。　The　picture…galleries　of　Munich　were　almost　the　only　galleries　in　Europe　which　he　had　not　seen。　True　to　the　engagements　to　which　she　had　pledged　herself；　his　wife　was　willing　to　go　wherever　it　might　please　him　to　take　her。　The　one　suggestion　she　made　was；　that　they　should　hire　furnished　apartments。　If　they　lived　at　an　hotel；　friends　of　the　husband　or　the　wife　（visitors　like　themselves　to　the　famous　city）　might　see　their　names　in　the　book；　or　might　meet　them　at　the　door。

They　were　soon　established　in　a　house　large　enough　to　provide　them　with　every　accommodation　which　they　required。

Ernest's　days　were　passed　in　the　galleries；　Mrs。　Lismore　remaining　at　home；　devoted　to　her　music；　until　it　was　time　to　go　out　with　her　husband　for　a　drive。　Living　together　in　perfect　amity　and　concord；　they　were　nevertheless　not　living　happily。　Without　any　visible　reason　for　the　change；　Mrs。　Lismore's　spirits　were　depressed。　On　the　one　occasion　when　Ernest　noticed　it　she　made　an　effort　to　be　cheerful；　which　it　distressed　him　to　see。　He　allowed　her　to　think　that　she　had　relieved　him　of　any　further　anxiety。　Whatever　doubts　he　might　feel　were　doubts　delicately　concealed　from　that　time　forth。

But　when　two　people　are　living　together　in　a　state　of　artificial　tranquillity；　it　seems　to　be　a　law　of　Nature　that　the　element　of　disturbance　gathers　unseen；　and　that　the　outburst　comes　inevitably　with　the　lapse　of　time。

In　ten　days　from　the　date　of　their　arrival　at　Munich；　the　crisis　came。　Ernest　returned　later　than　usual　from　the　picture…gallery；　andfor　the　first　time　in　his　wife's　experienceshut　himself　up　in　his　own　room。

He　appeared　at　the　dinner…hour　with　a　futile　excuse。　Mrs。　Lismore　waited　until　the　servant　had　withdrawn。　〃Now；　Ernest；〃　she　said；　〃it's　time　to　tell　me　the　truth。〃

Her　manner；　when　she　said　those　few　words；　took　him　by　surprise。　She　was　unquestionably　confused；　　and；　instead　of　lookin　g　at　him；　she　trifled　with　the　fruit　on　her　plate。　Embarrassed　on　his　side；　he　could　only　answer：

〃I　have　nothing　to　tell。〃

〃Were　there　many　visitors　at　the　gallery？〃　she　asked。

〃About　the　same　as　usual。〃

〃Any　that　you　particularly　noticed？〃　she　went　on。　〃I　mean；　among　the　ladies。〃

He　laughed　uneasily。　〃You　forget　how　interested　I　am　in　the　pictures；〃　he　said。

There　was　a　pause。　She　looked　up　at　himand　suddenly　looked　away　again。　But　he　saw　it　plainly：　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes。

〃Do　you　mind　turning　down　the　gas？〃　she　said。　〃My　eyes　have　been　weak　all　day。〃

He　complied　with　her　requestthe　more　readily；　having　his　own　reasons　for　being　glad　to　escape　the　glaring　scrutiny　of　the　light。

〃I　think　I　will　rest　a　little　on　the　sofa；〃　she　resumed。　In　the　position　which　he　occupied；　his　back　would　have　been　now　turned　on　her。　She　stopped　him　when　he　tried　to　move　his　chair。　〃I　would　rather　not　look　at　you；　Ernest；〃　she　said；　〃when　you　have　lost　confidence　in　me。〃

Not　the　words；　but　the　tone；　touched　all　that　was　generous　and　noble　in　his　nature。　He　left　his　place；　and　knelt　beside　herand　opened　to　her　his　whole　heart。

〃Am　I　not　unworthy　of　you？〃　he　asked；　when　it　was　over。

She　pressed　his　hand　in　silence。

〃I　should　be　the　most　ungrateful　wretch　living；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　did　not　think　of　you；　and　you　only；　now　that　my　confession　is　made。　We　will　leave　Munich　to…morrowand；　if　resolution　can　help　me；　I　will　only　remember　the　sweetest　woman　my　eyes　ever　looked　on　as　the　creature　of　a　dream。〃

She　hid　her　face　on　his　breast；　and　reminded　him　of　that　letter　of　her　writing；　which　had　decided　the　course　of　their　lives。

〃When　I　thought　you　might　meet　the　happy　woman　in　my　life…time；　I　said　to　you；　'Tell　me　of　itand　I　promise　to　tell　_her_　that　she　has　only　to　wait。'　Time　must　pass；　Ernest；　before　it　can　be　needful　to　perform　my　promise。　But　you　might　let　me　see　her。　If　you　find　her　in　the　gallery　to…morrow；　you　might　bring　her　here。〃

Mrs。　Lismore's　request　met　with　no　refusal。　Ernest　was　only　at　a　loss　to　know　how　to　grant　it。

〃You　tell　me　she　is　a　copyist　of　pictures；〃　his　wife　reminded　him。　〃She　will　be　interested　in　hearing　of　the　portfolio　of　drawings　by　the　great　French　artists　which　I　bought　for　you　in　Paris。　Ask　her　to　come　and　see　them；　and　to　tell　you　if　she　can　make　some　copies。　And　say；　if　you　like；　that　I　shall　be　glad　to　become　acquainted　with　her。〃

He　felt　her　breath　beating　fast　on　his　bosom。　In　the　fear　that　she　might　lose　all　control　over　herself；　he　tried　to　relieve　her　by　speaking　lightly。　〃What　an　invention　yours　is！〃　he　said。　〃If　my　wife　ever　tries　to　deceive　me；　I　shall　be　a　mere　child　in　her　hands。〃

She　rose　abruptly　from　the　sofakissed　him　on　the　foreheadand　said　wildly；　〃I　shall　be　better　in　bed！〃　Before　he　could　move　or　speak；　she　had　left　him。

X。

THE　next　morning　he　knocked　at　the　door　of　his　wife's　room　and　asked　how　she　had　passed　the　night。

〃I　have　slept　badly；〃　she　answered；　〃and　I　must　beg　you　to　excuse　my　absence　at　breakfast…time。〃　She　called　him　back　as　he　was　about　to　withdraw。　〃Remember；〃　she　said；　〃when　you　return　from　the　gallery　to…day；　I　expect　that　you　will　not　return　alone。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　*　　*　　*　　*　　*　　*

Three　hours　later　he　was　at　home　again。　The　young　lady's　services　as　a　copyist　were　at　his　disposal；　she　had　returned　with　him　to　look　at　the　drawings。

The　sitting…room　was　empty　when　they　entered　it。　He　rang　for　his　wife's　maidand　was　informed　that　Mrs。　Lismore　had　gone　out。　Refusing　to　believe　the　woman；　he　went　to　his　wife's　apartments。　She　was　not　to　be　found。

When　he　returned　to　the　sitting…room；　the　young　lady　was　not　unnaturall