little novels-第59章

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ou　spared　my　life。　Have　I　remembered　it；　too？〃

For　once；　there　was　an　Englishman　who　was　not　contented　to　express　the　noblest　emotions　that　humanity　can　feel　by　the　commonplace　ceremony　of　shaking　hands。　Percy's　heart　overflowed。　In　an　outburst　of　unutterable　gratitude　he　threw　himself　on　Bervie's　breast。　As　brothers　the　two　men　embraced。　As　brothers　they　loved　and　trusted　one　another；　from　that　day　forth。

The　door　on　the　right　was　softly　opened　from　within。　A　charming　facethe　dark　eyes　bright　with　happy　tears；　the　rosy　lips　just　opening　into　a　smilepeeped　into　the　room。　A　low　sweet　voice；　with　an　under…note　of　trembling　in　it；　made　this　modest　protest；　in　the　form　of　an　inquiry：

〃When　you　have　quite　done；　Percy；　with　our　good　friend；　perhaps　you　will　have　something　to　say　to　ME？〃

LAST　WORDS。

THE　persons　immediately　interested　in　the　marriage　of　Percy　and　Charlotte　were　the　only　persons　present　at　the　ceremony。

At　the　little　breakfast　afterward；　in　the　French　hotel；　Mr。　Bowmore　insisted　on　making　a　speech　to　a　select　audience　of　six；　namely；　the　bride　and　bridegroom；　the　bridesmaid；　the　Chaplain；　the　Captain；　and　Mrs。　Bowmore。　But　what　does　a　small　audience　matter？　The　English　frenzy　for　making　speeches　is　not　to　be　cooled　by　such　a　trifle　as　that。　At　the　end　of　the　world；　the　expiring　forces　of　Nature　will　hear　a　dreadful　voicethe　voice　of　the　last　Englishman　delivering　the　last　speech。

Percy　wisely　made　his　honeymoon　a　long　one；　he　determined　to　be　quite　sure　of　his　superior　influence　over　his　wife　before　he　trusted　her　within　reach　of　her　father　again。

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Bowmore　accompanied　Captain　Bervie　and　Miss　Bervie　on　their　way　back　to　England；　as　far　as　Boulogne。　In　that　pleasant　town　the　banished　patriot　set　up　his　tent。　It　was　a　cheaper　place　to　live　in　than　Paris；　and　it　was　conveniently　close　to　England；　when　he　had　quite　made　up　his　mind　whether　to　be　an　exile　on　the　Continent；　or　to　go　back　to　his　own　country　and　be　a　martyr　in　prison。　In　the　end；　the　course　of　events　settled　that　question　for　him。　Mr。　Bowmore　returned　to　England；　with　the　return　of　the　Habeas　Corpus　Act。


The　years　passed。　Percy　and　Charlotte　（judged　from　the　romantic　point　of　view）　became　two　uninteresting　married　people。　Bervie　（always　remaining　a　bachelor）　rose　steadily　in　his　profession；　through　the　higher　grades　of　military　rank。　Mr。　Bowmore；　wisely　overlooked　by　a　new　Government；　sank　back　again　into　the　obscurity　from　which　shrewd　Ministers　would　never　have　assisted　him　to　emerge。　The　one　subject　of　interest　left；　among　the　persons　of　this　little　drama；　was　now　represented　by　Doctor　Lagarde。　Thus　far；　not　a　trace　had　been　discovered　of　the　French　physician；　who　had　so　strangely　associated　the　visions　of　his　magnetic　sleep　with　the　destinies　of　the　two　men　who　had　consulted　him。

Steadfastly　maintaining　his　own　opinion　of　the　prediction　and　the　fulfillment；　Bervie　persisted　in　believing　that　he　and　Lagarde　（or　Percy　and　Lagarde）　were　yet　destined　to　meet；　and　resume　the　unfinished　consultation　at　the　point　where　it　had　been　broken　off。　Persons；　happy　in　the　possession　of　〃sound　common　sense；〃　who　declared　the　prediction　to　be　skilled　guesswork；　and　the　fulfillment　manifest　coincidence；　ridiculed　the　idea　of　finding　Doctor　Lagarde　as　closely　akin　to　that　other　celebrated　idea　of　finding　the　needle　in　the　bottle　of　hay。　But　Bervie's　obstinacy　was　proverbial。　Nothing　shook　his　confidence　in　his　own　convictions。

More　than　thirteen　years　had　elapsed　since　the　consultation　at　the　Doctor's　lodgings；　when　Bervie　went　to　Paris　to　spend　a　summer　holiday　with　his　friend；　the　chaplain　at　the　English　embassy。　His　last　words　to　Percy　and　Charlotte　when　he　took　his　leave　were：　〃Suppose　I　meet　with　Doctor　Lagarde？〃

It　was　then　the　year　1830。　Bervie　arrived　at　his　friend's　rooms　on　the　24th　of　July。　On　the　27th　of　the　month　the　famous　revolution　broke　out　which　dethroned　Charles　the　Tenth　in　three　days。

On　the　second　day；　Bervie　and　his　host　ventured　into　the　streets；　watching　the　revolution　（like　other　reckless　Englishmen）　at　the　risk　of　their　lives。　In　the　confusion　around　them　they　were　separated。　Bervie；　searching　for　his　companion；　found　his　progress　stopped　by　a　barricade；　which　had　been　desperately　attacked；　and　desperately　defended。　Men　in　blouses　and　men　in　uniform　lay　dead　and　dying　together：　the　tricolored　flag　waved　over　them；　in　token　of　the　victory　of　the　people。

Bervie　had　just　revived　a　poor　wretch　with　a　drink　from　an　overthrown　bowl　of　water；　which　still　had　a　few　drops　left　in　it；　when　he　felt　a　hand　laid　on　his　shoulder　from　behind。　He　turned　and　discovered　a　National　Guard；　who　had　been　watching　his　charitable　action。　〃Give　a　helping　hand　to　that　poor　fellow；〃　said　the　citizen…soldier；　pointing　to　a　workman　standing　near；　grimed　with　blood　and　gunpowder。　The　tears　were　rolling　down　the　man's　cheeks。　〃I　can't　see　my　way；　sir；　for　crying；〃　he　said。　〃Help　me　to　carry　that　sad　burden　into　the　next　street。〃　He　pointed　to　a　rude　wooden　litter；　on　which　lay　a　dead　or　wounded　man；　his　face　and　breast　covered　with　an　old　cloak。　〃There　is　the　best　friend　the　people　ever　had；〃　the　workman　said。　〃He　cured　us；　comforted　us；　respected　us；　loved　us。　And　there　he　lies；　shot　dead　while　he　was　binding　up　the　wounds　of　friends　and　enemies　alike！〃

〃Whoever　he　is；　he　has　died　nobly；〃　Bervie　answered　〃May　I　look　at　him？〃

The　workman　signed　that　he　might　look。

Bervie　lifted　the　cloakand　met　with　Doctor　Lagarde　once　more。


MISS　BERTHA　AND　THE　YANKEE。

＇PRELIMINARY　STATEMENTS　OF　WITNESSES　FOR　THE　DEFENSE；　COLLECTED　AT　THE　OFFICE　OF　THE　SOLICITOR。＇

No。　1。Miss　Bertha　Laroche；　of　Nettlegrove　Hall；　testifies　and　says：

I。

TOWARD　the　middle　of　June；　in　the　year　1817；　I　went　to　take　the　waters　at　Maplesworth；　in　Derbyshire；　accompanied　by　my　nearest　relativemy　aunt。

I　am　an　only　child；　and　I　was　twenty…one　years　old　at　my　last　birthday。　On　coming　of　age　I　inherited　a　house　and　lands　in　Derbyshire；　together　with　a　fortune　in　money　of　one　hundred　thousand　pounds。　The　only　education　which　I　have　received　has　been　obtained　within　the　last　two　or　three　years　of　my　life；　and　I　have　thus　far　seen　nothing　of　Society；　in　England　or　in　any　other　civilized　part　of　the　world。　I　can　be　a　competent　witness；　it　seems；　in　spite　of　these　disadvantages。　Anyhow；　I　mean　to　tell　the　truth。

My　father　was　a　French　colonist　in　the　island　of　Saint　Domingo。　He　died　while　I　was　very　young；　leaving　to　my　mother　and　to　me　just　enough　to　live　on；　in　the　remote　part　of　the　island　in　which　our　little　property　was　situated。　My　mother　was　an　Englishwoman。　Her　delicate　health　made　it　necessary　for　her　to　leave　me；　for　many　hours　of　the　day；　under　the　care　of　our　household　slaves。　I　can　never　forget　their　kindness　to　me；　but；　unfortunately；　their　ignorance　equaled　their　kindness。　If　we　had　been　rich　enough　to　send　to　France　or　England　for　a　competent　governess　we　might　have　done　very　well。　But　we　were　not　rich　enough。　I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　I　was　nearly　thirteen　years　old　before　I　had　learned　to　read　and　write　correctly。

Four　more　years　passedand　then　there　came　a　wonderful　event　in　our　lives；　which　was　nothing　less　than　the　change　from　Saint　Domingo　to　England。

My　mother　was　distantly　related　to　an　ancient　and　wealthy　English　family。　She　seriously　offended　those　proud　people　by　marrying　an　obscure　foreigner；　who　had　nothing　to　live　on　but　his　morsel　of　land　in　the　West　Indies。　Having　no　expectations　from　her　relatives；　my　mother　preferred　happiness　with　the　man　she　loved　to　every　other　consideration；　and　I；　for　one；　think　she　was　right。　From　that　moment　she　was　cast　off　by　the　head　of　the　family。　For　eighteen　years　of　her　life；　as　wife；　mother；　and　widow；　no　letters　came　to　her　from　her　English　home。　We　had　just　celebrated　my　seventeenth　birthday　when　the　first　letter　came。　It　informed　my　mother　that　no　less　than　three　lives；　which　stood　between　her　and　the　inheritance　of　certain　portions　of　the　family　property；　had　been　swept　away　by　death。　The　estate　and　the　fortune　which　I　have　already　mentioned　had　fallen　to　her　in　due　course　of　law；　and　her　surviving　relatives　were　magnanimously　ready　to　forgive　her　at　last！

We　wound　up　our　affairs　at　Saint　Domingo；　and　we　went　to　England　to　take　possession　of　our　new　wealth。

At　first；　the　return　to　her　native　air　seemed　to　have　a　beneficial　effect　on　my　mother's　health。　But　it　was　a　temporary　improvement　only。　Her　constitution　had　been　fatally　injured　by　the　West　Indian　climate；　and　just　as　we　had　engaged　a　competent　person　to　look　after　my　neglected　education；　my　constant　attendance　was　needed　at　my　mother's　bedside。　We　loved　each　other　dearly；　and　we　wanted　no　strange　nurses　to　come　between　us。　My　aunt　（my　mother's　sister）　relieved　me　of　my　cares　in　the　intervals　when　I　wanted　rest。

For　seven　sad　months　our　dear　sufferer　lingered。　I　have　only　one　remembrance　to　comfort　me；　my　mother's　last　kiss　was　mineshe　died　peacefully　with　her　head　on　my　bosom。

I　was　nearly　nineteen　years　old　before　I　had　sufficiently　rallied　my　courage　to　be　able　to　think　seriously　of　myself　and　my　prospects。

At　that　age　one　does　not　willingly　submit　one's　self　for　the　first　time　to　the　authority　of　a　governess。　Having　my　aunt　for　a　companion　and　protectress；　I　proposed　to　engage　my　own　masters　and　to　superintend　my　own　education。

My　plans　failed　to　meet　with　the　approval　of　the　head　of　the　family。　He　declared　（most　unjustly；　as　the　event　proved）　that　my　aunt　was　not　a　fit　person　to　take　care　of　me。　She　had　passed　all　the　later　years　of　her　life　in　retirement。　A　good　creature；　he　admitted；　in　her　own　way；　but　she　had　no　knowledge　of　the　world；　and　no　firmness　of　character。　The　right　person　to　act　as　my　chaperon；　and　to　superintend　my　education；　was　the　high…minded　and　accomplished　woman　who　had　taught　his　own　daughters。

I　declined；　with　all　needful　gratitude　and　respect；　to　take　his　advice。　The　bare　idea　of　living　with　a　stranger　so　soon　after　my　mother's　death　revolted　me。　Besides；　I　liked　my　aunt；　and　my　aunt　liked　me。　Being　made　acquainted　with　my　decision；　the　head　of　the　family　cast　me　off；　exactly　as　he　had　cast　off　my　mother　before　me。

So　I　lived　in　retirement　with　my　good　aunt；　and　studied　industriously　to　improve　my　mind　until　my　twenty…first　birthday　came。　I　was　now　an　heiress；　privileged　to　think　and　act　for　myself。　My　aunt　kissed　me　tenderly。　We　talked　of　my　poor　mother；　and　we　cried　in　each　other's　arms　on　the　memorable　day　that　made　a　wealthy　woman　of　me。　In　a　little　time　more；　other　troubles　than　vain　regrets　for　the　dead　were　to　try　me；　and　other　tears　were　to　fill　my　eyes　than　the　tears　which　I　had　given　to　the　memory　of　my　mother。

II。

I　MAY　now　return　to　my　visit；　in　June；　1817；　to　the　healing　springs　at　Maplesworth。

This　famous　inland　watering…place　was　only　between　nine　and　ten　miles　from　my　new　home　called　Nettlegrove　Hall。　I　had　been　feeling　weak　and　out　of　spirits　for　some　months；　and　our　medical　adviser　recommended　change　of　scene　and　a　trial　of　the　waters　at　Maplesworth。　My　aunt　and　I　established　ourselves　in　comfortable　apartments；　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　the　chief　doctor　in　the　place。　This　otherwise　harmless　and　worthy　man　proved；　strangely　enough；　to　be　the　innocen