little novels-第64章

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to　use　my　influence　with　the　man　to　make　him　change　his　purpose；　and　I　succeeded　in　effecting　the　necessary　arrangements　for　having　the　poor　wretch　properly　looked　after。　On　my　return　to　my　own　house；　I　wrote　to　a　brother　magistrate　living　near　me；　and　to　the　superintendent　of　our　county　asylum；　requesting　them　to　consult　with　me　on　the　best　means　of　lawfully　restraining　Captain　Stanwick　until　we　could　communicate　with　his　relations。　Could　I　have　done　more　than　this？　The　event　of　the　next　morning　answered　that　questionanswered　it　at　once　and　forever。

III。

PRESENTING　myself　at　Nettlegrove　Hall　toward　sunset；　to　take　charge　of　Miss　Laroche；　I　was　met　by　an　obstacle　in　the　shape　of　a　protest　from　her　aunt。

This　good　lady　had　been　informed　of　the　appearance　of　Captain　Stanwick　in　the　park；　and　she　strongly　disapproved　of　encouraging　any　further　communication　with　him　on　the　part　of　her　niece。　She　also　considered　that　I　had　failed　in　my　duty　in　still　leaving　the　Captain　at　liberty。　I　told　her　that　I　was　only　waiting　to　act　on　the　advice　of　competent　persons；　who　would　arrive　the　next　day　to　consult　with　me；　and　I　did　my　best　to　persuade　her　of　the　wisdom　of　the　course　that　I　had　taken　in　the　meantime。　Miss　Laroche；　on　her　side；　was　resolved　to　be　true　to　the　promise　that　she　had　given。　Between　us；　we　induced　her　aunt　to　yield　on　certain　conditions。

〃I　know　the　part　of　the　park　in　which　the　meeting　is　to　take　place；〃　the　old　lady　said；　〃it　is　my　niece's　favorite　walk。　If　she　is　not　brought　back　to　me　in　half　an　hour's　time；　I　shall　send　the　men…servants　to　protect　her。〃

The　twilight　was　falling　when　we　reached　the　appointed　place。　We　found　Captain　Stanwick　angry　and　suspicious；　it　was　not　easy　to　pacify　him　on　the　subject　of　our　delay。　His　insanity　seemed　to　me　to　be　now　more　marked　than　ever。　He　had　seen；　or　dreamed　of　seeing；　the　ghost　during　the　past　night。　For　the　first　time　（he　said）　the　apparition　of　the　dead　man　had　spoken　to　him。　In　solemn　words　it　had　condemned　him　to　expiate　his　crime　by　giving　his　life　for　the　life　that　he　had　taken。　It　had　warned　him　not　to　insist　on　marriage　with　Bertha　Laroche：　〃She　shall　share　your　punishment　if　she　shares　your　life。　And　you　shall　know　it　by　this　sign_She　shall　see　me　as　you　see　me。_

I　tried　to　compose　him。　He　shook　his　head　in　immovable　despair。　〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃if　she　sees　him　when　I　see　him；　there　ends　the　one　hope　of　release　that　holds　me　to　life。　It　will　be　good…by　between　us；　and　good…by　forever！〃

We　had　walked　on；　while　we　were　speaking；　to　a　part　of　the　park　through　which　there　flowed　a　rivulet　of　clear　water。　On　the　further　bank；　the　open　ground　led　down　into　a　wooded　valley。　On　our　side　of　the　stream　rose　a　thick　plantation　of　fir…trees　intersected　by　a　winding　path。　Captain　Stanwick　stopped　as　we　reached　the　place。　His　eyes　rested；　in　the　darkening　twilight；　on　the　narrow　space　pierced　by　the　path　among　the　trees。　On　a　sudden　he　lifted　his　right　hand；　with　the　same　cry　of　pain　which　we　had　heard　before；　with　his　left　hand　he　took　Miss　Laroche　by　the　arm。　〃There！〃　he　said。　〃Look　where　I　look！　Do　you　see　him　there？〃

As　the　words　passed　his　lips；　a　dimly…visible　figure　appeared；　advancing　toward　us　along　the　path。

Was　it　the　figure　of　a　living　man？　or　was　it　the　creation　of　my　own　excited　fancy？　Before　I　could　ask　myself　the　question；　the　man　advanced　a　step　nearer　to　us。　A　last　gleam　of　the　dying　light　fell　on　his　face　through　an　opening　in　the　trees。　At　the　same　instant　Miss　Laroche　started　back　from　Captain　Stanwick　with　a　scream　of　terror。　She　would　have　fallen　if　I　had　not　been　near　enough　to　support　her。　The　Captain　was　instantly　at　her　side　again。　〃Speak！〃　he　cried。　〃Do　_you_　see　it；　too？〃

She　was　just　able　to　say　〃Yes〃　before　she　fainted　in　my　arms。

He　stooped　over　her；　and　touched　her　cold　cheek　with　his　lips。　〃Goodby！〃　he　said；　in　tones　suddenly　and　strangely　changed　to　the　most　exquisite　tenderness。　〃Good…by；　forever！〃

He　leaped　the　rivulet；　he　crossed　the　open　ground；　he　was　lost　to　sight　in　the　valley　beyond。

As　he　disappeared；　the　visionary　man　among　the　fir…trees　advanced；　passed　in　silence；　crossed　the　rivulet　at　a　bound；　and　vanished　as　the　figure　of　the　Captain　had　vanished　before　him。

I　was　left　alone　with　the　swooning　woman。　Not　a　sound；　far　or　near；　broke　the　stillness　of　the　coming　night。

No　5。Mr。　Frederic　Darnel；　Member　of　the　College　of　Surgeons；　testifies　and　says：

IN　the　intervals　of　my　professional　duty　I　am　accustomed　to　occupy　myself　in　studying　Botany；　assisted　by　a　friend　and　neighbor；　whose　tastes　in　this　respect　resemble　my　own。　When　I　can　spare　an　hour　or　two　from　my　patients；　we　go　out　together　searching　for　specimens。　Our　favorite　place　is　Herne　Wood。　It　is　rich　in　material　for　the　botanist；　and　it　is　only　a　mile　distant　from　the　village　in　which　I　live。

Early　in　July；　my　friend　and　I　made　a　discovery　in　the　wood　of　a　very　alarming　and　unexpected　kind。　We　found　a　man　in　the　clearing；　prostrated　by　a　dangerous　wound；　and　to　all　appearance　dead。

We　carried　him　to　the　gamekeeper's　cottage　on　the　outskirts　of　the　woods；　and　on　the　side　of　it　nearest　to　our　village。　He　and　his　boy　were　out；　but　the　light　cart　in　which　he　makes　his　rounds；　in　the　remoter　part　of　his　master's　property；　was　in　the　outhouse。　While　my　friend　was　putting　the　horse　to；　I　examined　the　stranger's　wound。　It　had　been　quite　recently　inflicted；　and　I　doubted　whether　it　had　（as　yet；　at　any　rate）　really　killed　him。　I　did　what　I　could　with　the　linen　and　cold　water　which　the　gamekeeper's　wife　offered　to　me；　and　then　my　friend　and　I　removed　him　carefully　to　my　house　in　the　cart。　I　applied　the　necessary　restoratives；　and　I　had　the　pleasure　of　satisfying　myself　that　the　vital　powers　had　revived。　He　was　perfectly　unconscious；　of　course；　but　the　action　of　the　heart　became　distinctly　perceptible；　and　I　had　hopes。

In　a　few　days　more　I　felt　fairly　sure　of　him。　Then　the　usual　fever　set　in。　I　was　obliged；　in　justice　to　his　friends；　to　search　his　clothes　in　presence　of　a　witness。　We　found　his　handkerchief；　his　purse；　and　his　cigar…case；　and　nothing　more。　No　letters　or　visiting　cards；　nothing　marked　on　his　clothes　but　initials。　There　was　no　help　for　it　but　to　wait　to　identify　him　until　he　could　speak。

When　that　time　came；　he　acknowledged　to　me　that　he　had　divested　himself　purposely　of　any　clew　to　his　identity；　in　the　fear　（if　some　mischance　happened　to　him）　of　the　news　of　it　reaching　his　father　and　mother　abruptly；　by　means　of　the　newspapers。　He　had　sent　a　letter　to　his　bankers　in　London；　to　be　forwarded　to　his　parents；　if　the　bankers　neither　saw　him　nor　heard　from　him　in　a　month's　time。　His　first　act　was　to　withdraw　this　letter。　The　other　particulars　which　he　communicated　to　me　are；　I　am　told；　already　known。　I　need　only　add　that　I　willingly　kept　his　secret；　simply　speaking　of　him　in　the　neighborhood　as　a　traveler　from　foreign　parts　who　had　met　with　an　accident。

His　convalescence　was　a　long　one。　It　was　the　beginning　of　Octob　er　before　he　was　completely　restored　to　health。　When　he　left　us　he　went　to　London。　He　behaved　most　liberally　to　me；　and　we　parted　with　sincere　good　wishes　on　either　side。

No。　6。_Mr。　Lionel　Varleigh；　of　Boston；　U。　S。　A。；　testifies　and　says：_

MY　first　proceeding；　on　my　recovery；　was　to　go　to　the　relations　of　Captain　Stanwick　in　London；　for　the　purpose　of　making　inquiries　about　him。

I　do　not　wish　to　justify　myself　at　the　expense　of　that　miserable　man。　It　is　true　that　I　loved　Miss　Laroche　too　dearly　to　yield　her　to　any　rival　except　at　her　own　wish。　It　is　also　true　that　Captain　Stanwick　more　than　once　insulted　me；　and　that　I　endured　it。　He　had　suffered　from　sunstroke　in　India；　and　in　his　angry　moments　he　was　hardly　a　responsible　being。　It　was　only　when　he　threatened　me　with　personal　chastisement　that　my　patience　gave　way。　We　met　sword　in　hand。　In　my　mind　was　the　resolution　to　spare　his　life。　In　his　mind　was　the　resolution　to　kill　me。　I　have　forgiven　him。　I　will　say　no　more。

His　relations　informed　me　of　the　symptoms　of　insane　delusion　which　he　had　shown　after　the　duel；　of　his　escape　from　the　asylum　in　which　he　had　been　confined；　and　of　the　failure　to　find　him　again。

The　moment　I　heard　this　news　the　dread　crossed　my　mind　that　Stanwick　had　found　his　way　to　Miss　Laroche。　In　an　hour　more　I　was　traveling　to　Nettlegrove　Hall。

I　arrived　late　in　the　evening；　and　found　Miss　Laroche's　aunt　in　great　alarm　about　her　niece's　safety。　The　young　lady　was　at　that　very　moment　speaking　to　Stanwick　in　the　park；　with　only　an　old　man　（the　rector）　to　protect　her。　I　volunteered　to　go　at　once；　and　assist　in　taking　care　of　her。　A　servant　accompanied　me　to　show　me　the　place　of　meeting。　We　heard　voices　indistinctly；　but　saw　no　one。　The　servant　pointed　to　a　path　through　the　fir…trees。　I　went　on　quickly　by　myself；　leaving　the　man　within　call。　In　a　few　minutes　I　came　upon　them　suddenly；　at　a　little　distance　from　me；　on　the　bank　of　a　stream。

The　fear　of　seriously　alarming　Miss　Laroche；　if　I　showed　myself　too　suddenly；　deprived　me　for　a　moment　of　my　presence　of　mind。　Pausing　to　consider　what　it　might　be　best　to　do；　I　was　less　completely　protected　from　discovery　by　the　trees　than　I　had　supposed。　She　had　seen　me；　I　heard　her　cry　of　alarm。　The　instant　afterward　I　saw　Stanwick　leap　over　the　rivulet　and　take　to　flight。　That　action　roused　me。　Without　stopping　for　a　word　of　explanation；　I　pursued　him。

Unhappily；　I　missed　my　footing　in　the　obscure　light；　and　fell　on　the　open　ground　beyond　the　stream。　When　I　had　gained　my　feet　once　more；　Stanwick　had　disappeared　among　the　trees　which　marked　the　boundary　of　the　park　beyond　me。　I　could　see　nothing　of　him；　and　I　could　hear　nothing　of　him；　when　I　came　out　on　the　high…road。　There　I　met　with　a　laboring　man　who　showed　me　the　way　to　the　village。　From　the　inn　I　sent　a　letter　to　Miss　Laroche's　aunt；　explaining　what　had　happened；　and　asking　leave　to　call　at　the　Hall　on　the　next　day。

Early　in　the　morning　the　rector　came　to　me　at　the　inn。　He　brought　sad　news。　Miss　Laroche　was　suffering　from　a　nervous　attack；　and　my　visit　to　the　Hall　must　be　deferred。　Speaking　next　of　the　missing　man；　I　heard　all　that　Mr。　Loring　could　tell　me。　My　intimate　knowledge　of　Stanwick　enabled　me　to　draw　my　own　conclusion　from　the　facts。　The　thought　instantly　crossed　my　mind　that　the　poor　wretch　might　have　committed　his　expiatory　suicide　at　the　very　spot　on　which　he　had　attempted　to　kill　me。　Leaving　the　rector　to　institute　the　necessary　inquiries；　I　took　post…horses　to　Maplesworth　on　my　way　to　Herne　Wood。

Advancing　from　the　high…road　to　the　wood；　I　saw　two　persons　at　a　little　distance　from　mea　man　in　the　dress　of　a　gamekeeper；　and　a　lad。　I　was　too　much　agitated　to　take　any　special　notice　of　them；　I　hurried　along　the　path　which　led　to　the　clearing。　My　presentiment　had　not　misled　me。　There　he　lay；　dead　on　the　scene　of　the　duel；　with　a　blood…stained　razor　by　his　side！　I　fell　on　my　knees　by　the　corpse；　I　took　his　cold　hand　in　mine；　and　I　thanked　God　that　I　had　forgiven　him　in　the　first　days　of　my　recovery。

I　was　still　kneeling；　when　I　felt　myself　seized　from　behind。　I　struggled　to　my　feet；　and　confronted　the　gamekeeper。　He　had　noticed　my　hurry　in　entering　the　wood；　his　suspicions　had　been　aroused；　and　he　and　the　lad　had　followed　me。