little novels-第68章

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ntaining　these　words：　〃I　thought　you　would　like　to　say　good…by　to　Mrs。　Evelin。　I　have　told　her　to　expect　you　in　the　library；　and　I　will　take　care　that　you　are　not　disturbed。〃

Waiting　at　the　window　of　her　sitting…room；　on　the　upper　floor；　Lady　Howel　perceived　that　the　delicate　generosity　of　her　conduct　had　been　gratefully　felt。　The　interview　in　the　library　barely　lasted　for　five　minutes。　She　saw　Mrs。　Evelin　leave　the　house　with　her　veil　down。　Immediately　afterward；　Beaucourt　ascended　to　his　wife's　room　to　thank　her。　Carefully　as　he　had　endeavored　to　hide　them；　the　traces　of　tears　in　his　eyes　told　her　how　cruelly　the　parting　scene　had　tried　him。　It　was　a　bitter　moment　for　his　admirable　wife。　〃Do　you　wish　me　dead？〃　she　asked　with　sad　self…possession。　〃Live；〃　he　said；　〃and　live　happily；　if　you　wish　to　make　me　happy　too。〃　He　drew　her　to　him　and　kissed　her　forehead。　Lady　Howel　had　her　reward。

Part　III。

NEWS　FROM　THE　COLONY。

VI。

FURNISHED　with　elaborate　instructions　to　guide　him；　which　included　golden　materials　for　bribery；　a　young　Jew　holding　the　place　of　third　clerk　in　the　office　of　Dick's　lawyer　was　sent　to　the　town　of　Grailey　to　make　discoveries。　In　the　matter　of　successfully　instituting　private　inquiries；　he　was　justly　considered　to　be　a　match　for　any　two　Christians　who　might　try　to　put　obstacles　in　his　way。　His　name　was　Moses　Jackling。

Entering　the　cigar…shop；　the　Jew　discovered　that　he　had　presented　himself　at　a　critical　moment。

A　girl　and　a　man　were　standing　behind　the　counter。　The　girl　looked　like　a　maid…of…all…work：　she　was　rubbing　the　tears　out　of　her　eyes　with　a　big　red　fist。　The　man；　smart　in　manner　and　shabby　in　dress；　received　the　stranger　with　a　peremptory　eagerness　to　do　business。　〃Now；　then！　what　for　you？〃　Jackling　bought　the　worst　cigar　he　had　ever　smoked；　in　the　course　of　an　enormous　experience　of　bad　tobacco；　and　tried　a　few　questions　with　this　result。　The　girl　had　lost　her　place；　the　man　was　in　〃possession〃；　and　the　stock　and　furniture　had　been　seized　for　debt。　Jackling　thereupon　assumed　the　character　of　a　creditor；　and　ask　to　speak　with　the　mistress。

〃She's　too　ill　to　see　you；　sir；〃　the　girl　said。

〃Tell　the　truth；　you　fool；〃　cried　the　man　in　possession。　He　led　the　way　to　a　door　with　a　glass　in　the　upper　part　of　it；　which　opened　into　a　parlor　behind　the　shop。　As　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；　Jackling　whispered　to　the　maid；　〃When　I　go；　slip　out　after　me；　I've　got　something　for　you。〃　The　man　lifted　the　curtain　over　the　glass。　〃Look　through；〃　he　said；　〃and　see　what's　the　matter　with　her　for　yourself。〃

Jackling　discovered　the　mistress　flat　on　her　back　on　the　floor；　helplessly　drunk。　That　was　enough　for　the　clerkso　far。　He　took　leave　of　the　man　in　possession；　with　the　one　joke　which　never　wears　out　in　the　estimation　of　Englishmen；　the　joke　that　foresees　the　drinker's　headache　in　the　morning。　In　a　minute　or　two　more　the　girl　showed　herself；　carrying　an　empty　jug。　She　had　been　sent　for　the　man's　beer；　and　she　was　expected　back　directly。　Jackling；　having　first　overwhelmed　her　by　a　present　of　five　shillings；　proposed　another　appointment　in　the　evening。　The　maid　promised　to　be　at　the　place　of　meeting；　and　in　memory　of　the　five　shillings　she　kept　her　word。

〃What　wages　do　you　get？〃　was　the　first　question　that　astonished　her。

〃Three　pounds　a　year；　sir；〃　the　unfortunate　creature　replied。

〃All　paid？〃

〃Only　one　pound　paidand　I　say　it's　a　crying　shame。〃

〃Say　what　you　like；　my　dear；　so　long　as　you　listen　to　me。　I　want　to　know　everything　that　your　mistress　says　and　doesfirst　when　she's　drunk；　and　then　when　she's　sober。　Wait　a　bit；　I　haven't　done　yet。　If　you　tell　me　everything　you　can　remembermind　_　everything_I'll　pay　the　rest　of　your　wages。〃

Madly　excited　by　this　golden　prospect；　the　victim　of　domestic　service　answered　inarticulately　with　a　scream。　Jackling's　right　hand　and　left　hand　entered　his　pockets；　and　appeared　again　holding　two　sovereigns　separately　between　two　fingers　and　thumbs。　From　that　moment；　he　was　at　liberty　to　empty　the　maid…of…all…work's　memory　of　every　saying　and　doing　that　it　contained。

The　sober　moments　of　the　mistress　yielded　little　or　nothing　to　investigation。　The　report　of　her　drunken　moments　produced　something　worth　hearing。　There　were　two　men　whom　it　was　her　habit　to　revile　bitterly　in　her　cups。　One　of　them　was　Mr。　Evelin；　whom　she　abusedsometimes　for　the　small　allowance　that　he　made　to　her；　sometimes　for　dying　before　she　could　prosecute　him　for　bigamy。　Her　drunken　remembrances　of　the　other　man　were　associated　with　two　names。　She　called　him　〃Septimus〃；　she　called　him　〃Darts〃；　and　she　despised　him　occasionally　for　being　a　〃common　sailor。〃　It　was　clearly　demonstrated　that　he　was　one　man；　and　not　two。　Whether　he　was　〃Septimus；〃　or　whether　he　was　〃Darts；〃　he　had　always　committed　the　same　atrocities。　He　had　taken　her　money　away　from　her；　he　had　called　her　by　an　atrocious　name；　and　he　had　knocked　her　down　on　more　than　one　occasion。　Provided　with　this　information；　Jackling　rewarded　the　girl；　and　paid　a　visit　to　her　mistress　the　next　day。

The　miserable　woman　was　exactly　in　the　state　of　nervous　prostration　（after　the　excess　of　the　previous　evening）　which　offered　to　the　clerk　his　best　chance　of　gaining　his　end。　He　presented　himself　as　the　representative　of　friends；　bent　on　helping　her；　whose　modest　benevolence　had　positively　forbidden　him　to　mention　their　names。

〃What　sum　of　money　must　you　pay；〃　he　asked；　〃to　get　rid　of　the　man　in　possession？〃

Too　completely　bewildered　to　speak；　her　trembling　hand　offered　to　him　a　slip　of　paper　on　which　the　amount　of　the　debt　and　the　expenses　was　set　forth：　L51　12s。　10d。

With　some　difficulty　the　Jew　preserved　his　gravity。　〃Very　well；〃　he　resumed。　〃I　will　make　it　up　to　sixty　pounds　（to　set　you　going　again）　on　two　conditions。〃

She　suddenly　recovered　her　power　of　speech。　〃Give　me　the　money！〃　she　cried；　with　greedy　impatience　of　delay。

〃First　condition；〃　he　continued；　without　noticing　the　interruption：　〃you　are　not　to　suffer；　either　in　purse　or　person；　if　you　give　us　the　information　that　we　want。〃

She　interrupted　him　again。　〃Tell　me　what　it　is；　and　be　quick　about　it。〃

〃Second　condition；〃　he　went　on　as　impenetrably　as　ever；　〃you　take　me　to　the　place　where　I　can　find　the　certificate　of　your　marriage　to　Septimus　Darts。〃

Her　eyes　glared　at　him　like　the　eyes　of　a　wild　animal。　Furies；　hysterics；　faintings；　denials；　threatsJackling　endured　them　all　by　turns。　It　was　enough　for　him　that　his　desperate　guess　of　the　evening　before；　had　hit　the　mark　on　the　morning　after。　When　she　had　completely　exhausted　herself　he　returned　to　the　experiment　which　he　had　already　tried　with　the　maid。　Well　aware　of　the　advantage　of　exhibiting　gold　instead　of　notes；　when　the　object　is　to　tempt　poverty；　he　produced　the　promised　bribe　in　sovereigns；　pouring　them　playfully　backward　and　forward　from　one　big　hand　to　the　other。

The　temptation　was　more　than　the　woman　could　resist。　In　another　half…hour　the　two　were　traveling　together　to　a　town　in　one　of　the　midland　counties。

The　certificate　was　found　in　the　church　register；　and　duly　copied。

It　also　appeared　that　one　of　the　witnesses　to　the　marriage　was　still　living。　His　name　and　address　were　duly　noted　in　the　clerk's　pocketbook。　Subsequent　inquiry；　at　the　office　of　the　Customs　Comptroller；　discovered　the　name　of　Septimus　Darts　on　the　captain's　official　list　of　the　crew　of　an　outward　bound　merchant　vessel。　With　this　information；　and　with　a　photographic　portrait　to　complete　it；　the　man　was　discovered；　alive　and　hearty；　on　the　return　of　the　ship　to　her　port。

His　wife's　explanation　of　her　conduct　included　the　customary　excuse　that　she　had　every　reason　to　believe　her　husband　to　be　dead；　and　was　followed　by　a　bold　assertion　that　she　had　married　Mr。　Evelin　for　love。　In　Moses　Jackling's　opinion　she　lied　when　she　said　this；　and　lied　again　when　she　threatened　to　prosecute　Mr。　Evelin　for　bigamy。　〃Take　my　word　for　it；〃　said　this　new　representative　of　the　unbelieving　Jew；　〃she　would　have　extorted　money　from　him　if　he　had　lived。〃　Delirium　tremens　left　this　question　unsettled；　and　closed　the　cigar　shop　soon　afterward；　under　the　authority　of　death。

The　good　news；　telegraphed　to　New　Zealand；　was　followed　by　a　letter　containing　details。

At　a　later　date；　a　telegram　arrived　from　Mrs。　Evelin。　She　had　reached　her　destination；　and　had　received　the　dispatch　which　told　her　that　she　had　been　lawfully　married。　A　letter　to　Lady　Howel　was　promised　by　the　next　mail。

While　the　necessary　term　of　delay　was　still　unexpired；　the　newspapers　received　the　intelligence　of　a　volcanic　eruption　in　the　northern　island　of　the　New　Zealand　group。　Later　particulars；　announcing　a　terrible　destruction　of　life　and　property；　included　the　homestead　in　which　Mrs。　Evelin　was　living。　The　farm　had　been　overwhelmed；　and　every　member　of　the　household　had　perished。

Part　IV。

THE　NIGHT　NURSE。

VII。

_Indorsed　as　follows：_　〃Reply　from　Sir　Richard；　addressed　to　Farleigh　&　Halford。〃

〃Your　courteous　letter　has　been　forwarded　to　my　house　in　the　country。

〃I　really　regret　that　you　should　have　thought　it　necessary　to　apologize　for　troubling　me。　Your　past　kindness　to　the　unhappy　Mrs。　Evelin　gives　you　a　friendly　claim　on　me　which　I　gladly　recognizeas　you　shall　soon　see。

〃　'The　extraordinary　story；'　as　you　very　naturally　call　it；　is　nevertheless　true。　I　am　the　only　person　now　at　your　disposal　who　can　speak　as　an　eye…witness　of　the　events。

〃In　the　first　place　I　must　tell　you　that　the　dreadful　intelligence；　received　from　New　Zealand；　had　an　effect　on　Lord　Howel　Beaucourt　which　shocked　his　friends　and　inexpressibly　distressed　his　admirable　wife。　I　can　only　describe　him；　at　that　time；　as　a　man　struck　down　in　mind　and　body　alike。

〃Lady　Howel　was　unremitting　in　her　efforts　to　console　him。　He　was　thankful　and　gentle。　It　was　true　that　no　complaint　could　be　made　of　him。　It　was　equally　true　that　no　change　for　the　better　rewarded　the　devotion　of　his　wife。

〃The　state　of　feeling　which　this　implied　imbittered　the　disappointment　that　Lady　Howel　naturally　felt。　As　some　relief　to　her　overburdened　mind；　she　associated　herself　with　the　work　of　mercy；　carried　on　under　the　superintendence　of　the　rector　of　the　parish。　I　thought　he　was　wrong　in　permitting　a　woman；　at　her　advanced　time　of　life；　to　run　the　risk　encountered　in　visiting　the　sick　and　suffering　poor　at　their　own　dwelling…places。　Circumstances；　however；　failed　to　justify　my　dread　of　the　perilous　influences　of　infection　and　foul　air。　The　one　untoward　event　that　happened；　seemed　to　be　too　trifling　to　afford　any　cause　for　anxiety。　Lady　Howel　caught　cold。

〃Unhappily；　she　treated　that　apparently　trivial　accident　with　indifference。　Her　husband　tried　in　vain　to　persuade　her　to　remain　at　home。　On　one　of　her　charitable　visits　she　was　overtaken　by　a　heavy　fall　of　rain；　and　a　shivering　fit　seized　her　on　returning　to　the　house。　At　her　age　the　results　were　serious。　A　bronchial　attack　followed。　In　a　week　more；　the　dearest　and　best　of　women　had　left　us　nothing　to　love　but　the　memory　of　the　dead。

〃Her　last　words　were　faintly　whispered　to　me　in　her　husband's　presence：　'Take　care　of　him；'　the　dying　woman　said；　'when　I　am　gone。'

〃No　effort　of　mine　to　be　worthy　of　that　sacred　trust　was　left　untried。　How　could　I　hope