little novels-第7章

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〃Rouse　yourself！〃　he　repeated。　〃My　darling；　come　to　me！〃

At　the　instant　when　he　attempted　to　embrace　herat　the　instant　when　Mr。　Rayburn　rushed　into　the　roomJohn　Zant's　arms；　suddenly　turning　rigid；　remained　outstretched。　With　a　shriek　of　horror；　he　struggled　to　draw　them　backstruggled；　in　the　empty　brightness　of　the　sunshine；　as　if　some　invisible　grip　had　seized　him。

〃What　has　got　me？〃　the　wretch　screamed。　〃Who　is　holding　my　hands？　Oh；　the　cold　of　it！　the　cold　of　it！〃

His　features　became　convulsed；　his　eyes　turned　upward　until　only　the　white　eyeballs　were　visible。　He　fell　prostrate　with　a　crash　that　shook　the　room。

The　housekeeper　ran　in。　She　knelt　by　her　master's　body。　With　one　hand　she　loosened　his　cravat。　With　the　other　she　pointed　to　the　end　of　the　table。

Mrs。　Zant　still　kept　her　place；　but　there　was　another　change。　Little　by　little；　her　eyes　recovered　their　natural　living　expressionthen　slowly　closed。　She　tottered　backward　from　the　table；　and　lifted　her　hands　wildly；　as　if　to　grasp　at　something　which　might　support　her。　Mr。　Rayburn　hurried　to　her　before　she　felllifted　her　in　his　armsand　carried　her　out　of　the　room。

One　of　the　servants　met　them　in　the　hall。　He　sent　her　for　a　carriage。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　more；　Mrs。　Zant　was　safe　under　his　care　at　the　hotel。

XIII。

THAT　night　a　note；　written　by　the　housekeeper；　was　delivered　to　Mrs。　Zant。

〃The　doctors　give　little　hope。　The　paralytic　stroke　is　spreading　upward　to　his　face。　If　death　spares　him；　he　will　live　a　helpless　man。　I　shall　take　care　of　him　to　the　last。　As　for　youforget　him。〃

Mrs。　Zant　gave　the　note　to　Mr。　Rayburn。

〃Read　it；　and　destroy　it；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　written　in　ignorance　of　the　terrible　truth。〃

He　obeyedand　looked　at　her　in　silence；　waiting　to　hear　more。　She　hid　her　face。　The　few　words　she　had　addressed　to　him；　after　a　struggle　with　herself；　fell　slowly　and　reluctantly　from　her　lips。

She　said：　〃No　mortal　hand　held　the　hands　of　John　Zant。　The　guardian　spirit　was　with　me。　The　promised　protection　was　with　me。　I　know　it。　I　wish　to　know　no　more。〃

Having　spoken；　she　rose　to　retire。　He　opened　the　door　for　her；　seeing　that　she　needed　rest　in　her　own　room。

Left　by　himself；　he　began　to　consider　the　prospect　that　was　before　him　in　the　future。　How　was　he　to　regard　the　woman　who　had　just　left　him？　As　a　poor　creature　weakened　by　disease；　the　victim　of　her　own　nervous　delusion？　or　as　the　chosen　object　of　a　supernatural　revelationunparalleled　by　any　similar　revelation　that　he　had　heard　of；　or　had　found　recorded　in　books？　His　first　discovery　of　the　place　that　she　really　held　in　his　estimation　dawned　on　his　mind；　when　he　felt　himself　recoiling　from　the　conclusion　which　presented　her　to　his　pity；　and　yielding　to　the　nobler　conviction　which　felt　with　her　faith；　and　raised　her　to　a　place　apart　among　other　women。

XIV。

THEY　left　St。　Sallins　the　next　day。

Arrived　at　the　end　of　the　journey；　Lucy　held　fast　by　Mrs。　Zant's　hand。　Tears　were　rising　in　the　child's　eyes。

〃Are　we　to　bid　her　good…by？〃　she　said　sadly　to　her　father。

He　seemed　to　be　unwilling　to　trust　himself　to　speak；　he　only　said：

〃My　dear；　ask　her　yourself。〃

But　the　result　justified　him。　Lucy　was　happy　again。


MISS　MORRIS　AND　THE　STRANGER。

I。

WHEN　I　first　saw　him；　he　was　lost　in　one　of　the　Dead　Cities　of　Englandsituated　on　the　South　Coast；　and　called　Sandwich。

Shall　I　describe　Sandwich？　I　think　not。　Let　us　own　the　truth；　descriptions　of　places；　however　nicely　they　may　be　written；　are　always　more　or　less　dull。　Being　a　woman；　I　naturally　hate　dullness。　Perhaps　some　description　of　Sandwich　may　drop　out；　as　it　were；　from　my　report　of　our　conversation　when　we　first　met　as　strangers　in　the　street。

He　began　irritably。　〃I've　lost　myself；〃　he　said。

〃People　who　don't　know　the　town　often　do　that；〃　I　remarked。

He　went　on：　〃Which　is　my　way　to　the　Fleur　de　Lys　Inn？〃

His　way　was；　in　the　first　place；　to　retrace　his　steps。　Then　to　turn　to　the　left。　Then　to　go　on　until　he　found　two　streets　meeting。　Then　to　take　the　street　on　the　right。　Then　to　look　out　for　the　second　turning　on　the　left。　Then　to　follow　the　turning　until　he　smelled　stablesand　there　was　the　inn。　I　put　it　in　the　clearest　manner；　and　never　stumbled　over　a　word。

〃How　the　devil　am　I　to　remember　all　that？〃　he　said。

This　was　rude。　We　are　naturally　and　properly　indignant　with　any　man　who　is　rude　to　us。　But　whether　we　turn　our　backs　on　him　in　contempt；　or　whether　we　are　merciful　and　give　him　a　lesson　in　politeness；　depends　entirely　on　the　man。　He　may　be　a　bear；　but　he　may　also　have　his　redeeming　qualities。　This　man　had　redeeming　qualities。　I　cannot　positively　say　that　he　was　either　handsome　or　ugly；　young　or　old；　well　or　ill　dressed。　But　I　can　speak　with　certainty　to　the　personal　attractions　which　recommended　him　to　notice。　For　instance；　the　tone　of　his　voice　was　persuasive。　（Did　you　ever　read　a　story；　written　by　one　of　_us_；　in　which　we　failed　to　dwell　on　our　hero's　voice？）　Then；　again；　his　hair　was　reasonably　long。　（Are　you　acquainted　with　any　woman　who　can　endure　a　man　with　a　cropped　head？）　Moreover；　he　was　of　a　good　height。　（It　must　be　a　very　tall　woman　who　can　feel　favorably　inclined　toward　a　short　man。）　Lastly；　although　his　eyes　were　not　more　than　fairly　presentable　in　form　and　color；　the　wretch　had　in　some　unaccountable　manner　become　possessed　of　beautiful　eyelashes。　They　were　even　better　eyelashes　than　mine。　I　write　quite　seriously。　There　is　one　woman　who　is　above　the　common　weakness　of　vanityand　she　holds　the　present　pen。

So　I　gave　my　lost　stranger　a　lesson　in　politeness。　The　lesson　took　the　form　of　a　trap。　I　asked　him　if　he　would　like　me　to　show　him　the　way　to　the　inn。　He　was　still　annoyed　at　losing　himself。　As　I　had　anticipated；　he　bluntly　answered：　〃Yes。〃

〃When　you　were　a　boy；　and　you　wanted　something；〃　I　said；　〃did　your　mother　teach　you　to　say　'Please'？〃

He　positively　blushed。　〃She　did；〃　he　admitted；　〃and　she　taught　me　to　say　'Beg　your　pardon'　when　I　was　rude。　I'll　say　it　now：　'Beg　your　pardon。'　〃

This　curious　apology　increased　my　belief　in　his　redeeming　qualities。　I　led　the　way　to　the　inn。　He　followed　me　in　silence。　No　woman　who　respects　herself　can　endure　silence　when　she　is　in　the　company　of　a　man。　I　made　him　talk。

〃Do　you　come　to　us　from　Ramsgate？〃　I　began。　He　only　nodded　his　head。　〃We　don't　think　much　of　Ramsgate　here；〃　I　went　on。　〃There　is　not　an　old　building　in　the　place。　And　their　first　Mayor　was　only　elected　the　other　day！〃

This　point　of　view　seemed　to　be　new　to　him。　He　made　no　attempt　to　dispute　it；　he　only　looked　around　him；　and　said：　〃Sandwich　is　a　melancholy　place；　miss。〃　He　was　so　rapidly　improving　in　politeness；　that　I　encouraged　him　by　a　smile。　As　a　citizen　of　Sandwich；　I　may　say　that　we　take　it　as　a　compliment　when　we　are　told　that　our　town　is　a　melancholy　place。　And　why　not？　Melancholy　is　connected　with　dignity。　And　dignity　is　associated　with　age。　And　_we_　are　old。　I　teach　my　pupils　logic；　among　other　thingsthere　is　a　specimen。　Whatever　may　be　said　to　the　contrary；　women　can　reason。　They　can　also　wander；　and　I　must　admit　that　_I_　am　wandering。　Did　I　mention；　at　starting；　that　I　was　a　governess？　If　not；　that　allusion　to　〃pupils〃　must　have　come　in　rather　abruptly。　Let　me　make　my　excuses；　and　return　to　my　lost　stranger。

〃Is　there　any　such　thing　as　a　straight　street　in　all　Sandwich？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　one　straight　street　in　the　whole　town。〃

〃Any　trade；　miss？〃

〃As　little　as　possibleand　_that_　is　expiring。〃

〃A　decayed　place；　in　short？〃

〃Thoroughly　decayed。〃

My　tone　seemed　to　astonish　him。　〃You　speak　as　if　you　were　proud　of　its　being　a　decayed　place；〃　he　said。

I　quite　respected　him；　this　was　such　an　intelligent　remark　to　make。　We　do　enjoy　our　decay：　it　is　our　chief　distinction。　Progress　and　prosperity　everywhere　else；　decay　and　dissolution　here。　As　a　necessary　consequence；　we　produce　our　own　impression；　and　we　like　to　be　original。　The　sea　deserted　us　long　ago：　it　once　washed　our　walls；　it　is　now　two　miles　away　from　uswe　don't　regret　the　sea。　We　had　sometimes　ninety…five　ships　in　our　harbor；　Heaven　only　knows　how　many　centuries　ago；　we　now　have　one　or　two　small　coasting　vessels；　half　their　time　aground　in　a　muddy　little　riverwe　don't　regret　our　harbor。　But　one　house　in　the　town　is　daring　enough　to　anticipate　the　arrival　of　resident　visitors；　and　announces　furnished　apartments　to　let。　What　a　becoming　contrast　to　our　modern　neighbor；　Ramsgate！　Our　noble　market…place　exhibits　the　laws　made　by　the　corporation；　and　every　week　there　are　fewer　and　fewer　people　to　obey　the　laws。　How　convenient！　Look　at　our　one　warehouse　by　the　river　sidewith　the　crane　generally　idle；　and　the　windows　mostly　boarded　up；　and　perhaps　one　man　at　the　door；　looking　out　for　the　job　which　his　better　sense　tells　him　cannot　possibly　come。　What　a　wholesome　protest　against　the　devastating　hurry　and　over…work　elsewhere；　which　has　shattered　the　nerves　of　the　nation！　〃Far　from　me　and　from　my　friends〃　（to　borrow　the　eloquent　language　of　Doctor　Johnson）　〃be　such　frigid　enthusiasm　as　shall　conduct　us　indifferent　and　unmoved''　over　the　bridge　by　which　you　enter　Sandwich；　and　pay　a　toll　if　you　do　it　in　a　carriage。　〃That　man　is　little　to　be　envied〃　（Doctor　Johnson　again）　who　can　lose　himself　in　our　labyrinthine　streets；　and　not　feel　that　he　has　reached　the　welcome　limits　of　progress；　and　found　a　haven　of　rest　in　an　age　of　hurry。

I　am　wandering　again。　Bear　with　the　unpremeditated　enthusiasm　of　a　citizen　who　only　attained　years　of　discretion　at　her　last　birthday。　We　shall　soon　have　done　with　Sandwich；　we　are　close　to　the　door　of　the　inn。

〃You　can't　mistake　it　now；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃Good…morning。〃

He　looked　down　at　me　from　under　his　beautiful　eyelashes　（have　I　mentioned　that　I　am　a　little　woman？）；　and　he　asked　in　his　persuasive　tones：　〃Must　we　say　good…by？〃

I　made　him　a　bow。

〃Would　you　allow　me　to　see　you　safe　home？〃　he　suggested。

Any　other　man　would　have　offended　me。　This　man　blushed　like　a　boy；　and　looked　at　the　pavement　instead　of　looking　at　me。　By　this　time　I　had　made　up　my　mind　about　him。　He　was　not　only　a　gentleman　beyond　all　doubt；　but　a　shy　gentleman　as　well。　His　bluntness　and　his　odd　remarks　were；　as　I　thought；　partly　efforts　to　disguise　his　shyness；　and　partly　refuges　in　which　he　tried　to　forget　his　own　sense　of　it。　I　answered　his　audacious　proposal　amiably　and　pleasantly。　〃You　would　only　lose　your　way　again；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　should　have　to　take　you　back　to　the　inn　for　the　second　time。〃

Wasted　words！　My　obstinate　stranger　only　made　another　proposal。

〃I　have　ordered　lunch　here；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　am　quite　alone。〃　He　stopped　in　confusion；　and　looked　as　if　he　rather　expected　me　to　box　his　ears。　〃I　shall　be　forty　next　birthday；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　am　old　enough　to　be　your　father。〃　I　all　but　burst　out　laughing；　and　stepped　across　the　street；　on　my　way　home。　He　followed　me。　〃We　might　invite　the　landlady　to　join　us；〃　he　said；　looking　the　picture　of　a　headlong　man；　dismayed　by　the　consciousness　of　his　own　imprudence。　〃Couldn't　you　honor　me　by　lunching　with　me　if　we　had　the　landlady？〃　he　asked。

This　was　a　little　too　much。　〃Quite　out　of　the　question；　sirand　you　ought　to　know　it；〃　I　said　with　severity。　He　half　put　out　his　hand。　〃Won't　you　even　shake　hands　with　me？〃　he　inquired　pite