little novels-第73章

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I　put　my　lips　to　the　old　fellow's　ear…trumpet；　and　asked　who　Mr。　Scorrier　was。

〃Brother…in…law　to　Mr。　Wycomb。　Mr。　Wycomb's　dead。　If　you　want　to　buy　the　business　apply　to　Mr。　Scorrier。〃

Receiving　that　reply；　I　went　upstairs；　and　found　Mr。　Scorrier　engaged　in　engraving　a　brass　door…plate。　He　was　a　middle…aged　man；　with　a　cadaverous　face　and　dim　eyes　After　the　necessary　apologies；　I　produced　my　photograph。

〃May　I　ask；　sir；　if　you　know　anything　of　the　inscription　on　that　knife？〃　I　said。

He　took　his　magnifying　glass　to　look　at　it。

〃This　is　curious；〃　he　remarked　quietly。　〃I　remember　the　queer　nameZebedee。　Yes；　sir；　I　did　the　engraving；　as　far　as　it　goes。　I　wonder　what　prevented　me　from　finishing　it？〃

The　name　of　Zebedee；　and　the　unfinished　inscription　on　the　knife；　had　appeared　in　every　English　newspaper。　He　took　the　matter　so　coolly　that　I　was　doubtful　how　to　interpret　his　answer。　Was　it　possible　that　he　had　not　seen　the　account　of　the　murder？　Or　was　he　an　accomplice　with　prodigious　powers　of　self…control？

〃Excuse　me；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　read　the　newspapers？〃

〃Never！　My　eyesight　is　failing　me。　I　abstain　from　reading；　in　the　interests　of　my　occupation。〃

〃Have　you　not　heard　the　name　of　Zebedee　mentionedparticularly　by　people　who　do　read　the　newspapers？〃

〃Very　likely；　but　I　didn't　attend　to　it。　When　the　day's　work　is　done；　I　take　my　walk。　Then　I　have　my　supper；　my　drop　of　grog；　and　my　pipe。　Then　I　go　to　bed。　A　dull　existence　you　think；　I　daresay！　I　had　a　miserable　life；　sir；　when　I　was　young。　A　bare　subsistence；　and　a　little　rest；　before　the　last　perfect　rest　in　the　gravethat　is　all　I　want。　The　world　has　gone　by　me　long　ago。　So　much　the　better。〃

The　poor　man　spoke　honestly。　I　was　ashamed　of　having　doubted　him。　I　returned　to　the　subject　of　the　knife。

〃Do　you　know　where　it　was　purchased；　and　by　whom？〃　I　asked。

〃My　memory　is　not　so　good　as　it　was；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　got　something　by　me　that　helps　it。〃

He　took　from　a　cupboard　a　dirty　old　scrapbook。　Strips　of　paper；　with　writing　on　them；　were　pasted　on　the　pages；　as　well　as　I　could　see。　He　turned　to　an　index；　or　table　of　contents；　and　opened　a　page。　Something　like　a　flash　of　life　showed　itself　on　his　dismal　face。

〃Ha！　now　I　remember；〃　he　said。　〃The　knife　was　bought　of　my　late　brother…in…law；　in　the　shop　downstairs。　It　all　comes　back　to　me；　sir。　A　person　in　a　state　of　frenzy　burst　into　this　very　room；　and　snatched　the　knife　away　from　me；　when　I　was　only　half　way　through　the　inscription！〃

I　felt　that　I　was　now　close　on　discovery。　〃May　I　see　what　it　is　that　has　assisted　your　memory？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh　yes。　You　must　know；　sir；　I　live　by　engraving　inscriptions　and　addresses；　and　I　paste　in　this　book　the　manuscript　instructions　which　I　receive；　with　marks　of　my　own　on　the　margin。　For　one　thing；　they　serve　as　a　reference　to　new　customers。　And　for　another　thing；　they　do　certainly　help　my　memory。〃

He　turned　the　book　toward　me；　and　pointed　to　a　slip　of　paper　which　occupied　the　lower　half　of　a　page。

I　read　the　complete　inscription；　intended　for　the　knife　that　killed　Zebedee；　and　written　as　follows：

〃To　John　Zebedee。　From　Priscilla　Thurlby。〃

VII。

I　DECLARE　that　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　describe　what　I　felt　when　Priscilla's　name　confronted　me　like　a　written　confession　of　guilt。　How　long　it　was　before　I　recovered　myself　in　some　degree；　I　cannot　say。　The　only　thing　I　can　clearly　call　to　mind　is；　that　I　frightened　the　poor　engraver。

My　first　desire　was　to　get　possession　of　the　manuscript　inscription。　I　told　him　I　was　a　policeman；　and　summoned　him　to　assist　me　in　the　discovery　of　a　crime。　I　even　offered　him　money。　He　drew　back　from　my　hand。　〃You　shall　have　it　for　nothing；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　only　go　away　and　never　come　here　again。〃　He　tried　to　cut　it　out　of　the　pagebut　his　trembling　hands　were　helpless。　I　cut　it　out　myself；　and　attempted　to　thank　him。　He　wouldn't　hear　me。　〃Go　away！〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　the　look　of　you。〃

It　may　be　here　objected　that　I　ought　not　to　have　felt　so　sure　as　I　did　of　the　woman's　guilt；　until　I　had　got　more　evidence　against　her。　The　knife　might　have　been　stolen　from　her；　supposing　she　was　the　person　who　had　snatched　it　out　of　the　engraver's　hands；　and　might　have　been　afterward　used　by　the　thief　to　commit　the　murder。　All　very　true。　But　I　never　had　a　moment's　doubt　in　my　own　mind；　from　the　time　when　I　read　the　damnable　line　in　the　engraver's　book。

I　went　back　to　the　railway　without　any　plan　in　my　head。　The　train　by　which　I　had　proposed　to　follow　her　had　left　Waterbank。　The　next　train　　that　arrived　was　for　London。　I　took　my　place　in　itstill　without　any　plan　in　my　head。

At　Charing　Cross　a　friend　met　me。　He　said；　〃You're　looking　miserably　ill。　Come　and　have　a　drink。〃

I　went　with　him。　The　liquor　was　what　I　really　wanted；　it　strung　me　up；　and　cleared　my　head。　He　went　his　way；　and　I　went　mine。　In　a　little　while　more；　I　determined　what　I　would　do。

In　the　first　place；　I　decided　to　resign　my　situation　in　the　police；　from　a　motive　which　will　presently　appear。　In　the　second　place；　I　took　a　bed　at　a　public…house。　She　would　no　doubt　return　to　London；　and　she　would　go　to　my　lodgings　to　find　out　why　I　had　broken　my　appointment。　To　bring　to　justice　the　one　woman　whom　I　had　dearly　loved　was　too　cruel　a　duty　for　a　poor　creature　like　me。　I　preferred　leaving　the　police　force。　On　the　other　hand；　if　she　and　I　met　before　time　had　helped　me　to　control　myself；　I　had　a　horrid　fear　that　I　might　turn　murderer　next；　and　kill　her　then　and　there。　The　wretch　had　not　only　all　but　misled　me　into　marrying　her；　but　also　into　charging　the　innocent　housemaid　with　being　concerned　in　the　murder。

The　same　night　I　hit　on　a　way　of　clearing　up　such　doubts　as　still　harassed　my　mind。　I　wrote　to　the　rector　of　Roth；　informing　him　that　I　was　engaged　to　marry　her；　and　asking　if　he　would　tell　me　（in　consideration　of　my　position）　what　her　former　relations　might　have　been　with　the　person　named　John　Zebedee。

By　return　of　post　I　got　this　reply：


〃SIRUnder　the　circumstances；　I　think　I　am　bound　to　tell　you　confidentially　what　the　friends　and　well…wishers　of　Priscilla　have　kept　secret；　for　her　sake。

〃Zebedee　was　in　service　in　this　neighborhood。　I　am　sorry　to　say　it；　of　a　man　who　has　come　to　such　a　miserable　endbut　his　behavior　to　Priscilla　proves　him　to　have　been　a　vicious　and　heartless　wretch。　They　were　engagedand；　I　add　with　indignation；　he　tried　to　seduce　her　under　a　promise　of　marriage。　Her　virtue　resisted　him；　and　he　pretended　to　be　ashamed　of　himself。　The　banns　were　published　in　my　church。　On　the　next　day　Zebedee　disappeared；　and　cruelly　deserted　her。　He　was　a　capable　servant；　and　I　believe　he　got　another　place。　I　leave　you　to　imagine　what　the　poor　girl　suffered　under　the　outrage　inflicted　on　her。　Going　to　London；　with　my　recommendation；　she　answered　the　first　advertisement　that　she　saw；　and　was　unfortunate　enough　to　begin　her　career　in　domestic　service　in　the　very　lodging…house　to　which　（as　I　gather　from　the　newspaper　report　of　the　murder）　the　man　Zebedee　took　the　person　whom　he　married；　after　deserting　Priscilla。　Be　assured　that　you　are　about　to　unite　yourself　to　an　excellent　girl；　and　accept　my　best　wishes　for　your　happiness。〃


It　was　plain　from　this　that　neither　the　rector　nor　the　parents　and　friends　knew　anything　of　the　purchase　of　the　knife。　The　one　miserable　man　who　knew　the　truth　was　the　man　who　had　asked　her　to　be　his　wife。

I　owed　it　to　myselfat　least　so　it　seemed　to　menot　to　let　it　be　supposed　that　I；　too；　had　meanly　deserted　her。　Dreadful　as　the　prospect　was；　I　felt　that　I　must　see　her　once　more；　and　for　the　last　time。

She　was　at　work　when　I　went　into　her　room。　As　I　opened　the　door　she　started　to　her　feet。　Her　cheeks　reddened；　and　her　eyes　flashed　with　anger。　I　stepped　forwardand　she　saw　my　face。　My　face　silenced　her。

I　spoke　in　the　fewest　words　I　could　find。

〃I　have　been　to　the　cutler's　shop　at　Waterbank；〃　I　said。　〃There　is　the　unfinished　inscription　on　the　knife；　complete　in　your　handwriting。　I　could　hang　you　by　a　word。　God　forgive　meI　can't　say　the　word。〃

Her　bright　complexion　turned　to　a　dreadful　clay…color。　Her　eyes　were　fixed　and　staring；　like　the　eyes　of　a　person　in　a　fit。　She　stood　before　me；　still　and　silent。　Without　saying　more；　I　dropped　the　inscription　into　the　fire。　Without　saying　more；　I　left　her。

I　never　saw　her　again。

VIII。

BUT　I　heard　from　her　a　few　days　later。　The　letter　has　long　since　been　burned。　I　wish　I　could　have　forgotten　it　as　well。　It　sticks　to　my　memory。　If　I　die　with　my　senses　about　me；　Priscilla's　letter　will　be　my　last　recollection　on　earth。

In　substance　it　repeated　what　the　rector　had　already　told　me。　Further；　it　informed　me　that　she　had　bought　the　knife　as　a　keepsake　for　Zebedee；　in　place　of　a　similar　knife　which　he　had　lost。　On　the　Saturday；　she　made　the　purchase；　and　left　it　to　be　engraved。　On　the　Sunday；　the　banns　were　put　up。　On　the　Monday；　she　was　deserted；　and　she　snatched　the　knife　from　the　table　while　the　engraver　was　at　work。

She　only　knew　that　Zebedee　had　added　a　new　sting　to　the　insult　inflicted　on　her　when　he　arrived　at　the　lodgings　with　his　wife。　Her　duties　as　cook　kept　her　in　the　kitchenand　Zebedee　never　discovered　that　she　was　in　the　house。　I　still　remember　the　last　lines　of　her　confession：

〃The　devil　entered　into　me　when　I　tried　their　door；　on　my　way　up　to　bed；　and　found　it　unlocked；　and　listened　a　while；　and　peeped　in。　I　saw　them　by　the　dying　light　of　the　candleone　asleep　on　the　bed；　the　other　asleep　by　the　fireside。　I　had　the　knife　in　my　hand；　and　the　thought　came　to　me　to　do　it；　so　that　they　might　hang　_her_　for　the　murder。　I　couldn't　take　the　knife　out　again；　when　I　had　done　it。　Mind　this！　I　did　really　like　youI　didn't　say　Yes；　because　you　could　hardly　hang　your　own　wife；　if　you　found　out　who　killed　Zebedee。〃


Since　the　past　time　I　have　never　heard　again　of　Priscilla　Thurlby；　I　don't　know　whether　she　is　living　or　dead。　Many　people　may　think　I　deserve　to　be　hanged　myself　for　not　having　given　her　up　to　the　gallows。　They　may；　perhaps；　be　disappointed　when　they　see　this　confession；　and　hear　that　I　have　died　decently　in　my　bed。　I　don't　blame　them。　I　am　a　penitent　sinner。　I　wish　all　merciful　Christians　good…by　forever。






End