miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第3部分

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The　early　months　of　the　year　from　January　to　May　are　the　busiest　with
a　Jamaica　sugar…grower；　and　in　this　year　they　were　very　busy　months
with　Maurice　Cumming。　　It　seemed　as　though　there　were　actually　some
truth　in　Miss　Jack's　prediction　that　prosperity　would　return　to　him
if　he　attended　to　his　country；　for　the　prices　of　sugar　had　risen
higher　than　they　had　ever　been　since　the　duty　had　been　withdrawn；　and
there　was　more　promise　of　a　crop　at　Mount　Pleasant　than　he　had　seen
since　his　reign　commenced。　　But　then　the　question　of　labour？　　How　he
slaved　in　trying　to　get　work　from　those　free　negroes；　and　alas！　how
often　he　slaved　in　vain！　　But　it　was　not　all　in　vain；　for　as　things
went　on　it　became　clear　to　him　that　in　this　year　he　would；　for　the
first　time　since　he　commenced；　obtain　something　like　a　return　from
his　land。　　What　if　the　turning…point　had　come；　and　things　were　now
about　to　run　the　other　way。

But　then　the　happiness　which　might　have　accrued　to　him　from　this
source　was　dashed　by　his　thoughts　of　Marian　Leslie。　　Why　had　he
thrown　himself　in　the　way　of　that　syren？　　Why　had　he　left　Mount
Pleasant　at　all？　　He　knew　that　on　his　return　to　Spanish　Town　his
first　work　would　be　to　visit　Shandy　Hall；　and　yet　he　felt　that　of　all
places　in　the　island；　Shandy　Hall　was　the　last　which　he　ought　to
visit。

And　then　about　the　beginning　of　May；　when　he　was　hard　at　work　turning
the　last　of　his　canes　into　sugar　and　rum；　he　received　his　annual
visit　from　Miss　Jack。　　And　whom　should　Miss　Jack　bring　with　her　but
Mr。　Leslie。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　〃I　have　spoken　to　Mr。
Leslie　about　you　and　Marian。〃

〃Then　you　had　no　business　to　do　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Maurice；
blushing　up　to　his　ears。

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Miss　Jack；　〃I　understand　what　I　am　about。　　Of
course　Mr。　Leslie　will　want　to　know　something　about　the　estate。〃

〃Then　he　may　go　back　as　wise　as　he　came；　for　he'll　learn　nothing　from
me。　　Not　that　I　have　anything　to　hide。〃

〃So　I　told　him。　　Now　there　are　a　large　family　of　them；　you　see；　and
of　course　he　can't　give　Marian　much。〃

〃I　don't　care　a　straw　if　he　doesn't　give　her　a　shilling。　　If　she
cared　for　me；　or　I　for　her；　I　shouldn't　look　after　her　for　her
money。〃

〃But　a　little　money　is　not　a　bad　thing；　Maurice；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who
in　her　time　had　had　a　good　deal；　and　had　managed　to　take　care　of　it。

〃It　is　all　one　to　me。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　thishumha。　　I　don't　like　to
pledge　myself　for　fear　I　should　raise　hopes　which　mayn't　be
fulfilled。〃

〃Don't　pledge　yourself　to　anything；　aunt；　in　which　Marian　Leslie　and
I　are　concerned。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this；　my　money；　what　little　I　have；
you　know；　must　go　some　day　either　to　you　or　to　the　Leslies。〃

〃You　may　give　all　to　them　if　you　please。〃

〃Of　course　I　may；　and　I　dare　say　I　shall；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who　was
beginning　to　be　irritated。　　〃But　at　any　rate　you　might　have　the
civility　to　listen　to　me　when　I　am　endeavouring　to　put　you　on　your
legs。　　I　am　sure　I　think　about　nothing　else；　morning；　noon；　and
night；　and　yet　I　never　get　a　decent　word　from　you。　　Marian　is　too
good　for　you；　that's　the　truth。〃

But　at　length　Miss　Jack　was　allowed　to　open　her　budget；　and　to　make
her　proposition；　which　amounted　to　thisthat　she　had　already　told
Mr。　Leslie　that　she　would　settle　the　bulk　of　her　property　conjointly
on　Maurice　and　Marian　if　they　would　make　a　match　of　it。　　Now　as　Mr。
Leslie　had　long　been　casting　a　hankering　eye　after　Miss　Jack's　money；
with　a　strong　conviction　however　that　Maurice　Cumming　was　her
favourite　nephew　and　probable　heir；　this　proposition　was　not
unpalatable。　　So　he　agreed　to　go　down　to　Mount　Pleasant　and　look
about　him。

〃But　you　may　live　for　the　next　thirty　years；　my　dear　Miss　Jack；〃　Mr。
Leslie　had　said。

〃Yes；　I　may；〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　looking　very　dry。

〃And　I　am　sure　I　hope　you　will；〃　continued　Mr。　Leslie。　　And　then　the
subject　was　allowed　to　drop；　for　Mr。　Leslie　knew　that　it　was　not
always　easy　to　talk　to　Miss　Jack　on　such　matters。

Miss　Jack　was　a　person　in　whom　I　think　we　may　say　that　the　good
predominated　over　the　bad。　　She　was　often　morose；　crabbed；　and　self…
opinionated。　but　then　she　knew　her　own　imperfections；　and　forgave
those　she　loved　for　evincing　their　dislike　of　them。　　Maurice　Cumming
was　often　inattentive　to　her；　plainly　showing　that　he　was　worried　by
her　importunities　and　ill　at　ease　in　her　company。　　But　she　loved　her
nephew　with　all　her　heart；　and　though　she　dearly　liked　to　tyrannise
over　him；　never　allow　herself　to　be　really　angry　with　him；　though　he
so　frequently　refused　to　bow　to　her　dictation。　　And　she　loved　Marian
Leslie　also；　though　Marian　was　so　sweet　and　lovely　and　she　herself　so
harsh　and　ill…favoured。　　She　loved　Marian；　though　Marian　would　often
be　impertinent。　　She　forgave　the　flirting；　the　light…heartedness；　the
love　of　amusement。　　Marian；　she　said　to　herself；　was　young　and
pretty。　　She；　Miss　Jack；　had　never　known　Marian's　temptation。　　And　so
she　resolved　in　her　own　mind　that　Marian　should　be　made　a　good　and
happy　woman；but　always　as　the　wife　of　Maurice　Cumming。

But　Maurice　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　all　these　good　tidingsor　rather　he
turned　to　them　an　ear　that　seemed　to　be　deaf。　　He　dearly；　ardently
loved　that　little　flirt；　but　seeing　that　she　was　a　flirt；　that　she
had　flirted　so　grossly　when　he　was　by；　he　would　not　confess　his　love
to　a　human　being。　　He　would　not　have　it　known　that　he　was　wasting　his
heart　for　a　worthless　little　chit；　to　whom　every　man　was　the　same
except　that　those　were　most　eligible　whose　toes　were　the　lightest　and
their　outside　trappings　the　brightest。　　That　he　did　love　her　he　could
not　help；　but　he　would　not　disgrace　himself　by　acknowledging　it。

He　was　very　civil　to　Mr。　Leslie；　but　he　would　not　speak　a　word　that
could　be　taken　as　a　proposal　for　Marian。　　It　had　been　part　of　Miss
Jack's　plan　that　the　engagement　should　absolutely　be　made　down　there
at　Mount　Pleasant；　without　any　reference　to　the　young　lady；　but
Maurice　could　not　be　induced　to　break　the　ice。　　So　he　took　Mr。　Leslie
through　his　mills　and　over　his　cane…pieces；　talked　to　him　about　the
laziness　of　the　〃niggers；〃　while　the　〃niggers〃　themselves　stood　by
tittering；　and　rode　with　him　away　to　the　high　grounds　where　the
coffee　plantation　had　been　in　the　good　old　days；　but　not　a　word　was
said　between　them　about　Marian。　　And　yet　Marian　was　never　out　of　his
heart。

And　then　came　the　day　on　which　Mr。　Leslie　was　to　go　back　to　Kingston。
〃And　you　won't　have　her　then？〃　said　Miss　Jack　to　her　nephew　early
that　morning。　　〃You　won't　be　said　by　me？〃

〃Not　in　this　matter；　aunt。〃

〃Then　you　will　live　and　die　a　poor　man；　you　mean　that；　I　suppose？〃

〃It's　likely　enough　that　I　shall。　　There's　this　comfort；　at　any　rate；
I'm　used　to　it。〃　　And　then　Miss　Jack　was　silent　again　for　a　while。

〃Very　well；　sir；　that's　enough；〃　she　said　angrily。　　And　then　she
began　again。　　〃But；　Maurice；　you　wouldn't　have　to　wait　for　my　death；
you　know。〃　　And　she　put　out　her　hand　and　touched　his　arm；　entreating
him　as　it　were　to　yield　to　her。　　〃Oh；　Maurice；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　so
want　to　make　you　comfortable。　　Let　us　speak　to　Mr。　Leslie。〃

But　Maurice　would　not。　　He　took　her　hand　and　thanked　her；　but　said
that　on　this　matter　he　must　he　his　own　master。　　〃Very　well；　sir；〃　she
exclaimed；　〃I　have　done。　　In　future　you　may　manage　for　yourself。　　As
for　me；　I　shall　go　back　with　Mr。　Leslie　to　Kingston。〃　　And　so　she
did。　　Mr。　Leslie　returned　that　day；　taking　her　with　him。　　When　he
took　his　leave；　his　invitation　to　Maurice　to　come　to　Shandy　Hall　was
not　very　pressing。　　〃Mrs。　Leslie　and　the　children　will　always　be　glad
to　see　you；〃　said　he。

〃Remember　me　very　kindly　to　Mrs。　Leslie　and　the　children；〃　said
Maurice。　　And　so　they　parted。

〃You　have　brought　me　down　here　on　a　regular　fool's　errand；〃　said　Mr。
Leslie；　on　their　journey　back　to　town。

〃It　will　all　come　right　yet；〃　replied　Miss　Jack。　　〃Take　my　word　for
it　he　loves　her。〃

〃Fudge；〃　said　Mr。　Leslie。　　But　he　could　not　afford　to　quarrel　with
his　rich　connection。

In　spite　of　all　that　he　had　said　and　thought　to　the　contrary；　Maurice
did　look　forward　during　the　remainder　of　the　summer　to　his　return　to
Spanish　Town　with　something　like　impatience；　it　was　very　dull　work；
being　there　alone　at　Mount　Pleasant；　and　let　him　do　what　he　would　to
prevent　it；　his　very　dreams　took　him　to　Shandy　Hall。　　But　at　last　the
slow　time　made　itself　away；　and　he　found　himself　once　more　in　his
aunt's　house。

A　couple　of　days　passed　and　no　word　was　said　about　the　Leslies。　　On
the　morning　of　the　third　day　he　determined　to　go　to　Shandy　Hall。
Hitherto　he　had　never　been　there　without　staying　for　the　night；　but
on　this　occasion　he　made　up　his　mind　to　return　the　same　day。　　〃It
would　not　be　civil　of　me　not　to　go　there；〃　he　said　to　his　aunt。

〃Certainly　not；〃　she　replied；　forbearing　to　press　the　matter　further。
〃But　why　make　such　a　terrible　hard　day's　work　of　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　go　down　in　the　cool；　before　breakfast；　and　then　I　need
not　have　the　bother　of　taking　a　bag。〃

And　in　this　way　he　started。　　Miss　Jack　said　nothing　further；　but　she
longed　in　her　heart　that　she　might　be　at　Marian's　elbow　unseen　during
the　visit。

He　found　them　all　at　breakfast；　and　the　first　to　welcome　him　at　the
hall　door　was　Marian。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Cumming；　we　are　so　glad　to　see　you；〃
and　she　looked　into　his　eyes　with　a　way　she　had；　that　was　enough　to
make　a　man's　heart　wild。　　But　she　not　call　him　Maurice　now。

Miss　Jack　had　spoken　to　her　sister；　Mrs。　Leslie；　as　well　as　to　Mr。
Leslie；　about　this　marriage　scheme。　　〃Just　let　them　alone；〃　was　Mrs。
Leslie's　advice。　　〃You　can't　alter　Marian　by　lecturing　her。　　If　they
really　love　each　other　they'll　come　together；　and　if　they　don't；　why
then　they'd　better　not。〃

〃And　you　really　mean　that　you're　going　back　to　Spanish　Town　to…day？〃
said　Mrs。　Leslie　to　her　visitor。

〃I'm　afraid　I　must。　　Indeed　I　haven't　brought　my　things　with　me。〃
And　then　he　again　caught　Marian's　eye；　and　began　to　wish　that　his
resolution　had　not　been　so　sternly　made。

〃I　suppose　you　are　so　fond　of　that　House　of　Assembly；〃　said　Marian；
〃that　you　cannot　tear　yourself　away　for　more　than　one　day。　　You'll
not　be　able；　I　sup