the purcell papers-2-第6部分

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restraint　upon　you；　I　shall　therefore　bid

you　farewell。'



I　then　left　the　apartment；　scarcely

knowing　what　to　think　of　the　strange

interview　which　had　just　taken　place。



On　the　next　day　my　uncle　took　occasion

to　tell　me　that　Edward　had　actually

sailed；　if　his　intention　had　not　been

interfered　with　by　adverse　circumstances；　and

two　days　subsequently　he　actually　produced

a　letter　from　his　son；　written；　as　it

said；　ON　BOARD；　and　despatched　while　the

ship　was　getting　under　weigh。　This　was

a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　and　as　being

likely　to　prove　so；　it　was　no　doubt

communicated　to　me　by　Sir　Arthur。



During　all　this　trying　period；　I　had

found　infinite　consolation　in　the　society

and　sympathy　of　my　dear　cousin　Emily。

I　never　in　after…life　formed　a　friendship　so

close；　so　fervent；　and　upon　which；　in　all　its

progress；　I　could　look　back　with　feelings

of　such　unalloyed　pleasure；　upon　whose

termination　I　must　ever　dwell　with　so

deep；　yet　so　unembittered　regret。　In

cheerful　converse　with　her　I　soon

recovered　my　spirits　considerably；　and

passed　my　time　agreeably　enough；

although　still　in　the　strictest　seclusion。



Matters　went　on　sufficiently　smooth；

although　I　could　not　help　sometimes

feeling　a　momentary；　but　horrible

uncertainty　respecting　my　uncle's　character；

which　was　not　altogether　unwarranted　by

the　circumstances　of　the　two　trying

interviews　whose　particulars　I　have　just

detailed。　The　unpleasant　impression　which

these　conferences　were　calculated　to　leave

upon　my　mind；　was　fast　wearing　away；

when　there　occurred　a　circumstance；　slight

indeed　in　itself；　but　calculated　irresistibly

to　awaken　all　my　worst　suspicions；　and　to

overwhelm　me　again　with　anxiety　and

terror。



I　had　one　day　left　the　house　with　my

cousin　Emily；　in　order　to　take　a　ramble　of

considerable　length；　for　the　purpose　of

sketching　some　favourite　views；　and　we

had　walked　about　half　a　mile　when　I

perceived　that　we　had　forgotten　our　drawing

materials；　the　absence　of　which　would　have

defeated　the　object　of　our　walk。　Laughing

at　our　own　thoughtlessness；　we　returned

to　the　house；　and　leaving　Emily　without；　I

ran　upstairs　to　procure　the　drawing…books

and　pencils；　which　lay　in　my　bedroom。



As　I　ran　up　the　stairs　I　was　met　by　the

tall；　ill…looking　Frenchwoman；　evidently

a　good　deal　flurried。



'Que　veut；　madame？'　said　she；　with　a

more　decided　effort　to　be　polite　than　I　had

ever　known　her　make　before。





'No；　nono　matter；'　said　I；　hastily

running　by　her　in　the　direction　of　my

room。



'Madame；'　cried　she；　in　a　high　key；

'restez　ici；　s'il　vous　plait；　votre　chambre

n'est　pas　faiteyour　room　is　not　ready

for　your　reception　yet。'



I　continued　to　move　on　without　heeding

her。　She　was　some　way　behind　me；　and

feeling　that　she　could　not　otherwise　prevent

my　entrance；　for　I　was　now　upon　the

very　lobby；　she　made　a　desperate　attempt

to　seize　hold　of　my　person：　she　succeeded

in　grasping　the　end　of　my　shawl；　which

she　drew　from　my　shoulders；　but　slipping　at

the　same　time　upon　the　polished　oak　floor；

she　fell　at　full　length　upon　the　boards。



A　little　frightened　as　well　as　angry　at

the　rudeness　of　this　strange　woman；　I

hastily　pushed　open　the　door　of　my　room；

at　which　I　now　stood；　in　order　to　escape

from　her；　but　great　was　my　amazement

on　entering　to　find　the　apartment　preoccupied。



The　window　was　open；　and　beside　it

stood　two　male　figures；　they　appeared　to

be　examining　the　fastenings　of　the　casement；

and　their　backs　were　turned　towards

the　door。　One　of　them　was　my　uncle；

they　both　turned　on　my　entrance；　as　if

startled。　The　stranger　was　booted　and

cloaked；　and　wore　a　heavy　broad…leafed　hat

over　his　brows。　He　turned　but　for　a　moment；

and　averted　his　face；　but　I　had　seen

enough　to　convince　me　that　he　was　no

other　than　my　cousin　Edward。　My　uncle

had　some　iron　instrument　in　his　hand；

which　he　hastily　concealed　behind　his　back；

and　coming　towards　me；　said　something　as

if　in　an　explanatory　tone；　but　I　was　too

much　shocked　and　confounded　to　understand

what　it　might　be。　He　said　something

about　'REPAIRSwindowframes

cold；　and　safety。'



I　did　not　wait；　however；　to　ask　or　to

receive　explanations；　but　hastily　left　the

room。　As　I　went　down　the　stairs　I

thought　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　Frenchwoman

in　all　the　shrill　volubility　of　excuse；

which　was　met；　however；　by　suppressed

but　vehement　imprecations；　or　what

seemed　to　me　to　be　such；　in　which　the

voice　of　my　cousin　Edward　distinctly

mingled。



I　joined　my　cousin　Emily　quite　out　of

breath。　I　need　not　say　that　my　head　was

too　full　of　other　things　to　think　much　of

drawing　for　that　day。　I　imparted　to　her

frankly　the　cause　of　my　alarms；　but　at　the

same　time　as　gently　as　I　could；　and　with

tears　she　promised　vigilance；　and　devotion；

and　love。　I　never　had　reason　for　a

moment　to　repent　the　unreserved　confidence

which　I　then　reposed　in　her。　She　was　no

less　surprised　than　I　at　the　unexpected

appearance　of　Edward；　whose　departure

for　France　neither　of　us　had　for　a　moment

doubted；　but　which　was　now　proved　by　his

actual　presence　to　be　nothing　more　than

an　imposture；　practised；　I　feared；　for　no

good　end。



The　situation　in　which　I　had　found　my

uncle　had　removed　completely　all　my

doubts　as　to　his　designs。　I　magnified

suspicions　into　certainties；　and　dreaded　night

after　night　that　I　should　be　murdered　in

my　bed。　The　nervousness　produced　by

sleepless　nights　and　days　of　anxious　fears

increased　the　horrors　of　my　situation　to

such　a　degree；　that　I　at　length　wrote　a

letter　to　a　Mr。　Jefferies；　an　old　and　faithful

friend　of　my　father's；　and　perfectly

acquainted　with　all　his　affairs；　praying　him；

for　God's　sake；　to　relieve　me　from　my

present　terrible　situation；　and　communicating

without　reserve　the　nature　and

grounds　of　my　suspicions。



This　letter　I　kept　sealed　and　directed

for　two　or　three　days　always　about　my

person；　for　discovery　would　have　been

ruinous；　in　expectation　of　an　opportunity

which　might　be　safely　trusted；　whereby　to

have　it　placed　in　the　post…office。　As　neither

Emily　nor　I　were　permitted　to　pass　beyond

the　precincts　of　the　demesne　itself；

which　was　surrounded　by　high　walls

formed　of　dry　stone；　the　difficulty　of

procuring　such　an　opportunity　was　greatly

enhanced。



At　this　time　Emily　had　a　short　conver…

sation　with　her　father；　which　she　reported

to　me　instantly。



After　some　indifferent　matter；　he　had

asked　her　whether　she　and　I　were　upon

good　terms；　and　whether　I　was　unreserved

in　my　disposition。　She　answered　in　the

affirmative；　and　he　then　inquired　whether

I　had　been　much　surprised　to　find　him　in

my　chamber　on　the　other　day。　She

answered　that　I　had　been　both　surprised　and

amused。



'And　what　did　she　think　of　George

Wilson's　appearance？'



'Who？'　inquired　she。



'Oh；　the　architect；'　he　answered；　'who

is　to　contract　for　the　repairs　of　the　house；

he　is　accounted　a　handsome　fellow。'



'She　could　not　see　his　face；'　said　Emily；

'and　she　was　in　such　a　hurry　to　escape

that　she　scarcely　noticed　him。'



Sir　Arthur　appeared　satisfied；　and　the

conversation　ended。



This　slight　conversation；　repeated

accurately　to　me　by　Emily；　had　the　effect　of

confirming；　if　indeed　anything　was　required

to　do　so；　all　that　I　had　before　believed　as

to　Edward's　actual　presence；　and　I　naturally

became；　if　possible；　more　anxious

than　ever　to　despatch　the　letter　to　Mr。

Jefferies。　An　opportunity　at　length　occurred。



As　Emily　and　I　were　walking　one　day

near　the　gate　of　the　demesne；　a　lad　from

the　village　happened　to　be　passing　down

the　avenue　from　the　house；　the　spot　was

secluded；　and　as　this　person　was　not

connected　by　service　with　those　whose

observation　I　dreaded；　I　committed　the　letter

to　his　keeping；　with　strict　injunctions　that

he　should　put　it　without　delay　into　the

receiver　of　the　town　post…office；　at　the

same　time　I　added　a　suitable　gratuity；　and

the　man　having　made　many　protestations

of　punctuality；　was　soon　out　of　sight。



He　was　hardly　gone　when　I　began　to

doubt　my　discretion　in　having　trusted　this

person；　but　I　had　no　better　or　safer　means

of　despatching　the　letter；　and　I　was　not

warranted　in　suspecting　him　of　such

wanton　dishonesty　as　an　inclination　to

tamper　with　it；　but　I　could　not　be　quite

satisfied　of　its　safety　until　I　had　received

an　answer；　which　could　not　arrive　for　a

few　days。　Before　I　did；　however；　an　event

occurred　which　a　little　surprised　me。



I　was　sitting　in　my　bedroom　early　in　the

day；　reading　by　myself；　when　I　heard　a

knock　at　the　door。



'Come　in；'　said　I；　and　my　uncle　entered

the　room。



'Will　you　excuse　me？'　said　he。　'I

sought　you　in　the　parlour；　and　thence　I

have　come　here。　I　desired　to　say　a　word

with　you。　I　trust　that　you　have　hitherto

found　my　conduct　to　you　such　as　that　of　a

guardian　towards　his　ward　should　be。'



I　dared　not　withhold　my　consent。



'And；'　he　continued；　'I　trust　that　you

have　not　found　me　harsh　or　unjust；　and

that　you　have　perceived；　my　dear　niece；

that　I　have　sought　to　make　this　poor　place

as　agreeable　to　you　as　may　be。'



I　assented　again；　and　he　put　his　hand

in　his　pocket；　whence　he　drew　a　folded

paper；　and　dashing　it　upon　the　table　with

startling　emphasis；　he　said：



'Did　you　write　that　letter？'



The　sudden　and　tearful　alteration　of　his

voice；　manner；　and　face；　but；　more　than　all；

the　unexpected　production　of　my　letter　to

Mr。　Jefferies；　which　I　at　once　recognised；

so　confounded　and　terrified　me；　that　I　felt

almost　choking。



I　could　not　utter　a　word。



'Did　you　write　that　letter？'　he　repeated

with　slow　and　intense　emphasis。'　You

did；　liar　and　hypocrite！　You　dared　to

write　this　foul　and　infamous　libel；　but　it

shall　be　your　last。　Men　will　universally

be