condensed novels-第12部分

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〃So　you　risked　your　life　to　save　mine；　eh？　you　canary…colored
teacher　of　infants。〃

I　blushed　modestly；　and　drew　my　shawl　tightly　over　my　yellow
flannel　nightgown。

〃You　love　me；　Mary　Jane；don't　deny　it！　　This　trembling　shows　it！〃
He　drew　me　closely　toward　him；　and　said；　with　his　deep　voice
tenderly　modulated：

〃How's　her　pooty　tootens；did　she　get　her　'ittle　tootens　wet；
bess　her？〃

I　understood　his　allusion　to　my　feet。　　I　glanced　down　and　saw　that
in　my　hurry　I　had　put　on　a　pair　of　his　old　india…rubbers。　　My　feet
were　not　small　or　pretty；　and　the　addition　did　not　add　to　their
beauty。

〃Let　me　go；　sir；〃　I　remarked　quietly。　　〃This　is　entirely　improper；
it　sets　a　bad　example　for　your　child。〃　　And　I　firmly　but　gently
extricated　myself　from　his　grasp。　　I　approached　the　door。　　He
seemed　for　a　moment　buried　in　deep　thought。

〃You　say　this　was　a　negress？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Humph；　No。　1；　I　suppose？〃

〃Who　is　Number　One；　sir？〃

〃My　FIRST；〃　he　remarked；　with　a　significant　and　sarcastic　smile。
Then；　relapsing　into　his　old　manner；　he　threw　his　boots　at　my　head；
and　bade　me　begone。　　I　withdrew　calmly。


CHAPTER　V。


My　pupil　was　a　bright　little　girl；　who　spoke　French　with　a　perfect
accent。　　Her　mother　had　been　a　French　ballet…dancer；　which　probably
accounted　for　it。　　Although　she　was　only　six　years　old；　it　was　easy
to　perceive　that　she　had　been　several　times　in　love。　　She　once　said
to　me：

〃Miss　Mix；　did　you　ever　have　the　grande　passion？　　Did　you　ever　feel
a　fluttering　here？〃　and　she　placed　her　hand　upon　her　small　chest；
and　sighed　quaintly；　〃a　kind　of　distaste　for　bonbons　and　caromels；
when　the　world　seemed　as　tasteless　and　hollow　as　a　broken　cordial
drop。〃

〃Then　you　have　felt　it；　Nina？〃　I　said　quietly。　　〃O　dear；　yes。
There　was　Buttons；that　was　our　page；　you　know；I　loved　him
dearly；　but　papa　sent　him　away。　　Then　there　was　Dick；　the　groom；
but　he　laughed　at　me；　and　I　suffered　misery！〃　and　she　struck　a
tragic　French　attitude。　　〃There　is　to　be　company　here　to…morrow；〃
she　added；　rattling　on　with　childish　naivete；　〃and　papa's
sweetheartBlanche　Maraboutis　to　be　here。　　You　know　they　say　she
is　to　be　my　mamma。〃

What　thrill　was　this　shot　through　me？　　But　I　rose　calmly；　and；
administering　a　slight　correction　to　the　child；　left　the　apartment。

Blunderbore　House；　for　the　next　week；　was　the　scene　of　gayety　and
merriment。　　That　portion　of　the　mansion　closed　with　a　grating　was
walled　up；　and　the　midnight　shrieks　no　longer　troubled　me。

But　I　felt　more　keenly　the　degradation　of　my　situation。　　I　was
obliged　to　help　Lady　Blanche　at　her　toilet　and　help　her　to　look
beautiful。　　For　what？　　To　captivate　him？　　Ono；　no；but　why　this
sudden　thrill　and　faintness？　　Did　he　really　love　her？　　I　had　seen
him　pinch　and　swear　at　her。　　But　I　reflected　that　he　had　thrown　a
candlestick　at　my　head；　and　my　foolish　heart　was　reassured。

It　was　a　night　of　festivity；　when　a　sudden　message　obliged　Mr。
Rawjester　to　leave　his　guests　for　a　few　hours。　　〃Make　yourselves
merry；　idiots；〃　he　added；　under　his　breath；　as　he　passed　me。　　The
door　closed　and　he　was　gone。

An　half…hour　passed。　　In　the　midst　of　the　dancing　a　shriek　was
heard；　and　out　of　the　swaying　crowd　of　fainting　women　and　excited
men　a　wild　figure　strode　into　the　room。　　One　glance　showed　it　to　be
a　highwayman；　heavily　armed；　holding　a　pistol　in　each　hand。

〃Let　no　one　pass　out　of　this　room！〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　of　thunder。
〃The　house　is　surrounded　and　you　cannot　escape。　　The　first　one　who
crosses　yonder　threshold　will　be　shot　like　a　dog。　　Gentlemen；　I'll
trouble　you　to　approach　in　single　file；　and　hand　me　your　purses　and
watches。〃

Finding　resistance　useless；　the　order　was　ungraciously　obeyed。

〃Now；　ladies；　please　to　pass　up　your　jewelry　and　trinkets。〃

This　order　was　still　more　ungraciously　complied　with。　　As　Blanche
handed　to　the　bandit　captain　her　bracelet；　she　endeavored　to
conceal　a　diamond　necklace；　the　gift　of　Mr。　Rawjester；　in　her
bosom。　　But；　with　a　demoniac　grin；　the　powerful　brute　tore　it　from
its　concealment；　and；　administering　a　hearty　box　on　the　ear　of　the
young　girl；　flung　her　aside。

It　was　now　my　turn。　　With　a　beating　heart　I　made　my　way　to　the
robber　chieftain；　and　sank　at　his　feet。　　〃O　sir；　I　am　nothing　but　a
poor　governess；　pray　let　me　go。〃

〃O　ho！　　A　governess？　　Give　me　your　last　month's　wages；　then。　　Give
me　what　you　have　stolen　from　your　master！〃　and　he　laughed
fiendishly。

I　gazed　at　him　quietly；　and　said；　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　have　stolen
nothing　from　you；　Mr。　Rawjester！〃

〃Ah；　discovered！　　Hush！　listen；　girl！〃　he　hissed；　in　a　fiercer
whisper；　〃utter　a　syllable　to　frustrate　my　plans　and　you　die；　aid
me；　and〃　　But　he　was　gone。

In　a　few　moments　the　party；　with　the　exception　of　myself；　were
gagged　and　locked　in　the　cellar。　　The　next　moment　torches　were
applied　to　the　rich　hangings；　and　the　house　was　in　flames。　　I　felt
a　strong　hand　seize　me；　and　bear　me　out　in　the　open　air　and　place
me　upon　the　hillside；　where　I　could　overlook　the　burning　mansion。
It　was　Mr。　Rawjester。

〃Burn！〃　he　said；　as　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　flames。　　Then　sinking
on　his　knees　before　me；　he　said　hurriedly：

〃Mary　Jane；　I　love　you；　the　obstacles　to　our　union　are　or　will　be
soon　removed。　　In　yonder　mansion　were　confined　my　three　crazy
wives。　　One　of　them；　as　you　know；　attempted　to　kill　me！　　Ha！　this
is　vengeance！　　But　will　you　be　mine？〃

I　fell；　without　a　word；　upon　his　neck。



GUY　HEAVYSTONE；

OR；

〃ENTIRE。〃

A　MUSCULAR　NOVEL。

BY　THE　AUTHOR　or　〃SWORD　AND　GUN。〃


CHAPTER　I。

〃Nerei　repandirostrum　incurvicervicum　pecus。〃


A　dingy；　swashy；　splashy　afternoon　in　October；　a　school…yard　filled
with　a　mob　of　riotous　boys。　　A　lot　of　us　standing　outside。

Suddenly　came　a　dull；　crashing　sound　from　the　school…room。　　At　the
ominous　interruption　I　shuddered　involuntarily；　and　called　to
Smithsye：

〃What's　up；　Smithums？〃

〃Guy's　cleaning　out　the　fourth　form；〃　he　replied。

At　the　same　moment　George　de　Coverly　passed　me；　holding　his　nose；
from　whence　the　bright　Norman　blood　streamed　redly。　　To　him　the
plebeian　Smithsye　laughingly：

〃Cully！　how's　his　nibs？〃

I　pushed　the　door　of　the　school…room　open。　　There　are　some
spectacles　which　a　man　never　forgets。　　The　burning　of　Troy　probably
seemed　a　large…sized　conflagration　to　the　pious　Aeneas；　and　made　an
impression　on　him　which　he　carried　away　with　the　feeble　Anchises。

In　the　centre　of　the　room；　lightly　brandishing　the　piston…rod　of　a
steam…engine；　stood　Guy　Heavystone　alone。　　I　say　alone；　for　the
pile　of　small　boys　on　the　floor　in　the　corner　could　hardly　be
called　company。

I　will　try　and　sketch　him　for　the　reader。　　Guy　Heavystone　was　then
only　fifteen。　　His　broad；　deep　chest；　his　sinewy　and　quivering
flank；　his　straight　pastern；　showed　him　to　be　a　thoroughbred。
Perhaps　he　was　a　trifle　heavy　in　the　fetlock；　but　he　held　his　head
haughtily　erect。　　His　eyes　were　glittering　but　pitiless。　　There　was
a　sternness　about　the　lower　part　of　his　face；the　old　Heavystone
look；a　sternness；　heightened；　perhaps；　by　the　snaffle…bit　which；
in　one　of　his　strange　freaks；　he　wore　in　his　mouth　to　curb　his
occasional　ferocity。　　His　dress　was　well　adapted　to　his　square…set
and　herculean　frame。　　A　striped　knit　undershirt；　close…fitting
striped　tights；　and　a　few　spangles　set　off　his　figure；　a　neat
Glengarry　cap　adorned　his　head。　　On　it　was　displayed　the　Heavystone
crest；　a　cock　regardant　on　a　dunghill　or；　and　the　motto；　〃Devil　a
better！〃

I　thought　of　Horatius　on　the　bridge；　of　Hector　before　the　walls。　　I
always　make　it　a　point　to　think　of　something　classical　at　such
times。

He　saw　me；　and　his　sternness　partly　relaxed。　　Something　like　a
smile　struggled　through　his　grim　lineaments。　　It　was　like　looking
on　the　Jungfrau　after　having　seen　Mont　Blanc；a　trifle；　only　a
trifle　less　sublime　and　awful。　　Resting　his　hand　lightly　on　the
shoulder　of　the　head…master；　who　shuddered　and　collapsed　under　his
touch；　he　strode　toward　me。

His　walk　was　peculiar。　　You　could　not　call　it　a　stride。　　It　was
like　the　〃crest…tossing　Bellerophon；〃a　kind　of　prancing　gait。
Guy　Heavystone　pranced　toward　me。


CHAPTER　II。


〃Lord　Lovel　he　stood　at　the　garden　gate；
A…combing　his　milk…white　steed。〃


It　was　the　winter　of　186…　when　I　next　met　Guy　Heavystone。　　He　had
left　the　University　and　had　entered　the　76th　〃Heavies。〃　　〃I　have
exchanged　the　gown　for　the　sword；　you　see；〃　he　said；　grasping　my
hand；　and　fracturing　the　bones　of　my　little　finger；　as　he　shook　it。

I　gazed　at　him　with　unmixed　admiration。　　He　was　squarer；　sterner；
and　in　every　way　smarter　and　more　remarkable　than　ever。　　I　began　to
feel　toward　this　man　as　Phalaster　felt　towards　Phyrgino；　as
somebody　must　have　felt　toward　Archididasculus；　as　Boswell　felt
toward　Johnson。

〃Come　into　my　den；〃　he　said；　and　lifting　me　gently　by　the　seat　of
my　pantaloons　he　carried　me　up　stairs　and　deposited　me；　before　I
could　apologize；　on　the　sofa。　　I　looked　around　the　room。　　It　was　a
bachelor's　apartment；　characteristically　furnished　in　the　taste　of
the　proprietor。　　A　few　claymores　and　battle…axes　were　ranged
against　the　wall；　and　a　culverin；　captured　by　Sir　Ralph　Heavystone；
occupied　the　corner；　the　other　end　of　the　room　being　taken　up　by　a
light　battery。　　Foils；　boxing…gloves；　saddles；　and　fishing…poles
lay　around　carelessly。　　A　small　pile　of　billets…doux　lay　upon　a
silver　salver。　　The　man　was　not　an　anchorite；　nor　yet　a　Sir
Galahad。

I　never　could　tell　what　Guy　thought　of　women。　　〃Poor　little
beasts；〃　he　would　often　say　when　the　conversation　turned　on　any　of
his　fresh　conquests。　　Then；　passing　his　hand　over　his　marble　brow；
the　old　look　of　stern　fixedness　of　purpose　and　unflinching　severity
would　straighten　the　lines　of　his　mouth；　and　he　would　mutter；　half
to　himself；　〃S'death！〃

〃Come　with　me　to　Heavystone　Grange。　　The　Exmoor　Hounds　throw　off
to…morrow。　　I'll　give　you　a　mount；〃　he　said；　as　he　amused　himself
by　rolling　up　a　silver　candlestick　between　his　fingers。　　〃You　shall
have　Cleopatra。　　But　stay；〃　he　added；　thoughtfully；　〃now　I
remember；　I　ordered　Cleopatra　to　be　shot　this　morning。〃

〃And　why？〃　I　queried。

〃She　threw　her　rider　yesterday　and　fell　on　him〃

〃And　killed　him？〃

〃No