the holly-tree-第8部分

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always；　as　Boots　informs　me；　a　soft…hearted　one。　　Not　that　there　was

any　harm　in　that　girl。　　Far　from　it。



Finally；　Boots　says；　that's　all　about　it。　　Mr。　Walmers　drove　away　in

the　chaise；　having　hold　of　Master　Harry's　hand。　　The　elderly　lady

and　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior；　that　was　never　to　be　（she　married　a

Captain　long　afterwards；　and　died　in　India）；　went　off　next　day。　　In

conclusion；　Boots　put　it　to　me　whether　I　hold　with　him　in　two

opinions：　　firstly；　that　there　are　not　many　couples　on　their　way　to

be　married　who　are　half　as　innocent　of　guile　as　those　two　children；

secondly；　that　it　would　be　a　jolly　good　thing　for　a　great　many

couples　on　their　way　to　be　married；　if　they　could　only　be　stopped　in

time；　and　brought　back　separately。







THIRD　BRANCHTHE　BILL







I　had　been　snowed　up　a　whole　week。　　The　time　had　hung　so　lightly　on

my　hands；　that　I　should　have　been　in　great　doubt　of　the　fact　but　for

a　piece　of　documentary　evidence　that　lay　upon　my　table。



The　road　had　been　dug　out　of　the　snow　on　the　previous　day；　and　the

document　in　question　was　my　bill。　　It　testified　emphatically　to　my

having　eaten　and　drunk；　and　warmed　myself；　and　slept　among　the

sheltering　branches　of　the　Holly…Tree；　seven　days　and　nights。



I　had　yesterday　allowed　the　road　twenty…four　hours　to　improve

itself；　finding　that　I　required　that　additional　margin　of　time　for

the　completion　of　my　task。　　I　had　ordered　my　Bill　to　be　upon　the

table；　and　a　chaise　to　be　at　the　door；　〃at　eight　o'clock　to…morrow

evening。〃　　It　was　eight　o'clock　to…morrow　evening　when　I　buckled　up

my　travelling　writing…desk　in　its　leather　case；　paid　my　Bill；　and

got　on　my　warm　coats　and　wrappers。　　Of　course；　no　time　now　remained

for　my　travelling　on　to　add　a　frozen　tear　to　the　icicles　which　were

doubtless　hanging　plentifully　about　the　farmhouse　where　I　had　first

seen　Angela。　　What　I　had　to　do　was　to　get　across　to　Liverpool　by　the

shortest　open　road；　there　to　meet　my　heavy　baggage　and　embark。　　It

was　quite　enough　to　do；　and　I　had　not　an　hour　too　much　time　to　do　it

in。



I　had　taken　leave　of　all　my　Holly…Tree　friendsalmost；　for　the　time

being；　of　my　bashfulness　tooand　was　standing　for　half　a　minute　at

the　Inn　door　watching　the　ostler　as　he　took　another　turn　at　the　cord

which　tied　my　portmanteau　on　the　chaise；　when　I　saw　lamps　coming

down　towards　the　Holly…Tree。　　The　road　was　so　padded　with　snow　that

no　wheels　were　audible；　but　all　of　us　who　were　standing　at　the　Inn

door　saw　lamps　coming　on；　and　at　a　lively　rate　too；　between　the

walls　of　snow　that　had　been　heaped　up　on　either　side　of　the　track。

The　chambermaid　instantly　divined　how　the　case　stood；　and　called　to

the　ostler；　〃Tom；　this　is　a　Gretna　job！〃　　The　ostler；　knowing　that

her　sex　instinctively　scented　a　marriage；　or　anything　in　that

direction；　rushed　up　the　yard　bawling；　〃Next　four　out！〃　and　in　a

moment　the　whole　establishment　was　thrown　into　commotion。



I　had　a　melancholy　interest　in　seeing　the　happy　man　who　loved　and

was　beloved；　and　therefore；　instead　of　driving　off　at　once；　I

remained　at　the　Inn　door　when　the　fugitives　drove　up。　　A　bright…eyed

fellow；　muffled　in　a　mantle；　jumped　out　so　briskly　that　he　almost

overthrew　me。　　He　turned　to　apologise；　and；　by　heaven；　it　was　Edwin！



〃Charley！〃　said　he；　recoiling。　　〃Gracious　powers；　what　do　you　do

here？〃



〃Edwin；〃　said　I；　recoiling；　〃gracious　powers；　what　do　you　do　here？〃

I　struck　my　forehead　as　I　said　it；　and　an　insupportable　blaze　of

light　seemed　to　shoot　before　my　eyes。



He　hurried　me　into　the　little　parlour　（always　kept　with　a　slow　fire

in　it　and　no　poker）；　where　posting　company　waited　while　their　horses

were　putting　to；　and；　shutting　the　door；　said：



〃Charley；　forgive　me！〃



〃Edwin！〃　I　returned。　　〃Was　this　well？　　When　I　loved　her　so　dearly！

When　I　had　garnered　up　my　heart　so　long！〃　　I　could　say　no　more。



He　was　shocked　when　he　saw　how　moved　I　was；　and　made　the　cruel

observation；　that　he　had　not　thought　I　should　have　taken　it　so　much

to　heart。



I　looked　at　him。　　I　reproached　him　no　more。　　But　I　looked　at　him。

〃My　dear；　dear　Charley；〃　said　he；　〃don't　think　ill　of　me；　I　beseech

you！　　I　know　you　have　a　right　to　my　utmost　confidence；　and；　believe

me；　you　have　ever　had　it　until　now。　　I　abhor　secrecy。　　Its　meanness

is　intolerable　to　me。　　But　I　and　my　dear　girl　have　observed　it　for

your　sake。〃



He　and　his　dear　girl！　　It　steeled　me。



〃You　have　observed　it　for　my　sake；　sir？〃　said　I；　wondering　how　his

frank　face　could　face　it　out　so。



〃Yes！and　Angela's；〃　said　he。



I　found　the　room　reeling　round　in　an　uncertain　way；　like　a

labouring；　humming…top。　　〃Explain　yourself；〃　said　I；　holding　on　by

one　hand　to　an　arm…chair。



〃Dear　old　darling　Charley！〃　returned　Edwin；　in　his　cordial　manner；

〃consider！　　When　you　were　going　on　so　happily　with　Angela；　why

should　I　compromise　you　with　the　old　gentleman　by　making　you　a　party

to　our　engagement；　and　（after　he　had　declined　my　proposals）　to　our

secret　intention？　　Surely　it　was　better　that　you　should　be　able

honourably　to　say；　'He　never　took　counsel　with　me；　never　told　me；

never　breathed　a　word　of　it。'　　If　Angela　suspected　it；　and　showed　me

all　the　favour　and　support　she　couldGod　bless　her　for　a　precious

creature　and　a　priceless　wife！I　couldn't　help　that。　　Neither　I　nor

Emmeline　ever　told　her；　any　more　than　we　told　you。　　And　for　the　same

good　reason；　Charley；　trust　me；　for　the　same　good　reason；　and　no

other　upon　earth！〃



Emmeline　was　Angela's　cousin。　　Lived　with　her。　　Had　been　brought　up

with　her。　　Was　her　father's　ward。　　Had　property。



〃Emmeline　is　in　the　chaise；　my　dear　Edwin！〃　said　I；　embracing　him

with　the　greatest　affection。



〃My　good　fellow！〃　said　he；　〃do　you　suppose　I　should　be　going　to

Gretna　Green　without　her？〃



I　ran　out　with　Edwin；　I　opened　the　chaise　door；　I　took　Emmeline　in

my　arms；　I　folded　her　to　my　heart。　　She　was　wrapped　in　soft　white

fur；　like　the　snowy　landscape：　　but　was　warm；　and　young；　and　lovely。

I　put　their　leaders　to　with　my　own　hands；　I　gave　the　boys　a　five…

pound　note　apiece；　I　cheered　them　as　they　drove　away；　I　drove　the

other　way　myself　as　hard　as　I　could　pelt。



I　never　went　to　Liverpool；　I　never　went　to　America；　I　went　straight

back　to　London；　and　I　married　Angela。　　I　have　never　until　this　time；

even　to　her；　disclosed　the　secret　of　my　character；　and　the　mistrust

and　the　mistaken　journey　into　which　it　led　me。　　When　she；　and　they；

and　our　eight　children　and　their　sevenI　mean　Edwin　and　Emmeline's；

whose　oldest　girl　is　old　enough　now　to　wear　white　for　herself；　and

to　look　very　like　her　mother　in　itcome　to　read　these　pages；　as　of

course　they　will；　I　shall　hardly　fail　to　be　found　out　at　last。

Never　mind！　　I　can　bear　it。　　I　began　at　the　Holly…Tree；　by　idle

accident；　to　associate　the　Christmas　time　of　year　with　human

interest；　and　with　some　inquiry　into；　and　some　care　for；　the　lives

of　those　by　whom　I　find　myself　surrounded。　　I　hope　that　I　am　none

the　worse　for　it；　and　that　no　one　near　me　or　afar　off　is　the　worse

for　it。　　And　I　say；　May　the　green　Holly…Tree　flourish；　striking　its

roots　deep　into　our　English　ground；　and　having　its　germinating

qualities　carried　by　the　birds　of　Heaven　all　over　the　world！











End