put yourself in his place-第100部分

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e　foolish　in　your　own。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Jael；　a　little　dryly。　　〃I　shall　think　twice　before　I　give　my　affections　to　any　young　man。〃

Henry　had　a　word　with　his　mother　before　he　went；　and　begged　her　not　to　prepare　disappointment　for　herself　by　trying　to　bring　Jael　and　him　together。　　〃Besides；　she　has　taken　a　spite　against　me。　　To　be　sure　it　is　not　very　deep；　for　she　gave　me　good　advice；　and　I　advised　her　not　to　throw　herself　away　on　Dissolute　Dick。〃

Mrs。　Little　smiled　knowingly　and　looked　very　much　pleased；　but　she　said　nothing　more　just　then。　　Henry　Little　returned　to　Hillsborough；　and　put　his　advertisement　in　〃The　Times〃　and　the　Hillsborough　journals。

Two　days　afterward　Ransome　called　on　him　with　the　〃Hillsborough　Liberal。〃　　〃Is　this　yours？〃　said　Ransome。

〃Yes。　　I　have　reason　to　think　she　will　write　to　me；　if　she　sees　it。〃

〃Would　you　mind　giving　me　your　reason？〃

Little　gave　it；　but　with　so　much　reticence；　that　no　other　man　in　Hillsborough　but　Ransome　would　have　understood。

〃Hum！〃　said　he；　〃I　think　I　can　do　something　with　this。〃　　A　period　of　expectation　succeeded；　hopeful　at　first；　and　full　of　excitement；　but　weeks　rolled　on　without　a　word　from　the　fugitive；　and　Little's　heart　sickened　with　hope　deferred。　　He　often　wished　to　consult　Jael　Dence　again；　he　had　a　superstitious　belief　in　her　sagacity。　　But　the　recollection　of　her　cold　manner　deterred　him。　　At　last；　however；　impatience　and　the　sense　of　desolation　conquered；　and　he　rode　over　to　Raby　Hall。

He　found　his　uncle　and　his　mother　in　the　dining…room。　　Mr。　Raby　was　walking　about　looking　vexed；　and　even　irritable。

The　cause　soon　transpired。　　Dissolute　Dick　was　at　that　moment　in　the　drawing…room；　making　hot　love　to　Jael　Dence。　　He　had　wooed　her　ever　since　that　fatal　evening　when　she　burst　on　society　full…blown。　Raby；　too　proud　and　generous　to　forbid　his　addresses；　had　nevertheless　been　always　bitterly　averse　to　them；　and　was　now　in　a　downright　rage；　for　Mrs。　Little　had　just　told　him　she　felt　sure　he　was　actually　proposing。

〃Confound　him！〃　said　Henry；　〃and　I　wanted　so　to　speak　to　her。〃

Raby　gave　him　a　most　singular　look；　that　struck　him　as　odd　at　the　time；　and　recurred　to　him　afterward。

At　last　steps　were　heard　overhead；　and　Dissolute　Dick　came　down…　stairs。

Mrs。　Little　slipped　out；　and　soon　after　put　her　head　into　the　dining…room　to　the　gentlemen；　and　whispered　to　them　〃YES。〃　　Then　she　retired　to　talk　it　all　over　with　Jael。

At　that　monosyllable　Mr。　Raby　was　very　much　discomposed。

〃There　goes　a　friend　out　of　this　house；　more　fools　we。　　You　have　lost　her　by　your　confounded　folly。　　What　is　the　use　spooning　all　your　days　after　another　man's　wife？　　I　wouldn't　have　had　this　happen　for　ten　thousand　pounds。　　Dissolute　Dick！　he　will　break　her　heart　in　a　twelvemouth。〃

〃Then　why；　in　heaven's　name；　didn't　you　marry　her　yourself？〃

〃Me！　at　my　age？　　No；　why　didn't　YOU　marry　her？　　You　know　she　fancies　you。　　The　moment　you　found　Grace　married；　you　ought　to　have　secured　this　girl；　and　lived　with　me；　the　house　is　big　enough　for　you　all。〃

〃It　is　not　so　big　as　your　heart；　sir；〃　said　Henry。　〃But　pray　don't　speak　to　me　of　love　or　marriage　either。〃

〃Why　should　I？　　The　milk　is　spilt；　it　is　no　use　crying　now。　　Let　us　go　and　dress　for　dinner。　　Curse　the　worldit　is　one　disappointment。〃

Little　himself　was　vexed；　but　he　determined　to　put　a　good　face　on　it；　and　to　be　very　kind　to　his　good　friend　Jael。

She　did　not　appear　at　dinner；　and　when　the　servants　had　retired；　he　said；　〃Come　now；　let　us　make　the　best　of　it。　　Mother；　if　you　don't　mind；　I　will　settle　five　thousand　pounds　upon　her　and　her　children。　He　is　a　spendthrift；　I　hear；　and　as　poor　as　Job。〃

Mrs。　Little　stared　at　her　son。　　〃Why；　she　has　refused　him！〃

Loud　exclamations　of　surprise　and　satisfaction。

〃A　fine　fright　you　have　given　us。　　You　said　'Yes。'〃

〃Well；　that　meant　he　had　proposed。　　You　know；　Guy；　I　had　told　you　he　would：　I　saw　it　in　his　eye。　　So　I　observed；　in　a　moment；　he　HAD；　and　I　said　'Yes。'〃

〃Then　why　doesn't　she　come　down　to　dinner？〃

〃He　has　upset　her。　　It　is　the　old　story：　he　cried　to　her；　and　told　her　he　had　been　wild；　and　misconducted　himself；　all　because　he　had　never　met　a　woman　he　could　really　love　and　respect；　and　then　he　begged　her；　and　implored　her；　and　said　his　fate　depended　on　her。〃

〃But　she　was　not　caught　with　that　chaff；　so　why　does　she　not　come　and　receive　the　congratulations　of　the　company　on　her　escape？〃

〃Because　she　is　far　too　delicate；〃　then；　turning　to　her　son；　〃and　perhaps；　because　she　can't　help　comparing　the　manly　warmth　and　loving　appreciation　of　Mr。　Richard　Raby；　with　the　cold　indifference　and　ingratitude　of　others。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Henry；　coloring；　〃if　that　is　her　feeling；　she　will　accept　him　next　time。〃

〃Next　time！〃　roared　Raby。　　〃There　shall　be　no　next　time。　　I　have　given　the　scamp　fair　play；　quite　against　my　own　judgment。　　He　has　got　his　answer　now；　and　I　won't　have　the　girl　tormented　with　him　any　more。　　I　trust　that　to　you；　Edith。〃

Mrs。　Little　promised　him　Dick　and　Jael　should　not　meet　again；　in　Raby　Hall　at　least。

That　evening　she　drew　her　son　apart　and　made　an　earnest　appeal　to　him。

〃So　much　for　her　spite　against　you；　Henry。　　You　told　her　to　decline　Richard　Raby；　and　so　she　declined　him。　　Spite；　indeed！　　The　gentle　pique　of　a　lovely；　good　girl；　who　knows　her　value；　though　she　is　too　modest　to　show　it　openly。　　Well；　Henry；　you　have　lost　her　a　husband；　and　she　has　given　you　one　more　proof　of　affection。　　Don't　build　the　mountain　of　ingratitude　any　higher：　do　pray　take　the　cure　that　offers；　and　make　your　mother　happy；　as　well　as　yourself；　my　son。〃　In　this　strain　she　continued；　and　used　all　her　art；　her　influence；　her　affection；　till　at　last；　with　a　weary；　heart…broken　sigh；　he　yielded　as　far　as　this：　he　said　that；　if　it　could　once　be　made　clear　to　him　there　was　no　hope　of　his　ever　marrying　Grace　Carden　he　would　wed　Jael　Dence　at　once。

Then　he　ordered　his　trap；　and　drove　sullenly　home；　while　Mrs。　Little；　full　of　delight；　communicated　her　triumph　to　Jael　Dence；　and　told　her　about　the　five　thousand　pounds；　and　was　as　enthusiastic　in　praise　of　Henry　to　Jael；　as　she　had　been　of　Jael　to　Henry。

Meantime　he　drove　back　to　Hillsborough；　more　unhappy　than　ever；　and　bitter　against　himself　for　yielding；　even　so　far；　to　gratitude　and　maternal　influence。

It　was　late　when　he　reached　home。　　He　let　himself　in　with　a　latch…　key；　and　went　into　his　room　for　a　moment。

A　letter　lay　on　the　table；　with　no　stamp　on　it：　he　took　it　up。　　It　contained　but　one　line；　that　line　made　his　heart　leap：

〃News　of　G。　C。　　RANSOME。〃


CHAPTER　XLIII。


Late　as　it　was；　Little　went　to　the　Town…hall　directly。　　But　there；　to　his　bitter　disappointment；　he　learned　that　Mr。　Ransome　had　been　called　to　Manchester　by　telegram。　　Little　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　wait；　and　eat　his　heart　with　impatience。　　However；　next　day；　toward　afternoon；　Ransome　called　on　him　at　the　works；　in　considerable　excitement；　and　told　him　a　new　firm　had　rented　large　business　premises　in　Manchester；　obtained　goods；　insured　them　in　the　〃Gosshawk；〃　and　then　the　premises　had　caught　fire　and　the　goods　been　burned　to　ashes；　suspicions　had　been　excited；　Mr。　Carden　had　gone　to　the　spot　and　telegraphed　for　him。　　He　had　met　a　London　detective　there；　and；　between　them；　they　had　soon　discovered　that　full　cases　had　come　in　by　day；　but　full　sacks　gone　out　by　night：　the　ashes　also　revealed　no　trace　of　certain　goods　the　firm　had　insured。　　〃And　now　comes　the　clew　to　it　all。　　Amongst　the　few　things　that　survived　the　fire　was　a　photographof　whom　do　you　think？　　Shifty　Dick。　　The　dog　had　kept　his　word；　and　gone　into　trade。〃

〃Confound　him！〃　said　Little；　〃he　is　always　crossing　my　path；　that　fellow。　　You　seem　quite　to　forget　that　all　this　time　I　am　in　agonies　of　suspense。　　What　do　I　care　about　Shifty　Dick？　　He　is　nothing　to　me。〃

〃Of　course　not。　　I　am　full　of　the　fellow；　a　little　more；　and　he'll　make　a　monomaniac　of　me。　　Mr。　Carden　offers　L200　for　his　capture；　and　we　got　an　inkling　he　was　coming　this　way　again。　　There；　there；　I　won't　mention　his　name　to　you　again。　　Let　us　talk　of　what　WILL　interest　you。　　Well；　sir；　have　you　observed　that　you　are　followed　and　watched？〃

〃No。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　it；　then　it　has　been　done　skillfully。　　You　have　been　closely　watched　this　month　past　by　my　orders。〃

This　made　young　Little　feel　queer。　　Suppose　he　had　attempted　anything　unlawful；　his　good　friend　here　would　have　collared　him。

〃You'll　wonder　that　a　good　citizen　like　you　should　be　put　under　surveillance；　but　I　thought　it　likely　your　advertisement　would　either　make　the　lady　write　to　you；　or　else　draw　her　back　to　the　town。　　She　didn't　write；　so　I　had　you　watched；　to　see　if　any　body　took　a　sly　peep　at　you。　　Well；　this　went　on　for　weeks；　and　nothing　turned　up。　　But　the　other　night　a　young　woman　walked　several　times　by　your　house；　and　went　away　with　a　sigh。　　She　had　a　sort　of　Protestant　nun's　dress　on；　and　a　thick　veil。　　Now　you　know　Mr　Carden　told　you　she　was　gone　into　a　convent。　　I　am　almost　sure　it　is　the　lady。〃

Little　thanked　him　with　all　his　soul；　and　then　inquired　eagerly　where　the　nun　lived。

〃Ah；　my　man　didn't　know　that。　　Unfortunately；　he　was　on　duty　in　the　street；　and　had　no　authority　to　follow　anybody。　　However；　if　you　can　keep　yourself　calm；　and　obey　orders〃

〃I　will　do　anything　you　tell　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　this　evening；　as　soon　as　it　is　quite　dark；　you　do　what　I　have　seen　you　do　in　happier　times。　　Light　your　reading…lamp；　and　sit　reading　close　to　the　window；　only　you　must　not　pull　down　the　blind。　　Lower　the　venetians；　but　don't　turn　them　so　as　to　hide　your　face　from　the　outside。　　You　must　promise　me　faithfully　not　to　move　under　any　circumstances；　or　you　would　be　sure　to　spoil　all。〃

Little　gave　the　promise；　and　performed　it　to　the　letter。　　He　lighted　his　lamp；　and　tried　to　read　book　after　book；　but；　of　course；　he　was　too　agitated　to　fix　his　attention　on　them。　　He　got　all　Grace's　letters；　and　read　them；　and　it　was　only　by　a　stern　effort　he　kept　still　at　all。

The　night　wore　on；　and　heart…sickness　was　beginning　to　succeed　to　feverish　impatience；　when　there　was　a　loud　knock　at　the　door。　Little　ran　to　it　himself；　and　found　a　sergeant　of　police；　who　told　him　in　a　low　voice　he　brought　a　message　from　the　ch