put yourself in his place-第101部分

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imself；　and　found　a　sergeant　of　police；　who　told　him　in　a　low　voice　he　brought　a　message　from　the　chief…constable。

〃I　was　to　tell　you　it　is　all　right；　he　is　following　the　party　himself。　　He　will　call　on　you　at　twelve　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃Not　before　that？〃　said　Little。　　However；　he　gave　the　sergeant　a　sovereign　for　good　news；　and　then；　taking　his　hat；　walked　twenty　miles　out　of　Hillsborough；　and　back；　for　he　knew　it　was　useless　his　going　to　bed；　or　trying　to　settle　to　any　thing。

He　got　back　at　ten　o'clock；　washed；　breakfasted；　and　dozed　on　two　chairs；　till　Ransome　came；　with　a　carpet…bag　in　his　hand。

〃Tell　me　all　about　it：　don't　omit　any　thing。〃　　This　was　Little's　greeting。

〃Well；　sir；　she　passed　the　house　about　nine　o'clock；　walking　quickly；　and　took　just　one　glance　in　at　your　window；　but　did　not　stop。　　She　came　back　in　half　an　hour；　and　stood　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way；　and　then　passed　on。　　I　hid　in　a　court；　where　she　couldn't　see　me。　　By…and…by　she　comes　back；　on　your　side　the　way　this　time；　gliding　like　a　cat；　and　she　crouched　and　curled　round　the　angle　of　the　house；　and　took　a　good　look　at　you。　　Then　she　went　slowly　away；　and　I　passed　her。　　She　was　crying　bitterly；　poor　girl！　I　never　lost　sight　of　her；　and　she　led　me　a　dance；　I　can　tell　you。　I'll　take　you　to　the　place；　but　you　had　better　let　me　disguise　you；　for　I　can　see　she　is　very　timid；　and　would　fly　away　in　a　moment　if　she　knew　she　was　detected。〃

Little　acquiesced；　and　Ransome　disguised　him　in　a　beard　and　a　loose　set　of　clothes；　and　a　billy…cock　hat；　and　said　that　would　do；　as　long　as　he　kept　at　a　prudent　distance　from　the　lady's　eye。　　They　then　took　a　cab　and　drove　out　of　Hillsborough。　　When　they　had　proceeded　about　two　miles　up　the　valley；　Ransome　stopped　the　cab；　and　directed　the　driver　to　wait　for　them。

He　then　walked　on；　and　soon　came　to　a　row　of　houses；　in　two　blocks　of　four　houses　each。

The　last　house　of　the　first　block　had　a　bill　in　the　window；　〃To　be　let　furnished。〃

He　then　knocked　at　the　door；　and　a　woman　in　charge　of　the　house　opened　it。

〃I　am　the　chief…constable　of　Hillsborough；　and　this　is　my　friend　Mr。　Park；　he　is　looking　out　for　a　furnished　house。　　Can　he　see　this　one？〃

The　woman　said；　〃Certainly；　gentlemen；〃　and　showed　them　over　the　house。

Ransome　opened　the　second…story　window；　and　looked　out　on　the　back　garden。

〃Ah；〃　said　he；　〃these　houses　have　nice　long　gardens　in　the　rear；　where　one　can　walk　and　be　private。〃

He　then　nudged　Henry；　and　asked　the　woman　who　lived　in　the　first　house　of　the　next　block〃the　house　that　garden　belongs　to？〃

〃Why；　the　bill　was　in　the　window　the　other　day；　but　it　is　just　took。　She　is　a　kind　of　a　nun；　I　suppose：　keeps　no　servant：　only　a　girl　comes　in　and　does　for　her；　and　goes　home　at　night。　　I　saw　her　yesterday；　walking　in　the　garden　there。　　She　seems　rather　young　to　be　all　alone　like　that；　but　perhaps　there's　some　more　of　'em　coming。　They　sort　o'　cattle　mostly　goes　in　bands。〃

Henry　asked　what　was　the　rent　of　the　house。　　The　woman　did　not　know；　but　told　him　the　proprietor　lived　a　few　doors　off。　　〃I　shall　take　this　house；〃　said　Little。　　〃I　think　you　are　right；〃　observed　Ransome：　〃it　will　just　answer　your　purpose。〃　　They　went　together；　and　took　the　house　directly；　and　Henry；　by　advice　of　Ransome；　engaged　a　woman　to　come　into　the　house　in　the　morning；　and　go　away　at　dusk。　　Ransome　also　advised　him　to　make　arrangements　for　watching　Grace's　garden　unseen。　　〃That　will　be　a　great　comfort　to　you；〃　said　he：　〃I　know　by　experience。　　Above　all　things；〃　said　this　sagacious　officer；　〃don't　you　let　her　know　she　is　discovered。　　Remember　this：　when　she　wants　you　to　know　she　is　here；　she'll　be　sure　to　let　you　know。　　At　present　she　is　here　on　the　sly：　so　if　you　thwart　her；　she'll　be　off　again；　as　sure　as　fate。〃

Little　was　forced　to　see　the　truth　of　this；　and　promised　to　restrain　himself；　hard　as　the　task　was。　　He　took　the　house；　and　used　to　let　himself　into　it　with　a　latch…key　at　about　ten　o　clock　every　night。

There　he　used　to　stay　and　watch　till　past　noon；　and　nearly　every　day　he　was　rewarded　by　seeing　the　Protestant　nun　walk　in　her　garden。

He　was　restless　and　miserable　till　she　came　out；　when　she　appeared　his　heart　bounded　and　thrilled；　and　when　once　he　had　feasted　his　eyes　upon　her；　he　would　go　about　the　vulgar　affairs　of　life　pretty　contentedly。

By　advice　of　Ransome；　he　used　to　sit　in　his　other　house　from　seven　till　nine；　and　read　at　the　window；　to　afford　his　beloved　a　joy　similar　to　that　he　stole　himself。

And　such　is　the　power　of　true　love　that　these　furtive　glances　soothed　two　lives。　　Little's　spirits　revived；　and　some　color　came　back　to　Grace's　cheek。

One　night　there　was　a　house　broken　into　in　the　row。

Instantly　Little　took　the　alarm　on　Grace's　account；　and　bought　powder　and　bullets；　and　a　double…barreled　rifle；　and　a　revolver；　and　now　at　the　slightest　sound　he　would　be　out　of　bed　in　a　moment　ready　to　defend　her；　if　necessary。

Thus　they　both　kept　their　hearts　above　water；　and　Grace　visited　the　sick；　and　employed　her　days　in　charity；　and　then；　for　a　reward；　crept；　with　soft　foot；　to　Henry's　window；　and　devoured　him　with　her　eyes；　and　fed　on　that　look　for　hours　afterward。

When　this　had　gone　on　for　nearly　a　month；　Lally；　who　had　orders　to　keep　his　eye　on　Mr。　Little；　happened　to　come　and　see　Grace　looking　in　at　him。

He　watched　her　at　a　distance；　but　had　not　the　intelligence　to　follow　her　home。　　He　had　no　idea　it　was　Grace　Carden。

However；　in　his　next　letter　to　his　master；　who　was　then　in　London；　he　told　him　Little　always　read　at　night　by　the　window；　and；　one　night；　a　kind　of　nun　had　come　and　taken　a　very　long　look　at　him；　and　gone　away　crying。　　〃I　suspect；〃　said　Lally；　〃she　has　played　the　fool　with　him　some　time　or　other；　before　she　was　a　nun。〃

He　was　not　a　little　surprised　when　his　master　telegraphed　in　reply　that　he　would　be　down　by　the　first　train；　but　the　fact　is；　that　Coventry　had　already　called　on　Mr。　Carden；　and　been　told　that　his　wife　was　in　a　convent；　and　he　would　never　see　her　again。　　I　must　add　that　Mr。　Carden　received　him　as　roughly　as　he　had　Little；　but　the　interview　terminated　differently。　　Coventry；　with　his　winning　tongue；　and　penitence　and　plausibility；　softened　the　indignant　father；　and　then；　appealing　to　his　good　sense；　extorted　from　him　the　admission　that　his　daughter's　only　chance　of　happiness　lay　in　forgiving　him；　and　allowing　him　to　atone　his　faults　by　a　long　life　of　humble　devotion。　　But　when　Coventry；　presuming　on　this；　implored　him　to　reveal　where　she　was；　the　old　man　stood　stanch；　and　said　that　was　told　him　under　a　solemn　assurance　of　secrecy；　and　nothing　should　induce　him　to　deceive　his　daughter。　　〃I　will　not　lose　her　love　and　confidence　for　any　of　you；〃　said　he。

So　now　Coventry　put　that　word　〃convent〃　and　this　word　〃nun〃　together；　and　came　to　Hillsborough　full　of　suspicions。

He　took　lodgings　nearly　opposite　Little's　house；　and　watched　in　a　dark　room　so　persistently；　that；　at　last；　he　saw　the　nun　appear；　saw　her　stealthy；　cat…like　approaches；　her　affected　retreat；　her　cunning　advance；　her　long　lingering　look。

A　close　observer　of　women；　he　saw　in　every　movement　of　her　supple　body　that　she　was　animated　by　love。

He　raged　and　sickened　with　jealousy；　and　when；　at　last；　she　retired；　he　followed　her；　with　hell　in　his　heart；　and　never　lost　sight　of　her　till　she　entered　her　house　in　the　valley。

If　there　had　been　a　house　to　let　in　the　terrace；　he　would　certainly　have　taken　it；　but　Little　had　anticipated　him。

He　took　a　very　humble　lodging　in　the　neighborhood；　and　by　dint　of　watching；　he　at　last　saw　the　nun　speaking　to　a　poor　woman　with　her　veil　up。　　It　revealed　to　him　nothing　but　what　he　knew　already。　　It　was　the　woman　he　loved；　and　she　hated　him；　the　woman　who　had　married　him　under　a　delusion；　and　stabbed　him　on　his　bridal　day。　　He　loved　her　all　the　more　passionately　for　that。

Until　he　received　Lally's　note；　he　had　been　content　to　wait　patiently　until　his　rival　should　lose　hope；　and　carry　himself　and　his　affections　elsewhere；　he　felt　sure　that　must　be　the　end　of　it。

But　now　jealousy　stung　him；　wild　passion　became　too　strong　for　reason；　and　he　resolved　to　play　a　bold　and　lawless　game　to　possess　his　lawful　wife。　　Should　it　fail；　what　could　they　do　to　him？　　A　man　may　take　his　own　by　force。　　Not　only　his　passions；　but　the　circumstances　tempted　him。　　She　was　actually　living　alone；　in　a　thinly…peopled　district；　and　close　to　a　road。　　It　was　only　to　cover　her　head　and　stifle　her　cries；　and　fly　with　her　to　some　place　beforehand　prepared；　where　she　would　be　brought　to　submission　by　kindness　of　manner　combined　with　firmness　of　purpose。

Coventry　possessed　every　qualification　to　carry　out　such　a　scheme　as　this。　　He　was　not　very　courageous；　yet　he　was　not　a　coward：　and　no　great　courage　was　required。　　Cunning；　forethought；　and　unscrupulousness　were　the　principal　things；　and　these　he　had　to　perfection。

He　provided　a　place　to　keep　her；　it　was　a　shooting…box　of　his　own；　on　a　heathery　hill；　that　nobody　visited　except　for　shooting；　and　the　season　for　shooting　was　past。

He　armed　himself　with　false　certificates　of　lunacy；　to　show　on　an　emergency；　and　also　a　copy　of　his　marriage　certificate：　he　knew　how　unwilling　strangers　are　to　interfere　between　man　and　wife。

The　only　great　difficulty　was　to　get　resolute　men　to　help　him　in　this　act。

He　sounded　Cole；　but　that　worthy　objected　to　it；　as　being　out　of　his　line。

Coventry　talked　him　over；　and　offered　a　sum　that　made　him　tremble　with　cupidity。　　He　assented　on　one　conditionthat　he　should　not　be　expected　to　break　into　the　house；　nor　do　any　act　that　should　be　〃construed　burglarious。〃　　He　actually　used　that　phrase；　which　I　should　hardly　have　expected　from　him。

Coventry　assented　to　this　condition。　　He　undertook　to　get　into　the　house；　and　open　the　door　to　Cole　and　his　myrmidons：　he　stipulated；　however；　that　Cole　should　make　a　short　iron　ladder　with　four　sharp　prongs。　　By　means　of　this　he　could　enter　Grace's　house　at　a　certain　unguarded　part　and　then　run　down　and　unbar　the　front　door。　　He　had　thoroughly　reconnoitered　the　premises；　and　was　sure　of　success。

First　one　day　was　appointed　for　the　enterprise；　then　another；　and；　at　last；　it　was　their　luck　to　settle　on　a　certain　night；　of　which　I　will