put yourself in his place-第108部分

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t；　and　got　in。　　He　washed　about　the　room　till　the　abating　flood　contracted；　and　then　it　sucked　him　and　his　box　out　of　the　window。　He　got　frightened；　and　let　the　lid　down；　and　so　drifted　about　till　at　last　he　floated　into　the　hands　of　justice。

Little　and　Ransome　carried　the　child　away；　and　it　was　conveyed　to　the　hospital　and　a　healthy　nurse　assigned　it。

Ransome　prevailed　on　Little　to　go　home；　change　his　wet　clothes　and　lie　down　for　an　hour　or　two。　　He　consented；　but　first　gave　Ransome　an　order　to　lay　out　a　thousand　pounds；　at　his　expense；　in　relief　of　the　sufferers。

Then　he　went　home；　sent　a　message　to　Raby　Hall；　that　he　was　all　right；　took　off　his　clothes；　rolled　exhausted　into　bed；　and　slept　till　the　afternoon。

At　four　o'clock　he　rose；　got　into　a　hansom；　and　drove　up　to　Woodbine　Villa；　the　happiest　man　in　England。

He　inquired　for　Miss　Carden。　　The　man　said　he　believed　she　was　not　up；　but　would　inquire。

〃Do；〃　said　Little。　　〃Tell　her　who　it　is。　　I'll　wait　in　the　dining…　room。〃

He　walked　into　the　dining…room　before　the　man　could　object；　and　there　he　found　a　sick　gentleman；　with　Dr。　Amboyne　and　a　surgeon　examining　him。　　The　patient　lay　on　a　sofa；　extremely　pale；　and　groaning　with　pain。

One　glance　sufficed。　　It　was　Frederick　Coventry。


CHAPTER　XLVII。


〃What！　you　alive？〃　said　Little；　staring。

〃Alive；　and　that　is　all；〃　said　Coventry。　　〃Pray　excuse　me　for　not　dying　to　please　you。〃

Ere　Little　could　reply；　Mr。　Carden；　who　had　heard　of　his　arrival；　looked　in　from　the　library；　and　beckoned　him　in。

When　they　were　alone；　he　began　by　giving　the　young　man　his　hand；　and　then　thanked　him　warmly　for　his　daughter。　　〃You　have　shown　yourself　a　hero　in　courage。　　Now　go　one　step　further；　be　a　hero　in　fortitude　and　self…denial；　that　unhappy　man　in　the　next　room　is　her　husband；　like　you；　he　risked　his　life　to　save　her。　　He　tells　me　he　heard　the　dam　was　going　to　burst；　and　came　instantly　with　a　ladder　to　rescue　her。　　He　was　less　fortunate　than　you；　and　failed　to　rescue　her；　less　fortunate　than　you　again；　he　has　received　a　mortal　injury　in　that　attempt。　　It　was　I　who　found　him；　I　went　down　distracted　with　anxiety；　to　look　for　my　daughter；　I　found　this　poor　creature　jammed　tight　between　the　tree　he　was　upon　and　a　quantity　of　heavy　timber　that　had　accumulated　and　rested　against　a　bank。　　We　released　him　with　great　difficulty。　　It　was　a　long　time　before　he　could　speak；　and　then；　his　first　inquiry　was　after　HER。　　Show　some　pity　for　an　erring　man；　Mr。　Little；　some　consideration　for　my　daughter's　reputation。　　Let　him　die　in　peace：　his　spine　is　broken；　he　can't　live　many　days。〃

Little　heard　all　this　and　looked　down　on　the　ground　for　some　time　in　silence。　　At　last　he　said　firmly；　〃Mr。　Carden；　I　would　not　be　inhuman　to　a　dying　man；　but　you　were　always　his　friend；　and　never　mine。　　Let　me　see　HER；　and　I'll　tell　her　what　you　say；　and　take　her　advice。〃

〃You　shall　see　her；　of　course；　but　not　just　now。　　She　is　in　bed；　attended　by　a　Sister　of　Charity；　whom　she　telegraphed　for。〃

〃Can　I　see　that　lady？〃

〃Certainly。〃

Sister　Gratiosa　was　sent　for；　and；　in　reply　to　Little's　anxious　inquiries；　told　him　that　Sister　Amata　had　been　very　much　shaken　by　the　terrible　events　of　the　night；　and　absolute　repose　was　necessary　to　her。　　In　further　conversation　she　told　him　she　was　aware　of　Sister　Amata's　unhappy　story；　and　had　approved　her　retirement　from　Hillsborough；　under　all　the　circumstances；　but　that　now；　after　much　prayer　to　God　for　enlightenment；　she　could　not　but　think　it　was　the　Sister's　duty；　as　a　Christian　woman；　to　stay　at　home　and　nurse　the　afflicted　man　whose　name　she　bore；　and　above　all　devote　herself　to　his　spiritual　welfare。

〃Oh；　that　is　your　notion；　is　it？〃　said　Henry。　　〃Then　you　are　no　friend　of　mine。〃

〃I　am　no　enemy　of　yours；　nor　of　any　man；　I　hope。　　May　I　ask　you　one　question；　without　offense？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Have　you　prayed　to　God　to　guide　you　in　this　difficulty？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　seek　his　throne　without　delay；　and；　until　you　have　done　so；　do　not　rashly　condemn　my　views　of　this　matter；　since　I　have　sought　for　wisdom　where　alone　it　is　to　be　found。〃

Henry　chafed　under　this；　but　he　commanded　his　temper；　though　with　difficulty；　and　said；　〃Will　you　take　a　line　to　her　from　me？〃

The　Sister　hesitated。　　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　ought；〃　said　she。

〃Oh；　then　the　old　game　of　intercepting　letters　is　to　be　played。〃

〃Not　by　me：　after　prayer　I　shall　be　able　to　say　Yes　or　No　to　your　request。　　At　present；　being　at　a　distance　from　my　Superior；　I　must　needs　hesitate。〃

〃Right　and　wrong　must　have　made　very　little　impression　on　your　mind；　if　you　don't　know　whether　you　ought　to　take　a　letter　to　a　woman　from　a　man　who　has　just　saved　her　lifeor　not。〃

The　lady　colored　highly；　courtesied；　and　retired　without　a　word。

Little　knew　enough　of　human　nature　to　see　that　the　Sister　would　not　pray　against　feminine　spite；　he　had　now　a　dangerous　enemy　in　the　house；　and　foresaw　that　Grace　would　be　steadily　worked　on　through　her　religious　sentiments。

He　went　away；　sick　with　disappointment；　jealousy；　and　misgivings；　hired　a　carriage；　and　drove　at　once　to　Raby　Hall。


CHAPTER　XLVIII。


Mrs。　Little　saw　her　son　arrive；　met　him　in　the　hall；　and　embraced　him；　with　a　great　cry　of　maternal　joy；　that　did　his　heart　good　for　a　moment。

He　had　to　tell　her　all；　and；　during　the　recital；　she　often　clasped　him　to　her　bosom。

When　he　had　told　her　all；　she　said：　〃Much　as　I　love　you；　darling；　I　am　ready　to　part　with　you　for　good：　there　is　a　cure　for　all　your　griefs；　there　is　a　better　woman　in　this　house　than　ever　Grace　Carden　was　or　will　be。　　Be　a　man；　shake　off　these　miserable　trammels；　leave　that　vacillating　girl　to　nurse　her　villain；　and　marry　the　one　I　have　chosen　for　you。〃

Henry　shook　his　head。　　〃What！　when　a　few　months　perhaps　will　free　my　Grace　from　her　incumbrance。　　Mother；　you　are　giving　me　bad　advice　for　once。〃

〃Unwelcome　advice；　dear；　not　bad。　　Will　you　consult　Dr。　Amboyne？　he　sleeps　here　to…night。　　He　often　comes　here　now；　you　know。〃　　Then　the　widow　colored　just　a　little。

〃Oh　yes；　I　know；　and　I　approve。〃

Dr。　Amboyne　came　to　dinner。　　In　the　course　of　the　evening　he　mentioned　his　patient　Coventry；　and　said　he　would　never　walk　again；　his　spine　was　too　seriously　injured。

〃How　soon　will　he　die？　that　is　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　Henry；　with　that　excessive　candor　which　the　polite　reader　has　long　ago　discovered　in　him；　and　been　shocked。

〃Oh；　he　may　live　for　years。　　But　what　a　life！　　An　inert　mass　below　the　waist；　and；　above　it；　a　sick　heart；　and　a　brain　as　sensitive　as　ever　to　realize　the　horrid　calamity。　　Even　I；　who　know　and　abhor　the　man's　crimes；　shudder　at　the　punishment　Heaven　inflicts　on　him。〃

There　was　dead　silence　round　the　table；　and　Little　was　observed　to　turn　pale。

He　was　gloomy　and　silent　all　the　evening。

Next　morning；　directly　after　breakfast；　his　mother　got　him；　and　implored　him　not　to　waste　his　youth　any　longer。

〃The　man　will　never　die；〃　said　she：　〃he　will　wear　you　out。　　You　have　great　energy　and　courage；　but　you　have　not　a　woman's　humble　patience；　to　go　on；　year　after　year；　waiting　for　an　event　you　can　not　hasten　by　a　single　moment。　　Do　you　not　see　it　is　hopeless？　　End　your　misery　by　one　brave　plunge。　　Speak　to　dear　Jael。〃

〃I　can'tI　can't！〃

〃Then　let　me。〃

〃Will　it　make　you　happy？〃

〃Very　happy。　　Nothing　else　can。〃

〃Will　it　make　her　happy？〃

〃As　happy　as　a　queen。〃

〃She　deserves　a　better　fate。〃

〃She　asks　no　better。　　There；　unless　you　stop　me；　I　shall　speak　to　her。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Henry；　very　wearily。

Mrs。　Little　went　to　the　door。

〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　he。　　〃How　about　Uncle　Raby？　　He　has　been　a　good　friend　to　me。　　I　have　offended　him　once；　and　it　was　the　worst　job　I　ever　did。　　I　won't　offend　him　again。〃

〃How　can　you　offend　him　by　marrying　Jael？〃

〃What；　have　you　forgotten　how　angry　he　was　when　Mr。　Richard　Raby　proposed　to　her？　　There；　I'll　go　and　speak　to　him。〃

〃Well；　do。〃

He　was　no　sooner　gone　than　Mrs。　Little　stepped　into　Jael's　room；　and　told　her　how　matters　stood。

Jael　looked　dismayed；　and　begged　her　on　no　account　to　proceed：　〃For；〃　said　she；　〃if　Mr。　Henry　was　to　ask　me；　I　should　say　No。　　He　would　always　be　hankering　after　Miss　Carden：　and；　pray　don't　be　angry　with　me；　but　I　think　I'm　worth　a　man's　whole　heart；　for　I　could　love　one　very　dearly；　if　he　loved　me。〃

Mrs。　Little　was　deeply　mortified。　　〃This　I　did　NOT　expect；〃　said　she。　　〃Well；　if　you　are　all　determined　to　be　miserableBE。〃

Henry　hunted　up　Mr。　Raby；　and　asked　him　bluntly　whether　he　would　like　him　to　marry　Jael　Dence。

Raby　made　no　reply　for　some　time；　and　his　features　worked　strangely。

〃Has　she　consented　to　be　your　wife？〃

〃I　have　never　asked　her。　　But　I　will；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Wish　it？〃

〃Why；　sir；　if　you　don't　wish　it；　please　forbid　it；　and　let　us　say　no　more　at　all　about　it。〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Raby；　with　his　grandest　air：　〃a　gentleman　may　dislike　a　thing；　yet　not　condescend　to　forbid　it。〃

〃That　is　true；　sir；　and　an　ex…workman　may　appreciate　his　delicacy；　and　give　the　thing　up　at　once。　　I　will　die　a　bachelor。〃

〃Henry；　my　boy；　give　me　your　handI'll　tell　you　the　truth。　　I　love　her　myself。　　She　is　a　pattern　of　all　I　admire　in　woman。〃

〃Uncle；　I　suspected　this；　to　tell　the　truth。　　Well；　if　you　love　her　marry　her。〃

〃What；　without　her　consent？〃

〃Oh；　she　will　consent。　　Order　her　to　marry　you：　she　will　never　disobey　the　Lord　of　the　Manor。〃

〃That　is　what　I　fear：　and　it　is　base　to　take　advantage　of　her　in　that　way。〃

〃You　are　right；　sir；〃　said　Henry；　and　ran　off　directly。

He　found　Jael；　and　said；　〃Jael；　dear；　couldn't　you　like　Uncle　Raby？　he　loves　you　dearly。〃

He　then　appealed　to　her　heart；　and　spoke　of　his　uncle's　nobleness　in　fearing　to　obtain　an　unfair　advantage　over　her。

To　his　surprise；　Jael　blushed　deeply；　and　her　face　softened　angelically；　and　presently　a　tear　ran　down　it。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Henry。　　〃That　is　the　game；　is　it？　　You　stay　here。〃

He　ran　back　to　Mr。　Raby；　and　said：　〃I've　made　a　discovery。　　She　loves　you；　sir。　　I'll　take　my　oath　of　it。　　You　go　and　ask　her。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Raby；　and　he　went　to　Jael；　like　a　man；　and　said；　〃Jael；　he　has　found　me　out；　I　love　you　dearly。　　I'm　old；　but　I'm　not　cold。　　Do　you　think　you　could　be　happ