put yourself in his place-第109部分

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〃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　happy　as　my　wife；　with　all　the　young　fellows　admiring　you？〃

〃Sir〃　said　Jael；　〃I　wouldn't　give　your　little　finger　for　all　the　young　men　in　Christendom。　　Once　I　thought　a　little　too　much　of　Mr。　Henry；　but　that　was　over　long　ago。　　And　since　you　saved　my　life；　and　cried　over　me　in　this　very　room；　you　have　been　in　my　head　and　in　my　heart；　but　I　wouldn't　show　it；　for　I　had　vowed　I　never　would　let　any　man　know　my　heart　till　he　showed　me　his。〃

In　short；　this　pair　were　soon　afterward　seen　walking　arm　in　arm；　radiant　with　happiness。

That　sight　was　too　much　for　Henry　Little。　　The　excitement　of　doing　a　kind　thing；　and　making　two　benefactors　happy；　had　borne　him　up　till　now；　but　the　reaction　came：　the　contrast　of　their　happiness　with　his　misery　was　too　poignant。　　He　had　not　even　courage　to　bid　them　good…　by；　but　fled　back　to　Hillsborough；　in　anguish　of　spirit　and　deep　despair。

When　he　got　home；　there　was　a　note　from　Grace　Carden。


〃MY　OWN　DEAREST　HENRY；I　find　that　you　have　called；　and　been　denied　me；　and　that　Mr。　Coventry　has　been　admitted　into　the　house。

〃I　have　therefore　left　Woodbine　Villa；　and　taken　lodgings　opposite。　Sister　Gratiosa　has　convinced　me　I　ought　to　labor　for　the　eternal　welfare　of　the　guilty；　unhappy　man　whose　name　it　is　my　misfortune　to　bear。　　I　will　try　to　do　so：　but　nobody　shall　either　compel；　or　persuade　me；　to　be　cruel　to　my　dear　Henry；　to　whom　I　owe　my　life　once　more；　and　who　is　all　the　world　to　me。　　I　shall　now　be　employed　nearly　all　the　day；　but　I　reserve　two　hours；　from　three　till　five；　when　you　will　always　find　me　at　home。　　Our　course　is　clear。　　We　must　pray　for　patience。

〃Yours　to　eternity；　GRACE。〃


After　reading　this　letter；　and　pondering　it　well；　Henry　Little's　fortitude　revived；　and；　as　he　could　not　speak　his　mind　to　Grace　at　that　moment；　he　wrote　to　her；　after　some　hours　of　reflection；　as　follows：


〃MY　OWN　DEAREST　GRACE；I　approve；　I　bless　you。　　Our　case　is　hard；　but　not　desperate。　　We　have　been　worse　off　than　we　are　now。　　I　agree　with　you　that　our　course　is　clear；　what　we　have　got　to　do；　as　I　understand　it；　is　to　outlive　a　crippled　scoundrel。　　Well；　love　and　a　clear　conscience　will　surely　enable　us　to　outlive　a　villain；　whose　spine　is　injured；　and　whose　conscience　must　gnaw　him；　and　who　has　no　creature's　love　to　nourish　him。

〃Yours　in　this　world；　and；　I　hope；　in　the　next；

〃HENRY。〃


Sister　Gratiosa；　to　oblige　Grace　stayed　at　Woodbine　Villa。　　She　was　always　present　at　any　interview　of　Coventry　and　Grace。

Little　softened　her；　by　giving　her　money　whenever　she　mentioned　a　case　of　distress。　　She　had　but　this　one　pleasure　in　life；　a　pure　one；　and　her　poverty　had　always　curbed　it　hard。　　She　began　to　pity　this　poor　sinner；　who　was　ready　to　pour　his　income　into　her　lap　for　Christian　purposes。

And　so　the　days　rolled　on。　　Raby　took　into　his　head　to　repair　the　old　church；　and　be　married　in　it。　　This　crotchet　postponed　his　happiness　for　some　months。

But　the　days　and　weeks　rolled　on。

Raby　became　Sheriff　of　the　county。

Coventry　got　a　little　better；　and　moved　to　the　next　villa。

Then　Grace　returned　at　once　to　Woodbine　Villa；　but　she　still　paid　charitable　visits　with　Sister　Gratiosa　to　the　wreck　whose　name　she　bore。

She　was　patient。

But　Little；　the　man　of　action；　began　to　faint。

He　decided　to　return　to　the　United　States　for　a　year　or　two；　and　distract　his　mind。

When　he　communicated　this　resolve；　Grace　sighed。

〃The　last　visit　there　was　disastrous；〃　said　she。　　〃But；〃　recovering　herself；　〃we　can　not　be　deceived　again；　nor　doubt　each　other's　constancy　again。〃　　So　she　sighed；　but　consented。

Coventry　heard　of　it；　and　chuckled　inwardly。　　He　felt　sure　that　in　time　he　should　wear　out　his　rival's　patience。

A　week　or　two　more；　and　Little　named　the　very　day　for　sailing。

The　Assizes　came　on。　　The　Sheriff　met　the　Judges　with　great　pomp；　and　certain　observances　which　had　gone　out。　　This　pleased　the　Chief　Justice；　he　had　felt　a　little　nervous；　Raby's　predecessor　had　met　him　in　a　carriage　and　pair　and　no　outriders；　and　he　had　felt　it　his　duty　to　fine　the　said　Sheriff　L100　for　so　disrespecting　the　Crown　in　his　person。

So　now；　alluding　to　this；　he　said；　〃Mr。　Sheriff；　I　am　glad　to　find　you　hold　by　old　customs；　and　do　not　grudge　outward　observances　to　the　Queen's　justices。〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃I　can　hardly　show　enough　respect　to　justice　and　learning；　when　they　visit　in　the　name　of　my　sovereign。〃

〃That　is　very　well　said；　Mr。　Sheriff；〃　said　my　lord。

The　Sheriff　bowed。

The　Chief　Justice　was　so　pleased　with　his　appearance；　and　his　respectful　yet　dignified　manner；　that　he　conversed　with　him　repeatedly　during　the　pauses　of　the　trials。

Little　was　cording　his　boxes　for　America　when　Ransome　burst　in　on　him；　and　said；　〃Come　into　court；　come　into　court。　　Shifty　Dick　will　be　up　directly。〃

Little　objected　that　he　was　busy；　but　Ransome　looked　so　mortified　that　he　consented；　and　was　just　in　in　time　to　see　Richard　Martin；　alias　Lord　Daventree；　alias　Tom　Paine；　alias　Sir　Harry　Gulstone；　alias　the　Quaker；　alias　Shifty　Dick；　etc。；　etc。；　appear　at　the　bar。

The　indictment　was　large；　and　charged　the　prisoner　with　various　frauds　of　a　felonious　character；　including　his　two　frauds　on　the　Gosshawk。

Counsel　made　a　brief　exposition　of　the　facts；　and　then　went　into　the　evidence。　　But　here　the　strict；　or；　as　some　think；　pedantic　rules　of　English　evidence；　befriended　the　prisoner；　and　the　Judge　objected　to　certain　testimony　on　which　the　prosecution　had　mainly　relied。　　As　for　the　evidence　of　coining；　the　flood　had　swept　all　that　away。

Ransome；　who　was　eager　for　a　conviction；　began　to　look　blue。

But　presently　a　policeman；　who　had　been　watching　the　prisoner；　came　and　whispered　in　his　ear。

Up　started　Ransome；　wrote　the　Crown　solicitor　a　line；　begging　him　to　keep　the　case　on　its　legs　anyhow　for　half　an　hour；　and　giving　his　reason。　　He　then　dashed　off　in　a　cab。

The　case　proceeded；　under　discouraging　remarks　from　the　Judge；　most　of　them　addressed　to　the　evidence；　but　he　also　hinted　that　the　indictment　was　rather　loosely　drawn。

At　last　the　Attorney…General；　who　led；　began　to　consult　with　his　junior　whether　they　could　hope　for　a　conviction。

But　now　there　was　a　commotion；　then　heads　were　put　together；　and；　to　the　inexpressible　surprise　of　young　Little　and　of　the　Sheriff；　Grace　Coventry　was　put　into　the　witness…box。

At　the　sight　of　her　the　learned　Judge；　who　was；　like　most　really　great　lawyers；　a　keen　admirer　of　beautiful　women；　woke　up；　and　became　interested。

After　the　usual　preliminaries；　counsel　requested　her　to　look　at　that　man；　and　say　whether　she　knew　him。

Grace　looked；　and　recognized　him。　　〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　Mr。　Beresford；　he　is　a　clergyman。〃

Whereupon　there　was　a　loud　laugh。

Counsel。　　〃What　makes　you　think　he　is　a　clergyman？〃

Witness。　　〃I　have　seen　him　officiate。　　It　was　he　who　married　me　to　Mr。〃　　Here　she　caught　sight　of　Henry；　and　stopped；　blushing。

〃What　is　that？〃　said　the　Judge；　keenly。　　〃Did　you　say　that　man　performed　the　marriage　ceremony　over　you？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord。〃

〃When　and　where　was　that？〃

She　gave　the　time　and　place。

〃I　should　like　to　see　the　register　of　that　parish。〃

〃Let　me　save　you　the　trouble；〃　said　the　prisoner。　　〃Your　lordship's　time　has　been　wasted　enough　with　falsehoods；　I　will　not　waste　it　further　by　denying　the　truth。　　The　fact　is；　my　lord；　I　was　always　a　great　churchgoer　（a　laugh）；　and　I　was　disgusted　with　the　way　in　which　the　clergy　deliver　the　Liturgy；　and　with　their　hollow　discourses；　that　don't　go　home　to　men's　bosoms。　　Vanity　whispered；　'You　could　do　better。'　　I　applied　for　the　curacy　of　St。　Peter's。　　I　obtained　it。　　I　gave　universal　satisfaction；　and　no　wonder；　my　heart　was　in　the　work；　I　trembled　at　the　responsibility　I　had　undertaken。　Yes；　my　lord；　I　united　that　young　lady　in　holy　matrimony　to　one　Frederick　Coventry。　　I　had　no　sooner　done　it；　than　I　began　to　realize　that　a　clergyman　is　something　more　than　a　reader　and　a　preacher。　　Remorse　seized　me。　　My　penitence；　once　awakened；　was　sincere。　　I　retired　from　the　sacred　office　I　had　usurpedwith　much　levity；　I　own；　but；　as　heaven　is　my　witness；　with　no　guilty　intent。〃

The　Judge；　to　Grace。　　〃Did　you　ever　see　the　prisoner　on　any　other　occasion？〃

Grace。　　〃Only　once。　　He　called　on　me　after　my　marriage。　　He　left　the　town　soon　after。〃

The　Judge　then　turned　to　Grace；　and　said；　with　considerable　feeling；　〃It　would　be　unkind　to　disguise　the　truth　from　you。　　You　must　petition　Parliament　to　sanction　this　marriage　by　a　distinct　enactment；　it　is　the　invariable　course；　and　Parliament　has　never　refused　to　make　these　marriages　binding。　　Until　then；　pray　understand　that　you　are　Miss　Carden；　and　not　Mrs。　Coventry。〃

The　witness　clasped　her　hands　above　her　bead；　uttered　a　loud　scream　of　joy；　and　was　removed　all　but　insensible　from　the　box。

The　Judge　looked　amazed。　　The　Sheriff　whispered；　〃Her　hushand　is　a　greater　scoundrel　than　this　prisoner。〃

Soon　after　this　the　Judge　withdrew　to　luncheon；　and　took　the　Sheriff　along　with　him。　　〃Mr。　Sheriff；〃　said　he；　〃you　said　something　to　me　in　court　I　hardly　understood。〃

Then　Raby　gave　the　Judge　a　brief　outline　of　the　whole　story；　and；　in　a　voice　full　of　emotion；　asked　his　advice。

The　Judge　smiled　at　this　bit　of　simplicity；　but　his　heart　had　been　touched；　and　he　had　taken　a　fancy　to　Raby。　　〃Mr。　Sheriff；〃　said　he；　〃etiquette　forbids　me　to　advise　you〃

〃I　am　sorry　for　that；　my　lord。〃

〃But　humanity　suggests　　Tell　me；　now；　does　this　Coventry　hold　to　her？　　Will　he　petition　Parliament？〃

〃It　is　very　possible；　my　lord。〃

〃Humph！　　Get　a　special　license；　and　marry　Grace　Carden　to　Henry　Little；　and　have　the　marriage　consummated。　　Don't　lose　a　day；　nor　an　hour。　　I　will　not　detain　you；　Mr。　Sheriff。〃

Raby　took　the　hint；　and　soon　found　Henry；　and　told　him　the　advice　he　had　got。　　He　set　him　to　work　to　get　the　license；　and；　being　resolved　to　stand　no　nonsense；　he　drove　to　Grace；　and　invited　her　to　Raby　Hall。　　〃I　am　to　be　married　this　week；〃　said　he；　〃and　you　must　be　at　the　wedding。〃

Grace　thought　he　would　be　hurt　if　she　refused；　so　she　colored