put yourself in his place-第35部分

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〃Oh！〃

〃Yes；　they　startled　me；　as　I　never　was　startled　in　my　life　before。　I　had　never　heard　of　the　Gabriel　hounds　then；　and　I　was　stupefied。　I　think　I　leaned　against　the　wall　there　full　five　minutes；　before　I　recovered　myself；　and　went　on。〃

〃Oh　dear！　　But　did　any　thing　come　of　it？〃

〃You　shall　judge　for　yourself。　　I　had　left　a　certain　house　about　an　hour　and　a　half：　there　was　trouble　in　that　house；　but　only　of　a　pecuniary　kind。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I　came　back　with　some　money　for　them；　or　rather；　I　should　say；　with　the　promise　of　it。　　I　found　the　wife　in　a　swoon：　and；　upstairs；　her　husband　lay　dead　by　his　own　hand。〃

〃Oh；　my　poor　godpapa！〃　cried　Grace；　flinging　her　arm　tenderly　round　his　neck。

〃Ay；　my　child；　and　the　trouble　did　not　end　there。　　Insult　followed；　ingratitude；　and　a　family　feud；　which　is　not　healed　yet；　and　never　will　betill　she　and　her　brat　come　on　their　knees　to　me。〃

Mr。　Raby　had　no　sooner　uttered　these　last　words　with　great　heat；　than　he　was　angry　with　himself。　　〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃the　older　a　man　gets；　the　weaker。　　To　think　of　my　mentioning　that　to　you　young　people！〃　　And　he　rose　and　walked　about　the　room　in　considerable　agitation　and　vexation。　　〃Curse　the　Gabriel　hounds！　　It　is　the　first　time　I　have　spoken　of　them　since　that　awful　night；　it　is　the　last　I　ever　will　speak　of　them。　　What　they　are；　God；　who　made　them；　knows。　Only　I　pray　I　may　never　hear　them　again；　nor　any　friend　of　mine。〃

Next　morning　Jael　Dence　came　up　to　the　hall；　and　almost　the　first　question　Grace　asked　her　was；　whether　she　had　ever　heard　of　the　Gabriel　hounds。

Jael　looked　rather　puzzled。　　Grace　described　them　after　Mr。　Raby。

〃Why；　that　will　be　Gabble　Retchet；〃　said　Jael。　　〃I　wouldn't　talk　much　about　the　like；　if　I　was　you；　miss。〃

But　Grace　persisted；　and；　at　last；　extracted　from　her　that　sounds　had　repeatedly　been　heard　in　the　air　at　night；　as　of　a　pack　of　hounds　in　full　cry；　and　that　these　hounds　ran　before　trouble。　〃But；〃　said　Jael；　solemnly；　〃they　are　not　hounds　at　all；　they　are　the　souls　of　unbaptized　children；　wandering　in　the　air　till　the　day　of　judgment。〃

This　description；　however　probable；　had　the　effect　of　making　Grace　disbelieve　the　phenomenon　altogether；　and　she　showed　her　incredulity　by　humming　a　little　air。

But　Jael　soon　stopped　that。　　〃Oh；　miss；　pray　don't　do　so。　　If　you　sing　before　breakfast；　you'll　cry　before　supper。〃

At　breakfast；　Mr。　Coventry　invited　Miss　Carden　to　go　to　the　top　of　Cairnhope　Peak；　and　look　over　four　counties。　　He　also　told　her　she　could　see　Bollinghope　house；　his　own　place；　very　well　from　the　Peak。

Grace　assented：　and；　immediately　after　breakfast；　begged　Jael　to　be　in　the　way　to　accompany　her。　　She　divined；　with　feminine　quickness；　that　Mr。　Coventry　would　be　very　apt；　if　he　pointed　out　Bollinghope　House　to　her　from　the　top　of　a　mountain；　to　say；　〃Will　you　be　its　mistress？〃　but；　possibly；　she　did　not　wish　to　be　hurried；　or　it　may　have　been　only　a　mere　instinct；　an　irrational　impulse　of　self…　defense；　with　which　the　judgment　had　nothing　to　do；　or　perhaps　it　was　simple　modesty。　　Any　way；　she　engaged　Jael　to　be　of　the　party。

It　was　talked　of　again　at　luncheon；　and　then　Mr。　Raby　put　in　a　word。　〃I　have　one　stipulation　to　make；　young　people；　and　that　is　that　you　go　up　the　east　side；　and　down　the　same　way。　　It　is　all　safe　walking　on　that　side。　　I　shall　send　you　in　my　four…wheel　to　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　George　will　wait　for　you　there　at　the　'Colley　Dog'　public…　house；　and　bring　you　home　again。〃

This　was；　of　course；　accepted　with　thanks；　and　the　four…wheel　came　round　at　two　o'clock。　　Jael　was　seated　in　front　by　the　side　of　George；　who　drove；　Mr。　Coventry　and　Grace；　behind。　　He　had　his　fur…　cloak　to　keep　his　companion　warm　on　returning　from　the　hill；　but　Mr。　Raby；　who　did　nothing　by　halves；　threw　in　some　more　wraps；　and　gave　a　warm　one　to　Jael；　she　was　a　favorite　with　him；　as　indeed　were　all　the　Dences。

They　started　gayly；　and　rattled　off　at　a　good　pace。　　Before　they　had　got　many　yards　on　the　high…road；　they　passed　a　fir…plantation；　belonging　to　Mr。　Raby；　and　a　magpie　fluttered　out　of　this；　and　flew　across　the　road　before　them。

Jael　seized　the　reins；　and　pulled　them　so　powerfully；　she　stopped　the　pony　directly。　　〃Oh；　the　foul　bird！〃　she　cried；　〃turn　back！　turn　back！〃

〃What　for？〃　inquired　Mr。　Coventry。

〃We　shall　meet　with　trouble　else。　　One　magpie！　and　right　athwart　us　too。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　said　Grace。

〃Nay；　nay；　it　is　not；　Squire　knows　better。　　Wait　just　one　minute；　till　I　speak　to　Squire。〃　　She　sprang　from　the　carriage　with　one　bound；　and；　holding　up　her　dress　with　one　hand；　ran　into　the　house　like　a　lapwing。

〃The　good；　kind；　silly　thing！〃　said　Grace　Carden。

Jael　soon　found　Mr。　Raby；　and　told　him　about　the　magpie；　and　begged　him　to　come　out　and　order　them　back。

But　Mr。　Raby　smiled；　and　shook　his　head。　　〃That　won't　do。　　Young　ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　present　day　don't　believe　in　omens。〃

〃But　you　do　know　better；　sir。　　I　have　heard　father　say　you　were　going　into　Hillsborough　with　him　one　day；　and　a　magpie　flew　across；　and　father　persuaded　you　to　turn　back。〃

〃That　is　true；　he　was　going　in　to　buy　some　merino　sheep；　and　I　to　deposit　my　rents　in　Carrington's　bank。　　Next　day　the　bank　broke。　And　the　merino　sheep　all　died　within　the　year。　　But　how　many　thousand　times　does　a　magpie　cross　us　and　nothing　come　of　it？　　Come；　run　away；　my　good　girl；　and　don't　keep　them　waiting。〃

Jael　obeyed；　with　a　sigh。　　She　went　back　to　her　partythey　were　gone。　　The　carriage　was　just　disappearing　round　a　turn　in　the　road。　She　looked　at　it　with　amazement；　and　even　with　anger。　　It　seemed　to　her　a　brazen　act　of　bad　faith。

〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　it　of　her；〃　said　she；　and　went　back　to　the　house；　mortified　and　grieved。　　She　did　not　go　to　Mr。　Raby　again；　but　he　happened　to　catch　sight　of　her　about　an　hour　afterward；　and　called　to　her〃How　is　this；　Jael？　　Have　you　let　them　go　alone；　because　of　a　magpie？〃　　And　he　looked　displeased。

〃Nay；　sir：　she　gave　me　the　slip；　while　I　went　to　speak　to　you　for　her　good；　and　I　call　it　a　dirty　trick；　saving　your　presence。　　I　told　her　I'd　be　back　in　a　moment。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　not　her　doing；　you　may　be　sure；　it　is　the　young　gentleman。　　He　saw　a　chance　to　get　her　alone；　and　of　course　he　took　it。　　I　am　not　very　well　pleased；　but　I　suppose　she　knows　her　own　mind。　　It　is　to　be　a　marriage；　no　doubt。〃　　He　smoothed　it　over；　but　was　a　little　put　out；　and　stalked　away　without　another　word：　he　had　said　enough　to　put　Jael's　bosom　in　a　flutter；　and　open　a　bright　prospect　to　her　heart；　Miss　Carden　once　disposed　of　in　marriage；　what　might　she　not　hope？　　She　now　reflected；　with　honest　pride；　that　she　had　merited　Henry's　love　by　rare　unselfishness。　　She　had　advised　him　loyally；　had　even　co…operated　with　him　as　far　as　any　poor　girl；　with　her　feelings　for　him；　could　do；　and　now　Mr。　Coventry　was　going　to　propose　marriage　to　her　rival；　and　she　believed　Miss　Carden　would　say　〃yes；〃　though　she　could　not　in　her　heart　believe　that　even　Miss　Carden　did　not　prefer　the　other。　　〃Ay；　lad；〃　said　she；　〃if　I　am　to　win　thee；　I'll　be　able　to　say　I　won　thee　fair。〃

These　sweet　thoughts　and　hopes　soon　removed　her　temporary　anger；　and　nothing　remained　to　dash　the　hopeful　joy　that　warmed　that　large　and　loyal　heart　this　afternoon；　except　a　gentle　misgiving　that　Mr。　Coventry　might　make　Grace　a　worse　husband　than　she　deserved。　　It　was　thus　she　read　the　magpie；　from　three　o'clock　till　six　that　afternoon。

When　a　man　and　a　woman　do　any　thing　wrong；　it　is　amusing　to　hear　the　judgments　of　other　men　and　women　thereupon。　　The　men　all　blame　the　man；　and　the　women　all　the　woman。　　That　is　judgment；　is　it　not？

But　in　some　cases　our　pitch…farthing　judgments　must　be　either　heads　or　tails；　so　Mr。　Raby；　who　had　cried　heads；　when　a　Mrs。　Raby　would　have　cried　〃woman；〃　was　right；　it　WAS　Mr。　Coventry；　and　not　Miss　Carden；　who　leaned　over　to　George；　and　whispered；　〃A　sovereign；　to　drive　on　without　her！　　Make　some　excuse。〃

The　cunning　Yorkshire　groom's　eye　twinkled　at　this；　and　he　remained　passive　a　minute　or　two：　then；　said　suddenly；　with　well…acted　fervor；　〃I　can't　keep　the　pony　waiting　in　the　cold；　like　this；〃　applied　the　whip；　and　rattled　off　with　such　decision；　that　Grace　did　not　like　to　interfere；　especially　as　George　was　known　to　be　one　of　those　hard　masters；　an　old　servant。

So；　by　this　little　ruse；　Mr。　Coventry　had　got　her　all　to　himself　for　the　afternoon。　　And　now　she　felt　sure　he　would　propose　that　very　day。

She　made　no　movement　whatever　either　to　advance　or　to　avoid　the　declaration。

It　is　five　miles　from　Raby　Hall；　through　Cairnhope　village；　to　the　eastern　foot　of　Cairnhope；　and　while　George　rattles　them　over　the　hard　and　frosty　road；　I　will　tell　the　reader　something　about　this　young　gentleman；　who　holds　the　winning　cards。

Mr。　Frederick　Coventry　was　a　man　of　the　world。　　He　began　life　with　a　good　estate；　and　a　large　fund　accumulated　during　his　minority。

He　spent　all　the　money　in　learning　the　world　at　home　and　abroad；　and；　when　it　was　all　gone；　he　opened　one　eye。

But；　as　a　man　cannot　see　very　clear　with　a　single　orb；　he　exchanged　rouge…et…noir；　etc。；　for　the　share…market；　and；　in　other　respects；　lived　as　fast　as　ever；　till　he　had　mortgaged　his　estate　rather　heavily。　　Then　he　began　to　open　both　eyes。

Next；　he　fell　in　love　with　Grace　Carden；　and　upon　that　he　opened　both　eyes　very　wide；　and　wished　very　much　he　had　his　time　to　live　over　again。

Nevertheless；　he　was　not　much　to　be　pitied。　　He　had　still　an　estate　which；　with　due　care；　could　pay　off　its　incumbrances；　and　he　had　gathered　some　valuable　knowledge。　　He　knew　women　better　than　most　men；　and　he　knew　whist　profoundly。　　Above　all；　he　had　acquired　what　Voltaire　justly　calls　〃le　grand　art　de　plaire；〃　he　had　studied　this　art；　as　many　women　study　it；　and　few　men。　　Why；　he　even　watched　the　countenance；　and　smoothed　the　rising　bristles　of　those　he　wished　to　please；　or　did　not　wish　to　displease。　　This　was　the　easier　to　him　that　he　had　no　strong　convictions　on　any　great　topic。　　It　is　your　plaguy　convictions　that　make　men　stubborn　and　disagreeable。

A　character　of　this　kind　is　very　susceptible；　either　of　good　or　evil　influences；　and　his　attachment　to　Grace　Carden　was　turning　him　the　right　way。

Add　to　this　a　good　figure