put yourself in his place-第40部分

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〃That　is　to　say　the　worst　creatures　are　stronger　than　their　Creator；　and　can　bring　us　bad　luck　against　His　will。　　And　you　call　yourself　a　Christian？　　Why　this　is　Paganism。　　They　were　frightened　at　ravens；　and　you　at　magpies。　　A　fig　for　your　magpies！　and　another　for　your　Gabriel　hounds！　　God　is　high　above　them　all。〃

〃Ay；　sure；　but　these　are　signs　of　His　will。　　Trouble　and　all　comes　from　God。　　And　so；　whenever　you　see　a　magpie；　or　hear　those　terrible　hounds〃

〃Then　tremble！　for　it　is　all　to　end　in　a　bowl　of　punch；　and　a　roaring　fire；　and　Mr。　Raby；　that　passes　for　a　Tartar；　being　so　kind　to　me；　and　me　being　in　better　spirits　than　I　have　been　for　ever　so　long。〃

〃Oh；　miss！〃

〃And　oh；　miss；　to　you。　　Why；　what　is　the　matter？　　I　have　been　in　danger！　　Very　well；　am　I　the　first？　　I　have　had　an　adventure！　　All　the　better。　　Besides；　it　has　shown　me　what　good　hearts　there　are　in　the　world；　yours　amongst　the　rest。〃　　（Kissing　her。）　　〃Now　don't　interrupt；　but　listen　to　the　words　of　the　wise　and　their　dark　sayings。　　Excitement　is　a　blessing。　　Young　ladies　need　it　more　than　anybody。　　Half　the　foolish　things　we　do；　it　is　because　the　old　people　are　so　stupid　and　don't　provide　us　enough　innocent　excitement。　　Dancing　till　five　is　a　good　thing　now　and　then；　only　that　is　too　bodily；　and　ends　in　a　headache；　and　feeling　stupider　than　before。　　But　to…night；　what　glorious　excitement！　　Too　late　for　dinnerdrenched　with　snowlost　on　a　mountainanxietyfearthe　Gabriel　houndsterrordespairresignationsudden　reliefwarm　stockingsdelightful　sympathypetted　on　every　sidehungryhappy　firespunch！　　I　never　lived　till　to…nightI　never　relished　life　till　now。　　How　could　I？　　I　never　saw　Death　nor　Danger　near　enough　to　be　worth　a　straw。〃

Jael　made　no　attempt　to　arrest　this　flow　of　spirits。　　She　waited　quietly　for　a　single　pause；　and　then　she　laid　her　hand　on　the　young　lady's；　and；　fastening　her　eyes　on　her；　she　said　quietly；

〃You　have　seen　HIM。〃

Grace　Carden's　face　was　scarlet　in　a　moment；　and　she　looked　with　a　rueful　imploring　glance；　into　those　great　gray　searching　eyes　of　Jael　Dence。

Her　fine　silvery　tones　of　eloquence　went　off　into　a　little　piteous　whine　〃You　are　very　cunningto　believe　in　a　magpie。〃　　And　she　hid　her　blushing　face　in　her　hands。　　She　took　an　early　opportunity　of　sending　this　too　sagacious　rustic　to　bed。


Next　day　Mr。　Coventry　was　so　stiff　and　sore　he　did　not　come　down　to　breakfast。　　But　Grace　Carden；　though　very　sleepy；　made　her　appearance；　and　had　a　most　affectionate　conversation　with　Mr。　Raby。　She　asked　leave　to　christen　him　again。　　I　must　call　you　something；　you　know；　after　all　this。　　Mr。　Raby　is　cold。　　Godpapa　is　childish。　What　do　you　say　to'Uncle'？〃

He　said　he　should　be　delighted。　　Then　she　dipped　her　forefinger　in　water。　　He　drew　back　with　horror。

〃Come；　young　lady；〃　said　he；　〃I　know　it　is　an　age　of　burlesque。　　But　let　us　spare　the　sacraments；　and　the　altar；　and　such　trifles。〃

〃I　am　not　half　so　wicked　as　you　think；〃　said　Grace。　　Then　she　wrote　〃Uncle〃　on　his　brow；　and　so　settled　that　matter。

Mr。　Coventry　came　down　about　noon；　and　resumed　his　courtship。　　He　was　very　tender；　spoke　of　the　perils　they　had　endured　together　as　an　additional　tie；　and　pressed　his　suit　with　ardor。

But　he　found　a　great　change　in　the　lady。

Yesterday；　on　Cairnhope　Peak；　she　was　passive；　but　soft　and　complying。　　To…day　she　was　polite；　but　cool；　and　as　slippery　as　an　eel。　　There　was　no　pinning　her。

And；　at　last；　she　said；　〃The　fact　is　I'm　thinking　of　our　great　preservation；　and　more　inclined　to　pray　than　flirt；　for　once。〃

〃And　so　am　I；〃　said　the　man　of　tact；　〃but　what　I　offer　is　a　sacred　and　life…long　affection。〃

〃Oh；　of　course。〃

〃A　few　hours　ago　you　did　me　the　honor　to　listen　to　me。　　You　even　hinted　I　might　speak　to　your　father。〃

〃No；　no。　　I　only　asked　if　you　HAD　spoken　to　him。〃

〃I　will　not　contradict　you。　　I　will　trust　to　your　own　candor。　　Dear　Grace；　tell　me；　have　I　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　offend　you　since　then？〃

〃No。〃

〃Have　I　lost　your　respect？〃

〃Oh；　no。〃

〃Have　I　forfeited　your　good　opinion？〃

〃Dear　me；　no。〃　　（A　little　pettishly。）

〃Then　how　is　it　that　I　love　you　better；　if　possible；　than　yesterday；　and　you　seem　not　to　like　me　so　well　as　yesterday？〃

〃One　is　not　always　in　the　same　humor。〃

〃Then　you　don't　like　me　to…day？〃

〃Oh　yes；　but　I　do。　　And　I　shall　always　like　you：　if　you　don't　tease　me；　and　urge　me　too　much。　　It　is　hardly　fair　to　hurry　me　so；　I　am　only　a　girl；　and　girls　make　such　mistakes　sometimes。〃

〃That　is　true；　they　marry　on　too　short　an　acquaintance。　　But　you　have　known　me　more　than　two　years；　and；　in　all　that　time；　have　I　once　given　you　reason　to　think　that　you　had　a　rival　in　my　admiration；　my　love？〃

〃I　never　watched　you　to　see。　　But　all　that　time　you　have　certainly　honored　me　with　your　attention；　and　I　do　believe　you　love　me　more　than　I　deserve。　　Please　do　not　be　angry：　do　not　be　mortified。　　There　is　no　occasion；　I　am　resolved　not　to　marry　until　I　am　of　age；　that　is　all；　and　where's　the　harm　of　that？〃

〃I　will　wait　your　pleasure；　all　I　ask　you；　at　present；　is　to　relieve　me　of　my　fears；　by　engaging　yourself　to　me。〃

〃Ah！　but　I　have　always　been　warned　against　long　engagements。〃

〃Long　engagements！　　Why；　how　old　are　you；　may　I　ask？〃

〃Only　nineteen。　　Give　me　a　little　time　to　think。〃

〃If　I　wait　till　you　are　of　age；　THAT　WILL　BE　TWO　YEARS。〃

〃Just　about。　　I　was　nineteen　on　the　12th　of　December。　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　A　sudden　twinge。　　A　man　does　not　get　rolled　over　sharp　rocks；　by　a　mountain　torrent；　for　nothing。〃

〃No；　indeed。〃

〃Never　mind　that；　if　I'm　not　to　be　punished　in　my　heart　as　well。　This　resolution；　not　to　marry　for　two　years；　is　it　your　own　idea？　or　has　somebody　put　it　into　your　head　since　we　stood　on　Cairnhope；　and　looked　at　Bollinghope？〃

〃Please　give　me　credit　for　it；〃　said　Grace；　turning　very　red：　〃it　is　the　only　sensible　one　I　have　had　for　a　long　time。〃

Mr。　Coventry　groaned　aloud；　and　turned　very　pale。

Grace　said　she　wanted　to　go　upstairs　for　her　work；　and　so　got　away　from　him。

She　turned　at　the　door；　and　saw　him　sink　into　a　chair；　with　an　agony　in　his　face　that　was　quite　new　to　him。

She　fled　to　her　own　room；　to　think　it　all　over；　and　she　entered　it　so　rapidly　that　she　caught　Jael　crying；　and　rocking　herself　before　the　fire。

The　moment　she　came　in　Jael　got　up；　and　affected　to　be　very　busy；　arranging　things；　but　always　kept　her　back　turned　to　Grace。

The　young　lady　sat　down；　and　leaned　her　cheek　on　her　hand；　and　reflected　very　sadly　and　seriously　on　the　misery　she　had　left　in　the　drawing…room；　and　the　tears　she　had　found　here。

Accustomed　to　make　others　bright　and　happy　by　her　bare　presence；　this　beautiful　and　unselfish　young　creature　was　shocked　at　the　misery　she　was　sowing　around　her；　and　all　for　something　her　judgment　told　her　would　prove　a　chimera。　　And　again　she　asked　herself　was　she　brave　enough；　and　selfish　enough；　to　defy　her　father　and　her　godfather；　whose　mind　was　written　so　clearly　in　that　terrible　inscription。

She　sat　there；　cold　at　heart；　a　long　time；　and　at　last　came　to　a　desperate　resolution。

〃Give　me　my　writing…desk。〃

Jael　brought　it　her。

〃Sit　down　there　where　I　can　see　you；　and　don't　hide　your　tears　from　me。　　I　want　to　see　you　cry。　　I　want　every　help。　　I　wasn't　born　to　make　everybody　miserable：　I　am　going　to　end　it。〃

She　wrote　a　little；　and　then　she　stopped；　and　sighed；　then　she　wrote　a　little　more；　and　stopped；　and　sighed。　　Then　she　burned　the　letter；　and　began　again；　and　as　she　wrote；　she　sighed；　and　as　she　wrote　on；　she　moaned。

And；　as　she　wrote　on；　the　tears　began　to　fall　upon　the　paper。

It　was　piteous　to　see　the　struggle　of　this　lovely　girl；　and　the　patient　fortitude　that　could　sigh；　and　moan；　and　weep；　yet　go　on　doing　the　brave　act　that　made　her　sigh；　and　moan；　and　weep。

At　last；　the　letter　was　finished；　and　directed；　and　Grace　put　it　in　her　bosom；　and　dismissed　Jael　abruptly；　almost　harshly；　and　sat　down；　cold　and　miserable；　before　the　fire。

At　dinner…time　her　eyes　were　so　red　she　would　not　appear。　　She　pleaded　headache；　and　dined　in　her　own　room。

Meantime　Mr。　Coventry　passed　a　bitter　time。

He　had　heard　young　Little　say；　〃Wait　two　years。〃　　And　now　Grace　was　evading　and　procrastinating；　and　so；　literally；　obeying　that　young　man；　with　all　manner　of　false　pretenses。　　This　was　a　revelation；　and　cast　back　a　bright　light　on　many　suspicious　things　he　had　observed　in　the　church。

He　was　tortured　with　jealous　agony。　　And　it　added　to　his　misery　that　he　could　not　see　his　way　to　any　hostilities。

Little　could　easily　be　driven　out　of　the　country；　for　that　matter；　he　had　himself　told　them　both　how　certainly　that　would　befall　him　if　he　was　betrayed　to　the　Unions。　　But　honor　and　gratitude　forbade　this　line；　and　Coventry；　in　the　midst　of　his　jealous　agony；　resisted　that　temptation　fiercely；　would　not　allow　his　mind　even　to　dwell　upon　it　for　a　moment。

He　recalled　all　his　experiences；　and；　after　a　sore　struggle　of　passion；　he　came　to　some　such　conclusion　as　this：　that　Grace　would　have　married　him　if　she　had　not　unexpectedly　fallen　in　with　Little；　under　very　peculiar　and　moving　circumstances；　that　an　accident　of　this　kind　would　never　occur　again；　and　he　must　patiently　wear　out　the　effect　of　it。

He　had　observed　that　in　playing　an　uphill　game　of　love　the　lover　must　constantly　ask　himself；　〃What　should　I　do；　were　I　to　listen　to　my　heart？〃　and　having　ascertained　that；　must　do　the　opposite。　　So　now　Mr。　Coventry　grimly　resolved　to　control　his　wishes　for　a　time；　to　hide　his　jealousy；　to　hide　his　knowledge　of　her　deceit；　to　hide　his　own　anger。　　He　would　wait　some　months　before　he　again　asked　her　to　marry　him；　unless　he　saw　a　change　in　her；　and；　meantime；　he　would　lay　himself　out　to　please　her；　trusting　to　this；　that　there　could　be　no　intercourse　by　letter　between　her　and　a　workman；　and　they　were　not　likely　to　meet　again　in　a　hurry。

It　required　considerable　fortitude　to　curb　his　love　and　jealousy；　and　settle　on　this　course。　　But　he　did　conquer　after　a　hard　struggle；　and　prepared　to　meet　Miss　Carden　at　dinner　with　artificial　gayety。

But　she　did　not　appear；　and　that　set　Mr。　Coventry　thinking　again。　Why　should　she　have　a　headache？　　He　had　a　rooted　disbelief　in　women's　headaches。　　His