put yourself in his place-第51部分

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n　she　came　to　herself；　gentle　hands　had　laid　her　before　two　glorious　fires　in　that　cold　tomb　there。　　Then　the　same　gentle　hands　gave　her　food　and　wine；　and　words　of　comfort；　and　did　everything　for　her　that　brave　men　do　for　poor　weak　suffering　women。　Yes；　sir；　it　was　my　life　he　saved；　and　Mr。　Coventry's　too；　and　I　can't　bear　to　hear　a　word　against　him；　especially　while　I　stand　looking　at　his　poor　forge；　and　his　grates；　that　you　abuse；　but　I　adore　them；　and　bless　them；　and　so　would　you；　if　they　had　saved　your　life；　as　they　did　mine。　　You　don't　love　me　one　bit；　and　it　is　very　cruel。〃

Raby　stood　astonished　and　silent。　　At　last　he　said；　in　a　very　altered　tone；　quite　mild　and　deprecating；　〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　this　before？〃

〃Because　he　made　us　promise　not。　　Would　you　have　had　me　betray　my　benefactor？〃

〃No。　　You　are　a　brave　girl；　an　honest　girl。　　I　love　you　more　than　a　bit；　and；　for　your　sake；　I　forgive　him　the　whole　thing。　　I　will　never　call　it　sacrilege　again；　since　its　effect　was　to　save　an　angel's　life。　　Come；　now；　you　have　shown　a　proper　spirit；　and　stood　up　for　the　absent；　and　brought　me　to　submission　by　your　impetuosity；　so　don't　spoil　it　all　by　crying。〃

〃No；　I　won't；〃　said　Grace；　with　a　gulp。　　But　her　tears　would　not　cease　all　in　a　moment。　　She　had　evoked　that　tender　scene；　in　which　words　and　tears　of　true　and　passionate　love　had　rained　upon　her。　They　were　an　era　in　her　life；　had　swept　forever　out　of　her　heart　all　the　puny　voices　that　had　prattled　what　they　called　love　to　her；　and　that　divine　music；　should　she　ever　hear　it　again？　　She　had　resigned　it；　had　bidden　it　shine　upon　another。　　For　this；　in　reality；　her　tears　were　trickling。

Mr。　Raby　took　a　much　lighter　view　of　it；　and；　to　divert　attention　from　her；　he　said；　〃Hallo！　why　this　inscription　has　become　legible。　It　used　to　be　only　legible　in　parts。　　Is　that　his　doing？〃

〃Not　a　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Amboyne。

〃Set　that　against　his　sacrilege。〃

〃Miss　Carden　and　I　are　both　agreed　it　was　not　sacrilege。　　What　is　here　in　this　pew？　　A　brass！　　Why　this　is　the　brass　we　could　none　of　us　decipher。　　Hang　me；　if　he　has　not　read　it；　and　restored　it！〃

〃So　he　has。　　And　where's　the　wonder？　　We　live　in　a　glorious　age〃　（Raby　smiled）　〃that　has　read　the　written　mountains　of　the　East；　and　the　Abyssinian　monuments：　and　he　is　a　man　of　the　age；　and　your　mediaeval　brasses　are　no　more　to　him　than　cuneiform　letters　to　Rawlinson。　　Let　me　read　this　resuscitated　record。　　'Edith　Little；　daughter　of　Robert　Raby；　by　Leah　Dence　his　wife：'　why　here's　a　hodge…podge！　　What！　have　the　noble　Rabys　intermarried　with　the　humble　Dences？〃

〃So　it　seems。　　A　younger　son。〃

〃And　a　Raby；　daughter　of　Dence；　married　a　Little　three　hundred　years　ago？〃

〃So　it　seems。〃

〃Then　what　a　pity　this　brass　was　not　deciphered　thirty　years　ago！　But　never　mind　that。　　All　I　demand　is　tardy　justice　to　my　protege。　Is　not　this　a　remarkable　man？　　By　day　he　carves　wood；　and　carries　out　a　philanthropic　scheme　（which　I　mean　to　communicate　to　you　this　very　day；　together　with　this　young　man's　report）；　at　night　he　forges　tools　that　all　Hillsborough　can't　rival；　in　an　interval　of　his　work　he　saves　a　valuable　life　or　two；　in　another　odd　moment　he　fights　like　a　lion；　one　to　four；　even　in　his　moments　of　downright　leisure；　when　he　is　neither　saving　life　nor　taking　it；　he　practices　honorable　arts；　restores　the　fading　letters　of　a　charitable　bequest；　and　deciphers　brasses；　and　vastly　improves　his　uncle's　genealogical　knowledge；　who；　nevertheless；　passed　for　an　authority；　till　my　Crichton　stepped　upon　the　scene。〃

Raby　bore　all　this　admirably。　　〃You　may　add；〃　said　he；　〃that　he　nevertheless　finds　time　to　correspond　with　his　friends。　　Here　is　a　letter；　addressed　to　Miss　Carden；　I　declare！〃

〃A　letter　to　me！〃　said　Grace；　faintly。

Raby　handed　it　over　the　pew　to　her；　and　turned　the　address；　so　that　she　could　judge　for　herself。

She　took　it　very　slowly　and　feebly；　and　her　color　came　and　went。

〃You　seemed　surprised；　and　so　am　I。　　It　must　have　been　written　two　days　ago。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Why；　what　on　earth　could　he　have　to　say　to　you？〃

〃I　suppose　it　is　the　reply　to　mine；〃　stammered　Grace。

Mr。　Raby　looked　amazement；　and　something　more。

Grace　faltered　out　an　explanation。　　〃When　he　had　saved　my　life；　I　was　so　grateful　I　wanted　to　make　him　a　return。　　I　believed　Jael　Dence　and　heI　have　so　high　an　opinion　of　herI　ventured　to　give　him　a　hint　that　he　might　find　happiness　there。〃

Raby　bit　his　lip。　　〃A　most　singular　interference　on　the　part　of　a　young　lady；〃　said　he；　stiffly。　　〃You　are　right；　doctor；　this　age　resembles　no　other。　　I　suppose　you　meant　it　kindly；　but　I　am　very　sorry　you　felt　called　upon；　at　your　age；　to　put　any　such　idea　into　the　young　man's　head。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　poor　Grace。　　〃Oh；　pray　forgive　me。　　I　am　so　unhappy。〃　　And　she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。

〃Of　course　I　forgive　you；〃　said　Raby。　　〃But；　unfortunately；　I　knew　nothing　of　all　this；　and　went　and　put　him　under　her　charge；　and　here　he　has　found　a　precedent　for　marrying　a　Dencefound　it　on　this　confounded　brass！　　Well；　no　matter。　　Life　is　one　long　disappointment。　What　does　he　say？　　Where　is　the　letter　gone　to？　　It　has　vanished。〃

〃I　have　got　it　safe；〃　said　Grace；　deprecatingly。

〃Then　please　let　me　know　what　he　says。〃

〃What；　read　his　letter　to　you？〃

〃Why　not；　pray？　　I'm　his　uncle。　　He　is　my　heir…at…law。　　I　agree　with　Amboyne；　he　has　some　fine　qualities。　　It　is　foolish　of　me；　no　doubt；　but　I　am　very　anxious　to　know　what　he　says　about　marrying　my　tenant's　daughter。〃　　Then；　with　amazing　dignity；　〃Can　I　be　mistaken　in　thinking　I　have　a　right　to　know　who　my　nephew　intends　to　marry？〃　And　he　began　to　get　very　red。

Grace　hung　her　head；　and；　trembling　a　little；　drew　the　letter　very　slowly　out　of　her　bosom。

It　just　flashed　through　her　mind　how　cruel　it　was　to　make　her　read　out　the　death…warrant　of　her　heart　before　two　men；　but　she　summoned　all　a　woman's　fortitude　and　self…defense；　prepared　to　hide　her　anguish　under　a　marble　demeanor；　and　quietly　opened　the　letter。


CHAPTER　XX。


〃You　advise　me　to　marry　one；　when　I　love　another；　and　this；　you　think；　is　the　way　to　be　happy。　　It　has　seldom　proved　so；　and　I　should　despise　happiness　if　I　could　only　get　it　in　that　way。

〃Yours；　sadly　but　devotedly；

〃H。　LITTLE。

〃Will　you　wait　two　years？〃


Grace；　being　on　her　defense；　read　this　letter　very　slowly；　and　as　if　she　had　to　decipher　it。　　That　gave　her　time　to　say；　〃Yours；　et　cetera；〃　instead　of　〃sadly　and　devotedly。〃　　（Why　be　needlessly　precise？）　　As　for　the　postscript；　she　didn't　trouble　them　with　that　at　all。

She　then　hurried　the　letter　into　her　pocket；　that　it　might　not　be　asked　for；　and　said；　with　all　the　nonchalance　she　could　manage　to　assume；　〃Oh；　if　he　loves　somebody　else！〃

〃No；　that　is　worse　still；〃　said　Mr。　Raby。　　〃In　his　own　rank　of　life；　it　is　ten　to　one　if　he　finds　anything　as　modest；　as　good；　and　as　loyal　as　Dence's　daughter。　　It's　some　factory…girl；　I　suppose。〃

〃Let　us　hope　not；〃　said　Grace；　demurely；　but　Amboyne　noticed　that　her　cheek　was　now　flushed；　and　her　eyes　sparkling　like　diamonds。

Soon　afterward　she　strolled　apart；　and　took　a　wonderful　interest　in　the　monuments　and　things；　until　she　found　an　opportunity　to　slip　out　into　the　church…yard。　　There　she　took　the　letter　out；　and　kissed　it　again　and　again；　as　if　she　would　devour　it；　and　all　the　way　home　she　was　as　gay　as　a　lark。　　Amboyne　put　himself　in　her　place。

When　they　got　home；　he　said　to　her；　〃My　dear　Miss　Carden；　I　have　a　favor　to　ask　you。　　I　want　an　hour's　conversation　with　Mr。　Raby。　Will　you　be　so　very　kind　as　to　see　that　I　am　not　interrupted？〃

〃Oh　yes。　　No；　you　must　tell　me；　first；　what　you　are　going　to　talk　about。　　I　can't　have　gentlemen　talking　nonsense　together　UNINTERRUPTEDLY。〃

〃You　ladies　claim　to　monopolize　nonsense；　eh？　　Well；　I　am　going　to　talk　about　my　friend；　Mr。　Little。　　Is　he　nonsense？〃

〃That　depends。　　What　are　you　going　to　say　about　him？〃

〃Going　to　advance　his　interestsand　my　own　hobby。　　Such　is　man。〃

〃Never　mind　what　is　man；　what　is　your　hobby？〃

〃Saving　idiotic　ruffians'　lives。〃

〃Well；　that　is　a　hobby。　　But；　if　Mr。　Little　is　to　profit　by　it；　never　mind；　you　shall　not　be　interrupted；　if　I　can　keep　'les　facheux'　away。〃

Accordingly　she　got　her　work；　and　sat　in　the　hall。　　Here；　as　she　expected；　she　was　soon　joined　by　Mr。　Coventry；　and　he　found　her　in　a　gracious　mood；　and　in　excellent　spirits。

After　some　very　pleasant　conversation；　she　told　him　she　was　keeping　sentinel　over　Dr。　Amboyne　and　his　hobby。

〃What　is　that？〃

〃Saving　idiotic　ruffians'　lives。　　Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Her　merry　laugh　rang　through　the　hall　like　a　peal　of　bells。

Coventry　stared；　and　then　gave　up　trying　to　understand　her　and　her　eternal　changes。　　He　just　set　himself　to　please　her；　and　he　never　found　it　easier　than　that　afternoon。

Meantime　Dr。　Amboyne　got　Raby　alone；　and　begged　leave；　in　the　first　place；　to　premise　that　his　（Raby's）　nephew　was　a　remarkable　man。　　To　prove　it；　he　related　Little's　whole　battle　with　the　Hillsborough　Trades；　and　then　produced　a　report　the　young　man　had　handed　him　that　very　day。　　It　was　actually　in　his　pocket　during　the　fight；　mute　protest　against　that　barbarous　act。

The　Report　was　entitled〃LIFE；　LABOR　AND　CAPITAL　IN　HILLSBOROUGH；〃　and　was　divided　into　two　parts。

Part　1　was　entitled〃PECULIARITIES　OF　CUTLERY　HURTFUL　TO　LIFE　AND　HEALTH。〃

And　part　2　was　entitled〃The　REMEDIES　TO　THE　ABOVE。〃

Part　2　was　divided　thus：

A。　What　the　masters　could　do。

B。　What　the　workmen　could　do。

C。　What　the　Legislature　could　do。

Part　1　dealt　first　with　the　diseases　of　the　grinders；　but　instead　of　quoting　it；　I　ask　leave　to　refer　to　Chapter　VIII。；　where　the　main　facts　lie　recorded。


Having　thus　curtailed　the　Report；　I　print　the　remainder　in　an　Appendix；　for　the　use　of　those　few　readers　who　can　endure　useful　knowledge　in　works　of　this　class。

Raby　read　the　report　without　moving　a　muscle。


〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　him？〃　asked　Amboyne。

〃I　think　he　is　a　fool　to　trouble　his　head　whether　these　animals　live　or　die。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　my　folly；　not　his。　　At　bottom；　he　cares　no　more　than　you　do。〃

〃Then　I　retract　my　observation。〃

〃As　to　its　being　folly；　or　as　to　Little　being　the　fool？〃

〃Whichever　you　like　best。〃

〃Thank