put yourself in his place-第73部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　and　park　for　sale；　and　she　was　not　old　enough　nor　wise　enough　to　disguise　from　him　that　this　pained　her。　　Some　expressions　of　regret　and　pity　fell　from　her；　that　annoyed　Henry；　and　he　said；　〃What　is　that　to　us？〃

〃Nothing　to　you：　but　I　feel　I　am　the　cause。　　I　have　not　used　him　well；　that's　certain。〃

Henry　said；　rather　cavalierly；　that　Mr。　Coventry　was　probably　selling　his　house　for　money；　not　for　love；　and　（getting　angry）　that　he　hoped　never　to　hear　the　man's　name　mentioned　again。

Grace　Carden　was　a　little　mortified　by　his　tone；　but　she　governed　herself　and　said　sadly；　〃My　idea　of　love　was　to　be　able　to　tell　you　every　thought　of　my　heart；　even　where　my　conscience　reproaches　me　a　little。　　But　if　you　prefer　to　exclude　one　topicand　have　no　fear　that　it　may　lead　to　the　exclusion　of　others〃

They　were　on　the　borders　of　a　tiff；　but　Henry　recovered　himself　and　said　firmly；　〃I　hope　we　shall　not　have　a　thought　unshared　one　day；　but；　just　for　the　present；　it　will　be　kinder　to　spare　me　that　one　topic。〃

〃Very　well；　dearest；〃　said　Grace。　　〃And；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　advertisement〃　she　said　no　more；　and　the　thing　passed　like　a　dark　cloud　between　the　lovers。

Bollinghope　house　and　park　were　actually　sold　that　very　week；　they　were　purchased；　at　more　than　their　value；　by　a　wealthy　manufacturer：　and　the　proceeds　of　this　sale　and　the　timber　cleared　off　all　Coventry's　mortgages；　and　left　him　with　a　few　hundred　pounds　in　cash；　and　an　estate　which　had　not　a　tree　on　it；　but　also　had　not　a　debt　upon　it。

Of　course　he　forfeited；　by　this　stroke；　his　position　as　a　country　gentleman；　but　that　he　did　not　care　about；　since　it　was　all　done　with　one　view；　to　live　comfortably　in　Paris　far　from　the　intolerable　sight　of　his　rival's　happiness　with　the　lady　he　loved。

He　bought　in　at　the　sale　a　few　heirlooms　and　articles　of　furniture　who　does　not　cling；　at　the　last　moment；　to　something　of　this　kind？　and　rented　a　couple　of　unfurnished　rooms　in　Hillsborough　to　keep　them　in。　　He　fixed　the　day　of　his　departure；　arranged　his　goods；　and　packed　his　clothes。　　Then　he　got　a　letter　of　credit　on　Paris；　and　went　about　the　town　buying　numerous　articles　of　cutlery。

But　this　last　simple　act　led　to　strange　consequences。　　He　was　seen　and　followed；　and　in　the　dead　of　the　evening；　as　he　was　cording　with　his　own　hands　a　box　containing　a　few　valuables；　a　heavy　step　mounted　the　stair；　and　there　was　a　rude　knock　at　the　door。

Mr。　Coventry　felt　rather　uncomfortable；　but　he　said；　〃Come　in。〃

The　door　was　opened；　and　there　stood　Sam　Cole。

Coventry　received　him　ill。　　He　looked　up　from　his　packing　and　said；　〃What　on　earth　do　you　want；　sir？〃

But　it　was　not　Cole's　business　to　be　offended。　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I've　been　looking　out　for　you　some　time；　and　I　saw　you　at　our　place；　so　I　thought　I'd　come　and　tell　you　a　bit　o'　news。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃It　is　about　him　you　know　of；　begins　with　a　hel。〃

〃Curse　him！　　I　don't　want　to　hear　about　him。　　I'm　leaving　the　country。　　Well；　what　is　it？〃

〃He　is　wrong　with　the　trade　again。〃

〃What　is　that　to　me？Ah！　sit　down；　Cole；　and　tell　me。〃

Cole　let　him　know　the　case；　and　assured　him　that；　sooner　or　later；　if　threats　did　not　prevail；　the　Union　would　go　any　length。

〃Should　you　be　employed？〃

〃If　it　was　a　dangerous　job；　they'd　prefer　me。〃

Mr。　Coventry　looked　at　his　trunks；　and　then　at　Sam　Cole。　　A　small　voice　whispered　〃Fly。〃　　He　stifled　that　warning　voice；　and　told　Cole　he　would　stay　and　watch　this　affair；　and　Cole　was　to　report　to　him　whenever　any　thing　fresh　occurred。　　From　that　hour　this　gentleman　led　the　life　of　a　malefactor；　dressed　like　a　workman；　and　never　went　out　except　at　night。

Messrs。　Bolt　and　Little　were　rattened　again；　and　never　knew　it　till　morning。　　This　time　it　was　not　the　bands；　but　certain　axle…nuts　and　screws　that　vanished。　　The　obnoxious　machines　came　to　a　standstill；　and　Bolt　fumed　and　cursed。　　However；　at　ten　o'clock；　he　and　the　foreman　were　invited　to　the　Town　hall；　and　there　they　found　the　missing　gear；　and　the　culprit；　one　of　the　very　workmen　employed　at　high　wages　on　the　obnoxious　machines。

Ransome　had　bored　a　small　hole　in　the　ceiling；　by　means　of　which　this　room　was　watched　from　above；　the　man　was　observed；　followed；　and　nabbed。　　The　property　found　on　him　was　identified　and　the　magistrate　offered　the　prisoner　a　jury；　which　he　declined；　then　the　magistrate　dealt　with　the　case　summarily；　refused　to　recognize　rattening；　called　the　offense　〃petty　larceny；〃　and　gave　the　man　six　months'　prison。

Now　as　Ransome；　for　obvious　reasons；　concealed　the　means　by　which　this　man　had　been　detected；　a　conviction　so　mysterious　shook　that　sense　of　security　which　ratteners　had　enjoyed　for　many　years；　and　the　trades　began　to　find　that　craft　had　entered　the　lists　with　craft。

Unfortunately；　those　who　directed　the　Saw…grinders'　Union　thought　the　existence　of　the　trade　at　stake；　and　this　minor　defeat　merely　exasperated　them。

Little　received　a　letter　telling　him　he　was　acting　worse　than　Brinsley；　who　had　been　shot　in　the　Briggate；　and　asking　him；　as　a　practical　man；　which　he　thought　was　likely　to　die　first；　he　or　the　Union？　　〃You　won't　let　us　live；　why　should　we　let　you？〃

Bolt　was　threatened　in　similar　style；　but　he　merely　handed　the　missives　to　Ransome；　he　never　flinched。

Not　so　Little。　　He　got　nervous；　and；　in　a　weak　moment；　let　his　mother　worm　out　of　him　that　he　was　at　war　with　the　trades　again。

This　added　anxiety　to　her　grief；　and　she　became　worse　every　day。

Then　Dr。　Amboyne　interfered；　and；　after　a　certain　degree　of　fencing　which　seems　inseparable　from　the　practice　of　medicinetold　Henry　plainly　he　feared　the　very　worst　if　this　went　on；　Mrs。　Little　was　on　the　brink　of　jaundice。　　By　his　advice　Henry　took　her　to　Aberystwith　in　Wales；　and；　when　he　had　settled　her　there；　went　back　to　his　troubles。

To　those　was　now　added　a　desolate　home；　gone　was　the　noble　face；　the　maternal　eye；　the　soothing　voice；　the　unfathomable　love。　　He　never　knew　all　her　value　till　now。

One　night；　as　he　sat　by　himself　sad　and　disconsolate；　his　servant　came　to　tell　him　there　was　a　young　woman　inquiring　for　Mrs。　Little。　Henry　went　out　to　her；　and　it　was　Jael　Dence。　　He　invited　her　in；　and　told　her　what　had　happened。　　Jael　saw　his　distress；　and　gave　him　her　womanly　sympathy。　　〃And　I　came　to　tell　her　my　own　trouble；〃　said　she；　〃fie　on　me！〃

〃Then　tell　it　me；　Jael。　　There；　take　off　your　shawl　and　sit　down。　They　shall　make　you　a　cup　of　tea。〃

Jael　complied；　with　a　slight　blush；　but　as　to　her　trouble；　she　said　it　was　not　worth　speaking　of　in　that　house。

Henry　insisted；　however；　and　she　said；　〃Mine　all　comes　of　my　sister　marrying　that　Phil　Davis。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　went　to　church　with　a　heavy　heart　on　account　of　their　both　beginning　with　a　D　Dence　and　Davis；　for　'tis　an　old　saying


　　　　　〃'If　you　change　the　name；　and　not　the　letter；　　　　　　　　You　change　for　the　worse；　and　not　for　the　better。'


Well；　sir；　it　all　went　wrong　somehow。　　Parson；　he　was　South　country；　and　when　his　time　came　to　kiss　the　bride；　he　stood　and　looked　ever　so　helpless；　and　I　had　to　tell　him　he　must　kiss　her；　and　even　then　he　stared　foolish…like　a　bit　before　he　kissed　her；　and　the　poor　lass's　face　getting　up　and　the　tear　in　her　eye　at　being　slighted。　And　that　put　Patty　out　for　one　thing：　and　then　she　wouldn't　give　away　the　ribbon　to　the　fastest　runnerthe　lads　run　a　hundred　yards　to　the　bride；　for　ribbon　and　kiss；　you　know；wasn't　the　ribbon　she　grudged；　poor　wench；　but　the　fastest　runner　in　Cairnhope　town　is　that　Will　Gibbon；　a　nasty；　ugly；　slobbering　chap；　that　was　always　after　her；　and　Philip　jealous　of　him；　so　she　did　for　the　best；　and　Will　Gibbon　safe　to　win　it。　　But　the　village　lads　they　didn't　see　the　reason；　and　took　it　all　to　themselves。　　Was　she　better　than　their　granddam？　and　were　they　worse　than　their　grandsires？　　They　ran　on　before；　and　fired　the　anvil　when　she　passed：　just　fancy！　an　affront　close　to　her　own　door：　and；　sir；　she　walked　in　a　doors　crying。　　There　was　a　wedding　for　you！　　George　the　blacksmith　was　that　hurt　at　their　making　free　with　his　smithy　to　affront　her；　he　lifted　his　arm　for　the　first　time；　and　pretty　near　killed　a　couple　of　them；　poor　thoughtless　bodies。　　Well；　sir；　Phil　Davis　always　took　a　drop；　you　know；　and；　instead　of　mending；　he　got　worse；　they　live　with　father；　and　of　course　he　has　only　to　go　to　the　barrel；　old…　fashioned　farmers　like　us　don't　think　to　spy　on　the　ale。　　He　was　so　often　in　liquor；　I　checked　him；　but　Patty　indulged　him　in　every　thing。　　By…and…by　my　lord　gets　ever　so　civil　to　me；　'What　next？'　said　I　to　myself。　　One　fine　evening　we　are　set　upstairs　at　our　tea；　in　he　comes　drunk；　and　says　many　things　we　had　to　look　at　one　another　and　excuse。　　Presently　he　tells　us　all　that　he　has　made　a　mistake；　he　has　wedded　Patty；　and　I'm　the　one　he　likes　the　best。　But　I　thought　the　fool　was　in　jest；　but　Patty　she　gave　a　cry　as　if　a　knife　had　gone　through　her　heart。　　Then　my　blood　got　up　in　a　moment。　'That's　an　affront　to　all　three；'　said　I：　'and　take　your　answer；　ye　drunken　sow；'　said　I。　　I　took　him　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　just　turned　him　out　of　the　room　and　sent　him　to　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　headforemost。　　Then　Patty　she　quarreled　with　me；　and　father　he　sided　with　her。　　And　so　I　gave　them　my　blessing；　and　told　them　to　send　for　me　in　trouble；　and　I　left　the　house　I　was　born　in。　　It　all　comes　of　her　changing　her　name；　and　not　her　letter。〃　　Here　a　few　tears　interrupted　further　comment。

Henry　consoled　her；　and　asked　her　what　she　was　going　to　do。

She　said　she　did　not　know；　but　she　had　a　good　bit　of　money　put　by；　and　was　not　afraid　of　work；　and；　in　truth；　she　had　come　there　to　ask　Mrs。　Little's　advice；　〃poor　lady。　　Now　don't　you　mind　me；　Mr。　Henry；　your　trouble　is　a　deal　worse　than　mine。〃

〃Jael；〃　said　he；　〃you　must　come　here　and　keep　my　house　till　my　poor　mother　is　better。〃

Jael　colored　and　said；　〃Nay；　that　will　not　do。　　But　if　you　could　find　me　something　to　do　in　your　great　factoryand　I　hear　you　have　enemies　there；　you　might　as　well　have　a　friend　right　in　the　middle　of　them。　　Eh；　but　I'd　keep　my　eyes　and　ears　open　for　you。〃

Henry　appreciated　this　proposal；　and　said　there　were　plenty　of　things　she　could　do；　she　could　hone；　she　could　pack；　she　could　superintend；　and　keep　the　girls