put yourself in his place-第75部分

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Then　she　told　her　story；　and　was　taken　in　a　cab　to　the　police…　office；　and　repeated　her　story　there。

Then　Henry　took　her　to　Woodbine　Villa；　and　Grace　Carden　turned　very　pale　at　Henry's　danger；　though　passed：　she　wept　over　Jael；　and　kissed　her；　and　nobody　could　make　enough　of　her。

Grace　Carden　looked　wistfully　at　Henry　and　said；　〃Oh　that　I　had　a　strong　arm　to　defend　you！〃

〃Oh；　Miss　Grace；〃　said　Jael；　〃don't　you　envy　me。　　Go　away　with　him　from　this　wicked；　murdering　place。　　That　will　be　a　deal　better　than　any　thing　I　can　do　for　him。〃

〃Ah；　would　to　Heaven　I　could　this　minute！〃　said　Grace；　clinging　tenderly　to　his　shoulder。　　She　insisted　on　going　home　with　him　and　sharing　his　peril　for　once。

Hill　was　locked　up　for　the　night。

In　the　morning　a　paper　was　slipped　into　his　hand。　　〃Say　there　was　no　arrow。〃

He　took　this　hint；　and　said　that　he　was　innocent　as　a　babe　of　any　harm。　　He　had　got　a　bow　to　repair　for　a　friend；　and　he　went　home　twanging　it；　was　attacked　by　a　woman；　and；　in　his　confusion；　struck　her　once；　but　did　not　repeat　the　blow。

Per　contra；　Jael　Dence　distinctly　swore　there　was　an　arrow；　with　two　white　feathers　and　one　black　one；　and　that　the　prisoner　was　shooting　at　Mr。　Little。　　She　also　swore　that　she　had　seen　him　colloguing　with　another　man；　who　had　been　concerned　in　a　former　attempt　on　Mr。　Little；　and　captured；　but　had　escaped　from　Raby　Hall。

On　this　the　magistrate　declined　to　discharge　the　prisoner；　but；　as　no　arrow　could　be　found　at　present；　admitted　him　to　bail；　two　securities　fifty　pounds　each；　which　was　an　indirect　way　of　imprisoning　him　until　the　Assizes。

This　attempt；　though　unsuccessful　in　one　way；　was　very　effective　in　another。　　It　shook　Henry　Little　terribly；　and　the　effect　was　enhanced　by　an　anonymous　letter　he　received；　reminding　him　there　were　plenty　of　noiseless　weapons。　　Brinsley　had　been　shot　twice；　and　no　sound　heard。　　〃When　your　time　comes；　you'll　never　know　what　hurt　you。〃　　The　sense　of　a　noiseless　assassin　eternally　dogging　him　preyed　on　Little's　mind　and　spirits；　and　at　last　this　life　on　the　brink　of　the　grave　became　so　intolerable　that　he　resolved　to　leave　Hillsborough；　but　not　alone。

He　called　on　Grace　Carden；　pale　and　agitated。

〃Grace；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　really　love　me？〃

〃Oh；　Henry！　　Do　I　love　you？〃

〃Then　save　me　from　this　horrible　existence。　　Oh；　my　love；　if　you　knew　what　it　is　to　have　been　a　brave　man；　and　to　find　your　courage　all　oozing　away　under　freezing　threats；　that　you　know；　by　experience；　will　be　followed　by　some　dark；　subtle；　bloody　deed　or　other。　　There；　they　have　brought　me　down　to　this；　that　I　never　go　ten　steps　without　looking　behind　me；　and；　when　I　go　round　a　corner；　I　turn　short　and　run　back；　and　wait　at　the　corner　to　see　if　an　assassin　is　following　me。　　I　tremble　at　the　wind。　　I　start　at　my　own　shadow。〃

Grace　threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　stopped　him　with　tears　and　kisses。

〃Ah；　bless　you；　my　love！〃　he　cried；　and　kissed　her　fondly。　　〃You　pity　meyou　will　save　me　from　this　miserable；　degrading　life？〃

〃Ah；　that　I　will；　if　I　can；　my　own。〃

〃You　can。〃

〃Then　tell　me　how。〃

〃Be　my　wifelet　us　go　to　the　United　States　together。　　Dearest；　my　patents　are　a　great　success。　　We　are　making　our　fortune；　though　we　risk　our　lives。　　In　America　I　could　sell　these　inventions　for　a　large　sum；　or　work　them　myself　at　an　enormous　profit。　　Be　my　wife；　and　let　us　fly　this　hellish　place　together。〃

〃And　so　I　would　in　a　moment；　but〃　（with　a　deep　sigh）　〃papa　would　never　consent　to　that。〃

〃Dispense　with　his　consent。〃

〃Oh；　Henry；　and　marry　under　my　father's　curse！〃

〃He　could　not　curse　you；　if　he　love　you　half　as　well　as　I　do；　and　if　he　does　not；　why　sacrifice　me；　and　perhaps　my　life；　to　him？〃

〃Henry；　for　pity's　sake；　think　of　some　other　way。　　Why　this　violent　haste　to　get　rich？　　Have　a　little　patience。　　Mr。　Raby　will　not　always　be　abroad。　　Oh；　pray　give　up　Mr。　Bolt；　and　go　quietly　on　at　peace　with　these　dreadful　Trades。　　You　know　I'll　wait　all　my　life　for　you。　　I　will　implore　papa　to　let　you　visit　me　oftener。　　I　will　do　all　a　faithful；　loving　girl　can　do　to　comfort　you。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Henry；　bitterly；　〃you　will　do　anything　but　the　one　thing　I　ask。〃

〃Yes；　anything　but　defy　my　father。　　He　is　father　and　mother　both　to　me。　　How　unfortunate　we　both　are！　　If　you　knew　what　it　costs　me　to　deny　you　anything；　if　you　knew　how　I　long　to　follow　you　round　the　world〃

She　choked　with　emotion；　and　seemed　on　the　point　of　yielding；　after　all。

But　he　said；　bitterly；　〃You　long　to　follow　me　round　the　world；　and　you　won't　go　a　twelve…days'　voyage　with　me　to　save　my　life。　　Ah；　it　is　always　so。　　You　don't　love　me　as　poor　Jael　Dence　loves　me。　　She　saved　my　life　without　my　asking　her；　but　you　won't　do　it　when　I　implore　you。〃

〃Henry；　my　own　darling；　if　any　woman　on　earth　loves　you　better　than　I　do；　for　God's　sake　marry　her；　and　let　me　die　to　prove　I　loved　you　a　little。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　grinding　his　teeth。　　〃Next　week　I　leave　this　place　with　a　wife。　　I　give　you　the　first　offer；　because　I　love　you。　I　shall　give　Jael　the　second；　because　she　loves　me。〃

So　then　he　flung　out　of　the　room；　and　left　Grace　Carden　half　fainting　on　the　sofa；　and　drowned　in　tears。

But　before　he　got　back　to　the　works　he　repented　his　violence；　and　his　heart　yearned　for　her　more　than　ever。

With　that　fine　sense　of　justice　which　belongs　to　love；　he　spoke　roughly　to　Jael　Dence。

She　stared；　and　said　nothing；　but　watched　him　furtively；　and　saw　his　eyes　fill　with　tears　at　the　picture　memory　recalled　of　Grace's　pale　face　and　streaming　eyes。

She　put　a　few　shrewd　questions；　and　his　heart　was　so　full　he　could　not　conceal　the　main　facts；　though　he　suppressed　all　that　bore　reference　to　Jael　herself。　　She　took　Grace's　part；　and　told　him　he　was　all　in　the　wrong；　why　could　not　he　go　to　America　alone；　and　sell　his　patents；　and　then　come　back　and　marry　Grace　with　the　money？　〃Why　drag　her　across　the　water；　to　make　her　quarrel　with　her　father？〃

〃Why；　indeed？〃　said　Henry：　〃because　I'm　not　the　man　I　was。　　I　have　no　manhood　left。　　I　have　not　the　courage　to　fight　the　Trades；　nor　yet　the　courage　to　leave　the　girl　I　love　so　dearly。〃

〃Eh；　poor　lad；〃　said　Jael；　〃thou　hast　courage　enough；　but　it　has　been　too　sore　tried；　first　and　last。　　You　have　gone　through　enough　to　break　a　man　of　steel。〃

She　advised　him　to　go　and　make　his　submission　at　once。

He　told　her　she　was　his　guardian　angel；　and　kissed　her；　in　the　warmth　of　his　gratitude；　and　he　went　back　to　Woodbine　Villa；　and　asked　Grace's　forgiveness；　and　said　he　would　go　alone　to　the　States　and　come　back　with　plenty　of　money　to　satisfy　Mr。　Carden's　prudence；　and

Grace　clutched　him　gently　with　both　hands；　as　if　to　hinder　from　leaving　her。　　She　turned　very　pale；　and　said；　〃Oh　my　heart！〃

Then　she　laid　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　and　wept　piteously。

He　comforted　her；　and　said；　〃What　is　it？　a　voyage　of　twelve　days！　And　yet　I　shall　never　have　the　courage　to　bid　you　good…by。〃

〃Nor　I　you；　my　own　darling。〃


Having　come　to　this　resolution；　he　was　now　seized　with　a　fear　that　he　would　be　assassinated　before　he　could　carry　it　out；　to　diminish　the　chances；　he　took　up　his　quarters　at　the　factory；　and　never　went　out　at　night。　　Attached　to　the　works　was　a　small　building　near　the　water…side。　　Jael　Dence　occupied　the　second　floor　of　it。　　He　had　a　camp…bed　set　up　on　the　first　floor；　and　established　a　wire　communication　with　the　police　office。　　At　the　slightest　alarm　he　could　ring　a　bell　in　Ransome's　ear。　　He　also　clandestinely　unscrewed　a　little　postern　door　that　his　predecessors　had　closed；　and　made　a　key　to　the　lock；　so　that　if　he　should　ever　be　compelled　to　go　out　at　night　he　might　baffle　his　foes；　who　would　naturally　watch　the　great　gate　for　his　exit。

With　all　this　he　became　very　depressed　and　moody；　and　alarmed　Doctor　Amboyne；　who　remembered　his　father's　end。

The　doctor　advised　him　to　go　and　see　his　mother　for　a　day　or　two；　but　he　shook　his　head；　and　declined。

A　prisoner　detained　for　want　of　bail　is　allowed　to　communicate　with　his　friends；　and　Grotait　soon　let　Hill　know　he　was　very　angry　with　him　for　undertaking　to　do　Little　without　orders。　　Hill　said　that　the　job　was　given　him　by　Cole；　who　was　Grotait's　right…hand　man；　and　Grotait　had　better　bail　him；　otherwise　he　might　be　induced　to　tell　tales。

Grotait　let　him　stay　in　prison　three　days；　and　then　sent　two　householders　with　the　bail。

Hill　was　discharged；　and　went　home。　　At　dusk　he　turned　out　to　find　Cole；　and　tracing　him　from　one　public…house　to　another；　at　last　lighted　on　him　in　company　with　Mr。　Coventry。

This　set　him　thinking；　however；　he　held　aloof　till　they　parted；　and　then　following　Cole；　dunned　him　for　his　twenty　pounds。

Cole　gave　him　five　pounds　on　account。　　Hill　grumbled；　and　threatened。

Grotait　sent　for　both　men；　and　went　into　a　passion；　and　threatened　to　hang　them　both　if　they　presumed　to　attack　Little's　person　again　in　any　way。　　〃It　is　the　place　I　mean　to　destroy；〃　said　Grotait；　〃not　the　man。〃

Cole　conveyed　this　to　Coventry；　and　it　discouraged　him　mightily；　and　he　told　Cole　he　should　give　it　up　and　go　abroad。

But　soon　after　this　some　pressure　or　other　was　brought　to　bear　on　Grotait；　and　Cole；　knowing　this；　went　to　him；　and　asked　him　whether　Bolt　and　Little　were　to　be　done　or　not。

〃It　is　a　painful　subject；〃　said　Grotait。

〃It　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death　to　us；〃　said　Cole。

〃That　is　true。　　But　mindthe　place；　and　not　the　man。〃　　Cole　assented；　and　then　Grotait　took　him　on　to　a　certain　bridge；　and　pointed　out　the　one　weak　side　of　Bob　and　Little's　fortress；　and　showed　him　how　the　engine…chimney　could　be　got　at　and　blown　down；　and　so　the　works　stopped　entirely：　〃And　I'll　tell　you　something；〃　said　he；　〃that　chimney　is　built　on　a　bad　foundation；　and　was　never　very　safe；　so　you　have　every　chance。〃

Then　they　chaffered　about　the　price；　and　at　last　Grotait　agreed　to　give　him　L20。

Cole　went　to　Coventry；　and　told　how　far　Grotait　would　allow　him　to　go：　〃But；〃　said　he；　〃L20　is　not　enough。　　I　run　an　even　chance　of　being　hung　or　lagged。〃

〃Go　a　step　beyond　your　instructions；　and　I'll　give　you　a　hundred　pounds。〃

〃I　daren't；〃　said　Cole：　〃unless　there　was　a　chance　to　blow　up　the　place　with　the　man　in　it。〃　　Then；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　he　said：　〃I　hear　he