put yourself in his place-第78部分

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sist　on　it。

This　resolution　formed；　she　lived　on　thorns；　awaiting　Henry　Little's　next　visit。

He　came　next　day；　but　she　was　out。

She　asked　the　servant　if　he　had　said　anything。

The　servant　said；　〃He　seemed　a　good　deal　put　out　at　first；　miss；　but　afterward　he　said；　'No；　it　was　all　for　the　best。'〃

This　was　another　blow。　　Grace　connected　these　words　of　Henry　in　some　mysterious　way　with　the　anonymous　letter；　and　spent　the　night　crying：　but　in　the　morning；　being　a　brave；　high…spirited　girl；　she　resolved　to　take　a　direct　course；　she　would　go　down　to　the　works；　and　request　an　explanation　on　the　premises。　　She　would　see　the　room　where　Henry　was　said　to　pass　so　many　hours　with　Jael；　and　she　would　show　him　that　the　man　she　loved；　and　lived　for；　must　place　himself　above　suspicion；　or　lose　her　forever。　　〃And　if　he　quarrels　with　me　for　that；〃　she　thought；　〃why；　I　can　die。〃　　She　actually　carried　out　her　resolution；　and　went　early　next　morning　to　the　works　to　demand　an　explanation。　　She　took　the　letter　with　her。　　As　she　went　along　she　discussed　in　her　own　mind　how　she　should　proceed；　and　at　last　she　resolved　to　just　hand　him　the　letter　and　fix　her　eye　on　him。　His　face　would　tell　her　the　truth。

She　drove　up　to　the　great　gate；　there　were　a　good　many　people　about；　talking；　in　excited　groups。

The　porter　came　out　to　her。　　She　said　she　wished　to　see　Mr。　Little。

The　porter　stared：　the　people　within　hearing　left　off　talking；　and　stared　too；　at　her；　and　then　at　one　another。

At　last　the　porter　found　his　voice。　　〃Mr。　Little！　why；　we　can't　find　him　anywhere；　dead　or　alive。〃

Just　then　Ransome　came　out；　and；　seeing　Miss　Carden；　gave　a　start；　and　looked　much　concerned。

Grace　noticed　this　look；　and　her　own　face　began　to　fill　with　surprise；　and　then　with　alarm。　　〃Not　to　be　found！〃　she　faltered。

She　did　not　know　Mr。　Ransome；　but　he　knew　her；　and　he　came　to　the　carriage…window　and　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃Miss　Carden；　I　am　the　chief…constable。　　I　would　advise　you　to　return　home。　　The　fact　is；　there　has　been　an　explosion　here；　and　a　young　woman　nearly　killed。〃

〃Poor　creature！　　But　Mr。　Little！　　Oh；　sir！　　Oh；　sir！〃

〃We　can't　find　him；〃　said　Ransome；　solemnly：　〃and　we　fearwe　sadly　fear〃

Grace　uttered　a　low　cry；　and　then　sat　trembling。

Ransome　tried　to　console　her；　said　it　was　just　possible　he　might　have　not　slept　in　the　works。

The　porter　shook　his　head。

Grace　sprung　from　the　carriage。　　〃Show　me　the　place；〃　said　she；　hoarsely。

Ransome　demurred。　　〃It　is　an　ugly　sight　for　any　one　to　see。〃

〃Who　has　a　better　right　to　see　it　than　I？　　I　shall　find　him　if　he　is　there。　　Give　me　your　arm：　I　have　heard　him　speak　of　you。〃

Then　Ransome　yielded　reluctantly；　and　took　her　to　the　place。

He　showed　her　Henry's　room；　all　rent　and　mutilated。

She　shuddered；　and；　covering　her　face　with　her　hands；　leaned　half　fainting　against　her　conductor；　but　soon　she　shook　this　off；　and　became　inspired　with　strange　energy；　though　her　face　was　like　marble。

She　drew　him；　indeed　almost　dragged　him；　hither　and　thither；　questioning　him；　and　listening　to　everybody's　conjectures；　for　there　were　loud　groups　here　of　work…people　and　towns…people。

Some　thought　he　was　buried　under　the　great　chimney　in　the　river；　others　intimated　plainly　their　fear　that　he　was　blown　to　atoms。

At　each　suggestion　Grace　Carden's　whole　body　winced　and　quivered　as　if　the　words　were　sword　cuts；　but　she　would　not　be　persuaded　to　retire。　　〃No；　no；〃　she　cried；　〃amongst　so　many；　some　one　will　guess　right。　　I'll　hear　all　they　think；　if　I　die　on　the　spot：　die！　　What　is　life　to　me　now？　　Ah！　what　is　that　woman　saying？〃　　And　she　hurried　Ransome　toward　a　work…woman　who　was　haranguing　several　of　her　comrades。

The　woman　saw　Ransome　coming　toward　her　with　a　strange　lady。

〃Ah！〃　said　she；　〃here's　the　constable。　　Mr。　Ransome；　will　ye　tell　me　where　you　found　the　lass；　yesternight？〃

〃She　was　lying　on　that　heap　of　bricks：　I　marked　the　place　with　two　pieces　of　chalk；　ay；　here　they　are；　her　head　lay　here；　and　her　feet　here。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　woman；　〃he　will　not　be　far　from　that　place。　You　clear　away　those　bricks　and　rubbish；　and　you　will　find　him　underneath。　　She　was　his　sweetheart；　that　is　well　known　here；　and　he　was　safe　to　be　beside　her　when　the　place　was　blown　up。〃

〃No　such　thing；〃　said　Ransome；　angrily；　and　casting　a　side…look　at　Grace。　　〃She　lay　on　the　second　floor；　and　Mr。　Little　on　the　first　floor。〃

〃Thou　simple　body；〃　said　the　woman。　　〃What's　a　stair　to　a　young　man　when　a　bonny　lass　lies　awaiting　him；　and　not　a　soul　about？　　They　were　a　deal　too　close　together　all　day；　to　be　distant　at　night。〃

A　murmur　of　assent　burst　at　once　from　all　the　women。

Grace's　body　winced　and　quivered；　but　her　marble　face　never　stirred；　nor　did　her　lips　utter　a　sound。

〃Come　away　from　their　scandalous　tongues；〃　said　Ransome；　eagerly。

〃No；〃　said　Grace；　and　such　a　〃No。〃　　It　was　like　a　statue　uttering　a　chip　of　its　own　marble。

Then　she　stood　quivering　a　moment；　then；　leaving　Ransome's　arm；　she　darted　up　to　the　place　where　Jael　Dence　had　been　found。

She　stood　like　a　bird　on　the　broken　masonry；　and　opened　her　beautiful　eyes　in　a　strange　way；　and　demanded　of　all　her　senses　whether　the　body　of　him　she　loved　lay　beneath　her　feet。

After　a　minute；　during　which　every　eye　was　riveted　on　her；　she　said；　〃I　don't　believe　it；　I　don't　feel　him　near　me。　　But　I　will　know。〃

She　took　out　her　purse　full　of　gold；　and　held　it　up　to　the　women。　〃This　for　you；　if　you　will　help　me。〃　　Then；　kneeling　down；　she　began　to　tear　up　the　bricks　and　throw　them；　one　after　another；　as　far　as　her　strength　permitted。　　The　effect　on　the　work…women　was　electrical：　they　swarmed　on　the　broken　masonry；　and　began　to　clear　it　away　brick　by　brick。　　They　worked　with　sympathetic　fury；　led　by　this　fair　creature；　whose　white　hands　were　soon　soiled　and　bloody；　but　never　tired。　　In　less　than　an　hour　they　had　cleared　away　several　wagon…loads　of　debris。

The　body　of　Henry　Little　was　not　there。

Grace　gave　her　purse　to　the　women；　and　leaned　heavily　on　Mr。　Ransome's　arm　again。　　He　supported　her　out　of　the　works。

As　soon　as　they　were　alone；　she　said；　〃Is　Jael　Dence　alive　or　dead？〃

〃She　was　alive　half　an　hour　ago。〃

〃Where　is　she？〃

〃At　the　hospital。〃

〃Take　me　to　the　hospital。〃

He　took　her　to　the　hospital；　and　soon　they　stood　beside　a　clean　little　bed；　in　which　lay　the　white　but　still　comely　face　of　Jael　Dence：　her　luxuriant　hair　was　cut　close；　and　her　head　bandaged；　but　for　her　majestic　form；　she　looked　a　fair；　dying　boy。

〃Stand　back；〃　said　Grace；　〃and　let　me　speak　to　her。〃　　Then　she　leaned　over　Jael；　where　she　lay。

Gentle　women　are　not　all　gentleness。　　Watch　them；　especially　in　contact　with　their　own　sex；　and　you　shall　see　now　and　then　a　trait　of　the　wild　animal。　　Grace　Carden　at　this　moment　was　any　thing　but　dove…like；　it　was　more　like　a　falcon　the　way　she　clutched　the　bedclothes；　and　towered　over　that　prostrate　figure；　and　then；　descending　slowly　nearer　and　nearer；　plunged　her　eyes　into　those　fixed　and　staring　orbs　of　Jael　Dence。

So　she　remained　riveted。　　Had　Jael　been　conscious；　and　culpable；　nothing　could　have　escaped　a　scrutiny　so　penetrating。

Even　unconscious　as　she　was；　Jael's　brain　and　body　began　to　show　some　signs　they　were　not　quite　impervious　to　the　strange　magnetic　power　which　besieged　them　so　closely。　　When　Grace's　eyes　had　been　close　to　hers　about　a　minute；　Jael　Dence　moved　her　head　slightly　to　the　left；　as　if　those　eyes　scorched　her。

But　Grace　moved　her　own　head　to　the　right；　rapid　as　a　snake；　and　fixed　her　again　directly。

Jael　Dence's　bosom　gave　a　heave。

〃WhereisHenry　Little？〃　said　Grace；　still　holding　her　tight　by　the　eye；　and　speaking　very　slowly；　and　in　such　a　tone；　low；　but　solemn　and　commanding；　a　tone　that　compelled　reply。

〃WhereisHenry　Little？〃

When　this　was　so　repeated；　Jael　moved　a　little；　and　her　lips　began　to　quiver。

〃WhereisHenry　Little？〃

Jael's　lips　opened　feebly；　and　some　inarticulate　sounds　issued　from　them。

〃WhereisHenry　Little？〃

Jael　Dence；　though　unconscious；　writhed　and　moaned　so　that　the　head　nurse　interfered；　and　said　she　could　not　have　the　patient　tormented。

Ransome　waved　her　aside；　but　taking　Grace　Carden's　hand　drew　her　gently　away。

She　made　no　positive　resistance；　but；　while　her　body　yielded　and　retired；　her　eye　remained　riveted　on　Jael　Dence；　and　her　hand　clutched　the　air　like　a　hawk's　talons；　unwilling　to　lose　her　prey；　and　then　she　turned　so　weak；　Ransome　had　to　support　her　to　her　carriage。

As　Grace's　head　sunk　on　Ransome's　shoulder；　Jael　Dence's　eyes　closed　for　the　first　time。


As　Ransome　was　lifting　Grace　Carden　into　the　carriage；　she　said；　in　a　sort　of　sleepy　voice；　〃Is　there　no　way　out　of　these　works　but　one？〃

〃Not　that　I　know　of；　but　I　will　go　at　once　and　see。　　Shall　he　drive　you　home？〃

〃Yes。　　Noto　Dr。　Amboyne。〃

Dr。　Amboyne　was　gone　to　Woodbine　Villa。

She　waited　in　his　study；　moving　about　the　room　all　the　time；　with　her　face　of　marble；　and　her　poor　restless　hands。

At　last　the　doctor　returned：　they　told　him　at　the　door　Miss　Carden　was　there；　he　came　in　to　her　with　both　hands　extended；　and　his　face　working　with　emotion。

She　fell　sobbing　into　his　arms；　sobbing；　but　not　a　tear。

〃Is　there　any　hope？〃

〃I　have　one。　　May　he　not　have　left　the　country　in　a　fit　of　despair？　He　often　threatened。　　He　talked　of　going　to　the　United　States。〃

〃So　he　did。　　Ah；　he　called　on　me　yesterday　afternoon。　　Might　not　that　have　been　to　bid　me　good…by？〃

She　looked　so　imploringly　in　Dr。　Amboyne's　face　that　he　assented；　though　full　of　doubt。

And　now　there　was　a　ring　at　the　bell；　and　Mr。　Ransome　came　to　say　there　was　a　little　postern　gate　by　which　Mr。　Little　might　possibly　have　gone　out　and　the　porter　not　seen　him；　and；　what　was　more；　this　gate；　by　all　accounts；　had　been　recently　opened：　it　was　closed　before　Bolt　and　Little　took　the　premises。

Mr。　Ransome　added　that　he　should　now　make　it　his　business　to　learn；　if　possible；　whether　it　had　been　opened　by　Mr。　Little's　orders。

Grace　thanked　him　earnestly；　and　looked　hopeful；　so　did　Dr。　Amboyne。

〃But；　doctor；〃　said　Grace；　〃if　he　has　gone　away　at　all；　he　must　have　told　somebody。　　Even　if　there　was　nobody　he　loved；　he　would　tell　ah！　Mr。　Bolt！！〃

〃You　are　righ