put yourself in his place-第80部分

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All　this　time　there　was　a　hot　discussion　in　the　journals；　and　the　Saw…grinders'　Union　repudiated　the　outrage　with　horror；　and　offered　a　considerable　reward。

Outsiders　were　taken　in　by　this；　but　not　a　single　manufacturer　or　workman。

Mr。　Holdfast　denounced　it　as　a　Trade　outrage；　and　Ransome　groped　the　town　for　evidence。

The　latter；　however；　was　rather　puzzled　one　day　by　an　anonymous　letter　telling　him　he　was　all　on　the　wrong　tack；　it　was　not　a　Trade　job；　but　contrived　by　a　gentleman　for　his　private　ends。　　Advantage　had　been　taken　of　Little　being　wrong　with　the　Trade；　〃but；〃　said　the　letter；　〃you　should　look　to　the　head　for　the　motive；　not　to　the　hands。　　One　or　two　saw　them　together　a　good　many　times　before　the　deed　was　done；　and　the　swell　was　seen　on　the　very　bridge　when　the　explosion　took　place。〃

This　set　Ransome　thinking　very　seriously　and　comparing　notes。

Week　after　week　went　by　and　left　the　mystery　unsolved。

Mr。　Coventry　saw　Mr。　Carden　nearly　every　day；　and　asked　him　was　there　no　news　of　Little？　　The　answer　was　always　in　the　negative；　and　this　surprised　Coventry　more　and　more。

When　a　whole　month　had　elapsed；　even　he　began　to　fancy　strange　things；　and　to　nurse　wild　projects　that　had　never　entered　his　head　before。　　He　studied　books　of　medical　jurisprudence；　and　made　all　manner　of　experiments。　　He　resumed　his　intimacy　with　Cole；　and　they　were　often　closeted　together。

Five　weeks　had　elapsed；　and　Grace　Carden　had　lost　all　her　feverish　energy；　and　remained　passive；　lethargic；　fearing　every　thing；　hoping　nothing；　but　quivering　all　day　with　expectation　of　the　next　blow；　for　what　had　she　left　to　expect　now　but　sorrow　in　some　form　or　other？

She　often　wished　to　visit　Jael　Dence　again　at　the　hospital；　but　for　some　time　an　invincible　repugnance　withheld　her。

She　asked　Dr。　Amboyne　to　go　instead；　and　question　the　unhappy　girl。

Dr。　Amboyne　did　so；　but　Jael　was　now　in　a　half…stupid　condition；　and　her　poor　brain　not　clear　enough　to　remember　what　she　was　wanted　to　remember。　　Her　memory　was　full　of　gaps；　and；　unluckily；　one　of　these　gaps　embraced　the　whole　period　between　her　battle　with　Hill　and　the　present　time。

At　last　Grace　was　irritated；　and　blamed　the　doctor　for　his　failure。

She　reminded　him　she　had　herself　magnetized　Jael；　and　had　almost　made　her　speak。　　She　resolved　to　go　to　the　hospital　herself。　　〃I'll　make　her　tell　me　one　thing；〃　said　she；　〃though　I　tear　her　heart　out；　and　my　own　too。〃

She　dressed　plainly；　and　walked　rapidly　down　toward　the　hospital。　There　were　two　ways　to　it；　but　she　chose　the　one　that　was　sure　to　give　her　pain。　　She　could　not　help　it；　her　very　feet　dragged　her　to　that　fatal　spot。

When　she　drew　near　the　fatal　bridge；　she　observed　a　number　of　persons　collected　on　it；　looking　down　in　the　river　at　some　distance。

At　the　same　time　people　began　to　hurry　past　her；　making　for　the　bridge。

She　asked　one　of　them　what　it　was。

〃Summut　in　the　river；〃　was　the　reply；　but　in　a　tone　so　full　of　meaning；　that　at　these　simple　words　she　ran　forward；　though　her　knees　almost　gave　way　under　her。

The　bridge　was　not　so　crowded　yet；　but　that　she　contrived　to　push　in　between　two　women；　and　look。

All　the　people　were　speaking　in　low　murmurs。　　The　hot　weather　had　dried　the　river　up　to　a　stream　in　the　middle；　and；　in　midstream；　about　fifty　yards　from　the　foot　of　the　bridge；　was　a　pile　of　broken　masonry；　which　had　once　been　the　upper　part　of　Bolt　and　Little's　chimney。　　It　had　fallen　into　water　twelve　feet　deep；　but　now　the　water　was　not　above　five　feet；　and　a　portion　of　the　broken　bricks　and　tiles　were　visible；　some　just　above；　some　just　under　the　water。

At　one　side　of　this　wreck　jutted　out　the　object　on　which　all　eyes　were　now　fastened。　　At　first　sight　it　looked　a　crooked　log　of　wood　sticking　out　from　among　the　bricks。　　Thousands；　indeed；　had　passed　the　bridge；　and　noticed　nothing　particular　about　it；　but　one；　more　observant　or　less　hurried；　had　peered；　and　then　pointed；　and　collected　the　crowd。

It　needed　but　a　second　look　to　show　that　this　was　not　a　log　of　wood　but　the　sleeve　of　a　man's　coat。　　A　closer　inspection　revealed　that　the　sleeve　was　not　empty。

There　was　an　arm　inside　that　sleeve；　and　a　little　more　under　the　water　one　could　see　distinctly　a　hand　white　and　sodden　by　the　water。

The　dark　stream　just　rippled　over　this　hand；　half　veiling　it　at　times；　though　never　hiding　it。

〃The　body　will　be　jammed　among　the　bricks；〃　said　a　by…stander；　and　all　assented　with　awe。

〃Eh！　to　think　of　its　sticking　out　an　arm　like　that！〃　said　a　young　girl。

〃Dead　folk　have　done　more　than　that；　sooner　than　want　Christian　burial；〃　replied　an　old　woman。

〃I　warrant　ye　they　have。　　I　can't　look　at　it。〃

〃Is　it　cloth；　or　what？〃　inquired　another。

〃It's　a　kind　of　tweed；　I　think。〃

〃What's　that　glittering　on　its　finger？〃

〃It's　a　ringa　gold　ring。〃

At　this　last　revelation　there　was　a　fearful　scream；　and　Grace　Carden　fell　senseless　on　the　pavement。

A　gentleman　who　had　been　hanging　about　and　listening　to　the　comments　now　darted　forward；　with　a　face　almost　as　white　as　her　own；　and　raised　her　up；　and　implored　the　people　to　get　her　a　carriage。

It　was　Mr。　Coventry。　　Little　had　he　counted　on　this　meeting。　Horror…stricken；　he　conveyed　the　insensible　girl　to　her　father's　house。

He　handed　her　over　to　the　women；　and　fled；　and　the　women　brought　her　round；　but　she　had　scarcely　recovered　her　senses；　when　she　uttered　another　piercing　scream；　and　swooned　again。


CHAPTER　XXXIV。


Coventry　passed　a　night　of　agony　and　remorse。　　He　got　up　broken　and　despondent；　and　went　straight　to　Woodbine　Villa　to　do　a　good　action。

He　inquired　for　Miss　Carden。　　They　told　him　she　was　very　ill。　　He　expressed　an　earnest　wish　to　see　her。　　The　servants　told　him　that　was　impossible。　　Nobody　was　allowed　to　see　her　but　Dr。　Amboyne。　　He　went　next　day　to　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　the　doctor　told　him　that　Miss　Carden　was　dangerously　ill。　　Brain　fever　appeared　inevitable。

〃But；　sir；〃　said　Coventry；　eagerly；　〃if　one　could　prove　to　her　that　those　were　not　the　remains　of　Henry　Little？〃

〃How　could　you　prove　that？　　Besides；　it　would　be　no　use　now。　　She　is　delirious。　　Even　should　she　live；　I　should　forbid　the　subject　for　many　a　day。　　Indeed；　none　but　the　man　himself　could　make　her　believe　those　remains　are　not　his；　and　even　he　could　not　save　her　now。　　If　he　stood　by　her　bedside；　she　would　not　know　him。〃

The　doctor's　lip　trembled　a　little；　and　his　words　were　so　grave　and　solemn　that　they　struck　to　the　miserable　man's　marrow。　　He　staggered　away；　like　a　drunken　man；　to　his　lodgings；　and　there　flung　himself　on　the　floor；　and　groveled　in　an　agony　of　terror　and　remorse。


CHAPTER　XXXV。


One　day　it　occurred　to　Raby　he　could　play　the　misanthrope　just　as　well　at　home　as　abroad；　so　he　returned　home。

He　found　old　Dence　dead　and　buried；　and　Patty　Dence　gone　to　Australia　with　her　husband。

He　heard　Jael　was　in　the　hospital。　　He　called　at　Woodbine　villa；　and　they　told　him　Grace　was　lying　between　life　and　death。

He　called　on　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　found　him　as　sad　as　he　used　to　be　gay。　The　doctor　told　him　all；　and　even　took　him　to　the　town　hall；　and　showed　him　an　arm　and　part　of　the　trunk　of　a　man　preserved　in　spirits；　and　a　piece　of　tweed　cloth；　and　a　plain　gold　ring。

〃There；〃　said　he；　〃is　all　that　remains　to　us　of　your　nephew；　and　my　friend。　　Genius；　beauty；　courageall　come　to　this！〃　　He　could　say　no　more。

The　tears　filled　Raby's　eyes；　and　all　his　bitterness　melted　away。　With　respect　to　his　sister；　he　said　he　was　quite　willing　to　be　reconciled；　and　even　to　own　himself　in　the　wrong；　if　Dr。　Amboyne；　on　reading　the　correspondence；　should　think　so。　　Dr。　Amboyne　said　he　would　come　to　Raby　Hall　for　that　purpose。　　He　communicated　this　at　once　to　Mrs。　Little。


Grace　had　a　favorable　crisis；　and　in　a　few　days　more　she　was　out　of　danger；　but　in　a　deplorable　state　of　weakness。　　Dr。　Amboyne　ordered　her　to　the　sea…side。　　A　carriage　was　prepared　expressly　for　her；　and　her　father　took　her　there。

Woodbine　Villa　was　put　up　to　let　furnished；　and　it　was　taken　byMr。　Coventry。

Jael　Dence　began　to　recover　strength　rapidly；　but　she　wore　at　times　a　confused　look。　　The　very　day　Grace　left　for　Eastbank　she　was　discharged　as　cured；　and　left　the　hospital。　　This　was　in　the　morning。

In　the　afternoon　Dr。　Amboyne；　being　now　relieved　of　his　anxiety　as　to　Grace；　remembered　he　had　not　been　to　see　this　poor　girl　for　some　time；　so　he　went　to　the　hospital。

When　he　heard　she　was　discharged；　he　felt　annoyed　with　himself　for　not　having　paid　her　closer　attention。　　And　besides；　Grace　had　repeatedly　told　him　Jael　Dence　could　make　a　revelation　if　she　chose。　And　now；　occupied　with　Grace　herself；　he　had　neglected　her　wishes。

〃Where　is　she　gone？　do　you　know？〃

One　of　the　nurses　said　she　was　gone　home。

Another　said　the　patient　had　told　her　she　should　go　down　to　the　works　first。

〃And　that　is　the　very　last　place　you　should　have　let　her　go　to；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃A　fine　shock　the　poor　creature　will　get　there。　You　want　her　back　here　again；　I　suppose！〃　　He　felt　uneasy；　and　drove　down　to　the　works。　　There　he　made　some　inquiries　among　the　women；　and　elicited　that　Jael　Dence　had　turned　faint　at　sight　of　the　place；　and　they　had　shown　her；　at　her　request；　where　she　had　been　picked　up；　and　had　told　her　about　the　discovery　of　Little's　remains；　and　she　had　persuaded　a　little　girl　to　go　to　the　town　hall　with　her。

〃Oh；　the　tongue！　the　tongue！〃　groaned　Amboyne。

He　asked　to　see　the　little　girl；　and　she　came　forward　of　her　own　accord；　and　told　him　she　had　gone　to　the　town　hall　with　the　lass；　〃but〃　（regretfully）　〃that　the　man　would　not　show　them　it　without　an　order　from　the　Mayor。〃

〃IT！〃

Dr。　Amboyne　said　he　was　very　glad　that　common　sense　had　not　quite　deserted　the　earth。　　〃And　where　did　you　go　next？〃

〃I　came　back　here。〃

〃So　I　see；　but　the　lass？〃

〃She　said　she　should　go　home。　　'My　dear；'　says　she；　'there's　nobody　left　me　here；　I'll　go　and　die　among　my　own　folk。'　　That　was　her　word。〃

〃Poor　thing！　poor　thing！　　Why〃

He　stopped　short；　for　that　moment　he　remembered　Raby　had　said　old　Dence　was　dead；　and　Patty　gone　to　Australia。　　If　so；　here　was　another　blow　in　store　for　poor　Jael；　and　she　weakened　by　a　long　illness。

He　instantly　resolved　to　drive　aft