put yourself in his place-第83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！



After　a　little　while　Jael　dried　her　eyes；　and　said；　〃Go　on；　sir。　　I　must　needs　cry　before　you　now　and　then：　'tisn't　to　say　I　shall　ever　cry　before　HER。〃

〃Well；　then；　if　we　CAN　get　her　safe　to　this　place；　and　keep　her　in　the　dark　for　a　few　months；　I　think　we　may　save　her　life。　　Every　thing　else　will　be　in　her　favor　here：　her　native　air；　cherished　memories；　her　brother's　loveand；　after　all；　it　was　fretting　about　her　quarrel　with　him　that　first　undermined　her　health　and　spirits。　Well；　we　shall　remove　the　cause；　and　then　perhaps　the　effect　may　go。　But　how　are　we　to　keep　the　sad　truth　from　her？〃

〃Let　me　think；〃　said　Jael　Dence。　　〃My　head　is　a　deal　clearer　since　last　night。〃

She　leaned　her　chin　upon　her　hand；　and　her　face　and　brow　showed　signs　of　intellectual　power　no　one　had　ever　observed　in　them　before。

〃Who　is　to　go　for　her？〃　said　she　at　last。

〃I　am　going　myself。〃

〃That　is　a　mistake　at　starting；　begging　your　worship's　pardon。　　Why；　the　very　sight　of　you　might　startle　her　into　her　grave。　　Nay；　you'll　give　me　the　moneyfor　mine　is　all　in　the　savings　bankand　I　shall　go　for　her　myself。　　I　shall　tell　her　squire　is　longing　for　her；　and　that　I'm　to　be　here　for　fear　she　might　feel　strange。　　She　always　liked　me；　poor　soul。　　I　shall　get　her　safe　here；　you　needn't　fear　for　that。　　But　when　she　is　here〃the　chin　rested　on　the　hand　again　〃well；　the　doctor　must　forbid　visitors。　　Miss　Grace　must　be　told　not　to　write。　　Every　newspaper　must　be　read　before　she　is　allowed　to　see　it。　　And；　squire；　you　will　be　very　kind　to　her　when　you　are　in　her　company；　but　we　must　manage；　somehow　or　other；　so　that　you　can　keep　out　of　her　way。〃

〃What　for；　in　heaven's　name？〃

〃Sir；　we　shall　have　to　lie　from　morn　to　night；　and　you　will　be　a　bungler　at　that；　saving　your　presence。　　If　there's　a　servant　left　in　the　house　who　knows；　I'd　give　that　servant　a　present；　and　part　with　her　before　Mrs。　Little　sets　her　foot　in　the　house。〃

〃This　sounds　very　sensible；〃　said　Raby。　　〃I　am　a　novice　at　lying。　But　I　shall　cultivate　the　art　for　poor　Edith's　sake。　　I'm　not　a　fanatic：　there　is　justifiable　homicide；　so　why　not　justifiable　facticide？〃

〃Raby；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃this　young　woman　has　said　enough　to　show　me　that　she　is　more　fit　to　conduct　this　delicate　undertaking　than　either　you　or　I。　　Let　us　profit　by　the　discovery；　put　our　vanity　in　our　pocket；　and　give　her　the　command。　　My　dear；　you　see　the　importance；　you　see　the　difficulty；　now　will　you　undertake　it？〃

〃I　will；　sir；〃　said　Jael；　firmly；　〃and　I　look　to　succeed；　God　willing。　　I　shall　be　in　Wales　this　afternoon。〃

〃Well；　but　would　you　not　be　the　better　yourself　for　one　day's　rest？〃

〃No；　sir。　　I've　learned；　with　a　sad　heart；　what　one　day　may　bring　forth。　　After　that；　I'm　sworn　never　to　throw　away　a　day。　　And；　as　for　sitting　down　and　thinking；　'tis　the　worst　thing　I　can　do。　　I　do　thank　God　that　in　this；　my　own　heavy　trouble；　I'm　not　tied　to　my　sad　thoughts；　but　can　get　about；　and　do　a　little　of　good　for　Raby　House。　Do　what　I　will；　'tis　but　giving　them　back　one　pig　out　of　their　own　farrow；　for　we　owe　all　we　have　to　them。〃

With　this　she　retired　to　prepare　for　her　journey；　leaving　both　the　gentlemen　lost　in　admiration　of　her　simple　virtues；　and　the　clear　intelligence　she　had　shown　them　in　few　words。

She　traveled　into　Wales　that　very　day；　and　many　a　burst　of　bitter　grief　she　had　all　by　herself　in　the　train。

At　six　P。M。　she　stood　before　Mrs。　Little　with　a　smiling　countenance。　Mrs。　Little　welcomed　her　with　some　little　pleasure　and　much　surprise。

〃Good　news；　madam；〃　said　Jael。　　〃Squire　Raby　has　sent　me　to　bring　you　to　Raby　Hall。　　He　wanted　to　come　himself；　but　I　would　not　let　him。〃

〃That　is　good　news；〃　said　Mrs。　Little　languidly。　　〃Now　I　shall　die　at　peace　with　my　brotherat　peace　with　all　mankind；　I　hope。〃

〃You'll　die　when　your　time　comes；〃　said　Jael。　　But　you　have　got　a　shorter　journey　before　you　at　present；　and　that　is　to　Raby　Hall。〃

〃Raby　Hall！　　I　shall　never　see　it　again。　　I　have　no　strength　to　move。　　I　am　worn　out　with　the　battle　of　life。　　Stay　with　me　here；　and　close　my　eyes。〃

〃Of　course　I　shall　stay　with　you；〃　said　Jael；　and　began　to　gossip　with　every　appearance　of　carelessness。

Next　morning；　with　infinite　difficulty；　she　persuaded　the　poor　jaundiced　lady　to　show　her　Aberystwith。　　She　took　the　tickets　herself；　and　got　her　patient　half…way　to　Hillsborough；　next　day；　with　less　difficulty；　to　Raby　Hall。　　All　had　been　settled　before。　Edith　little　was　shown　into　her　old　bedroom；　adorned　with　pyramids　of　flowers　in　her　honor；　and　there　she　found　a　loving　line　from　Guy；　begging　her　pardon　for　his　past　harshness；　and　telling　her　she　was　to　send　for　him　as　soon　as　she　felt　strong　enough　to　meet。

That　evening　brother　and　sister　were　clasped　in　each　other's　arms；　and　wept　tears　of　affection　and　regret　over　each　other。

Jael　Dence　slept　on　a　camp…bed　in　Mrs。　Little's　room；　which　was　very　spacious；　and　watched　her；　and　was　always　about　her。　　Under　private　advice　from　Dr。　Amboyne；　she　superintended　her　patient's　diet；　and；　by　soft；　indomitable　perseverance；　compelled　her　to　walk　every　day；　and　fight　against　her　fatal　lassitude。

Heaven　rewarded　her　by　giving　her　a　warm　and　tender　affection　for　her　poor　patient　that　did　something　to　fill　her　own　yearning　and　desolate　heart。

Here　I　must　leave　them　both　for　the　present；　and　show　how　these　events　affected　the　main　characters　of　my　story。


CHAPTER　XXXVII。


Just　outside　the　little　sea…side　town　of　Eastbank　is　a　house　which；　being　very　old；　contrasts　agreeably　with　the　pretentious　villas　fashion　has　raised。　　It　is　gloomy　inside；　yet　outside　it　looks　like　a　cottage：　low；　rambling；　gabled；　and　picturesque。　　It　stands　on　a　slope　just　above　the　sea；　and　its　front　garden　runs　down　almost　to　the　sea…shore。　　The　aspect　is　southerly。　　The　placid　sea　looks　like　a　beautiful　lake；　for；　about　two　miles　out；　a　great　tongue　of　land　runs　across　and　keeps　the　tempests　out。

The　cottage　itself　was　now　closed　deep　with　green　creepers；　and　its　veranda　with　jessamine；　and　the　low　white　walls　of　the　garden　were　beautiful　with　vine…leaves　and　huge　fig…leaves；　that　ran　up　them　and　about　them；　and　waved　over　them　in　tropical　luxuriance。　　In　short；　the　house　was　a　very　bower；　and　looked　the　abode　of　bliss；　and　this　time　last　year　a　young　couple　had　spent　their　honeymoon　there；　and　left　it　with　a　sigh。　　But　one　place　sees　many　minds；　and　now　this　sweet　place　was　the　bed　on　which　dropped　the　broken　lily　of　this　tale；　Grace　Carden。

She　lay　in　the　warm　air　of　the　veranda；　and　turned　her　hollow　eyes　upon　the　sea；　and　every　day　life　crept　slowly　back　to　her　young　body；　but　not　to　her　desolate　heart。

A　brain　fever　either　kills　or　blunts；　and　Grace's　agony　was　blunted。　Her　mind　was　in　a　strange　state。　　She　was　beginning　to　look　two　things　in　the　face：　that　the　man　she　loved　was　dead；　that　the　man　she　loved；　and　had　nearly　died　for；　had　loved　another　as　well　as　herself：　and　this　last　grief；　strange　to　say；　was　the　saving　of　her。　She　forgave　him　with　all　her　heart；　for　he　was　dead；　she　made　excuses　for　him；　for　she　loved　him；　but　since　his　whole　heart　had　not　been　hers；　her　pride　and　modesty　rebelled　against　dying　for　him；　and　she　resolved　to　live；　she　fought　hard　to　live　and　get　well。　Finally；　being　a　very　woman；　though　a　noble　one；　she　hated　Jael　Dence。

She　was　not　alone　in　the　world。　　Her　danger；　her　illness；　and　her　misery　had　shown　her　the　treasure　of　a　father's　love。　　He　had　found　this　sweet　bower　for　her；　and　here　he　sat　for　hours　by　her　side；　and　his　hand　in　hers；　gazing　on　her　with　touching　anxiety　and　affection。　Business　compelled　him　to　run　into　Hillsborough　now　and　then；　but　he　dispatched　it　with　feverish　haste；　and　came　back　to　her：　it　drove　him　to　London；　but　he　telegraphed　to　her　twice　a　day；　and　was　miserable　till　he　got　back。　　She　saw　the　man　of　business　turned　into　a　man　of　love　for　her；　and　she　felt　it。　　〃Ah；　papa；〃　she　said　one　day；　〃I　little　thought　you　loved　your　poor　Grace　so　much。　　You　don't　love　any　other　child　but　me；　do　you；　papa？〃　and　with　this　question　she　clung　weeping　round　his　neck。

〃My　darling　child；　there's　nothing　on　earth　I　love　but　you。　　When　shall　I　see　you　smile　again？〃

〃In　a　few　hours；　years。　　God　knows。〃


One　eveninghe　had　been　in　Hillsborough　that　dayhe　said；　〃My　dear；　I　have　seen　an　old　friend　of　yours　to…day；　Mr。　Coventry。　　He　asked　very　kindly　after　you。〃

Grace　made　no　reply。

〃He　is　almost　as　pale　as　you　are。　　He　has　been　very　ill；　he　tells　me。　　And；　really；　I　believe　it　was　your　illness　upset　him。〃

〃Poor　Mr。　Coventry！〃　said　Grace；　but　with　a　leaden　air　of　indifference。

〃I　hope　I　didn't　do　wrong；　but　when　he　asked　after　you　so　anxiously；　I　said；　'Come；　and　see　for　yourself。'　　Oh；　you　need　not　look　frightened；　he　is　not　coming。　　He　says　you　are　offended　with　him。〃

〃Not　I。　　What　is　Mr。　Coventry　to　me？〃

〃Well；　he　thinks　so。　　He　says　he　was　betrayed　into　speaking　ill　to　you　of　some　one　who；　he　thought；　was　living；　and　now　that　weighs　upon　his　conscience。〃

〃I　can't　understand　that。　　I　am　miserable；　but　let　me　try　and　be　just。　　Papa；　Mr。　Coventry　was　trying　to　comfort　me；　in　his　clumsy　way；　and　what　he　said　he　did　not　inventhe　heard　it；　and　so　many　people　say　so　that　IIoh；　papa！　papa！〃

Mr。　Carden　dropped　the　whole　subject　directly。

However；　she　returned　to　it　herself；　and　said；　listlessly；　that　Mr。　Coventry；　in　her　opinion；　had　shown　more　generosity　than　most　people　would　in　his　case。　　She　had　no　feeling　against　him；　he　was　of　no　more　importance　in　her　eyes　than　that　stool；　and　he　might　visit　her　if　he　pleased；　but　on　one　conditionthat　he　should　forget　all　the　past；　and　never　presume　to　speak　to　her　of　love。　　〃Love！　　Men　are　all　incapable　of　it。〃　　She　was　thinking　of　Henry；　even　while　she　was　speaking　of　his　rival。

The　permission；　thus　limited；　was　conveyed　to　Mr。　Coventry　by　his　friend　Carden；　but　he　showed　no　hurry　to　take　advantage　of　it；　and；　as　for　Grace；　she　forgot　she　had　given　it。

But　this　coolness　of　Coventry's　was　merely　apparent。　　He　was　only　awaiting　the　arrival　of　Patrick　Lally　from　Ireland。　　This　Lally　was　an　old　and　confidential　servant；　who　had　served　him　formerly　in　many　intrigues；　and　with　whom　he　had　parted　reluctantly　some　months　ago；　and　allowed　him　a　small　p