put yourself in his place-第84部分

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reluctantly　some　months　ago；　and　allowed　him　a　small　pension　for　past　services。　　He　dared　not　leave　the　villa　in　charge　of　any　person　less　devoted　to　him　than　this　Lally。

The　man　arrived　at　last；　received　minute　instructions；　and　then　Mr。　Coventry　went　to　Eastbank。

He　found　what　seemed　the　ghost　of　Grace　Carden　lying　on　the　sofa；　looking　on　the　sea。

At　the　sight　of　her　he　started　back　in　dismay。

〃What　have　I　done？〃

Those　strange　words　fell　from　him　before　he　knew　what　he　was　saying。

Grace　heard　them；　but　did　not　take　the　trouble　to　inquire　into　their　meaning。　　She　said；　doggedly；　〃I　am　alive；　you　see。　　Nothing　kills。　It　is　wonderful：　we　die　of　a　fall；　of　a　blow；　of　swallowing　a　pin；　yet　I　am　alive。　　But　never　mind　me；　you　look　unwell　yourself。　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃Can　you　ask　me？〃

At　this；　which　implied　that　her　illness　was　the　cause　of　his；　she　turned　her　head　away　from　him　with　weariness　and　disgust；　and　looked　at　the　sea；　and　thought　of　the　dead。

Coventry　sat　speechless；　and　eyed　her　silent　figure　with　miserable　devotion。　　He　was　by　her　side　once　more；　and　no　rival　near。　　He　set　himself　to　study　all　her　moods；　and　began　by　being　inoffensive　to　her；　in　time　he　might　be　something　more。

He　spent　four　days　in　Eastbank；　and　never　uttered　a　word　of　love；　but　his　soft　soothing　voice　was　ever　in　her　ear；　and　won　her　attention　now　and　then；　not　often。

When　he　left　her；　she　did　not　ask　him　to　come　again。

Her　father　did；　though；　and　told　him　to　be　patient；　better　days　were　in　store。　　〃Give　her　time；〃　said　he；　〃and；　a　month　or　two　hence；　if　you　have　the　same　feeling　for　her　you　used　to　have〃

〃I　love　her　more　than　ever。　　I　worship　her〃

〃Then　you　will　have　me　on　your　side；　stronger　than　ever。　　But　you　must　give　her　time。〃

And　now　Coventry　had　an　ally　far　more　powerful　than　himselfan　ally　at　once　zealous　and　judicious。　　Mr。　Carden　contented　himself　at　first　with　praising　him　in　general　terms；　next　he　affected　to　laugh　at　him　for　renting　the　villa；　merely　to　be　in　the　place　which　Grace　had　occupied。　　Then　Grace　defended　him。　　〃Don't　laugh　at　an　honest　love。　　Pity　it。　　It　is　all　we　can　do；　and　the　least　we　can　do。〃

But　when　he　advanced　further；　and　began　to　remind　his　daughter　she　had　once　given　this　gentleman　hopes；　and　all　but　engaged　herself　to　him；　she　drew　back　with　fear　and　repugnance；　and　said；　〃If　he　can　not　forget　that；　pray　let　him　never　come　near　me　again。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　〃I　believe　he　has　no　hopes　of　the　kind；　it　is　of　you　I　am　thinking；　not　of　him。　　It　has　got　about　that　poor　Little　had　a　connection　with　some　girl　in　humble　life；　and　that　he　was　in　love　with　her；　and　you　in　love　with　him。　　That　wounds　a　father's　pride；　and　makes　me　grateful　to　Coventry　for　his　unshaken　devotion；　whilst　others　are　sneering　at　my　poor　child　for　her　innocent　love。〃

Grace　writhed；　and　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　at　this。　　〃Oh；　spare　the　dead！〃　she　faltered。

Then　her　father　kissed　her；　and　begged　her　to　forgive　him；　he　would　avoid　all　these　topics　in　future：　and　so　he　did；　for　some　time；　but　what　he　had　said　rankled。

A　few　days　after　this　Coventry　came　again；　and　did　nothing　but　soothe　Grace　with　words；　only　he　managed　so　that　Grace　should　detect　him　looking　very　sad　when　he　was　not　actually　employed　in　cheering　her。

She　began　to　pity　him　a　little；　and　wonder　at　his　devotion。

He　had　not　been　gone　many　hours　when　another　visitor　arrived　quite　unexpectedlyMr。　Raby。　　He　came　to　tell　her　his　own　news；　and　warn　her　of　the　difficult　game　they　were　now　playing　at　Raby　Hall；　that　she　might　not　thwart　it　inadvertently。

Grace　was　much　agitated；　and　shed　tears　of　sympathy。　　She　promised；　with　a　sigh；　to　hold　no　communication　with　Mrs。　Little。　　She　thought　it　very　hard；　but　she　promised。

In　the　course　of　his　narrative　Mr。　Raby　spoke　very　highly　of　Jael　Dence；　and　of　her　conduct　in　the　matter。

To　this　Grace　did　not　respond。　　She　waited　her　opportunity；　and　said；　keenly　and　coldly；　〃How　did　she　come　to　be　in　your　house？〃

〃Well；　that　is　a　secret。〃

〃Can　you　not　trust　me　with　a　secret？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Raby；　〃provided　you　will　promise　faithfully　to　tell　no　one。〃

Grace　promised；　and　he　then　told　her　that　Jael　Dence；　in　a　moment　of　desperation；　had　thrown　herself　into　the　river　at　the　back　of　his　house。　　〃Poor　girl！〃　said　he；　〃her　brain　was　not　right　at　the　time。　Heaven　keep　us　all　from　those　moments　of　despair。　　She　has　got　over　it　now；　and　nurses　and　watches　my　poor　sister　more　like　a　mother　watching　her　child　than　a　young　woman　taking　care　of　an　old　one。　She　is　the　mainspring　of　the　house。〃

At　all　this　Grace　turned　from　pale　to　white；　but　said　nothing；　and　Raby　ran　on　in　praise　of　Jael；　little　dreaming　what　pain　his　words　inflicted。

When　he　left　her；　she　rose　and　walked　down　to　the　sea；　for　her　tortured　spirit　gave　her　body　energy。　　Hitherto　she　found　she　had　only　suspected；　now　she　was　sure。　　Hitherto　she　had　feared　Henry　Little　had　loved　Jael　Dence　a　little；　now　she　was　sure　he　had　loved　her　best。　　Jael　Dence　would　not　have　attempted　self…destruction　for　any　man　unless　he　loved　her。　　The　very　act　proved　her　claim　to　him　more　eloquently　than　words　could　do。　　Now　she　believed　allthe　anonymous　letterMr。　Coventry's　reportthe　woman's　words　who　worked　in　the　same　factory；　and　could　not　be　deceived。　　And　her　godfather　accepted　Jael　Dence　and　her　claim　to　sympathy：　she　was　taken　into　his　house；　and　set　to　nurse　Henry　Little's　mother：　poor　Grace　was　slighted　on　all　sides；　she　must　not　even　write　to　Mrs。　Little；　nor　take　part　in　the　pious　falsehood　they　were　concocting　together；　Raby　and　his　Jael　Dence；　whom　everybody　loved　best　everybody　except　this　poor　faithful　ill…used　wretch；　Frederick　Coventry；　and　him　she　hated　for　loving　her　better　than　the　man　she　loved　had　loved　her。

Tender；　but　very　proud；　this　sensitive　creature　saw　herself　dethroned　from　her　love。　　Jael　Dence　had　eclipsed　her　in　every　way；　had　saved　his　life　with　her　strong　arm；　had　almost　perished　with　him；　and　had　tried　to　kill　herself　when　he　was　dead。　　SHE　was　far　behind　this　rival　in　every　thing。　　She　had　only　loved；　and　suffered；　and　nearly　died。　　〃No；　no；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃she　could　not　love　him　better　than　I　did：　but　HE　loved　HER　best；　and　she　knew　it；　and　that　made　her　arm　strong　to　fight；　and　her　heart　strong　to　die　for　him。　　I　am　nobodynothing。〃　　Then　the　scalding　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks。　　But　soon　her　pride　got　the　upper　hand；　and　dried　her　cheeks；　and　nearly　maddened　her。

She　began　to　blush　for　her　love；　to　blush　for　her　illness。　　She　rose　into　that　state　of　exasperation　in　which　persons　of　her　sex　do　things　they　look　back　upon　with　wonder；　and；　strange　to　say；　all　this　without　one　unkind　thought　of　him　whose　faults　she　saw；　but　excusedhe　was　dead。

She　now　began　to　struggle　visibly；　and　violently；　against　her　deadly　sorrow。　　She　forced　herself　to　take　walks　and　rides；　and　to　talk；　with　nothing　to　say。　　She　even　tried　to　laugh　now　and　then。　　She　made　violent　efforts　to　be　gracious　and　pitiful　to　Mr。　Coventry；　and　the　next　minute　made　him　suffer　for　it　by　treating　him　like　a　troublesome　hound。

He　loved　her　madly；　yet　sometimes　he　felt　tempted　to　kill　her；　and　end　both　her　torture　and　his　own。

Such　was　the　inner　life　of　Grace　Carden　for　many　days；　devoid　of　striking　incident；　yet　well　worthy　of　study　by　those　who　care　to　pierce　below　the　surface；　and　see　what　passes　in　the　hearts　of　the　unhappy；　and　to　learn　how　things　come　gradually　about　that　sound　incredible　when　not　so　traced；　yet　are　natural　and　almost　inevitable　results　of　certain　conflicting　passions　in　a　virgin　heart。


One　day　Mr。　Carden　telegraphed　from　London　to　Mr。　Coventry　at　Hillsborough　that　he　was　coming　down　to　Eastbank　by　the　midday　express；　and　would　be　glad　to　meet　him　there　at　four　o'clock。　　He　also　telegraphed　to　Grace；　and　said；　〃Dinner　at　five。〃

Both　gentlemen　arrived　about　the　same　time；　a　little　before　dinner。

Soon　after　dinner　was　over；　Grace　observed　a　restlessness　in　her　father's　manner；　which　convinced　her　he　had　something　private　to　say　to　Mr。　Coventry。　　Her　suspicions　were　aroused：　she　fancied　he　was　going　to　encourage　Mr。　Coventry　to　court　her。　　Instantly　the　whole　woman　was　in　arms；　and　her　love　for　the　deceased　came　rushing　back　tenfold。　　She　rose；　soon　after　dinner；　and　retired　to　the　drawing…　room；　but；　as　soon　as　she　got　there；　she　slipped　quietly　into　the　veranda；　and　lay　softly　down　upon　her　couch。　　The　dining…room　window　was　open；　and　with　her　quick　ears；　she　could　hear　nearly　every　word。

She　soon　found　that　all　her　bitterness　and　her　preparation　for　hostilities　were　wasted。　　Her　father　was　telling　Mr。　Coventry　the　story　of　Richard　Martin；　only　he　carried　it　a　step　further　than　I　have　done。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃the　money　had　not　been　paid　more　than　a　month；　when　an　insurance　office　down　at　Liverpool　communicated　with　us。　　The　same　game　had　been　played　with　them；　but；　somehow；　their　suspicions　were　excited。　　We　compared　notes　with　them；　and　set　detectives　to　work。　　They　traced　Martin's　confederates；　and　found　one　of　them　was　in　prison　awaiting　his　trial　for　some　minor　offense。　They　worked　on　him　to　tell　the　truth　（I　am　afraid　they　compounded）；　and　he　let　out　the　whole　truth。　　Every　one　of　those　villains　could　swim　like　ducks；　and　Richard　Martin　like　a　fish。　　Drowned？　not　he：　he　had　floated　down　to　Greenwich　or　somewherethe　blackguard！　and　hid　himself。　　And　what　do　you　think　the　miscreants　did　next？　　Bought　a　dead　marine；　and　took　him　down　in　a　box　to　some　low　public…house　by　the　water…side。　　They　had　a　supper；　and　dressed　their　marine　in　Richard　Martin's　clothes；　and　shaved　its　whiskers；　and　broke　its　tooth；　and　set　it　up　in　a　chair；　with　a　table　before　it；　and　a　pot　of　ale；　and　fastened　a　pipe　in　its　mouth；　and　they　kept　toasting　this　ghastly　corpse　as　the　thing　that　was　to　make　all　their　fortunes。〃　　At　this　grotesque　and　horrible　picture；　a　sigh　of　horror　was　uttered　in　the　veranda。　　Mr。　Carden；　occupied　with　his　narrative；　did　not　hear　it；　but　Coventry　did。　　〃Then；　when　it　was　pitch　dark；　they　staggered　down　to　the　water　with　it；　and　planted　it　in　the　weeds。　　And；　mark　the　cunning！　when　they　had　gone　through　their　farce　of　recognizing　it　publicly　for　Richard　Martin；　they　bribed　a　chu