put yourself in his place-第85部分

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n　they　had　gone　through　their　farce　of　recognizing　it　publicly　for　Richard　Martin；　they　bribed　a　churchwarden　and　buried　it　under　our　very　noses：　it　was　all　done　in　a　way　to　take　in　the　very　devil。　　There's　no　Richard　Martin；　there　never　was　a　Richard　Martin；　there　never　will　be：　all　this　was　contrived　and　executed　by　a　swindler　well　known　to　the　police；　only　they　can't　catch　him；　he　is　here；　and　there　and　everywhere；　they　call　him　'Shifty　Dick。'　　He　and　his　myrmidons　have　bled　the　'Gosshawk'　to　the　tune　of　nine　hundred　pounds。〃

He　drew　his　breath　and　proceeded　more　calmly。　　〃However；　a　lesson　of　this　kind　is　never　thrown　away　upon　a　public　man；　and　it　has　given　me　some　very　curious　ideas　about　another　matter。　　You　know　what　I　mean。〃

Coventry　stared；　and　looked　quite　taken　aback　by　this　sudden　turn。

However　he　stammered　out；　〃I　suppose　you　meanbut；　really；　I　can't　imagine　what　similarity〃he　paused；　and；　inadvertently；　his　eye　glanced　uneasily　toward　the　veranda。

〃Oh；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　〃these　diabolical　frauds　are　not　done　upon　one　pattern；　or；　of　course；　there　would　soon　be　an　end　of　their　success。　　But　come　now；　what　proof　have　we　got　that　what　they　found　in　the　river　at　Hillsborough　was　the　remains　of　Henry　Little？〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure。　　But　nobody　seems　to　doubt　it。　　The　situation；　the　clothes；　the　ringso　many　coincidences。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；　if　there　were　no　rogues　in　the　world。　　But　there　are；　and　I　know　it；　to　my　cost。　　The　'Gosshawk'　has　just　lost　nine　hundred　pounds　by　not　suspecting。　　It　shall　not　lose　five　thousand　by　the　same　weakness；　I'll　take　care　of　that。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　and　then　proceeded　to　argue　the　matter：

〃The　very　idea　of　an　imposture　has　never　occurred　to　any　body；　in　Little's　case；　it　did　not　occur　to　me　until　this　business　of　Shifty　Dick　enlightened　me。　　But；　come　now；　just　admit　the　idea　of　imposture　into　that　honest；　unsuspicious　mind　of　yours；　and　you'll　find　the　whole　thing　wears　a　very　doubtful　appearance　directly。　　A　common　workmanhe　was　no　more　at　the　timeinsures　his　life；　for　how　much？　three　hundred　pounds？　no；　five　thousand。　　Within　one　year　after　that　he　disappears；　under　cover　of　an　explosion。　　Some　weeks　afterwardabout　as　many　as　the　Martin　swindlethere　is　found　in　the　river　a　fragment　of　humanity；　an　arm；　and　a　hand；　and　a　piece　of　a　human　trunk；　but　no　face；　mind　you：　arms　are　pretty　much　alike；　faces　differ。　　The　fragment　is　clad　in　brown　tweed；　and　Little　wore　brown　tweed：　that　is　all　very　well；　but　the　marine　was　found　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　Shifty　Dick's　very　clothes。　　But　let　us　go　on。　There　was　a　plain　gold　ring　found　on　the　hand　in　Hillsborough　river；　and　my　poor　daughter　had　given　Little　a　plain　gold　ring。　　But　what　was　there　to　hinder　an　impostor　from　buying　some　pauper's　body；　and　putting　a　plain　gold　ring　on　the　hand？　　Why；　paupers'　bodies　are　constantly　sold；　and　the　funeral　services　gabbled　over　a　coffin　full　of　stones。　　If　I　had　paper　and　ink　here；　and　could　put　Little's　case　and　Martin's　in　two　columns；　I　should　soon　show　you　that　Martin　and　his　gang　faced　and　overcame　more　and　greater　difficulties　in　the　way　of　imposture　than　any　that　have　been　overcome　in　Little's　case。　　The　Martin　gang　dealt　with　the　face；　here；　that　is　shirked。　　The　Martin　gang　planted　a　body；　not　a　fragment。　　Does　it　not　strike　you　as　very　odd　that　the　rest　of　Henry　Little　is　not　to　be　found？　　It　may　be　all　right；　but；　of　the　two；　I　incline　to　think　it　is　a　plan；　and　that　some　person；　calling　himself　the　heir　or　assign　of　Little；　will　soon　apply　to　the　'Gosshawk'　for　five　thousand　pounds。　　Well；　let　him。　　I　shall　look　on　that　person　as　the　agent　of　a　living　man；　not　the　heir　of　a　dead　one；　and　I　shall　tell　him　I　don't　believe　in　arms；　and　shoulders；　and　tweed　suits；　and　plain　gold　rings（why；　wedding…　rings　are　the　very　things　conjurors　take　from　the　public　at　random　to　play　hanky…panky　with；　they　are　so　like　one　another）。　　I　shall　demand　to　see　the　man's　face；　and　the　mother　who　bore　him　must　identify　that　face　before　I　will　pay　one　shilling　to　his　heirs　or　assigns。　　I　am　waiting　to　see　who　will　come　forward　and　claim。　Nobody　moves；　and　that　is　curious。　　Well；　when　they　do；　I　shall　be　ready　for　them。　　You　look　pale！　　But　no　wonder：　it　is　really　no　subject　for　an　after…dinner　conversation。〃

Coventry　was　pale　indeed；　and　his　mind　all　in　a　whirl　as　to　what　he　should　say；　for　Mr。　Carden's　sagacity　terrified　him；　and　the　worst　of　it　was；　he　felt　sure　that　Grace　Carden　heard　every　word。

At　last；　however；　his　natural　cunning　came　to　his　aid；　and　he　made　a　very　artful　speech；　directed　principally　to　his　unseen　hearer。

〃Mr。　Carden；〃　said　he；　〃this　seems　to　me　very　shrewd；　but　surely　it　fails　in　one　respect：　you　leave　the　man's　character　out　of　the　account。　　Mr。　Little　came　between　me　and　one　I　love；　and　inflicted　great　misery　on　me；　but　I　will　try　and　be　just　to　him。　　I　don't　believe　he　was　an　impostor　of　that　kind。　　He　was　false　in　love；　he　had　been　reared　amongst　workmen；　and　every　body　says　he　loved　a　working…girl　more　than　he　did　your　daughter；　but　as　for　his　cheating　you　or　any　other　person　out　of　five　thousand　pounds；　I　can't　believe　it。　　They　all　say　he　was　as　honest　a　man　in　money　matters　as　ever　breathed。〃

〃You　judge　him　by　yourself。　　Besides；　men　begin　by　deceiving　women；　but　they　go　on　to　　Why；　Grace；　my　poor　child　　Good　heavens！　have　you？〃

Grace　was　leaning　against　the　open　window；　ghastly　and　terrible。

〃Yes；〃　said　she　haughtily；　〃I　have　been　guilty　of　the　meanness　of　listening；　and　I　suffer　for　it。　　It　is　but　one　pang　more　to　a　broken　heart。　　Mr。　Coventry；　you　are　just；　you　are　generous；　and　I　will　try　and　reward　you　for　those　words。　　No；　papa；　no　impostor；　but　a　man　sore　tried；　sore　tempted。　　If　he　is　alive；　we　shall　soon　know。〃

〃How？〃

〃He　will　writeTO　JAEL　DENCE。〃

Having　uttered　this　strange　speech；　she　rushed　away　with　a　wild　cry　of　agony；　and　nobody　saw　her　face　again　that　night。

She　did　not　come　down…stairs　next　day。　　Mr。　Carden　went　up　to　her。　He　stayed　with　her　an　hour；　and　came　down　looking　much　dejected；　he　asked　Mr。　Coventry　to　take　a　turn　in　the　garden　with　him。　　When　they　were　alone；　he　said；　gravely；　〃Mr。　Coventry；　that　unfortunate　conversation　of　ours　has　quite　upset　my　poor　girl。　　She　tells　me　now　she　will　not　believe　he　is　dead　until　months　and　months　have　passed　without　his　writing　to　Jael　Dence。〃

〃Well；　but；　sir；〃　said　Coventry；　〃could　you　not　convince　her？〃

〃How　can　I；　when　I　am　myself　convinced　he　is　alive；　and　will　give　us　a　great　deal　of　trouble　yet？　for　it　is　clear　to　me　the　poor　girl　loves　him　more　than　she　knows。　　Look　here；　Coventry；　there's　no　man　I　so　desire　for　a　son…in…law　as　yourself；　you　have　shown　a　patience；　a　fidelity！but　as　a　just　man；　and　a　man　of　honor；　I　must　now　advise　you　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　her。　　You　are　not　doing　yourself　justice；　she　will　never　marry　you　while　that　man　is　alive　and　unmarried。　　I　am　provoked　with　her：　she　will　not　leave　her　room　while　you　are　in　the　house。　　Shall　I　tell　you　what　she　said？　　'I　respect　him；　I　admire　him；　but　I　can't　bear　the　sight　of　him　now。'　That　is　all　because　I　let　out　last　night　that　I　thought　Little　was　alive。　　I　told　her；　alive　or　not；　he　was　dead　to　her。〃

〃And　what　did　she　say　to　that？〃

〃Not　a　word。　　She　wrung　her　hands；　and　burst　out　crying　terribly。　Ah！　my　friend；　may　you　never　know　what　it　is　to　be　a　father；　and　see　your　child　wring　her　hands；　and　cry　her　heart　out；　as　I　have　seen　mine。〃

His　own　tears　flowed；　and　his　voice　was　choked。　　He　faltered　out；　〃We　are　two　miserable　creatures；　forgive　us；　and　leave　us　to　our　fate。〃

Coventry　rose；　sick　at　heart；　and　said；　〃Tell　her　I　will　not　intrude　upon　her。〃

He　telegraphed　to　Lally；　and　went　back　to　Hillsborough　as　miserable　as　those　he　left　behind；　but　with　this　difference；　he　deserved　his　misery；　deserved　it　richly。


Ere　he　had　been　two　days　in　Hillsborough　a　telegram　came　from　him　to　Mr。　Carden：

〃Re　Little。　　Important　discovery。　　Pray　come　here　at　once。

Mr。　Carden　had　the　prudence　to　withhold　from　Grace　the　nature　of　this　communication。　　He　merely　told　her　business　called　him　suddenly　to　Hillsborough。　　He　started　by　the　next　train　and　found　Mr。　Coventry　awaiting　him　at　〃Woodbine　Villa〃　with　strange　news：　it　was　not　conjecture；　nor　a　matter　of　deduction；　but　a　piece　of　undeniable　evidence；　and　it　knocked　both　Mr。　Carden's　theory　and　his　daughter's　to　atoms　at　one　blow。


CHAPTER　XXXVIII。


Meantime　the　history　of　Raby　House　was　the　history　of　what　French　dramatists　call　〃a　pious　lie。〃

Its　indirect　effect　in　keeping　Grace　Carden　apart　both　from　Mrs。　Little　and　Jael　Dence　was　unforeseen　and　disastrous；　its　immediate　and　direct　effect　on　Mrs。　Little　was　encouraging　to　those　concerned；　what　with　the　reconciliation　to　her　brother；　the　return　to　native　air　and　beloved　scenes；　the　tenderness　and　firmness　of　Jael　Dence；　and　the　conviction　that　her　son　was　safe　out　of　the　clutches　of　the　dreaded　Unions；　she　picked　up　flesh　and　color　and　spirit　weekly。

By…and…by　she　turned　round　upon　Jael　Dence；　and　the　nurse　became　the　pupil。　　Mrs。　Little　taught　her　grammar；　pronunciation；　dancing；　carriage；　and　deportment。　　Jael　could　already　sing　from　notes；　Mrs。　Little　taught　her　to　accompany　herself　on　the　pianoforte。　　The　teacher　was　so　vigilant；　and　the　pupil　so　apt　and　attentive；　that　surprising　progress　was　made。　　To　be　sure；　they　were　together　night　and　day。

This　labor　of　love　occupied　Mrs。　Little's　mind　agreeably；　and；　as　the　pupil　was　equally　resolute　in　making　the　teacher　walk　or　ride　on　horseback　with　her　every　day；　the　hours　glided　swiftly；　and；　to　Mrs。　Little；　pleasantly。

Her　brother　rather　avoided　her；　by　order　of　Jael　Dence；　but　so　many　probable　reasons　were　given　for　his　absences　that　she　suspected　nothing。　　Only　she　said　one　day；　〃What　a　gad…about　he　is　now。　　This　comes　of　not　marrying。　　We　must　find　him　a　wife。〃

When　he　was　at　home　they　breakfasted　together；　all　three；　and　then　Mrs。　Little　sometimes　spoke　of　Henry；　and　so　hopefully　and　cheerfully　that　a　great　qualm　ran　through　her　hearers；　and　Raby；　who　could　not　command　his　features　so　well　as　Jael　could；　looked　gloomy；　and　sometimes　retired　behind　his　newspaper。

Mrs。　Little　observed　this　one　day；　and　poi