put yourself in his place-第86部分

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ed　gloomy；　and　sometimes　retired　behind　his　newspaper。

Mrs。　Little　observed　this　one　day；　and　pointed　it　out　to　Jael。　〃Oh；〃　said　Jael；　〃take　no　notice。　　You　know　he　wanted　Mr。　Henry　to　stay　quietly　here　and　be　his　heir。〃

〃And　so　did　I。　　But　his　very　name　seems　to〃

〃He　likes　him　well；　for　all　that；　ma'am；　only　he　won't　own　it　yet。　You　know　what　Squire　is。〃

〃THE　Squire　you　should　say；　dear。　　But；　'Mr。　Raby'　is　better　still。　As　a　rule；　avoid　all　small　titles：　the　doctor；　the　squire；　the　baronet；　the　mayor。〃

Jael　seized　this　handle；　and；　by　putting　questions　to　her　teacher；　got　her　away　from　the　dangerous　topic。

Ever　on　the　watch；　and　occupied　in　many　ways　with　Mrs。　Little；　Jael　began　to　recover　resignation；　but　this　could　not　be　without　an　occasional　paroxysm　of　grief。

These　she　managed　to　hide　from　Mrs。　Little。

But　one　day　that　lady　surprised　her　crying。　　She　stood　and　looked　at　her　a　moment；　then　sat　down　quietly　beside　her　and　took　her　hand。　Jael　started；　and　feared　discovery。

〃My　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Little；　〃if　you　have　lost　a　father；　you　have　gained　a　mother；　and　then；　as　to　your　sister；　why　my　Henry　is　gone　to　the　very　same　country；　yet；　you　see；　I　do　not　give　way　to　sorrow。　As　soon　as　he　writes；　I　will　beg　him　to　make　inquiries　for　Patty；　and　send　them　home　if　they　are　not　doing　well。〃　　Then　Mrs。　Little　kissed　Jael；　and　coaxed　her　and　rocked　with　her；　and　Jael's　tears　began　to　flow；　no　longer　for　her　own　great　grief；　but　for　this　mother；　who　was　innocently　consoling　her；　unconscious　of　the　blow　that　must　one　day　fall　upon　herself。

So　matters　went　on　pretty　smoothly；　only　one　morning；　speaking　of　Henry；　Mrs。　Little　surprised　a　look　of　secret　intelligence　between　her　brother　and　Jael　Dence。　　She　made　no　remark　at　the　time；　but　she　puzzled　in　secret　over　it；　and　began　at　last　to　watch　the　pair。

She　asked　Raby　at　dinner；　one　day；　when　she　might　hope　to　hear　from　Henry。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　he；　and　looked　at　Jael　Dence　like　a　person　watching　for　orders。

Mrs。　Little　observed　this；　and　turned　keenly　round　to　Jael。

〃Oh；〃　said　Jael；　〃the　doctorI　beg　pardon；　Dr。　Amboynecan　tell　you　that　better　than　I　can。　　It　is　a　long　way　to　Australia。〃

〃How　you　send　me　from　one　to　another；〃　said　Mrs。　Little；　speaking　very　slowly。

They　made　no　reply　to　that；　and　Mrs。　Little　said　no　more。　　But　she　pondered　all　this。　　She　wrote　to　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　asked　him　why　no　letter　had　come　from　Henry。

Dr。　Amboyne　wrote　back　that；　even　if　he　had　gone　in　a　steamboat；　there　was　hardly　time　for　a　letter　to　come　back：　but　he　had　gone　in　a　sailing…vessel。　　〃Give　him　three　months　and　a　half　to　get　there；　and　two　months　for　his　letters　to　come　back。〃

In　this　same　letter　he　told　her　he　was　glad　to　hear　she　was　renewing　her　youth　like　an　eagle；　but　reminded　her　it　would　entail　some　consequences　more　agreeable　to　him　than　to　her。

She　laid　down　the　letter　with　a　blush　and　fell　into　a　reverie。

Dr。　Amboyne　followed　up　this　letter　with　a　visit　or　two；　and　urged　her　to　keep　her　promise　and　marry　him。

She　had　no　excuse　for　declining；　but　she　procrastinated：　she　did　not　like　to　marry　without　consulting　Henry；　or；　at　least；　telling　him　by　letter。

And　whilst　she　was　thus　temporizing；　events　took　place　at　Eastbank　which　ended　by　rudely　disturbing　the　pious　falsehood　at　Raby　Hall。

That　sequence　of　events　began　with　the　interview　between　Mr。　Carden　and　Mr。　Coventry　at　Woodbine　Villa。

〃Little　had　made　a　will。　　My　own　solicitor　drew　it；　and　holds　it　at　this　moment。〃　　This　was　the　intelligence　Coventry　had　to　communicate。

〃Very　well；　then　now　I　shall　know　who　is　coming　to　the　'Gosshawk'　for　the　five　thousand　pounds。　　That　will　be　the　next　act　of　the　comedy；　you　will　see。〃

〃Wait　a　moment。　　He　leaves　to　Mrs。　Little　his　own　reversion　to　a　sum　of　nineteen　hundred　pounds；　in　which　she　has　already　the　life　interest；　he　gives　a　hundred　pounds　to　his　sweetheart　Dence：　all　the　rest　of　his　estate；　in　possession　or　expectation；　he　bequeaths　to　Miss　Carden。〃

〃Good　heavens！　　Why　then〃　　Mr。　Carden　could　say　no　more；　for　astonishment。

〃So；〃　said　Coventry；　〃If　he　is　alive；　she　is　the　confederate　who　is　to　profit　by　the　fraud；　those　five　thousand　pounds　belong　to　her　at　this　moment。〃

〃Are　you　sure？　　Who　is　your　authority？〃

〃A　communicative　clerk；　who　happens　to　be　the　son　of　a　tenant　of　mine。　　The　solicitor　himself；　I　believe；　chooses　to　doubt　his　client's　decease。　　It　is　at　his　private　request　that　horrible　object　is　refused　Christian　burial。〃

〃On　what　grounds；　pray？〃

〃Legal　grounds；　I　suppose；　the　man　did　not　die　regularly；　and　according　to　precedent。　　He　omitted　to　provide　himself　with　two　witnesses　previously　to　being　blown　up。　　In　a　case　of　this　kind　we　may　safely　put　an　old…fashioned　attorney's　opinion　out　of　the　question。　　What　do　YOU　think？　　That　is　all　I　care　to　know。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　think　now。　　But　I　foresee　one　thing：　I　shall　be　placed　in　rather　an　awkward　position。　　I　ought　to　defend　the　'Gosshawk；'　but　I　am　not　going　to　rob　my　own　daughter　of　five　thousand　pounds；　if　it　belongs　to　her　honestly。〃

〃Will　you　permit　me　to　advise　you？〃

〃Certainly；　I　shall　be　very　much　obliged：　for　really　I　don't　see　my　way。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　think　you　ought　to　look　into　the　matter　carefully；　but　without　prejudice。　　I　have　made　some　inquiries　myself：　I　went　down　to　the　works；　and　begged　the　workmen；　who　knew　Little；　to　examine　the　remains；　and　then　come　here　and　tell　us　their　real　opinion。〃

〃Oh；　to　my　mind；　it　all　depends　on　the　will。　　If　that　answers　the　description　you　givehum！〃　　Next　morning　they　breakfasted　together；　and　during　breakfast　two　workmen　called；　and；　at　Coventry's　request；　were　ushered　into　the　room。　　They　came　to　say　they　knew　Mr。　Little　well；　and　felt　sure　that　was　his　dead　hand　they　had　seen　at　the　Town　Hall。　　Coventry　cross…examined　them　severely；　but　they　stuck　to　their　conviction；　and　this　will　hardly　surprise　the　reader　when　I　tell　him　the　workmen　in　question　were　Cole　and　another；　suborned　by　Coventry　himself　to　go　through　this　performance。

Mr。　Carden　received　the　testimony　readily；　for　the　best　of　all　reasonshe　wanted　to　believe　it。

But；　when　they　were　gone；　he　recurred　to　the　difficulty　of　his　position。　　Director　of　the　〃Gosshawk；〃　and　father　to　a　young　lady　who　had　a　claim　of　five　thousand　pounds　on　it；　and　that　claim　debatable；　though；　to　his　own　mind；　no　longer　doubtful。

Now　Mr。　Coventry　had　a　great　advantage　over　Mr。　Carden　here：　he　had　studied　this　very　situation　profoundly　for　several　hours；　and　at　last　had　seen　how　much　might　be　done　with　it。

He　began　by　artfully　complimenting　Mr。　Carden　on　his　delicacy；　but　said　Miss　Carden　must　not　be　a　loser　by　it。　　〃Convince　her；　on　other　grounds；　that　the　man　is　dead；　encourage　her　to　reward　my　devotion　with　her　hand；　and　I　will　relieve　you　of　everything　disagreeable。　Let　us　settle　on　Miss　Carden；　for　her　separate　use；　the　five　thousand　pounds；　and　anything　else　derivable　from　Mr。　Little's　estate；　but　we　must　also　settle　my　farm　of　Hindhope：　for　it　shall　never　be　said　she　took　as　much　from　that　man　as　she　did　from　me。　Well；　in　due　course　I　apply　to　the　'Gosshawk'　for　my　wife's　money。　I　am　not　bound　to　tell　your　Company　it　is　not　mine　but　hers；　that　is　between　you　and　me。　　But　you　really　ought　to　write　to　London　at　once　and　withdraw　the　charge　of　fraud；　you　owe　that　piece　of　justice　to　Miss　Carden；　and　to　the　memory　of　the　deceased。〃

〃That　is　true；　and　it　will　pave　the　way　for　the　demand　you　propose　to　make　on　Mrs。　Coventry's　behalf。　　Well；　you　really　are　a　true　friend；　as　well　as　a　true　lover。〃

In　short；　he　went　back　to　Hillsborough　resolved　to　marry　his　daughter　to　Coventry　as　soon　as　possible。　　Still；　following　that　gentleman's　instructions；　he　withheld　from　Grace　that　Little　had　made　a　will　in　her　favor。　　He　knew　her　to　be　quite　capable　of　refusing　to　touch　a　farthing　of　it；　or　to　act　as　executrix。　　But　he　told　her　the　workmen　had　identified　the　remains；　and　that　other　circumstances　had　also　convinced　him　he　had　been　unjust　to　a　deceased　person；　which　he　regretted。

When　her　father　thus　retracted　his　own　words；　away　went　Grace's　last　faint　hope　that　Henry　lived；　and　now　she　must　die　for　him；　or　live　for　others。

She　thought　of　Jael　Dance；　and　chose　the　latter。

Another　burst　or　two　of　agony；　and　then　her　great　aim　and　study　appeared　to　be　to　forget　herself　altogether。　　She　was　full　of　attention　for　her　father；　and；　whenever　Mr。　Coventry　came；　she　labored　to　reward　him　with　kind　words；　and　even　with　smiles；　but　they　were　sad　ones。

As　for　Coventry；　he　saw；　with　secret　exultation；　that　she　was　now　too　languid　and　hopeless　to　resist　the　joint　efforts　of　her　father　and　himself；　and；　that　some　day　or　other；　she　must　fall　lifeless　into　his　arms。

He　said　to　himself；　〃It　is　only　a　question　of　time。〃

He　was　now　oftener　at　the　villa　than　at　Hillsborough；　and；　with　remarkable　self…denial；　adhered　steadily　to　the　line　of　soothing　and　unobtrusive　devotion。

One　morning　at　breakfast　the　post　brought　him　a　large　envelope　from　Hillsborough。　　He　examined　it；　and　found　a　capital　〃L〃　in　the　corner　of　the　envelope；　which　〃L〃　was　written　by　his　man　Lally；　in　compliance　with　secret　instructions　from　his　master。

Coventry　instantly　put　the　envelope　into　his　pocket；　and　his　hand　began　to　shake　so　that　he　could　hardly　hold　his　cup　to　his　lips。　His　agitation；　however；　was　not　noticed。

Directly　after　breakfast　he　strolled；　with　affected　composure；　into　the　garden；　and　sat　down　in　a　bower　where　he　was　safe　from　surprise；　as　the　tangled　leaves　were　not　so　thick　but　he　could　peep　through　them。

He　undid　his　inclosure；　and　found　three　letters；　two　were　of　no　importance；　the　third　bore　a　foreign　postmark；　and　was　addressed　to　Miss　Carden　in　a　hand　writing　which　he　recognized　at　a　glance　as　Henry　Little's。

But　as　this　was　not　the　first　letter　from　Henry　to　Grace　which　he　had　intercepted　and　read；　perhaps　I　had　better　begin　by　saying　a　few　words　about　the　first。

Well；　then；　the　letters　with　which　Coventry　swam　the　river　on　the　night　of　the　explosion　were　six；　viz。；　to　Mr。　Bolt；　to　Doctor　Amboyne；　to　Mr。　Baynes；　to　Jael　Dence；　to　Mrs。　Little；　and　to　Grace　Carden。　　The　letter　to　Grace　Carden　was　short　but　touching；　full　of　devotion