put yourself in his place-第89部分

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　was　going　to　tell　you　is；　that　my　method　of　forging　large　axes　by　machinery　is　wonderfully　praised；　and　a　great　firm　takes　it　up　on　fair　terms。　　This　firm　has　branches　in　various　parts　of　the　world；　and；　once　my　machines　are　in　full　work；　Hillsborough　will　never　forge　another　ax。　　Man　can　not　suppress　machinery；　the　world　is　too　big。　　That　bullet　sent　through　Mr。　Tyler's　hat　loses　Great　Britain　a　whole　trade。　　I　profit　in　money　by　their　short…sighted　violence；　but　I　must　pay　the　price；　for　this　will　keep　me　another　week　at　Chicago；　perhaps　ten　days。　　Then　home　I　come；　with　lots　of　money　to　please　your　father；　and　an　ocean　of　love　for　you；　who　don't　care　about　the　filthy　dross；　no　more　do　I；　except　as　the　paving…stones　on　the　road　to　you　and　heaven；　my　adored　one。〃


The　effect　of　this　letter　was　prodigious。　　So　fearful　had　been　the　suspense；　so　great　was　now　the　relief；　that　Coventry　felt　exultant；　buoyant。　　He　went　down　to　the　sea…side；　and　walked；　light　as　air；　by　the　sands；　and　his　brain　teemed　with　delightful　schemes。　　Little　would　come　to　Hillsborough　soon　after　the　marriage；　but　what　of　that？

On　the　wedding…night　he　would　be　at　Dover。　　Next　day　at　Paris；　on　his　way　to　Rome；　Athens；　Constantinople。　　The　inevitable　exposure　should　never　reach　his　wife　until　he　had　so　won　her；　soul　and　body；　that　she　should　adore　him　for　the　crimes　he　had　committed　to　win　herhe　knew　the　female　heart　to　be　capable　of　that。

He　came　back　from　his　walk　another　man；　color　in　his　cheek　and　fire　in　his　eye。

He　walked　into　the　drawing…room；　and　found　Mr。　Raby；　with　his　hat　on；　just　leaving　Grace；　whose　eyes　showed　signs　of　weeping。

〃I　wish　you　joy；　sir；〃　said　Raby。　　〃I　am　to　have　the　honor　of　being　at　your　wedding。〃

〃It　will　add　to　my　happiness；　if　possible；〃　said　Coventry。

To　be　as　polite　in　deed　as　in　word；　he　saw　Mr。　Raby　into　the　fly。

〃Curious　creatures；　these　girls；〃　said　Raby；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃She　was　engaged　to　me　long　ago；〃　said　Coventry；　parrying　the　blow。

〃Ah！　I　forgot　that。　　Stillwell；　well；　I　wish　you　joy。〃

He　went　off；　and　Coventry　returned　to　Grace。　　She　was　seated　by　the　window　looking　at　the　sea。

〃What　did　godpapa　say　to　you？〃

〃Oh；　he　congratulated　me。　　He　reminded　me　you　and　I　were　first　engaged　at　his　house。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　it　is　to　be　at　Woodbine　Villa？〃

〃What？〃

〃The　wedding。〃　　And　Grace　blushed　to　the　forehead　at　having　to　mention　it。

〃No；　indeed；　he　did　not　mention　any　such　thing；　or　I　should　have　shown　him　how　unadvisable〃

〃You　mistake　me。　　It　is　I　who　wish　to　be　married　from　my　father's　house　by　good　old　Dr。　Fynes。　　He　married　my　parents；　and　he　christened　me；　and　now　he　shall　marry　me。〃

〃I　approve　that；　of　course；　since　you　wish　it；　but；　my　own　dearest　Grace；　Woodbine　Villa　is　associated　with　so　many　painful　memories　let　me　advise；　let　me　earnestly　entreat　you；　not　to　select　it　as　the　place　to　be　married　from。　　Dr。　Fynes　can　be　invited　here。〃

〃I　have　set　my　heart　on　it；〃　said　Grace。　　〃Pray　do　not　thwart　me　in　it。〃

〃I　should　be　very　sorry　to　thwart　you　in　any　thing。　　But；　before　you　finally　decide；　pray　let　me　try　and　convince　your　better　judgment。〃

〃I　HAVE　decided；　and　I　have　written　to　Dr。　Fynes；　and　to　the　few　persons　I　mean　to　invite。　　They　can't　all　come　here；　and　I　have　asked　Mr。　Raby；　and　it　is　my　own　desire；　and　it　is　one　of　those　things　the　lady　and　her　family　always　decide。　　I　have　no　wish　to　be　married　at　all。　　I　only　marry　to　please　my　father　and　you。　　There；　let　us　say　no　more　about　it；　please。　　I　will　not　be　married　at　Woodbine　Villa；　nor　anywhere　else。　　I　wish　papa　and　you　would　show　your　love　by　burying　me　instead。〃

These　words；　and　the　wild　panting　way　they　were　uttered　in；　brought　Coventry　to　his　knees　in　a　moment。　　He　promised　her；　with　abject　submission；　that　she　should　have　her　own　way　in　this　and　every　thing。　　He　petted　her；　and　soothed　her；　and　she　forgave　him；　but　so　little　graciously；　that　he　saw　she　would　fly　out　in　a　moment　again；　if　the　least　attempt　were　made　to　shake　her　resolution。

Grace　talked　the　matter　over　with　Mr。　Carden；　and　that　same　evening　he　begged　Coventry　to　leave　the　Villa　as　soon　as　he　conveniently　could；　for　he　and　his　daughter　must　be　there　a　week　before　the　wedding；　and　invite　some　relations；　whom　it　was　his　interest　to　treat　with　respect。

〃You　will　spare　me　a　corner；〃　said　Coventry；　in　his　most　insinuating　tone。　　〃Dear　Woodbine！　　I　could　not　bear　to　leave　it。〃

〃Oh；　of　course　you　can　stay　there　till　we　actually　come；　but　we　can't　have　the　bride　and　bridegroom　under　one　roof。　　Why；　my　dear　fellow；　you　know　better　than　that。〃

There　was　no　help　for　it。　　It　sickened　him　with　fears　of　what　might　happen　in　those　few　fatal　days；　during　which　Mr。　Carden；　Grace　herself；　and　a　household　over　which　he　had　no　control；　would　occupy　the　house；　and　would　receive　the　Postman；　whose　very　face　showed　him　incorruptible。

He　stayed　till　the　last　moment；　stopped　a　letter　of　five　lines　from　Little；　in　which　he　said　he　should　be　in　New　York　very　soon；　en　route　for　England；　and　the　very　next　day　he　received　the　Cardens；　with　a　smiling　countenance　and　a　fainting　heart；　and　then　vacated　the　premises。　　He　ordered　Lally　to　hang　about　the　Villa　at　certain　hours　when　the　post　came　in；　and　do　his　best。　　But　his　was　catching　at　a　straw。　　His　real　hope　was　that　neither　Little　himself；　nor　a　letter　in　his　handwriting；　might　come　in　that　short　interval。

It　wanted　but　five　days　to　the　wedding。

Hitherto　it　had　been　a　game　of　skill；　now　it　was　a　game　of　chance；　and　every　morning　he　wished　it　was　evening；　every　evening　he　wished　it　was　morning。

The　day　Raby　came　back　from　Eastbank　he　dined　at　home；　and；　in　an　unguarded　moment；　said　something　or　other；　on　which　Mrs。　Little　cross…examined　him　so　swiftly　and　so　keenly　that　he　stammered；　and　let　out　Grace　Carden　was　on　the　point　of　marriage。

〃Marriage；　while　my　son　is　alive！〃　said　Mrs。　Little；　and　looked　from　him　to　Jael　Dence；　at　first　with　amazement；　and　afterward　with　a　strange　expression　that　showed　her　mind　was　working。

A　sort　of　vague　alarm　fell　upon　the　other　two；　and　they　waited；　in　utter　confusion；　for　what　might　follow。

But　the　mother　was　not　ready　to　suspect　so　horrible　a　thing　as　her　son's　death。　　She　took　a　more　obvious　view；　and　inveighed　bitterly　against　Grace　Carden。

She　questioned　Raby　as　to　the　cause；　but　it　was　Jael　who　answered　her。　　〃I　believe　nobody　knows　the　rights　of　it　but　Miss　Carden　herself。〃

〃The　cause　is　her　utter　fickleness；　but　she　never　really　loved　him。　My　poor　Henry！〃

〃Oh　yes；　she　did；〃　said　Raby。　　〃She　was　at　death's　door　a　few　months　ago。〃

〃At　death's　door　for　one　man；　and　now　going　to　marry　another！〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Raby；　hard　pushed；　〃she　is　a　woman。〃

〃And　why　did　you　not　tell　me　till　now？〃　asked　Mrs。　Little；　loftily　ignoring　her　brother's　pitiable　attempt　at　a　sneer。

Raby's　reply　to　this　was　happier。

〃Why；　what　the　better　are　you　for　knowing　it　now？　　We　had　orders　not　to　worry　you　unnecessarily。　　Had　we　not；　Jael？〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；　in　some　things。　　But；　where　my　son　is　concerned；　pray　never　keep　the　truth　from　me　again。　　When　did　she　break　off　with　Henryor　did　he　quarrel　with　her？〃

〃I　have　no　idea。　　I　was　not　in　the　country。〃

〃Do　YOU　know；　dear？〃

〃No；　Mrs。　Little。　　But　I　am　of　your　mind。　　I　think　she　could　not　have　loved　Mr。　Henry　as　she　ought。〃

〃When　did　you　see　her　last？〃

〃I　could　not　say　justly；　but　it　was　a　long　while　ago。〃

Mrs。　Little　interpreted　this　that　Jael　had　quarreled　with　Grace　for　her　fickleness；　and　gave　her　a　look　of　beaming　affection；　then　fell　into　a　dead　silence；　and　soon　tears　were　seen　stealing　down　her　cheek。

〃But　I　shall　write　to　her；〃　said　she；　after　a　long　and　painful　silence。

Mr。　Raby　hoped　she　would　do　nothing　of　the　kind。

〃Oh；　I　shall　not　say　much。　　I　shall　put　her　one　question。　　Of　course　SHE　knows　why　they　part。〃

Next　morning　Jael　Dence　asked　Mr。　Raby　whether　the　threatened　letter　must　be　allowed　to　go。

〃Of　course　it　must；〃　said　Raby。　　〃I　have　gone　as　far　off　the　straight　path　as　a　gentleman　can。　　And　I　wish　we　may　not　repent　our　ingenuity。　　Deceive　a　mother　about　her　son！　what　can　justify　it；　after　all？〃

Mrs。　Little　wrote　her　letter；　and　showed　it　to　Jael：


〃DEAR　MISS　CARDEN；They　tell　me　you　are　about　to　be　married。　　Can　this　be　true；　and　Henry　Little　alive？〃


An　answer　came　back；　in　due　course。


〃DEAR　MRS。　LITTLE；It　is　true；　and　I　am　miserable。　　Forgive　me；　and　forget　me。〃


Mrs。　Little　discovered　the　marks　of　tears　upon　the　paper；　and　was　sorely　puzzled。

She　sat　silent　a　long　time：　then　looking　up；　she　saw　Jael　Dence　gazing　at　her　with　moist　eyes；　and　an　angelic　look　of　anxiety　and　affection。

She　caught　her　round　the　neck；　and　kissed　her；　almost　passionately。

〃All　the　better；〃　she　cried；　struggling　with　a　sob。　　〃I　shall　have　my　own　way　for　once。　　You　shall　be　my　daughter　instead。〃

Jael　returned　her　embrace　with　ardor；　but　in　silence；　and　with　averted　head。


When　Jael　Dence　heard　that　Grace　Carden　was　in　Hillsborough；　she　felt　very　much　drawn　to　go　and　see　her：　but　she　knew　the　meeting　must　be　a　sad　one　to　them　both；　and　that　made　her　put　it　off　till　the　very　day　before　the　wedding。　　Then；　thinking　it　would　be　too　unkind　if　she　held　entirely　aloof；　and　being；　in　truth；　rather　curious　to　know　whether　Grace　had　really　been　able　to　transfer　her　affections　in　so　short　a　time；　she　asked　Mr。　Raby's　leave；　and　drove　one　of　the　ponies　in　to　Woodbine　Villa。


CHAPTER　XXXIX。


The　short　interval　previous　to　the　wedding…day　passed；　to　all　appearance；　as　that　period　generally　does。　　Settlements　were　drawn；　and　only　awaited　signature。　　The　bride　seemed　occupied　with　dress；　and　receiving　visits　and　presents；　and　reading　and　writing　letters　of　that　sort　which　ought　to　be　done　by　machinery。

The　bridegroom　hovered　about　the　house；　running　in　and　out　on　this　or　that　pretext。

She　received　his　presence　graciously；　read　him　the　letters　of　her　female　friends；　and　forced　herself　to　wear　a　look　of　languid　complacency；　especially　before　others。

Under　all　this　routine　she　had　paroxysms　of　secret　misery；　and　he　was　in　tortures。

These　continued　until　the　eve　of　the　wedding；　and　then　he　breathed　freely。　　No　letter　had