put yourself in his place-第93部分

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and　trembled　still　more；　for　the　handwriting　struck　her　more　and　more。

Grace　ran　to　her；　and　at　the　very　first　glance　uttered　a　shriek　of　recognition。　　She　caught　it　from　Jael；　tore　it　open；　saw　the　signature；　and　sunk　into　a　chair；　half　fainting；　with　the　letter　pressed　convulsively　to　her　breast

Jael；　trembling；　but　comparatively　self…possessed；　ran　to　the　door　directly　and　locked　it。

〃My　darling！　my　darling！　he　is　alive！　　The　dear　words；　they　swim　before　my　eyes。　　Read！　read！　tell　me　what　he　says。　　Why　has　he　abandoned　me？　　He　has　not　abandoned　me！　　O　God！　what　have　I　done？　what　have　I　done？〃

Before　that　letter　was　half　read；　or　rather　sobbed；　out　to　her；　Grace　tore　off　all　her　bridal　ornaments　and　trampled　them　under　her　feet；　and　moaned；　and　twisted；　and　writhed　as　if　her　body　was　being　tortured　as　well　as　her　heart；　for　Henry　was　true　as　ever；　and　she　had　married　a　villain。

She　took　the　letter　from　Jael；　and　devoured　every　word；　though　she　was　groaning　and　sobbing　with　the　wildest　agony　all　the　time。


〃NEW　YORK；　July　18th。

〃MY　OWN　DEAREST　GRACE；I　write　you　these　few　lines　in　wonder　and　pain。　　I　have　sent　you　at　least　fifteen　letters；　and　in　most　of　them　I　have　begged　you　to　write　to　me　at　the　Post…office；　New　York；　yet　not　one　line　is　here　to　greet　me　in　your　dear　handwriting。　　Yet　my　letters　must　have　all　reached　Woodbine　Villa；　or　why　are　they　not　sent　back？　　Of　three　letters　I　sent　to　my　mother；　two　have　been　returned　from　Aberystwith；　marked；　'Gone　away；　and　not　left　her　address。'

〃I　have　turned　this　horrible　thing　every　way　in　my　mind；　and　even　prayed　God　to　assist　my　understanding；　and　I　come　back　always　to　the　same　idea　that　some　scoundrel　has　intercepted　my　letters。

〃The　first　of　these　I　wrote　at　the　works　on　the　evening　I　left　Hillsborough；　the　next　I　wrote　from　Boston；　after　my　long　illness；　in　great　distress　of　mind　on　your　account；　for　I　put　myself　in　your　place；　and　thought　what　agony　it　would　be　to　me　if　nine　weeks　passed；　and　no　word　from　you。　　The　rest　were　written　from　various　cities；　telling　you　I　was　making　our　fortune；　and　should　soon　be　home。　　Oh；　I　can　not　write　of　such　trifles　now！

〃My　own　darling；　let　me　find　you　alive；　that　is　all　I　ask。　　I　know　I　shall　find　you　true　to　me；　if　you　are　alive。

〃Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　if　my　heart　had　not　been　so　entirely　filled　by　you。　　God　has　tried　me　hard　in　some　things；　but　He　has　blessed　me　with　true　friends。　　It　was　ungrateful　of　me　not　to　write　to　such　true　friends　as　Dr。　Amboyne　and　Jael　Dence。　　But；　whenever　I　thought　of　England；　I　saw　only　you。

〃By　this　post　I　write　to　Dr。　Amboyne；　Mr。　Bolt；　Mr。　Bayne；　and　Jael　Dence。

〃This　will　surely　baffle　the　enemy　who　has　stopped　all　my　letters　to　you；　and　will　stop　this　one；　I　dare　say。

〃I　say　no　more；　beloved　one。　　What　is　the　use？　　You　will　perhaps　never　see　this　letter；　and　you　know　more　than　I　can　say；　for　you　know　how　I　love　you：　and　that　is　a　great　deal　more　than　ever　I　can　put　on　paper。

〃I　sail　for　England　in　four　days。　　God　help　me　to　get　over　the　interval。

〃I　forget　whether　I　told　you　I　had　made　my　fortune。　　Your　devoted　and　most　unhappy　lover；

〃Henry。〃


Grace　managed　to　read　this；　in　spite　of　the　sobs　and　moans　that　shook　her；　and　the　film　that　half　blinded　her；　and；　when　she　had　read　it；　sank　heavily　down；　and　sat　all　crushed　together；　with　hands　working　like　frenzy。

Jael　kneeled　beside　her；　and　kissed　and　wept　over　her；　unheeded。

Then　Jael　prayed　aloud　beside　her；　unheeded。

At　last　she　spoke；　looking　straight　before　her；　as　if　she　was　speaking　to　the　wall。

〃Bring　my　godfather　here。〃

〃Won't　you　see　your　father　first？〃　said　Jael；　timidly。

〃I　have　no　father。　　I　want　something　I　can　lean　on　over　the　gulfa　man　of　honor。　　Fetch　Mr。　Raby　to　me。〃

Jael　kissed　her　tenderly；　and　wept　over　her　once　more　a　minute；　then　went　softly　down…stairs　and　straight　into　the　breakfast…room。

Here；　in　the　meantime；　considerable　amusement　had　been　created　by　the　contest　between　Lally　and　Jael　Dence；　the　more　so　on　account　of　the　triumph　achieved　by　the　weaker　vessel。

When　Lally　got　up；　and　looked　about　him　ruefully；　great　was　the　delight　of　the　younger　gentlemen。

When　he　walked　in…doors；　they　chaffed　him　through　an　open　window；　and　none　of　them　noticed　that　the　man　was　paler　than　even　the　rough　usage　he　had　received　could　account　for。

This　jocund　spirit；　however；　was　doomed　to　be　short…lived。

Lally　came　into　the　room；　looking　pale　and　troubled；　and　whispered　a　word　in　his　master's　ear；　then　retired；　but　left　his　master　as　pale　as　himself。

Coventry；　seated　at　a　distance　from　the　window；　had　not　seen　the　scrimmage　outside；　and　Lally's　whispered　information　fell　on　him　like　a　thunderbolt。

Mr。　Beresford　saw　at　once　that　something　was　wrong；　and　hinted　as　much　to　his　neighbor。　　It　went　like　magic　round　the　table；　and　there　was　an　uneasy　silence。

In　the　midst　of　this　silence；　mysterious　sounds　began　to　be　heard　in　the　bride's　chamber：　a　faint　scream；　feet　rushing　across　the　floor；　a　sound　as　of　some　one　sinking　heavily　on　to　a　chair　or　couch。

Presently　came　a　swift　stamping　that　told　a　tale　of　female　passion；　and　after　that　confused　sounds　that　could　not　be　interpreted　through　the　ceiling；　yet　somehow　the　listeners　felt　they　were　unusual。　　One　or　two　attempted　conversation；　out　of　politeness；　but　it　died　away　curiosity　and　uneasiness　prevailed。

Lally　put　his　head　in　at　the　door；　and　asked　if　the　carriage　was　to　be　packed。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Coventry；　and　soon　the　servants；　male　and　female；　were　seen　taking　boxes　out　from　the　hall　to　the　carriage。

Jael　Dence　walked　into　the　room；　and　went　to　Mr。　Raby。

〃The　bride　desires　to　see　you　immediately；　sir。〃

Raby　rose；　and　followed　Jael　out。

The　next　minute　a　lady's　maid　came；　with　a　similar　message　to　Dr。　Amboyne。

He　rose　with　great　alacrity；　and　followed　her。

There　was　nothing　remarkable　in　the　bride's　taking　private　leave　of　these　two　valued　friends。　　But　somehow　the　mysterious　things　that　had　preceded　made　the　guests　look　with　half…suspicious　eyes　into　every　thing；　and　Coventry's　manifest　discomfiture；　when　Dr。　Amboyne　was　sent　for；　justified　this　vague　sense　that　there　was　something　strange　going　on　beneath　the　surface。

Neither　Raby　nor　Amboyne　came　down　again；　and　Mr。　Beresford　remarked　aloud　that　the　bride's　room　was　like　the　lion's　den　in　the　fable；　〃'Vestigia　nulla　retrorsum。'〃

At　last　the　situation　became　intolerable　to　Coventry。　　He　rose；　in　desperation；　and　said；　with　a　ghastly　attempt　at　a　smile；　that　he　must；　nevertheless；　face　the　dangers　of　the　place　himself；　as　the　carriage　was　now　packed；　and　Mrs。　Coventry　and　he；　though　loath　to　leave　their　kind　friends；　had　a　longish　journey　before　them。　　〃Do　not　move；　I　pray；　I　shall　be　back　directly。〃

As　soon　as　he　had　got　out　of　the　room；　he　held　a　whispered　consultation　with　Lally；　and　then；　collecting　all　his　courage；　and　summoning　all　his　presence　of　mind；　he　went　slowly　up　the　stairs；　determined　to　disown　Lally's　acts　（Lally　himself　had　suggested　this）；　and　pacify　Grace's　friends；　if　he　could；　but；　failing　that；　to　turn　round；　and　stand　haughtily　on　his　legal　rights；　ay；　and　enforce　them　too。

But；　meantime；　what　had　passed　in　the　bride's　chamber？

Raby　found　Grace　Carden；　with　her　head　buried　on　her　toilet…table；　and　her　hair　all　streaming　down　her　back。

The　floor　was　strewn　with　pearls　and　broken　ornaments；　and　fragments　of　the　bridal　veil。　　On　the　table　lay　Henry　Little's　letter。

Jael　took　it　without　a　word；　and　gave　it　to　Raby。

He　took　it；　and；　after　a　loud　ejaculation　of　surprise；　began　to　read　it。

He　had　not　quite　finished　it　when　Dr。　Amboyne　tapped　at　the　door；　and　Jael　let　him　in。

The　crushed　figure　with　disheveled　hair；　and　Raby's　eye　gleaming　over　the　letter　in　his　hand；　told　him　at　once　what　was　going　on。

He　ceased　to　doubt；　or　vacillate；　directly；　he　whispered　Jael　Dence　to　stand　near　Grace；　and　watch　her　closely。

He　had　seen　a　woman　start　up　and　throw　herself；　in　one　moment；　out　of　a　window；　for　less　than　thisa　woman　crushed　apparently；　and　more　dead　than　alive；　as　Grace　Carden　was。

Then　he　took　out　his　own　letter；　and　read　it　in　a　low　voice　to　Mr。　Raby；　but　it　afterward　appeared　the　bride　heard　every　word。


〃MY　BEST　FRIEND；Forgive　me　for　neglecting　you　so　long；　and　writing　only　to　her　I　love　with　all　my　soul。　　Forgive　me；　for　I　smart　for　it。　　I　have　written　fifteen　letters　to　my　darling　Grace；　and　received　no　reply。　　I　wrote　her　one　yesterday；　but　have　now　no　hope　she　will　ever　get　it。　　This　is　terrible；　but　there　is　worse　behind。　This　very　day　I　have　learned　that　my　premises　were　blown　up　within　a　few　hours　of　my　leaving；　and　poor；　faithful　Jael　Dence　nearly　killed；　and　then　a　report　of　my　own　death　was　raised；　and　some　remains　found　in　the　ruins　that　fools　said　were　mine。　　I　suppose　the　letters　I　left　in　the　box　were　all　destroyed　by　the　fire。

〃Now；　mark　my　words；　one　and　the　same　villain　has　put　that　dead　man's　hand　and　arm　in　the　river；　and　has　stopped　my　letters　to　Grace；　I　am　sure　of　it。　　So　what　I　want　you　to　do　is；　first　of　all；　to　see　my　darling；　and　tell　her　I　am　alive　and　well；　and　then　put　her　on　her　guard　against　deceivers。

〃I　suspect　the　postman　has　been　tampered　with。　　I　write　to　Mr。　Ransome　to　look　into　that。　　But　what　you　might　learn　for　me　is；　whether　any　body　lately　has　had　any　opportunity　to　stop　letters　addressed　to　'Woodbine　Villa。'　　That　seems　to　point　to　Mr。　Carden；　and　he　was　never　a　friend　of　mine。　　But；　somehow；　I　don't　think　he　would　do　it。

〃You　see；　I　ask　myself　two　questions。　　Is　there　any　man　in　the　world　who　has　a　motive　strong　enough　to　set　him　tampering　with　my　letters？　and；　again；　is　there　any　man　base　enough　to　do　such　an　act？　　And　the　answer　to　both　questions　is　the　same。　　I　have　a　rival；　and　he　is　base　enough　for　any　thing。　　Judge　for　yourself。　　I　as　good　as　saved　that　Coventry's　life　one　snowy　night；　and　all　I　asked　in　return　was　that　he　wouldn't　blow　me　to　the　Trades；　and　so　put　my　life　in　jeopardy。　　He　gave　his　word　of　honor　he　wouldn't。　　But　he　broke　his　word。　　One　day；　when　Grotait　and　I　were　fast　friends；　and　never　thought　to　differ　again；　Grotait　told　me　this　Coventry　was　the　very　man　that　came　to　him　and　told