put yourself in his place-第94部分

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r　thought　to　differ　again；　Grotait　told　me　this　Coventry　was　the　very　man　that　came　to　him　and　told　him　where　I　was　working。　　Such　a　lump　of　human　dirt　as　thatfor　you　can't　call　him　a　manmust　be　capable　of　any　thing。〃


Here　the　reading　of　the　letter　was　interrupted　by　an　incident。


There　was　on　the　toilet…table　a　stiletto；　with　a　pearl　handle。　　It　was　a　small　thing；　but　the　steel　rather　long；　and　very　bright　and　pointed。

The　unfortunate　bride；　without　lifting　her　head　from　the　table；　had　reached　out　her　hand；　and　was　fingering　this　stiletto。　　Jael　Dence　went　and　took　it　gently　away；　and　put　it　out　of　reach。　　The　bride　went　on　fingering；　as　if　she　had　still　got　hold　of　it。

Amboyne　exchanged　an　approving　glance　with　Jael；　and　Raby　concluded　the　letter。


〃I　shall　be　home　in　a　few　days　after　this；　and；　if　I　find　my　darling　well　and　happy；　there's　no　great　harm　done。　　I　don't　mind　my　own　trouble　and　anxiety；　great　as　they　are；　but　if　any　scoundrel　has　made　her　unhappy；　or　made　her　believe　I　am　dead；　or　false　to　my　darling；　by　God；　I'll　kill　him；　though　I　hang　for　it　next　day！〃


Crushed；　benumbed；　and　broken　as　Grace　Coventry　was；　this　sentence　seemed　to　act　on　her　like　an　electric　shock。

She　started　wildly　up。　　〃What！　my　Henry　die　like　a　felonfor　a　villain　like　him；　and　an　idiot　like　me！　　You　won't　allow　that；　nor　younor　I。〃

A　soft　step　came　to　the　door；　and　a　gentle　tap。

〃Who　is　that？〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne。

〃The　bridegroom；〃　replied　a　soft　voice。

〃You　can't　come　in　here；〃　said　Raby；　roughly。

〃Open　the　door；〃　said　the　bride。

Jael　went　to　the　door；　but　looked　uncertain。

〃Don't　keep　the　bridegroom　out；〃　said　Grace；　reproachfully。　　Then；　in　a　voice　as　sweet　as　his　own；　〃I　want　to　see　him；　I　want　to　speak　to　him。〃

Jael　opened　the　door　slowly；　for　she　felt　uneasy。　　Raby　shrugged　his　shoulders　contemptuously　at　Grace's　condescending　to　speak　to　the　man；　and　in　so　amiable　a　tone。

Coventry　entered；　and　began；　〃My　dear　Grace；　the　carriage　is　ready〃

No　sooner　had　she　got　him　fairly　into　the　room；　than　the　bride　snatched　up　the　stiletto；　and　flew　at　the　bridegroom　with　gleaming　eyes；　uplifted　weapon；　the　yell　of　a　furious　wild　beast；　and　hair　flying　out　behind　her　head　like　a　lion's　mane。


CHAPTER　XL。


Dr。　Amboyne　and　Raby　cried　out；　and　tried　to　interfere；　but　Grace's　movement　was　too　swift；　furious；　and　sudden；　she　was　upon　the　man；　with　her　stiletto　high　in　the　air；　before　they　could　get　to　her；　and　indeed　the　blow　descended；　and；　inspired　as　it　was　by　love；　and　hate；　and　fury；　would　doubtless　have　buried　the　weapon　in　a　rascal's　body；　but　Jael　Dence　caught　Grace's　arm：　that　weakened；　and　also　diverted　the　blow；　yet　the　slight；　keen　weapon　pierced　Coventry's　cheek；　and　even　inflicted　a　slight　wound　upon　the　tongue。　　That　very　moment　Jael　Dence　dragged　her　away；　and　held　her　round　the　waist；　writhing　and　striking　the　air；　her　white　hand　and　bridal　sleeve　sprinkled　with　her　bridegroom's　blood。

As　for　him；　his　love；　criminal　as　it　was；　supplied　the　place　of　heroism：　he　never　put　up　a　finger　in　defense。　　〃No；〃　said　he；　despairingly；　〃let　me　die　by　her　hand；　it　is　all　I　hope　for　now。〃　He　even　drew　near　her　to　enable　her　to　carry　out　her　wish：　but；　on　that；　Jael　Dence　wrenched　her　round　directly；　and　Dr。　Amboyne　disarmed　her；　and　Raby　marched　between　the　bride　and　the　bridegroom；　and　kept　them　apart：　then　they　all　drew　their　breath；　for　the　first　time；　and　looked　aghast　at　each　other。

Not　a　face　in　that　room　had　an　atom　of　color　left　in　it；　yet　it　was　not　until　the　worst　was　over　that　they　realized　the　savage　scene。

The　bridegroom　leaned　against　the　wardrobe；　a　picture　of　despair；　with　blood　trickling　from　his　cheek；　and　channeling　his　white　waist…　coat　and　linen；　the　bride；　her　white　and　bridal　sleeve　spotted　with　blood；　writhed　feebly　in　Jael　Dence's　arms；　and　her　teeth　clicked　together；　and　her　eyes　shone　wildly。　　At　that　moment　she　was　on　the　brink　of　frenzy。

Raby；　a　man　by　nature；　and　equal　to　great　situations；　was　the　first　to　recover　self…possession　and　see　his　way。　　〃Silence！〃　said　he；　sternly。　　〃Amboyne；　here's　a　wounded　man；　attend　to　him。〃

He　had　no　need　to　say　that　twice；　the　doctor　examined　his　patient　zealously；　and　found　him　bleeding　from　the　tongue　as　well　as　the　cheek；　he　made　him　fill　his　mouth　with　a　constant　supply　of　cold　water；　and　applied　cold　water　to　the　nape　of　his　neck。

And　now　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　a　voice　inquired　rather　impatiently；　what　they　were　about　all　this　time。　　It　was　Mr。　Carden's　voice。

They　let　him　in；　but　instantly　closed　the　door。　　〃Now；　hush！〃　said　Raby；　〃and　let　me　tell　him。〃　　He　then；　in　a　very　few　hurried　words；　told　him　the　matter。　　Coventry　hung　his　head　lower　and　lower。

Mr。　Carden　was　terribly　shaken。　　He　could　hardly　speak　for　some　time。　　When　he　did；　it　was　in　the　way　of　feeble　expostulation。　　〃Oh；　my　child！　my　child！　what；　would　you　commit　murder？〃

〃Don't　you　see　I　would；〃　cried　she；　contemptuously；　〃sooner　than　HE　should　do　it；　and　suffer　for　it　like　a　felon？　　You　are　all　blind；　and　no　friends　of　mine。　　I　should　have　rid　the　earth　of　a　monster；　and　they　would　never　have　hanged　ME。　　I　hate　you　all；　you　worst　of　all；　that　call　yourself　my　father；　and　drove　me　to　marry　this　villain。　　One　thingyou　won't　be　always　at　hand　to　protect　him。〃

〃I'll　give　you　every　opportunity；〃　said　Coventry；　doggedly。　　〃You　shall　kill　me　for　loving　you　so　madly。〃

〃She　shall　do　no　such　thing；〃　said　Mr。　Carden。　　〃Opportunity？　do　you　know　her　so　little　as　to　think　she　will　ever　live　with　you。　　Get　out　of　my　house；　and　never　presume　to　set　foot　in　at　again。　　My　good　friends；　have　pity　on　a　miserable　father　and　help　me　to　hide　this　monstrous　thing　from　the　world。〃

This　appeal　was　not　lost：　the　gentlemen　put　their　heads　together　and　led　Coventry　into　another　room。　　There　Dr。　Amboyne　attended　to　him；　while　Mr。　Carden　went　down　and　told　his　guests　the　bridegroom　had　been　taken　ill；　so　seriously　indeed　that　anxiety　and　alarm　had　taken　the　place　of　joy。

The　guests　took　the　hint　and　dispersed；　wondering　and　curious。

Meantime；　on　one　side　of　a　plaster　wall　Amboyne　was　attending　the　bridegroom；　and　stanching　the　effusion　of　blood；　on　the　other；　Raby　and　Jael　Dence　were　bringing　the　bride　to　reason。

She　listened　to　nothing　they　could　say　until　they　promised　her　most　solemnly　that　she　should　never　be　compelled　to　pass　a　night　under　the　same　roof　as　Frederick　Coventry。　　That　pacified　her　not　a　little。

Dr。　Amboyne　had　also　great　trouble　with　his　patient：　the　wound　in　the　cheek　was　not　serious；　but；　by　a　sort　of　physical　retribution　of　which；　by…the…bye；　I　have　encountered　many　curious　examplesthe　tongue；　that　guilty　part　of　Frederick　Coventry；　though　slightly　punctured；　bled　so　persistently　that　Amboyne　was　obliged　to　fill　his　mouth　with　ice；　and　at　last　support　him　with　stimulants。　　He　peremptorily　refused　to　let　him　be　moved　from　Woodbine　Villa。

When　this　was　communicated　to　Grace；　she　instantly　exacted　Raby's　promise；　and　as　he　was　a　man　who　never　went　from　his　word；　he　drove　her　and　Jael　to　Raby　Hall　that　very　night；　and　they　left　Coventry　in　the　villa；　attended　by　a　surgeon；　under　whose　care　Amboyne　had　left　him　with　strict　injunctions。　　Mr。　Carden　was　secretly　mortified　at　his　daughter's　retreat；　but　raised　no　objection。

Next　morning；　however；　he　told　Coventry；　and　then　Coventry　insisted　on　leaving　the　house。　　〃I　am　unfortunate　enough；〃　said　he：　〃do　not　let　me　separate　my　only　friend　from　his　daughter。〃

Mr。　Carden　sent　a　carriage　off　to　Raby　Hall；　with　a　note；　telling　Grace　Mr。　Coventry　was　gone　of　his　own　accord；　and　appeared　truly　penitent；　and　much　shocked　at　having　inadvertently　driven　her　out　of　the　house。　　He　promised　also　to　protect　her；　should　Coventry　break　his　word　and　attempted　to　assume　marital　rights　without　her　concurrence。

This　letter　found　Grace　in　a　most　uncomfortable　position。　　Mrs。　Little　had　returned　late　to　Raby　Hall；　but　in　the　morning　she　heard　from　Jael　Dence　that　Grace　was　in　the　house；　and　why。

The　mother's　feathers　were　up；　and　she　could　neither　pity　nor　excuse。　　She　would　not　give　the　unhappy　girl　a　word　of　comfort。　Indeed；　she　sternly　refused　to　see　her。　　〃No；〃　said　she：　〃Mrs。　Coventry　is　unhappy；　so　this　is　no　time　to　show　her　how　thoroughly　Henry　Little's　mother　despises　her。〃

These　bitter　words　never　reached　poor　Grace；　but　the　bare　fact　of　Mrs。　Little　not　coming　down…stairs　by　one　o'clock；　nor　sending　a　civil　message；　spoke　volumes；　and　Grace　was　sighing　over　it　when　her　father's　letter　came。　　She　went　home　directly；　and　so　heartbroken；　that　Jael　Dence　pitied　her　deeply；　and　went　with　her；　intending　to　stay　a　day　or　two　only。

But　every　day　something　or　other　occurred；　which　combined　with　Grace's　prayers　to　keep　her　at　Woodbine　Villa。

Mr。　Coventry　remained　quiet　for　some　days；　by　which　means　he　pacified　Grace's　terrors。

On　the　fourth　day　Mr。　Beresford　called　at　Woodbine　Villa；　and　Grace　received　him；　he　being　the　curate　of　the　parish。

He　spoke　to　her　in　a　sympathetic　tone；　which　let　her　know　at　once　he　was　partly　in　the　secret。　　He　said　he　had　just　visited　a　very　guilty；　but　penitent　man；　that　we　all　need　forgiveness；　and　that　a　woman；　once　married；　has　no　chance　of　happiness　but　with　her　husband。

Grace　maintained　a　dead　silence；　only　her　eye　began　to　glitter。

Mr。　Beresford；　who　had　learned　to　watch　the　countenance　of　all　those　he　spoke　to　changed　his　tone　immediately；　from　a　spiritual　to　a　secular　adviser。

〃If　I　were　you；〃　said　he；　in　rather　an　offhand　way；　〃I　would　either　forgive　this　man　the　sin　into　which　his　love　has　betrayed　him；　or　I　would　try　to　get　a　divorce。　　This　would　cost　money：　but；　if　you　don't　mind　expense；　I　think　I　could　suggest　a　way〃

Grace　interrupted　him。　　〃From　whom　did　you　learn　my　misery；　and　his　villainy？　　I　let　you　in；　because　I　thought　you　came　from　God；　but　you　come　from　a　villain。　　Go　back；　sir；　and　say　that　an　angel；　sent　by　him；　becomes　a　devil　in　my　eyes。〃　　And　she　rang　the　bell　with　a　look　that　spoke　volumes。

Mr。　Beresford　bowed；　smiled　bitterly；　and　went　back　to　Coventry；　with　whom　he　had　a　curious　interview；　that　ended　in　Coventry　lending　him　two　hundred　pounds　on　his　personal　security。　　To　dispose　of　Mr。　Beresford　fo