put yourself in his place-第95部分

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in　Coventry　lending　him　two　hundred　pounds　on　his　personal　security。　　To　dispose　of　Mr。　Beresford　for　the　present　I　will　add　that；　soon　after　this；　his　zeal　for　the　poor　subjected　him　to　an　affront。　　He　was　a　man　of　soup…　kitchens　and　subscriptions。　　One　of　the　old　fogies；　who　disliked　him；　wrote　letters　to　The　Liberal；　and　demanded　an　account　of　his　receipts　and　expenditure　in　these　worthy　objects；　and　repeated　the　demand　with　a　pertinacity　that　implied　suspicion。　　Then　Mr。　Beresford　called　upon　Dr。　Fynes；　and　showed　him　the　letters；　and　confessed　to　him　that　he　never　kept　any　accounts；　either　of　public　or　private　expenditure。　　〃I　can　construe　Apollonius　Rhodiuswith　your　assistance；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　never　could　add　up　pounds；　shillings；　and　pence；　far　less　divide　them　except　amongst　the　afflicted。〃　　〃Take　no　notice　of　the　cads；〃　said　Dr。　Fynes。　　But　Beresford　represented　meekly　that　a　clergyman's　value　and　usefulness　were　gone　when　once　a　slur　was　thrown　upon　him。　　Then　Dr。　Fynes　gave　him　high　testimonials；　and　they　parted　with　mutual　regret。

It　took　Grace　a　day　to　get　over　her　interview　with　Mr。　Beresford；　and　when　with　Jael's　help　she　was　calm　again；　she　received　a　letter　from　Coventry；　indited　in　tones　of　the　deepest　penitence；　but　reminding　her　that　he　had　offered　her　his　life；　had　made　no　resistance　when　she　offered　to　take　it；　and　never　would。

There　was　nothing　in　the　letter　that　irritated　her；　but　she　saw　in　it　an　attempt　to　open　a　correspondence。　　She　wrote　back：


〃If　you　really　repent　your　crimes；　and　have　any　true　pity　for　the　poor　creature　whose　happiness　you　have　wrecked；　show　it　by　leaving　this　place；　and　ceasing　all　communication　with　her。〃


This　galled　Coventry；　and　he　wrote　back：


〃What！　leave　the　coast　clear　to　Mr。　Little？　　No；　Mrs。　Coventry；　no。〃


Grace　made　no　reply；　but　a　great　terror　seized　her；　and　from　that　hour　preyed　constantly　on　her　mindthe　fear　that　Coventry　and　Little　would　meet；　and　the　man　she　loved　would　do　some　rash　act；　and　perhaps　perish　on　the　scaffold　for　it。

This　was　the　dominant　sentiment　of　her　distracted　heart；　when　one　day；　at　eleven　A。M。；　came　a　telegram　from　Liverpool：


〃Just　landed。　　Will　be　with　you　by　four。

〃HENRY　LITTLE。〃


Jael　found　her　shaking　all　over；　with　this　telegram　in　her　hand。

〃Thank　God　you　are　with　me！〃　she　gasped。　　〃Let　me　see　him　once　more；　and　die。〃

This　was　her　first　thought；　but　all　that　day　she　was　never　in　the　same　mind　for　long　together。　　She　would　burst　out　into　joy　that　he　was　really　alive；　and　she　should　see　his　face　once　more。　　Then　she　would　cower　with　terror；　and　say　she　dared　not　look　him　in　the　face；　she　was　not　worthy。　　Then　she　would　ask　wildly；　who　was　to　tell　him？　What　would　become　of　him？

〃It　would　break　his　heart；　or　destroy　his　reason。　　After　all　he　had　done　and　suffered　for　her！〃

Oh！　why　could　she　not　die　before　he　came？　　Seeing　her　dead　body　he　would　forgive　her。　　She　should　tell　him　she　loved　him　still；　should　always　love　him。　　She　would　withhold　no　comfort。　　Perhaps　he　would　kill　her；　if　so；　Jael　must　manage　so　that　he　should　not　be　taken　up　or　tormented　any　more；　for　such　a　wretch　as　she　was。

But　I　might　as　well　try　to　dissect　a　storm；　and　write　the　gusts　of　a　tempest；　as　to　describe　all　the　waves　of　passion　in　that　fluctuating　and　agonized　heart：　the　feelings　and　the　agitation　of　a　life　were　crowded　into　those　few　hours；　during　which　she　awaited　the　lover　she　had　lost。

At　last；　Jael　Dence；　though　she　was　also　much　agitated　and　perplexed；　decided　on　a　course　of　action。　　Just　before　four　o'clock　she　took　Grace　upstairs　and　told　her　she　might　see　him　arrive；　but　she　must　not　come　down　until　she　was　sent　for。　　〃I　shall　see　him　first；　and　tell　him　all；　and；　when　he　is　fit　to　see　you；　I　will　let　you　know。〃

Grace　submitted；　and　even　consented　to　lie　down　for　half　an　hour。　She　was　now；　in　truth；　scarcely　able　to　stand；　being　worn　out　with　the　mental　struggle。　　She　lay　passive；　with　Jael　Dence's　hand　in　hers。

When　she　had　lain　so　about　an　hour；　she　started　up　suddenly；　and　the　next　moment　a　fly　stopped　at　the　door。　　Henry　Little　got　out　at　the　gate；　and　walked　up　the　gravel　to　the　house。

Grace　looked　at　him　from　behind　the　curtain；　gazed　at　him　till　he　disappeared；　and　then　turned　round；　with　seraphic　joy　on　her　countenance。　　〃My　darling！〃　she　murmured；　〃more　beautiful　than　ever！　Oh　misery！　misery！〃

One　moment　her　heart　was　warm　with　rapture；　the　next　it　was　cold　with　despair。　　But　the　joy　was　blind　love；　the　despair　was　reason。

She　waited；　and　waited；　but　no　summons　came。

She　could　not　deny　herself　the　sound　of　his　voice。　　She　crept　down　the　stairs；　and　into　her　father's　library；　separated　only　by　thin　folding…doors　from　the　room　where　Henry　Little　was　with　Jael　Dence。


Meantime　Jael　Dence　opened　the　door　to　Henry　Little；　and；　putting　her　fingers　to　her　lips；　led　him　into　the　dining…room　and　shut　the　door。

Now；　as　his　suspicions　were　already　excited；　this　reception　alarmed　him　seriously。　　As　soon　as　ever　they　were　alone；　he　seized　both　Jael's　hands；　and；　looking　her　full　in　the　face；　said：

〃One　wordis　she　alive？〃

〃She　is。〃

〃Thank　god！　　Bless　the　tongue　that　tells　me　that。　　My　good　Jael！　my　best　friend！〃　　And；　with　that；　kissed　her　heartily　on　both　cheeks。

She　received　this　embrace　like　a　woman　of　wood；　a　faint　color　rose；　but　retired　directly；　and　left　her　cheek　as　pale　as　before。

He　noticed　her　strange　coldness；　and　his　heart　began　to　quake。

〃There　is　something　the　matter？〃　he　whispered。

〃There　is。〃

〃Something　you　don't　like　to　tell　me？〃

〃Like　to　tell　you！　　I　need　all　my　courage；　and　you　yours。〃

Say　she　is　alive；　once　more。〃

〃She　is　alive；　and　not　likely　to　die；　but　she　does　not　care　to　live　now。　　They　told　her　you　were　dead；　they　told　her　you　were　false；　appearances　were　such　she　had　no　chance　not　to　be　deceived。　　She　held　out　for　a　long　time；　but　they　got　the　better　of　herher　father　is　much　to　blameshe　ismarried。〃

〃Married！〃

〃Yes！〃

〃Married！〃　　He　leaned；　sick　as　death；　against　the　mantel…piece；　and　gasped　so　terribly　that　Jael's　fortitude　gave　way；　and　she　began　to　cry。

After　a　long　time　he　got　a　word　or　two　out　in　a　broken　voice。

〃The　falseinconstantwretch！　　Oh　Heaven！　what　I　have　done　and　suffered　for　herand　now　married！married！　　And　the　earth　doesn't　swallow　her；　nor　the　thunder　strike　her！　　Curse　her；　curse　her　husband；　curse　her　children！　may　her　name　be　a　by…word　for　shame　and　misery〃

〃Hush！　hush！　or　you　will　curse　your　own　mad　tongue。　　Hear　all；　before　you　judge　her。〃

〃I　have　heard　all；　she　is　a　wife；　she　shall　soon　be　a　widow。　Thought　I　was　false！　　What　business　had　she　to　think　I　was　false？　It　is　only　false　hearts　that　suspect　true　ones。　　She　thought　me　dead？　　Why？　　Because　I　was　out　of　sight。　　She　heard　there　was　a　dead　hand　found　in　the　river。　　Why　didn't　she　go　and　see　it？　　Could　all　creation　pass　another　hand　off　on　me　for　hers？　　No；　for　I　loved　her。　She　never　loved　me。〃

〃She　loved　you；　and　loves　you　still。　　When　that　dead　hand　was　found；　she　fell　swooning；　and　lay　at　death's　door　for　you；　and　now　she　has　stained　her　hands　with　blood　for　you。　　She　tried　to　kill　her　husband；　the　moment　she　found　you　were　alive　and　true；　and　he　had　made　a　fool　of　her。〃

〃TRIED　to　kill　him！　　Why　didn't　she　do　it？　　I　should　not　have　failed　at　such　work。　　I　love　her。〃

〃Blame　me　for　that；　I　stopped　her　arm；　and　I　am　stronger　than　she　is。　　I　say　she　is　no　more　to　blame　than　you。　　You　have　acted　like　a　madman；　and　she　suffers　for　it。　　Why　did　you　slip　away　at　night　like　that；　and　not　tell　me？〃

〃I　left　letters　to　you　and　her；　and　other　people　besides。〃

〃Yes；　left　them；　and　hadn't　the　sense　to　post　them。　　Why　didn't　you　TELL　me？　　Had　ever　any　young　man　as　faithful　and　true　a　friend　in　any　young　woman　as　you　had　in　me？　　Many　a　man　has　saved　a　woman's　life；　but　it　isn't　often　that　a　woman　fights　for　a　man；　and　gets　the　upper　hand：　yet　you　gave　me　nothing　in　return；　not　even　your　confidence。　　Look　the　truth　in　the　face；　my　lad；　all　your　trouble；　and　all　hers；　comes　of　your　sneaking　out　of　Hillsborough　in　that　daft　way；　without　a　word　to　me；　the　true　friend；　that　was　next　door　to　you；　which　I　nearly　lost　my　life　by　your　fault；　for；　if　you　had　told　me；　I　should　have　seen　you　off；　and　so　escaped　a　month's　hospital；　and　other　troubles　that　almost　drove　me　crazy。　　Don't　you　abuse　that　poor　young　lady　before　me；　or　I　sha'n't　spare　you。　　She　is　more　to　be　pitied　than　you　are。　　Folk　should　look　at　home　for　the　cause　of　their　troubles；　her　misery；　and　yours；　it　is　all　owing　to　your　own　folly　and　ingratitude；　ay；　you　may　look；　I　mean　what　I　say　ingratitude。〃

The　attack　was　so　sudden　and　powerful　that　Henry　Little　was　staggered　and　silenced；　but　an　unexpected　defender　appeared　on　the　scene；　one　of　the　folding…doors　was　torn　open；　and　Grace　darted　in。

〃How　dare　you　say　it　is　his　fault；　poor　ill…used　angel！　　No；　no；　no；　no；　I　am　the　only　one　to　blame。　　I　didn't　love　you　as　you　deserved。　I　tried　to　die　for　you；　and　FAILED。　　I　tried　to　kill　that　monster　for　you；　and　FAILED。　　I　am　too　weak　and　silly；　I　shall　only　make　you　more　unhapppy。　　Give　me　one　kiss；　my　own　darling；　and　then　kill　me　out　of　the　way。〃　　With　this　she　was　over　his　knees　and　round　his　neck　in　a　moment；　weeping；　and　clutching　him　with　a　passionate　despair　that　melted　all　his　anger　away；　and　soon　his　own　tears　tell　on　her　like　rain。

〃Ah；　Grace！　Grace！〃　he　sobbed；　〃how　could　you？　how　could　you？〃

〃Don't　speak　unkindly　to　her；〃　cried　Jael；　〃or　she　won't　be　alive　a　day。　　She　is　worse　off　than　you　are；　and　so　is　he　too。〃

〃You　mock　me；　he　is　her　husband。　　He　can　make　her　live　with　him。　　He　can〃　　Here　he　broke　out　cursing　and　blaspheming；　and　called　Grace　a　viper；　and　half　thrust　her　away　from　him　with　horror；　and　his　face　filled　with　jealous　anguish：　he　looked　like　a　man　dying　of　poison。

Then　he　rose　to　his　feet；　and　said；　with　a　sort　of　deadly　calm；　〃Where　can　I　find　the　man？〃

〃Not　in　this　house；　you　may　be　sure；〃　said　Jael；　〃nor　in　any　house　where　she　is。〃

Henry　sank　into　his　seat　again；　and　looked　amazed。

〃Tell　him　all；〃　said　Grace。　　〃Don't　let　him　think　I　do　not　love　him　at　all。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Jael。　　〃Well；　the　wedding　was　at　eleven；　your　letter　cam