put yourself in his place-第97部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃Not　he。〃

〃Who　would　have　thought　he　was　so　wicked？〃

This　seemed　rather　exaggerated　to　Jael；　for　with　all　Mrs。　Little's　teaching　she　was　not　quite　a　lady　yet　in　all　respects；　though　in　many　things　she　was　always　one　by　nature。　　〃Let　it　pass；〃　said　she。


　　　　　〃'It　is　a　man's　part　to　try；　　　　　　　　And　a　woman's　to　deny。'〃


〃And　how　often　shall　I　have　to　deny　him　I　love　so　dearly？〃

〃As　often　as　he　asks　you　to　be　his　mistress；　for；　call　it　what　you　like；　that　is　all　he　has　to　offer　you。〃

Grace　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。

Jael　colored。　　〃Excuse　my　blunt　speaking；　but　sometimes　the　worst　word　is　the　best；　fine　words　are　just　words　with　a　veil　on。〃

〃Will　he　dare　to　tempt　me　again；　after　what　I　said？〃

〃Of　course　he　will：　don't　you　know　him？　he　never　gives　in。　　But；　suppose　he　does；　you　have　your　answer　ready。〃

〃Jael；〃　said　Grace；　〃you　are　so　strong；　it　blinds　you　to　my　weakness。　　I　resist　him；　day　after　day！　　I；　who　pity　him　so；　and　blame　myself！　　Why；　his　very　look；　his　touch；　his　voice；　overpower　me　so　that　my　whole　frame　seems　dissolving：　feel　how　I　tremble　at　him；　even　now。　　No；　no；　let　those　resist　who　are　sure　of　their　strength。　　Virtue；　weakened　by　love　and　pity；　has　but　one　resource　to　fly。　　Jael　Dence；　if　you　are　a　woman；　help　me　to　save　the　one　thing　I　have　got　left　to　save。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Jael　Dence。

In　one　hour　from　that　time　they　had　packed　a　box　and　a　carpetbag；　and　were　on　their　way　to　a　railway　station。　　They　left　Hillsborough。

In　three　days　Jael　returned；　but　Grace　Coventry　did　not　come　back　with　her。


The　day　after　that　trying　scene；　Henry　Little　called；　not　to　urge　Grace　again；　as　she　presumed　he　would；　but　to　ask　pardon：　at　the　same　time　we　may　be　sure　of　thisthat；　after　a　day　or　two　spent　in　obtaining　pardon；　the　temptation　would　have　been　renewed；　and　so　on　forever。　　Of　this；　however；　Little　was　not　conscious：　he　came　to　ask　pardon；　and　offer　a　pure　and　patient　love；　till　such　time　as　Heaven　should　have　pity　on　them　both。　　He　was　informed　that　Mrs。　Coventry　had　quitted　Hillsborough；　and　left　a　letter　for　him。　　It　was　offered　him；　he　snatched　it　and　read　it。


〃MY　OWN　DEAR　HENRY；You　have　given　me　something　to　forgive；　and　I　forgive　you　without　asking；　as　I　hope　you　will　one　day　forgive　me。　I　have　left　Hillsborough　to　avoid　a　situation　that　was　intolerable　and　solicitations　which　I　blushed　to　hear；　and　for　which　you　would　one　day　have　blushed　too。　　This　parting　is　not　forever；　I　hope；　but　that　rests　with　yourself。　　Forego　your　idea　of　vengeance　on　that　man；　whose　chastisement　you　would　best　alleviate　by　ending　his　miserable　existence；　and　learn　to　love　me　honorably　and　patiently；　as　I　love　you。　　Should　you　obtain　this　great　victory　over　yourself；　you　will　see　me　again。　　Meantime；　think　of　her　who　loves　you　to　distraction；　and　whose　soul　hovers　about　you　unseen。　　Pray　for　me；　dear　one；　at　midnight；　and　at　eight　o'clock　every　morning；　for　those　are　two　of　the　hours　I　shall　pray　for　you。　　Do　you　remember　the　old　church；　and　how　you　cried　over　me？　　I　can　write　no　more：　my　tears　blind　me　so。　　Farewell。　　Your　unhappy

〃GRACE。〃


Little　read　this　piteous　letter；　and　it　was　a　heavy　blow　to　him；　a　blow　that　all　the　tenderness　shown　in　it　could　not　at　first　soften。　She　had　fled　from　him；　she　shunned　him。　　It　was　not　from　Coventry　she　fled；　it　was　from　him。

He　went　home　cold　and　sick　at　heart；　and　gave　himself　up　to　grief　and　deep　regrets　for　several　days。

But　soon　his　powerful　and　elastic　mind；　impatient　of　impotent　sorrow；　and　burning　for　some　kind　of　action；　seized　upon　vengeance　as　the　only　thing　left　to　do。

At　this　period　he　looked　on　Coventry　as　a　beast　in　human　shape；　whom　he　had　a　moral　right　to　extinguish；　only；　as　he　had　not　a　legal　right；　it　must　be　done　with　consummate　art。　　He　trusted　nobody；　spoke　to　nobody；　but　set　himself　quietly　to　find　out　where　Coventry　lived；　and　what　were　his　habits。　　He　did　this　with　little　difficulty。　　Coventry　lodged　in　a　principal　street；　but　always　dined　at　a　club；　and　returned　home　late；　walking　through　a　retired　street　or　two；　one　of　these　passed　by　the　mouth　of　a　narrow　court　that　was　little　used。

Little；　disguised　as　a　workman；　made　a　complete　reconnaissance　of　this　locality；　and　soon　saw　that　his　enemy　was　at　his　mercy。

But；　while　he　debated　within　himself　what　measure　of　vengeance　he　should　take；　and　what　noiseless　weapon　he　should　use；　an　unseen　antagonist　baffled　him。　　That　antagonist　was　Grace　Carden。　　Still　foreboding　mischief；　she　wrote　to　Mr。　Coventry；　from　a　town　two　hundred　miles　distant：


〃Whatever　you　are　now；　you　were　born　a　gentleman；　and　will；　I　think；　respect　a　request　from　a　lady　you　have　wronged。　　Mr。　Little　has　returned；　and　I　have　left　Hillsborough；　if　he　encounters　you　in　his　despair；　he　will　do　you　some　mortal　injury。　　This　will　only　make　matters　worse；　and　I　dread　the　scandal　that　will　follow；　and　to　hear　my　sad　story　in　a　court　of　law　as　a　justification　for　his　violence。　Oblige　me；　then；　by　leaving　Hillsborough　for　a　time；　as　I　have　done。〃


On　receipt　of　this；　Coventry　packed　up　his　portmanteau　directly；　and；　leaving　Lally　behind　to　watch　the　town；　and　see　whether　this　was　a　ruse；　he　went　directly　to　the　town　whence　Grace's　letter　was　dated；　and　to　the　very　hotel。

This　she　had　foreseen　and　intended。

He　found　she　had　been　there；　and　had　left　for　a　neighboring　watering…place：　he　followed　her　thither；　and　there　she　withdrew　the　clew；　she　left　word　she　was　gone　to　Stirling；　but　doubled　on　him；　and　soon　put　hundreds　of　miles　between　them。　　He　remained　in　Scotland；　hunting　her。

Thus　she　played　the　gray　plover　with　him　she　hated；　and　kept　the　beloved　hands　from　crime。

When　Little　found　that　Coventry　had　left　Hillsborough；　he　pretended　to　himself　that　he　was　glad　of　it。　　〃My　darling　is　right；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　obey　her；　and　do　nothing　contrary　to　law。　　I　will　throw　him　into　prison；　that　is　all。〃　　With　these　moderated　views；　he　called　upon　his　friend　Ransome；　whom　of　course　he　had；　as　yet；　carefully　avoided；　to　ask　his　aid　in　collecting　the　materials　for　an　indictment。　　He　felt　sure　that　Coventry　had　earned　penal　servitude；　if　the　facts　could　only　be　put　in　evidence。　　He　found　Ransome　in　low　spirits；　and　that　excellent　public　servant　being　informed　what　he　was　wanted　for；　said　dryly；　〃Well；　but　this　will　require　some　ability：　don't　you　think　your　friend　Silly　Billy　would　be　more　likely　to　do　it　effectually　than　John　Ransome？〃

〃Why；　Ransome；　are　you　mad？〃

〃No；　I　merely　do　myself　justice。　　Silly　Billy　smelt　that　faulty　grindstone；　and　I　can't　smell　a　rat　a　yard　from　my　nose；　it　seems。　You　shall　judge　for　yourself。　　There　have　been　several　burglaries　in　this　town　of　late；　and　planned　by　a　master。　　This　put　me　on　my　mettle；　and　I　have　done　all　I　could；　with　my　small　force；　and　even　pryed　about　in　person；　night　after　night；　and　that　is　not　exactly　my　business；　but　I　felt　it　my　duty。　　Well；　sir；　two　nights　ago；　no　more；　I　had　the　luck　to　come　round　a　corner　right　upon　a　job：　Alderman　Dick's　house；　full　of　valuables；　and　the　windows　well　guarded；　but　one　of　his　cellars　is　only　covered　with　a　heavy　wooden　shutter；　bolted　within。　　I　found　this　open；　and　a　board　wedged　in；　to　keep　it　ajar：　down　I　went　on　my　knees；　saw　a　light　inside；　and　heard　two　words　of　thieves'　latin；　that　was　enough；　you　know；　I　whipped　out　the　board；　jumped　on　the　heavy　shutter；　and　called　for　the　police。〃

〃Did　you　expect　them　to　come？〃

〃Not　much。　　These　jobs　are　timed　so　as　not　to　secure　the　attendance　of　the　police。　　But　assistance　of　another　kind　came；　a　gentleman　full　dressed；　in　a　white　tie　and　gloves；　ran　up；　and　asked　me　what　it　was。　　'Thieves　in　the　cellar；'　said　I；　and　shouted　police；　and　gave　my　whistle。　　The　gentleman　jumped　on　the　shutter。　　'I　can　keep　that　down；'　said　he。　　'I'm　sure　I　saw　two　policemen　in　acorn　Street：　run　quick！'　and　he　showed　me　his　sword…cane；　and　seemed　so　hearty　in　it；　and　confident；　I　ran　round　the　corner；　and　gave　my　whistle。　　Two　policemen　came　up；　but；　in　that　moment；　the　swell　accomplice　had　pulled　all　his　pals　out　of　the　cellar；　and　all　I　saw　of　the　lot；　when　I　came　back；　was　the　swell's　swallow…tail　coat　flying　like　the　wind　toward　a　back　slum；　where　I　and　my　bobbies　should　have　been　knocked　on　the　head；　if　we　had　tried　to　follow　him；　but　indeed　he　was　too　fleet　to　give　us　the　chance。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Henry；　〃that　was　provoking：　but　who　can　foresee　every　thing　all　in　a　moment？　　I　have　been　worse　duped　than　that　a　good　many　times。〃

Ransome　shook　his　head。　　〃An　old　officer　of　police；　like　me；　not　to　smell　a　swell　accomplice。　　I　had　only　to　handcuff　that　man；　and　set　him　down　with　me　on　the　shutter；　till；　in　the　dispensation　of　Providence；　a　bobby　came　by。〃

He　added　by　way　of　corollary；　〃You　should　send　to　London　for　a　detective。〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　Henry。　　〃I　know　you　for　a　sagacious　man；　and　a　worthy　man；　and　my　friend。　　I'll　have　no　one　to　help　me　in　it　but　you。〃

〃Won't　you？〃　said　Ransome。　　〃Then　I'll　go　in。　　You　have　done　me　good；　Mr。　Little；　by　sticking　to　a　defeated　friend　like　this。　　Now　for　your　case；　tell　me　all　you　know；　and　how　you　know　it。〃

Henry　complied；　and　Ransome　took　his　notes。　　Then　he　said；　he　had　got　some　old　memoranda　by　him；　that　might　prove　valuable：　he　would　call　in　two　days。

He　did　call；　and　showed　Henry　Coventry's　card；　and　told　him　he　had　picked　it　up　close　by　his　letter…box；　on　the　very　night　of　the　explosion。　　〃Mark　my　words；　this　will　expand　into　something；〃　said　the　experienced　officer。

Before　he　left；　he　told　Henry　that　he　had　now　every　reason　to　believe　the　swell　accomplice　was　Shifty　Dick；　the　most　successful　and　distinguished　criminal　in　England。　　〃I　have　just　got　word　from　London　that　he　has　been　working　here；　and　has　collared　a　heavy　swag；　he　says　he　will　go　into　trade：　one　of　his　old　pals　let　that　out　in　jail。　　Trade！　then　heaven　help　his　customers；　that　is　all。〃

〃You　may　catch　him　yet。〃

〃When　I　catch　Jack…a…lantern。　　He　is　not　so　green　as　to　stay　a　day　in　Hillsborough；　now　his　face　has　been　close　to　mine；　they　all　know　I　never　forget　a　face。　　No；　no；　I　shall　never　see　him　again；　till　I　am　telegraphed　for；　to　inspect　his　mug　and　his　wild…cat　eyes　in　some　jail　or　other。　　I　must　try　and　not　think　of　him；　it　disturbs　my　mind