the queen of hearts-第14章

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trampling　of　horses；　and；　running　to　the　door；　saw　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Knifton；　with　their　groom　behind　them；　riding　up　to　the　Black
Cottage。　It　was　part　of　the　young　lady's　kindness　never　to
neglect　an　opportunity　of　coming　to　pay　me　a　friendly　visit；　and
her　husband　was　generally　willing　to　accompany　her　for　his　wife's
sake。　I　made　my　best　courtesy；　therefore；　with　a　great　deal　of
pleasure；　but　with　no　particular　surprise　at　seeing　them。　They
dismounted　and　entered　the　cottage；　laughing　and　talking　in　great
spirits。　I　soon　heard　that　they　were　riding　to　the　same　county
town　for　which　my　father　was　bound　and　that　they　intended　to　stay
with　some　friends　there　for　a　few　days；　and　to　return　home　on
horseback；　as　they　went　out。

I　heard　this；　and　I　also　discovered　that　they　had　been　having　an
argument；　in　jest；　about　money…matters；　as　they　rode　along　to　our
cottage。　Mrs。　Knifton　had　accused　her　husband　of　inveterate
extravagance；　and　of　never　being　able　to　go　out　with　money　in　his
pocket　without　spending　it　all；　if　he　possibly　could；　before　he
got　home　again。　Mr。　Knifton　had　laughingly　defended　himself　by
declaring　that　all　his　pocket…money　went　in　presents　for　his
wife；　and　that；　if　he　spent　it　lavishly；　it　was　under　her　sole
influence　and　superintendence。

〃We　are　going　to　Cliverton　now；〃　he　said　to　Mrs。　Knifton；　naming
the　county　town；　and　warming　himself　at　our　poor　fire　just　as
pleasantly　as　if　he　had　been　standing　on　his　own　grand　hearth。
〃You　will　stop　to　admire　every　pretty　thing　in　every　one　of　the
Cliverton　shop…windows；　I　shall　hand　you　the　purse；　and　you　will
go　in　and　buy。　When　we　have　reached　home　again；　and　you　　have　h　ad
time　to　get　tired　of　your　purchases；　you　will　clasp　your　hands　in
amazement；　and　declare　that　you　are　quite　shocked　at　my　habits　of
inveterate　extravagance。　I　am　only　the　banker　who　keeps　the
money；　you；　my　love；　are　the　spendthrift　who　throws　it　all　away！〃

〃Am　I；　sir？〃　said　Mrs。　Knifton；　with　a　look　of　mock　indignation。
〃We　will　see　if　I　am　to　be　misrepresented　in　this　way　with
impunity。　Bessie；　my　dear〃　（turning　to　me）；　〃you　shall　judge　how
far　I　deserve　the　character　which　that　unscrupulous　man　has　just
given　to　me。　_I_　am　the　spendthrift；　am　I？　And　you　are　only　the
banker？　Very　well。　Banker；　give　me　my　money　at　once；　if　you
please！〃

Mr。　Knifton　laughed；　and　took　some　gold　and　silver　from　his
waistcoat　pocket。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Knifton；　〃you　may　want　what　you　have　got
there　for　necessary　expenses。　Is　that　all　the　money　you　have
about　you？　What　do　I　feel　here？〃　and　she　tapped　her　husband　on
the　chest；　just　over　the　breast…pocket　of　his　coat。

Mr。　Knifton　laughed　again；　and　produced　his　pocketbook。　His　wife
snatched　it　out　of　his　hand；　opened　it；　and　drew　out　some
bank…notes；　put　them　back　again　immediately；　and；　closing　the
pocketbook；　stepped　across　the　room　to　my　poor　mother's　little
walnut…wood　book…case；　the　only　bit　of　valuable　furniture　we　had
in　the　house。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　there？〃　asked　Mr。　Knifton；　following
his　wife。

Mrs。　Knifton　opened　the　glass　door　of　the　book…case；　put　the
pocketbook　in　a　vacant　place　on　one　of　the　lower　shelves；　closed
and　locked　the　door　again；　and　gave　me　the　key。

〃You　called　me　a　spendthrift　just　now；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　my
answer。　Not　one　farthing　of　that　money　shall　you　spend　at
Cliverton　on　_me_。　Keep　the　key　in　your　pocket；　Bessie；　and；
whatever　Mr。　Knifton　may　say；　on　no　account　let　him　have　it　until
we　call　again　on　our　way　back。　No；　sir；　I　won't　trust　you　with
that　money　in　your　pocket　in　the　town　of　Cliverton。　I　will　make
sure　of　your　taking　it　all　home　again；　by　leaving　it　here　in　more
trustworthy　hands　than　yours　until　we　ride　back。　Bessie；　my　dear；
what　do　you　say　to　that　as　a　lesson　in　economy　inflicted　on　a
prudent　husband　by　a　spendthrift　wife？〃

She　took　Mr。　Knifton's　arm　while　she　spoke；　and　drew　him　away　to
the　door。　He　protested　and　made　some　resistance；　but　she　easily
carried　her　point；　for　he　was　far　too　fond　of　her　to　have　a　will
of　his　own　in　any　trifling　matter　between　them。　Whatever　the　men
might　say；　Mr。　Knifton　was　a　model　husband　in　the　estimation　of
all　the　women　who　knew　him。

〃You　will　see　us　as　we　come　back；　Bessie。　Till　then；　you　are　our
banker；　and　the　pocketbook　is　yours；〃　cried　Mrs。　Knifton；　gayly；
at　the　door。　Her　husband　lifted　her　into　the　saddle；　mounted
himself；　and　away　they　both　galloped　over　the　moor　as　wild　and
happy　as　a　couple　of　children。

Although　my　being　trusted　with　money　by　Mrs。　Knifton　was　no
novelty　（in　her　maiden　days　she　always　employed　me　to　pay　her
dress…maker's　bills）；　I　did　not　feel　quite　easy　at　having　a
pocketbook　full　of　bank…notes　left　by　her　in　my　charge。　I　had　no
positive　apprehensions　about　the　safety　of　the　deposit　placed　in
my　hands；　but　it　was　one　of　the　odd　points　in　my　character　then
（and　I　think　it　is　still）　to　feel　an　unreasonably　strong
objection　to　charging　myself　with　money　responsibilities　of　any
kind；　even　to　suit　the　convenience　of　my　dearest　friends。　As　soon
as　I　was　left　alone；　the　very　sight　of　the　pocketbook　behind　the
glass　door　of　the　book…case　began　to　worry　me；　and　instead　of
returning　to　my　work；　I　puzzled　my　brains　about　finding　a　place
to　lock　it　up　in；　where　it　would　not　be　exposed　to　the　view　of
any　chance　passers…by　who　might　stray　into　the　Black　Cottage。

This　was　not　an　easy　matter　to　compass　in　a　poor　house　like　ours；
where　we　had　nothing　valuable　to　put　under　lock　and　key。　After
running　over　various　hiding…places　in　my　mind；　I　thought　of　my
tea…caddy；　a　present　from　Mrs。　Knifton；　which　I　always　kept　out
of　harm's　way　in　my　own　bedroom。　Most　unluckilyas　it　afterward
turned　outinstead　of　taking　the　pocketbook　to　the　tea…caddy；　I
went　into　my　room　first　to　take　the　tea…caddy　to　the　pocketbook。
I　only　acted　in　this　roundabout　way　from　sheer　thoughtlessness；
and　severely　enough　I　was　punished　for　it；　as　you　will
acknowledge　yourself　when　you　have　read　a　page　or　two　more　of　my
story。

I　was　just　getting　the　unlucky　tea…caddy　out　of　my　cupboard；　when
I　heard　footsteps　in　the　passage；　and；　running　out　immediately；
saw　two　men　walk　into　the　kitchenthe　room　in　which　I　had
received　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Knifton。　I　inquired　what　they　wanted
sharply　enough；　and　one　of　them　answered　immediately　that　they
wanted　my　father。　He　turned　toward　me；　of　course；　as　he　spoke；
and　I　recognized　him　as　a　stone…mason；　going　among　his　comrades
by　the　name　of　Shifty　Dick。　He　bore　a　very　bad　character　for
everything　but　wrestling；　a　sport　for　which　the　working　men　of
our　parts　were　famous　all　through　the　county。　Shifty　Dick　was
champion；　and　he　had　got　his　name　from　some　tricks　of　wrestling；
for　which　he　was　celebrated。　He　was　a　tall；　heavy　man；　with　a
lowering；　scarred　face；　and　huge　hairy　handsthe　last　visitor　in
the　whole　world　that　I　should　have　been　glad　to　see　under　any
circumstances。　His　companion　was　a　stranger；　whom　he　addressed　by
the　name　of　Jerrya　quick；　dapper；　wicked…looking　man；　who　took
off　his　cap　to　me　with　mock　politeness；　and　showed；　in　so　doing；
a　very　bald　head；　with　some　very　ugly…looking　knobs　on　it。　I
distrusted　him　worse　than　I　did　Shifty　Dick；　and　managed　to　get
between　his　leering　eyes　and　the　book…case；　as　I　told　the　two
that　my　father　was　gone　out；　and　that　I　did　not　expect　him　back
till　the　next　day。

The　words　were　hardly　out　of　my　mouth　before　I　repented　that　my
anxiety　to　get　rid　of　my　unwelcome　visitors　had　made　me
incautious　enough　to　acknowledge　that　my　father　would　be　away
from　home　for　the　whole　night。

Shifty　Dick　and　his　companion　looked　at　each　other　when　I
unwisely　let　out　the　truth；　but　made　no　remark　except　to　ask　me
if　I　would　give　them　a　drop　of　cider。　I　answered　sharply　that　I
had　no　cider　in　the　house；　having　no　fear　of　the　consequences　of
refusing　them　drink；　because　I　knew　that　plenty　of　men　were　at
work　within　hail；　in　a　neighboring　quarry。　The　two　looked　at　each
other　again　when　I　denied　having　any　cider　to　give　them；　and
Jerry　（as　I　am　obliged　to　call　him；　knowing　no　other　name　by
which　to　distinguish　the　fellow）　took　off　his　cap　to　me　once
more；　and；　with　a　kind　of　blackguard　gentility　upon　him；　sai