the queen of hearts-第15章

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which　to　distinguish　the　fellow）　took　off　his　cap　to　me　once
more；　and；　with　a　kind　of　blackguard　gentility　upon　him；　said
they　would　have　the　pleasure　of　calling　the　next　day；　when　my
father　was　at　home。　I　said　good…afternoon　as　ungraciously　as
possible；　and；　to　my　great　relief；　they　both　left　the　cottage
immediately　afterward。

As　soon　as　they　were　well　away；　I　watched　them　from　the　door。
They　trudged　off　in　the　direction　of　Moor　Farm；　and；　as　it　was
beginning　to　get　dusk；　I　soon　lost　sight　of　them。

Half　an　hour　afterward　I　looked　out　again。

The　wind　had　lulled　with　the　sunset；　but　the　mist　was　rising；　and
a　heavy　rain　was　beginning　to　fall。　Never　did　the　lonely　prospect
of　the　moor　look　so　dreary　as　it　looked　to　my　eyes　that　evening。
Never　did　I　regret　any　slight　thing　more　sincerely　than　I　then
regretted　the　leaving　of　Mr。　Knifton's　pocketbook　in　my　charge。　I
cannot　say　that　I　suffered　under　any　actual　alarm；　for　I　felt
next　to　certain　that　neither　Shifty　Dick　nor　Jerry　had　got　a
chance　of　setting　eyes　on　so　small　a　thing　as　the　pocketbook
while　they　were　in　the　kitchen；　but　there　was　a　kind　of　vague
distrust　troubling　mea　suspicion　of　the　nighta　dislike　of
being　left　by　myself；　which　I　never　remember　having　experienced
before。　This　feeling　so　increased　after　I　had　closed　the　door　and
gone　back　to　the　kitchen；　that；　when　I　heard　the　voices　of　the
quarrymen　as　they　passed　our　cottage　on　their　way　home　to　the
village　in　the　valley　below　Moor　Farm；　I　stepped　out　into　the
passage　with　a　momentary　notion　of　telling　them　how　I　was
situated；　and　asking　them　for　advice　and　protection。

I　had　hardly　formed　this　idea；　however；　before　I　dismissed　it。
None　of　the　quarrymen　were　intimate　friends　of　mine。　I　had　a
nodding　acquaintance　with　them；　and　believed　them　to　be　honest
men；　as　times
　went。　But　my　own　common　sense　told　me　that　what　little　knowledge
of　their　characters　I　had　was　by　no　means　sufficient　to　warrant
me　in　admitting　them　into　my　confidence　in　the　matter　of　the
pocketbook。　I　had　seen　enough　of　poverty　and　poor　men　to　know
what　a　terrible　temptation　a　large　sum　of　money　is　to　those　whose
whole　lives　are　passed　in　scraping　up　sixpences　by　weary　hard
work。　It　is　one　thing　to　write　fine　sentiments　in　books　about
incorruptible　honesty；　and　another　thing　to　put　those　sentiments
in　practice　when　one　day's　work　is　all　that　a　man　has　to　set　up
in　the　way　of　an　obstacle　between　starvation　and　his　own
fireside。

The　only　resource　that　remained　was　to　carry　the　pocketbook　with
me　to　Moor　Farm；　and　ask　permission　to　pass　the　night　there。　But
I　could　not　persuade　myself　that　there　was　any　real　necessity　for
taking　such　a　course　as　this；　and；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　my
pride　revolted　at　the　idea　of　presenting　myself　in　the　character
of　a　coward　before　the　people　at　the　farm。　Timidity　is　thought
rather　a　graceful　attraction　among　ladies；　but　among　poor　women
it　is　something　to　be　laughed　at。　A　woman　with　less　spirit　of　her
own　than　I　had；　and　always　shall　have；　would　have　considered
twice　in　my　situation　before　she　made　up　her　mind　to　encounter
the　jokes　of　plowmen　and　the　jeers　of　milkmaids。　As　for　me；　I　had
hardly　considered　about　going　to　the　farm　before　I　despised
myself　for　entertaining　any　such　notion。　〃No；　no；〃　thought　I；　〃I
am　not　the　woman　to　walk　a　mile　and　a　half　through　rain；　and
mist；　and　darkness　to　tell　a　whole　kitchenful　of　people　that　I　am
afraid。　Come　what　may；　here　I　stop　till　father　gets　back。〃

Having　arrived　at　that　valiant　resolution；　the　first　thing　I　did
was　to　lock　and　bolt　the　back　and　front　doors；　and　see　to　the
security　of　every　shutter　in　the　house。

That　duty　performed；　I　made　a　blazing　fire；　lighted　my　candle；
and　sat　down　to　tea；　as　snug　and　comfortable　as　possible。　I　could
hardly　believe　now；　with　the　light　in　the　room；　and　the　sense　of
security　inspired　by　the　closed　doors　and　shutters；　that　I　had
ever　felt　even　the　slightest　apprehension　earlier　in　the　day。　I
sang　as　I　washed　up　the　tea…things；　and　even　the　cat　seemed　to
catch　the　infection　of　my　good　spirits。　I　never　knew　the　pretty
creature　so　playful　as　she　was　that　evening。

The　tea…things　put　by；　I　took　up　my　knitting；　and　worked　away　at
it　so　long　that　I　began　at　last　to　get　drowsy。　The　fire　was　so
bright　and　comforting　that　I　could　not　muster　resolution　enough
to　leave　it　and　go　to　bed。　I　sat　staring　lazily　into　the　blaze；
with　my　knitting　on　my　lapsat　till　the　splashing　of　the　rain
outside　and　the　fitful；　sullen　sobbing　of　the　wind　grew　fainter
and　fainter　on　my　ear。　The　last　sounds　I　heard　before　I　fairly
dozed　off　to　sleep　were　the　cheerful　crackling　of　the　fire　and
the　steady　purring　of　the　cat；　as　she　basked　luxuriously　in　the
warm　light　on　the　hearth。　Those　were　the　last　sounds　before　I
fell　asleep。　The　sound　that　woke　me　was　one　loud　bang　at　the
front　door。

I　started　up；　with　my　heart　（as　the　saying　is）　in　my　mouth；　with
a　frightful　momentary　shuddering　at　the　roots　of　my　hairI
started　up　breathless；　cold　and　motionless；　waiting　in　the
silence　I　hardly　knew　for　what；　doubtful　at　first　whether　I　had
dreamed　about　the　bang　at　the　door；　or　whether　the　blow　had
really　been　struck　on　it。

In　a　minute　or　less　there　came　a　second　bang；　louder　than　the
first。　I　ran　out　into　the　passage。

〃Who's　there？〃

〃Let　us　in；〃　answered　a　voice；　which　I　recognised　immediately　as
the　voice　of　Shifty　Dick。

〃Wait　a　bit；　my　dear；　and　let　me　explain；〃　said　a　second　voice；
in　the　low；　oily；　jeering　tones　of　Dick's　companionthe　wickedly
clever　little　man　whom　he　called　Jerry。　〃You　are　alone　in　the
house；　my　pretty　little　dear。　You　may　crack　your　sweet　voice　with
screeching；　and　there's　nobody　near　to　hear　you。　Listen　to
reason；　my　love；　and　let　us　in。　We　don't　want　cider　this　timewe
only　want　a　very　neat…looking　pocketbook　which　you　happen　to
have；　and　your　late　excellent　mother's　four　silver　teaspoons；
which　you　keep　so　nice　and　clean　on　the　chimney…piece。　If　you　let
us　in　we　won't　hurt　a　hair　of　your　head；　my　cherub；　and　we
promise　to　go　away　the　moment　we　have　got　what　we　want；　unless
you　particularly　wish　us　to　stop　to　tea。　If　you　keep　us　out；　we
shall　be　obliged　to　break　into　the　house　and　then〃

〃And　then；〃　burst　in　Shifty　Dick；　〃we'll　_mash_　you！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jerry；　〃we'll　mash　you；　my　beauty。　But　you　won't
drive　us　to　doing　that；　will　you？　You　will　let　us　in？〃

This　long　parley　gave　me　time　to　recover　from　the　effect　which
the　first　bang　at　the　door　had　produced　on　my　nerves。　The　threats
of　the　two　villains　would　have　terrified　some　women　out　of　their
senses；　but　the　only　result　they　produced　on　_me_　was　violent
indignation。　I　had；　thank　God；　a　strong　spirit　of　my　own；　and　the
cool；　contemptuous　insolence　of　the　man　Jerry　effectually　roused
it。

〃You　cowardly　villains！〃　I　screamed　at　them　through　the　door。
〃You　think　you　can　frighten　me　because　I　am　only　a　poor　girl　left
alone　in　the　house。　You　ragamuffin　thieves；　I　defy　you　both！　Our
bolts　are　strong；　our　shutters　are　thick。　I　am　here　to　keep　my
father's　house　safe；　and　keep　it　I　will　against　an　army　of　you！〃

You　may　imagine　what　a　passion　I　was　in　when　I　vapored　and
blustered　in　that　way。　I　heard　Jerry　laugh　and　Shifty　Dick　swear
a　whole　mouthful　of　oaths。　Then　there　was　a　dead　silence　for　a
minute　or　two；　and　then　the　two　ruffians　attacked　the　door。

I　rushed　into　the　kitchen　and　seized　the　poker；　and　then　heaped
wood　on　the　fire；　and　lighted　all　the　candles　I　could　find；　for　I
felt　as　though　I　could　keep　up　my　courage　better　if　I　had　plenty
of　light。　Strange　and　improbable　as　it　may　appear；　the　next　thing
that　attracted　my　attention　was　my　poor　pussy；　crouched　up；
panic…stricken；　in　a　corner。　I　was　so　fond　of　the　little　creature
that　I　took　her　up　in　my　arms　and　carried　her　into　my　bedroom　and
put　her　inside　my　bed。　A　comical　thing　to　do　in　a　situation　of
deadly　peril；　was　it　not？　But　it　seemed　quite　natural　and　proper
at　the　time。

All　this　while　the　blows　were　falling　faster　and　faster　on　the
door。　They　were　dealt；　as　I　conjectured；　with　heavy　stones　picked
up　from　the　ground　outside。　Jerry　sang　at　his　wicked　work；　and
Shifty　Dick　swore。　As　I　lef