the queen of hearts-第21章

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no　longer　be　persisted　in　now　that　I　was　growing　to　be　a　young
man；　she　fell　into　a　violent　fit　of　trembling；　and　commanded　me
to　say　no　more。　It　had　been　my　father's　will；　she　said；　that　the
reserve　to　which　I　referred　should　be　always　adopted　toward　me；
he　had　not　authorized　her；　before　he　died；　to　speak　more　openly；
and；　now　that　he　was　gone；　she　would　not　so　much　as　think　of
acting　on　her　own　unaided　judgment。　My　aunt　said　the　same　thing
in　effect　when　I　appealed　to　her。　Determined　not　to　be
discouraged　even　yet；　I　undertook　a　journey；　ostensibly　to　pay　my
respects　to　my　father's　family；　but　with　the　secret　intention　of
trying　what　I　could　learn　in　that　quarter　on　the　subject　of　Uncle
George。

My　investigations　led　to　some　results；　though　they　were　by　no
means　satisfactory。　George　had　always　been　looked　upon　with
something　like　contempt　by　his　handsome　sisters　and　his
prosperous　brothers；　and　he　had　not　improved　his　position　in　the
family　by　his　warm　advocacy　of　his　brother's　cause　at　the　time　of
my　father's　marriage。　I　found　that　my　uncle's　surviving　relatives
now　spoke　of　him　slightingly　and　carelessly。　They　assured　me　that
they　had　never　heard　from　him；　and　that　they　knew　nothing　about
him；　except　that　he　had　gone　away　to　settle；　as　they　supposed；　in
some　foreign　place；　after　having　behaved　very　basely　and　badly　to
my　father。　He　had　been　traced　to　London；　where　he　had　sold　out　of
the　funds　the　small　share　of　money　which　he　had　inherited　after
his　father's　death；　and　he　had　been　seen　on　the　deck　of　a　packet
bound　for　France　later　on　the　same　day。　Beyond　this　nothing　was
known　about　him。　In　what　the　alleged　baseness　of　his　behavior　had
consisted　none　of　his　brothers　and　sisters　could　tell　me。　My
father　had　refused　to　pain　them　by　going　into　particulars；　not
only　at　the　time　of　his　brother's　disappearance；　but　afterward；
whenever　the　subject　was　mentioned。　George　had　always　been　the
black　sheep　of　the　flock；　and　he　must　have　been　conscious　of　his
own　baseness；　or　he　would　certainly　have　written　to　explain　and
to　justify　himself。

Such　were　the　particulars　which　I　gleaned　during　my　visit　to　my
father's　family。　To　my　mind；　they　tended　rather　to　deepen　than　to
reveal　the　mystery。　That　such　a　gentle；　docile；　affectionate
creature　as　Uncle　George　should　have　injured　the　brother　he　loved
by　word　or　deed　at　any　period　of　their　intercourse；　seemed
incredible；　but　that　he　should　have　been　guilty　of　an　act　of
baseness　at　the　very　time　when　my　sister　was　dying　was　simply　and
plainly　impossible。　And　yet　there　was　the　incomprehensible　fact
staring　me　in　the　face　that　the　death　of　Caroline　and　the
disappearance　of　Uncle　George　had　taken　plac　e　in　the　same　week！
Never　did　I　feel　more　daunted　and　bewildered　by　the　family　secret
than　after　I　had　heard　all　the　particulars　in　connection　with　it
that　my　father's　relatives　had　to　tell　me。

I　may　pass　over　the　events　of　the　next　few　years　of　my　life
briefly　enough。

My　nautical　pursuits　filled　up　all　my　time；　and　took　me　far　away
from　my　country　and　my　friends。　But；　whatever　I　did；　and　wherever
I　went；　the　memory　of　Uncle　George；　and　the　desire　to　penetrate
the　mystery　of　his　disappearance；　haunted　me　like　familiar
spirits。　Often；　in　the　lonely　watches　of　the　night　at　sea；　did　I
recall　the　dark　evening　on　the　beach；　the　strange　man's　hurried
embrace；　the　startling　sensation　of　feeling　his　tears　on　my
cheeks；　the　disappearance　of　him　before　I　had　breath　or
self…possession　enough　to　say　a　word。　Often　did　I　think　over　the
inexplicable　events　that　followed；　when　I　had　returned；　after　my
sister's　funeral；　to　my　father's　house；　and　oftener　still　did　I
puzzle　my　brains　vainly；　in　the　attempt　to　form　some　plan　for
inducing　my　mother　or　my　aunt　to　disclose　the　secret　which　they
had　hitherto　kept　from　me　so　perseveringly。　My　only　chance　of
knowing　what　had　really　happened　to　Uncle　George；　my　only　hope　of
seeing　him　again；　rested　with　those　two　near　and　dear　relatives。
I　despaired　of　ever　getting　my　mother　to　speak　on　the　forbidden
subject　after　what　had　passed　between　us；　but　I　felt　more
sanguine　about　my　prospects　of　ultimately　inducing　my　aunt　to
relax　in　her　discretion。　My　anticipations；　however；　in　this
direction　were　not　destined　to　be　fulfilled。　On　my　next　visit　to
England　I　found　my　aunt　prostrated　by　a　paralytic　attack；　which
deprived　her　of　the　power　of　speech。　She　died　soon　afterward　in
my　arms；　leaving　me　her　sole　heir。　I　searched　anxiously　among　her
papers　for　some　reference　to　the　family　mystery；　but　found　no
clew　to　guide　me。　All　my　mother's　letters　to　her　sister　at　the
time　of　Caroline's　illness　and　death　had　been　destroyed。

CHAPTER　III。

MORE　years　passed；　my　mother　followed　my　aunt　to　the　grave；　and
still　I　was　as　far　as　ever　from　making　any　discoveries　in
relation　to　Uncle　George。　Shortly　after　the　period　of　this　last
affliction　my　health　gave　way；　and　I　departed；　by　my　doctor's
advice；　to　try　some　baths　in　the　south　of　France。

I　traveled　slowly　to　my　destination；　turning　aside　from　the
direct　road；　and　stopping　wherever　I　pleased。　One　evening；　when　I
was　not　more　than　two　or　three　days'　journey　from　the　baths　to
which　I　was　bound；　I　was　struck　by　the　picturesque　situation　of　a
little　town　placed　on　the　brow　of　a　hill　at　some　distance　from
the　main　road；　and　resolved　to　have　a　nearer　look　at　the　place；
with　a　view　to　stopping　there　for　the　night；　if　it　pleased　me。　I
found　the　principal　inn　clean　and　quietordered　my　bed
thereand；　after　dinner；　strolled　out　to　look　at　the　church。　No
thought　of　Uncle　George　was　in　my　mind　when　I　entered　the
building；　and　yet；　at　that　very　moment；　chance　was　leading　me　to
the　discovery　which；　for　so　many　years　past；　I　had　vainly
endeavored　to　makethe　discovery　which　I　had　given　up　as
hopeless　since　the　day　of　my　mother's　death。

I　found　nothing　worth　notice　in　the　church；　and　was　about　to
leave　it　again；　when　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　pretty　view　through
a　side　door；　and　stopped　to　admire　it。

The　churchyard　formed　the　foreground；　and　below　it　the　hill…side
sloped　away　gently　into　the　plain；　over　which　the　sun　was　setting
in　full　glory。　The　cure　of　the　church　was　reading　his　breviary；
walking　up　and　down　a　gravel…path　that　parted　the　rows　of　graves。
In　the　course　of　my　wanderings　I　had　learned　to　speak　French　as
fluently　as　most　Englishmen；　and　when　the　priest　came　near　me　I
said　a　few　words　in　praise　of　the　view；　and　complimented　him　on
the　neatness　and　prettiness　of　the　churchyard。　He　answered　with
great　politeness；　and　we　got　into　conversation　together
immediately。

As　we　strolled　along　the　gravel…walk；　my　attention　was　attracted
by　one　of　the　graves　standing　apart　from　the　rest。　The　cross　at
the　head　of　it　differed　remarkably；　in　some　points　of　appearance；
from　the　crosses　on　the　other　graves。　While　all　the　rest　had
garlands　hung　on　them；　this　one　cross　was　quite　bare；　and；　more
extraordinary　still；　no　name　was　inscribed　on　it。

The　priest；　observing　that　I　stopped　to　look　at　the　grave；　shook
his　head　and　sighed。

〃A　countryman　of　yours　is　buried　there；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　present
at　his　death。　He　had　borne　the　burden　of　a　great　sorrow　among　us；
in　this　town；　for　many　weary　years；　and　his　conduct　had　taught　us
to　respect　and　pity　him　with　all　our　hearts。〃

〃How　is　it　that　his　name　is　not　inscribed　over　his　grave？〃　I
inquired。

〃It　was　suppressed　by　his　own　desire；〃　answered　the　priest；　with
some　little　hesitation。　〃He　confessed　to　me　in　his　last　moments
that　he　had　lived　here　under　an　assumed　name。　I　asked　his　real
name；　and　he　told　it　to　me；　with　the　particulars　of　his　sad
story。　He　had　reasons　for　desiring　to　be　forgotten　after　his
death。　Almost　the　last　words　he　spoke　were；　'Let　my　name　die　with
me。'　Almost　the　last　request　he　made　was　that　I　would　keep　that
name　a　secret　from　all　the　world　excepting　only　one　person。〃

〃Some　relative；　I　suppose？〃　said　I。

〃Yesa　nephew；〃　said　the　priest。

The　moment　the　last　word　was　out　of　his　mouth；　my　heart　gave　a
strange　answering　bound。　I　suppose　I　must　have　changed　color
also；　for　the　cure　looked　at　me　with　sudden　attention　and
interest。

〃A　nephew；〃　the　priest　went　on；