the queen of hearts-第22章

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also；　for　the　cure　looked　at　me　with　sudden　attention　and
interest。

〃A　nephew；〃　the　priest　went　on；　〃whom　he　had　loved　like　his　own
child。　He　told　me　that　if　this　nephew　ever　traced　him　to　his
burial…place；　and　asked　about　him；　I　was　free　in　that　case　to
disclose　all　I　knew。　'I　should　like　my　little　Charley　to　know　the
truth；'　he　said。　'In　spite　of　the　difference　in　our　ages；　Charley
and　I　were　playmates　years　ago。'　〃

My　heart　beat　faster；　and　I　felt　a　choking　sensation　at　the
throat　the　moment　I　heard　the　priest　unconsciously　mention　my
Christian　name　in　mentioning　the　dying　man's　last　words。

As　soon　as　I　could　steady　my　voice　and　feel　certain　of　my
self…possession；　I　communicated　my　family　name　to　the　cure；　and
asked　him　if　that　was　not　part　of　the　secret　that　he　had　been
requested　to　preserve。

He　started　back　several　steps；　and　clasped　his　hands　amazedly。

〃Can　it　be？〃　he　said；　in　low　tones；　gazing　at　me　earnestly；　with
something　like　dread　in　his　face。

I　gave　him　my　passport；　and　looked　away　toward　the　grave。　The
tears　came　into　my　eyes　as　the　recollections　of　past　days　crowded
back　on　me。　Hardly　knowing　what　I　did；　I　knelt　down　by　the　grave；
and　smoothed　the　grass　over　it　with　my　hand。　Oh；　Uncle　George；
why　not　have　told　your　secret　to　your　old　playmate？　Why　leave　him
to　find　you　_here？_

The　priest　raised　me　gently；　and　begged　me　to　go　with　him　into
his　own　house。　On　our　way　there；　I　mentioned　persons　and　places
that　I　thought　my　uncle　might　have　spoken　of；　in　order　to　satisfy
my　companion　that　I　was　really　the　person　I　represented　myself　to
be。　By　the　time　we　had　entered　his　little　parlor；　and　had　sat
down　alone　in　it；　we　were　almost　like　old　friends　together。

I　thought　it　best　that　I　should　begin　by　telling　all　that　I　have
related　here　on　the　subject　of　Uncle　George；　and　his
disappearance　from　home。　My　host　listened　with　a　very　sad　face；
and　said；　when　I　had　done：

〃I　can　understand　your　anxiety　to　know　what　I　am　authorized　to
tell　you；　but　pardon　me　if　I　say　first　that　there　are
circumstances　in　your　uncle's　story　which　it　may　pain　you　to
hear〃　He　stopped　suddenly。

〃Which　it　may　pain　me　to　hear　as　a　nephew？〃　I　asked。

〃No；〃　said　the　priest；　looking　away　from　me；　〃as　a　son。〃

I　gratefully　expressed　my　sense　of　the　delicacy　and　kindness
which　had　prompted　my　companion's　warning；　but　I　begged　him；　at
the　same　time；　to　keep　me　no　longer　in　suspense　and　to　tell　me
the　stern　truth；　no　matter　how　painfully　it　might　affect　me　as　a
listener。

〃In　telling　me　all　you　knew　about　what　you　term　the　Family
Secret；〃　said　the　priest；　〃you　have　mentioned　as　a　strange
coincidence　that　your　sister's　death　and　your　uncle's
disappearance　took　place　at　the　same　time。　Did　you　ever　suspect
what　cause　it　was　that　occasioned　your　sister's　death？〃

〃I　only　knew　what　my　father　told　me；　an　d　what　all　our　friends
believedthat　she　had　a　tumor　in　the　neck；　or；　as　I　sometimes
heard　it　stated；　from　the　effect　on　her　constitution　of　a　tumor
in　the　neck。〃

〃She　died　under　an　operation　for　the　removal　of　that　tumor；〃　said
the　priest；　in　low　tones；　〃and　the　operator　was　your　Uncle
George。〃

In　those　few　words　all　the　truth　burst　upon　me。

〃Console　yourself　with　the　thought　that　the　long　martyrdom　of　his
life　is　over；〃　the　priest　went　on。　〃He　rests；　he　is　at　peace。　He
and　his　little　darling　understand　each　other；　and　are　happy　now。
That　thought　bore　him　up　to　the　last　on　his　death…bed。　He　always
spoke　of　your　sister　as　his　'little　darling。'　He　firmly　believed
that　she　was　waiting　to　forgive　and　console　him　in　the　other
worldand　who　shall　say　he　was　deceived　in　that　belief？〃

Not　I！　Not　anyone　who　has　ever　loved　and　suffered；　surely！

〃It　was　out　of　the　depths　of　his　self…sacrificing　love　for　the
child　that　he　drew　the　fatal　courage　to　undertake　the　operation；〃
continued　the　priest。　〃Your　father　naturally　shrank　from
attempting　it。　His　medical　brethren　whom　he　consulted　all　doubted
the　propriety　of　taking　any　measures　for　the　removal　of　the
tumor；　in　the　particular　condition　and　situation　of　it　when　they
were　called　in。　Your　uncle　alone　differed　with　them。　He　was　too
modest　a　man　to　say　so；　but　your　mother　found　it　out。　The
deformity　of　her　beautiful　child　horrified　her。　She　was　desperate
enough　to　catch　at　the　faintest　hope　of　remedying　it　that　anyone
might　hold　out　to　her；　and　she　persuaded　your　uncle　to　put　his
opinion　to　the　proof。　Her　horror　at　the　deformity　of　the　child；
and　her　despair　at　the　prospect　of　its　lasting　for　life；　seem　to
have　utterly　blinded　her　to　all　natural　sense　of　the　danger　of
the　operation。　It　is　hard　to　know　how　to　say　it　to　you；　her　son；
but　it　must　be　told；　nevertheless；　that　one　day；　when　your　father
was　out；　she　untruly　informed　your　uncle　that　his　brother　had
consented　to　the　performance　of　the　operation；　and　that　he　had
gone　purposely　out　of　the　house　because　he　had　not　nerve　enough
to　stay　and　witness　it。　After　that；　your　uncle　no　longer
hesitated。　He　had　no　fear　of　results；　provided　he　could　be
certain　of　his　own　courage。　All　he　dreaded　was　the　effect　on　him
of　his　love　for　the　child　when　he　first　found　himself　face　to
face　with　the　dreadful　necessity　of　touching　her　skin　with　the
knife。〃

I　tried　hard　to　control　myself；　but　I　could　not　repress　a　shudder
at　those　words。

〃It　is　useless　to　shock　you　by　going　into　particulars；〃　said　the
priest；　considerately。　〃Let　it　be　enough　if　I　say　that　your
uncle's　fortitude　failed　to　support　him　when　he　wanted　it　most。
His　love　for　the　child　shook　the　firm　hand　which　had　never
trembled　before。　In　a　word；　the　operation　failed。　Your　father
returned；　and　found　his　child　dying。　The　frenzy　of　his　despair
when　the　truth　was　told　him　carried　him　to　excesses　which　it
shocks　me　to　mentionexcesses　which　began　in　his　degrading　his
brother　by　a　blow；　which　ended　in　his　binding　himself　by　an　oath
to　make　that　brother　suffer　public　punishment　for　his　fatal
rashness　in　a　court　of　law。　Your　uncle　was　too　heartbroken　by
what　had　happened　to　feel　those　outrages　as　some　men　might　have
felt　them。　He　looked　for　one　moment　at　his　sister…in…law　（I　do
not　like　to　say　your　mother；　considering　what　I　have　now　to　tell
you）；　to　see　if　she　would　acknowledge　that　she　had　encouraged　him
to　attempt　the　operation；　and　that　she　had　deceived　him　in　saying
that　he　had　his　brother's　permission　to　try　it。　She　was　silent；
and　when　she　spoke；　it　was　to　join　her　husband　in　denouncing　him
as　the　murderer　of　their　child。　Whether　fear　of　your　father's
anger；　or　revengeful　indignation　against　your　uncle　most　actuated
her；　I　cannot　presume　to　inquire　in　your　presence。　I　can　only
state　facts。〃

The　priest　paused　and　looked　at　me　anxiously。　I　could　not　speak
to　him　at　that　momentI　could　only　encourage　him　to　proceed　by
pressing　his　hand。

He　resumed　in　these　terms：

〃Meanwhile；　your　uncle　turned　to　your　father；　and　spoke　the　last
words　he　was　ever　to　address　to　his　eldest　brother　in　this　world。
He　said；　'I　have　deserved　the　worst　your　anger　can　inflict　on　me；
but　I　will　spare　you　the　scandal　of　bringing　me　to　justice　in
open　court。　The　law；　if　it　found　me　guilty；　could　at　the　worst
but　banish　me　from　my　country　and　my　friends。　I　will　go　of　my　own
accord。　God　is　my　witness　that　I　honestly　believed　I　could　save
the　child　from　deformity　and　suffering。　I　have　risked　all　and
lost　all。　My　heart　and　spirit　are　broken。　I　am　fit　for　nothing
but　to　go　and　hide　myself；　and　my　shame　and　misery；　from　all　eyes
that　have　ever　looked　on　me。　I　shall　never　come　back；　never
expect　your　pity　or　forgiveness。　If　you　think　less　harshly　of　me
when　I　am　gone；　keep　secret　what　has　happened；　let　no　other　lips
say　of　me　what　yours　and　your　wife's　have　said。　I　shall　think
that　forbearance　atonement　enoughatonement　greater　than　I　have
deserved。　Forget　me　in　this　world。　May　we　meet　in　another；　where
the　secrets　of　all　hearts　are　opened；　and　where　the　child　who　is
gone　before　may　make　peace　between　us！'　He　said　those　words　and
went　out。　Your　father　never　saw　him　or　heard　from　him　again。〃

I　knew　the　reason　now　why　my　father　had　never　confided　the　truth
to　anyone；　his　own　family　included。　My　mother　had　ev