the queen of hearts-第23章
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I knew the reason now why my father had never confided the truth
to anyone； his own family included。 My mother had evidently
confessed all to her sister under the seal of secrecy； and there
the dreadful disclosure had been arrested。
〃Your uncle told me；〃 the priest continued； 〃that before he left
England he took leave of you by stealth； in a place you were
staying at by the sea…side。 Tie had not the heart to quit his
country and his friends forever without kissing you for the last
time。 He followed you in the dark； and caught you up in his arms；
and left you again before you had a chance of discovering him。
The next day he quitted England。〃
〃For this place？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。 He had spent a week here once with a student friend at the
time when he was a pupil in the Hotel Dieu； and to this place he
returned to hide； to suffer； and to die。 We all saw that he was a
man crushed and broken by some great sorrow； and we respected him
and his affliction。 He lived alone； and only came out of doors
toward evening； when he used to sit on the brow of the hill
yonder； with his head on his hand； looking toward England。 That
place seemed a favorite with him； and he is buried close by it。
He revealed the story of his past life to no living soul here but
me； and to me he only spoke when his last hour was approaching。
What he had suffered during his long exile no man can presume to
say。 I； who saw more of him than anyone； never heard a word of
complaint fall from his lips。 He had the courage of the martyrs
while he lived； and the resignation of the saints when he died。
Just at the last his mind wandered。 He said he saw his little
darling waiting by the bedside to lead him away； and he died with
a smile on his facethe first I had ever seen there。〃
The priest ceased； and we went out together in the mournful
twilight； and stood for a little while on the brow of the hill
where Uncle George used to sit； with his face turned toward
England。 How my heart ached for him as I thought of what he must
have suffered in the silence and solitude of his long exile！ Was
it well for me that I had discovered the Family Secret at last？ I
have sometimes thought not。 I have sometimes wished that the
darkness had never been cleared away which once hid from me the
fate of Uncle George。
THE THIRD DAY。
FINE again。 Our guest rode out； with her ragged little groom； as
usual。 There was no news yet in the paperthat is to say； no
news of George or his ship。
On this day Morgan completed his second story； and in two or
three days more I expected to finish the last of my own
contributions。 Owen was still behindhand and still despondent。
The lot drawing to…night was Five。 This proved to be the number
of the first of Morgan's stories； which he had completed before
we began the readings。 His second story； finished this day； being
still uncorrected by me； could not yet be added to the common
stock。
On being informed that it had come to his turn to occupy the
attention of the company； Morga n startled us by immediately
objecting to the trouble of reading his own composition； and by
coolly handing it over to me； on the ground that my numerous
corrections had made it； to all intents and purposes； my story。
Owen and I both remonstrated； and Jessie； mischievously
persisting in her favorite jest at Morgan's expense； entreated
that he would read； if it was only for her sake。 Finding that we
were all determined； and all against him； he declared that；
rather than hear our voices any longer； he would submit to the
minor inconvenience of listening to his own。 Accordingly； he took
his manuscript back again； and； with an air of surly resignation；
spread it open before him。
〃I don't think you will like this story； miss；〃 he began；
addressing Jessie； 〃but I shall read it； nevertheless； with the
greatest pleasure。 It begins in a stableit gropes its way
through a dreamit keeps company with a hostlerand it stops
without an end。 What do you think of that？〃
After favoring his audience with this promising preface； Morgan
indulged himself in a chuckle of supreme satisfaction； and then
began to read； without wasting another preliminary word on any
one of us。
BROTHER MORGAN'S STORY
of
THE DREAM…WOMAN。
CHAPTER I。
I HAD not been settled much more than six weeks in my country
practice when I was sent for to a neighboring town； to consult
with the resident medical man there on a case of very dangerous
illness。
My horse had come down with me at the end of a long ride the
night before； and had hurt himself； luckily； much more than he
had hurt his master。 Being deprived of the animal's services； I
started for my destination by the coach （there were no railways
at that time）； and I hoped to get back again； toward the
afternoon； in the same way。
After the consultation was over； I went to the principal inn of
the town to wait for the coach。 When it came up it was full
inside and out。 There was no resource left me but to get home as
cheaply as I could by hiring a gig。 The price asked for this
accommodation struck me as being so extortionate； that I
determined to look out for an inn of inferior pretensions； and to
try if I could not make a better bargain with a less prosperous
establishment。
I soon found a likely…looking house； dingy and quiet； with an
old…fashioned sign； that had evidently not been repainted for
many years past。 The landlord； in this case； was not above making
a small profit； and as soon as we came to terms he rang the
yard…bell to order the gig。
〃Has Robert not come back from that errand？〃 asked the landlord；
appealing to the waiter who answered the bell。
〃No； sir； he hasn't。〃
〃Well； then； you must wake up Isaac。〃
〃Wake up Isaac！〃 I repeated； 〃that sounds rather odd。 Do your
hostlers go to bed in the daytime？〃
〃This one does；〃 said the landlord； smiling to himself in rather
a strange way。
〃And dreams too；〃 added the waiter； 〃I shan't forget the turn it
gave me the first time I heard him。〃
〃Never you mind about that；〃 retorted the proprietor； 〃you go and
rouse Isaac up。 The gentleman's waiting for his gig。〃
The landlord's manner and the waiter's manner expressed a great
deal more than they either of them said。 I began to suspect that
I might be on the trace of something professionally interesting
to me as a medical man； and I thought I should like to look at
the hostler before the waiter awakened him。
〃Stop a minute；〃 I interposed； 〃I have rather a fancy for seeing
this man before you wake him up。 I'm a doctor； and if this queer
sleeping and dreaming of his comes from anything wrong in his
brain； I may be able to tell you what to do with him。〃
〃I rather think you will find his complaint past all doctoring；
sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃but； if you would like to see him；
you're welcome； I'm sure。〃
He led the way across a yard and down a passage to the stables；
opened one of the doors； and； waiting outside himself； told me to
look in。
I found myself in a two…stall stable。 In one of the stalls a
horse was munching his corn； in the other an old man was lying
asleep on the litter。
I stooped and looked at him attentively。 It was a withered；
woe…begone face。 The eyebrows were painfully contracted； the
mouth was fast set； and drawn down at the corners。
The hollow wrinkled cheeks； and the scanty grizzled hair； told
their own tale of some past sorrow or suffering。 He was drawing
his breath convulsively when I first looked at him； and in a
moment more he began to talk in his sleep。
〃Wake up！〃 I heard him say； in a quick whisper； through his
clinched teeth。 〃Wake up there！ Murder！〃
He moved one lean arm slowly till it rested over his throat；
shuddered a little； and turned on his straw。 Then the arm left
his throat； the hand stretched itself out； and clutched at the
side toward which he had turned； as if he fancied himself to be
grasping at the edge of something。 I saw his lips move； and bent
lower over him。 He was still talking in his sleep。
〃Light gray eyes；〃 he murmured； 〃and a droop in the left eyelid；
flaxen hair； with a gold…yellow streak in itall right；
motherfair white arms； with a down on themlit
