the queen of hearts-第28章

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to　talk　of　her　when　Isaac　tried　hard　to　plead　her　cause　after
their　marriage。

This　course　of　conduct　was　not　in　any　degree　occasioned　by　a
discovery　of　the　degradation　in　which　Rebecca　had　lived。　There
was　no　question　of　that　between　mother　and　son。　There　was　no
question　of　anything　but　the　fearfully…exact　resemblance　between
the　living；　breathing　woman　and　the　specter…woman　of　Isaac's
dream。

Rebecca　on　her　side　neither　felt　nor　expressed　the　slightest
sorrow　at　the　estrangement　between　herself　and　her　mother…in…law。
Isaac；　for　the　sake　of　peace；　had　never　contradicted　her　first
idea　that　age　and　long　illness　had　affected　Mrs。　Scatchard's
mind。　He　even　allowed　his　wife　to　upbraid　him　for　not　having
confessed　this　to　her　at　the　time　of　their　marriage　engagement；
rather　than　risk　anything　by　hinting　at　the　truth。　The　sacrifice
of　his　integrity　before　his　one　all…mastering　delusion　seemed　but
a　small　thing；　and　cost　his　conscience　but　little　after　the
sacrifices　he　had　already　made。

The　time　of　waking　from　this　delusionthe　cruel　and　the　rueful
timewas　not　far　off。　After　some　quiet　months　of　married　life；
as　the　summer　was　ending；　and　the　year　was　getting　on　toward　the
month　of　his　birthday；　Isaac　found　his　wife　altering　toward　him。
She　grew　sullen　and　contemptuous；　she　formed　acquaintances　of　the
most　dangerous　kind　in　defiance　of　his　objections；　his
entreaties；　and　his　commands；　and；　worst　of　all；　she　learned；　ere
long；　after　every　fresh　difference　with　her　husband；　to　seek　the
deadly　self…oblivion　of　drink。　Little　by　little；　after　the　first
miserable　discovery　that　his　wife　was　keeping　company　with
drunkards；　the　shocking　certainty　forced　itself　on　Isaac　that　she
had　grown　to　be　a　drunkard　herself。

He　had　been　in　a　sadly　desponding　state　for　some　time　before　the
occurrence　of　these　domestic　calamities。　His　mother's　health；　as
he　could　but　too　plainly　discern　every　time　he　went　to　see　her　at
the　cottage；　was　failing　fast；　and　he　upbraided　himself　in　secret
as　the　cause　of　the　bodily　and　mental　suffering　she　endured。　When
to　his　remorse　on　his　mother's　account　was　added　the　shame　and
misery　occasioned　by　the　discovery　of　his　wife's　degradation；　he
sank　under　the　double　trialhis　face　began　to　alter　fast；　and　he
looked　what　he　was；　a　spirit…broken　man。

His　mother；　still　struggling　bravely　against　the　illness　that　was
hurrying　her　to　the　grave；　was　the　first　to　notice　the　sad
alteration　in　him；　and　the　first　to　hear　of　his　last　worst
trouble　with　his　wife。　She　could　only　weep　bitterly　on　the　day
when　he　made　his　humiliating　confession；　but　on　the　next　occasion
when　he　went　to　see　her　she　had　taken　a　resolution　in　reference
to　his　domestic　afflictions　which　astonished　and　even　alarmed
him。　He　found　her　dressed　to　go　out；　and　on　asking　the　reason
received　this　answer：

〃I　am　not　long　for　this　world；　Isaac；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　shall　not
feel　easy　on　my　death…bed　unless　I　have　done　my　best　to　the　last
to　make　my　son　happy。　I　mean　to　put　my　own　fears　and　my　own
feelings　out　of　the　question；　and　to　go　with　you　to　your　wife；
and　try　what　I　can　do　to　reclaim　her。　Give　me　your　arm；　Isaac；
and　let　me　do　the　last　thing　I　can　in　this　world　to　help　my　son
before　it　is　too　late。〃

He　could　not　disobey　her；　and　they　walked　together　slowly　toward
his　miserable　home。

It　was　only　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　when　they　reached　the
cottage　where　he　lived。　It　was　their　dinner…hour；　and　Rebecca　was
in　the　kitchen。　He　was　thus　able　to　take　his　mother　quietly　into
the　parlor；　and　then　prepare　his　wife　for　the　interview。　She　had
fortunately　drunk　but　little　at　that　early　hour；　and　she　was　less
sullen　and　capricious　than　usual。

He　returned　to　his　mother　with　his　mind　tolerably　at　ease。　His
wife　soon　followed　him　into　the　parlor；　and　the　m　eeting　between
her　and　Mrs。　Scatchard　passed　off　better　than　he　had　ventured　to
anticipate；　though　he　observed　with　secret　apprehension　that　his
mother；　resolutely　as　she　controlled　herself　in　other　respects；
could　not　look　his　wife　in　the　face　when　she　spoke　to　her。　It　was
a　relief　to　him；　therefore；　when　Rebecca　began　to　lay　the　cloth。

She　laid　the　cloth；　brought　in　the　bread…tray；　and　cut　a　slice
from　the　loaf　for　her　husband；　then　returned　to　the　kitchen。　At
that　moment；　Isaac；　still　anxiously　watching　his　mother；　was
startled　by　seeing　the　same　ghastly　change　pass　over　her　face
which　had　altered　it　so　awfully　on　the　morning　when　Rebecca　and
she　first　met。　Before　he　could　say　a　word；　she　whispered；　with　a
look　of　horror：

〃Take　me　backhome；　home　again；　Isaac。　Come　with　me；　and　never
go　back　again。〃

He　was　afraid　to　ask　for　an　explanation；　he　could　only　sign　to
her　to　be　silent；　and　help　her　quickly　to　the　door。　As　they
passed　the　breadtray　on　the　table　she　stopped　and　pointed　to　it。

〃Did　you　see　what　your　wife　cut　your　bread　with？〃　she　asked；　in　a
low　whisper。

〃No；　motherI　was　not　noticingwhat　was　it？〃

〃Look！〃

He　did　look。　A　new　clasp…knife　with　a　buckhorn　handle　lay　with
the　loaf　in　the　bread…tray。　He　stretched　out　his　hand
shudderingly　to　possess　himself　of　it；　but；　at　the　same　time；
there　was　a　noise　in　the　kitchen；　and　his　mother　caught　at　his
arm。

〃The　knife　of　the　dream！　Isaac；　I'm　faint　with　fear。　Take　me　away
before　she　comes　back。〃

He　was　hardly　able　to　support　her。　The　visible；　tangible　reality
of　the　knife　struck　him　with　a　panic；　and　utterly　destroyed　any
faint　doubts　that　he　might　have　entertained　up　to　this　time　in
relation　to　the　mysterious　dream…warning　of　nearly　eight　years
before。　By　a　last　desperate　effort；　he　summoned　self…possession
enough　to　help　his　mother　out　of　the　houseso　quietly　that　the
〃Dream…woman〃　（he　thought　of　her　by　that　name　now）　did　not　hear
them　departing　from　the　kitchen。

〃Don't　go　back；　Isaacdon't　go　back！〃　implored　Mrs。　Scatchard；
as　he　turned　to　go　away；　after　seeing　her　safely　seated　again　in
her　own　room。

〃I　must　get　the　knife；〃　he　answered；　under　his　breath。　His　mother
tried　to　stop　him　again；　but　he　hurried　out　without　another　word。

On　his　return　he　found　that　his　wife　had　discovered　their　secret
departure　from　the　house。　She　had　been　drinking；　and　was　in　a
fury　of　passion。　The　dinner　in　the　kitchen　was　flung　under　the
grate；　the　cloth　was　off　the　parlor　table。　Where　was　the　knife？

Unwisely；　he　asked　for　it。　She　was　only　too　glad　of　the
opportunity　of　irritating　him　which　the　request　afforded　her。　〃He
wanted　the　knife；　did　he？　Could　he　give　her　a　reason　why？　No！
Then　he　should　not　have　itnot　if　he　went　down　on　his　knees　to
ask　for　it。〃　Further　recriminations　elicited　the　fact　that　she
had　bought　it　a　bargain；　and　that　she　considered　it　her　own
especial　property。　Isaac　saw　the　uselessness　of　attempting　to　get
the　knife　by　fair　means；　and　determined　to　search　for　it；　later
in　the　day；　in　secret。　The　search　was　unsuccessful。　Night　came
on；　and　he　left　the　house　to　walk　about　the　streets。　He　was
afraid　now　to　sleep　in　the　same　room　with　her。

Three　weeks　passed。　Still　sullenly　enraged　with　him；　she　would
not　give　up　the　knife；　and　still　that　fear　of　sleeping　in　the
same　room　with　her　possessed　him。　He　walked　about　at　night；　or
dozed　in　the　parlor；　or　sat　watching　by　his　mother's　bedside。
Before　the　expiration　of　the　first　week　in　the　new　month　his
mother　died。　It　wanted　then　but　ten　days　of　her　son's　birthday。
She　had　longed　to　live　till　that　anniversary。　Isaac　was　present
at　her　death；　and　her　last　words　in　this　world　were　addressed　to
him：

〃Don't　go　back；　my　son；　don't　go　back！〃　He　was　obliged　to　go
back；　if　it　were　only　to　watch　his　wife。　Exasperated　to　the　last
degree　by　his　distrust　of　her；　she　had　revengefully　sought　to　add
a　sting　to　his　grief；　during　the　last　days　of　his　mother's
illness；　by　declaring　that　she　would　assert　her　right　to　attend
the　funeral。　In　spite　of　any　thing　he　could　do　or　say；　she　held
with　wicked　pertinacity　to　her　word；　and　on　the　day　appointed　for
the　burial　forced　herselfinflamed　and　shameless　with
drinkinto　her　husband's　presence；　and　declared　that　she　would
walk　in　the　funeral　procession　to　his　mother's　grave。

This　last　worst　outrage；　accompanied　by　all　that　was　most
insul