the queen of hearts-第42章

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〃You　shall　hear。　We　are　still　at　breakfast；　all　silentfor　what
have　we　to　talk　about　here？　What　have　we　but　our　devotions；　our
kitchen…garden；　and　our　wretched；　wretched　bits　of　breakfasts　and
dinners？　I　say　we　are　all　silent；　when　there　comes　suddenly　such
a　ring　at　the　bell　as　never　was　heard　beforea　very　devil　of　a
ringa　ring　that　caught　us　all　with　our　bitsour　wretched；
wretched　bits！in　our　mouths；　and　stopped　us　before　we　could
swallow　them。　'Go；　brother　of　mine；'　says　the　father　superior　to
me；　'go；　it　is　your　dutygo　to　the　gate。'　I　am　bravea　very
lion　of　a　Capuchin。　I　slip　out　on　tiptoeI　waitI　listenI
pull　back　our　little　shutter　in　the　gateI　wait；　I　listen
againI　peep　through　the　holenothing；　absolutely　nothing　that
I　can　see。　I　am　braveI　am　not　to　be　daunted。　What　do　I　do　next？
I　open　the　gate。　Ah！　sacred　Mother　of　Heaven；　what　do　I　behold
lying　all　along　our　threshold？　A　mandead！a　big　man；　bigger
than　you；　bigger　than　me；　bigger　than　anybody　in　this
conventbuttoned　up　tight　in　a　fine　coat；　with　black　eyes；
staring；　staring　up　at　the　sky；　and　blood　soaking　through　and
through　the　front　of　his　shirt。　What　do　I　do？　I　scream　onceI
scream　twiceand　run　back　to　the　father　superior！〃

All　the　particulars　of　the　fatal　duel　which　I　had　gleaned　from
the　French　newspaper　in　Monkton's　room　at　Naples　recurred　vividly
to　my　memory。　The　suspicion　that　I　had　felt　when

I　looked　into　the　outhouse　became　a　certainty　as　I　listened　to
the　old　monk's　last　words。

〃So　far　I　understand；〃　said　I。　〃The　corpse　I　have　just　seen　in
the　outhouse　is　the　corpse　of　the　man　whom　you　found　dead　outside
your　gate。　Now　tell　me　why　you　have　not　given　the　remains　decent
burial。〃

〃Waitwaitwait；〃　answered　the　Capuchin。　〃The　father　superior
hears　me　scream　and　comes　out；　we　all　run　together　to　the　gate；
we　lift　up　the　big　man　and　look　at　him　close。　Dead！　dead　as　this
（smacking　the　dresser　with　his　hand）。　We　look　again；　and　see　a
bit　of　paper　pinned　to　the　collar　of　his　coat。　Aha！　son　of　mine；
you　start　at　that。　I　thought　I　should　make　you　start　at　last。〃

I　had　started；　indeed。　That　paper　was　doubtless　the　leaf
mentioned　in　the　second's　unfinished　narrative　as　having　been
torn　out　of　his　pocketbook；　and　inscribed　with　the　statement　of
how　the　dead　man　had　lost　his　life。　If　proof　positive　were　wanted
to　identify　the　dead　body；　here　was　such　proof　found。

〃What　do　you　think　was　written　on　the　bit　of　paper？〃　continued
the　Capuchin　〃We　read　and　shudder。　This　dead　man　has　been　killed
in　a　duelhe；　the　desperate；　the　miserable；　has　died　in　the
commission　of　mortal　sin；　and　the　men　who　saw　the　killing　of　him
ask　us　Capuchins；　holy　men；　servants　of　Heaven；　children　of　our
lord　the　Popethey　ask　_us_　to　give　him　burial！　Oh！　but　we　are
outraged　when　we　read　that；　we　groan；　we　wring　our　hands；　we　turn
away；　we　tear　our　beards；　we〃

〃Wait　one　moment；〃　said　I；　seeing　that　the　old　man　was　heating
himself　with　his　narrative；　and　was　likely；　unless　I　stopped　him；
to　talk　more　and　more　fluently　to　less　and　less　purpose〃wait　a
moment。　Have　you　preserved　the　paper　that　was　pinned　to　the　dead
man's　coat；　and　can　I　look　at　it？〃

The　Capuchin　seemed　on　the　point　of　giving　me　an　answer；　when　he
suddenly　checked　himself。　I　saw　his　eyes　wander　away　from　my
face；　and　at　the　same　moment　heard　a　door　softly　opened　and
closed　again　behind　me。

Looking　round　immediately；　I　observed　another　monk　in　the
sacristya　tall；　lean；　black…bearded　man；　in　whose　presence　my
old　friend　with　the　snuff…box　suddenly　became　quite　decorous　and
devotional　to　look　at。　I　suspected　I　was　in　the　presence　of　the
father　superior；　and　I　found　that　I　was　right　the　moment　he
addressed　me。

〃I　am　the　father　superior　of　this　convent；〃　he　said；　in　quiet；
clear　tones；　and　looking　me　straight　in　the　face　while　he　spoke；
with　coldly　attentive　eyes。　〃I　have　heard　the　latter　part　of　your
conversation；　and　I　wish　to　know　why　you　are　so　particularly
anxious　to　see　the　piece　of　paper　that　was　pinned　to　the　dead
man's　coat？〃

The　coolness　with　which　he　avowed　that　he　had　been　listening；　and
the　quietly　imperative　manner　in　which　he　put　his　concluding
question；　perplexed　and　startled　me。　I　hardly　knew　at　first　what
tone　I　ought　to　take　in　answering　him。　He　observed　my　hesitation；
and　attributing　it　to　the　wrong　cause；　signed　to　the　old　Capuchin
to　retire。　Humbly　stroking　his　long　gray　beard；　and　furtively
consoling　himself　with　a　private　pinch　of　the　〃delectable　snuff；〃
my　venerable　friend　shuffled　out　of　the　room；　making　a　profound
obeisance　at　the　door　just　before　he　disappeared。

〃Now；〃　said　the　father　superior；　as　coldly　as　ever；　〃I　am
waiting；　sir；　for　your　reply。〃

〃You　shall　have　it　in　the　fewest　possible　words；〃　said　I；
answering　him　in　his　own　tone。　〃I　find；　to　my　disgust　and　horror；
that　there　is　an　unburied　corpse　in　an　outhouse　attached　to　your
convent。　I　believe　that　corpse　to　be　the　body　of　an　English
gentleman　of　rank　and　fortune；　who　was　killed　in　a　duel。　I　have
come　into　this　neighborhood　with　the　nephew　and　only　relation　of
the　slain　man；　for　the　express　purpose　of　recovering　his　remains；
and　I　wish　to　see　the　paper　found　on　the　body；　because　I　believe
that　paper　will　identify　it　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　relative
to　whom　I　have　referred。　Do　you　find　my　reply　sufficiently
straightforward？　And　do　you　mean　to　give　me　permission　to　look　at
the　paper？〃

〃I　am　satisfied　with　your　reply；　and　see　no　reason　for　refusing
you　a　sight　of　the　paper；〃　said　the　father　superior；　〃but　I　have
something　to　say　first。　In　speaking　of　the　impression　produced　on
you　by　beholding　the　corpse；　you　used　the　words　'disgust'　and
'horror。'　This　license　of　expression　in　relation　to　what　you　have
seen　in　the　precincts　of　a　convent　proves　to　me　that　you　are　out
of　the　pale　of　the　Holy　Catholic　Church。　You　have　no　right；
therefore；　to　expect　any　explanation；　but　I　will　give　you　one；
nevertheless；　as　a　favor。　The　slain　man　died；　unabsolved；　in　the
commission　of　mortal　sin。　We　infer　so　much　from　the　paper　which
we　found　on　his　body；　and　we　know；　by　the　evidence　of　our　own
eyes　and　ears；　that　he　was　killed　on　the　territories　of　the
Church；　and　in　the　act　of　committing　direct　violation　of　those
special　laws　against　the　crime　of　dueling；　the　strict　enforcement
of　which　the　holy　father　himself　has　urged　on　the　faithful
throughout　his　dominions　by　letters　signed　with　his　own　hand。
Inside　this　convent　the　ground　is　consecrated；　and　we　Catholics
are　not　accustomed　to　bury　the　outlaws　of　our　religion；　the
enemies　of　our　holy　father；　and　the　violators　of　our　most　sacred
laws　in　consecrated　ground。　Outside　this　convent　we　have　no
rights　and　no　power；　and；　if　we　had　both；　we　should　remember　that
we　are　monks；　not　grave…diggers；　and　that　the　only　burial　with
which　_we_　can　have　any　concern　is　burial　with　the　prayers　of　the
Church。　That　is　all　the　explanation　I　think　it　necessary　to　give。
Wait　for　me　here；　and　you　shall　see　the　paper。〃　With　those　words
the　father　superior　left　the　room　as　quietly　as　he　had　entered
it。

I　had　hardly　time　to　think　over　this　bitter　and　ungracious
explanation；　and　to　feel　a　little　piqued　by　the　language　and
manner　of　the　person　who　had　given　it　to　me；　before　the　father
superior　returned　with　the　paper　in　his　hand。　He　placed　it　before
me　on　the　dresser；　and　I　read；　hurriedly　traced　in　pencil；　the
following　lines：


〃This　paper　is　attached　to　the　body　of　the　late　Mr。　Stephen
Monkton；　an　Englishman　of　distinction。　He　has　been　shot　in　a
duel；　conducted　with　perfect　gallantry　and　honor　on　both　sides。
His　body　is　placed　at　the　door　of　this　convent；　to　receive　burial
at　the　hands　of　its　inmates；　the　survivors　of　the　encounter　being
obliged　to　separate　and　secure　their　safety　by　immediate　flight。
I；　the　second　of　the　slain　man；　and　the　writer　of　this
explanation；　certify；　on　my　word　of　honor　as　a　gentleman　that　the
shot　which　killed　my　principal　on　the　instant　was　fired　fairly；
in　the　strictest　accordance　with　the　rules　laid　down　beforehand
for　the　conduct　of　the　duel。

〃（Signed）；　F。〃


〃F。〃　I　recognized　easily　enough　as　the　initial　letter　of
Monsieur　Foulon's　name；　the　second　of　Mr。　Mo