the queen of hearts-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


slowly　and　softly；　when　the　empty　place　is　filled　in　Wincot
vault。　Then　I　shall　stand　with　Ada　before　the　altar　in　the　Abbey
chapel；　and　when　my　eyes　meet　hers　they　will　see　the　tortured
face　no　more。〃

Saying　this；　he　leaned　his　head　on　his　hand；　sighed；　and　began
repeating　softly　to　himself　the　lines　of　the　old　prophecy：

When　in　Wincot　vault　a　place　Waits　for　one　of　Monkton's　race
When　that　one　forlorn　shall　lie　Graveless　under　open　sky；
Beggared　of　six　feet　of　earth；　Though　lord　of　acres　from　his
birth　That　shall　he　a　certain　sign　Of　the　end　of　Monktons　line。
Dwindling　ever　faster；　faster；　Dwindling　to　the　last…left　master；
From　mortal　ken；　from　light　of　day；　Monkton's　race　shall　pass
away。〃

Fancying　that　he　pronounced　the　last　lines　a　little　incoherently；
I　tried　to　make　him　change　the　subject。　He　took　no　notice　of　what
I　said；　and　went　on　talking　to　himself。

〃Monkton's　race　shall　pass　away；〃　he　repeated；　〃but　not　with
_me_。　The　fatality　hangs　over　_my_　head　no　longer。　I　shall　bury
the　unburied　dead；　I　shall　fill　the　vacant　place　in　Wincot　vault；
and　thenthen　the　new　life；　the　life　with　Ada！〃　That　name　seemed
to　recall　him　to　himself。　He　drew　his　traveling　desk　toward　him；
placed　the　packet　of　letters　in　it；　and　then　took　out　a　sheet　of
paper。　〃I　am　going　to　write　to　Ada；〃　he　said；　turning　to　me；　〃and
tell　her　the　good　news。　Her　happiness；　when　she　knows　it；　will　be
even　greater　than　mine。〃

Worn　out　by　the　events　of　the　day；　I　left　him　writing　and　went　to
bed。　I　was；　however；　either　too　anxious　or　too　tired　to　sleep。　In
this　waking　condition；　my　mind　naturally　occupied　itself　with　the
discovery　at　the　convent　and　with　the　events　to　which　that
discovery　would　in　all　probability　lead。　As　I　thought　on　the
future；　a　depression　for　which　I　could　not　account　weighed　on　my
spirits。　There　was　not　the　slightest　reason　for　the　vaguely
melancholy　forebodings　that　oppressed　me。　The　remains；　to　the
finding　of　which　my　unhappy　friend　attached　so　much　importance；
had　been　traced；　they　would　certainly　be　placed　at　his　disposal
in　a　few　days；　he　might　take　them　to　England　by　the　first
merchant　vessel　that　sailed　from　Naples；　and；　the　gratification
of　his　strange　caprice　thus　accomplished；　there　was　at　least　some
reason　to　hope　that　his　mind　might　recover　its　tone；　and　that　the
new　life　he　would　lead　at　Wincot　might　result　in　making　him　a
happy　man。　Such　considerations　as　these　were；　in　themselves；
certainly　not　calculated　to　exert　any　melancholy　influence　over
me；　and　yet；　all　through　the　night；　the　same　inconceivable；
unaccountable　depression　weighed　heavily　on　my　spiritsheavily
through　the　hours　of　darknessheavily；　even　when　I　walked　out　to
breathe　the　first　freshness　of　the　early　morning　air。

With　the　day　came　the　all…engrossing　business　of　opening
negotiations　with　the　authorities。

Only　those　who　have　had　to　deal　with　Italian　officials　can
imagine　how　our　patience　was　tried　by　every　one　with　whom　we　came
in　contact。　We　were　bandied　about　from　one　authority　to　the
other；　were　stared　at；　cross…questioned；　mystifiednot　in　the
least　because　the　case　presented　any　special　difficulties　or
intricacies；　but　because　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　every
civil　dignitary　to　whom　we　applied　should　assert　his　own
importance　by　leading　us　to　our　object　in　the　most　roundabout
manner　possible。　After　our　first　day's　experience　of　official
life　in　Italy；　I　left　the　absurd　formalities；　which　we　had　no
choice　but　to　perform；　to　be　accomplished　by　Alfred　alone；　and
applied　myself　to　the　really　serious　question　of　how　the　remains
in　the　convent　outhouse　were　to　be　safely　removed。

The　best　plan　that　suggested　itself　to　me　was　to　write　to　a
friend　in　Rome；　where　I　knew　that　it　was　a　custom　to　embalm　the
bodies　of　high　dignitaries　of　the　Church；　and　where；　I
consequently　inferred；　such　chemical　assistance　as　was　needed　in
our　emergency　might　be　obtained。　I　simply　stated　in　my　letter
that　the　removal　of　the　body　was　imperative；　then　described　the
condition　in　which　I　had　found　it；　and　engaged　that　no　expense　on
our　part　should　be　spared　if　the　right　person　or　persons　could　be
found　to　help　us。　Here；　again；　more　difficulties　interposed
themselves；　and　more　useless　formalities　were　to　be　gone　through；
but　in　the　end　patience；　perseverance；　and　money　triumphed；　and
two　men　came　expressly　from　Rome　to　undertake　the　duties　we
required　of　them。

It　is　unnecessary　that　I　should　shock　the　reader　by　entering　into
any　detail　in　this　part　of　my　narrative。　When　I　have　said　that
the　progress　of　decay　was　so　far　suspended　by　chemical　means　as
to　allow　of　the　remains　being　placed　in　the　coffin；　and　to　insure
their　being　transported　to　England　with　perfect　safety　and
convenience；　I　have　said　enough。　After　ten　days　had　been　wasted
in　useless　delays　and　difficulties；　I　had　the　satisfaction　of
seeing　the　convent　outhouse　empty　at　last；　passed　through　a　final
ceremony　of　snuff…taking；　or　rather；　of　snuff…giving；　with　the
old　Capuchin；　and　ordered　the　traveling　carriages　to　be　ready　at
the　inn　door。　Hardly　a　month　had　elapsed　since　our　departure　ere
we　entered　Naples　successful　in　the　achievement　of　a　design　which
had　been　ridiculed　as　wildly　impracticable　by　every　friend　of
ours　who　had　heard　of　it。

The　first　object　to　be　accomplished　on　our　return　was　to　obtain
the　means　of　carrying　the　coffin　to　Englandby　sea；　as　a　matter
of　course。　All　inquiries　after　a　merchant　vessel　on　the　point　of
sailing　for　any　British　port　led　to　the　most　unsatisfactory
results。　There　was　only　one　way　of　insuring　the　immediate
transportation　of　the　remains　to　England；　and　that　was　to　hire　a
vessel。　Impatient　to　return；　and　resolved　not　to　lose　sight　of
the　coffin　till　he　had　seen　it　placed　in　Wincot　vault；　Monkton
decided　immediately　on　hiring　the　first　ship　that　could　be
obtained。　The　vessel　in　port　which　we　were　informed　could　soonest
be　got　ready　for　sea　was　a　Sicilian　brig；　and　this　vessel　my
friend　accordingly　engaged。　The　best　dock…yard　artisans　tha　t
could　be　got　were　set　to　work；　and　the　smartest　captain　and　crew
to　be　picked　up　on　an　emergency　in　Naples　were　chosen　to　navigate
the　brig。

Monkton；　after　again　expressing　in　the　warmest　terms　his
gratitude　for　the　services　I　had　rendered　him；　disclaimed　any
intention　of　asking　me　to　accompany　him　on　the　voyage　to　England。
Greatly　to　his　surprise　and　delight；　however；　I　offered　of　my　own
accord　to　take　passage　in　the　brig。　The　strange　coincidences　I
had　witnessed；　the　extraordinary　discovery　I　had　hit　on　since　our
first　meeting　in　Naples；　had　made　his　one　great　interest　in　life
my　one　great　interest　for　the　time　being　as　well。　I　shared　none
of　his　delusions；　poor　fellow；　but　it　is　hardly　an　exaggeration
to　say　that　my　eagerness　to　follow　our　remarkable　adventure　to
its　end　was　as　great　as　his　anxiety　to　see　the　coffin　laid　in
Wincot　vault。　Curiosity　influenced　me；　I　am　afraid；　almost　as
strongly　as　friendship；　when　I　offered　myself　as　the　companion　of
his　voyage　home。

We　set　sail　for　England　on　a　calm　and　lovely　afternoon。

For　the　first　time　since　I　had　known　him；　Monkton　seemed　to　be　in
high　spirits。　He　talked　and　jested　on　all　sorts　of　subjects；　and
laughed　at　me　for　allowing　my　cheerfulness　to　be　affected　by　the
dread　of　seasickness。　I　had　really　no　such　fear；　it　was　my　excuse
to　my　friend　for　a　return　of　that　unaccountable　depression　under
which　I　had　suffered　at　Fondi。　Everything　was　in　our　favor；
everybody　on　board　the　brig　was　in　good　spirits。　The　captain　was
delighted　with　the　vessel；　the　crew；　Italians　and　Maltese；　were
in　high　glee　at　the　prospect　of　making　a　short　voyage　on　high
wages　in　a　well…provisioned　ship。　I　alone　felt　heavy　at　heart。
There　was　no　valid　reason　that　I　could　assign　to　myself　for　the
melancholy　that　oppressed　me；　and　yet　I　struggled　against　it　in
vain。

Late　on　our　first　night　at　sea；　I　made　a　discovery　which　was　by
no　means　calculated　to　restore　my　spirits　to　their　usual
equilibrium。　Monkton　was　in　the　cabin；　on　the　floor　of　which　had
been　placed　the　packing…case　containing　the　coffin；　and　I　was　on
deck。　The　wind　had　fallen　almost　to　a　calm；　and　I　was　lazily
watching