the queen of hearts-第53章

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probable　that　Arthur　Holliday　would　marry　the　young　lady　who　had
given　him　the　water…color　drawing　of　the　landscape。　That　marriage
took　place　a　little　more　than　a　year　after　the　events　occurred
which　I　have　just　been　relating。

The　young　couple　came　to　live　in　the　neighborhood　in　which　I　was
then　established　in　practice。　I　was　present　at　the　wedding；　and
was　rather　surprised　to　find　that　Arthur　was　singularly　reserved
with　me；　both　before　and　after　his　marriage；　on　the　subject　of
the　young　lady's　prior　engagement。　He　only　referred　to　it　once
when　we　were　alone；　merely　telling　me；　on　that　occasion；　that　his
wife　had　done　all　that　honor　and　duty　required　of　her　in　the
matter；　and　that　the　engagement　had　been　broken　off　with　the　full
approval　of　her　parents。　I　never　heard　more　from　him　than　this。
For　three　years　he　and　his　wife　lived　together　happily。　At　the
expiration　of　that　time　the　symptoms　of　a　serious　illness　first
declared　themselves　in　Mrs。　Arthur　Holliday。　It　turned　out　to　be
a　long；　lingering；　hopeless　malady。　I　attended　her　throughout。　We
had　been　great　friends　when　she　was　well；　and　we　became　more
attached　to　each　other　than　ever　when　she　was　ill。　I　had　many
long　and　interesting　conversations　with　her　in　the　intervals　when
she　suffered　least。　The　result　of　one　of　those　conversations　I
may　briefly　relate；　leaving　you　to　draw　any　inferences　from　it
that　you　please。

The　interview　to　which　I　refer　occurred　shortly　before　her　death。

I　called　one　evening　as　usual；　and　found　her　alone；　with　a　look
in　her　eyes　which　told　me　she　had　been　crying。　She　only　informed
me　at　first　that　she　had　been　depressed　in　spirits；　but　by　little
and　little　she　became　more　communicative；　and　confessed　to　me
that　she　had　been　looking　over　some　old　letters　which　had　been
addressed　to　her；　before　she　had　seen　Arthur；　by　a　man　to　whom
she　had　been　engaged　to　be　married。　I　asked　her　how　the
engagement　came　to　be　broken　off。　She　replied　that　it　had　not
been　broken　off；　but　that　it　had　died　out　in　a　very　mysterious
way。　The　person　to　whom　she　was　engagedher　first　love；　she
called　himwas　very　poor；　and　there　was　no　immediate　prospect　of
their　being　married。　He　followed　my　profession；　and　went　abroad
to　study。　They　had　corresponded　regularly　until　the　time　when；　as
she　believed；　he　had　returned　to　England。　From　that　period　she
heard　no　more　of　him。　He　was　of　a　fretful；　sensitive　temperament；
and　she　feared　that　she　might　have　inadvertently　done　or　said
something　to　offend　him。　However　that　might　be；　he　had　never
written　to　her　again；　and　after　waiting　a　year　she　had　married
Arthur。　I　asked　when　the　first　estrangement　had　begun；　and　found
that　the　time　at　which　she　ceased　to　hear　anything　of　her　first
lover　exactly　corresponded　with　the　time　at　which　I　had　been
called　in　to　my　mysterious　patient　at　The　Two　Robins　Inn。

A　fortnight　after　that　conversation　she　died。　In　course　of　time
Arthur　married　again。　Of　late　years　he　has　lived　principally　in
London；　and　I　have　seen　little　or　nothing　of　him。

I　have　some　years　to　pass　over　before　I　can　approach　to　anything
like　a　conclusion　of　this　fragmentary　narrative。　And　even　when
that　later　period　is　reached；　the　little　that　I　have　to　say　will
not　occupy　your　attention　for　more　than　a　few　minutes。

One　rainy　autumn　evening；　while　I　was　still　practicing　as　a
country　doctor；　I　was　sitting　alone；　thinking　over　a　case　then
under　my　charge；　which　sorely　perplexed　me；　when　I　heard　a　low
knock　at　the　door　of　my　room。

〃Come　in；〃　I　cried；　looking　up　curiously　to　see　who　wanted　me。

After　a　momentary　delay；　the　lock　moved；　and　a　long；　white；　bony
hand　stole　round　the　door　as　it　opened；　gently　pushing　it　over　a
fold　in　the　carpet　which　hindered　it　from　working　freely　on　the
hinges。　The　hand　was　followed　by　a　man　whose　face　instantly
struck　me　with　a　very　strange　sensation。　There　was　something
familiar　to　me　in　the　look　of　him；　and　yet　it　was　also　something
that　suggested　the　idea　of　change。

He　quietly　introduced　himself　as　〃Mr。　Lorn；〃　presented　to　me　some
excellent　professional　recommendations；　and　proposed　to　fill　the
place；　then　vacant；　of　my　assistant。　While　he　was　speaking　I
noticed　it　as　singular　that　we　did　not　appear　to　be　meeting　each
other　like　strangers；　and　that；　while　I　was　certainly　startled　at
seeing　him；　he　did　not　appear　to　be　at　all　startled　at　seeing　me。

It　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue　to　say　that　I　thought　I　had　met
with　him　before。　But　there　was　something　in　his　face；　and
something　in　my　own　recollectionsI　can　hardly　say　whatwhich
unaccountably　restrained　me　from　speaking　and　which　as
unaccountably　attracted　me　to　him　at　once；　and　made　me　feel　ready
and　glad　to　accept　his　proposal。

He　took　his　assistant's　place　on　that　very　day。　We　got　on
together　as　if　we　had　been　old　friends　from　the　first；　but；
throughout　the　whole　time　of　his　residence　in　my　house；　he　never
volunteered　any　confidences　on　the　subject　of　his　past　life；　and
I　never　approached　the　forbidden　topic　except　by　hints；　which　he
resolutely　refused　to　understand。

I　had　long　had　a　notion　that　my　patient　at　the　inn　might　have
been　a　natural　son　of　the　elder　Mr。　Holliday's；　and　that　he　might
also　have　been　the　man　who　was　engaged　to　Arthur's　first　wife。
And　now　another　idea　occurred　to　me；　that　Mr。　Lorn　was　the　only
person　in　existence　who　could；　if　he　chose；　enlighten　me　on　both
those　doubtful　points。　But　he　never　did　choose；　and　I　was　never
enlightened。　He　remained　with　me　till　I　removed　to　London　to　try
my　fortune　there　as　a　physician　for　the　second　time；　and　then　he
went　his　way　and　I　went　mine；　and　we　have　never　seen　one　another
since。

I　can　add　no　more。　I　may　have　been　right　in　my　suspicion；　or　I
may　have　been　wrong。　All　I　know　is　that；　in　those　days　of　my
country　practice；　when　I　came　home　late；　and　found　my　assistant
asleep；　and　woke　him；　he　used　to　look；　in　coming　to；　wonderfully
like　the　stranger　at　Doncaster　as　he　raised　himself　in　the　bed　on
that　memorable　night。

THE　SIXTH　DAY

AN　oppressively　mild　temperature；　and　steady；　soft；　settled
raindismal　weather　for　idle　people　in　the　country。　Miss　Jessie；
after　looking　longingly　out　of　the　window；　resigned　herself　to
circumstances；　and　gave　up　all　hope　of　a　ride。　The　gardener；　the
conservatory；　the　rabbits；　the　raven；　the　housekeeper；　and；　as　a
last　resource；　even　the　neglected　piano；　were　all　laid　under
contribution　to　help　her　through　the　time。　It　was　a　long　day；　but
thanks　to　her　own　talent　for　trifling；　she　contrived　to　occupy　it
pleasantly　enough。

Still　no　news　of　my　son。　The　time　was　getting　on　now；　and　it　was
surely　not　unreasonable　to　look　for　some　tidings　of　him。

To…day　Morgan　and　I　both　finished　our　third　and　last　stories。　I
corrected　my　brother's　contribution　with　no　very　great　difficulty
on　this　occasion；　and　numbered　it　Nine。　My　own　story　came　next；
and　was　thus　accidentally　distinguished　as　the　last　of　the
seriesNumber　Ten。　When　I　dropped　the　two　corresponding　cards
into　the　bowl；　the　thought　that　there　would　be　now　no　more　to　add
seemed　to　quicken　my　prevailing　sense　of　anxiety　on　the　subject
of　George's　return。　A　heavy　depression　hung　upon　my　spirits；　and
I　went　out　desperately　in　the　rain　to　shake　my　mind　free　of
oppressing　influences　by　dint　of　hard　bodily　exercise。

The　number　drawn　this　evening　was　Three。　On　the　　production　of　the
corresponding　man　uscript　it　proved　to　be　my　turn　to　read　again。

〃I　can　promise　you　a　little　variety　to…night；〃　I　said；　addressing
our　fair　guest；　〃if　I　can　promise　nothing　else。　This　time　it　is
not　a　story　of　my　own　writing　that　I　am　about　to　read；　but　a　copy
of　a　very　curious　correspondence　which　I　found　among　my
professional　papers。〃

Jessie's　countenance　fell。　〃Is　there　no　story　in　it？〃　she　asked；
rather　discontentedly。

〃Certainly　there　is　a　story　in　it；〃　I　replied〃a　story　of　a　much
lighter　kind　than　any　we　have　yet　read；　and　which　may；　on　that
account；　prove　acceptable；　by　way　of　contrast　and　relief；　even　if
it　fails　to　attract　you　by　other　means。　I　obtained　the　original
correspondence；　I　must　tell　you；　from　the　office　of　the　Detective
Police　of　London。〃

Jessie's　face　brightened。　〃Th