the queen of hearts-第7章

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course　of　the　next　six　weeks。　I　beg　pardon；　with　all　possible
humility；　for　the　offense　of　coming　ten　days　before　my　time。
Don't　ask　me　to　account　for　it；　please；　if　you　do；　I　shall　be
obliged　to　confess　the　truth。　My　dear　sir；　the　fact　is；　this　is
an　act　of　impulse。〃

She　paused；　and　looked　us　both　in　the　face　with　a　bright
confidence　in　her　own　flow　of　nonsense　that　was　perfectly
irresistible。

〃I　must　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　she　ran　on；　leading　the　way　to
the　bench；　and　inviting　us；　by　a　little　mock　gesture　of
supplication；　to　seat　ourselves　on　either　side　of　her。　〃I　feel　so
guilty　till　I've　told　you。　Dear　me！　how　nice　this　is！　Here　I　am
quite　at　home　already。　Isn't　it　odd？　Well；　and　how　do　you　think
it　happene　d？　The　morning　before　yesterday　Matildathere　is
Matilda；　picking　up　my　bonnet　from　the　bottom　of　that　remarkably
musty　carriageMatilda　came　and　woke　me　as　usual；　and　I　hadn't
an　idea　in　my　head；　I　assure　you；　till　she　began　to　brush　my
hair。　Can　you　account　for　it？I　can'tbut　she　seemed；　somehow；
to　brush　a　sudden　fancy　for　coming　here　into　my　head。　When　I　went
down　to　breakfast；　I　said　to　my　aunt；　'Darling；　I　have　an
irresistible　impulse　to　go　to　Wales　at　once；　instead　of　waiting
till　the　twentieth。'　She　made　all　the　necessary　objections；　poor
dear；　and　my　impulse　got　stronger　and　stronger　with　every　one　of
them。　'I'm　quite　certain；'　I　said；　'I　shall　never　go　at　all　if　I
don't　go　now。'　'In　that　case；'　says　my　aunt；　'ring　the　bell；　and
have　your　trunks　packed。　Your　whole　future　depends　on　your　going；
and　you　terrify　me　so　inexpressibly　that　I　shall　be　glad　to　get
rid　of　you。'　You　may　not　think　it；　to　look　at　herbut　Matilda　is
a　treasure；　and　in　three　hours　more　I　was　on　the　Great　Western
Railway。　I　have　not　the　least　idea　how　I　got　hereexcept　that
the　men　helped　me　everywhere。　They　are　always　such　delightful
creatures！　I　have　been　casting　myself；　and　my　maid；　and　my　trunks
on　their　tender　mercies　at　every　point　in　the　journey；　and　their
polite　attentions　exceed　all　belief。　I　slept　at　your　horrid
little　county　town　last　night；　and　the　night　before　I　missed　a
steamer　or　a　train；　I　forget　which；　and　slept　at　Bristol；　and
that's　how　I　got　here。　And；　now　I　am　here；　I　ought　to　give　my
guardian　a　kissoughtn't　I？　Shall　I　call　you　papa？　I　think　I
will。　And　shall　I　call　_you_　uncle；　sir；　and　give　you　a　kiss　too？
We　shall　come　to　it　sooner　or　latershan't　we？and　we　may　as
well　begin　at　once；　I　suppose。〃

Her　fresh　young　lips　touched　my　old　withered　cheek　first；　and
then　Owen's；　a　soft；　momentary　shadow　of　tenderness；　that　was
very　pretty　and　becoming；　passing　quickly　over　the　sunshine　and
gayety　of　her　face　as　she　saluted　us。　The　next　moment　she　was　on
her　feet　again；　inquiring　〃who　the　wonderful　man　was　who　built
The　Glen　Tower；〃　and　wanting　to　go　all　over　it　immediately　from
top　to　bottom。

As　we　took　her　into　the　house；　I　made　the　necessary　apologies　for
the　miserable　condition　of　the　lean…to；　and　assured　her　that；　ten
days　later；　she　would　have　found　it　perfectly　ready　to　receive
her。　She　whisked　into　the　roomslooked　all　round　themwhisked
out　againdeclared　she　had　come　to　live　in　the　old　Tower；　and
not　in　any　modern　addition　to　it；　and　flatly　declined　to　inhabit
the　lean…to　on　any　terms　whatever。　I　opened　my　lips　to　state
certain　objections；　but　she　slipped　away　in　an　instant　and　made
straight　for　the　Tower　staircase。

〃Who　lives　here？〃　she　asked；　calling　down　to　us；　eagerly；　from
the　first…floor　landing。

〃I　do；〃　said　Owen；　〃but；　if　you　would　like　me　to　move　out〃

She　was　away　up　the　second　flight　before　he　could　say　any　more。
The　next　sound　we　heard；　as　we　slowly　followed　her；　was　a
peremptory　drumming　against　the　room　door　of　the　second　story。

〃Anybody　here？〃　we　heard　her　ask　through　the　door。

I　called　up　to　her　that；　under　ordinary　circumstances；　I　was
there；　but　that；　like　Owen；　I　should　be　happy　to　move　out

My　polite　offer　was　cut　short　as　my　brother's　had　been。　We　heard
more　drumming　at　the　door　of　the　third　story。　There　were　two
rooms　here　alsoone　perfectly　empty；　the　other　stocked　with　odds
and　ends　of　dismal；　old…fashioned　furniture　for　which　we　had　no
use；　and　grimly　ornamented　by　a　life…size　basket　figure
supporting　a　complete　suit　of　armor　in　a　sadly　rusty　condition。
When　Owen　and　I　got　to　the　third…floor　landing；　the　door　was
open；　Miss　Jessie　had　taken　possession　of　the　rooms；　and　we　found
her　on　a　chair；　dusting　the　man　in　armor　with　her　cambric
pocket…handkerchief。

〃I　shall　live　here；〃　she　said；　looking　round　at　us　briskly　over
her　shoulder。

We　both　remonstrated；　but　it　was　quite　in　vain。　She　told　us　that
she　had　an　impulse　to　live　with　the　man　in　armor；　and　that　she
would　have　her　way；　or　go　back　immediately　in　the　post…chaise；
which　we　pleased。　Finding　it　impossible　to　move　her；　we　bargained
that　she　should；　at　least；　allow　the　new　bed　and　the　rest　of　the
comfortable　furniture　in　the　lean…to　to　be　moved　up　into　the
empty　room　for　her　sleeping　accommodation。　She　consented　to　this
condition；　protesting；　however；　to　the　last　against　being
compelled　to　sleep　in　a　bed；　because　it　was　a　modern
conventionality；　out　of　all　harmony　with　her　place　of　residence
and　her　friend　in　armor。

Fortunately　for　the　repose　of　Morgan；　who；　under　other
circumstances；　would　have　discovered　on　the　very　first　day　that
his　airy　retreat　was　by　no　means　high　enough　to　place　him　out　of
Jessie's　reach；　the　idea　of　settling　herself　instantly　in　her　new
habitation　excluded　every　other　idea　from　the　mind　of　our　fair
guest。　She　pinned　up　the　nankeen…colored　traveling　dress　in
festoons　all　round　her　on　the　spot；　informed　us　that　we　were　now
about　to　make　acquaintance　with　her　in　the　new　character　of　a
woman　of　business；　and　darted　downstairs　in　mad　high　spirits；
screaming　for　Matilda　and　the　trunks　like　a　child　for　a　set　of
new　toys。　The　wholesome　protest　of　Nature　against　the　artificial
restraints　of　modern　life　expressed　itself　in　all　that　she　said
and　in　all　that　she　did。　She　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　be
happy　before；　because　she　had　never　been　allowed；　until　now；　to
do　anything　for　herself。　She　was　down　on　her　knees　at　one　moment；
blowing　the　fire；　and　telling　us　that　she　felt　like　Cinderella；
she　was　up　on　a　table　the　next；　attacking　the　cobwebs　with　a　long
broom；　and　wishing　she　had　been　born　a　housemaid。　As　for　my
unfortunate　friend；　the　upholsterer；　he　was　leveled　to　the　ranks
at　the　first　effort　he　made　to　assume　the　command　of　the　domestic
forces　in　the　furniture　department。　She　laughed　at　him；　pushed
him　about；　disputed　all　his　conclusions；　altered　all　his
arrangements；　and　ended　by　ordering　half　his　bedroom　furniture　to
be　taken　back　again；　for　the　one　unanswerable　reason　that　she
meant　to　do　without　it。

As　evening　approached；　the　scene　presented　by　the　two　rooms
became　eccentric　to　a　pitch　of　absurdity　which　is　quite
indescribable。　The　grim；　ancient　walls　of　the　bedroom　had　the
liveliest　modern　dressing…gowns　and　morning…wrappers　hanging　all
about　them。　The　man　in　armor　had　a　collection　of　smart　little
boots　and　shoes　dangling　by　laces　and　ribbons　round　his　iron
legs。　A　worm…eaten；　steel…clasped　casket；　dragged　out　of　a
corner；　frowned　on　the　upholsterer's　brand…new　toilet…table；　and
held　a　miscellaneous　assortment　of　combs；　hairpins；　and　brushes。
Here　stood　a　gloomy　antique　chair；　the　patriarch　of　its　tribe；
whose　arms　of　blackened　oak　embraced　a　pair　of　pert；　new　deal
bonnet…boxes　not　a　fortnight　old。　There；　thrown　down　lightly　on　a
rugged　tapestry　table…cover；　the　long　labor　of　centuries　past；
lay　the　brief；　delicate　work　of　a　week　ago　in　the　shape　of　silk
and　muslin　dresses　turned　inside　out。　In　the　midst　of　all　these
confusions　and　contradictions；　Miss　Jessie　ranged　to　and　fro；　the
active　center　of　the　whole　scene　of　disorder；　now　singing　at　the
top　of　her　voice；　and　now　declaring　in　her　lighthearted　way　that
one　of　us　must　make　up　his　mind　to　marry　her　immediately；　as　she
was　determined　to　settle　for　the　rest　of　her　life　at　The　Glen
Tower。

She　followed　up　that　announcement；　when　we　met　at　dinner；　by
inquiring　if　we　quite　understood　by　this　time　that　she　had　left
her　〃com