the queen of hearts-第71章

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you　to　act　on　that　warning　as　you　please。　You　may　disbelieve　this
letter；　because　it　is　not　signed　by　any　name。　In　that　case；　if
Mr。　James　Smith　should　ever　venture　into　your　presence；　I
recommend　you　to　ask　him　suddenly　what　he　has　done　with　his　_new
wife；_　and　to　see　if　his　countenance　does　not　immediately　testify
that　the　truth　has　been　spoken　by

〃YOUR　UNKNOWN　FRIEND。〃

Poor　as　my　opinion　was　of　my　master；　I　had　never　believed　him　to
be　capable　of　such　villainy　as　this；　and　I　could　not　believe　it
when　the　lawyer　had　done　reading　the　letter。

〃Oh；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃surely　that　is　some　base　imposition？　Surely
it　cannot　be　true？〃

〃That　is　what　I　have　told　your　mistress；〃　he　answered。　〃But　she
says　in　return〃

〃That　I　feel　it　to　be　true；〃　my　mistress　broke　in；　speaking
behind　the　handkerchief　in　a　faint；　smothered　voice。

〃We　need　not　debate　the　question；〃　the　lawyer　went　on。　〃Our
business　now　is　to　prove　the　truth　or　falsehood　of　this　letter。
That　must　be　done　at　once。　I　have　written　to　one　of　my　clerks；
who　is　accustomed　to　conducting　delicate　investigations；　to　come
to　this　house　without　loss　of　time。　He　is　to　be　trusted　with
anything；　and　he　will　pursue　the　needful　inquiries　immediately。

It　is　absolutely　necessary；　to　make　sure　of　committing　no
mistakes；　that　he　should　be　accompanied　by　some　one　who　is　well
acquainted　with　Mr。　James　Smith's　habits　and　personal　appearance；
and　your　mistress　has　fixed　upon　you　to　be　that　person。　However
well　the　inquiry　is　managed；　it　may　be　attended　by　much　trouble
and　delay；　may　necessitate　a　long　journey；　and　may　involve　some
personal　danger。　Are　you；〃　said　the　lawyer；　looking　hard　at　me；
〃ready　to　suffer　any　inconvenience　and　to　run　any　risk　for　your
mistress's　sake？〃

〃There　is　nothing　I　_can_　do；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃that　I　will　not　do。
I　am　a　fraid　I　am　not　clever　enough　to　be　of　much　use；　but；　so
far　as　troubles　and　risks　are　concerned；　I　am　ready　for　anything
from　this　moment。〃

My　mistress　took　the　handkerchief　from　her　face；　looked　at　me
with　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　and　held　out　her　hand。　How　I　came　to
do　it　I　don't　know；　but　I　stooped　down　and　kissed　the　hand　she
offered　me；　feeling　half　startled；　half　ashamed　at　my　own
boldness　the　moment　after。

〃You　will　do；　my　man；〃　said　the　lawyer；　nodding　his　head。　〃Don't
trouble　yourself　about　the　cleverness　or　the　cunning　that　may　be
wanted。　My　clerk　has　got　head　enough　for　two。　I　have　only　one
word　more　to　say　before　you　go　downstairs　again。　Remember　that
this　investigation　and　the　cause　that　leads　to　it　must　be　kept　a
profound　secret。　Except　us　three；　and　the　clergyman　here　（to　whom
your　mistress　has　written　word　of　what　has　happened）；　nobody
knows　anything　about　it。　I　will　let　my　clerk　into　the　secret　when
he　joins　us。　As　soon　as　you　and　he　are　away　from　the　house；　you
may　talk　about　it。　Until　then；　you　will　close　your　lips　on　the
subject。〃

The　clerk　did　not　keep　us　long　waiting。　He　came　as　fast　as　the
mail　from　London　could　bring　him。

I　had　expected；　from　his　master's　description；　to　see　a　serious；
sedate　man；　rather　sly　in　his　looks；　and　rather　reserved　in　his
manner。　To　my　amazement；　this　practiced　hand　at　delicate
investigations　was　a　brisk；　plump；　jolly　little　man；　with　a
comfortable　double　chin；　a　pair　of　very　bright　black　eyes；　and　a
big　bottle…nose　of　the　true　groggy　red　color。　He　wore　a　suit　of
black；　and　a　limp；　dingy　white　cravat；　took　snuff　perpetually　out
of　a　very　large　box；　walked　with　his　hands　crossed　behind　his
back；　and　looked；　upon　the　whole；　much　more　like　a　parson　of
free…and…easy　habits　than　a　lawyer's　clerk。

〃How　d'ye　do？〃　says　he；　when　I　opened　the　door　to　him。　〃I'm　the
man　you　expect　from　the　office　in　London。　Just　say　Mr。　Dark；　will
you？　I'll　sit　down　here　till　you　come　back；　and；　young　man；　if
there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　glass　of　ale　in　the　house；　I　don't
mind　committing　myself　so　far　as　to　say　that　I'll　drink　it。〃

I　got　him　the　ale　before　I　announced　him。　He　winked　at　me　as　he
put　it　to　his　lips。

〃Your　good　health；〃　says　he。　〃I　like　you。　Don't　forget　that　the
name's　Dark；　and　just　leave　the　jug　and　glass；　will　you；　in　case
my　master　keeps　me　waiting。〃

I　announced　him　at　once；　and　was　told　to　show　him　into　the
library。

When　I　got　back　to　the　hall　the　jug　was　empty；　and　Mr。　Dark　was
comforting　himself　with　a　pinch　of　snuff；　snorting　over　it　like　a
perfect　grampus。　He　had　swallowed　more　than　a　pint　of　the
strongest　old　ale　in　the　house；　and；　for　all　the　effect　it　seemed
to　have　had　on　him；　he　might　just　as　well　have　been　drinking　so
much　water。

As　I　led　him　along　the　passage　to　the　library　Josephine　passed
us。　Mr。　Dark　winked　at　me　again；　and　made　her　a　low　bow。

〃Lady's　maid；〃　I　heard　him　whisper　to　himself。　〃A　fine　woman　to
look　at；　but　a　damned　bad　one　to　deal　with。〃　I　turned　round　on
him；　rather　angry　at　his　cool　ways；　and　looked　hard　at　him　just
before　I　opened　the　library　door。　Mr。　Dark　looked　hard　at　me。
〃All　right；〃　says　he。　〃I　can　show　myself　in。〃　And　he　knocks　at
the　door；　and　opens　it；　and　goes　in　with　another　wicked　wink；　all
in　a　moment。

Half　an　hour　later　the　bell　rang　for　me。　Mr。　Dark　was　sitting
between　my　mistress　（who　was　looking　at　him　in　amazement）　and　the
lawyer　（who　was　looking　at　him　with　approval）。　He　had　a　map　open
on　his　knee；　and　a　pen　in　his　hand。　Judging　by　his　face；　the
communication　of　the　secret　about　my　master　did　not　seem　to　have
made　the　smallest　impression　on　him。

〃I've　got　leave　to　ask　you　a　question；〃　says　he；　the　moment　I
appeared。　〃When　you　found　your　master's　yacht　gone；　did　you　hear
which　way　she　had　sailed？　Was　it　northward　toward　Scotland？　Speak
up；　young　man；　speak　up！〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　〃The　boatmen　told　me　that　when　I　made
inquiries　at　the　harbor。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　turning　to　the　lawyer；　〃if　he　said　he
was　going　to　Sweden；　he　seems　to　have　started　on　the　road　to　it；
at　all　events。　I　think　I　have　got　my　instructions　now？〃

The　lawyer　nodded；　and　looked　at　my　mistress；　who　bowed　her　head
to　him。　He　then　said；　turning　to　me：

〃Pack　up　your　bag　for　traveling　at　once；　and　have　a　conveyance
got　ready　to　go　to　the　nearest　post…town。　Look　sharp；　young
manlook　sharp！〃

〃And；　whatever　happens　in　the　future；〃　added　my　mistress；　her
kind　voice　trembling　a　little；　〃believe；　William；　that　I　shall
never　forget　the　proof　you　now　show　of　your　devotion　to　me。　It　is
still　some　comfort　to　know　that　I　have　your　fidelity　to　depend　on
in　this　dreadful　trialyour　fidelity　and　the　extraordinary
intelligence　and　experience　of　Mr。　Dark。〃

Mr。　Dark　did　not　seem　to　hear　the　compliment。　He　was　busy
writing；　with　his　paper　upon　the　map　on　his　knee。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　when　I　had　ordered　the　dog…cart；　and
had　got　down　into　the　hall　with　my　bag　packed；　I　found　him　there
waiting　for　me。　He　was　sitting　in　the　same　chair　which　he　had
occupied　when　he　first　arrived；　and　he　had　another　jug　of　the　old
ale　on　the　table　by　his　side。

〃Got　any　fishing…rods　in　the　house？〃　says　he；　when　I　put　my　bag
down　in　the　hall。

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　astonished　at　the　question。　〃What　do　you　want
with　them？〃

〃Pack　a　couple　in　cases　for　traveling；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃with
lines；　and　hooks；　and　fly…books　all　complete。　Have　a　drop　of　the
ale　before　you　goand　don't　stare；　William；　don't　stare。　I'll
let　the　light　in　on　you　as　soon　as　we　are　out　of　the　house。　Off
with　you　for　the　rods！　I　want　to　be　on　the　road　in　five　minutes。〃

When　I　came　back　with　the　rods　and　tackle　I　found　Mr。　Dark　in　the
dog…cart。

〃Money；　luggage；　fishing…rods；　papers　of　directions；　copy　of
anonymous　letter；　guide…book；　map；〃　says　he；　running　over　in　his
mind　the　things　wanted　for　the　journey〃all　right　so　far。　Drive
off。〃

I　took　the　reins　and　started　the　horse。　As　we　left　the　house　I
saw　my　mistress　and　Josephine　looking　after　us　from　two　of　the
windows　on　the　second　floor。　The　memory　of　those　two　attentive
facesone　so　fair　and　so　good；　the　other　so　yellow　and　so
wickedhaunted　my　mind　perpetually　for　many　days　afterward。

〃Now；　William；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　when　we　were　clear　of　the　lodge
gates；　〃I'm　going　to　begin　by　telling　you　that　you　must　step　out
of　your　own　char