the queen of hearts-第72章

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〃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　character　till　further　notice。　You　are　a　clerk　in　a
bank；　and　I'm　another。　We　have　got　our　regular　holiday；　that
comes；　like　Christmas；　once　a　year；　and　we　are　taking　a　little
tour　in　Scotland　to　see　the　curiosities；　and　to　breathe　the　sea
air；　and　to　get　some　fishing　whenever　we　can。　I'm　the　fat　cashier
who　digs　holes　in　a　drawerful　of　gold　with　a　copper　shovel；　and
you're　the　arithmetical　young　man　who　sits　on　a　perch　behind　me
and　keeps　the　books。　Scotland's　a　beautiful　country；　William。　Can
you　make　whisky…toddy？　I　can；　and；　what's　more；　unlikely　as　the
thing　may　seem　to　you；　I　can　actually　drink　it　into　the　bargain。〃

〃Scotland！〃　says　I。　〃What　are　we　going　to　Scotland　for？〃

〃Question　for　question；〃　says　Mr。　Dark。　〃What　are　we　starting　on
a　journey　for？〃

〃To　find　my　master；〃　I　answered；　〃and　to　make　sure　if　the　letter
about　him　is　true。〃

〃Very　good；〃　says　he。　〃How　would　you　set　about　doing　that；　eh？〃

〃I　should　go　and　ask　about　him　at　Stockholm　in　Sweden；　where　he
said　his　letters　were　to　be　sent。〃

〃Should　you；　indeed？〃　says　Mr。　Dark。　〃If　you　were　a　shepherd；
William；　and　had　lost　a　sheep　in　Cumberland；　would　you　begin
looking　for　it　at　the　Land's　End；　or　would　you　try　a　little
nearer　home？〃

〃You're　attempting　to　make　a　fool　of　me　now；〃　says　I。

〃No；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　〃I'm　only　letting　the　light　in　on　you；　as　I
said　I　would。　Now　listen　to　reason；　William；　and　profit　by　it　as
much　as　you　can。　Mr。　James　Smith　says　he　is　going　on　a　cruise　to
Sweden；　and　makes　his　word　good；　at　the　beginning；　by　starting
northward　toward　the　coast　of　Scotland。　What　does　he　go　in？　A
yacht。　Do　yachts　carry　live　beasts　and　a　butcher　on　board？　No。
Will　joints　of　meat　keep　fresh　all　the　way　from　Cumberland　to
Sweden？　No。　Do　gentlemen　like　living　on　salt　provisions？　No。　What
follows　from　these　three　Noes？　That　Mr。　James　Smith　must　have
stopped　somewhere　on　the　way　to　S　weden　to　supply　his　sea…larder
with　fresh　provisions。　Where；　in　that　case；　must　he　stop？
Somewhere　in　Scotland；　supposing　he　didn't　alter　his　course　when
he　was　out　of　sight　of　your　seaport。　Where　in　Scotland？　Northward
on　the　main　land；　or　westward　at　one　of　the　islands？　Most　likely
on　the　main　land；　where　the　seaside　places　are　largest；　and　where
he　is　sure　of　getting　all　the　stores　he　wants。　Next；　what　is　our
business？　Not　to　risk　losing　a　link　in　the　chain　of　evidence　by
missing　any　place　where　he　has　put　his　foot　on　shore。　Not　to
overshoot　the　mark　when　we　want　to　hit　it　in　the　bull's…eye。　Not
to　waste　money　and　time　by　taking　a　long　trip　to　Sweden　till　we
know　that　we　must　absolutely　go　there。　Where　is　our　journey　of
discovery　to　take　us　to　first；　then？　Clearly　to　the　north　of
Scotland。　What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　William？　Is　my　catechism
all　correct；　or　has　your　strong　ale　muddled　my　head？〃

It　was　evident　by　this　time　that　no　ale　could　do　that；　and　I　told
him　so。　He　chuckled；　winked　at　me；　and；　taking　another　pinch　of
snuff；　said　he　would　now　turn　the　whole　case　over　in　his　mind
again；　and　make　sure　that　he　had　got　all　the　bearings　of　it　quite
clear。

By　the　time　we　reached　the　post…town　he　had　accomplished　this
mental　effort　to　his　own　perfect　satisfaction；　and　was　quite
ready　to　compare　the　ale　at　the　inn　with　the　ale　at　Darrock　Hall。
The　dog…cart　was　left　to　be　taken　back　the　next　morning　by　the
hostler。　A　post…chaise　and　horses　were　ordered　out。　A　loaf　of
bread；　a　Bologna　sausage；　and　two　bottles　of　sherry　were　put　into
the　pockets　of　the　carriage；　we　took　our　seats；　and　started
briskly　on　our　doubtful　journey。

〃One　word　more　of　friendly　advice；〃　says　Mr。　Dark；　settling
himself　comfortably　in　his　corner　of　the　carriage。　〃Take　your
sleep；　William；　whenever　you　feel　that　you　can　get　it。　You　won't
find　yourself　in　bed　again　till　we　get　to　Glasgow。〃

CHAPTER　III。

ALTHOUGH　the　events　that　I　am　now　relating　happened　many　years
ago；　I　shall　still；　for　caution's　sake；　avoid　mentioning　by　name
the　various　places　visited　by　Mr。　Dark　and　myself　for　the　purpose
of　making　inquiries。　It　will　be　enough　if　I　describe　generally
what　we　did；　and　if　I　mention　in　substance　only　the　result　at
which　we　ultimately　arrived。

On　reaching　Glasgow；　Mr。　Dark　turned　the　whole　case　over　in　his
mind　once　more。　The　result　was　that　he　altered　his　original
intention　of　going　straight　to　the　north　of　Scotland；　considering
it　safer　to　make　sure；　if　possible；　of　the　course　the　yacht　had
taken　in　her　cruise　along　the　western　coast。

The　carrying　out　of　this　new　resolution　involved　the　necessity　of
delaying　our　onward　journey　by　perpetually　diverging　from　the
direct　road。　Three　times　we　were　sent　uselessly　to　wild　places　in
the　Hebrides　by　false　reports。　Twice　we　wandered　away　inland；
following　gentlemen　who　answered　generally　to　the　description　of
Mr。　James　Smith；　but　who　turned　out　to　be　the　wrong　men　as　soon
as　we　set　eyes　on　them。　These　vain　excursionsespecially　the
three　to　the　western　islandsconsumed　time　terribly。　It　was　more
than　two　months　from　the　day　when　we　had　left　Darrock　Hall　before
we　found　ourselves　up　at　the　very　top　of　Scotland　at　last；
driving　into　a　considerable　sea…side　town；　with　a　harbor　attached
to　it。　Thus　far　our　journey　had　led　to　no　results；　and　I　began　to
despair　of　success。　As　for　Mr。　Dark；　he　never　got　to　the　end　of
his　sweet　temper　and　his　wonderful　patience。

〃You　don't　know　how　to　wait；　William；〃　was　his　constant　remark
whenever　he　heard　me　complaining。　〃I　do。〃

We　drove　into　the　town　toward　evening　in　a　modest　little　gig；　and
put　up；　according　to　our　usual　custom；　at　one　of　the　inferior
inns。

〃We　must　begin　at　the　bottom；〃　Mr。　Dark　used　to　say。　〃High
company　in　a　coffee…room　won't　be　familiar　with　us；　low　company
in　a　tap…room　will。〃　And　he　certainly　proved　the　truth　of　his　own
words。　The　like　of　him　for　making　intimate　friends　of　total
strangers　at　the　shortest　notice　I　have　never　met　with　before　or
since。　Cautious　as　the　Scotch　are；　Mr。　Dark　seemed　to　have　the
knack　of　twisting　them　round　his　finger　as　he　pleased。　He　varied
his　way　artfully　with　different　men；　but　there　were　three
standing　opinions　of　his　which　he　made　a　point　of　expressing　in
all　varieties　of　company　while　we　were　in　Scotland。　In　the　first
place；　he　thought　the　view　of　Edinburgh　from　Arthur's　Seat　the
finest　in　the　world。　In　the　second　place；　he　considered　whisky　to
be　the　most　wholesome　spirit　in　the　world。　In　the　third　place；　he
believed　his　late　beloved　mother　to　be　the　best　woman　in　the
world。　It　may　be　worthy　of　note　that；　whenever　he　expressed　this
last　opinion　in　Scotland；　he　invariably　added　that　her　maiden
name　was　Macleod。

Well；　we　put　up　at　a　modest　little　inn　near　the　harbor。　I　was
dead　tired　with　the　journey；　and　lay　down　on　my　bed　to　get　some
rest。　Mr。　Dark；　whom　nothing　ever　fatigued；　left　me　to　take　his
toddy　and　pipe　among　the　company　in　the　taproom。

I　don't　know　how　long　I　had　been　asleep　when　I　was　roused　by　a
shake　on　my　shoulder。　The　room　was　pitch　dark；　and　I　felt　a　hand
suddenly　clapped　over　my　mouth。　Then　a　strong　smell　of　whisky　and
tobacco　saluted　my　nostrils；　and　a　whisper　stole　into　my　ear

〃William；　we　have　got　to　the　end　of　our　journey。〃

〃Mr。　Dark；〃　I　stammered　out；　〃is　that　you？　What；　in　Heaven's
name；　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　yacht　put　in　here；〃　was　the　answer；　still　in　a　whisper；　〃and
your　blackguard　of　a　master　came　ashore〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dark；〃　I　broke　in；　〃don't　tell　me　that　the　letter　is
true！〃

〃Every　word　of　it；〃　says　he。　〃He　was　married　here；　and　was　off
again　to　the　Mediterranean　with　Number　Two　a　good　three　weeks
before　we　left　your　mistress's　house。　Hush！　don't　say　a　word；　Go
to　sleep　again；　or　strike　a　light；　if　you　like　it　better。　Do
anything　but　come　downstairs　with　me。　I'm　going　to　find　out　all
the　particulars　without　seeming　to　want　to　know　one　of　them。
Yours　is　a　very　good…looking　face；　William；　but　it's　so
infernally　honest　that　I　can't　trust　it　in　the　tap…room。　I'm
making　friends　with　the　Scotchmen　already。　They　know　my　opinion
of　Arthur's　Seat；　they　_see_　what　I　t