the queen of hearts-第73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！


making　friends　with　the　Scotchmen　already。　They　know　my　opinion
of　Arthur's　Seat；　they　_see_　what　I　think　of　whisky；　and　I　rather
think　it　won't　be　long　before　they　hear　that　my　mother's　maiden
name　was　Macleod。〃

With　those　words　he　slipped　out　of　the　room；　and　left　me；　as　he
had　found　me；　in　the　dark。

I　was　far　too　much　agitated　by　what　I　had　heard　to　think　of　going
to　sleep　again；　so　I　struck　a　light；　and　tried　to　amuse　myself　as
well　as　I　could　with　an　old　newspaper　that　had　been　stuffed　into
my　carpet　bag。　It　was　then　nearly　ten　o'clock。　Two　hours　later；
when　the　house　shut　up；　Mr。　Dark　came　back　to　me　again　in　high
spirits。

〃I　have　got　the　whole　case　here；〃　says　he；　tapping　his
forehead〃the　whole　case；　as　neat　and　clean　as　if　it　was　drawn
in　a　brief。　That　master　of　yours　doesn't　stick　at　a　trifle；
William。　It's　my　opinion　that　your　mistress　and　you　have　not　seen
the　last　of　him　yet。〃

We　were　sleeping　that　night　in　a　double…bedded　room。　As　soon　as
Mr。　Dark　had　secured　the　door　and　disposed　himself　comfortably　in
his　bed；　he　entered　on　a　detailed　narrative　of　the　particulars
communicated　to　him　in　the　tap…room。　The　substance　of　what　he
told　me　may　be　related　as　follows：

The　yacht　had　had　a　wonderful　run　all　the　way　to　Cape　Wrath。　On
rounding　that　headland　she　had　met　the　wind　nearly　dead　against
her；　and　had　beaten　every　inch　of　the　way　to　the　sea…port　town；
where　she　had　put　in　to　get　a　supply　of　provisions；　and　to　wait
for　a　change　in　the　wind。

Mr。　James　Smith　had　gone　ashore　to　look　about　him；　and　to　see
whether　the　principal　hotel　was　the　sort　of　house　at　which　he
would　like　to　stop　for　a　few　days。　In　the　course　of　his　wandering
about　the　town；　his　attention　had　been　attracted　to　a　decent
house；　where　lodgings　were　to　be　let；　by　the　sight　of　a　very
pretty　girl　sitting　at　work　at　the　parlor　window。　He　was　so
struck　by　her　face　that　he　came　back　twice　to　look　at　it；
determining；　the　second　time；　to　try　if　he　could　not　make
acquaintance　with　her　by　asking　to　see　the　lodgings。　He　was　shown
the　rooms　by　the　girl's　mother；　a　very　respectable　woman；　whom　he
discovered　to　be　the　wife　of　the　master　and　part　owner　of　a　small
coasting　ves　sel；　then　away　at　sea。　With　a　little　maneuvering　he
managed　to　get　into　the　parlor　where　the　daughter　was　at　work；
and　to　exchange　a　few　words　with　her。　Her　voice　and　manner
completed　the　attraction　of　her　face。　Mr。　James　Smith　decided；　in
his　headlong　way；　that　he　was　violently　in　love　with　her；　and；
without　hesitating　another　instant；　he　took　the　lodgings　on　the
spot　for　a　month　certain。

It　is　unnecessary　to　say　that　his　designs　on　the　girl　were　of　the
most　disgraceful　kind；　and　that　he　represented　himself　to　the
mother　and　daughter　as　a　single　man。　Helped　by　his　advantages　of
money；　position；　and　personal　appearance；　he　had　made　sure　that
the　ruin　of　the　girl　might　be　effected　with　very　little
difficulty；　but　he　soon　found　that　he　had　undertaken　no　easy
conquest。

The　mother's　watchfulness　never　slept；　and　the　daughter's
presence　of　mind　never　failed　her。　She　admired　Mr。　James　Smith's
tall　figure　and　splendid　whiskers；　she　showed　the　most
encouraging　partiality　for　his　society；　she　smiled　at　his
compliments；　and　blushed　whenever　he　looked　at　her；　but；　whether
it　was　cunning　or　whether　it　was　innocence；　she　seemed　incapable
of　understanding　that　his　advances　toward　her　were　of　any　other
than　an　honorable　kind。　At　the　slightest　approach　to　undue
familiarity；　she　drew　back　with　a　kind　of　contemptuous　surprise
in　her　face；　which　utterly　perplexed　Mr。　James　Smith。　He　had　not
calculated　on　that　sort　of　resistance；　and　he　could　not　see　his
way　to　overcoming　it。　The　weeks　passed；　the　month　for　which　he
had　taken　the　lodgings　expired。　Time　had　strengthened　the　girl's
hold　on　him　till　his　admiration　for　her　amounted　to　downright
infatuation；　and　he　had　not　advanced　one　step　yet　toward　the
fulfillment　of　the　vicious　purpose　with　which　he　had　entered　the
house。

At　this　time　he　must　have　made　some　fresh　attempt　on　the　girl's
virtue；　which　produced：　a　coolness　between　them；　for；　instead　of
taking　the　lodgings　for　another　term；　he　removed　to　his　yacht；　in
the　harbor；　and　slept　on　board　for　two　nights。

The　wind　was　now　fair；　and　the　stores　were　on　board；　but　he　gave
no　orders　to　the　sailing…master　to　weigh　anchor。　On　the　third
day；　the　cause　of　the　coolness；　whatever　it　was；　appears　to　have
been　removed；　and　he　returned　to　his　lodgings　on　shore。　Some　of
the　more　inquisitive　among　the　townspeople　observed　soon
afterward；　when　they　met　him　in　the　street；　that　he　looked　rather
anxious　and　uneasy。　The　conclusion　had　probably　forced　itself
upon　his　mind；　by　this　time；　that　he　must　decide　on　pursuing　one
of　two　courses：　either　he　must　resolve　to　make　the　sacrifice　of
leaving　the　girl　altogether；　or　he　must　commit　the　villainy　of
marrying　her。

Scoundrel　as　he　was；　he　hesitated　at　encountering　the
riskperhaps；　also；　at　being　guilty　of　the　crimeinvolved　in
this　last　alternative。　While　he　was　still　in　doubt；　the　father's
coasting　vessel　sailed　into　the　harbor；　and　the　father's　presence
on　the　scene　decided　him　at　last。　How　this　new　influence　acted　it
was　impossible　to　find　out　from　the　imperfect　evidence　of　persons
who　were　not　admitted　to　the　family　councils。　The　fact；　however；
was　certain　that　the　date　of　the　father's　return　and　the　date　of
Mr。　James　Smith's　first　wicked　resolution　to　marry　the　girl　might
both　be　fixed；　as　nearly　as　possible；　at　one　and　the　same　time。

Having　once　made　up　his　mind　to　the　commission　of　the　crime；　he
proceeded　with　all　possible　coolness　and　cunning　to　provide
against　the　chances　of　detection。

Returning　on　board　his　yacht　he　announced　that　he　had　given　up
his　intention　of　cruising　to　Sweden　and　that　he　intended　to　amuse
himself　by　a　long　fishing　tour　in　Scotland。　After　this
explanation；　he　ordered　the　vessel　to　be　laid　up　in　the　harbor；
gave　the　sailing…master　leave　of　absence　to　return　to　his　family
at　Cowes；　and　paid　off　the　whole　of　the　crew　from　the　mate　to　the
cabin…boy。　By　these　means　he　cleared　the　scene；　at　one　blow；　of
the　only　people　in　the　town　who　knew　of　the　existence　of　his
unhappy　wife。　After　that　the　news　of　his　approaching　marriage
might　be　made　public　without　risk　of　discovery；　his　own　common
name　being　of　itself　a　sufficient　protection　in　case　the　event
was　mentioned　in　the　Scotch　newspapers。　All　his　friends；　even　his
wife　herself；　might　read　a　report　of　the　marriage　of　Mr。　James
Smith　without　having　the　slightest　suspicion　of　who　the
bridegroom　really　was。

A　fortnight　after　the　paying　off　of　the　crew　he　was　married　to
the　merchant…captain's　daughter。　The　father　of　the　girl　was　well
known　among　his　fellow…townsmen　as　a　selfish；　grasping　man；　who
was　too　anxious　to　secure　a　rich　son…in…law　to　object　to　any
proposals　for　hastening　the　marriage。　He　and　his　wife；　and　a　few
intimate　relations　had　been　present　at　the　ceremony；　and　after　it
had　been　performed　the　newly…married　couple　left　the　town　at　once
for　a　honeymoon　trip　to　the　Highland　lakes。

Two　days　later；　however；　they　unexpectedly　returned；　announcing　a
complete　change　in　their　plans。　The　bridegroom　（thinking；
probably；　that　he　would　be　safer　out　of　England　than　in　it）　had
been　pleasing　the　bride's　fancy　by　his　descriptions　of　the
climate　and　the　scenery　of　southern　parts。　The　new　Mrs。　James
Smith　was　all　curosity　to　see　Spain　and　Italy；　and；　having　often
proved　herself　an　excellent　sailor　on　board　her　father's　vessel；
was　anxious　to　go　to　the　Mediterranean　in　the　easiest　way　by　sea。
Her　affectionate　husband；　having　now　no　other　object　in　life　than
to　gratify　her　wishes；　had　given　up　the　Highland　excursion；　and
had　returned　to　have　his　yacht　got　ready　for　sea　immediately。　In
this　explanation　there　was　nothing　to　awaken　the　suspicions　of
the　lady's　parents。　The　mother　thought　Mr。　James　Smith　a　model
among　bridegrooms。　The　father　lent　his　assistance　to　man　the
yacht　at　the　shortest　notice　with　as　smart　a　crew　as　could　be
picked　up　about　the　town。　Principally　through　his　exertions；　the
vessel　was　got　ready　for　sea　with　extraordinary　dispatch。　The
sails　were　bent；