the queen of hearts-第76章

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no　surprise　to　me　to　be　told　that；　knowing　as　I　did　what　she　had
gone　through　the　night　before。

About　nine　o'clock　I　went　with　the　hot　water　to　the　Red　Room。
After　knocking　twice　I　tried　the　door；　and；　finding　it　not
locked；　went　in　with　the　jug　in　my　hand。

I　looked　at　the　bedI　looked　all　round　the　room。　Not　a　sign　of
Mr。　James　Smith　was　to　be　seen　anywhere。

Judging　by　appearances；　the　bed　had　certainly　been　occupied。
Thrown　across　the　counterpane　lay　the　nightgown　he　had　worn。　I
took　it　up　and　saw　some　spots　on　it。　I　looked　at　them　a　little
closer。　They　were　spots　of　blood。

CHAPTER　V。

THE　first　amazement　and　alarm　produced　by　this　discovery　deprived
me　of　my　presence　of　mind。　Without　stopping　to　think　what　I　ought
to　do　first；　I　ran　back　to　the　servants'　hall；　calling　out　that
something　had　happened　to　my　master。

All　the　household　hurried　directly　into　the　Red　Room；　Josephine
among　the　rest。　I　was　first　brought　to　my　senses；　as　it　were；　by
observing　the　strange　expression　of　her　countenance　when　she　saw
the　bed…gown　and　the　empty　room。　All　the　other　servants　were
bewildered　and　frightened。　She　alone；　after　giving　a　little
start；　recovered　herself　directly。　A　look　of　devilish
satisfaction　broke　out　on　her　face；　and　she　left　the　room　quickly
and　quietly；　without　exchanging　a　word　with　any　of　us。　I　saw
this；　and　it　aroused　my　suspicions。　There　is　no　need　to　mention
what　they　were；　for；　as　events　soon　showed；　they　were　entirely
wide　of　the　mark。

Having　come　to　myself　a　little；　I　sent　them　all　out　of　the　room
except　the　coachman。　We　two　then　examined　the　place。

The　Red　Room　was　usually　occupied　by　visitors。　It　was　on　the
ground　floor；　and　looked　out　into　the　garden。　We　found　the
window…shutters；　which　I　had　barred　overnight；　open；　but　the
window　itself　was　down。　The　fire　had　been　out　long　enough　for　the
grate　to　be　quite　cold。　Half　the　bottle　of　brandy　had　been　drunk。
The　carpet…bag　was　gone。　There　were　no　marks　of　violence　or
struggling　anywhere　about　the　bed　or　the　room。　We　examined　every
corner　carefully；　but　made　no　other　discoveries　than　these。

When　I　returned　to　the　servants'　hall；　bad　news　of　my　mistress
was　awaiting　me　there。　The　unusual　noise　and　confusion　in　the
house　had　reached　her　ears；　and　she　had　been　told　what　had
happened　without　sufficient　caution　being　exercised　in　preparing
her　to　hear　it。　In　her　weak；　nervous　state；　the　shock　of　the
intelligence　had　quite　prostrated　her。　She　had　fallen　into　a
swoon；　and　had　been　brought　back　to　her　senses　with　the　greatest
difficulty。　As　to　giving　me　or　anybody　else　directions　what　to　do
under　the　e　mbarrassing　circumstances　which　had　now　occurred；　she
was　totally　incapable　of　the　effort。

I　waited　till　the　middle　of　the　day；　in　the　hope　that　she　might
get　strong　enough　to　give　her　orders；　but　no　message　came　from
her。　At　last　I　resolved　to　send　and　ask　her　what　she　thought　it
best　to　do。　Josephine　was　the　proper　person　to　go　on　this　errand；
but　when　I　asked　for　Josephine；　she　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　The
housemaid；　who　had　searched　for　her　ineffectually；　brought　word
that　her　bonnet　and　shawl　were　not　hanging　in　their　usual　places。
The　parlor…maid；　who　had　been　in　attendance　in　my　mistress's
room；　came　down　while　we　were　all　aghast　at　this　new
disappearance。　She　could　only　tell　us　that　Josephine　had　begged
her　to　do　lady's…maid's　duty　that　morning；　as　she　was　not　well。
Not　well！　And　the　first　result　of　her　illness　appeared　to　be　that
she　had　left　the　house！

I　cautioned　the　servants　on　no　account　to　mention　this
circumstance　to　my　mistress；　and　then　went　upstairs　myself　to
knock　at　her　door。　My　object　was　to　ask　if　I　might　count　on　her
approval　if　I　wrote　in　her　name　to　the　lawyer　in　London；　and　if　I
afterward　went　and　gave　information　of　what　had　occurred　to　the
nearest　justice　of　the　peace。　I　might　have　sent　to　make　this
inquiry　through　one　of　the　female　servants；　but　by　this　time；
though　not　naturally　suspicious；　I　had　got　to　distrust　everybody
in　the　house；　whether　they　deserved　it　or　not。

So　I　asked　the　question　myself；　standing　outside　the　door。　My
mistress　thanked　me　in　a　faint　voice；　and　begged　me　to　do　what　I
had　proposed　immediately。

I　went　into　my　own　bedroom　and　wrote　to　the　lawyer；　merely
telling　him　that　Mr。　James　Smith　had　appeared　unexpectedly　at　the
Hall；　and　that　events　had　occurred　in　consequence　which　required
his　immediate　presence。　I　made　the　letter　up　like　a　parcel；　and
sent　the　coachman　with　it　to　catch　the　mail　on　its　way　through　to
London。

The　next　thing　was　to　go　to　the　justice　of　the　peace。　The　nearest
lived　about　five　miles　off；　and　was　well　acquainted　with　my
mistress。　He　was　an　old　bachelor；　and　he　kept　house　with　his
brother；　who　was　a　widower。　The　two　were　much　respected　and
beloved　in　the　county；　being　kind；　unaffected　gentlemen；　who　did
a　great　deal　of　good　among　the　poor。　The　justice　was　Mr。　Robert
Nicholson；　and　his　brother；　the　widower；　was　Mr。　Philip。

I　had　got　my　hat　on；　and　was　asking　the　groom　which　horse　I　had
better　take；　when　an　open　carriage　drove　up　to　the　house。　It
contained　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson　and　two　persons　in　plain　clothes；
not　exactly　servants　and　not　exactly　gentlemen；　as　far　as　I　could
judge。　Mr。　Philip　looked　at　me；　when　I　touched　my　hat　to　him；　in
a　very　grave；　downcast　way；　and　asked　for　my　mistress。　I　told　him
she　was　ill　in　bed。　He　shook　his　head　at　hearing　that；　and　said
he　wished　to　speak　to　me　in　private。　I　showed　him　into　the
library。　One　of　the　men　in　plain　clothes　followed　us；　and　sat　in
the　hall。　The　other　waited　with　the　carriage。

〃I　was　just　going　out；　sir；〃　I　said；　as　I　set　a　chair　for　him；
〃to　speak　to　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson　about　a　very　extraordinary
circumstance〃

〃I　know　what　you　refer　to；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　cutting　me　short
rather　abruptly；　〃and　I　must　beg；　for　reasons　which　will
presently　appear；　that　you　will　make　no　statement　of　any　sort　to
me　until　you　have　first　heard　what　I　have　to　say。　I　am　here　on　a
very　serious　and　a　very　shocking　errand；　which　deeply　concerns
your　mistress　and　you。〃

His　face　suggested　something　worse　than　his　words　expressed。　My
heart　began　to　beat　fast；　and　I　felt　that　I　was　turning　pale。

〃Your　master；　Mr。　James　Smith；〃　he　went　on；　〃came　here
unexpectedly　yesterday　evening；　and　slept　in　this　house　last
night。　Before　he　retired　to　rest　he　and　your　mistress　had　high
words　together；　which　ended；　I　am　sorry　to　hear；　in　a　threat　of　a
serious　nature　addressed　by　Mrs。　James　Smith　to　her　husband。　They
slept　in　separate　rooms。　This　morning　you　went　into　your　master's
room　and　saw　no　sign　of　him　there。　You　only　found　his　nightgown
on　the　bed；　spotted　with　blood。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said；　in　as　steady　a　voice　as　I　could　command。
〃Quite　true。〃

〃I　am　not　examining　you；〃　said　Mr。　Philip。　〃I　am　only　making　a
certain　statement；　the　truth　of　which　you　can　admit　or　deny
before　my　brother。〃

〃Before　your　brother；　sir！〃　I　repeated。　〃Am　I　suspected　of
anything　wrong？〃

〃There　is　a　suspicion　that　Mr。　James　Smith　has　been　murdered；〃
was　the　answer　I　received　to　that　question。

My　flesh　began　to　creep　all　over　from　head　to　foot。

〃I　am　shockedI　am　horrified　to　say；〃　Mr。　Philip　went　on；　〃that
the　suspicion　affects　your　mistress　in　the　first　place；　and　you
in　the　second。〃

I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　what　I　felt　when　he　said　that。　No
words　of　mine；　no　words　of　anybody's；　could　give　an　idea　of　it。
What　other　men　would　have　done　in　my　situation　I　don't　know。　I
stood　before　Mr。　Philip；　staring　straight　at　him；　without
speaking；　without　moving；　almost　without　breathing。　If　he　or　any
other　man　had　struck　me　at　that　moment；　I　do　not　believe　I　should
have　felt　the　blow。

〃Both　my　brother　and　myself；〃　said　Mr。　Philip；　〃have　such
unfeigned　respect　for　your　mistress；　such　sympathy　for　her　under
these　frightful　circumstances；　and　such　an　implicit　belief　in　her
capability　of　proving　her　innocence；　that　we　are　desirous　of
sparing　her　in　this　dreadful　emergency　as　much　as　possible。　For
those　reasons；　I　have　undertaken　to　come　here　with　the　persons
appointed　to　execute　my　brother's　warrant〃

〃Warrant；　sir！〃　I　said；　getting　command　of　my　voice