the queen of hearts-第78章

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leaving　the　Hall　early　in　the　morning；　with　you　for　her
attendant；　and　coming　to　me；　if　she　had　been　well　enough　to
travel；　to　seek　effectual　legal　protection　from　her　husband　for
the　future。　Mr。　Nicholson　believes　that；　and　I；　who　know　more　of
the　circumstances　than　he　does；　believe　also　that　Mr。　James　Smith
stole　away　from　Darrock　Hall　in　the　night　under　fear　of　being
indicted　for　bigamy。　But　if　I　can't　find　himif　I　can't　prove
him　to　be　aliveif　I　can't　account　for　those　spots　of　blood　on
the　night…gown；　the　accidental　circumstances　of　the　case　remain
unexplainedyour　mistress's　rash　language；　the　bad　terms　on
which　she　has　lived　with　her　husband；　and　her　unlucky　disregard
of　appearances　in　keeping　up　her　intercourse　with　Mr。　Meeke；　all
tell　dead　against　usand　the　justice　has　no　alternative；　in　a
legal　point　of　view；　but　to　remand　you　both；　as　he　has　now　done；
for　the　production　of　further　evidence。〃

〃But　how；　then；　in　Heaven's　name；　is　our　innocence　to　be　proved；
sir？〃　I　asked。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃by　finding　Mr。　James
Smith；　and；　in　the　second　place；　by　persuading　him；　when　he　is
found；　to　come　forward　and　declare　himself。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃that　he　would　hesitate　to
do　that；　when　he　knows　the　horrible　charge　to　which　his
disappearance　has　exposed　his　wife？　He　is　a　heartless　villain；　I
know；　but　surely〃

〃I　don't　suppose；〃　said　the　lawyer；　cutting　me　short；　〃that　he　is
quite　scoundrel　enough　to　decline　coming　forward；　supposing　he
ran　no　risk　by　doing　so。　But　remember　that　he　has　placed　himself
in　a　position　to　be　tried　for　bigamy；　and　that　he　believes　your
mistress　will　put　the　law　in　force　against　him。〃

I　had　forgotten　that　circumstance。　My　heart　sank　within　me　when
it　was　recalled　to　my　memory；　and　I　could　say　nothing　more。

〃It　is　a　very　serious　thing；〃　the　lawyer　went　on〃it　is　a
downright　offense　against　the　law　of　the　land　to　make　any　private
offer　of　a　compromise　to　this　man。　Knowing　what　we　know；　our　duty
as　good　citizens　is　to　give　such　information　as　may　bring　him　to
trial。　I　tell　you　plainly　that；　if　I　did　not　stand　toward　your
mistress　in　the　position　of　a　relation　as　well　as　a　legal
adviser；　I　should　think　twice　about　running　the　riskthe　very
serious　riskon　which　I　am　now　about　to　venture　for　her　sake。　As
it　is；　I　have　taken　the　right　measures　to　assure　Mr。　James　Smith
that　he　will　not　be　treated　according　to　his　deserts。　When　he
knows　what　the　circumstances　are；　he　will　trust　ussupposing
always　that　we　can　find　him。　The　search　about　this　neighborhood
has　been　quite　useless。　I　have　sent　private　instructions　by
to…day's　post　to　Mr。　Dark　in　London；　and　with　them　a
carefully…worded　form　of　advertisement　for　the　public　newspapers。
You　may　rest　assured　that　every　human　means　of　tracing　him　will
be　tried　forthwith。　In　the　meantime；　I　have　an　important　question
to　put　to　you　about　Josep　hine。　She　may　know　more　than　we　think
she　does；　she　may　have　surprised　the　secret　of　the　second
marriage；　and　may　be　keeping　it　in　reserve　to　use　against　us。　If
this　should　turn　out　to　be　the　case；　I　shall　want　some　other
chance　against　her　besides　the　chance　of　indicting　her　for
perjury。　As　to　her　motive　now　for　making　this　horrible
accusation；　what　can　you　tell　me　about　that；　William？〃

〃Her　motive　against　me；　sir？〃

〃No；　no；　not　against　you。　I　can　see　plainly　enough　that　she
accuses　you　because　it　is　necessary　to　do　so　to　add　to　the
probability　of　her　story；　which；　of　course；　assumes　that　you
helped　your　mistress　to　dispose　of　the　dead　body。　You　are　coolly
sacrificed　to　some　devilish　vengeance　against　her　mistress。　Let
us　get　at　that　first。

Has　there　ever　been　a　quarrel　between　them？〃

I　told　him　of　the　quarrel；　and　of　how　Josephine　had　looked　and
talked　when　she　showed　me　her　cheek。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　a　strong　motive　for　revenge　with　a
naturally　pitiless；　vindictive　woman。　But　is　that　all？　Had　your
mistress　any　hold　over　her？　Is　there　any　self…interest　mixed　up
along　with　this　motive　of　vengeance？　Think　a　little；　William。　Has
anything　ever　happened　in　the　house　to　compromise　this　woman；　or
to　make　her　fancy　herself　compromised？〃

The　remembrance　of　my　mistress's　lost　trinkets　and　handkerchiefs；
which　later　and　greater　troubles　had　put　out　of　my　mind；　flashed
back　into　my　memory　while　he　spoke。　I　told　him　immediately　of　the
alarm　in　the　house　when　the　loss　was　discovered。

〃Did　your　mistress　suspect　Josephine　and　question　her？〃　he　asked；
eagerly。

〃No；　sir；〃　I　replied。　〃Before　she　could　say　a　word；　Josephine
impudently　asked　who　she　suspected；　and　boldly　offered　her　own
boxes　to　be　searched。〃

The　lawyer's　face　turned　red　as　scarlet。　He　jumped　out　of　his
chair；　and　hit　me　such　a　smack　on　the　shoulder　that　I　thought　he
had　gone　mad。

〃By　Jupiter！〃　he　cried　out；　〃we　have　got　the　whip…hand　of　that
she…devil　at　last。〃

I　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。

〃Why；　man　alive；〃　he　said；　〃don't　you　see　how　it　is？　Josephine's
the　thief！　I　am　as　sure　of　it　as　that　you　and　I　are　talking
together。　This　vile　accusation　against　your　mistress　answers
another　purpose　besides　the　vindictive　one　it　is　the　very　best
screen　that　the　wretch　could　possibly　set　up　to　hide　herself　from
detection。　It　has　stopped　your　mistress　and　you　from　moving　in
the　matter；　it　exhibits　her　in　the　false　character　of　an　honest
witness　against　a　couple　of　criminals；　it　gives　her　time　to
dispose　of　the　goods；　or　to　hide　them；　or　to　do　anything　she
likes　with　them。　Stop！　let　me　be　quite　sure　that　I　know　what　the
lost　things　are。　A　pair　of　bracelets；　three　rings；　and　a　lot　of
lace　pocket…handkerchiefsis　that　what　you　said？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Your　mistress　will　describe　them　particularly；　and　I　will　take
the　right　steps　the　first　thing　to…morrow　morning。　Good…evening；
William；　and　keep　up　your　spirits。　It　shan't　be　my　fault　if　you
don't　soon　see　the　quadroon　in　the　right　place　for　herat　the
prisoner's　bar。〃

With　that　farewell　he　went　out。

The　days　passed；　and　I　did　not　see　him　again　until　the　period　of
my　remand　had　expired。　On　this　occasion；　when　I　once　more
appeared　before　the　justice；　my　mistress　appeared　with　me。　The
first　sight　of　her　absolutely　startled　me；　she　was　so　sadly
altered。　Her　face　looked　so　pinched　and　thin　that　it　was　like　the
face　of　an　old　woman。　The　dull；　vacant　resignation　of　her
expression　was　something　shocking　to　see。　It　changed　a　little
when　her　eyes　first　turned　heavily　toward　me；　and　she　whispered；
with　a　faint　smile；　〃I　am　sorry　for　you；　WilliamI　am　very；　very
sorry　for　you。〃　But　as　soon　as　she　had　said　those　words　the　blank
look　returned；　and　she　sat　with　her　head　drooping　forward；　quiet；
and　inattentive；　and　hopelessso　changed　a　being　that　her　oldest
friends　would　hardly　have　known　her。

Our　examination　was　a　mere　formality。　There　was　no　additional
evidence　either　for　or　against　us；　and　we　were　remanded　again　for
another　week。

I　asked　the　lawyer；　privately；　if　any　chance　had　offered　itself
of　tracing　Mr。　James　Smith。　He　looked　mysterious；　and　only　said
in　answer；　〃Hope　for　the　best。〃　I　inquired　next　if　any　progress
had　been　made　toward　fixing　the　guilt　of　the　robbery　on
Josephine。

〃I　never　boast；〃　he　replied。　〃But；　cunning　as　she　is；　I　should
not　be　surprised　if　Mr。　Dark　and　I；　together；　turned　out　to　be
more　than　a　match　for　her。〃

Mr。　Dark！　There　was　something　in　the　mere　mention　of　his　name
that　gave　me　confidence　in　the　future。　If　I　could　only　have　got
my　poor　mistress's　sad；　dazed　face　out　of　my　mind；　I　should　not
have　had　much　depression　of　spirits　to　complain　of　during　the
interval　of　time　that　elapsed　between　the　second　examination　and
the　third。

CHAPTER　VI。

ON　the　third　appearance　of　my　mistress　and　myself　before　the
justice；　I　noticed　some　faces　in　the　room　which　I　had　not　seen
there　before。　Greatly　to　my　astonishmentfor　the　previous
examinations　had　been　conducted　as　privately　as　possibleI
remarked　the　presence　of　two　of　the　servants　from　the　Hall；　and
of　three　or　four　of　the　tenants　on　the　Darrock　estate；　who　lived
nearest　to　the　house。　They　all　sat　together　on　one　side　of　the
justice…room。　Opposite　to　them　and　close　at　the　si