the queen of hearts-第94章

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shop　with　two　counters；　which　did　business　on　one　side　in　the
general　grocery　way；　and　on　the　other　in　the　rag　and　bottle　and
old　iron　line。

There　were　several　customers　on　the　grocery　side　when　I　went　in；
so　I　waited　on　the　empty　rag　side　till　I　could　be　served。
Glancing　about　me　here　at　the　worthless…looking　things　by　which　I
was　surrounded；　my　eye　was　caught　by　a　bundle　of　rags　lying　on
the　counter；　as　if　they　had　just　been　brought　in　and　left　there。
From　mere　idle　curiosity；　I　looked　close　at　the　rags；　and　saw
among　them　something　like　an　old　cravat。　I　took　it　up　directly
and　held　it　under　a　gaslight。　The　pattern　was　blurred　lilac　lines
running　across　and　across　the　dingy　black　ground　in　a
trellis…work　form。　I　looked　at　the　ends：　one　of　them　was　torn
off。

How　I　managed　to　hide　the　breathless　surprise　into　which　this
discovery　threw　me　I　cannot　say；　but　I　certainly　contrived　to
steady　my　voice　somehow；　and　to　ask　for　my　candles　calmly　when
the　man　and　woman　serving　in　the　shop；　having　disposed　of　their
other　customers；　inquired　of　me　what　I　wanted。

As　the　man　took　down　the　candles；　my　brain　was　all　in　a　whirl
with　trying　to　think　how　I　could　get　possession　of　the　old　cravat
without　exciting　any　suspicion。　Chance；　and　a　little　quickness　on
my　part　in　taking　advantage　of　it；　put　the　object　within　my　reach
in　a　moment。　The　man；　having　counted　out　the　candles；　asked　the
woman　for　some　paper　to　wrap　them　in。　She　produced　a　piece　much
too　small　and　flimsy　for　the　purpose；　and　declared；　when　he
called　for　something　better；　that　the　day's　supply　of　stout　paper
was　all　exhausted。　He　flew　into　a　rage　with　her　for　managing　so
badly。　Just　as　they　were　beginning　to　quarrel　violently；　I
stepped　back　to　the　rag…counter；　took　the　old　cravat　carelessly
out　of　the　bundle；　and　said；　in　as　light　a　tone　as　I　could
possibly　assume：

〃Come；　come；　don't　let　my　candles　be　the　cause　of　hard　words
between　you。　Tie　this　ragged　old　thing　round　them　with　a　bit　of
string；　and　I　shall　carry　them　home　quite　comfortably。〃

The　man　seemed　disposed　to　insist　on　the　stout　paper　being
produced；　but　the　woman；　as　if　she　was　glad　of　an　opportunity　of
spiting　him；　snatched　the　candles　away；　and　tied　them　up　in　a
moment　in　the　torn　old　cravat。　I　was　afraid　he　would　have　struck
her　before　my　face；　he　seemed　in　such　a　fury；　but；　fortunately；
another　customer　came　in；　and　obliged　him　to　put　his　hands　to
peaceable　and　proper　use。？

〃Quite　a　bundle　of　all…sorts　on　the　opposite　counter　there；〃　I
said　to　the　woman；　as　I　paid　her　for　the　candles。

〃Yes；　and　all　hoarded　up　for　sale　by　a　poor　creature　with　a　lazy
brute　of　a　husband；　who　lets　his　wife　do　all　the　work　while　he
spends　all　the　money；〃　answered　the　woman；　with　a　malicious　look
at　the　man　by　her　side。

〃He　can't　surely　have　much　money　to　spend；　if　his　wife　has　no
better　work　to　do　than　picking　up　rags；〃　said　I。

〃It　isn't　her　fault　if　she　hasn't　got　no　better；〃　says　the　woman；
rather　angrily。　〃She's　ready　to　turn　her　hand　to　anything。
Charing；　washing；　laying…out；　keeping　empty　housesnothing　comes
amiss　to　her。　She's　my　half…sister；　and　I　think　I　ought　to　know。〃

〃Did　you　say　she　went　out　charing？〃　I　asked；　making　believe　as　if
I　knew　of　somebody　who　might　employ　her。

〃Yes；　of　course　I　did；〃　answered　the　woman；　〃and　if　you　can　put　a
job　into　her　hands；　you'll　be　doing　a　good　turn　to　a　poor
hard…working　creature　as　wants　it。　She　lives　down　the　Mews　here
to　the　rightname　of　Horlick；　and　as　honest　a　woman　as　ever
stood　in　shoe…leather。　Now；　then；　ma'am；　what　for　you？〃

Another　customer　came　in　just　then；　and　occupied　her　attention。　I
left　the　shop；　passed　the　turning　that　led　down　to　the　Mews；
looked　up　at　the　name　of　the　street；　so　as　to　know　how　to　find　it
again；　and　then　ran　home　as　fast　as　I　could。　Perhaps　it　was　the
remembrance　of　my　strange　dream　striking　me　on　a　sudden；　or
perhaps　it　was　the　shock　of　the　discovery　I　had　just　made；　but　I
began　to　feel　frightened　without　knowing　why；　and　anxious　to　be
under　shelter　in　my　own　room。

It　Robert　should　come　back！　Oh；　what　a　relief　and　help　it　would
be　now　if　Robert　should　come　back！


May　1st。　On　getting　indoors　last　night；　the　first　thing　I　did；
after　striking　a　light；　was　to　take　the　ragged　cravat　off　the
candles；　and　smooth　it　out　on　the　table。　I　then　took　the　end　that
had　been　in　poor　Mary's　hand　out　of　my　writing…desk；　and　smoothed
that　out　too。　It　matched　the　torn　side　of　the　cravat　exactly。　I
put　them　together；　and　satisfied　myself　that　there　was　not　a
doubt　of　it。

Not　once　did　I　close　my　eyes　that　night。　A　kind　of　fever　got
possession　of　mea　vehement　yearning　to　go　on　from　this　first
discovery　and　find　out　more；　no　matter　what　the　risk　might　be。
The　cravat　now　really　became；　to　my　mind；　the　clew　that　I　thought
I　saw　in　my　dreamthe　clew　that　I　was　resolved　to　follow。　I
determined　to　go　to　Mrs。　Horlick　this　evening　on　my　return　from
work。

I　found　the　Mews　easily。　A　crook…backed　dwarf　of　a　man　was
lounging　at　the　corner　of　it　smoking　his　pipe。　Not　liking　his
looks；　I　did　not　inquire　of　him　where　Mrs。　Horlick　lived；　but
went　down　the　Mews　till　I　met　with　a　woman；　and　asked　her。　She
directed　me　to　the　right　number。　I　knocked　at　the　door；　and　Mrs。
Horlick　herselfa　lean；
　ill…tempered；　miserable…looking　womananswered　it。　I　told　her
at　once　that　I　had　come　to　ask　what　her　terms　were　for　charing。
She　stared　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　answered　my　question　civilly
enough。

〃You　look　surprised　at　a　stranger　like　me　finding　you　out；〃　I
said。　〃I　first　came　to　hear　of　you　last　night；　from　a　relation　of
yours；　in　rather　an　odd　way。〃

And　I　told　her　all　that　had　happened　in　the　chandler's　shop；
bringing　in　the　bundle　of　rags；　and　the　circumstance　of　my
carrying　home　the　candles　in　the　old　torn　cravat；　as　often　as
possible。

〃It's　the　first　time　I've　heard　of　anything　belonging　to　him
turning　out　any　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Horlick；　bitterly。

〃What！　the　spoiled　old　neck…handkerchief　belonged　to　your
husband；　did　it？〃　said　I；　at　a　venture。

〃Yes；　I　pitched　his　rotten　rag　of　a　neck…'andkercher　into　the
bundle　along　with　the　rest；　and　I　wish　I　could　have　pitched　him
in　after　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Horlick。　〃I'd　sell　him　cheap　at　any
ragshop。　There　he　stands；　smoking　his　pipe　at　the　end　of　the
Mews；　out　of　work　for　weeks　past；　the　idlest　humpbacked　pig　in
all　London！〃

She　pointed　to　the　man　whom　I　had　passed　on　entering　the　Mews。　My
cheeks　began　to　burn　and　my　knees　to　tremble；　for　I　knew　that　in
tracing　the　cravat　to　its　owner　I　was　advancing　a　step　toward　a
fresh　discovery。　I　wished　Mrs。　Horlick　good　evening；　and　said　I
would　write　and　mention　the　day　on　which　I　wanted　her。

What　I　had　just　been　told　put　a　thought　into　my　mind　that　I　was
afraid　to　follow　out。　I　have　heard　people　talk　of　being
light…headed；　and　I　felt　as　I　have　heard　them　say　they　felt　when
I　retraced　my　steps　up　the　Mews。　My　head　got　giddy；　and　my　eyes
seemed　able　to　see　nothing　but　the　figure　of　the　little
crook…backed　man；　still　smoking　his　pipe　in　his　former　place。　I
could　see　nothing　but　that；　I　could　think　of　nothing　but　the　mark
of　the　blow　on　my　poor　lost　Mary's　temple。　I　know　that　I　must
have　been　light…headed；　for　as　I　came　close　to　the　crook…backed
man　I　stopped　without　meaning　it。　The　minute　before；　there　had
been　no　idea　in　me　of　speaking　to　him。　I　did　not　know　how　to
speak；　or　in　what　way　it　would　be　safest　to　begin；　and　yet；　the
moment　I　came　face　to　face　with　him；　something　out　of　myself
seemed　to　stop　me；　and　to　make　me　speak　without　considering
beforehand；　without　thinking　of　consequences；　without　knowing；　I
may　almost　say；　what　words　I　was　uttering　till　the　instant　when
they　rose　to　my　lips。

〃When　your　old　neck…tie　was　torn；　did　you　know　that　one　end　of　it
went　to　the　rag…shop；　and　the　other　fell　into　my　hands？〃

I　said　these　bold　words　to　him　suddenly；　and；　as　it　seemed；
without　my　own　will　taking　any　part　in　them。

He　started；　stared；　changed　color。　He　was　too　much　amazed　by　my
sudden　speaking　to　find　an　answer　for　me。　When　he　did　open　his
lips；　it　was　to　say　rather　to　himself　than　me：

〃You're　not　the　girl。〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　with　a　strange　c