the turn of the screw-第2章

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as　we　had　had　our　mild　wonders　of　the　previous　night。

It　appeared　that　the　narrative　he　had　promised　to　read　us　really

required　for　a　proper　intelligence　a　few　words　of　prologue。

Let　me　say　here　distinctly；　to　have　done　with　it；

that　this　narrative；　from　an　exact　transcript　of　my　own　made

much　later；　is　what　I　shall　presently　give。　　Poor　Douglas；

before　his　deathwhen　it　was　in　sightcommitted　to　me

the　manuscript　that　reached　him　on　the　third　of　these　days

and　that；　on　the　same　spot；　with　immense　effect；　he　began

to　read　to　our　hushed　little　circle　on　the　night　of　the　fourth。

The　departing　ladies　who　had　said　they　would　stay　didn't；

of　course；　thank　heaven；　stay：　　they　departed；　in　consequence

of　arrangements　made；　in　a　rage　of　curiosity；　as　they　professed；

produced　by　the　touches　with　which　he　had　already　worked　us　up。

But　that　only　made　his　little　final　auditory　more　compact　and　select；

kept　it；　round　the　hearth；　subject　to　a　common　thrill。



The　first　of　these　touches　conveyed　that　the　written　statement

took　up　the　tale　at　a　point　after　it　had；　in　a　manner；　begun。

The　fact　to　be　in　possession　of　was　therefore　that　his　old　friend；

the　youngest　of　several　daughters　of　a　poor　country　parson；

had；　at　the　age　of　twenty；　on　taking　service　for　the　first　time

in　the　schoolroom；　come　up　to　London；　in　trepidation；　to　answer

in　person　an　advertisement　that　had　already　placed　her　in　brief

correspondence　with　the　advertiser。　　This　person　proved；　on　her

presenting　herself；　for　judgment；　at　a　house　in　Harley　Street；

that　impressed　her　as　vast　and　imposingthis　prospective

patron　proved　a　gentleman；　a　bachelor　in　the　prime　of　life；

such　a　figure　as　had　never　risen；　save　in　a　dream　or　an　old　novel；

before　a　fluttered；　anxious　girl　out　of　a　Hampshire　vicarage。

One　could　easily　fix　his　type；　it　never；　happily；　dies　out。

He　was　handsome　and　bold　and　pleasant；　offhand　and　gay　and　kind。

He　struck　her；　inevitably；　as　gallant　and　splendid；

but　what　took　her　most　of　all　and　gave　her　the　courage　she

afterward　showed　was　that　he　put　the　whole　thing　to　her　as

a　kind　of　favor；　an　obligation　he　should　gratefully　incur。

She　conceived　him　as　rich；　but　as　fearfully　extravagant

saw　him　all　in　a　glow　of　high　fashion；　of　good　looks；

of　expensive　habits；　of　charming　ways　with　women。

He　had　for　his　own　town　residence　a　big　house　filled

with　the　spoils　of　travel　and　the　trophies　of　the　chase；

but　it　was　to　his　country　home；　an　old　family　place　in　Essex；

that　he　wished　her　immediately　to　proceed。



He　had　been　left；　by　the　death　of　their　parents　in　India；

guardian　to　a　small　nephew　and　a　small　niece；　children　of　a　younger；

a　military　brother；　whom　he　had　lost　two　years　before。

These　children　were；　by　the　strangest　of　chances　for　a　man

in　his　positiona　lone　man　without　the　right　sort　of

experience　or　a　grain　of　patiencevery　heavily　on　his　hands。

It　had　all　been　a　great　worry　and；　on　his　own　part　doubtless；

a　series　of　blunders；　but　he　immensely　pitied　the　poor　chicks

and　had　done　all　he　could；　had　in　particular　sent　them

down　to　his　other　house；　the　proper　place　for　them　being

of　course　the　country；　and　kept　them　there；　from　the　first；

with　the　best　people　he　could　find　to　look　after　them；

parting　even　with　his　own　servants　to　wait　on　them　and　going

down　himself；　whenever　he　might；　to　see　how　they　were　doing。

The　awkward　thing　was　that　they　had　practically　no　other

relations　and　that　his　own　affairs　took　up　all　his　time。

He　had　put　them　in　possession　of　Bly；　which　was　healthy　and　secure；

and　had　placed　at　the　head　of　their　little　establishment

but　below　stairs　onlyan　excellent　woman；　Mrs。　Grose；

whom　he　was　sure　his　visitor　would　like　and　who　had　formerly　been

maid　to　his　mother。　　She　was　now　housekeeper　and　was　also　acting

for　the　time　as　superintendent　to　the　little　girl；　of　whom；

without　children　of　her　own；　she　was；　by　good　luck；　extremely　fond。

There　were　plenty　of　people　to　help；　but　of　course　the　young　lady

who　should　go　down　as　governess　would　be　in　supreme　authority。

She　would　also　have；　in　holidays；　to　look　after　the　small　boy；

who　had　been　for　a　term　at　schoolyoung　as　he　was　to　be　sent；

but　what　else　could　be　done？and　who；　as　the　holidays　were

about　to　begin；　would　be　back　from　one　day　to　the　other。

There　had　been　for　the　two　children　at　first　a　young　lady

whom　they　had　had　the　misfortune　to　lose。　　She　had　done

for　them　quite　beautifullyshe　was　a　most　respectable　person

till　her　death；　the　great　awkwardness　of　which　had；　precisely；

left　no　alternative　but　the　school　for　little　Miles。

Mrs。　Grose；　since　then；　in　the　way　of　manners　and　things；

had　done　as　she　could　for　Flora；　and　there　were；　further；　a　cook；

a　housemaid；　a　dairywoman；　an　old　pony；　an　old　groom；

and　an　old　gardener；　all　likewise　thoroughly　respectable。



So　far　had　Douglas　presented　his　picture　when　someone　put　a　question。

〃And　what　did　the　former　governess　die　of？of　so　much　respectability？〃



Our　friend's　answer　was　prompt。　　〃That　will　come　out。

I　don't　anticipate。〃



〃Excuse　meI　thought　that　was　just　what　you　ARE　doing。〃



〃In　her　successor's　place；〃　I　suggested；　〃I　should　have　wished　to　learn

if　the　office　brought　with　it〃



〃Necessary　danger　to　life？〃　　Douglas　completed　my　thought。

〃She　did　wish　to　learn；　and　she　did　learn。　　You　shall　hear　tomorrow

what　she　learned。　　Meanwhile；　of　course；　the　prospect　struck　her

as　slightly　grim。　　She　was　young；　untried；　nervous：　　it　was　a　vision

of　serious　duties　and　little　company；　of　really　great　loneliness。

She　hesitatedtook　a　couple　of　days　to　consult　and　consider。

But　the　salary　offered　much　exceeded　her　modest　measure；

and　on　a　second　interview　she　faced　the　music；　she　engaged。〃

And　Douglas；　with　this；　made　a　pause　that；　for　the　benefit

of　the　company；　moved　me　to　throw　in



〃The　moral　of　which　was　of　course　the　seduction　exercised　by　the　splendid

young　man。　　She　succumbed　to　it。〃



He　got　up　and；　as　he　had　done　the　night　before；　went　to　the　fire；

gave　a　stir　to　a　log　with　his　foot；　then　stood　a　moment　with　his　back　to　us。

〃She　saw　him　only　twice。〃



〃Yes；　but　that's　just　the　beauty　of　her　passion。〃



A　little　to　my　surprise；　on　this；　Douglas　turned　round　to　me。

〃It　WAS　the　beauty　of　it。　　There　were　others；〃　he　went　on；

〃who　hadn't　succumbed。　　He　told　her　frankly　all　his　difficulty

that　for　several　applicants　the　conditions　had　been　prohibitive。

They　were；　somehow；　simply　afraid。　　It　sounded　dullit　sounded　strange；

and　all　the　more　so　because　of　his　main　condition。〃



〃Which　was？〃



〃That　she　should　never　trouble　himbut　never；　never：

neither　appeal　nor　complain　nor　write　about　anything；

only　meet　all　questions　herself；　receive　all　moneys　from

his　solicitor；　take　the　whole　thing　over　and　let　him　alone。

She　promised　to　do　this；　and　she　mentioned　to　me　that　when；

for　a　moment；　disburdened；　delighted；　he　held　her　hand；

thanking　her　for　the　sacrifice；　she　already　felt　rewarded。〃



〃But　was　that　all　her　reward？〃　one　of　the　ladies　asked。



〃She　never　saw　him　again。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　the　lady；　which；　as　our　friend　immediately　left　us　again；

was　the　only　other　word　of　importance　contributed　to　the　subject　till；

the　next　night；　by　the　corner　of　the　hearth；　in　the　best　chair；

he　opened　the　faded　red　cover　of　a　thin　old…fashioned　gilt…edged　album。

The　whole　thing　took　indeed　more　nights　than　one；　but　on　the　first　occasion

the　same　lady　put　another　question。　　〃What　is　your　title？〃



〃I　haven't　one。〃



〃Oh；　_I_　have！〃　　I　said。　　But　Douglas；　without　heeding　me；

had　begun　to　read　with　a　fine　clearness　that　was　like　a　rendering

to　the　ear　of　the　beauty　of　his　author's　hand。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I





I　remember　the　whole　beginning　as　a　succession　of　flights　and　drops；

a　little　seesaw　of　the　right　throbs　and　the　wrong。　　After　rising；　in　town；

to　meet　his　appeal；　I　had　at　all　events　a　couple　of　very　bad　days

found　myself　doubtf