little novels-第1章

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LITTLE　NOVELS

by　Wilkie　Collins





MRS。　ZANT　AND　THE　GHOST。

I。

THE　course　of　this　narrative　describes　the　return　of　a　disembodied　spirit　to　earth；　and　leads　the　reader　on　new　and　strange　ground。

Not　in　the　obscurity　of　midnight；　but　in　the　searching　light　of　day；　did　the　supernatural　influence　assert　itself。　Neither　revealed　by　a　vision；　nor　announced　by　a　voice；　it　reached　mortal　knowledge　through　the　sense　which　is　least　easily　self…deceived：　the　sense　that　feels。

The　record　of　this　event　will　of　necessity　produce　conflicting　impressions。　It　will　raise；　in　some　minds；　the　doubt　which　reason　asserts；　it　will　invigorate；　in　other　minds；　the　hope　which　faith　justifies；　and　it　will　leave　the　terrible　question　of　the　destinies　of　man；　where　centuries　of　vain　investigation　have　left　itin　the　dark。

Having　only　undertaken　in　the　present　narrative　to　lead　the　way　along　a　succession　of　events；　the　writer　declines　to　follow　modern　examples　by　thrusting　himself　and　his　opinions　on　the　public　view。　He　returns　to　the　shadow　from　which　he　has　emerged；　and　leaves　the　opposing　forces　of　incredulity　and　belief　to　fight　the　old　battle　over　again；　on　the　old　ground。

II。

THE　events　happened　soon　after　the　first　thirty　years　of　the　present　century　had　come　to　an　end。

On　a　fine　morning；　early　in　the　month　of　April；　a　gentleman　of　middle　age　（named　Rayburn）　took　his　little　daughter　Lucy　out　for　a　walk　in　the　woodland　pleasure…ground　of　Western　London；　called　Kensington　Gardens。

The　few　friends　whom　he　possessed　reported　of　Mr。　Rayburn　（not　unkindly）　that　he　was　a　reserved　and　solitary　man。　He　might　have　been　more　accurately　described　as　a　widower　devoted　to　his　only　surviving　child。　Although　he　was　not　more　than　forty　years　of　age；　the　one　pleasure　which　made　life　enjoyable　to　Lucy's　father　was　offered　by　Lucy　herself。

Playing　with　her　ball；　the　child　ran　on　to　the　southern　limit　of　the　Gardens；　at　that　part　of　it　which　still　remains　nearest　to　the　old　Palace　of　Kensington。　Observing　close　at　hand　one　of　those　spacious　covered　seats；　called　in　England　〃alcoves；〃　Mr。　Rayburn　was　reminded　that　he　had　the　morning's　newspaper　in　his　pocket；　and　that　he　might　do　well　to　rest　and　read。　At　that　early　hour　the　place　was　a　solitude。

〃Go　on　playing；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　〃but　take　care　to　keep　where　I　can　see　you。〃

Lucy　tossed　up　her　ball；　and　Lucy's　father　opened　his　newspaper。　He　had　not　been　reading　for　more　than　ten　minutes；　when　he　felt　a　familiar　little　hand　laid　on　his　knee。

〃Tired　of　playing？〃　he　inquiredwith　his　eyes　still　on　the　newspaper。

〃I'm　frightened；　papa。〃

He　looked　up　directly。　The　child's　pale　face　startled　him。　He　took　her　on　his　knee　and　kissed　her。

〃You　oughtn't　to　be　frightened；　Lucy；　when　I　am　with　you；〃　he　said；　gently。　〃What　is　it？〃　He　looked　out　of　the　alcove　as　he　spoke；　and　saw　a　little　dog　among　the　trees。　〃Is　it　the　dog？〃　he　asked。

Lucy　answered：

〃It's　not　the　dogit's　the　lady。〃

The　lady　was　not　visible　from　the　alcove。

〃Has　she　said　anything　to　you？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　inquired。

〃No。〃

〃What　has　she　done　to　frighten　you？〃

The　child　put　her　arms　round　her　father's　neck。

〃Whisper；　papa；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　afraid　of　her　hearing　us。　I　think　she's　mad。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　so；　Lucy？〃

〃She　came　near　to　me。　I　thought　she　was　going　to　say　something。　She　seemed　to　be　ill。〃

〃Well？　And　what　then？〃

〃She　looked　at　me。〃

There；　Lucy　found　herself　at　a　loss　how　to　express　what　she　had　to　say　nextand　took　refuge　in　silence。

〃Nothing　very　wonderful；　so　far；〃　her　father　suggested。

〃Yes；　papabut　she　didn't　seem　to　see　me　when　she　looked。〃

〃Well；　and　what　happened　then？〃

〃The　lady　was　frightenedand　that　frightened　me。　I　think；〃　the　child　repeated　positively；　〃she's　mad。〃

It　occurred　to　Mr。　Rayburn　that　the　lady　might　be　blind。　He　rose　at　once　to　set　the　doubt　at　rest。

〃Wait　here；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　come　back　to　you。〃

But　Lucy　clung　to　him　with　both　hands；　Lucy　declared　that　she　was　afraid　to　be　by　herself。　They　left　the　alcove　together。

The　new　point　of　view　at　once　revealed　the　stranger；　leaning　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。　She　was　dressed　in　the　deep　mourning　of　a　widow。　The　pallor　of　her　face；　the　glassy　stare　in　her　eyes；　more　than　accounted　for　the　child's　terrorit　excused　the　alarming　conclusion　at　which　she　had　arrived。

〃Go　nearer　to　her；〃　Lucy　whispered。

They　advanced　a　few　steps。　It　was　now　easy　to　see　that　the　lady　was　young；　and　wasted　by　illnessbut　（arriving　at　a　doubtful　conclusion　perhaps　under　the　present　circumstances）　apparently　possessed　of　rare　personal　attractions　in　happier　days。　As　the　father　and　daughter　advanced　a　little；　she　discovered　them。　After　some　hesitation；　she　left　the　tree；　approached　with　an　evident　intention　of　speaking；　and　suddenly　paused。　A　change　to　astonishment　and　fear　animated　her　vacant　eyes。　If　it　had　not　been　plain　before；　it　was　now　beyond　all　doubt　that　she　was　not　a　poor　blind　creature；　deserted　and　helpless。　At　the　same　time；　the　expression　of　her　face　was　not　easy　to　understand。　She　could　hardly　have　looked　more　amazed　and　bewildered；　if　the　two　strangers　who　were　observing　her　had　suddenly　vanished　from　the　place　in　which　they　stood。

Mr。　Rayburn　spoke　to　her　with　the　utmost　kindness　of　voice　and　manner。

〃I　am　afraid　you　are　not　well；〃　he　said。　〃Is　there　anything　that　I　can　do〃

The　next　words　were　suspended　on　his　lips。　It　was　impossible　to　realize　such　a　state　of　things；　but　the　strange　impression　that　she　had　already　produced　on　him　was　now　confirmed。　If　he　could　believe　his　senses；　her　face　did　certainly　tell　him　that　he　was　invisible　and　inaudible　to　the　woman　whom　he　had　just　addressed！　She　moved　slowly　away　with　a　heavy　sigh；　like　a　person　disappointed　and　distressed。　Following　her　with　his　eyes；　he　saw　the　dog　once　morea　little　smooth…coated　terrier　of　the　ordinary　English　breed。　The　dog　showed　none　of　the　restless　activity　of　his　race。　With　his　head　down　and　his　tail　depressed；　he　crouched　like　a　creature　paralyzed　by　fear。　His　mistress　roused　him　by　a　call。　He　followed　her　listlessly　as　she　turned　away。

After　walking　a　few　paces　only；　she　suddenly　stood　still。

Mr。　Rayburn　heard　her　talking　to　herself。

〃Did　I　feel　it　again？〃　she　said；　as　if　perplexed　by　some　doubt　that　awed　or　grieved　her。　After　a　while　her　arms　rose　slowly；　and　opened　with　a　gentle　caressing　actionan　embrace　strangely　offered　to　the　empty　air！　〃No；〃　she　said　to　herself；　sadly；　after　waiting　a　moment。　〃More　perhaps　when　to…morrow　comesno　more　to…day。〃　She　looked　up　at　the　clear　blue　sky。　〃The　beautiful　sunlight！　the　merciful　sunlight！〃　she　murmured。　〃I　should　have　died　if　it　had　happened　in　the　dark。〃

Once　more　she　called　to　the　dog；　and　once　more　she　walked　slowly　away。

〃Is　she　going　home；　papa？'　the　child　asked。

〃We　will　try　and　find　out；〃　the　father　answered。

He　was　by　this　time　convinced　that　the　poor　creature　was　in　no　condition　to　be　permitted　to　go　out　without　some　one　to　take　care　of　her。　From　motives　of　humanity；　he　was　resolved　on　making　the　attempt　to　communicate　with　her　friends。

III。

THE　lady　left　the　Gardens　by　the　nearest　gate；　stopping　to　lower　her　veil　before　she　turned　into　the　busy　thoroughfare　which　leads　to　Kensington。　Advancing　a　little　way　along　the　High　Street；　she　entered　a　house　of　respectable　appearance；　with　a　card　in　one　of　the　windows　which　announced　that　apartments　were　to　let。

Mr。　Rayburn　waited　a　minutethen　knocked　at　the　door；　and　asked　if　he　could　see　the　mistress　of　the　house。　The　servant　showed　him　into　a　room　on　the　ground　floor；　neatly　but　scantily　furnished。　One　little　white　object　varied　the　grim　brown　monotony　of　the　empty　table。　It　was　a　visiting…card。

With　a　child's　unceremonious　curiosity　Lucy　pounced　on　the　card；　and　spelled　the　name；　letter　by　letter：　〃Z；　A；　N；　T；〃　she　repeated。　〃What　does　that　mean　？〃

Her　father　looked　at　the　card；　as　he　took　it　away　from　her；　and　put　it　back　on　the　table。　The　name　was　printed；　and　the　address　was　added　in　pencil：　〃Mr。　John　Zant；　Purley's　Hotel。〃

The　mistress　made　her　appearance。　Mr。　Rayburn　heartily　wishe　d　himself　out　of　the　house　again；　the　moment　he　saw　her。　The　ways　in　which　it　is