little novels-第3章

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　he　was　a　tall；　finely…made　man　of　dark　complexion；　with　big　brilliant　black　eyes；　and　a　noble　curling　beard；　which　hid　the　whole　lower　part　of　his　face。　Having　bowed　with　a　happy　mingling　of　dignity　and　politeness；　the　conventional　side　of　this　gentleman's　character　suddenly　vanished；　and　a　crazy　side；　to　all　appearance；　took　its　place。　He　dropped　on　his　knees　in　front　of　the　footstool。　Had　he　forgotten　to　say　his　prayers　that　morning；　and　was　he　in　such　a　hurry　to　remedy　the　fault　that　he　had　no　time　to　spare　for　consulting　appearances？　The　doubt　had　hardly　suggested　itself；　before　it　was　set　at　rest　in　a　most　unexpected　manner。　Mr。　Zant　looked　at　his　visitor　with　a　bland　smile；　and　said：

〃Please　let　me　see　your　feet。〃

For　the　moment；　Mr。　Rayburn　lost　his　presence　of　mind。　He　looked　at　the　instruments　on　the　side…table。

〃Are　you　a　corn…cutter？〃　was　all　he　could　say。

〃Excuse　me；　sir；　〃　returned　the　polite　operator；　〃the　term　you　use　is　quite　obsolete　in　our　profession。〃　He　rose　from　his　knees；　and　added　modestly：　〃I　am　a　Chiropodist。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃

〃Don't　mention　it！　You　are　not；　I　imagine；　in　want　of　my　professional　services。　To　what　motive　may　I　attribute　the　honor　of　your　visit？〃

By　this　time　Mr。　Rayburn　had　recovered　himself。

〃I　have　come　here；〃　he　answered；　〃under　circumstances　which　require　apology　as　well　as　explanation。〃

Mr。　Zant's　highly　polished　manner　betrayed　signs　of　alarm；　his　suspicions　pointed　to　a　formidable　conclusiona　conclusion　that　shook　him　to　the　innermost　recesses　of　the　pocket　in　which　he　kept　his　money。

〃The　numerous　demands　on　me〃　he　began。

Mr。　Rayburn　smiled。

〃Make　your　mind　easy；〃　he　replied。　〃I　don't　want　money。　My　object　is　to　speak　with　you　on　the　subject　of　a　lady　who　is　a　relation　of　yours。〃

〃My　sister…in…law！〃　Mr。　Zant　exclaimed。　〃Pray　take　a　seat。〃

Doubting　if　he　had　chosen　a　convenient　time　for　his　visit；　Mr。　Rayburn　hesitated。

〃Am　I　likely　to　be　in　the　way　of　persons　who　wish　to　consult　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Certainly　not。　My　morning　hours　of　attendance　on　my　clients　are　from　eleven　to　one。〃　The　clock　on　the　mantelpiece　struck　the　quarter…past　one　as　he　spoke。　〃I　hope　you　don't　bring　me　bad　news？〃　he　said；　very　earnestly。　〃When　I　called　on　Mrs。　Zant　this　morning；　I　heard　that　she　had　gone　out　for　a　walk。　Is　it　indiscreet　to　ask　how　you　became　acquainted　with　her？〃

Mr。　Rayburn　at　once　mentioned　what　he　had　seen　and　heard　in　Kensington　Gardens；　not　forgetting　to　add　a　few　words；　which　described　his　interview　afterward　with　Mrs。　Zant。

The　lady's　brother…in…law　listened　with　an　interest　and　sympathy；　which　offered　the　strongest　possible　contrast　to　the　unprovoked　rudeness　of　the　mistress　of　the　lodging…house。　He　declared　that　he　could　only　do　justice　to　his　sense　of　obligation　by　following　Mr。　Rayburn's　example；　and　expressing　himself　as　frankly　as　if　he　had　been　speaking　to　an　old　friend。

〃The　sad　story　of　my　sister…in…law's　life；〃　he　said；　〃will；　I　think；　explain　certain　things　which　must　have　naturally　perplexed　you。　My　brother　was　introduced　to　her　at　the　house　of　an　Australian　gentleman；　on　a　visit　to　England。　She　was　then　employed　as　governess　to　his　daughters。　So　sincere　was　the　regard　felt　for　her　by　the　family　that　the　parents　had；　at　the　entreaty　of　their　children；　asked　her　to　accompany　them　when　they　returned　to　the　Colony。　The　governess　thankfully　accepted　the　proposal。〃

〃Had　she　no　relations　in　England？〃　Mr。　Rayburn　asked。

〃She　was　literally　alone　in　the　world；　sir。　When　I　tell　you　that　she　had　been　brought　up　in　the　Foundling　Hospital；　you　will　understand　what　I　mean。　Oh；　there　is　no　romance　in　my　sister…in…law's　story！　She　never　has　known；　or　will　know；　who　her　parents　were　or　why　they　deserted　her。　The　happiest　moment　in　her　life　was　the　moment　when　she　and　my　brother　first　met。　It　was　an　instance；　on　both　sides；　of　love　at　first　sight。　Though　not　a　rich　man；　my　brother　had　earned　a　sufficient　income　in　mercantile　pursuits。　His　character　spoke　for　itself。　In　a　word；　he　altered　all　the　poor　girl's　prospects；　as　we　then　hoped　and　believed；　for　the　better。　Her　employers　deferred　their　return　to　Australia；　so　that　she　might　be　married　from　their　house。　After　a　happy　life　of　a　few　weeks　only〃

His　voice　failed　him；　he　paused；　and　turned　his　face　from　the　light。

〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　able；　even　yet；　to　speak　composedly　of　my　brother's　death。　Let　me　only　say　that　the　poor　young　wife　was　a　widow；　before　the　happy　days　of　the　honeymoon　were　over。　That　dreadful　calamity　struck　her　down。　Before　my　brother　had　been　committed　to　the　grave；　her　life　was　in　danger　from　brain…fever。〃

Those　words　placed　in　a　new　light　Mr。　Rayburn's　first　fear　that　her　intellect　might　be　deranged。　Looking　at　him　attentively；　Mr。　Zant　seemed　to　understand　what　was　passing　in　the　mind　of　his　guest。

〃No！〃　he　said。　〃If　the　opinions　of　the　medical　men　are　to　be　trusted；　the　result　of　the　illness　is　injury　to　her　physical　strengthnot　injury　to　her　mind。　I　have　observed　in　her；　no　doubt；　a　certain　waywardness　of　temper　since　her　illness；　but　that　is　a　trifle。　As　an　example　of　what　I　mean；　I　may　tell　you　that　I　invited　her；　on　her　recovery；　to　pay　me　a　visit。　My　house　is　not　in　Londonthe　air　doesn't　agree　with　memy　place　of　residence　is　at　St。　Sallins…on…Sea。　I　am　not　myself　a　married　man；　but　my　excellent　housekeeper　would　have　received　Mrs。　Zant　with　the　utmost　kindness。　She　was　resolvedobstinately　resolved；　poor　thingto　remain　in　London。　It　is　needless　to　say　that；　in　her　melancholy　position；　I　am　attentive　to　her　slightest　wishes。　I　took　a　lodging　for　her；　and；　at　her　special　request；　I　chose　a　house　which　was　near　Kensington　Gardens。

〃Is　there　any　association　with　the　Gardens　which　led　Mrs。　Zant　to　make　that　request？〃

〃Some　association；　I　believe；　with　the　memory　of　her　husband。　By　the　way；　I　wish　to　be　sure　of　finding　her　at　home；　when　I　call　to…morrow。　Did　you　say　（in　the　course　of　your　interesting　statement）　that　she　intendedas　you　supposedto　return　to　Kensington　Gardens　to…morrow？　Or　has　my　memory　deceived　me？〃

〃Your　memory　is　perfectly　accurate。〃

〃Thank　you。　I　confess　I　am　not　only　distressed　by　what　you　have　told　me　of　Mrs。　ZantI　am　at　a　loss　to　know　how　to　act　for　the　best。　My　only　idea；　at　present；　is　to　try　change　of　air　and　scene。　What　do　you　think　yourself？〃

〃I　think　you　are　right。〃

Mr。　Zant　still　hesitated。

〃It　would　not　be　easy　for　me；　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃to　leave　my　patients　and　take　her　abroad。〃

The　obvious　reply　to　this　occurred　to　Mr。　Rayburn。　A　man　of　larger　worldly　experience　might　have　felt　certain　suspicions；　and　might　have　remained　silent。　Mr。　Rayburn　spoke。

〃Why　not　renew　your　invitation　and　take　her　to　your　house　at　the　seaside？〃　he　said。

In　the　perplexed　state　of　Mr。　Zant's　mind；　this　plain　course　of　action　had　apparently　failed　to　present　itself。　His　gloomy　face　brightened　directly。

〃The　very　thing！〃　he　said。　〃I　will　certainly　take　your　advice。　If　the　air　of　St。　Sallins　does　nothing　else；　it　will　improve　her　health　and　help　her　to　recover　her　good　looks。　Did　she　strike　you　as　having　been　（in　happier　days）　a　pretty　woman？〃

This　was　a　strangely　familiar　question　to　askalmost　an　indelicate　question；　under　the　circumstances　A　certain　furtive　expression　in　Mr。　Zant's　fine　dark　eyes　seemed　to　imply　that　it　had　been　put　with　a　purpose。　Was　it　possible　that　he　suspected　Mr。　Rayburn's　interest　in　his　sister…in…law　to　be　inspired　by　any　motive　which　was　not　perfectly　unselfish　and　perfectly　pure？　To　arrive　at　such　a　conclusion　as　this　might　be　to　judge　hastily　and　cruelly　of　a　man　who　was　perhaps　only　guilty　of　a　want　of　delicacy　of　feeling。　Mr。　Rayburn　honestly　did　his　best　to　assume　the　charitable　point　of　view。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　not　to　be　denied　that　his　words；　when　he　answered；　were　carefully　guarded；　and　that　he　rose　to　take　his　leave。

Mr。　John　Zant　hospitably　protested。

〃Why　are　you　in　such　a　hurry？　Must　you　really　go？　I　shall　have　the　honor　of　returning　your　visit　to…morrow；　when　I　have　made　arrangements　to　profit　by　that　excellent　suggestion　of　yours。　Good…by。　God　bless　you。〃

He　held　out　his　hand：　a　hand　with　a　smooth　　s　urface　and　a　tawny　color；　that　fervently