little novels-第31章
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o clauses in it which my husband had expressed a wish that I should read。 It is needless to say that I obeyed。〃
She still controlled her agitationbut she was now unable to conceal it。 Ernest made an attempt to spare her。
〃Am I concerned in this？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 Before I tell you why； I want to know what you would doin a certain case which I am unwilling even to suppose。 I have heard of men； unable to pay the demands made on them； who began business again； and succeeded； and in course of time paid their creditors。〃
〃And you want to know if there is any likelihood of my following their example？〃 he said。 〃Have you also heard of men who have made that second effortwho have failed againand who have doubled the debts they owed to their brethren in business who trusted them？ I knew one of those men myself。 He committed suicide。〃
She laid her hand for a moment on his。
〃I understand you；〃 she said。 〃If ruin comes〃
〃If ruin comes；〃 he interposed； 〃a man without money and without credit can make but one last atonement。 Don't speak of it now。〃
She looked at him with horror。
〃I didn't mean _that！_〃 she said。
〃Shall we go back to what you read in the will？〃 he suggested。
〃Yesif you will give me a minute to compose myself。〃
VI。
IN less than the minute she had asked for； Mrs。 Callender was calm enough to go on。
〃I now possess what i s called a life…interest in my husband's fortune；〃 she said。 〃The money is to be divided； at my death； among charitable institutions； excepting a certain event〃
〃Which is provided for in the will？〃 Ernest added； helping her to go on。
〃Yes。 I am to be absolute mistress of the whole of the four hundred thousand pounds〃 her voice dropped； and her eyes looked away from him as she spoke the next words〃on this one condition； that I marry again。〃
He looked at her in amazement。
〃Surely I have mistaken you；〃 he said。 〃You mean on this one condition； that you do _not_ marry again？〃
〃No； Mr。 Lismore； I mean exactly what I have said。 You now know that the recovery of your credit and your peace of mind rests entirely with yourself。〃
After a moment of reflection he took her hand and raised it respectfully to his lips。 〃You are a noble woman！〃 he said。
She made no reply。 With drooping head and downcast eyes she waited for his decision。 He accepted his responsibility。
〃I must not； and dare not； think of the hardship of my own position；〃 he said； 〃I owe it to you to speak without reference to the future that may be in store for me。 No man can be worthy of the sacrifice which your generous forgetfulness of yourself is willing to make。 I respect you； I admire you； I thank you with my whole heart。 Leave me to my fate； Mrs。 Callenderand let me go。〃
He rose。 She stopped him by a gesture。
〃A _young_ woman；〃 she answered； would shrink from sayingwhat I； as an old woman； mean to say now。 I refuse to leave you to your fate。 I ask you to prove that you respect me； admire me； and thank me with your whole heart。 Take one day to thinkand let me hear the result。 You promise me this？〃
He promised。 〃Now go；〃 she said。
VII。
NEXT morning Ernest received a letter from Mrs。 Callender。 She wrote to him as follows：
〃There are some considerations which I ought to have mentioned yesterday evening； before you left my house。
〃I ought to have reminded youif you consent to reconsider your decisionthat the circumstances do not require you to pledge yourself to me absolutely。
〃At my age； I can with perfect propriety assure you that I regard our marriage simply and solely as a formality which we must fulfill； if I am to carry out my intention of standing between you and ruin。
〃Thereforeif the missing ship appears in time； the only reason for the marriage is at an end。 We shall be as good friends as ever； without the encumbrance of a formal tie to bind us。
〃In the other event； I should ask you to submit to certain restrictions which； remembering my position； you will understand and excuse。
〃We are to live together； it is unnecessary to say； as mother and son。 The marriage ceremony is to be strictly private； and you are so to arrange your affairs that； immediately afterward； we leave England for any foreign place which you prefer。 Some of my friends； and （perhaps） some of your friends； will certainly misinterpret our motivesif we stay in our own countryin a manner which would be unendurable to a woman like me。
〃As to our future lives； I have the most perfect confidence in you； and I should leave you in the same position of independence which you occupy now。 When you wish for my company you will always be welcome。 At other times； you are your own master。 I live on my side of the house； and you live on yoursand I am to be allowed my hours of solitude every day； in the pursuit of musical occupations； which have been happily associated with all my past life and which I trust confidently to your indulgence。
〃A last word； to remind you of what you may be too kind to think of yourself。
〃At my age； you cannot； in the course of Nature； be troubled by the society of a grateful old woman for many years。 You are young enough to look forward to another marriage； which shall be something more than a mere form。 Even if you meet with the happy woman in my lifetime； honestly tell me of itand I promise to tell her that she has only to wait。
〃In the meantime； don't think； because I write composedly； that I write heartlessly。 You pleased and interested me； when I first saw you； at the public meeting。 I don't think I could have proposed； what you call this sacrifice of myself； to a man who had personally repelled methough I might have felt my debt of gratitude as sincerely as ever。 Whether your ship is saved； or whether your ship is lost； old Mary Callender likes youand owns it without false shame。
〃Let me have your answer this evening； either personally or by letterwhichever you like best。〃
VIII。
MRS。 CALLENDER received a written answer long before the evening。 It said much in few words：
〃A man impenetrable to kindness might be able to resist your letter。 I am not that man。 Your great heart has conquered me。〃
The few formalities which precede marriage by special license were observed by Ernest。 While the destiny of their future lives was still in suspense； an unacknowledged feeling of embarrassment； on either side； kept Ernest and Mrs。 Callender apart。 Every day brought the lady her report of the state of affairs in the City； written always in the same words： 〃No news of the ship。〃
IX。
ON the day before the ship…owner's liabilities became due； the terms of the report from the City remained unchangedand the special license was put to its contemplated use。 Mrs。 Callender's lawyer and Mrs。 Callender's maid were the only persons trusted with the secret。 Leaving the chief clerk in charge of the business； with every pecuniary demand on his employer satisfied in full； the strangely married pair quitted England。
They arranged to wait for a few days in Paris； to receive any letters of importance which might have been addressed to Ernest in the interval。 On the evening of their arrival； a telegram from London was waiting at their hotel。 It announced that the missing ship had passed up Channelundiscovered in a fog； until she reached the Downson the day before Ernest's liabilities fell due。
〃Do you regret it？〃 Mrs。 Lismore said to her husband。
〃Not for a moment！〃 he answered。
They decided on pursuing their journey as far as Munich。
Mrs。 Lismore's taste for music was matched by Ernest's taste for painting。 In his leisure hours he cultivated the art； and delighted in it。 The picture…galleries of Munich were almost the only galleries in Europe which he had not seen。 True to the engagements to which she had pledged herself； his wife was willing to go wherever it might please him to take her。 The one suggestion she made was； that they should hire furnished apartments。 If they lived at an hotel； friends of the husband or the wife （visitors like themselves to the famous city） might see their names in the book； or might meet them at the door。
They were soon established in a house large enough to provide them with every accommodation which they required。
