little novels-第38章

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he　necessary　consequence。

I　had　put　my　letter　in　the　post…bag；　and　was　beginning　to　feel　a　little　easier　after　having　written　it；　when　my　housekeeper　appeared　in　the　study；　with　a　very　grave　face；　and　with　something　hidden　apparently　in　her　closed　hand。

〃Would　you　please　look；　sir；　at　what　we　have　found　in　the　gentleman's　bedroom；　since　he　went　away　this　morning？〃

I　knew　the　housekeeper　to　possess　a　woman's　full　share　of　that　amicable　weakness　of　the　sex　which　goes　by　the　name　of　〃Curiosity。〃　I　had　also；　in　various　indirect　ways；　become　aware　that　my　senior　pupil's　strange　departure　had　largely　increased　the　disposition　among　the　women　of　my　household　to　regard　him　as　the　victim　of　an　unhappy　attachment。　The　time　was　ripe；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　for　checking　any　further　gossip　about　him；　and　any　renewed　attempts　at　prying　into　his　affairs　in　his　absence。

〃Your　only　business　in　my　pupil's　bedroom；〃　I　said　to　the　housekeeper；　〃is　to　see　that　it　is　kept　clean；　and　that　it　is　properly　aired。　There　must　be　no　interference；　if　you　please；　with　his　letters；　or　his　papers；　or　with　anything　else　that　he　has　left　behind　him。　Put　back　directly　whatever　you　may　have　found　in　his　room。〃

The　housekeeper　had　her　full　share　of　a　woman's　temper　as　well　as　of　a　woman's　curiosity。　She　listened　to　me　with　a　rising　color；　and　a　just　perceptible　toss　of　the　head。

〃Must　I　put　it　back；　sir；　on　the　floor；　between　the　bed　and　the　wall？〃　she　inquired；　with　an　ironical　assumption　of　the　humblest　deference　to　my　wishes。　〃_That's_　where　the　girl　found　it　when　she　was　sweeping　the　room。　Anybody　can　see　for　themselves；〃　pursued　the　housekeeper　indignantly；　〃that　the　poor　gentleman　has　gone　away　broken…hearted。　　And　there；　in　my　opinion；　is　the　hussy　who　is　the　cause　of　it！〃

With　those　words；　she　made　me　a　low　curtsey；　and　laid　a　small　photographic　portrait　on　the　desk　at　which　I　was　sitting。

I　looked　at　the　photograph。

In　an　instant；　my　heart　was　beating　wildlymy　head　turned　giddythe　housekeeper；　the　furniture；　the　walls　of　the　room；　all　swayed　and　whirled　round　me。

The　portrait　that　had　been　found　in　my　senior　pupil's　bedroom　was　the　portrait　of　Jeromette！

IX。

I　HAD　sent　the　housekeeper　out　of　my　study。　I　was　alone；　with　the　photograph　of　the　Frenchwoman　on　my　desk。

There　could　surely　be　little　doubt　about　the　discovery　that　had　burst　upon　me。　The　man　who　had　stolen　his　way　into　my　house；　driven　by　the　terror　of　a　temptation　that　he　dared　not　reveal；　and　the　man　who　had　been　my　unknown　rival　in　the　by…gone　time；　were　one　and　the　same！

Recovering　self…possession　enough　to　realize　this　plain　truth；　the　inferences　that　followed　forced　their　way　into　my　mind　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　unnamed　person　who　was　the　obstacle　to　my　pupil's　prospects　in　life；　the　unnamed　person　in　whose　company　he　was　assailed　by　temptations　which　made　him　tremble　for　himself；　stood　revealed　to　me　now　as　being；　in　all　human　probability；　no　other　than　Jeromette。　Had　she　bound　him　in　the　fetters　of　the　marriage　which　he　had　himself　proposed？　Had　she　discovered　his　place　of　refuge　in　my　house？　And　was　the　letter　that　had　been　delivered　to　him　of　her　writing？　Assuming　these　questions　to　be　answered　in　the　affirmative；　what；　in　that　case；　was　his　〃business　in　London〃？　I　remembered　how　he　had　spoken　to　me　of　his　temptations；　I　recalled　the　expression　that　had　crossed　his　face　when　he　recognized　the　handwriting　on　the　letterand　the　conclusion　that　followed　literally　shook　me　to　the　soul。　Ordering　my　horse　to　be　saddled；　I　rode　instantly　to　the　railway…station。

The　train　by　which　he　had　traveled　to　London　had　reached　the　terminus　nearly　an　hour　since。　The　one　useful　course　that　I　could　take；　by　way　of　quieting　the　dreadful　misgivings　crowding　one　after　another　on　my　mind；　was　to　telegraph　to　Jeromette　at　the　address　at　which　I　had　last　seen　her。　I　sent　the　subjoined　messageprepaying　the　reply：

〃If　you　are　in　any　trouble；　telegraph　to　me。　I　will　be　with　you　by　the　first　train。　Answer；　in　any　case。〃

There　was　nothing　in　the　way　of　the　immediate　dispatch　of　my　message。　And　yet　the　hours　passed；　and　no　answer　was　received。　By　the　advice　of　the　clerk；　I　sent　a　second　telegram　to　the　London　office；　requesting　an　explanation。　The　reply　came　back　in　these　terms：

〃Improvements　in　street。　Houses　pulled　down。　No　trace　of　person　named　in　telegram。〃

I　mounted　my　horse；　and　rode　back　slowly　to　the　rectory。

〃The　day　of　his　return　to　me　will　bring　with　it　the　darkest　days　of　my　life。〃　。　。　。　。　。　〃I　shall　die　young；　and　die　miserably。　Have　you　interest　enough　still　left　in　me　to　wish　to　hear　of　it？〃　。。。。　〃You　_　shall_　hear　of　it。〃　Those　words　were　in　my　memory　while　I　rode　home　in　the　cloudless　moonlight　night。　They　were　so　vividly　present　to　me　that　I　could　hear　again　her　pretty　foreign　accent；　her　quiet　clear　tones；　as　she　spoke　them。　For　the　rest；　the　emotions　of　that　memorable　day　had　worn　me　out。　The　answer　from　the　telegraph　office　had　struck　me　with　a　strange　and　stony　despair。　My　mind　was　a　blank。　I　had　no　thoughts。　I　had　no　tears。

I　was　about　half…way　on　my　road　home；　and　I　had　just　heard　the　clock　of　a　village　church　strike　ten；　when　I　became　conscious；　little　by　little；　of　a　chilly　sensation　slowly　creeping　through　and　through　me　to　the　bones。　The　warm；　balmy　air　of　a　summer　night　was　abroad。　It　was　the　month　of　July。　In　the　month　of　July；　was　it　possible　that　any　living　creature　（in　good　health）　could　feel　cold？　It　was　_not_　possibleand　yet；　the　chilly　sensation　still　crept　through　and　through　me　to　the　bones。

I　looked　up。　I　looked　all　round　me。

My　horse　was　walking　along　an　open　highroad。　Neither　trees　nor　waters　were　near　me。　On　either　side；　the　flat　fields　stretched　away　bright　and　broad　in　the　moonlight。

I　stopped　my　horse；　and　looked　round　me　again。

Yes：　I　saw　it。　With　my　own　eyes　I　saw　it。　A　pillar　of　white　mistbetween　five　and　six　feet　high；　as　well　as　I　could　judgewas　moving　beside　me　at　the　edge　of　the　road；　on　my　left　hand。　When　I　stopped；　the　white　mist　stopped。　When　I　went　on；　the　white　mist　went　on。　I　pushed　my　horse　to　a　trotthe　pillar　of　mist　was　with　me。　I　urged　him　to　a　gallop…the　pillar　of　mist　was　with　me。　I　stopped　him　againthe　pillar　of　mist　stood　still。

The　white　color　of　it　was　the　white　color　of　the　fog　which　I　had　seen　over　the　riveron　the　night　when　I　had　gone　to　bid　her　farewell。　And　the　chill　which　had　then　crept　through　me　to　the　bones　was　the　chill　that　was　creeping　through　me　now。

I　went　on　again　slowly。　The　white　mist　went　on　again　slowlywith　the　clear　bright　night　all　round　it。

I　was　awed　rather　than　frightened。　There　was　one　moment；　and　one　only；　when　the　fear　came　to　me　that　my　reason　might　be　shaken。　I　caught　myself　keeping　time　to　the　slow　tramp　of　the　horse's　feet　with　the　slow　utterances　of　these　words；　repeated　over　and　over　again：　〃Jeromette　is　dead。　Jeromette　is　dead。〃　But　my　will　was　still　my　own：　I　was　able　to　control　myself；　to　impose　silence　on　my　own　muttering　lips。　And　I　rode　on　quietly。　And　the　pillar　of　mist　went　quietly　with　me。

My　groom　was　waiting　for　my　return　at　the　rectory　gate。　I　pointed　to　the　mist；　passing　through　the　gate　with　me。

〃Do　you　see　anything　there？〃　I　said。

The　man　looked　at　me　in　astonishment。

I　entered　the　rectory。　The　housekeeper　met　me　in　the　hall。　I　pointed　to　the　mist；　entering　with　me。

〃Do　you　see　anything　at　my　side？〃　I　asked。

The　housekeeper　looked　at　me　as　the　groom　had　looked　at　me。

〃I　am　afraid　you　are　not　well；　sir；〃　she　said。　〃Your　color　is　all　goneyou　are　shivering。　Let　me　get　you　a　glass　of　wine。　〃

I　went　into　my　study；　on　the　ground…floor；　and　took　the　chair　at　my　desk。　The　photograph　still　lay　where　I　had　left　it。　The　pillar　of　mist　floated　round　the　table；　and　stopped　opposite　to　me；　behind　the　photograph。

The　housekeeper　brought　in　the　wine。　I　put　the　glass　to　my　lips；　and　set　it　down　again。　The　chill　of　the　mist　was　in　the　wine。　There　was　no　taste；　no　reviving　spirit　in　it。　The　presence　of　the　housekeeper　oppressed　me。　My　dog　had　followed　her　into　the　room。　The　presence　of　the　animal　oppressed　me。　I　said　to　the　woman：　〃Leave　me　by　myself；　and　take　the　dog　with　you。〃

They　went　out；　and　left　me　alone　in　the　ro