little novels-第49章

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lush；　and　a　pretty　brightening　of　her　clear　blue　eyes。　〃I　am　trying；　sir；　to　teach　myself　French；〃　she　said。　The　weather　showed　no　signs　of　improvingI　volunteered　to　help　her；　and　found　her　such　an　attentive　and　intelligent　pupil　that　I　looked　in　at　the　lodge　from　time　to　time　afterward；　and　continued　my　instructions。　The　younger　men　among　my　uncle's　guests　set　their　own　stupid　construction　on　my　attentions　〃to　the　girl　at　the　gate；〃　as　they　called　herrather　too　familiarly；　according　to　my　notions　of　propriety。　I　contrived　to　remind　them　that　I　was　old　enough　to　be　Susan's　father；　in　a　manner　which　put　an　end　to　their　jokes；　and　I　was　pleased　to　hear；　when　I　next　went　to　the　lodge；　that　Mrs。　Rymer　had　been　wise　enough　to　keep　these　facetious　gentlemen　at　their　proper　distance

The　day　of　my　departure　arrived。　Lord　Leper　took　leave　of　me　kindly；　and　asked　for　news　of　Rothsay。　〃Let　me　know　when　your　friend　returns；〃　my　uncle　said；　〃he　belongs　to　a　good　old　stock。　Put　me　in　mind　of　him　when　I　next　invite　you　to　come　to　my　house。〃

On　my　way　to　the　train　I　stopped　of　course　at　the　lodge　to　say　good…by。　Mrs。　Rymer　came　out　alone　I　asked　for　Susan。

〃My　daughter　is　not　very　well　to…day。〃

〃Is　she　confined　to　her　room？〃

〃She　is　in　the　parlor。〃

I　might　have　been　mistaken；　but　I　thought　Mrs。　Rymer　answered　me　in　no　very　friendly　way。　Resolved　to　judge　for　myself；　I　entered　the　lodge；　and　found　my　poor　little　pupil　sitting　in　a　corner；　crying。　When　I　asked　her　what　was　the　matter；　the　excuse　of　a　〃bad　headache〃　was　the　only　reply　that　I　received。　The　natures　of　young　girls　are　a　hopeless　puzzle　to　me。　Susan　seemed；　for　some　reason　which　it　was　impossible　to　understand；　to　be　afraid　to　look　at　me。

〃Have　you　and　your　mother　been　quarreling？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　no！〃

She　denied　it　with　such　evident　sincerity　that　I　could　not　for　a　moment　suspect　her　of　deceiving　me。　Whatever　the　cause　of　her　distress　might　be；　it　was　plain　that　she　had　her　own　reasons　for　keeping　it　a　secret。

Her　French　books　were　on　the　table。　I　tried　a　little　allusion　to　her　lessons。

〃I　hope　you　will　　go　on　regularly　with　your　studies　；〃　I　said。

〃I　will　do　my　best；　sirwithout　you　to　help　me。〃

She　said　it　so　sadly　that　I　proposedpurely　from　the　wish　to　encourage　hera　continuation　of　our　lessons　through　the　post。

〃Send　your　exercises　to　me　once　a　week；〃　I　suggested；　〃and　I　will　return　them　corrected　〃

She　thanked　me　in　low　tones；　with　a　shyness　of　manner　which　I　had　never　noticed　in　her　before。　I　had　done　my　best　to　cheer　herand　I　was　conscious；　as　we　shook　hands　at　parting；　that　I　had　failed。　A　feeling　of　disappointment　overcomes　me　when　I　see　young　people　out　of　spirits。　I　was　sorry　for　Susan。

THIRD　EPOCH。

ONE　of　my　faults　（which　has　not　been　included　in　the　list　set　forth　by　my　valet）　is　a　disinclination　to　occupy　myself　with　my　own　domestic　affairs。　The　proceedings　of　my　footman；　while　I　had　been　away　from　home；　left　me　no　alternative　but　to　dismiss　him　on　my　return。　With　this　exertion　of　authority　my　interference　as　chief　of　the　household　came　to　an　end。　I　left　it　to　my　excellent　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Mozeen；　to　find　a　sober　successor　to　the　drunken　vagabond　who　had　been　sent　away。　She　discovered　a　respectable　young　mantall；　plump；　and　rosywhose　name　was　Joseph；　and　whose　character　was　beyond　reproach。　I　have　but　one　excuse　for　noticing　such　a　trifling　event　as　this。　It　took　its　place；　at　a　later　period；　in　the　chain　which　was　slowly　winding　itself　round　me。

My　uncle　had　asked　me　to　prolong　my　visit　and　I　should　probably　have　consented；　but　for　anxiety　on　the　subject　of　a　near　and　dear　relativemy　sister。　Her　health　had　been　failing　since　the　death　of　her　husband；　to　whom　she　was　tenderly　attached。　I　heard　news　of　her　while　I　was　in　Sussex；　which　hurried　me　back　to　town。　In　a　month　more；　her　death　deprived　me　of　my　last　living　relation。　She　left　no　children；　and　my　two　brothers　had　both　died　unmarried　while　they　were　still　young　men。

This　affliction　placed　me　in　a　position　of　serious　embarrassment；　in　regard　to　the　disposal　of　my　property　after　my　death。

I　had　hitherto　made　no　will；　being　well　aware　that　my　fortune　（which　was　entirely　in　money）　would　go　in　due　course　of　law　to　the　person　of　all　others　who　would　employ　it　to　the　best　purposethat　is　to　say；　to　my　sister　as　my　nearest　of　kin。　As　I　was　now　situated；　my　property　would　revert　to　my　uncle　if　I　died　intestate。　He　was　a　richer　man　than　I　was。　Of　his　two　children；　both　sons；　the　eldest　would　inherit　his　estates：　the　youngest　had　already　succeeded　to　his　mother's　ample　fortune。　Having　literally　no　family　claims　on　me；　I　felt　bound　to　recognize　the　wider　demands　of　poverty　and　misfortune；　and　to　devote　my　superfluous　wealth　to　increasing　the　revenues　of　charitable　institutions。　As　to　minor　legacies；　I　owed　it　to　my　good　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Mozeen；　not　to　forget　the　faithful　services　of　past　years。　Need　I　addif　I　had　been　free　to　act　as　I　pleasedthat　I　should　have　gladly　made　Rothsay　the　object　of　a　handsome　bequest？　But　this　was　not　to　be。　My　friend　was　a　man　morbidly　sensitive　on　the　subject　of　money。　In　the　early　days　of　our　intercourse　we　had　been　for　the　first　and　only　time　on　the　verge　of　a　quarrel；　when　I　had　asked　（as　a　favor　to　myself）　to　be　allowed　to　provide　for　him　in　my　will。

〃It　is　because　I　am　poor；〃　he　explained；　〃that　I　refuse　to　profit　by　your　kindnessthough　I　feel　it　gratefully。〃

I　failed　to　understand　himand　said　so　plainly。

〃You　will　understand　this；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　should　never　recover　my　sense　of　degradation；　if　a　mercenary　motive　on　my　side　was　associated　with　our　friendship。　Don't　say　it's　impossible！　You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　appearances　would　be　against　me；　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　Besides；　I　don't　want　money；　my　own　small　income　is　enough　for　me。　Make　me　your　executor　if　you　like；　and　leave　me　the　customary　present　of　five　hundred　pounds。　If　you　exceed　that　sum　I　declare　on　my　word　of　honor　that　I　will　not　touch　one　farthing　of　it。〃　He　took　my　hand；　and　pressed　it　fervently。　〃Do　me　a　favor；〃　he　said。　〃Never　let　us　speak　of　this　again　！〃

I　understood　that　I　must　yieldor　lose　my　friend。

In　now　making　my　will；　I　accordingly　appointed　Rothsay　one　of　my　executors；　on　the　terms　that　he　had　prescribed。　The　minor　legacies　having　been　next　duly　reduced　to　writing；　I　left　the　bulk　of　my　fortune　to　public　charities。

My　lawyer　laid　the　fair　copy　of　the　will　on　my　table。

〃A　dreary　disposition　of　property　for　a　man　of　your　age；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　to　receive　a　new　set　of　instructions　before　you　are　a　year　older。〃

〃What　instructions？〃　I　asked。

〃To　provide　for　your　wife　and　children；〃　he　answered。

My　wife　and　children！　The　idea　seemed　to　be　so　absurd　that　I　burst　out　laughing。　It　never　occurred　to　me　that　there　could　be　any　absurdity　from　my　own　point　of　view。

I　was　sitting　alone；　after　my　legal　adviser　had　taken　his　leave；　looking　absently　at　the　newly…engrossed　will；　when　I　heard　a　sharp　knock　at　the　house…door　which　I　thought　I　recognized。　In　another　minute　Rothsay's　bright　face　enlivened　my　dull　room。　He　had　returned　from　the　Mediterranean　that　morning。

〃Am　I　interrupting　you？〃　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　leaves　of　manuscript　before　me。　〃Are　you　writing　a　book？〃

〃I　am　making　my　will。〃

His　manner　changed；　he　looked　at　me　seriously。

〃Do　you　remember　what　I　said；　when　we　once　talked　of　your　will？〃　he　asked。　I　set　his　doubts　at　rest　immediatelybut　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　yet。　〃Can't　you　put　your　will　away？〃　he　suggested。　〃I　hate　the　sight　of　anything　that　reminds　me　of　death。〃

〃Give　me　a　minute　to　sign　it；〃　I　saidand　rang　to　summon　the　witnesses。

Mrs。　Mozeen　answered　the　bell。　Rothsay　looked　at　her；　as　if　he　wished　to　have　my　housekeeper　put　away　as　well　as　my　will。　From　the　first　moment　when　he　had　seen　her；　he　conceived　a　great　dislike　to　that　good　creature。　There　was　nothing；　I　am　sure；　personally　repellent　about　her。　She　was　a　little　slim　quiet　woman；　with　a　pale　complexion　and　bright　brown　eyes。　Her　movements　were　gentle；　her　voice　was　low；　her　decent　gray　dress　was　adapted　to　her　age。　Why　Rothsay　should　dislike　her　was　more　than　he　could　explain　himself。　He　turned　his　unreasonable　prejudice　into　a　jokeand　sa