little novels-第51章
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of administering the remedies at the prescribed intervals of time。 When she left the room； having performed her duties as usual； I saw Rothsay's eyes follow her to the door with an expression of sardonic curiosity。 He put a strange question to me as soon as we were alone。
〃Who engaged that new servant of yours？〃 he asked。 〃I mean the fat fellow； with the curly flaxen hair。〃
〃Hiring servants；〃 I replied； 〃is not much in my way。 I left the engagement of the new man to Mrs。 Mozeen。〃
Rothsay walked gravely up to my bedside。
〃Lepel；〃 he said； 〃your respectable housekeeper is in love with the fat young footman。〃
It is not easy to amuse a man suffering from bronchitis。 But this new outbreak of absurdity was more than I could resist； even with a mustard…plaster on my chest。
〃I thought I should raise your spirits；〃 Rothsay proceeded。 〃When I came to your house this morning； the valet opened the door to me。 I expressed my surprise at his condescending to take that trouble。 He informed me that Joseph was otherwise engaged。 'With anybody in particular？' I asked； humoring the joke。 'Yes； sir； with the housekeeper。 She's teaching him how to brush his hair； so as to show off his good looks to the best advantage。' Make up your mind； my friend； to lose Mrs。 Mozeenespecially if she happens to have any money。〃
〃Nonsense； Rothsay！ The poor woman is old enough to be Joseph's mother。〃
〃My good fellow； that won't make any difference to Joseph。 In the days when we were rich enough to keep a man…servant； our footmanas handsome a fellow as ever you saw； and no older than I ammarried a witch with a lame leg。 When I asked him why he had made such a fool of himself he looked quite indignant； and said： 'Sir！ she has got six hundred pounds。' He and the witch keep a public house。 What will you bet me that we don't see your housekeeper drawing beer at the bar； and Joseph getting drunk in the parlor； before we are a year older？〃
I was not well enough to prolong my enjoyment of Rothsay's boyish humor。 Besides； exaggeration to be really amusing must have some relation； no matter how slender it may be； to the truth。 My housekeeper belonged to a respectable family； and was essentially a person accust omed to respect herself。 Her brother occupied a position of responsibility in the establishment of a firm of chemists whom I had employed for years past。 Her late husband had farmed his own land； and had owed his ruin to calamities for which he was in no way responsible。 Kind…hearted Mrs。 Mozeen was just the woman to take a motherly interest in a well…disposed lad like Joseph； and it was equally characteristic of my valetespecially when Rothsay was thoughtless enough to encourage himto pervert an innocent action for the sake of indulging in a stupid jest。 I took advantage of my privilege as an invalid； and changed the subject。
A week passed。 I had expected to hear from Rothsay。 To my surprise and disappointment no letter arrived。
Susan was more considerate。 She wrote； very modestly and prettily； to say that she and her mother had heard of my illness from Mr。 Rothsay； and to express the hope that I should soon be restored to health。 A few days later； Mrs。 Rymer's politeness carried her to the length of taking the journey to London to make inquiries at my door。 I did not see her； of course。 She left word that she would have the honor of calling again。
The second week followed。 I had by that time perfectly recovered from my attack of bronchitisand yet I was too ill to leave the house。
The doctor himself seemed to be at a loss to understand the symptoms that now presented themselves。 A vile sensation of nausea tried my endurance； and an incomprehensible prostration of strength depressed my spirits。 I felt such a strange reluctance to exert myself that I actually left it to Mrs。 Mozeen to write to my uncle in my name； and say that I was not yet well enough to visit him。 My medical adviser tried various methods of treatment； my housekeeper administered the prescribed medicines with unremitting care； but nothing came of it。 A physician of great authority was called into consultation。 Being completely puzzled； he retreated to the last refuge of bewildered doctors。 I asked him what was the matter with me。 And he answered： 〃Suppressed gout。〃
FIFTH EPOCH。
MIDWAY in the third week； my uncle wrote to me as follows：
〃I have been obliged to request your friend Rothsay to bring his visit to a conclusion。 Although he refuses to confess it； I have reason to believe that he has committed the folly of falling seriously in love with the young girl at my lodge gate。 I have tried remonstrance in vain； and I write to his father at the same time that I write to you。 There is much more that I might say。 I reserve it for the time when I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you； restored to health。〃
Two days after the receipt of this alarming letter Rothsay returned to me。
Ill as I was； I forgot my sufferings the moment I looked at him。 Wild and haggard； he stared at me with bloodshot eyes like a man demented。
〃Do you think I am mad？ I dare say I am。 I can't live without her。〃 Those were the first words he said when we shook hands。
But I had more influence over him than any other person； and； weak as I was； I exerted it。 Little by little； he became more reasonable； he began to speak like his old self again。
To have expressed any surprise； on my part； at what had happened； would have been not only imprudent； but unworthy of him and of me。 My first inquiry was suggested by the fear that he might have been hurried into openly confessing his passion to Susanalthough his position forbade him to offer marriage。 I had done him an injustice。 His honorable nature had shrunk from the cruelty of raising hopes； which； for all he knew to the contrary； might never be realized。 At the same time； he had his reasons for believing that he was at least personally acceptable to her。
〃She was always glad to see me；〃 said poor Rothsay。 〃We constantly talked of you。 She spoke of your kindness so prettily and so gratefully。 Oh； Lepel； it is not her beauty only that has won my heart！ Her nature is the nature of an angel。〃
His voice failed him。 For the first time in my remembrance of our long companionship； he burst into tears。
I was so shocked and distressed that I had the greatest difficulty in preserving my own self…control。 In the effort to comfort him； I asked if he had ventured to confide in his father。
〃You are the favorite son；〃 I reminded him。 〃Is there no gleam of hope in the future？〃
He had written to his father。 In silence he gave me the letter in reply。
It was expressed with a moderation which I had hardly dared to expect。 Mr。 Rothsay the elder admitted that he had himself married for love； and that his wife's rank in the social scale （although higher than Susan's） had not been equal to his own。
〃In such a family as ours；〃 he wroteperhaps with pardonable pride〃we raise our wives to our own degree。 But this young person labors under a double disadvantage。 She is obscure； and she is poor。 What have you to offer her？ Nothing。 And what have I to give you？ Nothing。〃
This meant； as I interpreted it； that the main obstacle in the way was Susan's poverty。 And I was rich！ In the excitement that possessed me； I followed the impulse of the moment headlong； like a child。
〃While you were away from me；〃 I said to Rothsay； 〃did you never once think of your old friend？ Must I remind you that I can make Susan your wife with one stroke of my pen？〃 He looked at me in silent surprise。 I took my check…book from the drawer of the table； and placed the inkstand within reach。 〃Susan's marriage portion；〃 I said； 〃is a matter of a line of writing； with my name at the end of it。〃
He burst out with an exclamation that stopped me； just as my pen touched the paper。
〃Good heavens！〃 he cried； 〃you are thinking of that play we saw at Rome！ Are we on the stage？ Are you performing the part of the Marquisand am I the Count？〃
I was so startled by this wild allusion to the pastI recognized with such astonishment the reproduction of one of the dramatic situations in the play； at a crisis in his life and minethat the use of the pen remained suspended in
