little novels-第53章

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〃I　know　what　_you_　ought　to　do！〃　She　made　that　strange　reply　with　a　furtive　look　at　me；　half　in　anger；　half　in　alarm。

〃Go　on；〃　I　said。

〃Will　you　turn　me　out　of　your　house　for　my　impudence？〃　she　asked。

〃I　will　hear　what　you　have　to　say　to　me。　What　ought　I　to　do？〃

〃Marry　Susan。〃

I　heard　the　woman　plainlyand　yet；　I　declare；　I　doubted　the　evidence　of　my　senses。

〃She's　breaking　her　heart　for　you；〃　Mrs。　Rymer　burst　out。　〃She's　been　in　love　with　you　since　you　first　darkened　our　doorsand　it　will　end　in　the　neighbors　finding　it　out。　I　did　my　duty　to　her；　I　tried　to　stop　it；　I　tried　to　prevent　you　from　seeing　her；　when　you　went　away。　Too　late；　the　mischief　was　done。　When　I　see　my　girl　fading　day　by　daycrying　about　you　in　secret；　talking　about　you　in　her　dreamsI　can't　stand　it；　I　must　speak　out。　Oh；　yes；　I　know　how　far　beneath　you　she　isthe　daughter　of　your　uncle's　servant。　But　she's　your　equal；　sir；　in　the　sight　of　Heaven。　My　lord's　priest　converted　her　only　last　yearand　my　Susan　is　as　good　a　Papist　as　yourself。〃

How　could　I　let　this　go　on？　I　felt　that　I　ought　to　have　stopped　it　before。

〃It's　possible；〃　I　said；　〃that　you　may　not　be　deliberately　deceiving　me。　If　you　are　yourself　deceived；　I　am　bound　to　tell　you　the　truth。　Mr。　Rothsay　loves　your　daughter；　and；　what　is　more；　Mr。　Rothsay　has　reason　to　know　that　Susan〃

〃That　Susan　loves　him？〃　she　interposed；　with　a　mocking　laugh。　〃Oh；　Mr。　Lepel；　is　it　possible　that　a　clever　man　like　you　can't　see　clearer　than　that？　My　girl　in　love　with　Mr。　Rothsay！　She　wouldn't　have　looked　at　him　a　second　time　if　he　hadn't　talked　to　her　about　_you_。　When　I　complained　privately　to　my　lord　of　Mr。　Rothsay　hanging　about　the　lodge；　do　you　think　she　turned　as　pale　as　ashes；　and　cried　when　_he_　passed　through　the　gate；　and　said　good…by？〃

She　had　complained　of　Rothsay　to　Lord　LepelI　understood　her　at　last！　She　knew　that　my　friend　and　all　his　family　were　poor。　She　had　put　her　own　construction　on　the　innocent　interest　that　I　had　taken　in　her　daughter。　Careless　of　the　difference　in　rank；　blind　to　the　malady　that　was　killing　me；　she　was　now　bent　on　separating　Rothsay　and　Susan；　by　throwing　the　girl　into　the　arms　of　a　rich　husband　like　myself！

〃You　are　wasting　your　breath；〃　I　told　her；　〃I　don't　believe　one　word　you　say　to　me。〃

〃Believe　Susan；　then！〃　　cried　the　reckless　woman。　〃Let　me　bring　her　here。　If　she's　too　shamefaced　to　own　the　truth；　look　at　herthat's　all　I　asklook　at　her；　and　judge　for　yourself！〃

This　was　intolerable。　In　justice　to　Susan；　in　justice　to　Rothsay；　I　insisted　on　silence。　〃No　more　of　it！〃　I　said。　〃Take　care　how　you　provoke　me。　Don't　you　see　that　I　am　ill？　don't　you　see　that　you　are　irritating　me　to　no　purpose？〃

She　altered　her　tone。　〃I'll　wait；〃　she　said；　quietly；　〃while　you　compose　yourself。〃

With　those　words；　she　walked　to　the　window；　and　stood　there　with　her　back　toward　me。　Was　the　wretch　taking　advantage　of　my　helpless　condition？　I　stretched　out　my　hand　to　ring　the　bell；　and　have　her　sent　awayand　hesitated　to　degrade　Susan's　mother；　for　Susan's　sake。　In　my　state　of　prostration；　how　could　I　arrive　at　a　decision？　My　mind　was　dreadfully　disturbed；　I　felt　the　imperative　necessity　of　turning　my　thoughts　to　some　other　subject。　Looking　about　me；　the　letters　on　the　table　attracted　my　attention。　Mechanically；　I　took　them　up；　mechanically　I　put　them　down　again。　Two　of　them　slipped　from　my　trembling　fingers；　my　eyes　fell　on　the　uppermost　of　the　two。　The　address　was　in　the　handwriting　of　the　good　friend　with　whom　Rothsay　was　sailing。

Just　as　I　had　been　speaking　of　Rothsay；　here　was　the　news　of　him　for　which　I　had　been　waiting。

I　opened　the　letter　and　read　these　words：


〃There　is；　I　fear；　but　little　hope　for　our　friendunless　this　girl　on　whom　he　has　set　his　heart　can　（by　some　lucky　change　of　circumstances）　become　his　wife。　He　has　tried　to　master　his　weakness；　but　his　own　infatuation　is　too　much　for　him。　He　is　really　and　truly　in　a　state　of　despair。　Two　evenings　sinceto　give　you　a　melancholy　example　of　what　I　meanI　was　in　my　cabin；　when　I　heard　the　alarm　of　a　man　overboard。　The　man　was　Rothsay。　My　sailing…master；　seeing　that　he　was　unable　to　swim；　jumped　into　the　sea　and　rescued　him；　as　I　got　on　deck。　Rothsay　declares　it　to　have　been　an　accident；　and　everybody　believes　him　but　myself。　I　know　the　state　of　his　mind。　Don't　be　alarmed；　I　will　have　him　well　looked　after；　and　I　won't　give　him　up　just　yet。　We　are　still　bound　southward；　with　a　fair　wind。　If　the　new　scenes　which　I　hope　to　show　him　prove　to　be　of　no　avail；　I　must　reluctantly　take　him　back　to　England。　In　that　case；　which　I　don't　like　to　contemplate；　you　may　see　him　againperhaps　in　a　month's　time。〃


He　might　return　in　a　month's　timereturn　to　hear　of　the　death　of　the　one　friend；　on　whose　power　and　will　to　help　him　he　might　have　relied。　If　I　failed　to　employ　in　his　interests　the　short　interval　of　life　still　left　to　me；　could　I　doubt　（after　what　I　had　just　read）　what　the　end　would　be？　How　could　I　help　him？　Oh；　God！　how　could　I　help　him？

Mrs。　Rymer　left　the　window；　and　returned　to　the　chair　which　she　had　occupied　when　I　first　received　her。

〃Are　you　quieter　in　your　mind　now？〃　she　asked。

I　neither　answered　her　nor　looked　at　her。

Still　determined　to　reach　her　end；　she　tried　again　to　force　her　unhappy　daughter　on　me。　〃Will　you　consent；〃　she　persisted；　〃to　see　Susan？〃

If　she　had　been　a　little　nearer　to　me；　I　am　afraid　I　should　have　struck　her。　〃You　wretch！〃　I　said；　〃do　you　know　that　I　am　a　dying　man？〃

〃While　there's　life　there's　hope；〃　Mrs。　Rymer　remarked。

I　ought　to　have　controlled　myself；　but　it　was　not　to　be　done。

〃Hope　of　your　daughter　being　my　rich　widow？〃　I　asked。

Her　bitter　answer　followed　instantly。

〃Even　then；〃　she　said；　〃Susan　wouldn't　marry　Rothsay。〃

A　lie！　If　circumstances　favored　her；　I　knew；　on　Rothsay's　authority；　what　Susan　would　do。

The　thought　burst　on　my　mind；　like　light　bursting　on　the　eyes　of　a　man　restored　to　sight。　If　Susan　agreed　to　go　through　the　form　of　marriage　with　a　dying　bridegroom；　my　rich　widow　could　（and　would）　become　Rothsay's　wife。　Once　more；　the　remembrance　of　the　play　at　Rome　returned；　and　set　the　last　embers　of　resolution；　which　sickness　and　suffering　had　left　to　me；　in　a　flame。　The　devoted　friend　of　that　imaginary　story　had　counted　on　death　to　complete　his　generous　purpose　in　vain：　_he_　had　been　condemned　by　the　tribunal　of　man；　and　had　been　reprieved。　Iin　his　place；　and　with　his　self…sacrifice　in　my　mindmight　found　a　firmer　trust　in　the　future；　for　I　had　been　condemned　by　the　tribunal　of　God。

Encouraged　by　my　silence；　the　obstinate　woman　persisted。　〃Won't　you　even　send　a　message　to　Susan？〃　she　asked。

Rashly；　madly；　without　an　instant's　hesitation；　I　answered：

〃Go　back　to　Susan；　and　say　I　leave　it　to　_her_。〃

Mrs。　Rymer　started　to　her　feet。　〃You　leave　it　to　Susan　to　be　your　wife；　if　she　likes？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃And　if　she　consents？〃

〃_I_　consent。〃

In　two　weeks　and　a　day　from　that　time；　the　deed　was　done。　When　Rothsay　returned　to　England；　he　would　ask　for　Susanand　he　would　find　my　virgin…widow　rich　and　free。

SEVENTH　EPOCH。

WHATEVER　may　be　thought　of　my　conduct；　let　me　say　this　in　justice　to　myselfI　was　resolved　that　Susan　should　not　be　deceived。

Half　an　hour　after　Mrs。　Rymer　had　left　my　house；　I　wrote　to　her　daughter；　plainly　revealing　the　motive　which　led　me　to　offer　marriage；　solely　in　the　future　interest　of　Rothsay　and　herself。　〃If　you　refuse；〃　1　said　in　conclusion；　〃you　may　depend　on　my　understanding　you　and　feeling　for　you。　But；　if　you　consentthen　I　have　a　favor　to　ask　Never　let　us　speak　to　one　another　of　the　profanation　that　we　have　agreed　to　commit；　for　your　faithful　lover's　sake。〃

I　had　formed　a　high　opinion　of　Susantoo　high　an　opinion　as　it　seemed。　Her　reply　surprised　and　disappointed　me。　In　other　words；　she　gave　her　consent。

I　stipulated　that　the　marriage　should　be　kept　strictly　secret；　for　a　certain　period。　In　my　own　mind　I　decided　that　the　interval　should　be　held　to　expire；　either　on　the　day　of　my　death；　or　on　the　day　when　Rothsay　returned。

My　next　proceeding　was　to　write　in　confidence　to　the　priest　whom　I　have　already　mentioned；　in　an　earlier　part　of　these　pages。　He　has　reasons　of　his　own　for　n