little novels-第67章
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？ Do you want more money？ It is too cruel to treat me in this wayit is indeed！〃 He made some answer； which we were not able to hear； we could only suppose that he had upset her temper again。 She went on louder than ever 〃I've begged and prayed of youand you're as hard as iron。 I've told you about the Princeand _that_ has had no effect on you。 I have done now。 We'll see what the doctor says。〃 He got angry； in his turn； we heard him again。 〃I won't see the doctor！〃 〃Oh； you refuse to see the doctor？I shall make your refusal knownand if there's law in England； you shall feel it！〃 Their voices dropped again； some new turn seemed to be taken by the conversation。 We heard the lady once more； shrill and joyful this time。 〃There's a dear！ You see it； don't you； in the right light？ And you haven't forgotten the old times； have you？ You're the same dear； honorable； kind…hearted fellow that you always were！〃
I caught hold of Felicia； and put my hand over her mouth。
There was a sound in the next room which might have beenI cannot be certainthe sound of a kiss。 The next moment； we heard the door of the room unlocked。 Then the door of the house was opened； and the noise of retreating carriage…wheels followed。 We met him in the hall； as he entered the house again。
My daughter walked up to him； pale and determined。
〃I insist on knowing who that woman is； and what she wants here。〃 Those were her first words。 He looked at her like a man in utter confusion。 〃Wait till this evening； I am in no state to speak to you now！〃 With that； he snatched his hat off the hall table and rushed out of the house。
It is little more than three weeks since they returned to London from their happy wedding…tourand it has come to this！
The clock has just struck seven； a letter has been left by a messenger； addressed to my daughter。 I had persuaded her； poor soul； to lie down in her own room。 God grant that the letter may bring her some tidings of her husband！ I please myself in the hope of hearing good news。
My mind has not been kept long in suspense。 Felicia's waiting…woman has brought me a morsel of writing paper； with these lines penciled on it in my daughter's handwriting： 〃Dearest father； make your mind easy。 Everything is explained。 I cannot trust myself to speak to you about it to…nightand _he_ doesn't wish me to do so。 Only wait till tomorrow； and you shall know all。 He will be back about eleven o'clock。 Please don't wait up for himhe will come straight to me。〃
September 13th。The scales have fallen from my eyes； the light is let in on me at last。 My bewilderment is not to be uttered in wordsI am like a man in a dream。
Before I was out of my room in the morning； my mind was upset by the arrival of a telegram addressed to myself。 It was the first thing of the kind I ever received； I trembled under the prev ision of some new misfortune as I opened the envelope。
Of all the people in the world； the person sending the telegram was sister Judith！ Never before did this distracting relative confound me as she confounded me now。 Here is her message： 〃You can't come back。 An architect from Edinburgh asserts his resolution to repair the kirk and the manse。 The man only waits for his lawful authority to begin。 The money is readybut who has found it？ Mr。 Architect is forbidden to tell。 We live in awful times。 How is Felicia？〃
Naturally concluding that Judith's mind must be deranged； I went downstairs to meet my son…in…law （for the first time since the events of yesterday） at the late breakfast which is customary in this house。 He was waiting for mebut Felicia was not present。 〃She breakfasts in her room this morning；〃 says Marmaduke； 〃and I am to give you the explanation which has already satisfied your daughter。 Will you take it at great length； sir？ or will you have it in one word？〃 There was something in his manner that I did not at all likehe seemed to be setting me at defiance。 I said； stiffly； 〃Brevity is best； I will have it in one word。〃
〃Here it is then；〃 he answered。 〃I am Barrymore。 〃
POSTSCRIPT ADDED BY FELICIA。
If the last line extracted from my dear father's Diary does not contain explanation enough in itself； I add some sentences from Marmaduke's letter to me； sent from the theater last night。 （N。 B。I leave out the expressions of endearment： they are my own private property。）
。 。 。 〃Just remember how your father talked about theaters and actors； when I was at Cauldkirk； and how you listened in dutiful agreement with him。 Would he have consented to your marriage if he had known that I was one of the 'spouting rogues；' associated with the 'painted Jezebels' of the playhouse？ He would never have consentedand you yourself； my darling； would have trembled at the bare idea of marrying an actor。
〃Have I been guilty of any serious deception？ and have my friends been guilty in helping to keep my secret？ My birth； my name； my surviving relatives； my fortune inherited from my fatherall these important particulars have been truly stated。 The name of Barrymore is nothing but the name that I assumed when I went on the stage。
〃As to what has happened； since our return from Switzerland； I own that I ought to have made my confession to you。 Forgive me if I weakly hesitated。 I was so fond of you； and I so distrusted the Puritanical convictions which your education had rooted in your mind； that I put it off from day to day。 Oh； my angel 。。。。！
〃Yes； I kept the address of my new house a secret from all my friends； knowing they would betray me if they paid us visits。 As for my mysteriously…closed study； it was the place in which I privately rehearsed my new part。 When I left you in the mornings； it was to go to the theater rehearsals。 My evening absences began of course with the first performance。
〃Your father's arrival seriously embarrassed me。 When you （most properly） insisted on my giving up some of my evenings to him； you necessarily made it impossible for me to appear on the stage。 The one excuse I could make to the theater was； that I was too ill to act。 It did certainly occur to me to cut the Gordian knot by owning the truth。 But your father's horror； when you spoke of the newspaper review of the play； and the shame and fear you showed at your own boldness； daunted me once more。
〃The arrival at the theater of my written excuse brought the manageress down upon me； in a state of distraction。 Nobody could supply my place； all the seats were taken； and the Prince was expected。 There was what we call a scene between the poor lady and myself。 I felt I was in the wrong； I saw that the position in which I had impulsively placed myself was unworthy of meand it ended in my doing my duty to the theater and the public。 But for the affair of the bracelet； which obliged me as an honorable man to give my name and address； the manageress would not have discovered me。 She； like every one else； only knew of my address at my bachelor chambers。 How could you be jealous of the old theatrical comrade of my first days on the stage？ Don't you know yet that you are the one woman in the world 。 。 。 。 ？
〃A last word relating to your father； and I have done。
〃Do you remember my leaving you at the telegraph office？ It was to send a message to a friend of mine； an architect in Edinburgh； instructing him to go immediately to Cauldkirk； and provide for the repairs at my expense。 The theater； my dear； more than trebles my paternal income； and I can well afford it。 Will your father refuse to accept a tribute of respect to a Scottish minister； because it is paid out of an actor's pocket？ You shall ask him the question。
〃And； I say； Feliciawill you come and see me act？ I don't expect your father to enter a theater； but； by way of further reconciling him to his son…in…law； suppose you ask him to hear me read the play？〃
MR。 PERCY AND THE PROPHET。
PART 1。THE PREDICTION。
CHAPTER I。
THE QUACK。
THE disasters that follow the hateful offense against Christianity； which men call war； were severely felt in England during the peace that ensued on the overthrow of Napoleon at Waterloo。 With rare exceptions； distress prevailed among all classes of the community。 The starving nation was ripe and ready for a revolutionary risi
