little novels-第73章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


at　Charlotte　could　easily　follow　him　in；　without　being　aware　that　his　own　forced　passage　through　them　had　a　little　deranged　the　folds　of　spotless　white　cambric　which　a　well…dressed　gentleman　wore　round　his　neck　in　those　days。　Charlotte　seated　herself；　and　directed　Percy's　attention　to　the　desolate　conservatory　with　a　saucy　smile。

〃The　mystery　which　your　lively　imagination　has　associated　with　this　place；〃　she　said；　〃means；　being　interpreted；　that　we　are　too　poor　to　keep　a　gardener。　Make　the　best　of　your　disappointment；　Mr。　Linwood；　and　sit　here　by　me。　We　are　out　of　hearing　and　out　of　sight　of　mamma's　other　visitors。　You　have　no　excuse　now　for　not　telling　me　what　has　really　kept　you　away　from　us。〃

She　fixed　her　eyes　on　him　as　she　said　those　words。　Before　Percy　could　think　of　another　excuse；　her　quick　observation　detected　the　disordered　condition　of　his　cravat；　and　discovered　the　upper　edge　of　a　black　plaster　attached　to　one　side　of　his　neck。

〃You　have　been　hurt　in　the　neck！〃　she　said。　〃That　is　why　you　have　kept　away　from　us　for　the　last　three　days！〃

〃A　mere　trifle；〃　he　answered；　in　great　confusion；　〃please　don't　notice　it。〃

Her　eyes；　still　resting　on　his　face；　assumed　an　expression　of　suspicious　inquiry；　which　Percy　was　entirely　at　a　loss　to　understand。　Suddenly；　she　started　to　her　feet；　as　if　a　new　idea　had　occurred　to　her。　〃Wait　here；〃　she　said；　flushing　with　excitement；　〃till　I　come　back：　I　insist　on　it！〃

Before　Percy　could　ask　for　an　explanation　she　had　left　the　conservatory。

In　a　minute　or　two；　Miss　Bowmore　returned；　with　a　newspaper　in　her　hand。　〃Read　that；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　paragraph　distinguished　by　a　line　drawn　round　it　in　ink。

The　passage　that　she　indicated　contained　an　account　of　a　duel　which　had　recently　taken　place　in　the　neighborhood　of　London。　The　names　of　the　duelists　were　not　mentioned。　One　was　described　as　an　officer；　and　the　other　as　a　civilian。　They　had　quarreled　at　cards；　and　had　fought　with　pistols。　The　civilian　had　had　a　narrow　escape　of　his　life。　His　antagonist's　bullet　had　passed　near　enough　to　the　side　of　his　neck　to　tear　the　flesh；　and　had　missed　the　vital　parts；　literally；　by　a　hair's…breadth。

Charlotte's　eyes；　riveted　on　Percy；　detected　a　sudden　change　of　color　in　his　face　the　moment　he　looked　at　the　newspaper。　That　was　enough　for　her。　〃You　_are_　the　man！〃　she　cried。　〃Oh；　for　shame；　for　shame！　To　risk　your　life　for　a　paltry　dispute　about　cards！〃

〃I　would　risk　it　again；〃　said　Percy；　〃to　hear　you　speak　as　if　you　set　some　value　on　it。〃

She　looked　away　from　him　without　a　word　of　reply。　Her　mind　seemed　to　be　busy　again　with　its　own　thoughts。　Did　she　meditate　returning　to　the　subject　of　the　duel？　Was　she　not　satisfied　with　the　discovery　which　she　had　just　made？

No　such　doubts　as　these　troubled　the　mind　of　Percy　Linwood。　Intoxicated　by　the　charm　of　her　presence；　emboldened　by　her　innocent　betrayal　of　the　interest　that　she　felt　in　him；　he　opened　his　whole　heart　to　her　as　unreservedly　as　if　they　had　known　each　other　from　the　days　of　their　childhood。　There　was　but　one　excuse　for　him。　Charlotte　was　his　first　love。

〃You　don't　know　how　completely　you　have　become　a　part　of　my　life；　sinc　e　we　met　at　the　ball；〃　he　went　on。　〃That　one　delightful　dance　seemed；　by　some　magic　which　I　can't　explain；　to　draw　us　together　in　a　few　minutes　as　if　we　had　known　each　other　for　years。　Oh；　dear！　I　could　make　such　a　confession　of　what　I　feltonly　I　am　afraid　of　offending　you　by　speaking　too　soon。　Women　are　so　dreadfully　difficult　to　understand。　How　is　a　man　to　know　at　what　time　it　is　considerate　toward　them　to　conceal　his　true　feelings；　and　at　what　time　it　is　equally　considerate　to　express　his　true　feelings？　One　doesn't　know　whether　it　is　a　matter　of　days　or　weeks　or　monthsthere　ought　to　be　a　law　to　settle　it。　Dear　Miss　Charlotte；　when　a　poor　fellow　loves　you　at　first　sight；　as　he　has　never　loved　any　other　woman；　and　when　he　is　tormented　by　the　fear　that　some　other　man　may　be　preferred　to　him；　can't　you　forgive　him　if　he　lets　out　the　truth　a　little　too　soon？〃　He　ventured；　as　he　put　that　very　downright　question；　to　take　her　hand。　〃It　really　isn't　my　fault；〃　he　said；　simply。　〃My　heart　is　so　full　of　you　I　can　talk　of　nothing　else。〃

To　Percy's　delight；　the　first　experimental　pressure　of　his　hand；　far　from　being　resented；　was　softly　returned。　Charlotte　looked　at　him　again；　with　a　new　resolution　in　her　face。

〃I'll　forgive　you　for　talking　nonsense；　Mr。　Linwood；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　will　even　permit　you　to　come　and　see　me　again；　on　one　conditionthat　you　tell　the　whole　truth　about　the　duel。　If　you　conceal　the　smallest　circumstance；　our　acquaintance　is　at　an　end。〃

〃Haven't　I　owned　everything　already？〃　Percy　inquired；　in　great　perplexity。　〃Did　I　say　No；　when　you　told　me　I　was　the　man？〃

〃Could　you　say　No；　with　that　plaster　on　your　neck？〃　was　the　ready　rejoinder。　〃I　am　determined　to　know　more　than　the　newspaper　tells　me。　Will　you　declare；　on　your　word　of　honor；　that　Captain　Bervie　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　duel？　Can　you　look　me　in　the　face；　and　say　that　the　real　cause　of　the　quarrel　was　a　disagreement　at　cards？　When　you　were　talking　with　me　just　before　I　left　the　ball；　how　did　you　answer　a　gentleman　who　asked　you　to　make　one　at　the　whist…table？　You　said；　'I　don't　play　at　cards。'　Ah！　You　thought　I　had　forgotten　that？　Don't　kiss　my　hand！　Trust　me　with　the　whole　truth；　or　say　good…by　forever。〃

〃Only　tell　me　what　you　wish　to　know；　Miss　Charlotte；〃　said　Percy　humbly。　〃If　you　will　put　the　questions；　I　will　give　the　answersas　well　as　I　can。〃

On　this　understanding；　Percy's　evidence　was　extracted　from　him　as　follows：

〃Was　it　Captain　Bervie　who　quarreled　with　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Was　it　about　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　said　I　had　committed　an　impropriety　in　waltzing　with　you。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　your　parents　disapproved　of　your　waltzing　in　a　public　ballroom。〃

〃That's　not　true！　What　did　he　say　next？〃

〃He　said　I　had　added　tenfold　to　my　offense；　by　waltzing　with　you　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　you　the　subject　of　remark　to　the　whole　room。〃

〃Oh！　did　you　let　him　say　that？〃

〃No；　I　contradicted　him　instantly。　And　I　said；　besides；　'It's　an　insult　to　Miss　Bowmore；　to　suppose　that　she　would　permit　any　impropriety。'　〃

〃Quite　right！　And　what　did　he　say？〃

〃Well；　he　lost　his　temper；　I　would　rather　not　repeat　what　he　said　when　he　was　mad　with　jealousy。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　with　him　but　to　give　him　his　way。〃

〃Give　him　his　way？　Does　that　mean　fight　a　duel　with　him？〃

〃Don't　be　angryit　does。〃

〃And　you　kept　my　name　out　of　it；　by　pretending　to　quarrel　at　the　card…table？〃

〃Yes。　We　managed　it　when　the　cardroom　was　emptying　at　supper…time；　and　nobody　was　present　but　Major　Mulvany　and　another　friend　as　witnesses。〃

〃And　when　did　you　fight　the　duel？〃

〃The　next　morning。〃

〃You　never　thought　of　_me_；　I　suppose？〃

〃Indeed；　I　did；　I　was　very　glad　that　you　had　no　suspicion　of　what　we　were　at。〃

〃Was　that　all？〃

〃No；　I　had　your　flower　with　me；　the　flower　you　gave　me　out　of　your　nosegay；　at　the　ball。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Oh；　never　mind；　it　doesn't　matter。〃

〃It　does　matter。　What　did　you　do　with　my　flower？〃

〃I　gave　it　a　sly　kiss　while　they　were　measuring　the　ground；　and　（don't　tell　anybody！）　I　put　it　next　to　my　heart　to　bring　me　luck。〃

〃Was　that　just　before　he　shot　at　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃How　did　he　shoot？〃

〃He　walked　（as　the　seconds　had　arranged　it）　ten　paces　forward；　and　then　he　stopped；　and　lifted　his　pistol〃

〃Don't　tell　me　any　more！　Oh；　to　think　of　my　being　the　miserable　cause　of　such　horrors！　I'll　never　dance　again　as　long　as　I　live。　Did　you　think　he　had　killed　you；　when　the　bullet　wounded　your　poor　neck？〃

〃No；　I　hardly　felt　it　at　first。〃

〃Hardly　felt　it？　How　he　talks！　And　when　the　wretch　had　done　his　best　to　kill　you；　and　when　it　came　to　your　turn；　what　did　you　do？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃What！　You　didn't　walk　your　ten　paces　forward？〃

〃No。〃

〃And　you　never　shot　at　him　in　return？〃

〃No；　I　had　no　quarrel　with　him；　poor　fellow；　I　just　stood　where　I　was；　and　fired　in　the　air〃

Before　he　could　stop　her；　Charlotte　seized　his　hand；　and　kissed　it　with　an　hysterical　fervor　of　admiration；　which　completely　deprived　him　of　his　presence　of　mind。

〃Why　s