hunted down-第4章
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near ties。 We have still fewer now。 We have associations to bring
us together; that are not of this world; Margaret。'
'Dear uncle!' murmured the young lady; and turned her face aside to
hide her tears。
'My niece and I have such remembrances and regrets in common; Mr。
Sampson;' he feelingly pursued; 'that it would be strange indeed if
the relations between us were cold or indifferent。 If I remember a
conversation we once had together; you will understand the
reference I make。 Cheer up; dear Margaret。 Don't droop; don't
droop。 My Margaret! I cannot bear to see you droop!'
The poor young lady was very much affected; but controlled herself。
His feelings; too; were very acute。 In a word; he found himself
under such great need of a restorative; that he presently went
away; to take a bath of sea…water; leaving the young lady and me
sitting by a point of rock; and probably presuming … but that you
will say was a pardonable indulgence in a luxury … that she would
praise him with all her heart。
She did; poor thing! With all her confiding heart; she praised him
to me; for his care of her dead sister; and for his untiring
devotion in her last illness。 The sister had wasted away very
slowly; and wild and terrible fantasies had come over her toward
the end; but he had never been impatient with her; or at a loss;
had always been gentle; watchful; and self…possessed。 The sister
had known him; as she had known him; to be the best of men; the
kindest of men; and yet a man of such admirable strength of
character; as to be a very tower for the support of their weak
natures while their poor lives endured。
'I shall leave him; Mr。 Sampson; very soon;' said the young lady;
'I know my life is drawing to an end; and when I am gone; I hope he
will marry and be happy。 I am sure he has lived single so long;
only for my sake; and for my poor; poor sister's。'
The little hand…carriage had made another great loop on the damp
sand; and was coming back again; gradually spinning out a slim
figure of eight; half a mile long。
'Young lady;' said I; looking around; laying my hand upon her arm;
and speaking in a low voice; 'time presses。 You hear the gentle
murmur of that sea?'
She looked at me with the utmost wonder and alarm; saying; 'Yes!'
'And you know what a voice is in it when the storm comes?'
'Yes!'
'You see how quiet and peaceful it lies before us; and you know
what an awful sight of power without pity it might be; this very
night!'
'Yes!'
'But if you had never heard or seen it; or heard of it in its
cruelty; could you believe that it beats every inanimate thing in
its way to pieces; without mercy; and destroys life without
remorse?'
'You terrify me; sir; by these questions!'
'To save you; young lady; to save you! For God's sake; collect
your strength and collect your firmness! If you were here alone;
and hemmed in by the rising tide on the flow to fifty feet above
your head; you could not be in greater danger than the danger you
are now to be saved from。'
The figure on the sand was spun out; and straggled off into a
crooked little jerk that ended at the cliff very near us。
'As I am; before Heaven and the Judge of all mankind; your friend;
and your dead sister's friend; I solemnly entreat you; Miss Niner;
without one moment's loss of time; to come to this gentleman with
me!'
If the little carriage had been less near to us; I doubt if I could
have got her away; but it was so near that we were there before she
had recovered the hurry of being urged from the rock。 I did not
remain there with her two minutes。 Certainly within five; I had
the inexpressible satisfaction of seeing her … from the point we
had sat on; and to which I had returned … half supported and half
carried up some rude steps notched in the cliff; by the figure of
an active man。 With that figure beside her; I knew she was safe
anywhere。
I sat alone on the rock; awaiting Mr。 Slinkton's return。 The
twilight was deepening and the shadows were heavy; when he came
round the point; with his hat hanging at his button…hole; smoothing
his wet hair with one of his hands; and picking out the old path
with the other and a pocket…comb。
'My niece not here; Mr。 Sampson?' he said; looking about。
'Miss Niner seemed to feel a chill in the air after the sun was
down; and has gone home。'
He looked surprised; as though she were not accustomed to do
anything without him; even to originate so slight a proceeding。
'I persuaded Miss Niner;' I explained。
'Ah!' said he。 'She is easily persuaded … for her good。 Thank
you; Mr。 Sampson; she is better within doors。 The bathing…place
was farther than I thought; to say the truth。'
'Miss Niner is very delicate;' I observed。
He shook his head and drew a deep sigh。 'Very; very; very。 You
may recollect my saying so。 The time that has since intervened has
not strengthened her。 The gloomy shadow that fell upon her sister
so early in life seems; in my anxious eyes; to gather over her;
ever darker; ever darker。 Dear Margaret; dear Margaret! But we
must hope。'
The hand…carriage was spinning away before us at a most indecorous
pace for an invalid vehicle; and was making most irregular curves
upon the sand。 Mr。 Slinkton; noticing it after he had put his
handkerchief to his eyes; said;
'If I may judge from appearances; your friend will be upset; Mr。
Sampson。'
'It looks probable; certainly;' said I。
'The servant must be drunk。'
'The servants of old gentlemen will get drunk sometimes;' said I。
'The major draws very light; Mr。 Sampson。'
'The major does draw light;' said I。
By this time the carriage; much to my relief; was lost in the
darkness。 We walked on for a little; side by side over the sand;
in silence。 After a short while he said; in a voice still affected
by the emotion that his niece's state of health had awakened in
him;
'Do you stay here long; Mr。 Sampson?'
'Why; no。 I am going away to…night。'
'So soon? But business always holds you in request。 Men like Mr。
Sampson are too important to others; to be spared to their own need
of relaxation and enjoyment。'
'I don't know about that;' said I。 'However; I am going back。'
'To London?'
'To London。'
'I shall be there too; soon after you。'
I knew that as well as he did。 But I did not tell him so。 Any
more than I told him what defensive weapon my right hand rested on
in my pocket; as I walked by his side。 Any more than I told him
why I did not walk on the sea side of him with the night closing
in。
We left the beach; and our ways diverged。 We exchanged goodnight;
and had parted indeed; when he said; returning;
'Mr。 Sampson; MAY I ask? Poor Meltham; whom we spoke of; … dead
yet?'
'Not when I last heard of him; but too broken a man to live long;
and hopelessly lost to his old calling。'
'Dear; dear; dear!' said he; with great feeling。 'Sad; sad; sad!
The world is a grave!' And so went his way。
It was not his fault if the world were not a grave; but I did not
call that observation after him; any more than I had mentioned
those other things just now enumerated。 He went his way; and I
went mine with all expedition。 This happened; as I have said;
either at the end of September or beginning of October。 The next
time I saw him; and the last time; was late in November。
V。
I had a very particular engagement to breakfast in the Temple。 It
was a bitter north…easterly morning; and the sleet and slush lay
inches deep in the streets。 I could get no conveyance; and was
soon wet to the knees; but I should have been true to that
appointment; though I had to wade to it up to my neck in the same
impediments。
The appointment took me to some chambers in the Temple。 They were
at the top of a lonely c