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第4章

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

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