the purcell papers-2-第6章

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my　cousin's　proposals；　and　my　coldness

and　discouragement　might　have

convinced　him　that　I　had　determined　to

do　so。'



'Madam；'　replied　he；　with　suppressed；

but；　as　it　appeared　to　me；　intense　anger；

'I　have　lived　long　enough　to　know　that

COLDNESS　and　discouragement；　and　such

terms；　form　the　common　cant　of　a　worthless

coquette。　You　know　to　the　full；　as

well　as　I；　that　COLDNESS　AND　DISCOURAGEMENT

may　be　so　exhibited　as　to　convince

their　object　that　he　is　neither　distasteful

or　indifferent　to　the　person　who　wears　this

manner。　You　know；　too；　none　better；　that

an　affected　neglect；　when　skilfully　managed；

is　amongst　the　most　formidable　of　the

engines　which　artful　beauty　can　employ。

I　tell　you；　madam；　that　having；　without

one　word　spoken　in　discouragement；

permitted　my　son's　most　marked　attentions

for　a　twelvemonth　or　more；　you　have　no

right　to　dismiss　him　with　no　further

explanation　than　demurely　telling　him　that

you　had　always　looked　coldly　upon　him；

and　neither　your　wealth　nor　your　LADYSHIP'

（there　was　an　emphasis　of　scorn　on　the

word；　which　would　have　become　Sir

Giles　Overreach　himself）　'can　warrant　you

in　treating　with　contempt　the　affectionate

regard　of　an　honest　heart。'



I　was　too　much　shocked　at　this　undisguised

attempt　to　bully　me　into　an　acquiescence

in　the　interested　and　unprincipled

plan　for　their　own　aggrandisement；　which

I　now　perceived　my　uncle　and　his　son　to

have　deliberately　entered　into；　at　once　to

find　strength　or　collectedness　to　frame　an

answer　to　what　he　had　said。　At　length　I

replied；　with　some　firmness：



'In　all　that　you　have　just　now　said；　sir；

you　have　grossly　misstated　my　conduct　and

motives。　Your　information　must　have　been

most　incorrect　as　far　as　it　regards　my

conduct　towards　my　cousin；　my　manner

towards　him　could　have　conveyed　nothing

but　dislike；　and　if　anything　could　have

added　to　the　strong　aversion　which　I

have　long　felt　towards　him；　it　would　be

his　attempting　thus　to　trick　and　frighten

me　into　a　marriage　which　he　knows　to　be

revolting　to　me；　and　which　is　sought　by

him　only　as　a　means　for　securing　to

himself　whatever　property　is　mine。'



As　I　said　this；　I　fixed　my　eyes　upon

those　of　my　uncle；　but　he　was　too　old　in

the　world's　ways　to　falter　beneath　the

gaze　of　more　searching　eyes　than　mine；　he

simply　said：



'Are　you　acquainted　with　the　provisions

of　your　father's　will？'



I　answered　in　the　affirmative；　and　he

continued：



'Then　you　must　be　aware　that　if　my

son　Edward　werewhich　God　forbidthe

unprincipled；　reckless　man　you　pretend　to

think　him'（here　he　spoke　very　slowly；

as　if　he　intended　that　every　word　which

escaped　him　should　be　registered　in　my

memory；　while　at　the　same　time　the

expression　of　his　countenance　underwent　a

gradual　but　horrible　change；　and　the　eyes

which　he　fixed　upon　me　became　so　darkly

vivid；　that　I　almost　lost　sight　of　everything

else）'if　he　were　what　you　have

described　him；　think　you；　girl；　he　could

find　no　briefer　means　than　wedding

contracts　to　gain　his　ends？　'twas　but　to　gripe

your　slender　neck　until　the　breath　had

stopped；　and　lands；　and　lakes；　and　all　were

his。'



I　stood　staring　at　him　for　many　minutes

after　he　had　ceased　to　speak；　fascinated

by　the　terrible　serpent…like　gaze；　until　he

continued　with　a　welcome　change　of　countenance：



'I　will　not　speak　again　to　you　upon　this

topic　until　one　month　has　passed。　You

shall　have　time　to　consider　the　relative

advantages　of　the　two　courses　which　are

open　to　you。　I　should　be　sorry　to　hurry

you　to　a　decision。　I　am　satisfied　with

having　stated　my　feelings　upon　the　subject；

and　pointed　out　to　you　the　path　of　duty。

Remember　this　day　monthnot　one　word

sooner。'



He　then　rose；　and　I　left　the　room；　much

agitated　and　exhausted。



This　interview；　all　the　circumstances

attending　it；　but　most　particularly　the

formidable　expression　of　my　uncle's

countenance　while　he　talked；　though　hypothetically；

of　murder；　combined　to　arouse　all

my　worst　suspicions　of　him。　I　dreaded　to

look　upon　the　face　that　had　so　recently

worn　the　appalling　livery　of　guilt　and

malignity。　I　regarded　it　with　the

mingled　fear　and　loathing　with　which　one

looks　upon　an　object　which　has　tortured

them　in　a　nightmare。



In　a　few　days　after　the　interview；　the

particulars　of　which　I　have　just　related；　I

found　a　note　upon　my　toilet…table；　and　on

opening　it　I　read　as　follows：





　　　　　'MY　DEAR　LADY　MARGARET；

　　　　　　　　　　'You　will　be　perhaps　surprised　to

see　a　strange　face　in　your　room　to…day。　I

have　dismissed　your　Irish　maid；　and

secured　a　French　one　to　wait　upon　youa

step　rendered　necessary　by　my　proposing

shortly　to　visit　the　Continent；　with　all　my

family。

　　　　　　　　　　'Your　faithful　guardian；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'ARTHUR　TN。'





On　inquiry；　I　found　that　my　faithful

attendant　was　actually　gone；　and　far　on

her　way　to　the　town　of　Galway；　and　in

her　stead　there　appeared　a　tall；　raw…boned；

ill…looking；　elderly　Frenchwoman；　whose

sullen　and　presuming　manners　seemed　to

imply　that　her　vocation　had　never　before

been　that　of　a　lady's…maid。　I　could　not

help　regarding　her　as　a　creature　of　my

uncle's；　and　therefore　to　be　dreaded；

even　had　she　been　in　no　other　way　suspicious。



Days　and　weeks　passed　away　without

any；　even　a　momentary　doubt　upon　my

part；　as　to　the　course　to　be　pursued　by　me。

The　allotted　period　had　at　length　elapsed；

the　day　arrived　on　which　I　was　to

communicate　my　decision　to　my　uncle。

Although　my　resolution　had　never　for　a

moment　wavered；　I　could　not　shake　of

the　dread　of　the　approaching　colloquy；

and　my　heart　sunk　within　me　as　I　heard

the　expected　summons。



I　had　not　seen　my　cousin　Edward　since

the　occurrence　of　the　grand　eclaircissment；

he　must　have　studiously　avoided

meI　suppose　from　policy；　it　could　not

have　been　from　delicacy。　I　was　prepared

for　a　terrific　burst　of　fury　from　my　uncle；

as　soon　as　I　should　make　known　my

determination；　and　I　not　unreasonably

feared　that　some　act　of　violence　or　of

intimidation　would　next　be　resorted　to。



Filled　with　these　dreary　forebodings；　I

fearfully　opened　the　study　door；　and　the

next　minute　I　stood　in　my　uncle's

presence。　He　received　me　with　a　politeness

which　I　dreaded；　as　arguing　a　favourable

anticipation　respecting　the　answer

which　I　was　to　give；　and　after　some　slight

delay；　he　began　by　saying：



'It　will　be　a　relief　to　both　of　us；　I

believe；　to　bring　this　conversation　as　soon

as　possible　to　an　issue。　You　will　excuse

me；　then；　my　dear　niece；　for　speaking　with

an　abruptness　which；　under　other

circumstances；　would　be　unpardonable。　You

have；　I　am　certain；　given　the　subject　of

our　last　interview　fair　and　serious　con…

sideration；　and　I　trust　that　you　are　now

prepared　with　candour　to　lay　your　answer

before　me。　A　few　words　will　sufficewe

perfectly　understand　one　another。'



He　paused；　and　I；　though　feeling　that　I

stood　upon　a　mine　which　might　in　an

instant　explode；　nevertheless　answered　with

perfect　composure：



'I　must　now；　sir；　make　the　same　reply

which　I　did　upon　the　last　occasion；　and　I

reiterate　the　declaration　which　I　then

made；　that　I　never　can　nor　will；　while　life

and　reason　remain；　consent　to　a　union　with

my　cousin　Edward。'



This　announcement　wrought　no　apparent

change　in　Sir　Arthur；　except　that　he

became　deadly；　almost　lividly　pale。　He

seemed　lost　in　dark　thought　for　a　minute；

and　then　with　a　slight　effort　said：



'You　have　answered　me　honestly　and

directly；　and　you　say　your　resolution　is

unchangeable。　Well；　would　it　had　been

otherwisewould　it　had　been　otherwise

but　be　it　as　it　isI　am　satisfied。'



He　gave　me　his　handit　was　cold　and

damp　as　death；　under　an　assumed　calmness；

it　was　evident　that　he　was　fearfully

agitated。　He　continued　to　hold　my　hand

with　an　almost　painful　pressure；　while；　as

if　unconscious