classic mystery and detective stories-第95章

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words。　　〃To　that　room？　　Oh；　Alanno；　I　cannot。〃



He　had　hold　of　my　hand　still；　and　he　tightened　his　grasp　upon　it。

〃I　shall　be　with　you；　you　will　not　be　afraid　with　me；〃　he　said。

〃Come。〃　　His　eyes　were　burning；　his　face　flushed　and　paled　in　rapid

alternation；　and　his　hand　held　mine　like　a　vice　of　iron。



I　turned　with　him；　and　we　walked　back　to　the　Grange；　Alan

quickening　his　pace　as　he　went；　till　I　almost　had　to　run　by　his

side。　　As　we　approached　the　dreaded　room　my　sense　of　repulsion

became　almost　unbearable；　but　I　was　now　infected　by　his　excitement；

though　I　but　dimly　comprehended　its　cause。　　We　met　no　one　on　our

way；　and　in　a　moment　he　had　hurried　me　into　the　house；　up　the

stairs；　and　along　the　narrow　passage；　and　I　was　once　more　in　the

east　room；　and　in　the　presence　of　all　the　memories　of　that　accursed

night。　　For　an　instant　I　stood　strengthless；　helpless；　on　the

threshold；　my　gaze　fixed　panic…stricken　on　the　spot　where　I　had

taken　such　awful　part　in　that　phantom　tragedy　of　evil；　then　Alan

threw　his　arm　round　me；　and　drew　me　hastily　on　in　front　of　the

cabinet。　　Without　a　pause；　giving　himself　time　neither　to　speak　nor

think；　he　stretched　out　his　left　hand　and　moved　the　buttons　one

after　another。　　How　or　in　what　direction　he　moved　them　I　know　not；

but　as　the　last　turned　with　a　click；　the　doors；　which　no　mortal

hand　had　unclosed　for　three　hundred　years；　flew　back；　and　the

cabinet　stood　open。　　I　gave　a　little　gasp　of　fear。　　Alan　pressed

his　lips　closely　together；　and　turned　to　me　with　eager　questioning

in　his　eyes。　　I　pointed　in　answer　tremblingly　at　the　drawer　which　I

had　seen　open　the　night　before。　　He　drew　it　out；　and　there　on　its

satin　bed　lay　the　dagger　in　its　silver　sheath。　　Still　without　a

word　he　took　it　up；　and　reaching　his　right　hand　round　me；　for　I

could　not　now　have　stood　had　he　withdrawn　his　support；　with　a　swift

strong　jerk　he　unsheathed　the　blade。　　There　in　the　clear　autumn

sunshine　I　could　see　the　same　dull　stains　I　had　marked　in　the

flickering　candle…light；　and　over　them；　still　ruddy　and　moist；　were

the　drops　of　my　own　half…dried　blood。　　I　grasped　the　lapel　of　his

coat　with　both　my　hands；　and　clung　to　him　like　a　child　in　terror；

while　the　eyes　of　both　of　us　remained　fixed　as　if　fascinated　upon

the　knife…blade。　　Then；　with　a　sudden　start　of　memory；　Alan　raised

his　to　the　cornice　of　the　cabinet；　and　mine　followed。　　No　change

that　I　could　detect　had　taken　place　in　that　twisted　goldwork；　but

there；　clear　in　the　sight　of　us　both；　stood　forth　the　words　of　the

magic　motto：





　　　　　〃Pure　blood　shed　by　the　blood…stained　knife

　　　　　　Ends　Mervyn　shame；　heals　Mervyn　strife。〃





In　low　steady　tones　Alan　read　out　the　lines；　and　then　there　was

silenceon　my　part　of　stunned　bewilderment；　the　bewilderment　of　a

spirit　overwhelmed　beyond　the　power　of　comprehension　by　rushing；

conflicting　emotions。　　Alan　pressed　me　closer　to　him；　while　the

silence　seemed　to　throb　with　the　beating　of　his　heart　and　the

panting　of　his　breath。　　But　except　for　that　he　remained　motionless；

gazing　at　the　golden　message　before　him。　　At　length　I　felt　a

movement；　and　looking　up　saw　his　face　turned　down　towards　mine；　the

lips　quivering；　the　cheeks　flushed；　the　eyes　soft　with　passionate

feeling。　　〃We　are　saved；　my　darling；〃　he　whispered；　〃saved；　and

through　you。〃　　Then　he　bent　his　head　lower；　and　there　in　that　room

of　horror；　I　received　the　first　long　lover's　kiss　from　my　own　dear

husband's　lips。



　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



My　husband；　yes；　but　not　till　some　time　after　that。　　Alan's　first

act；　when　he　had　once　fully　realized　that　the　curse　was　indeed

removed；　wasthrowing　his　budding　practice　to　the　windsto　set

sail　for　America。　　There　he　sought　out　Jack；　and　labored　hard　to

impart　to　him　some　of　his　own　newfound　hope。　　It　was　slow　work；　but

he　succeeded　at　last；　and　only　left　him　when；　two　years　later；　he

had　handed　him　over　to　the　charge　of　a　bright…eyed　Western　girl；　to

whom　the　whole　story　had　been　told；　and　who　showed　herself　ready

and　anxious　to　help　in　building　up　again　the　broken　life　of　her

English　lover。　　To　judge　from　the　letters　that　we　have　since

received；　she　has　shown　herself　well　fitted　for　the　task。　　Among

other　things　she　has　money；　and　Jack's　worldly　affairs　have　so

prospered　that　George　declares　that　he　can　well　afford　now　to　waste

some　of　his　superfluous　cash　upon　farming　a　few　of　his　elder

brother's　acres。　　The　idea　seems　to　smile　upon　Jack；　and　I　have

every　hope　this　winter　of　being　able　to　institute　an　actual

comparison　between　our　small　boy；　his　namesake；　and　his　own　three…

year…old　Alan。　　The　comparison；　by　the　way；　will　have　to　be

conditional；　for　Jacketthe　name　by　which　my　son　and　heir　is

familiarly　knownis　but　a　little　more　than　two。



I　turn　my　eyes　for　a　moment；　and　they　fall　upon　the　northern　corner

of　the　East　Room；　which　shows　round　the　edge　of　the　house。　　Then

the　skeleton　leaps　from　the　cupboard　of　my　memory；　the　icy　hand

which　lies　ever　near　my　soul　grips　it　suddenly　with　a　chill

shudder。　　Not　for　nothing　was　that　wretched　woman's　life　interwoven

with　my　own；　if　only　for　an　hour；　not　for　nothing　did　my　spirit

harbor　a　conflict　and　an　agony；　which；　thank　God；　are　far　from　its

own　story。　　Though　Margaret　Mervyn's　dagger　failed　to　pierce　my

flesh；　the　wound　in　my　soul　may　never　wholly　be　healed。　　I　know

that　that　is　so；　and　yet　as　I　turn　to　start　through　the　sunshine　to

the　cedar　shade　and　its　laughing　occupants；　I　whisper　to　myself

with　fervent　conviction；　〃It　was　worth　it。〃











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