elinor wyllys-2-第35章

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　he　was　quite　self…possessed；　with　an　air　of　determination　about　him　which　rather　took　Harry　by　surprise。

A　few　indifferent　observations　were　exchanged　between　Mr。　Reed　and　Hazlehurst；　as　the　party　entered　the　house；　they　were　taken　by　Harry　into　the　drawing…room；　and　he　then　left　them；　to　inform　Mrs。　Stanley　and　Mr。　Wyllys　of　their　arrival。

Mrs。　Stanley；　though　a　woman　of　a　firm　character；　was　very　excitable　in　her　temperament；　and　she　dreaded　the　interview　not　a　little；　she　had　asked　Miss　Wyllys　to　remain　with　her　on　the　occasion。　Mr。　Wyllys　was　sent　for；　and　when　he　had　joined　the　ladies；　and　Mrs。　Stanley　had　composed　herself；　their　three　visitors　were　ushered　into　Miss　Wyllys's　usual　sitting…room　by　Hazlehurst。　He　introduced　Mr。　Reed　to　Mrs。　Stanley　and　Miss　Wyllys；　named　Mr。　Clapp；　and　added；　as　the　sailor　approached：　〃Mr。　Reed's　client；　ma'am。〃

〃Mr。　William　Stanley；〃　added　Mr。　Reed；　firmly；　but　respectfully。

Mrs。　Stanley　had　risen　from　her　seat；　and　after　curtseying　to　the　lawyers；　she　turned　very　pale；　as　the　name　of　her　husband's　son　was　so　deliberately　applied；　by　a　respectable　man；　to　the　individual　before　her。

〃I　was　just　asking　Mr。　Stanley；　when　Mr。　Hazlehurst　joined　us；〃　observed　the　forward　Mr。　Clapp；　〃if　he　remembered　Wyllys…Roof　at　all；　but　he　says　his　recollections　of　this　place　are　rather　confused。〃

〃When　were　you　here　last；　sir？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys　of　the　sailor；　giving　him　a　searching　look　at　the　same　time。

〃About　five　years　ago；〃　was　the　cool　reply；　rather　to　Mr。　Wyllys's　surprise。

〃Five　years　ago！I　have　no　recollection　of　the　occasion。〃

The　rest　of　the　party　were　looking　and　listening；　with　curious；　anxious　interest。

〃You　don't　seem　to　have　much　recollection　of　me；　at　all；　sir；〃　said　the　sailor；　rather　bitterly。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　that　you　were　in　this　house　five　years　ago？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃I　was　here；　but　I　didn't　say　I　was　in　the　house。〃

〃What　brought　you　here？〃

〃Pretty　much　the　same　errand　that　brings　me　now。〃

〃What　passed　on　the　occasion？〃

〃I　can't　say　I　remember　much　about　it；　excepting　that　you　did　not　give　me　an　over…friendly　greeting。〃

〃Explain　how　it　happened；　Mr。　Stanley；〃　said　Mr。　Reed；　〃Mr。　Wyllys　does　not　understand　you。〃

〃I　certainly　cannot　understand　what　you　mean　me　to　believe。　You　say　you　were　here；　and　did　not　receive　a　very　friendly　greetinghow　was　it　unfriendly？〃

〃Why；　you　showed　me　the　inside　of　your　smoke…house；　which；　to　my　notion；　wasn't　just　the　right　berth　for　the　son　of　your　old　friend；　and　I　took　the　liberty　of　kicking　off　the　hatches　next　morning；　and　making　the　best　of　my　way　out　of　the　neighbourhood。〃

〃You　remember　the　drunken　sailor；　sir；　who　was　found　one　night；　several　years　since；　near　the　house；〃　interrupted　Harry；　who　had　been　listening　attentively；　and　observed　Mr。　Wyllys's　air　of　incredulity。　〃I　had　him　locked　up　in　the　smoke…house；　you　may　recollect。〃

〃And　you　must　observe；　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　that　is　a　fact　which　might　look　ugly　before　a　jury　that　did　not　know　you；〃　remarked　Mr。　Clapp；　in　a　sort　of　half…cunning；　half…insinuating　manner。

〃I　do　not　in　the　least　doubt　the　ability　of　many　men；　sir；　to　distort　actions　equally　innocent。〃

〃But　you　acknowledge　the　fact？〃

〃The　fact　that　I　locked　up　a　drunken　sailor；　I　certainly　acknowledge；　and　you　will　find　me　ready　to　acknowledge　any　other　fact　equally　true。〃

〃Do　you　believe　this　to　be　the　person　you　locked　up；　Harry？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃I　think　it　not　improbable　that　it　is　the　same　individual；　but　I　did　not　see　the　man　distinctly　at　the　time。〃

〃I　am　glad；　gentlemen；　that　you　are　prepared　to　admit　the　identity　thus　farthat　is　a　step　gained；〃　observed　Mr。　Clapp；　running　his　hand　through　his　locks。

〃Permit　me；　Mr。　Clapp；　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。　〃Now　you　recall　that　circumstance　to　me；　I　should　like　to　ask；　if　we　have　not　also　heard　of　this　individual　since　the　occasion　you　refer　to？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　you　probably　have　heard　of　him　since；〃　replied　Mr。　Clapp；　baldly。

〃And　in　connexion　with　yourself；　I　think？〃

〃In　connexion　with　me；　sir。　You　will　find　me　quite　as　ready　as　Mr。　Hazlehurst　to　admit　facts；　sir；〃　replied　the　lawyer；　leaning　back　in　his　chair。

〃When　they　are　undeniable；〃　observed　Mr。　Wyllys；　drily。　〃May　I　inquire　what　was　the　nature　of　that　connexion？〃　asked　the　gentleman；　with　one　of　his　searching　looks。

The　lawyer　did　not　seem　to　quail　beneath　the　scrutiny。

〃The　connexion；　Mr。　Wyllys；　was　the　commencement　of　what　has　been　completed　recently。　Mr。　Stanley　came　to　lay　before　me　the　claims　which　he　now　makes　publicly。〃

〃You　never　made　the　least　allusion　to　any　claim　of　this　kind　to　me；　at　that　time；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃I　didn't　believe　it　then；　I　am　free　to　say　so　now；〃

〃Still；　not　believing　the　claim；　it　was　singular；　I　may　say　suspicious；　sir；　that　you　never　even　mentioned　the　individual　who　made　it。〃

〃Why；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Wyllys；　I　had　unpleasant　thoughts　about　it；　we　were　neighbours　and　old　friends；　and　though　I　might　make　up　my　mind　to　undertake　the　case；　if　I　thought　it　clear；　I　did　prefer　that　you　should　not　know　about　my　having　had　anything　to　do　with　it；　as　long　as　I　thought　it　a　doubtful　point。　I　think　you　must　see　that　was　only　natural　for　a　young　lawyer；　who　had　his　fortune　to　make；　and　expected　employment　from　you　and　your　friends。　I　have　no　objections　whatever　to　speaking　out　now；　to　satisfy　your　mind；　Mr。　Wyllys。〃

〃I　believe　I　understand　you；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Wyllys；　his　countenance　expressing　more　cool　contempt　than　he　was　aware　of。

〃I　think；　however；　there　are　several　other　points　which　are　not　so　easily　answered；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Mr。　Reed；　as　if　preferring　to　continue　the　conversation　with　him。　〃Do　you　not　think　it　singular；　Mr。　Reed；　to　say　the　least；　that　your　client　should　have　allowed　so　many　years　to　pass；　without　claiming　the　property　of　Mr。　Stanley；　and　then；　at　this　late　day；　instead　of　applying　directly　to　the　executors；　come　to　a　small　town　like　Longbridge；　to　a　lawyer　so　little　known　as　Mr。　Clapp；　in　order　to　urge　a　claim；　so　important　to　him　as　this　we　are　now　examining？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys；　with　a　meaning　smile。

〃We　are　able　to　explain　all　those　points　quite　satisfactorily；　I　think；〃　replied　Mr。　Reed。

〃I　object；　however；〃　interposed　Mr。　Clapp；　〃to　laying　our　case　fully　before　the　defendants；　until　we　know　what　they　conclude　to　do。　We　have　met　here　by　agreement；　to　give　the　defendants　an　opportunity　of　satisfying　their　own　mindsthat　they　may　settle　the　point；　whether　they　will　admit　our　claim；　or　whether　we　must　go　to　law　to　get　our　rights。　It　was　agreed　that　the　meeting　should　be　only　a　common　friendly　visit；　such　as　Mr。　Stanley　felt　perfectly　willing　to　pay　to　his　step…mother；　and　old　family　friends。　We　also　agreed；　that　we　would　answer　any　common　questions　that　might　help　to　satisfy　the　defendants；　provided　that　they　did　not　tend　to　endanger　our　future　success；　in　the　event　of　a　trial。　I　think；　Mr。　Reed；　that　as　there　does　not　seem　as　yet　much　probability　that　the　defendants　will　be　easily　convinced；　it　behooves　us　to　be　on　our　guard。〃

〃I　will　take　the　responsibility；　sir；　of　answering　other　observations　of　Mr。　Wyllys's；〃　replied　Mr。　Reed。　〃As　the　object　of　the　meeting　was　an　amicable　arrangement；　we　may　be　able　to　make　the　case　more　clear；　without　endangering　our　own　grounds。　Have　you　any　remarks　to　make；　madam？〃　he　added；　turning　to　Mrs。　Stanley。

It　had　been　settled　between　the　friends；　before　the　meeting；　that　Mr。　Wyllys　should　be　chief　spokesman　on　the　occasion；　for；　although　the　sailor　claimed　the　nearer　connexion　of　step…son　to　Mrs。　Stanley；　yet　she　had　scarcely　known　her　husband's　son；　having　married　after　he　went　to　sea。　Harry；　it　is　true；　had　often　been　with　young　Stanley　at　his　father's　house；　but　he　was　at　the　time　too　young　a　child　to　have　preserved　any　distinct　recollection　of　him。　Mr。　Wyllys　was　the　only　one　of　the　three　individuals　most　interested；　who　remembered　his　person；　manner；　and　character；　with　sufficient　minuteness　to　rely　on　his　own　memory。　The　particular　subjects　upon　which　the　sailor　should　be　questioned；　had　been　also　agreed　upon　beforehand；　by　Harry　and　his　friends。　In　reply　to　Mr。　Reed's　inquiry；　Mrs。　St