elinor wyllys-2-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　been　also　agreed　upon　beforehand；　by　Harry　and　his　friends。　In　reply　to　Mr。　Reed's　inquiry；　Mrs。　Stanley　asked　to　see　the　papers　which　had　been　brought　for　their　investigation。

Mr。　Clapp　complied　with　the　request；　by　drawing　a　bundle　of　papers　from　his　pocket。　He　first　handed　Mrs。　Stanley　a　document；　proving　that　William　Stanley　had　made　two　voyages　as　seaman；　in　a　Havre　packet；　in　the　year　1824；　or　nearly　ten　years　since　the　wreck　of　the　Jefferson。　The　captain　of　this　vessel　was　well　known；　and　still　commanded　a　packet　in　the　same　line；　very　probably　his　mates　were　also　living；　and　could　be　called　upon　to　ascertain　the　authenticity　of　this　paper。　No　man　in　his　senses　would　have　forged　a　document　which　could　be　so　easily　disproved；　and　both　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Hazlehurst　were　evidently　perplexed　by　it；　while　Mrs。　Stanley　showed　an　increase　of　nervous　agitation。　Mr。　Wyllys　at　length　returned　this　paper　to　Mr。　Reed；　confessing　that　it　looked　more　favourably　than　anything　they　had　yet　received。　Two　letters　were　then　shown；　directed　to　William　Stanley；　and　bearing　different　dates；　one　was　signed　by　the　name　of　David　Billings；　a　man　who　had　been　the　chief　instrument　in　first　drawing　William　Stanley　into　bad　habits；　and　had　at　length　enticed　him　to　leave　home　and　go　to　sea；　it　was　dated　nineteen　years　back。　As　no　one　present　knew　the　hand…writing　of　Billings；　and　as　he　had　died　some　years　since；　this　letter　might；　or　might　not；　have　been　genuine。　The　name　of　the　other　signature　was　entirely　unknown　to　Harry　and　his　friends；　this　second　letter　bore　a　date　only　seven　years　previous　to　the　interview；　and　was　addressed　to　William　Stanley；　at　a　sailor's　boarding…house　in　Baltimore。　It　was　short；　and　the　contents　were　unimportant；　chiefly　referring　to　a　debt　of　fifteen　dollars；　and　purporting　to　be　written　by　a　shipmate　named　Noah　Johnson：　the　name　of　William　Stanley；　in　conjunction　with　the　date；　was　the　only　remarkable　point　about　this　paper。　Both　letters　had　an　appearance　corresponding　with　their　dates；　they　looked　old　and　soiled；　the　first　bore　the　post…office　stamp　of　New　York；　the　other　had　no　post…mark。　Mr。　Wyllys　asked　if　this　Noah　Johnson　could　be　found？　The　sailor　replied；　that　he　had　not　seen　him　for　several　years；　and　did　not　know　what　had　become　of　him；　he　had　kept　the　letter　because　it　acknowledged　the　debt。　He　replied　to　several　other　questions　about　this　man；　readily　and　naturally；　though　Mr。　Wyllys　had　no　means　of　deciding　whether　these　answers　were　correct　or　not。　Hazlehurst　then　made　several　inquiries　about　Billings；　whom　he　had　seen；　and　remembered　as　a　bad　fellow；　the　son　of　a　country　physician　living　near　Greatwood。　His　height；　age；　appearance；　and　several　circumstances　connected　with　his　family；　were　all　very　accurately　given　by　Mr。　Reed's　client；　as　Harry　frankly　admitted　to　Mrs。　Stanley　and　Mr。　Wyllys。

Mr。　Reed　looked　gratified　by　the　appearance　of　things；　and　Mr。　Clapp　seemed　quite　satisfied　with　the　turn　matters　were　now　taking。　Throughout　the　interview；　Mr。　Reed　seemed　to　listen　with　a　sort　of　calm　interest；　as　if　he　had　little　doubt　as　to　the　result。　Mr。　Clapp's　manner　was　much　more　anxious；　but　then　he　was　perfectly　aware　of　the　suspicions　against　him；　and　knew　that　not　only　this　particular　case；　but　his　whole　prospects　for　life；　were　at　stake　on　the　present　occasion。

〃Like　most　sailors；　Mr。　Stanley　has　kept　but　few　papers；〃　observed　Mr。　Reed。

〃He　has　been　as　careless　about　his　documents；　as　he　was　about　his　propertyhe　has　lost　some　of　the　greatest　importance；〃　observed　Mr。　Clapp。　〃Here　is　something；　though；　that　will　speak　for　him；〃　added　the　lawyer；　as　he　handed　Mrs。　Stanley　a　book。　It　was　a　volume　of　the　Spectator；　open　at　the　blank　leaves；　and　showing　the　following　words：　〃John　William　Stanley；　Greatwood；　1804；〃　and　below；　these；　〃William　Stanley；　1810；〃　the　first　sentence　was　in　the　hand…writing　of　the　father；　the　second　in　the　half…childish　characters　of　the　son；　both　names　had　every　appearance　of　being　autographs。　The　opposite　page　was　partly　covered　with　names　of　ships；　scratches　of　the　pen；　unconnected　sentences；　and　one　or　two　common　sailor　expressions。　Mrs。　Stanley's　eyes　grew　dim　for　an　instant；　after　she　had　read　the　names　of　her　husband　and　step…sonshe　passed　the　book　to　Mr。　Wyllys；　he　took　it；　examined　it　closely；　but　found　nothing　to　complain　of　in　its　appearance。

｛〃the　Spectator〃　=　English　daily　periodical　published　by　Richard　Steele　（1672…1729）　and　Joseph　Addison　（1672…1719）　between　1711　and　1714；　the　eight　volumes　of　the　Spectator　have　been　reprinted　frequently　in　book　form　ever　since｝

〃This　is　only　the　third　volume；　have　you　the　whole　set？〃　he　asked；　turning　to　the　sailor。

〃No；　sir；　I　left　the　rest　at　home。〃

〃Is　there　such　a　set　at　Greatwood？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys；　turning　to　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃There　is；〃　replied　the　lady；　in　a　low　voice；　〃and　one　volume　missing。〃

Hazlehurst　asked　to　look　at　the　book；　it　was　handed　to　him　by　Mr。　Wyllys。　He　examined　it　very　carefully；　binding；　title…page；　and　contents；　Mr。　Clapp　watching　him　closely　at　the　moment。

〃Do　you　suspect　the　hand…writing？〃　asked　the　lawyer。

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　replied　Hazlehurst。　〃You　have　read　this　volume　often　I　suppose；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　sailor。

〃Not　I；〃　was　the　reply；　〃I　ain't　given　to　reading　in　any　shape；　my　shipmates　have　read　that　'ere　book　oftener　than　I　have。〃

〃Did　you　carry　it　with　you　in　all　your　voyages？〃

〃No；　I　left　it　ashore　half　the　time。〃

〃How　long　have　you　had　it　in　your　possession？〃

〃Since　I　first　went　to　sea。〃

〃Indeed！　that　is　singular；　I　should　have　said；　Mr。　Clapp；〃　exclaimed　Harry；　suddenly　facing　the　lawyer；　〃that　only　four　years　since；　I　read　this　very　volume　of　the　Spectator　at　Greatwood！〃

If　Hazlehurst　expected　Mr。　Clapp　to　betray　confusion；　he　was　disappointed。

〃You　may　have　read　some　other　volume；〃　was　the　cool　reply；　although　Harry　thought；　or　fancied；　that　he　traced　a　muscular　movement　about　the　speaker's　eyelids；　as　he　uttered　the　words：　〃That　volume　has　been　in　the　possession　of　Mr。　Stanley　since　he　first　went　to　sea。〃

〃Is　there　no　other　copy　of　the　Spectator　at　your　country…place；　Mrs。　Stanley？〃　asked　Mr。　Reed。

〃There　is　another　edition；　entire；　in　three　volumes；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃I　had　forgotten　it〃　said　Hazlehurst；　〃but　I　am；　nevertheless；　convinced　that　it　was　this　edition　which　I　read；　for　I　remember　looking　for　it　on　an　upper　shelf；　where　it　belonged。〃

〃It　was　probably　another　volume　of　the　same　edition；　there　must　be　some　half…dozen；　to　judge　by　the　size　of　this；〃　observed　Mr。　Reed。

〃There　were　eight　volumes；　but　one　has　been　missing　for　years；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃It　was　this　which　I　read；　however；〃　said　Harry；　〃for　I　remember　the　portrait　of　Steele；　in　the　frontispiece。〃

〃Will　you　swear　to　it？〃　asked　Mr。　Clapp；　with　a　doubtful　smile。

〃When　I　do　take　an　oath；　it　will　not　be　lightly；　sir；〃　replied　Hazlehurst。

〃It　is　pretty　evident；　that　Mr。　Hazlehurst　will　not　be　easily　satisfied；〃　added　Mr。　Clapp；　with　an　approach　to　a　sneer。　〃Shall　we　go　on；　Mr。　Reed；　or　stop　the　examination？〃

Mrs。　Stanley　professed　herself　anxious　to　ask　other　questions；　and　as　she　had　showed　more　symptoms　of　yielding　than　the　gentlemen；　the　sailor's　counsel　seemed　to　cherish　hopes　of　bringing　her　over　to　their　side。　At　her　request；　Mr。　Wyllys　then　proceeded　to　ask　some　questions；　which　had　been　agreed　upon　before　the　meeting。

〃What　is　your　precise　age；　sir？〃

〃I　shall　be　thirty…seven；　the　tenth　of　next　August。〃

〃Where　were　you　born？〃

〃At　my　father's　country…place；　in　…　county；　Pennsylvania。〃

〃When　were　you　last　there　before　his　death？〃

〃After　my　whaling　voyage　in　the　Sally…Ann；　in　the　summer　of　1814。〃

〃How　long　did　you　stay　at　home　on　that　occasion？〃

〃Three　months；　until　I　went　to　sea　in　the　Thomas　Jefferson。〃

〃What　was　your　mother's　name；　sir？〃

〃My　mother's　name　was　Elizabeth　Radcliffe。〃

〃What　were　the　names　of　your　grand…parents？〃　added　Mr。　Wyllys；　quickly。

〃My　grandfather　Stanley's　name　was　William；　I　am　named　after　him。　My　grandmother's　maiden　name　was　EllisJane　Ellis。〃

〃What　were　the　Christian　names　of　your　grand…parents；　on　your　mother's　side？〃

〃Let　me　seemy　memory　isn't　over…good：　my　grandfather