elinor wyllys-2-第47章

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〃I　saw　them　the　next　day　at　meeting；〃　she　replied；　〃and　Jabez　told　me　he　met　them　walking　about　the　place；　that　is　all　I　know　about　it；　sir。〃

Jabez；　one　of　the　men　on　the　farm；　was　questioned：　he　had　seen　these　two　strangers　walking　about　the　place；　looking　at　the　barns　and　stables；　the　same　day　they　had　been　at　the　house；　but　he　had　not　spoken　to　them；　and　this　was　the　amount　of　his　story。

Harry　then　inquired　at　the　taverns　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　he　found　that　two　persons；　answering　to　the　same　description；　had　staid　a　couple　of　days；　about　the　middle　of　March；　at　a　small　inn；　within　half　a　mile　from　Greatwood。　Their　bill　had　been　made　out　in　the　name　of　〃Mr。　Clapp　and　friend。〃　This　was　satisfactory　as　far　as　it　went；　and　accounted　for　the　sailor's　knowledge　of　the　house；　though　Mrs。　Stanley　could　not　comprehend　at　first；　how　this　man　should　have　pointed　out　so　exactly；　her　husband's　favourite　seat。　Harry　reminded　her；　however；　that　Clapp　had　passed　several　years　of　his　youth　at　Franklin　Cross…Roads；　in　a　lawyer's　office；　and　had　very　probably　been　at　Greatwood　during　Mr。　Stanley's　life…time。

Hazlehurst　had　drawn　up　a　regular　plan　of　action　for　his　inquiries；　and　after　having　discovered　who　could　assist　him；　and　who　could　not；　he　portioned　off　the　neighbourhood　into　several　divisions；　intending　to　devote　a　day　to　eachcalling　at　every　house　where　he　hoped　to　gain　information　on　the　subject　of　William　Stanley。

He　set　out　on　horseback　early　in　the　morning；　for　his　first　day's　circuit；　taking　a　note…book　in　his　pocket；　to　record　facts　as　he　went　along；　and　first　turning　his　horse's　head　towards　the　house　of　Mrs。　Lawson；　who　had　been　a　constant　playfellow　of　William　Stanley's；　when　both　were　children。　This　lady　was　one　of　a　large　family；　who　had　been　near　neighbours　of　the　Stanleys　for　years；　and　on　terms　of　daily　intimacy　with　them；　and　she　had　already　told　Harry；　one　day　when　she　met　him　in　the　village；　that　she　held　herself　in　readiness　to　answer；　to　the　best　of　her　ability；　any　questions　about　her　former　playmate；　that　he　might　think　it　worth　while　to　ask。　On　knocking　at　this　lady's　door；　he　was　so　fortunate　as　to　find　Mrs。　Lawson　at　home；　and；　by　especial　luck；　Dr。　Lewis；　a　brother　of　her's；　who　had　removed　from　that　part　of　the　country；　happened　just　then　to　be　on　a　visit　at　his　sister's。

After　a　little　preliminary　chat；　Hazlehurst　made　known　the　particular　object　of　his　call。

〃Do　I　remember　William　Stanley's　personal　appearance　and　habits？　Perfectly；　quite　as　well　as　I　do　my　own　brother's；〃　replied　the　doctor；　to　Harry's　first　inquiry。

〃Mrs。　Lawson　told　me　that　he　used　to　pass　half　his　time　at　your　father's　house；　and　kindly　offered　to　assist　me；　as　far　as　lay　in　her　power；　and　I　look　upon　myself　as　doubly　fortunate　in　finding　you　here　to…day。　We　wish；　of　course；　to　collect　as　many　minute　details　as　possible；　regarding　Mr。　Stanley's　son；　as　we　feel　confident；　from　evidence　already　in　our　power；　that　this　new…comer　is　an　impostor。〃

〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃an　extravagant　story；　indeed！　Nearly　eighteen　years　as　still　as　a　mouse；　and　then　coolly　stepping　in；　and　claiming　a　property　worth　some　hundreds　of　thousands。　A　clear　case　of　conspiracy；　without　doubt。〃

〃Poor　William　was　no　saint；　certainly；〃　added　Mrs。　Lawson；　〃but　this　sailor　must　be　a　very　bad　man。〃

〃Pray；　when　did　you　last　see　young　Stanley！〃　asked　Harry；　of　the　lady。

〃When　he　was　at　home；　not　long　before　his　father's　death。　He　held　out　some　promise　of　reforming；　then。　Billings；　who　first　led　him　into　mischief；　was　not　in　the　neighbourhood　at　that　time；　and　his　father　had　hopes　of　him；　but　some　of　his　old　companions　led　him　off　again。〃

〃He　must　have　been　a　boy　of　strange　temper；　to　leave　home　under　such　circumstances；　an　only　son；　with　such　prospects　before　him。〃

〃Yes；　his　temper　was　very　unpleasant；　but　then；　Mr。　Stanley；　the　father；　did　not　know　how　to　manage　him。〃

〃He　could　scarcely　have　had　much　sense　either；　to　have　been　so　easily　led　astray　by　a　designing　young　fellow；　as　that　Billings　seems　to　have　been。〃

〃Flattery；　flattery　did　it　all；〃　observed　the　doctor。　〃Some　people　thought　young　Stanley　little　more　than　half…witted；　but　I　have　always　maintained　that　he　was　not　wanting　in　sense。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　say　so；　doctor；〃　observed　the　sister。　〃I　am　sure　it　was　a　settled　thing　among　us　children；　that　he　was　a　very　stupid；　disagreeable　boy。　He　never　took　much　interest　in　our　plays；　I　remember。〃

〃Not　in　playing　doll…baby；　perhaps；　but　I　have　had　many　a　holiday　with　him　that　I　enjoyed　very　much；　I　can　tell　you。　He　never　had　a　fancy　for　a　book；　that　is　true；　but　otherwise　be　was　not　so　very　dull　as　some　people　make　out。〃

〃He　had　the　reputation　of　being　a　dull　boy；　had　he？〃

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　said　Mrs。　Lawson。　〃at　one　time；　when　we　were　quite　children；　we　all　took　arithmetic　lessons　together；　and　he　was　always　at　the　foot　of　the　class。〃

〃He　had　no　head　for　figures；　perhaps；　it　is　more　likely；　though；　that　he　wouldn't　learn　out　of　obstinacy；　he　was　as　obstinate　as　a　mule；　that　I　allow。〃

〃What　sort　of　games　and　plays　did　he　like　best？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　he　liked　one　better　than　another；　so　long　as　he　could　choose　himself；〃　replied　Dr。　Lewis。

〃Was　he　a　strong；　active　boy？〃

〃Not　particularly　active；　but　a　stout；　healthy　lad。〃

〃Disposed　to　be　tall？〃

〃Tallish；　the　last　time　he　was　here；　he　must　have　measured　about　five　feet　ten。〃

〃Oh；　more　than　that；〃　interposed　Mrs。　Lawson；　〃he　was　taller　than　our　eldest　brother；　I　knowfull　six　feet　one；　I　should　say。〃

〃No；　no；　Sophia；　certainly　not　more　than　five　feet　nine　or　ten。　Remember；　you　were　a　little　thing　yourself　at　the　time。〃

〃Do　you　remember　the　colour　of　his　eyes；　Mrs。　Lawson？〃

〃Yes；　perfectly；　they　were　blue。〃

〃Brown；　I　should　say；〃　added　the　doctor。

〃No；　John；　you　are　quite　mistaken；　his　eyes　were　blue；　Mr。　Hazlehurstvery　dark　blue。〃

〃I　could　have　taken　my　oath　they　were　brown；〃　said　the　doctor。

Hazlehurst　looked　from　one　to　the　other　in　doubt。

〃You　were　away　from　home；　doctor；　more　than　I　was；　and　probably　do　not　remember　William's　face　as　distinctly　as　I　do。　I　am　quite　confident　his　eyes　were　a　clear；　deep　blue。〃

〃Well；　I　should　have　called　them　a　light　brown。〃

〃Were　they　large？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Of　a　common　size；　I　think；〃　said　the　brother。

〃Remarkably　small；　I　should　say；〃　added　the　sister。

〃What　colour　was　his　hair？〃　asked　Harry；　giving　up　the　eyes。

〃Black；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃Not　black；　Johndark　perhaps；　but　more　of　an　auburn；　like　his　father's　portrait；〃　said　Mrs。　Lawson。

〃Why；　that　is　black；　certainly。〃

〃Oh；　no；　auburna　rich；　dark　auburn。〃

〃There　is　a　greyish　cast　in　that　portrait；　I　think；〃　said　Harry。

〃Grey；　oh；　no；　Mr。　Stanley's　hair　was　in　perfect　colour　when　he　died；　I　remember　him　distinctly；　seeing　him　as　often　as　I　did；〃　said　the　lady。　〃The　hair　of　the　Stanley　family　is　generally　auburn；〃　she　added。

〃What　do　you　call　auburn？〃　said　the　doctor。

〃A　dark；　rich　brown；　like　William　Stanley's。〃

〃Now　I　call　Mr。　Robert　Hazlehurst's　hair　auburn。〃

〃My　brother's　hair！　Why　that　is　sometimes　pronounced　sandy；　and　even　red；　occasionally；〃　said　Harry。

〃Not　red；　Lawson's　hair　is　red。〃

〃Mr。　Lawson's　hair　is　more　of　a　flaxen　shade；〃　said　the　wife；　a　little　quickly。

Despairing　of　settling　the　particular　shade　of　the　hair；　Harry　then　inquired　if　there　was　any　strongly　marked　peculiarity　of　face　or　person　about　William　Stanley？

Here　both　agreed　that　they　had　never　remarked　anything　of　the　kind；　it　appeared　that　the　young　man　was　made　more　like　the　rest　of　the　world；　than　became　the　hero　of　such　a　singular　career。

〃Do　you　think　you　should　know　him；　if　you　were　to　see　him　again；　after　such　a　long　interval？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃some　people　change　very　much；　from　boys　to　middle…aged　manhood；　others　alter　but　little。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　that　I　could　tell　in　a　moment；　if　this　person　is　William　Stanley　or　an　impostor；〃　said　Mrs。　Lawson。　〃Think　how　much　we　were　together；　as　children；　for　ten　years　of　his　life；　he　was　half　the　time　at　our　house。　I　am　sure　if　this　sailor　were　William　Stanley；　he　would　have　come　to　see　some　of　us；　long　since。〃