第28章

“Youmustnotthinkmeinquisitive，madame，“Ireplied；“but，ifGradenissodangerousaplace，youyourselfperhapsremainhereatsomerisk。“ Sheonlylookedatmereproachfully。 “Youandyourfather——“Iresumed；butsheinterruptedmealmostwithagasp。 “Myfather！Howdoyouknowthat？“shecried。 “Isawyoutogetherwhenyoulanded，“wasmyanswer；andIdonotknowwhy，butitseemedsatisfactorytobothofus，asindeeditwastruth。“But，“Icontinued，“youneedhavenofearfromme。I seeyouhavesomereasontobesecret，and，youmaybelieveme，yoursecretisassafewithmeasifIwereinGradenFloe。Ihavescarcespokentoanyoneforyears；myhorseismyonlycompanion，andevenhe，poorbeast，isnotbesideme。Yousee，then，youmaycountonmeforsilence。Sotellmethetruth，mydearyounglady，areyounotindanger？“ “Mr。Northmoursaysyouareanhonorableman，“shereturned，“andI believeitwhenIseeyou。Iwilltellyousomuch；youareright； weareindreadful，dreadfuldanger，andyoushareitbyremainingwhereyouare。“ “Ah！“saidI；“youhaveheardofmefromNorthmour？Andhegivesmeagoodcharacter？“ “Iaskedhimaboutyoulastnight，“washerreply。“Ipretended，“ shehesitated，“Ipretendedtohavemetyoulongago，andspokentoyouofhim。Itwasnottrue；butIcouldnothelpmyselfwithoutbetrayingyou，andyouhadputmeinadifficulty。Hepraisedyouhighly。“ “And——youmaypermitmeonequestion——doesthisdangercomefromNorthmour？“Iasked。 “FromMr。Northmour？“shecried。“Oh，no，hestayswithustoshareit。“ “WhileyouproposethatIshouldrunaway？“Isaid。“Youdonotratemeveryhigh。“ “Whyshouldyoustay？“sheasked。“Youarenofriendofours。“ Iknownotwhatcameoverme，forIhadnotbeenconsciousofasimilarweaknesssinceIwasachild，butIwassomortifiedbythisretortthatmyeyesprickedandfilledwithtears，asI continuedtogazeuponherface。 “No，no，“shesaid，inachangedvoice；“Ididnotmeanthewordsunkindly。“ “ItwasIwhooffended，“Isaid；andIheldoutmyhandwithalookofappealthatsomehowtouchedher，forshegavemehersatonce，andeveneagerly。Ihelditforawhileinmine，andgazedintohereyes。Itwasshewhofirsttoreherhandaway，and，forgettingallaboutherrequestandthepromiseshehadsoughttoextort，ranatthetopofherspeed，andwithoutturning，tillshewasoutofsight。AndthenIknewthatIlovedher，andthoughtinmygladheartthatshe——sheherself——wasnotindifferenttomysuit。Manyatimeshehasdenieditinafterdays，butitwaswithasmilingandnotaseriousdenial。Formypart，Iamsureourhandswouldnothavelainsocloselyineachotherifshehadnotbeguntomelttomealready。And，whenallissaid，itisnogreatcontention，since，byherownavowal，shebegantolovemeonthemorrow。 Andyetonthemorrowverylittletookplace。Shecameandcalledmedownasonthedaybefore，upbraidedmeforlingeringatGraden，and，whenshefoundIwasstillobdurate，begantoaskmemoreparticularlyastomyarrival。ItoldherbywhatseriesofaccidentsIhadcometowitnesstheirdisembarkation，andhowIhaddeterminedtoremain，partlyfromtheinterestwhichhadbeenawakenedinmebyNorthmour’sguests，andpartlybecauseofhisownmurderousattack。Astotheformer，IfearIwasdisingenuous，andledhertoregardherselfashavingbeenanattractiontomefromthefirstmomentthatIsawheronthelinks。Itrelievesmyhearttomakethisconfessionevennow，whenmywifeiswithGod，andalreadyknowsallthings，andthehonestyofmypurposeeveninthis；forwhileshelived，althoughitoftenprickedmyconscience，Ihadneverthehardihoodtoundeceiveher。Evenalittlesecret，insuchamarriedlifeasours，isliketheroseleafwhichkepttheprincessfromhersleep。 Fromthisthetalkbranchedintoothersubjects，andItoldhermuchaboutmylonelyandwanderingexistence；she，forherpart，givingear，andsayinglittle。Althoughwespokeverynaturally，andlatterlyontopicsthatmightseemindifferent，wewerebothsweetlyagitated。Toosoonitwastimeforhertogo；andweseparated，asifbymutualconsent，withoutshakinghands，forbothknewthat，betweenus，itwasnoidleceremony。 Thenext，andthatwasthefourthdayofouracquaintance，wemetinthesamespot，butearlyinthemorning，withmuchfamiliarityandyetmuchtimidityoneitherside。Whileshehadoncemorespokenaboutmydanger——andthat，Iunderstood，washerexcuseforcoming——I，whohadpreparedagreatdealoftalkduringthenight，begantotellherhowhighlyIvaluedherkindinterest，andhownoonehadevercaredtohearaboutmylife，norhadIevercaredtorelateit，beforeyesterday。Suddenlysheinterruptedme，sayingwithvehemence—— “Andyet，ifyouknewwhoIwas，youwouldnotsomuchasspeaktome！“ Itoldhersuchathoughtwasmadness，and，littleaswehadmet，I countedheralreadyadearfriend；butmyprotestationsseemedonlytomakehermoredesperate。 “Myfatherisinhiding！“shecried。 “Mydear，“Isaid，forgettingforthefirsttimetoadd“younglady，““whatdoIcare？IfIwereinhidingtwentytimesover，woulditmakeonethoughtofchangeinyou？“ “Ah，butthecause！“shecried，“thecause！Itis“——shefalteredforasecond——“itisdisgracefultous！“ IV Thiswasmywife’sstory，asIdrewitfromheramongtearsandsobs。HernamewasClaraHuddlestone:itsoundedverybeautifulinmyears；butnotsobeautifulasthatothernameofClaraCassilis，whichsheworeduringthelongerand，IthankGod，thehappierportionofherlife。Herfather，BernardHuddlestone，hadbeenaprivatebankerinaverylargewayofbusiness。Manyyearsbefore，hisaffairsbecomingdisordered，hehadbeenledtotrydangerous，andatlastcriminal，expedientstoretrievehimselffromruin。 Allwasinvain；hebecamemoreandmorecruellyinvolved，andfoundhishonorlostatthesamemomentwithhisfortune。Aboutthisperiod，Northmourhadbeencourtinghisdaughterwithgreatassiduity，thoughwithsmallencouragement；andtohim，knowinghimthusdisposedinhisfavor，BernardHuddlestoneturnedforhelpinhisextremity。Itwasnotmerelyruinanddishonor，normerelyalegalcondemnation，thattheunhappymanhadbroughtuponhishead。 Itseemshecouldhavegonetoprisonwithalightheart。Whathefeared，whatkepthimawakeatnightorrecalledhimfromslumberintofrenzy，wassomesecret，sudden，andunlawfulattemptuponhislife。Hence，hedesiredtoburyhisexistenceandescapetooneoftheislandsintheSouthPacific，anditwasinNorthmour’syacht，the“RedEarl，“thathedesignedtogo。TheyachtpickedthemupclandestinelyuponthecoastofWales，andhadoncemoredepositedthematGraden，tillshecouldberefittedandprovisionedforthelongervoyage。NorcouldClaradoubtthatherhandhadbeenstipulatedasthepriceofpassage。For，althoughNorthmourwasneitherunkind，norevendiscourteous，hehadshownhimselfinseveralinstancessomewhatoverboldinspeechandmanner。 Ilistened，Ineednotsay，withfixedattention，andputmanyquestionsastothemoremysteriouspart。Itwasinvain。Shehadnoclearideaofwhattheblowwas，norofhowitwasexpectedtofall。Herfather’salarmwasunfeignedandphysicallyprostrating，andhehadthoughtmorethanonceofmakinganunconditionalsurrendertothepolice。Buttheschemewasfinallyabandoned，forhewasconvincedthatnoteventhestrengthofourEnglishprisonscouldshelterhimfromhispursuers。HehadhadmanyaffairsinItaly，andwithItaliansresidentinLondon，inthelatteryearsofhisbusiness；andtheselast，asClarafancied，weresomehowconnectedwiththedoomthatthreatenedhim。HehadshowngreatterroratthepresenceofanItalianseamanonboardthe“RedEarl，“andhadbitterlyandrepeatedlyaccusedNorthmourinconsequence。ThelatterhadprotestedthatBeppo(thatwastheseaman’sname)wasacapitalfellow，andcouldbetrustedtothedeath；butMr。Huddlestonehadcontinuedeversincetodeclarethatallwaslost，thatitwasonlyaquestionofdays，andthatBeppowouldbetheruinofhimyet。 Iregardedthewholestoryasthehallucinationofamindshakenbycalamity。HehadsufferedheavylossbyhisItaliantransactions； andhencethesightofanItalianwashatefultohim，andtheprincipalpartinhisnightmarewouldnaturallyenoughbeplayedbyoneofthatnation。 “Whatyourfatherwants，“Isaid，“isagooddoctorandsomecalmingmedicine。“ “ButMr。Northmour？“objectedClara。“Heisuntroubledbylosses，andyethesharesinthisterror。“ IcouldnothelplaughingatwhatIconsideredhersimplicity。 “Mydear，“saidI，“youhavetoldmeyourselfwhatrewardhehastolookfor。Allisfairinlove，youmustremember；andifNorthmourfomentsyourfather’sterrors，itisnotatallbecauseheisafraidofanyItalianman，butsimplybecauseheisinfatuatedwithacharmingEnglishwoman。“ Sheremindedmeofhisattackuponmyselfonthenightofthedisembarkation，andthisIwasunabletoexplain。Inshort，andfromonethingtoanother，itwasagreedbetweenusthatIshouldsetoutatonceforthefishervillage，GradenWester，asitwascalled，lookupallthenewspapersIcouldfind，andseeformyselfifthereseemedanybasisoffactforthesecontinuedalarms。Thenextmorning，atthesamehourandplace，IwastomakemyreporttoClara。Shesaidnomoreonthatoccasionaboutmydeparture； nor，indeed，didshemakeitasecretthatsheclungtothethoughtofmyproximityassomethinghelpfulandpleasant；and，formypart，Icouldnothavelefther，ifshehadgoneuponherkneestoaskit。 IreachedGradenWesterbeforetenintheforenoon；forinthosedaysIwasanexcellentpedestrian，andthedistance，asIthinkI havesaid，waslittleoversevenmiles；finewalkingallthewayuponthespringyturf。Thevillageisoneofthebleakestonthatcoast，whichissayingmuch:thereisachurchinthehollow；amiserablehavenintherocks，wheremanyboatshavebeenlostastheyreturnedfromfishing；twoorthreescoreofstonehousesarrangedalongthebeachandintwostreets，oneleadingfromtheharbor，andanotherstrikingoutfromitatrightangles；and，atthecornerofthesetwo，averydarkandcheerlesstavern，bywayofprincipalhotel。 Ihaddressedmyselfsomewhatmoresuitablytomystationinlife，andatoncecalledupontheministerinhislittlemansebesidethegraveyard。Heknewme，althoughitwasmorethannineyearssincewehadmet；andwhenItoldhimthatIhadbeenlonguponawalkingtour，andwasbehindwiththenews，readilylentmeanarmfulofnewspapers，datingfromamonthbacktothedaybefore。WiththeseIsoughtthetavern，and，orderingsomebreakfast，satdowntostudythe“HuddlestoneFailure。“ Ithadbeen，itappeared，averyflagrantcase。Thousandsofpersonswerereducedtopoverty；andoneinparticularhadblownouthisbrainsassoonaspaymentwassuspended。Itwasstrangetomyselfthat，whileIreadthesedetails，IcontinuedrathertosympathizewithMr。Huddlestonethanwithhisvictims；socompletealreadywastheempireofmyloveformywife。Apricewasnaturallysetuponthebanker’shead；and，asthecasewasinexcusableandthepublicindignationthoroughlyaroused，theunusualfigureof750poundswasofferedforhiscapture。Hewasreportedtohavelargesumsofmoneyinhispossession。Oneday，hehadbeenheardofinSpain；thenext，therewassureintelligencethathewasstilllurkingbetweenManchesterandLiverpool，oralongtheborderofWales；andthedayafter，atelegramwouldannouncehisarrivalinCubaorYucatan。ButinallthistherewasnowordofanItalian，noranysignofmystery。 Intheverylastpaper，however，therewasoneitemnotsoclear。 Theaccountantswhowerechargedtoverifythefailurehad，itseemed，comeuponthetracesofaverylargenumberofthousands，whichfiguredforsometimeinthetransactionsofthehouseofHuddlestone；butwhichcamefromnowhere，anddisappearedinthesamemysteriousfashion。Itwasonlyoncereferredtobyname，andthenundertheinitials“X。X。“；butithadplainlybeenfloatedforthefirsttimeintothebusinessataperiodofgreatdepressionsomesixyearsago。Thenameofadistinguishedroyalpersonagehadbeenmentionedbyrumorinconnectionwiththissum。 “Thecowardlydesperado“——such，Iremember，wastheeditorialexpression——wassupposedtohaveescapedwithalargepartofthismysteriousfundstillinhispossession。 Iwasstillbroodingoverthefact，andtryingtotortureitintosomeconnectionwithMr。Huddlestone’sdanger，whenamanenteredthetavernandaskedforsomebreadandcheesewithadecidedforeignaccent。 “SieteItaliano？“saidI。 “Si，Signor，“washisreply。