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！
opinion； he observed Romayne attentively； and then drew me away
into the next room。
〃Your friend is suffering from a severe nervous shock；〃 he said。
〃Can you tell me anything of his habits of life？〃
I mentioned the prolonged night studies and the excessive use of
tea。 The surgeon shook his head。
〃If you want my advice；〃 he proceeded； 〃take him home at once。
Don't subject hi m to further excitement； when the result of the
duel is known in the town。 If it ends in our appearing in a court
of law； it will be a mere formality in this case； and you can
surrender when the time comes。 Leave me your address in London。〃
I felt that the wisest thing I could do was to follow his advice。
The boat crossed to Folkestone at an early hour that daywe had
no time to lose。 Romayne offered no objection to our return to
England； he seemed perfectly careless what became of him。 〃Leave
me quiet；〃 he said； 〃and do as you like。〃 I wrote a few lines to
Lady Berrick's medical attendant； informing him of the
circumstances。 A quarter of an hour afterward we were on board
the steamboat。
There were very few passengers。 After we had left the harbor； my
attention was attracted by a young English ladytraveling；
apparently； with her mother。 As we passed her on the deck she
looked at Romayne with compassionate interest so vividly
expressed in her beautiful face that I imagined they might be
acquainted。 With some difficulty； I prevailed sufficiently over
the torpor that possessed him to induce him to look at our fellow
passenger。
〃Do you know that charming person？〃 I asked。
〃No；〃 he replied； with the weariest indifference。 〃I never saw
her before。 I'm tiredtiredtired！ Don't speak to me； leave me
by myself。〃
I left him。 His rare personal attractionsof which； let me add；
he never appeared to be conscioushad evidently made their
natural appeal to the interest and admiration of the young lady
who had met him by chance。 The expression of resigned sadness and
suffering； now visible in his face； added greatly no doubt to the
influence that he had unconsciously exercised over the sympathies
of a delicate and sensitive woman。 It was no uncommon
circumstance in his past experience of the sexas I myself well
knewto be the object； not of admiration only； but of true and
ardent love。 He had never reciprocated the passionhad never
even appeared to take it seriously。 Marriage might； as the phrase
is； be the salvation of him。 Would he ever marry？
Leaning over the bulwark； idly pursuing this train of thought； I
was recalled to present things by a low sweet voicethe voice of
the lady of whom I had been thinking。
〃Excuse me for disturbing you；〃 she said； 〃I think your friend
wants you。〃
She spoke with the modesty and self…possession of a highly…bred
woman。 A little heightening of her color made her； to my eyes；
more beautiful than ever。 I thanked her； and hastened back to
Romayne。
He was standing by the barred skylight which guarded the
machinery。 I instantly noticed a change in him。 His eyes
wandering here and there； in search of me； had more than
recovered their animationthere was a wild look of terror in
them。 He seized me roughly by the arm and pointed down to the
engine…room。
〃What do you hear there？〃 he asked。
〃I hear the thump of the engines。〃
〃Nothing else？〃
〃Nothing。 What do _you_ hear？〃
He suddenly turned away。
〃I'll tell you；〃 he said； 〃when we get on shore。〃
SECOND SCENE。
VANGE ABBEY。THE FOREWARNINGS
VI。
As we approached the harbor at Folkestone； Romayne's agitation
appeared to subside。 His head drooped； his eyes half closedhe
looked like a weary man quietly falling asleep。
On leaving the steamboat； I ventured to ask our charming
fellow…passenger if I could be of any service in reserving places
in the London train for her mother and herself。 She thanked me；
and said they were going to visit some friends at Folkestone。 In
making this reply； she looked at Romayne。 〃I am afraid he is very
ill；〃 she said； in gently lowered tones。 Before I could answer；
her mother turned to her with an expression of surprise； and
directed her attention to the friends whom she had mentioned；
waiting to greet her。 Her last look； as they took her away；
rested tenderly and sorrowfully on Romayne。 He never returned
ithe was not even aware of it。 As I led him to the train he
leaned more and more heavily on my arm。 Seated in the carriage；
he sank at once into profound sleep。
We drove to the hotel at which my friend was accustomed to reside
when he was in London。 His long sleep on the journey seemed； in
some degree； to have relieved him。 We dined together in his
private room。 When the servants had withdrawn； I found that the
unhappy result of the duel was still preying on his mind。
〃The horror of having killed that man；〃 he said； 〃is more than I
can bear alone。 For God's sake； don't leave me！〃
I had received letters at Boulogne； which informed me that my
wife and family had accepted an invitation to stay with some
friends at the sea…side。 Under these circumstances I was entirely
at his service。 Having quieted his anxiety on this point； I
reminded him of what had passed between us on board the
steamboat。 He tried to change the subject。 My curiosity was too
strongly aroused to permit this； I persisted in helping his
memory。
〃We were looking into the engine…room；〃 I said； 〃and you asked me
what I heard there。 You promised to tell me what _you_ heard； as
soon as we got on shore〃
He stopped me； before I could say more。
〃I begin to think it was a delusion；〃 he answered。 〃You ought not
to interpret too literally what a person in my dreadful situation
may say。 The stain of another man's blood is on me〃
I interrupted him in my turn。 〃I refuse to hear you speak of
yourself in that way；〃 I said。 〃You are no more responsible for
the Frenchman's death than if you had been driving； and had
accidentally run over him in the street。 I am not the right
companion for a man who talks as you do。 The proper person to be
with you is a doctor。〃 I really felt irritated with himand I
saw no reason for concealing it。
Another man； in his place； might have been offended with me。
There was a native sweetness in Romayne's disposition； which
asserted itself even in his worst moments of nervous
irritability。 He took my hand。
〃Don't be hard on me；〃 he pleaded。 〃I will try to think of it as
you do。 Make some little concession on your side。 I want to see
how I get through the night。 We will return to what I said to you
on board the steamboat to…morrow morning。 Is it agreed？〃
It was agreed； of course。 There was a door of communication
between our bedrooms。 At his suggestion it was left open。 〃If I
find I can't sleep； 〃 he explained； 〃I want to feel assured that
you can hear me if I call to you。〃
Three times in the night I woke； and； seeing the light burning in
his room； looked in at him。 He always carried some of his books
with him when he traveled。 On each occasion when I entered the
room； he was reading quietly。 〃I suppose I forestalled my night's
sleep on the railway；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't matter； I am content。
Something that I was afraid of has not happened。 I am used to
wakeful nights。 Go back to bed； and don't be uneasy about me。〃
The next morning the deferred explanation was put off again。
〃Do you mind waiting a little longer？〃 he asked。
〃Not if you particularly wish it。〃
〃Will you do me another favor？ You know that I don't like London。
The noise in the streets is distracting。 Besides； I may tell you
I have a sort of distrust of noise； since〃 He stopped； with an
appearance of confusion。
〃Since I found you looking into the engine…room？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。 I don't feel inclined to trust the chances of another night
in London。 I want to try the effect of perfect quiet。 Do you mind
going back with me to Vange？ Dull as the place is； you can amuse
yourself。 There is good shooting； as you know。〃
In an hour more we had left London。
VII。
VANGE ABBEY is； I suppose； the most solitary country house in
England。