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！
read。
After a timehow much longer it seemed to be than it really
was！I heard her move。 As I turned from the window； she ran to
me； and fell on her knees at my feet。 I tried to raise her； I
entreated her to believe that she was forgiven。 She seized my
hands； and held them over her facethey were wet with her tears。
〃I am ashamed to look at you；〃 she said。 〃Oh； Bernard； what a
wretch I have been！〃
I never was so distressed in my life。 I don't know what I should
have said； what I should have done； if my dear old dog had not
helped me out of it。 He； too； ran up to me； with the loving
jealousy of his race； and tried to lick my hands； still fast in
Stella's hold。 His paws were on her shoulder； he attempted to
push himself between us。 I think I successfully assumed a
tranquillity which I was far from really feeling。 〃Come； come！〃 I
said； 〃you mustn't make Traveler jealous。〃 She let me raise her。
Ah； if she could have kissed _me_but that was not to be done；
she kissed the dog's head； and then she spoke to me。 I shall not
set down what she said in these pages。 While I live； there is no
fear of my forgetting those words。
I led her back to her chair。 The letter addressed to me by the
Rector of Belhaven still lay on the table； unread。 It was of some
importance to Stella's complete enlightenment； as containing
evidence that the confession was genuine。 But I hesitated； for
her sake； to speak of it just yet。
〃Now you know that you have a friend to help and advise you〃 I
began。
〃No；〃 she interposed； 〃more than a friend； say a brother。〃
I said it。 〃You had something to ask of me；〃 I resumed； 〃and you
never put the question。〃
She understood me。
〃I meant to tell you；〃 she said； 〃that I had written a letter of
refusal to Mr。 Romayne's lawyers。 I have left Ten Acres； never to
return； and I refuse to accept a farthing of Mr。 Romayne's money。
My motherthough she knows that we have enough to live ontells
me I have acted with inexcusable pride and folly。 I wanted to ask
if you blame me； Bernard； as she does？〃
I daresay I was inexcusably proud and foolish too。 It was the
second time she had called me by my Christian name since the
happy bygone time； never to come again。 Under whatever influence
I acted； I respected and admired her for that refusal； and I
owned it in so many words。 This little encouragement seemed to
relieve her。 She was so much calmer that I ventured to speak of
the Rector's letter。
She wouldn't hear of it。 〃Oh； Bernard； have I not learned to
trust you yet？ Put away those papers。 There is only one thing I
want to know。 Who gave them to you？ The Rector？〃
〃No。〃
〃How did they reach you； then？〃
〃Through Father Benwell。〃
She started at that name like a woman electrified。
〃I knew it！〃 she cried。 〃It _is_ the priest who has wrecked my
married lifeand he got his information from those letters；
before he put them into your hands。〃 She waited a while； and
recovered herself。 〃That was the first of the questions I wanted
to put to you；〃 she said。 〃I am answered。 I ask no more。〃
She was surely wrong about Father Benwell？ I tried to show her
why。
I told her that my reverend friend had put the letters into my
hand； with the seal which protected them unbroken。 She laughed
disdainfully。 Did I know him so little as to doubt for a moment
that he could break a seal and replace it again？ This view was
entirely new to me； I was startled； but not convinced。 I never
desert my friendseven when they are friends of no very long
standingand I still tried to defend Father Benwell。 The only
result was to make her alter her intention of asking me no more
questions。 I innocently roused in her a ne w curiosity。 She was
eager to know how I had first become acquainted with the priest；
and how he had contrived to possess himself of papers which were
intended for my reading only。
There was but one way of answering her。
It was far from easy to a man like myself； unaccustomed to state
circumstances in their proper orderbut I had no other choice
than to reply； by telling the long story of the theft and
discovery of the Rector's papers。 So far as Father Benwell was
concerned； the narrative only confirmed her suspicions。 For the
rest； the circumstances which most interested her were the
circumstances associated with the French boy。
〃Anything connected with that poor creature； 〃 she said； 〃has a
dreadful interest for me now。〃
〃Did you know him？〃 I asked； with some surprise。
〃I knew him and his motheryou shall hear how； at another time。
I suppose I felt a presentiment that the boy would have some evil
influence over me。 At any rate； when I accidentally touched him；
I trembled as if I had touched a serpent。 You will think me
superstitiousbut； after what you have said； it is certainly
true that he has been the indirect cause of the misfortune that
has fallen on me。 How came he to steal the papers？ Did you ask
the Rector； when you went to Belhaven？〃
〃I asked the Rector nothing。 But he thought it his duty to tell
me all that he knew of the theft。〃
She drew her chair nearer to me。 〃Let me hear every word of it！〃
she pleaded eagerly。
I felt some reluctance to comply with the request。
〃Is it not fit for me to hear？〃 she asked。
This forced me to be plain with her。 〃If I repeat what the Rector
told me；〃 I said； 〃I must speak of my wife。〃
She took my hand。 〃You have pitied and forgiven her；〃 she
answered。 〃Speak of her； Bernardand don't； for God's sake；
think that my heart is harder than yours。〃
I kissed the hand that she had given to meeven her 〃brother〃
might do that！
〃It began；〃 I said； 〃in the grateful attachment which the boy
felt for my wife。 He refused to leave her bedside on the day when
she dictated her confession to the Rector。 As he was entirely
ignorant of the English language； there seemed to be no objection
to letting him have his own way。 He became inquisitive as the
writing went on。 His questions annoyed the Rectorand as the
easiest way of satisfying his curiosity； my wife told him that
she was making her will。 He knew just enough； from what he had
heard at various times； to associate making a will with gifts of
moneyand the pretended explanation silenced and satisfied him。〃
〃Did the Rector understand it？〃 Stella asked。
〃Yes。 Like many other Englishmen in his position； although he was
not ready at speaking French； he could read the language； and
could fairly well understand it； when it was spoken。 After my
wife's death； he kindly placed the boy； for a few days； under the
care of his housekeeper。 Her early life had been passed in the
island of Martinique； and she was able to communicate with the
friendless foreigner in his own language。 When he disappeared；
she was the only person who could throw any light on his motive
for stealing the papers。 On the day when he entered the house；
she caught him peeping through the keyhole of the study door。 He
must have seen where the confession was placed； and the color of
the old…fashioned blue paper； on which it was written； would help
him to identify it。 The next morning； during the Rector's
absence； he brought the manuscript to the housekeeper； and asked
her to translate it into French； so that he might know how much
money was left to him in 〃the will。〃 She severely reproved him；
made him replace the paper in the desk from which he had taken
it； and threatened to tell the Rector if his misconduct was
repeated。 He promised amendment； and the good…natured woman
believed him。 On that evening the papers were sealed； and locked
up。 In the morning the lock was found broken； and the papers and
the boy were both missing together。〃
〃Do you think he showed the confession to any other person？〃
Stella asked。 〃I happen to know that he concealed it from his
mother。〃
〃After the housekeeper's reproof；〃 I replied； 〃he would be
cunning enough； in my opinion； not to run the risk of showing it
to strangers。 It is far more likely that he thought he might
learn English enough to read it himself。〃
There the subject dropped。 We were silent for a while。 She was
thinking； and I was looking at her。 On a sudden；