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！
which it was situated。） The men having been placed according to
previous arrangement； the Count St。 Lo had won the toss for the
first fire； had advanced his ten paces； and had shot his opponent
in the body。 Mr。 Monkton did not immediately fall； but staggered
forward some six or seven paces； discharged his pistol
ineffectually at the count； and dropped to the ground a dead man。
Monsieur Foulon then stated that he tore a leaf from his
pocketbook； wrote on it a brief description of the manner in
which Mr。 Monkton had died； and pinned the paper to his clothes；
this proceeding having been rendered necessary by the peculiar
nature of the plan organized on the spot for safely disposing of
the dead body。 What this plan was； or what was done with the
corpse； did not appear； for at this important point the narrative
abruptly broke off。
A foot…note in the newspaper merely stated the manner in which
the document had been obtained for publication； and repeated the
announcement contained in the editor's introductory remarks； that
no continuation had been found by the persons intrusted with the
care of Monsieur Foulon's papers。 I have now given the whole
substance of what I read； and have mentioned all that was then
known of Mr。 Stephen Monkton's death。
When I gave the newspaper back to Alfred he was too much agitated
to speak； but he reminded me by a sign that he was anxiously
waiting to hear what I had to say。 My position was a very trying
and a very painful one。 I could hardly tell what consequences
might not follow any want of caution on my part； and could think
at first of no safer plan than questioning him carefully before I
committed myself either one way or the other。
〃Will you excuse me if I ask you a question or two before I give
you my advice？〃 said I。
He nodded impatiently。
〃Yes； yesany questions you like。〃
〃Were you at any time in the habit of seeing your uncle
frequently？〃
〃I never saw him more than twice in my lifeon each occasion
when I was a mere child。〃
〃Then you could have had no very strong personal regard for him？〃
'Regard for him！ I should have been ashamed to feel any regard
for him。 He disgraced us wherever he went。〃
〃May I ask if any family motive is involved in your anxiety to
recover his remains？〃
〃Family motives may enter into it among othersbut why do you
ask？〃
〃Because； having heard that you employ the police to assist your
search； I was anxious to know whether you had stimulated their
superiors to make them do their best in your service by giving
some strong personal reasons at headquarters for the very unusual
project which has brought you here。〃
〃I give no reasons。 I pay for the work I want done； and； in
return for my liberality； I am treated with the most infamous
indifference on all sides。 A stranger in the country； and badly
acquainted with the language； I can do nothing to help myself。
The authorities； both at Rome and in this place； pretend to
assist me； pretend to search and inquire as I would have them
search and inquire； and do nothing more。 I am insulted； laughed
at； almost to my face。〃
〃Do you not think it possiblemind； I have no wish to excuse the
misconduct of the authorities； and do not share in any such
opinion myselfbut do you not think it likely that the police
may doubt whether you are in earnest？〃
〃Not in earnest！〃 he cried； starting up and confronting me
fiercely； with wild eyes and quickened breath。 〃Not in earnest！
_You_ think I'm not in earnest too。 I know you think it； though
you tell me you don't。 Stop； before we say another word； your own
eyes shall convince you。 Come hereonly for a minuteonly for
one minute！〃
I followed him into his bedroom； which opened out of the
sitting…room。 At one side of his bed stood a large packing…case
of plain wood； upward of seven feet in length。
〃Open the lid and look in；〃 he said； 〃while I hold the candle so
that you can see。〃
I obeyed his directions； and discovered to my astonishment that
the packing…case contained a leaden coffin； magnificently
emblazoned with the arms of the Monkton family； and inscribed in
old…fashioned letters with the name of 〃Stephen Monkton；〃 his age
and the manner of his death being added underneath。
〃I keep his coffin ready for him；〃 whispered Alfred； close at my
ear。 〃Does that look like earnest？〃
It looked more like insanityso like that I shrank from
answering him。
〃Yes！ yes！ I see you are convinced；〃 he continued quickly； 〃we
may go back into the next room； and may talk without restraint on
either side now。〃
On returning to our places； I mechanically moved my chair away
from the table。 My mind was by this time in such a state of
confusion and uncertainty about what it would be best for me to
say or do next； that I forgot for the moment the position he had
assigned to me when we lit the candles。 He reminded me of this
directly。
〃Don't move away；〃 he said； very earnestly； 〃keep on sitting in
the light； pray do！ I'll soon tell you why I am so particular
about that。 But first give me your advice； help me in my great
distress and suspense。 Remember； you promised me you would。〃
I made an effort to collect my thoughts； and succeeded。 It was
useless to treat the affair otherwise than seriously in his
presence； it would have been cruel not to have advised him as I
best could。
〃You know；〃 I said； 〃that two days after the drawing up of the
agreement at Naples； the duel was fought out of the Neapolitan
States。 This fact has of course led you to the conclusion that
all inquiries about localities had better be confined to the
Roman territory？〃
〃Certainly； the search； such as it is； has been made there； and
there only。 If I can believe the police； they and their agents
have inquired for the place where the duel was fought （offering a
large reward in my name to the person who can discover it） all
along the high road from Naples to Rome。 They have also
circulatedat least so they tell medescriptions of the
duelists and their seconds； have left an agent to superintend
investigations at the post…house； and another at the town
mentioned as meeting…points in the agreement； and have
endeavored； by correspondence with foreign authorities； to trace
the Count St。 Lo and Monsieur Dalville to their place or places
of refuge。 All these efforts； supposing them to have been really
made； have hitherto proved utterly fruitless。〃
〃My impression is；〃 said I； after a moment's consideration； 〃that
all inquiries made along the high road； or anywhere near Rome；
are likely to be made in vain。 As to the discovery of your
uncle's remains； that is； I think； identical with the discovery
of the place where he was shot； for those engaged in the duel
would certainly not risk detection by carrying a corpse any
distance with them in their flight。 The place； then；
is all that we want to find out。 Now let us consider for a
moment。 The dueling…party changed carriages； traveled separately；
two and two； doubtless took roundabout roads； stopped at the
post…house and the town as a blind； walked； perhaps； a
considerable distance unguided。 Depend upon it； such precautions
as these （which we know they must have employed） left them very
little time out of the two daysthough they might start at
sunrise and not stop at night…fallfor straightforward
traveling。 My belief therefore is； that the duel was fought
somewhere near the Neapolitan frontier； and； if I had been the
police agent who conducted the search； I should only have pursued
it parallel with the frontier； starting from west to east till I
got up among the lonely places in the mountains。 That is my idea；
do you think it worth anything？〃
His face flushed all over in an instant。 〃I think it an
inspiration！〃 he cried。 〃Not a day is to be lost in carrying out
our plan。 The police are not to be trusted with it。 I must start
myself to…morrow morning； and you〃
He stopped； his face grew suddenly pale； he sighed heavily； his
eyes wandered once more into the fixed look at vacancy； and the
rigid； deathly expression fastened again upon all his features。
〃I must tell you my secret before I talk of to…morrow；〃 he
proceeded； faintly。 〃If I hesitated any longer at confessing
everything； I should be unworthy of your past kindness； unworthy
of the help which it is my last hope that you will gladly give me
when you have heard all。〃
I begged him to wait until he was more composed； until he was
better able to speak； but he did not appear to notice what I
said。 Slowly； and struggling as it seemed against himself； he
turned a little away from me； and； bending his head over the
table； supported it on his hand。 The packet of letters with which
I had seen him occupied when I came in lay just beneath his eyes。
He looked down on it steadfastly when he next spoke to me。
CHAPTER IV。
〃You were born； I believe； in our county；〃 he said； 〃perhaps；
therefore； you may have heard at some time of a curious old
prophecy about our family； which is still preserved among the
traditions of Wincot Abbey？〃
〃I have heard of such a prophecy；〃 I answered； 〃but I never knew
in what terms it was expressed。 It professed to predict the
extinction of your family； o