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sharer of his grief。
VIII
Presently he drew his shoulders together with a slight determined
jerk； threw himself back upon the grass； and turning to me； with
that tremulous； haggard smile upon his lips which I knew so well；
but which had never before struck me with such infinite pathos；
〃Luckily；〃 he said； 〃there are other things to do in life besides
being happy。 Only perhaps you understand now what I meant last
night when I spoke of things which flesh and blood cannot bear； and
yet which must be borne。〃
Suddenly and sharply his words roused again into activity the
loathsome memory which my interest in his story had partially
deadened。 He noticed the quick involuntary contraction of my
muscles； and read it aright。 〃That reminds me；〃 he went on； 〃I
must claim your promise。 I have told you my story。 Now； tell me
yours。〃
I told him； not as I have set it down here； though perhaps even in
greater detail； but incoherently； bit by bit； while he helped me
out with gentle questions； quickly comprehending gestures； and
patient waiting during the pauses of exhaustion which perforce
interposed themselves。 As my story approached its climax； his
agitation grew almost equal to my own； and he listened to the
close； his teeth clenched； his brows bent； as if passing again with
me through that awful conflict。 When I had finished； it was some
moments before either of us could speak； and then he burst forth
into bitter self…reproach for having so far yielded to his
brother's angry obstinacy as to allow me to sleep the third night
in that fatal room。
〃It was cowardice；〃 he said； 〃sheer cowardice！ After all that has
happened； I dared not have a quarrel with one of my own blood。 And
yet if I had not hardened my heart； I had reason to know what I was
risking。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 I asked。
〃Those other two girls who slept there；〃 he said； breathlessly； 〃it
was in each case after the third night there that they were found
deaddead； Evie； so runs the story； with a mark upon their necks
similar in shape and position to the death…wound which Margaret
Mervyn inflicted upon herself。〃
I could not speak； but I clutched his hand with an almost
convulsive grip。
〃And I knew the story；I knew it！〃 he cried。 〃As boys we were not
allowed to hear much of our family traditions； but this one I knew。
When my father redid the interior of the east room； he removed at
the same time a board from above the doorway outside； on which had
been writtenit is said by Dame Alice herselfa warning upon this
very subject。 I happened to be present when our old housekeeper；
who had been his nurse； remonstrated with him warmly upon this act；
and I asked her afterwards what the board was； and why she cared
about it so much。 In her excitement she told me the story of those
unhappy girls； repeating again and again that； if the warning were
taken away； evil would come of it。〃
〃And she was right；〃 I said； dully。 〃Oh； if only your father had
left it there！〃
〃I suppose；〃 he answered； speaking more quietly； 〃that he was
impatient of traditions which； as I told you； he at that time more
than half despised。 Indeed he altered the shape of the doorway；
raising it； and making it flat and square； so that the old
inscription could not have been replaced； even had it been wished。
I remember it was fitted round the low Tudor arch which was
previously there。〃
My mind； too worn with many emotions for deliberate thought；
wandered on languidly； and as it were mechanically； upon these last
trivial words。 The doorway presented itself to my view as it had
originally stood； with the discarded warning above it； and then； by
a spontaneous comparison of mental vision； I recalled the painted
board which I had noticed three days before in Dame Alice's tower。
I suggested to Alan that it might have been the identical oneits
shape was as he described。 〃Very likely；〃 he answered； absently。
〃Do you remember what the words were？〃
〃Yes； I think so；〃 I replied。 〃Let me see。〃 And I repeated them
slowly； dragging them out as it were one by one from my memory：
〃Where the woman sinned the maid shall win；
But God help the maid that sleeps within。〃
〃You see；〃 I said； turning towards him slowly； 〃the last line is a
warning such as you spoke of。〃
But to my surprise Alan had sprung to his feet； and was looking
down at me； his whole body quivering with excitement。 〃Yes； Evie；〃
he cried； 〃and the first line is a prophecy；where the woman
sinned the maid HAS won。〃 He seized the hand which I instinctively
reached out to him。 〃We have not seen the end of this yet；〃 he
went on； speaking rapidly； and as if articulation had become
difficult to him。 〃Come； Evie； we must go back to the house and
look at the cabinetnow； at once。〃
I had risen to my feet by this time； but I shrank away at those
words。 〃To that room？ Oh； Alanno； I cannot。〃
He had hold of my hand still； and he tightened his grasp upon it。
〃I shall be with you； you will not be afraid with me；〃 he said。
〃Come。〃 His eyes were burning； his face flushed and paled in rapid
alternation； and his hand held mine like a vice of iron。
I turned with him； and we walked back to the Grange； Alan
quickening his pace as he went； till I almost had to run by his
side。 As we approached the dreaded room my sense of repulsion
became almost unbearable； but I was now infected by his excitement；
though I but dimly comprehended its cause。 We met no one on our
way； and in a moment he had hurried me into the house； up the
stairs； and along the narrow passage； and I was once more in the
east room； and in the presence of all the memories of that accursed
night。 For an instant I stood strengthless； helpless； on the
threshold； my gaze fixed panic…stricken on the spot where I had
taken such awful part in that phantom tragedy of evil； then Alan
threw his arm round me； and drew me hastily on in front of the
cabinet。 Without a pause； giving himself time neither to speak nor
think； he stretched out his left hand and moved the buttons one
after another。 How or in what direction he moved them I know not；
but as the last turned with a click； the doors； which no mortal
hand had unclosed for three hundred years； flew back； and the
cabinet stood open。 I gave a little gasp of fear。 Alan pressed
his lips closely together； and turned to me with eager questioning
in his eyes。 I pointed in answer tremblingly at the drawer which I
had seen open the night before。 He drew it out； and there on its
satin bed lay the dagger in its silver sheath。 Still without a
word he took it up； and reaching his right hand round me； for I
could not now have stood had he withdrawn his support； with a swift
strong jerk he unsheathed the blade。 There in the clear autumn
sunshine I could see the same dull stains I had marked in the
flickering candle…light； and over them； still ruddy and moist； were
the drops of my own half…dried blood。 I grasped the lapel of his
coat with both my hands； and clung to him like a child in terror；
while the eyes of both of us remained fixed as if fascinated upon
the knife…blade。 Then； with a sudden start of memory； Alan raised
his to the cornice of the cabinet； and mine followed。 No change
that I could detect had taken place in that twisted goldwork； but
there； clear in the sight of us both； stood forth the words of the
magic motto：
〃Pure blood shed by the blood…stained knife
Ends Mervyn shame； heals Mervyn strife。〃
In low steady tones Alan read out the lines； and then there was
silenceon my part of stunned bewilderment； the bewilderment of a
spirit overwhelmed beyond the power of comprehension by rushing；
conflicting emotions。 Alan pressed me closer to him； while the
silence seemed to throb with the beating of his heart and the
panting of his breath。 But except for that he remained motionless；
gazing at the golden message before him。 At length I felt a
movement； and looking up saw his face turned down towards mine； the
lips quivering； the cheeks flushed； the eyes soft with passionate
feeling。 〃We are saved； my darling；〃 he whispered； 〃saved； and
through you。〃 Then he bent his head lower； and there in that room
of horror； I received the first long lover's kiss from my own dear
husband's lips。
。 。 。 。 。 。
My husband； yes； but not till some time after that。 Alan's first
act； when he had once fully realized that the curse was indeed
removed； wasthrowing his budding practice to the windsto set
sail for America。 There he sought out Jack； and labored hard to
impart to him some of his own newfound hope。 It was slow work； but
he succeeded at last； and only left him when； two years later； he
had handed him over to the charge of a bright…eyed Western girl； to
whom the whole story had been told；