a woman of thirty-第40部分

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y　growing　up　between　them；　a　mystery　known　only　to　themselves　and　God。

〃Come；　Abel；〃　called　the　Marquise；　seizing　on　her　opportunity　when　the　children　were　tired　of　play　and　still　for　a　moment。　〃Come；　come；　child；　you　must　be　put　to　bed〃

And　with　a　glance　that　must　be　obeyed；　she　caught　him　up　and　took　him　on　her　knee。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　General。　〃Half…past　ten　o'clock；　and　not　one　of　the　servants　has　come　back！　The　rascals！Gustave；〃　he　added；　turning　to　his　son；　〃I　allowed　you　to　read　that　book　only　on　the　condition　that　you　should　put　it　away　at　ten　o'clock。　You　ought　to　have　shut　up　the　book　at　the　proper　time　and　gone　to　bed；　as　you　promised。　If　you　mean　to　make　your　mark　in　the　world；　you　must　keep　your　word；　let　it　be　a　second　religion　to　you；　and　a　point　of　honor。　Fox；　one　of　the　greatest　English　orators；　was　remarkable；　above　all　things；　for　the　beauty　of　his　character；　and　the　very　first　of　his　qualities　was　the　scrupulous　faithfulness　with　which　he　kept　his　engagements。　When　he　was　a　child；　his　father　（an　Englishman　of　the　old　school）　gave　him　a　pretty　strong　lesson　which　he　never　forgot。　Like　most　rich　Englishmen；　Fox's　father　had　a　country　house　and　a　considerable　park　about　it。　Now；　in　the　park　there　was　an　old　summer…house；　and　orders　had　been　given　that　this　summer…house　was　to　be　pulled　down　and　put　up　somewhere　else　where　there　was　a　finer　view。　Fox　was　just　about　your　age；　and　had　come　home　for　the　holidays。　Boys　are　fond　of　seeing　things　pulled　to　pieces；　so　young　Fox　asked　to　stay　on　at　home　for　a　few　days　longer　to　see　the　old　summer…house　taken　down；　but　his　father　said　that　he　must　go　back　to　school　on　the　proper　day；　so　there　was　anger　between　father　and　son。　Fox's　mother　（like　all　mammas）　took　the　boy's　part。　Then　the　father　solemnly　promised　that　the　summer…house　should　stay　where　it　was　till　the　next　holidays。

〃So　Fox　went　back　to　school；　and　his　father；　thinking　that　lessons　would　soon　drive　the　whole　thing　out　of　the　boy's　mind；　had　the　summer…house　pulled　down　and　put　up　in　the　new　position。　But　as　it　happened；　the　persistent　youngster　thought　of　nothing　but　that　summer…　house；　and　as　soon　as　he　came　home　again；　his　first　care　was　to　go　out　to　look　at　the　old　building；　and　he　came　in　to　breakfast　looking　quite　doleful；　and　said　to　his　father；　'You　have　broken　your　promise。'　The　old　English　gentleman　said　with　confusion　full　of　dignity；　'That　is　true；　my　boy；　but　I　will　make　amends。　A　man　ought　to　think　of　keeping　his　word　before　he　thinks　of　his　fortune；　for　by　keeping　his　word　he　will　gain　fortune；　while　all　the　fortunes　in　the　world　will　not　efface　the　stain　left　on　your　conscience　by　a　breach　of　faith。'　Then　he　gave　orders　that　the　summer…house　should　be　put　up　again　in　the　old　place；　and　when　it　had　been　rebuilt　he　had　it　taken　down　again　for　his　son　to　see。　Let　this　be　a　lesson　to　/you/；　Gustave。〃

Gustave　had　been　listening　with　interest；　and　now　he　closed　the　book　at　once。　There　was　a　moment's　silence；　while　the　General　took　possession　of　Moina；　who　could　scarcely　keep　her　eyes　open。　The　little　one's　languid　head　fell　back　on　her　father's　breast；　and　in　a　moment　she　was　fast　asleep；　wrapped　round　about　in　her　golden　curls。

Just　then　a　sound　of　hurrying　footsteps　rang　on　the　pavement　out　in　the　street；　immediately　followed　by　three　knocks　on　the　street　door；　waking　the　echoes　of　the　house。　The　reverberating　blows　told；　as　plainly　as　a　cry　for　help　that　here　was　a　man　flying　for　his　life。　The　house　dog　barked　furiously。　A　thrill　of　excitement　ran　through　Helene　and　Gustave　and　the　General　and　his　wife；　but　neither　Abel；　with　the　night…cap　strings　just　tied　under　his　chin；　nor　Moina　awoke。

〃The　fellow　is　in　a　hurry！〃　exclaimed　the　General。　He　put　the　little　girl　down　on　the　chair；　and　hastened　out　of　the　room；　heedless　of　his　wife's　entreating　cry；　〃Dear；　do　not　go　down〃

He　stepped　into　his　own　room　for　a　pair　of　pistols；　lighted　a　dark　lantern；　sprang　at　lightning　speed　down　the　staircase；　and　in　another　minute　reached　the　house　door；　his　oldest　boy　fearlessly　following。

〃Who　is　there？〃　demanded　he。

〃Let　me　in；〃　panted　a　breathless　voice。

〃Are　you　a　friend？〃

〃Yes；　friend；〃

〃Are　you　alone？〃

〃Yes！　But　let　me　in；　/they/　are　after　me！〃

The　General　had　scarcely　set　the　door　ajar　before　a　man　slipped　into　the　porch　with　the　uncanny　swiftness　of　a　shadow。　Before　the　master　of　the　house　could　prevent　him；　the　intruder　had　closed　the　door　with　a　well…directed　kick；　and　set　his　back　against　it　resolutely；　as　if　he　were　determined　that　it　should　not　be　opened　again。　In　a　moment　the　General　had　his　lantern　and　pistol　at　a　level　with　the　stranger's　breast；　and　beheld　a　man　of　medium　height　in　a　fur…lined　pelisse。　It　was　an　old　man's　garment；　both　too　large　and　too　long　for　its　present　wearer。　Chance　or　caution　had　slouched　the　man's　hat　over　his　eyes。

〃You　can　lower　your　pistol；　sir；〃　said　this　person。　〃I　do　not　claim　to　stay　in　your　house　against　your　will；　but　if　I　leave　it；　death　is　waiting　for　me　at　the　barrier。　And　what　a　death！　You　would　be　answerable　to　God　for　it！　I　ask　for　your　hospitality　for　two　hours。　And　bear　this　in　mind；　sir；　that；　suppliant　as　I　am；　I　have　a　right　to　command　with　the　despotism　of　necessity。　I　want　the　Arab's　hospitality。　Either　I　and　my　secret　must　be　inviolable；　or　open　the　door　and　I　will　go　to　my　death。　I　want　secrecy；　a　safe　hiding…place；　and　water。　Oh！　water！〃　he　cried　again；　with　a　rattle　in　his　throat。

〃Who　are　you？〃　demanded　the　General；　taken　aback　by　the　stranger's　feverish　volubility。

〃Ah！　who　am　I？　Good；　open　the　door；　and　I　will　put　a　distance　between　us；〃　retorted　the　other；　and　there　was　a　diabolical　irony　in　his　tone。

Dexterously　as　the　Marquis　passed　the　light　of　the　lantern　over　the　man's　face；　he　could　only　see　the　lower　half　of　it；　and　that　in　nowise　prepossessed　him　in　favor　of　this　singular　claimant　of　hospitality。　The　cheeks　were　livid　and　quivering；　the　features　dreadfully　contorted。　Under　the　shadow　of　the　hat…brim　a　pair　of　eyes　gleamed　out　like　flames；　the　feeble　candle…light　looked　almost　dim　in　comparison。　Some　sort　of　answer　must　be　made　however。

〃Your　language；　sir；　is　so　extraordinary　that　in　my　place　you　yourself〃

〃My　life　is　in　your　hands！〃　the　intruder　broke　in。　The　sound　of　his　voice　was　dreadful　to　hear。

〃Two　hours？〃　said　the　Marquis；　wavering。

〃Two　hours；〃　echoed　the　other。

Then　quite　suddenly；　with　a　desperate　gesture；　he　pushed　back　his　hat　and　left　his　forehead　bare；　and；　as　if　he　meant　to　try　a　final　expedient；　he　gave　the　General　a　glance　that　seemed　to　plunge　like　a　vivid　flash　into　his　very　soul。　That　electrical　discharge　of　intelligence　and　will　was　swift　as　lightning　and　crushing　as　a　thunderbolt；　for　there　are　moments　when　a　human　being　is　invested　for　a　brief　space　with　inexplicable　power。

〃Come；　whoever　you　may　be；　you　shall　be　in　safety　under　my　roof；〃　the　master　of　the　house　said　gravely　at　last；　acting；　as　he　imagined；　upon　one　of　those　intuitions　which　a　man　cannot　always　explain　to　himself。

〃God　will　repay　you！〃　said　the　stranger；　with　a　deep；　involuntary　sigh。

〃Have　you　weapons？〃　asked　the　General。

For　all　answer　the　stranger　flung　open