little novels- 第17部分

〃Not　bad　news；　I　hope；　ma'am？〃　Cosway　ventured　to　inquire。

〃The　worst　possible　news；〃　said　the　whispering　voice。　〃You　have　an　enemy　striking　at　you　in　the　dark。〃

Cosway　asked　who　it　was；　and　received　no　answer。　He　varied　the　form　of　inquiry；　and　asked　why　the　unnamed　person　struck　at　him　in　the　dark。　The　experiment　succeeded；　he　obtained　a　reply。

〃It　is　reported　to　me；〃　said　Miss　Benshaw；　〃that　the　person　thinks　it　necessary　to　give　you　a　lesson；　and　takes　a　spiteful　pleasure　in　doing　it　as　mischievously　as　possible。　The　person；　as　I　happen　to　know；　sent　you　your　invitation　to　the　party；　and　made　the　appointment　which　took　you　to　the　door　in　the　lane。　Wait　a　little；　sir；　I　have　not　done　yet。　The　person　has　put　it　into　Mr。　Restall's　head　to　send　his　daughter　abroad　tomorrow。

Cosway　attempted　to　make　her　speak　more　plainly。

〃Is　this　wretch　　a　man　or　a　woman？〃　he　said。

Miss　Benshaw　proceeded　without　noticing　the　interruption。

〃You　needn't　be　afraid；　Mr。　Cosway；　Miss　Restall　will　not　leave　England。　Your　enemy　is　all…powerful。　Your　enemy's　object　could　only　be　to　provoke　you　into　planning　an　elopementand；　your　arrangements　once　completed；　to　inform　Mr。　Restall；　and　to　part　you　and　Miss　Adela　quite　as　effectually　as　if　you　were　at　opposite　ends　of　the　world。　Oh；　you　will　undoubtedly　be　parted！　Spiteful；　isn't　it？　And；　what　is　worse；　the　mischief　is　as　good　as　done　already。〃

Cosway　rose　from　his　chair。

〃Do　you　wish　for　any　further　explanation？〃　asked　Miss　Benshaw。

〃One　thing　more；〃　he　replied。　〃Does　Adela　know　of　this？〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Benshaw；　〃it　is　left　to　you　to　tell　her。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　Cosway　looked　at　the　lamp。　Once　roused；　as　usual　with　men　of　his　character；　his　temper　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。

〃Miss　Benshaw；〃　he　said；　〃I　dare　say　you　think　me　a　fool；　but　I　can　draw　my　own　conclusion；　for　all　that。　_You_　are　my　enemy。〃

The　only　reply　was　a　chuckling　laugh。　All　voices　can　be　more　or　less　effectually　disguised　by　a　whisper　but　a　laugh　carries　the　revelation　of　its　own　identity　with　it。　Cosway　suddenly　threw　off　the　shade　over　the　lamp　and　turned　up　the　wick。

The　light　flooded　the　room；　and　showed　him　His　Wife。


_The　Third　Epoch　in　Mr。　Cosway's　Life。_

Three　days　had　passed。　Cosway　sat　alone　in　his　lodgingpale　and　worn：　the　shadow　already　of　his　former　self。

He　had　not　seen　Adela　since　the　discovery。　There　was　but　one　way　in　which　he　could　venture　to　make　the　inevitable　disclosurehe　wrote　to　her；　and　Mr。　Atherton's　daughter　took　care　that　the　letter　should　be　received。　Inquiries　made　afterward；　by　help　of　the　same　good　friend；　informed　him　that　Miss　Restall　was　suffering　from　illness。

The　mistress　of　the　house　came　in。

〃Cheer　up；　sir；　〃　said　the　good　woman。　〃There　is　better　news　of　Miss　Restall　to…day。〃

He　raised　his　head。

〃Don't　trifle　with　me！〃　he　answered　fretfully；　〃tell　me　exactly　what　the　servant　said。〃

The　mistress　repeated　the　words。　Miss　Restall　had　passed　a　quieter　night；　and　had　been　able　for　a　few　hours　to　leave　her　room。　He　asked　next　if　any　reply　to　his　letter　had　arrived。　No　reply　had　been　received。

If　Adela　definitely　abstained　from　writing　to　him；　the　conclusion　would　be　too　plain　to　be　mistaken。　She　had　given　him　upand　who　could　blame　her？

There　was　a　knock　at　the　street…door。　The　mistress　looked　out。

〃Here's　Mr。　Stone　come　back；　sir！〃　she　exclaimed　joyfullyand　hurried　away　to　let　him　in。

Cosway　never　looked　up　when　his　friend　appeared。

〃I　knew　I　should　succeed；〃　said　Stone。　〃I　have　seen　your　wife。〃

〃Don't　speak　of　her；〃　cried　Cosway。　〃I　should　have　murdered　her　when　I　saw　her　face；　if　I　had　not　instantly　left　the　house。　I　may　be　the　death　of　the　wretch　yet；　if　you　presist　in　speaking　of　her！〃

Stone　put　his　hand　kindly　on　his　friend's　shoulder。

〃Must　I　remind　you　that　you　owe　something　to　your　old　comrade？〃　he　asked。　〃I　left　my　father　and　mother；　the　morning　I　got　your　letter　and　my　one　thought　has　been　to　serve　you。　Reward　me。　Be　a　man；　and　hear　what　is　your　right　and　duty　to　know。　After　that；　if　you　like；　we　will　never　refer　to　the　woman　again。〃

Cosway　took　his　hand；　in　silent　acknowledgment　that　he　was　right。　They　sat　down　together。　Stone　began。

〃She　is　so　entirely　shameless；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　had　no　difficulty　in　getting　her　to　speak。　And　she　so　cordially　hates　you　that　she　glories　in　her　own　falsehood　and　treachery。〃

〃Of　course；　she　lies；〃　Cosway　said　bitterly；　〃when　she　calls　herself　Miss　Benshaw？〃

〃No；　she　is　really　the　daughter　of　the　man　who　founded　the　great　house　in　the　City。　With　every　advantage　that　wealth　and　position　could　give　her　the　perverse　creature　married　one　of　her　father's　clerks；　who　had　been　deservedly　dismissed　from　his　situation。　From　that　moment　her　family　discarded　her。　With　the　money　procured　by　the　sale　of　her　jewels；　her　husband　took　the　inn　which　we　have　such　bitter　cause　to　rememberand　she　managed　the　house　after　his　death。　So　much　for　the　past。　Carry　your　mind　on　now　to　the　time　when　our　ship　brought　us　back　to　England。　At　that　date；　the　last　surviving　member　of　your　wife's　familyher　elder　brotherlay　at　the　point　of　death。　He　had　taken　his　father's　place　in　the　business；　besides　inheriting　his　father's　fortune。　After　a　happy　married　life　he　was　left　a　widower；　without　children；　and　it　became　necessary　that　he　should　alter　his　will。　He　deferred　performing　his　duty。　It　was　only　at　the　time　of　his　last　illness　that　he　had　dictated　instructions　for　a　new　will；　leaving　his　wealth　（excepting　certain　legacies　to　old　friends）　to　the　hospitals　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland。　His　lawyer　lost　no　time　in　carrying　out　the　instructions。　The　new　will　was　ready　for　signature　（the　old　will　having　been　destroyed　by　his　own　hand）；　when　the　doctors　sent　a　message　to　say　that　their　patient　was　insensible；　and　might　die　in　that　condition。〃

〃Did　the　doctors　prove　to　be　right？〃

〃Perfectly　right。　Our　wretched　landlady；　as　next　of　kin；　succeeded；　not　only　to　the　fortune；　but　（under　the　deed　of　partnership）　to　her　late　brother's　place　in　the　firm：　on　the　one　easy　condition　of　resuming　the　family　name。　She　calls　herself　〃Miss　Benshaw。〃　But　as　a　matter　of　legal　necessity　she　is　set　down　in　the　deed　as　〃Mrs。　Cosway　Benshaw。〃　Her　partners　only　now　know　that　her　husband　is　living；　and　that　you　are　the　Cosway　whom　she　privately　married。　Will　you　take　a　little　breathing　time？　or　shall　I　go　on；　and　get　done　with　it？〃

Cosway　signed　to　him　to　go　on。

〃She　doesn't　in　the　least　care；〃　Stone　proceeded；　〃for　the　exposure。　'I　am　the　head　partner；'　she　says　'and　the　rich　one　of　the　firm；　they　daren't　turn　their　backs　on　Me。'　You　remember　the　information　I　receivedin　perfect　good　faith　on　his　partfrom　the　man　who　keeps　the　inn？　The　visit　to　the　London　doctor；　and　the　assertion　of　failing　health；　were　adopted　as　the　best　means　of　plausibly　severing　the　lady's　connection　（the　great　lady　now！）　with　a　calling　so　unworthy　of　her　as　the　keeping　of　an　inn。　Her　neighbors　at　the　seaport　were　all　deceived　by　the　stratagem；　with　two　exceptions。　They　were　both　menvagabonds　who　had　pertinaciously　tried　to　delude　her　into　marrying　them　in　the　days　when　she　was　a　widow。　They　refused　to　believe　in　the　doctor　and　the　declining　health；　they　had　their　own　suspicion　of　the　motives　which　had　led　to　the　sale　of　the　inn；　under　very　unfavorable　circumstances；　and　they　decided　on　going　to　London；　inspired　by　the　same　base　hope　of　making　discoveries　which　might　be　turned　into　a　means　of　extorting　money。〃

〃She　escaped　them；　of　course；〃　said　Cosway。　〃How？〃

〃By　the　help　of　her　lawyer；　who　was　not　above　accepting　a　handsome　private　fee。　He　wrote　to　the　new　landlord　of　the　inn；　falsely　announcing　his　client's　death；　in　the　letter　which　I　repeated　to　you　in　the　railway　carriage　on　our　journey　to　London。　Other　precautions　were　taken　to　keep　up　the　deception；　on　which　it　is　needless　to　dwell。　Your　natural　conclusion　that　you　were　free　to　pay　your　addresses　to　Miss　Restall；　and　the　poor　young　lady's　innocent　confidence　in　'Miss　Benshaw's'　sympathy；　gave　this　unscrupulous　woman　the　means　of　playing　the　heartless　trick　on　you　which　is　now　exposed。　Malice　and　jealousyI　have　it；　mind；　from　herself！were　not　her　only　motives。　'But　for　that　Cosway；'　she　said　（I　spare　you　the　epithet　which　she　put　before　your　name）；　'with　my　money　and　position；　I　might　have　married　a　needy　lord；　and　sunned　myself　in　my　old　age　in　the　full　blaze　of　the　peerage。'　Do　you　understand　how　she　hated　you；　now？　Enough　of　the　subject！　The　moral　of　it；　my　dear　Cosway；　is　to　leave　this　place；　and　try　what　change　of　scene　will　do　for　you。　I　have　time　to　spare；　and　I　will　go　abroad　with　you。　When　shall　it　be？〃

〃Let　me　wait　a　day　or　two　more；〃　Cosway　pleaded。

Stone　shook　his　head。　〃Still　hoping；　my　poor　friend；　for　a　line　from　Miss　Restall？　You　distress　me。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　distress　you；　Stone。　If　I　can　get　one　pitying　word　from　_her_；　I　can　submit　to　the　miserable　life　that　lies　before　me。〃

〃Are　you　not　expecting　too　much？〃

〃You　wouldn't　say　so；　if　you　were　as　fond　of　her　as　I　am。〃

They　were　silent。　The　evening　slowly　darkened；　and　the　mistress　came　in　as　usual　with　the　candles。　She　brought　with　her　a　letter　for　Cosway。

He　tore　it　open；　read　it　in　an　instant；　and　devoured　it　with　kisses。　His　highly　wrought　feelings　found　their　vent　in　a　little　allowable　exaggeration。　〃She　has　saved　my　life！〃　he　said；　as　he　handed　the　letter　to　Stone。

It　only　contained　these　lines：

〃My　love　is　yours；　my　promise　is　yours。　Through　all　trouble；　through　all　profanation；　through　the　hopeless　separation　that　may　be　before　us　in　this　world；　I　live　yoursand　die　yours。　My　Edwin；　God　bless　and　comfort　you。〃


_The　Fourth　Epoch　in　Mr。　Cosway's　Life。_

The　separation　had　lasted　for　nearly　two　years；　when　Cosway　and　Stone　paid　that　visit　to　the　country　house　which　is　recorded　at　the　outset　of　the　present　narrative。　In　the　interval　nothing　had　been　heard　of　Miss　Restall；　except　through　Mr。　Atherton。　He　reported　that　Adela　was　leading　a　very　quiet　life。　The　one　remarkable　event　had　been　an　interview　between　〃Miss　Benshaw〃　and　herself。　No　other　person　had　been　present；　but　the　little　that　was　reported　placed　Miss　Restall's　character　above　all　praise。　She　had　forgiven　the　wo