little novels- 第54部分

My　mind　has　not　been　kept　long　in　suspense。　Felicia's　waiting…woman　has　brought　me　a　morsel　of　writing　paper；　with　these　lines　penciled　on　it　in　my　daughter's　handwriting：　〃Dearest　father；　make　your　mind　easy。　Everything　is　explained。　I　cannot　trust　myself　to　speak　to　you　about　it　to…nightand　_he_　doesn't　wish　me　to　do　so。　Only　wait　till　tomorrow；　and　you　shall　know　all。　He　will　be　back　about　eleven　o'clock。　Please　don't　wait　up　for　himhe　will　come　straight　to　me。〃



September　13th。The　scales　have　fallen　from　my　eyes；　the　light　is　let　in　on　me　at　last。　My　bewilderment　is　not　to　be　uttered　in　wordsI　am　like　a　man　in　a　dream。

Before　I　was　out　of　my　room　in　the　morning；　my　mind　was　upset　by　the　arrival　of　a　telegram　addressed　to　myself。　It　was　the　first　thing　of　the　kind　I　ever　received；　I　trembled　under　the　prev　ision　of　some　new　misfortune　as　I　opened　the　envelope。

Of　all　the　people　in　the　world；　the　person　sending　the　telegram　was　sister　Judith！　Never　before　did　this　distracting　relative　confound　me　as　she　confounded　me　now。　Here　is　her　message：　〃You　can't　come　back。　An　architect　from　Edinburgh　asserts　his　resolution　to　repair　the　kirk　and　the　manse。　The　man　only　waits　for　his　lawful　authority　to　begin。　The　money　is　readybut　who　has　found　it？　Mr。　Architect　is　forbidden　to　tell。　We　live　in　awful　times。　How　is　Felicia？〃

Naturally　concluding　that　Judith's　mind　must　be　deranged；　I　went　downstairs　to　meet　my　son…in…law　（for　the　first　time　since　the　events　of　yesterday）　at　the　late　breakfast　which　is　customary　in　this　house。　He　was　waiting　for　mebut　Felicia　was　not　present。　〃She　breakfasts　in　her　room　this　morning；〃　says　Marmaduke；　〃and　I　am　to　give　you　the　explanation　which　has　already　satisfied　your　daughter。　Will　you　take　it　at　great　length；　sir？　or　will　you　have　it　in　one　word？〃　There　was　something　in　his　manner　that　I　did　not　at　all　likehe　seemed　to　be　setting　me　at　defiance。　I　said；　stiffly；　〃Brevity　is　best；　I　will　have　it　in　one　word。〃

〃Here　it　is　then；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　Barrymore。　〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　POSTSCRIPT　ADDED　BY　FELICIA。

If　the　last　line　extracted　from　my　dear　father's　Diary　does　not　contain　explanation　enough　in　itself；　I　add　some　sentences　from　Marmaduke's　letter　to　me；　sent　from　the　theater　last　night。　（N。　B。I　leave　out　the　expressions　of　endearment：　they　are　my　own　private　property。）

。　。　。　〃Just　remember　how　your　father　talked　about　theaters　and　actors；　when　I　was　at　Cauldkirk；　and　how　you　listened　in　dutiful　agreement　with　him。　Would　he　have　consented　to　your　marriage　if　he　had　known　that　I　was　one　of　the　'spouting　rogues；'　associated　with　the　'painted　Jezebels'　of　the　playhouse？　He　would　never　have　consentedand　you　yourself；　my　darling；　would　have　trembled　at　the　bare　idea　of　marrying　an　actor。

〃Have　I　been　guilty　of　any　serious　deception？　and　have　my　friends　been　guilty　in　helping　to　keep　my　secret？　My　birth；　my　name；　my　surviving　relatives；　my　fortune　inherited　from　my　fatherall　these　important　particulars　have　been　truly　stated。　The　name　of　Barrymore　is　nothing　but　the　name　that　I　assumed　when　I　went　on　the　stage。

〃As　to　what　has　happened；　since　our　return　from　Switzerland；　I　own　that　I　ought　to　have　made　my　confession　to　you。　Forgive　me　if　I　weakly　hesitated。　I　was　so　fond　of　you；　and　I　so　distrusted　the　Puritanical　convictions　which　your　education　had　rooted　in　your　mind；　that　I　put　it　off　from　day　to　day。　Oh；　my　angel　。。。。！

〃Yes；　I　kept　the　address　of　my　new　house　a　secret　from　all　my　friends；　knowing　they　would　betray　me　if　they　paid　us　visits。　As　for　my　mysteriously…closed　study；　it　was　the　place　in　which　I　privately　rehearsed　my　new　part。　When　I　left　you　in　the　mornings；　it　was　to　go　to　the　theater　rehearsals。　My　evening　absences　began　of　course　with　the　first　performance。

〃Your　father's　arrival　seriously　embarrassed　me。　When　you　（most　properly）　insisted　on　my　giving　up　some　of　my　evenings　to　him；　you　necessarily　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　appear　on　the　stage。　The　one　excuse　I　could　make　to　the　theater　was；　that　I　was　too　ill　to　act。　It　did　certainly　occur　to　me　to　cut　the　Gordian　knot　by　owning　the　truth。　But　your　father's　horror；　when　you　spoke　of　the　newspaper　review　of　the　play；　and　the　shame　and　fear　you　showed　at　your　own　boldness；　daunted　me　once　more。

〃The　arrival　at　the　theater　of　my　written　excuse　brought　the　manageress　down　upon　me；　in　a　state　of　distraction。　Nobody　could　supply　my　place；　all　the　seats　were　taken；　and　the　Prince　was　expected。　There　was　what　we　call　a　scene　between　the　poor　lady　and　myself。　I　felt　I　was　in　the　wrong；　I　saw　that　the　position　in　which　I　had　impulsively　placed　myself　was　unworthy　of　meand　it　ended　in　my　doing　my　duty　to　the　theater　and　the　public。　But　for　the　affair　of　the　bracelet；　which　obliged　me　as　an　honorable　man　to　give　my　name　and　address；　the　manageress　would　not　have　discovered　me。　She；　like　every　one　else；　only　knew　of　my　address　at　my　bachelor　chambers。　How　could　you　be　jealous　of　the　old　theatrical　comrade　of　my　first　days　on　the　stage？　Don't　you　know　yet　that　you　are　the　one　woman　in　the　world　。　。　。　。　？

〃A　last　word　relating　to　your　father；　and　I　have　done。

〃Do　you　remember　my　leaving　you　at　the　telegraph　office？　It　was　to　send　a　message　to　a　friend　of　mine；　an　architect　in　Edinburgh；　instructing　him　to　go　immediately　to　Cauldkirk；　and　provide　for　the　repairs　at　my　expense。　The　theater；　my　dear；　more　than　trebles　my　paternal　income；　and　I　can　well　afford　it。　Will　your　father　refuse　to　accept　a　tribute　of　respect　to　a　Scottish　minister；　because　it　is　paid　out　of　an　actor's　pocket？　You　shall　ask　him　the　question。

〃And；　I　say；　Feliciawill　you　come　and　see　me　act？　I　don't　expect　your　father　to　enter　a　theater；　but；　by　way　of　further　reconciling　him　to　his　son…in…law；　suppose　you　ask　him　to　hear　me　read　the　play？〃


MR。　PERCY　AND　THE　PROPHET。

PART　1。THE　PREDICTION。

CHAPTER　I。

THE　QUACK。

THE　disasters　that　follow　the　hateful　offense　against　Christianity；　which　men　call　war；　were　severely　felt　in　England　during　the　peace　that　ensued　on　the　overthrow　of　Napoleon　at　Waterloo。　With　rare　exceptions；　distress　prevailed　among　all　classes　of　the　community。　The　starving　nation　was　ripe　and　ready　for　a　revolutionary　rising　against　its　rulers；　who　had　shed　the　people's　blood　and　wasted　the　people's　substance　in　a　war　which　had　yielded　to　the　popular　interests　absolutely　nothing　in　return。

Among　the　unfortunate　persons　who　were　driven；　during　the　disastrous　early　years　of　this　century；　to　strange　shifts　and　devices　to　obtain　the　means　of　living；　was　a　certain　obscure　medical　man；　of　French　extraction；　named　Lagarde。　The　Doctor　（duly　qualified　to　bear　the　title）　was　an　inhabitant　of　London；　living　in　one　of　the　narrow　streets　which　connect　the　great　thoroughfare　of　the　Strand　with　the　bank　of　the　Thames。

The　method　of　obtaining　employment　chosen　by　poor　Lagarde；　as　the　one　alternative　left　in　the　face　of　starvation；　was；　and　is　still　considered　by　the　medical　profession　to　be；　the　method　of　a　quack。　He　advertised　in　the　public　journals。

Addressing　himself　especially　to　two　classes　of　the　community；　the　Doctor　proceeded　in　these　words：

〃I　have　the　honor　of　inviting　to　my　house；　in　the　first　place：　Persons　afflicted　with　maladies　which　ordinary　medical　practice　has　failed　to　cureand；　in　the　second　place：　Persons　interested　in　investigations；　the　object　of　which　is　to　penetrate　the　secrets　of　the　future。　Of　the　means　by　which　I　endeavor　to　alleviate　suffering　and　to　enlighten　doubt；　it　is　impossible　to　speak　intelligibly　within　the　limits　of　an　advertisement。　I　can　only　offer　to　submit　my　system　to　public　inquiry；　without　exacting　any　preliminary　fee　from　ladies　and　gentlemen　who　may　honor　me　with　a　visit。　Those　who　see　sufficient　reason　to　trust　me；　after　personal　experience；　will　find　a　money…box　fixed　on　the　waiting…room　table；　into　which　they　can　drop　their　offerings　according　to　their　means。　Those　whom　I　am　not　fortunate　enough　to　satisfy　will　be　pleased　to　accept　the　expression　of　my　regret；　and　will　not　be　expected　to　give　anything。　I　shall　be　found　at　home　every　evening　between　the　hours　of　six　and　ten。〃

Toward　the　close　of　the　year　1816　this　strange　advertisement　became　a　general　topic　of　conversation　among　educated　people　in　London。　For　some　weeks　the　Doctor's　invitations　were　generally　acceptedand；　all　things　considered；　were　not　badly　remunerated。　A　faithful　few　believed　in　him；　and　told　wonderful　stories　of　what　he　had　pronounced　and　prophesied　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　consulting…room。　The　majority　of　his　visitors　simply　viewed　him　in　the　light　of　a　public　amusement；　and　wondered　why　such　a　gentlemanlike　man　should　have　chosen　to　gain　his　living　by　exhibiting　himself　as　a　quack。

CHAPTER　II。

THE　NUMBERS。

ON　a　raw　and　snowy　evening　toward　the　latter　part　of　January；　1817；　a　gentleman；　walking　along　the　Strand；　turned　into　the　street　in　which　Doctor　Lagarde　lived；　and　knocked　at　the　physician's　door。

He　was　admitted　by　an　eld　erly　male　servant　to　a　waiting…room　on　the　first　floor。　The　light　of　one　little　lamp；　placed　on　a　bracket　fixed　to　the　wall；　was　so　obscured　by　a　dark　green　shade　as　to　make　it　difficult；　if　not　impossible；　for　visitors　meeting　by　accident　to　recognize　each　other。　The　metal　money…box　fixed　to　the　table　was　just　visible。　In　the　flickering　light　of　a　small　fire；　the　stranger　perceived　the　figures　of　three　men　seated；　apart　and　silent；　who　were　the　only　occupants　of　the　room　beside　himself。

So　far　as　objects　were　to　be　seen；　there　was　nothing　to　attract　attention　in　the　waiting…room。　The　furniture　was　plain　and　neat；　and　nothing　more。　The　elderly　servant　handed　a　card；　with　a　number　inscribed　on　it；　to　the　new　visitor；　said　in　a　whisper；　〃Your　number　will　be　called；　sir；　in　your　turn；〃　and　disappeared。　For　some　minutes　nothing　disturbed　the　deep　silence　but　the　faint　ticking　of　a　clock。　After　a　while　a　bell　rang　from　an　inner　room；　a　door　opened；　and　a　gentleman　appeared；　whose　interview　with　Doctor　Lagarde　had　terminated。　His　opinion　of　the　sitting　was　openly　expressed　in　one　emphatic　word〃Humbug！〃　No　contribution　dropped　from　his　hand　as　he　passed　the　money…box　on　his　way　out。

The　next　number　（being　Number　Fifteen）　was　called　by　the　elderly　servant；　and　t