little novels- 第81部分

Her　bright　complexion　turned　to　a　dreadful　clay…color。　Her　eyes　were　fixed　and　staring；　like　the　eyes　of　a　person　in　a　fit。　She　stood　before　me；　still　and　silent。　Without　saying　more；　I　dropped　the　inscription　into　the　fire。　Without　saying　more；　I　left　her。

I　never　saw　her　again。

VIII。

BUT　I　heard　from　her　a　few　days　later。　The　letter　has　long　since　been　burned。　I　wish　I　could　have　forgotten　it　as　well。　It　sticks　to　my　memory。　If　I　die　with　my　senses　about　me；　Priscilla's　letter　will　be　my　last　recollection　on　earth。

In　substance　it　repeated　what　the　rector　had　already　told　me。　Further；　it　informed　me　that　she　had　bought　the　knife　as　a　keepsake　for　Zebedee；　in　place　of　a　similar　knife　which　he　had　lost。　On　the　Saturday；　she　made　the　purchase；　and　left　it　to　be　engraved。　On　the　Sunday；　the　banns　were　put　up。　On　the　Monday；　she　was　deserted；　and　she　snatched　the　knife　from　the　table　while　the　engraver　was　at　work。

She　only　knew　that　Zebedee　had　added　a　new　sting　to　the　insult　inflicted　on　her　when　he　arrived　at　the　lodgings　with　his　wife。　Her　duties　as　cook　kept　her　in　the　kitchenand　Zebedee　never　discovered　that　she　was　in　the　house。　I　still　remember　the　last　lines　of　her　confession：

〃The　devil　entered　into　me　when　I　tried　their　door；　on　my　way　up　to　bed；　and　found　it　unlocked；　and　listened　a　while；　and　peeped　in。　I　saw　them　by　the　dying　light　of　the　candleone　asleep　on　the　bed；　the　other　asleep　by　the　fireside。　I　had　the　knife　in　my　hand；　and　the　thought　came　to　me　to　do　it；　so　that　they　might　hang　_her_　for　the　murder。　I　couldn't　take　the　knife　out　again；　when　I　had　done　it。　Mind　this！　I　did　really　like　youI　didn't　say　Yes；　because　you　could　hardly　hang　your　own　wife；　if　you　found　out　who　killed　Zebedee。〃


Since　the　past　time　I　have　never　heard　again　of　Priscilla　Thurlby；　I　don't　know　whether　she　is　living　or　dead。　Many　people　may　think　I　deserve　to　be　hanged　myself　for　not　having　given　her　up　to　the　gallows。　They　may；　perhaps；　be　disappointed　when　they　see　this　confession；　and　hear　that　I　have　died　decently　in　my　bed。　I　don't　blame　them。　I　am　a　penitent　sinner。　I　wish　all　merciful　Christians　good…by　forever。






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