Ellinor, having read the report of Dixon's examination in the newspaper, bathed her eyes and forehead in cold water, and tried to still her poor heart's beating, that she might be clear and collected enough to weigh the evidence.
Every line of it was condemnatory1. One or two witnesses spoke2 of Dixon's unconcealed dislike of Dunster, a dislike which Ellinor knew had been entertained by the old servant out of a species of loyalty3 to his master, as well as from personal distaste. The fleam was proved beyond all doubt to be Dixon's; and a man, who had been stable-boy in Mr. Wilkins's service, swore that on the day when Mr. Dunster was missed, and when the whole town was wondering what had become of him, a certain colt of Mr. Wilkins's had needed bleeding, and that he had been sent by Dixon to the farrier's for a horse-lancet, an errand which he had remarked upon at the time, as he knew that Dixon had a fleam of his own.
Mr. Osbaldistone was examined. He kept interrupting himself perpetually to express his surprise at the fact of so steady and well-conducted a man as Dixon being guilty of so heinous5 a crime, and was willing enough to testify to the excellent character which he had borne during all the many years he had been in his (Mr. Osbaldistone's) service; but he appeared to be quite convinced by the evidence previously6 given of the prisoner's guilt4 in the matter, and strengthened the case against him materially by stating the circumstance of the old man's dogged unwillingness7 to have the slightest interference by cultivation8 with that particular piece of ground.
Here Ellinor shuddered9. Before her, in that Roman bed-chamber, rose the fatal oblong she knew by heart--a little green moss10 or lichen11, and thinly- growing blades of grass scarcely covering the caked and undisturbed soil under the old tree. Oh, that she had been in England when the surveyors of the railway between Ashcombe and Hamley had altered their line; she would have entreated12, implored13, compelled her trustees not to have sold that piece of ground for any sum of money whatever. She would have bribed14 the surveyors, done she knew not what--but now it was too late; she would not let her mind wander off to what might have been; she would force herself again to attend to the newspaper columns. There was little more: the prisoner had been asked if he could say anything to clear himself, and properly cautioned not to say anything to incriminate himself. The poor old man's person was described, and his evident emotion. "The prisoner was observed to clutch at the rail before him to steady himself, and his colour changed so much at this part of the evidence that one of the turnkeys offered him a glass of water, which he declined. He is a man of a strongly-built frame, and with rather a morose15 and sullen16 cast of countenance17."
"My poor, poor Dixon!" said Ellinor, laying down the paper for an instant, and she was near crying, only she had resolved to shed no tears till she had finished all, and could judge of the chances. There were but a few lines more: "At one time the prisoner seemed to be desirous of alleging18 something in his defence, but he changed his mind, if such had been the case, and in reply to Mr. Gordon (the magistrate) he only said, 'You've made a pretty strong case out again me, gentlemen, and it seems for to satisfy you; so I think I'll not disturb your minds by saying anything more.' Accordingly, Dixon now stands committed for trial for murder at the next Hellingford Assizes, which commence on March the seventh, before Baron19 Rushton and Mr. Justice Corbet."
"Mr. Justice Corbet!" The words ran through Ellinor as though she had been stabbed with a knife, and by an irrepressible movement she stood up rigid20. The young man, her lover in her youth, the old servant who in those days was perpetually about her--the two who had so often met in familiar if not friendly relations, now to face each other as judge and accused! She could not tell how much Mr. Corbet had conjectured21 from the partial revelation she had made to him of the impending22 shame that hung over her and hers. A day or two ago she could have remembered the exact words she had used in that memorable23 interview; but now, strive as she would, she could only recall facts, not words. After all, the Mr. Justice Corbet might not be Ralph. There was one chance in a hundred against the identity of the two.
While she was weighing probabilities in her sick dizzy mind, she heard soft steps outside her bolted door, and low voices whispering. It was the bedtime of happy people with hearts at ease. Some of the footsteps passed lightly on; but there was a gentle rap at Ellinor's door. She pressed her two hot hands hard against her temples for an instant before she went to open the door. There stood Mrs. Forbes in her handsome evening dress, holding a lighted lamp in her hand.
"May I come in, my dear?" she asked. Ellinor's stiff dry lips refused to utter the words of assent24 which indeed did not come readily from her heart.
"I am so grieved at this sad news which the canon brings. I can well understand what a shock it must be to you; we have just been saying it must be as bad for you as it would be to us if our old Donald should turn out to have been a hidden murderer all these years that he has lived with us; I really could have as soon suspected Donald as that white-haired respectable old man who used to come and see you at East Chester."
Ellinor felt that she must say something. "It is a terrible shock--poor old man! and no friend near him, even Mr. Osbaldistone giving evidence again him. Oh, dear, dear! why did I ever come to Rome?"
"Now, my dear, you must not let yourself take an exaggerated view of the case. Sad and shocking as it is to have been so deceived, it is what happens to many of us, though not to so terrible a degree; and as to your coming to Rome having anything to do with it--"
(Mrs. Forbes almost smiled at the idea, so anxious was she to banish25 the idea of self-reproach from Ellinor's sensitive mind, but Ellinor interrupted her abruptly:)
"Mrs. Forbes! did he--did Canon Livingstone tell you that I must leave to- morrow? I must go to England as fast as possible to do what I can for Dixon."
"Yes, he told us you were thinking of it, and it was partly that made me force myself in upon you to-night. I think, my love, you are mistaken in feeling as if you were called upon to do more than what the canon tells me Miss Monro has already done in your name--engaged the best legal advice, and spared no expense to give the suspected man every chance. What could you do more even if you were on the spot? And it is very possible that the trial may have come on before you get home. Then what could you do? He would either have been acquitted26 or condemned27; if the former, he would find public sympathy all in his favour; it always is for the unjustly accused. And if he turns out to be guilty, my dear Ellinor, it will be far better for you to have all the softening28 which distance can give to such a dreadful termination to the life of a poor man whom you have respected so long."
But Ellinor spoke again with a kind of irritated determination, very foreign to her usual soft docility29:
"Please just let me judge for myself this once. I am not ungrateful. God knows I don't want to vex30 one who has been so kind to me as you have been, dear Mrs. Forbes; but I must go--and every word you say to dissuade31 me only makes me more convinced. I am going to Civita to-morrow. I shall be that much on the way. I cannot rest here."
Mrs. Forbes looked at her in grave silence. Ellinor could not bear the consciousness of that fixed32 gaze. Yet its fixity only arose from Mrs. Forbes' perplexity as to how best to assist Ellinor, whether to restrain her by further advice--of which the first dose had proved so useless--or to speed her departure. Ellinor broke on her meditations33:
"You have always been so kind and good to me,--go on being so--please, do! Leave me alone now, dear Mrs. Forbes, for I cannot bear talking about it, and help me to go to-morrow, and you do not know how I will pray to God to bless you!"
Such an appeal was irresistible34. Mrs. Forbes kissed her very tenderly, and went to rejoin her daughters, who were clustered together in their mother's bedroom awaiting her coming.
"Well, mamma, how is she? What does she say?"
"She is in a very excited state, poor thing! and has got so strong an impression that it is her duty to go back to England and do all she can for this wretched old man, that I am afraid we must not oppose her. I am afraid that she really must go on Thursday."
Although Mrs. Forbes secured the services of a travelling-maid, Dr. Livingstone insisted on accompanying Ellinor to England, and it would have required more energy than she possessed35 at this time to combat a resolution which both words and manner expressed as determined36. She would much rather have travelled alone with her maid; she did not feel the need of the services he offered; but she was utterly37 listless and broken down; all her interest was centred in the thought of Dixon and his approaching trial, and perplexity as to the mode in which she must do her duty.
They embarked38 late that evening in the tardy39 _Santa Lucia_, and Ellinor immediately went to her berth40. She was not sea-sick; that might possibly have lessened41 her mental sufferings, which all night long tormented42 her. High-perched in an upper berth, she did not like disturbing the other occupants of the cabin till daylight appeared. Then she descended43 and dressed, and went on deck; the vessel44 was just passing the rocky coast of Elba, and the sky was flushed with rosy45 light, that made the shadows on the island of the most exquisite46 purple. The sea still heaved with yesterday's storm, but the motion only added to the beauty of the sparkles and white foam47 that dimpled and curled on the blue waters. The air was delicious, after the closeness of the cabin, and Ellinor only wondered that more people were not on deck to enjoy it. One or two stragglers came up, time after time, and began pacing the deck. Dr. Livingstone came up before very long; but he seemed to have made a rule of not obtruding48 himself on Ellinor, excepting when he could be of some use. After a few words of common-place morning greeting, he, too, began to walk backwards49 and forwards, while Ellinor sat quietly watching the lovely island receding50 fast from her view--a beautiful vision never to be seen again by her mortal eyes.
Suddenly there was a shock and stound all over the vessel, her progress was stopped, and a rocking vibration51 was felt everywhere. The quarter- deck was filled with blasts of steam, which obscured everything. Sick people came rushing up out of their berths52 in strange undress; the steerage passengers--a motley and picturesque53 set of people, in many varieties of gay costume--took refuge on the quarter-deck, speaking loudly in all varieties of French and Italian _patois_. Ellinor stood up in silent, wondering dismay. Was the _Santa Lucia_ going down on the great deep, and Dixon unaided in his peril54? Dr. Livingstone was by her side in a moment. She could scarcely see him for the vapour, nor hear him for the roar of the escaping steam.
"Do not be unnecessarily frightened," he repeated, a little louder. "Some accident has occurred to the engines. I will go and make instant inquiry55, and come back to you as soon as I can. Trust to me."
He came back to where she sat trembling.
"A part of the engine is broken, through the carelessness of these Neapolitan engineers; they say we must make for the nearest port--return to Civita, in fact."
"But Elba is not many miles away," said Ellinor. "If this steam were but away, you could see it still."
"And if we were landed there we might stay on the island for many days; no steamer touches there; but if we return to Civita, we shall be in time for the Sunday boat."
"Oh, dear, dear!" said Ellinor. "To-day is the second--Sunday will be the fourth--the assizes begin on the seventh; how miserably56 unfortunate!"
"Yes!" he said, "it is. And these things always appear so doubly unfortunate when they hinder our serving others! But it does not follow that because the assizes begin at Hellingford on the seventh, Dixon's trial will come on so soon. We may still get to Marseilles on Monday evening; on by diligence to Lyons; it will--it must, I fear, be Thursday, at the earliest, before we reach Paris--Thursday, the eighth--and I suppose you know of some exculpatory57 evidence that has to be hunted up?"
He added this unwillingly58; for he saw that Ellinor was jealous of the secresy she had hitherto maintained as to her reasons for believing Dixon innocent; but he could not help thinking that she, a gentle, timid woman, unaccustomed to action or business, would require some of the assistance which he would have been so thankful to give her; especially as this untoward59 accident would increase the press of time in which what was to be done would have to be done.
But no. Ellinor scarcely replied to his half-inquiry as to her reasons for hastening to England. She yielded to all his directions, agreed to his plans, but gave him none of her confidence, and he had to submit to this exclusion60 from sympathy in the exact causes of her anxiety.
Once more in the dreary61 sala, with the gaudy62 painted ceiling, the bare dirty floor, the innumerable rattling63 doors and windows! Ellinor was submissive and patient in demeanour, because so sick and despairing at heart. Her maid was ten times as demonstrative of annoyance64 and disgust; she who had no particular reason for wanting to reach England, but who thought it became her dignity to make it seem as though she had.
At length the weary time was over; and again they sailed past Elba, and arrived at Marseilles. Now Ellinor began to feel how much assistance it was to her to have Dr. Livingstone for a "courier," as he had several times called himself.
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1
condemnatory
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| adj. 非难的，处罚的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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heinous
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| adj.可憎的，十恶不赦的 | |
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6
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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unwillingness
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| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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lichen
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| n.地衣, 青苔 | |
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12
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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15
morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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17
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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18
alleging
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| 断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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19
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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21
conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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24
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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25
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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26
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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28
softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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docility
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| n.容易教，易驾驶，驯服 | |
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30
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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31
dissuade
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| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
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32
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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33
meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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34
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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35
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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38
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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41
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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42
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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43
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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44
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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45
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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46
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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47
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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48
obtruding
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| v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的现在分词 ) | |
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49
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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50
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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51
vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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52
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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53
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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54
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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55
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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56
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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57
exculpatory
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| adj.辩解的，辩明无罪的 | |
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58
unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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59
untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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60
exclusion
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| n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行 | |
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61
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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63
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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64
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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