The sick man turned his face toward those who had just entered, and his face lighted up as his glance rested on his son.
"I am glad you have come, Robert," he said.
"Dear father," said Robert, bursting into tears, "how sick you are looking!"
"Yes, Robert," said Ralph Raymond feebly, "I am not long for this world. I have become very feeble, and I know that I shall never leave this chamber till I am carried out in my coffin3."
"Don't say that, father," said Robert in tones of grief.
"It is best that you should know the truth, my son, especially, as my death cannot be long delayed."
"You will live some months, father, will you not?"
[Pg 42]
"I do not think I shall live a week, Robert," said his father. "The sands of my life are nearly run out; but I am not sorry. Life has lost its attractions for me, and my only desire to live would proceed from the reluctance4 I feel at leaving you."
"What shall I do without you, father?" asked the boy, his breast heaving with the painful sobs5 which he was trying in vain to repress.
"I shall not leave you wholly alone, my dear boy. I have arranged that you may be in charge of my old friend, Mr. Morton, who, I am sure will take the tenderest care of you, and try to be a father to you."
"Yes," said Paul, coming forward, "as your father says, I have promised to do for you what I can when he has left us. I would that he might be with us for many years, but since Providence6 in its inscrutable wisdom has ordained7 otherwise, we must bow to the stroke and do the best we can."
He put his fine cambric handkerchief to his eyes to wipe away the tears which were not there, and seemed affected8 by deep grief.
Robert cast a glance at the friend to whom he was to be consigned9, but saw nothing to inspire[Pg 43] confidence. There are some who almost unconsciously attract children, and draw young hearts to them in love and confidence. But Paul Morton was far from being one of the class. There was much in his crafty10, insincere face to repel11, little to attract, and so Robert judged, though he did not think of it at that time. He rather wondered why he felt so little drawn12 toward the man whom his father praised so highly; but the instincts of childhood were right; and the boy found no subsequent reason to correct his first impressions.
The interview did not last long, for it was apparent that the excitement was acting13 unfavorably upon the sick man, whose strength was now very slight. So Paul Morton left the room, but by Ralph's request Robert was left behind, on condition that he would not speak. The boy buried his head in the bed clothes and sobbed14 gently. In losing his father he lost his only relative, and though he had not seen very much of him in his lifetime, that little intercourse15 had been marked by so much kindness on the part of his father, that apart from the claims of duty arising from relationship, he felt a warm and grateful love for his parent. The bitterness of being alone in the[Pg 44] world already swept over him in anticipation16, and he remained for hours silent and motionless in the sick chamber of his father.
Matters continued thus for two days. During that time Paul Morton came little into the sick chamber. Even his audacious and shameless spirit shrank from witnessing the gradual approaches of that death which had been hastened by his diabolical17 machinations.
Besides, there was no object to be gained, he thought. Death was now certain. There was no need of his doing anything more to hasten it. Then, as to the disposition18 of the property, there was no chance now of any change being made in the arrangement. He knew precisely19 what advantage he was himself to reap from his friend's death, and though it was not so great as he at first anticipated, it would be enough to put a new face upon his affairs.
Besides, he would have the entire control of his ward's property, and he did not doubt that he could so use it as to stave off ruin, and establish himself on a new footing. Then again, there was the contingency20 of the boy's death; and upon this, improbable as it was, he was continually dwelling21.
[Pg 45]
After two days the end came.
The nurse came hurrying into the room of her master, and said, "Come quick, Mr. Morton. I think the poor gentleman is going."
"Not dying?" asked Paul Morton, with a pale face, for though expected, the intelligence startled him.
"Yes; you must come quick, or you will not see him alive."
Paul Morton rose mechanically from his chair, and hastily thrust into his pocket a sheet of paper on which he had been making some arithmetical calculations as to the fortune of his dying guest, and following the nurse entered the sick chamber.
It was indeed as she had said. Ralph Raymond was breathing slowly and with difficulty, and it was evident from the look upon his face, that the time of the great change had come.
As Paul Morton entered, the dying man turned his glazing23 eyes toward him, and then toward the boy at his side, as if again to commend him to his care.
Paul understood, and with pale face he nodded[Pg 46] as if to assure the dying man that he undertook the trust.
Then a more cheerful look came over the face of Ralph. He looked with a glance of tender love at his son, then his head sank back, his eyes closed, and the breath left his body.
The deed was consummated24! Ralph Raymond was dead!
"Poor gentleman! So he's dead!" said the nurse with a professional sigh, "and no doubt he's better off."
No answer was made to this remark. Neither Paul Morton nor Robert seemed inclined to speak. The former was brought face to face with the consequence of his crime. The latter was filled with the first desolation of grief.
Three days later the funeral took place. Paul Morton took care that everything should be in strict accordance with the wealth and position of the deceased. He strove to satisfy his troublesome conscience by paying the utmost respect to the man for whose death he had conspired25.
Owing to the long absence of Ralph Raymond from the country, there were not very many who remembered him, but Paul Morton invited his own friends and acquaintances liberally, and the[Pg 47] invitation was accepted by a large number, as there are always those who have some morbid26 feelings and appear to enjoy appearing at a funeral.
The rooms were draped in black. The doorbell was muffled27 in crape, and the presence of death in the house was ostentatiously made known to all who passed.
Among these there was James Cromwell, who for some reason, nearly every evening, after his hours of labor28 were over, came up to take a look at the house in Twenty-ninth Street, which appeared to have a great attraction for him. When he saw the crape he managed to learn through a servant the precise hour of the funeral, and applied29 to his employer for leave of absence on that day.
"It will be inconvenient," said his employer.
"I must go," said the clerk, "I wish to attend a funeral."
Supposing that it must be the funeral of a relation, or at least, a friend, the employer made no further objection.
As the time of the service approached, James Cromwell attired30 himself in his best, and made his way to the house. His entrance was [Pg 48]unnoticed amongst the rest, for there was a large number present. He got into an out-of-the-way corner, and listened attentively31 to the solemn service for the dead, as performed by one of the most eminent32 clergyman in the city. Among the rest his eye rested on Paul Morton, who sat with his face buried in his handkerchief.
At length Paul looked from behind the handkerchief, and his eye roved over the company. Suddenly he turned livid. His eye met that of a thin young man, with light hair, in an out-of-the-way corner, and he remembered at once under what circumstances they had met before.
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1
ushering
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的现在分词 ) | |
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2
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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3
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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4
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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5
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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6
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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7
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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8
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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9
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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10
crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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11
repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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12
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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13
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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14
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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15
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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16
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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17
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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18
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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19
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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20
contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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21
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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22
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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23
glazing
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| n.玻璃装配业；玻璃窗；上釉；上光v.装玻璃( glaze的现在分词 )；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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24
consummated
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| v.使结束( consummate的过去式和过去分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房 | |
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25
conspired
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| 密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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26
morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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27
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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28
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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29
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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30
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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32
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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