Whose mild persuasive1 accents rung
Like music in her ear;
Despite her dread2, despite her hate.
She ever let him rule her fate
And change her heart from joy elate
To one that ached with fear.
The shadows of solitude3 and dreariness4 had ever hung like ill-omened clouds over Garsworth Grange, but now the shadows were deepened by the presence of death. To the eerie5 atmosphere of the old house had been added a new element of fear, and every lonely room, every shadowy corner and every echoing corridor seemed to be filled with a weird6 feeling of the supernatural. Jellicks and Munks were not by any means imaginative folk, but even they felt the influence of the spell of horror which seemed to brood over the lonely mansion7, and conversed8 together in low whispers with furtive9 looks around as if expecting a whole host of goblins and spirits to start forth10 from the brooding shadows. Miss Cassy and Una both kept to their rooms, mutually trying to cheer one another, and the only person who seemed to move about at all was Patience Allerby, who glided11 through the bare rooms and dusky passages like an unquiet ghost. And not unlike a ghost did she look with her haggard face, burning eyes, and slim figure, carrying with her the paper she had stolen from the sanctity of the dead man's chamber12, the paper which hidden in her bosom13 seemed to her excited fancy to feel bitterly cold as if its dead owner had grasped it with his chill hand to drag it forth from its hiding-place. True, the paper would benefit her son, and it was legally his, still the memory of that stealthy theft in the dark night, while yet the corpse14 lay stiffly on the bed, seemed to haunt her conscious-stricken soul like a crime.
And amid all this horror and dreariness which clung round the place, the dead man lay in his coffin15 in the dismal16 room he had occupied during life. No flowers were placed on the bed or on the coffin, no relatives wept over the white set face to melt its frozen apathy17 with hot tears, no voice of lamentation18 was heard bewailing a good man's fate; lonely in death as he had been in life, Randal Garsworth, who had sacrificed the pleasures of this earth to a delusion19, lay unloved and uncared for in the silent room as if he had lain for generations in the vault20 of his ancestors.
Sometimes when Munks or Jellicks had taken their turns in watching the body, Patience would come for a time and, kneeling down, pray for the dead man's soul; but the sneering22 look on the still countenance23 seemed to mock her prayers and she fled away in horror at the thoughts that gibing24 smile provoked.
On the second day after the death of the squire25, a visitor came to see Patience, one whom she half expected, and the housekeeper26 was not at all astonished at beholding27 Beaumont standing28 at the door of her room, about four o'clock in the afternoon.
"Why do you come here?" she asked half in anger, half in dread.
"Because I want to speak to you," replied Beaumont, leisurely29 closing the door and taking a seat. "I know it is not quite the thing to pay visits so soon after a death, but Miss Challoner and her aunt are, I believe shut up in their rooms, Munks and that serpent you call Jellicks are safe in the kitchen, so I came in at the back of the house quite unperceived to see you."
"What about?" she asked stolidly30.
"I think you can pretty well guess," he replied coolly, "about the conversation I had with you the other day--I want your answer."
"The answer is--no."
"Is it, indeed--ah! we'd better chat over it for a time. I may persuade you to change your mind."
"You'll never do that," she said with a kind of gloomy triumph, "never."
"Indeed--we'll see," he retorted calmly; "by-the-way I hope you don't mind me smoking, but it is so deucedly shivery in this tomb of a house that it gives me the creeps."
"You can smoke," she said curtly31.
"Thanks--you know I love my creature comforts."
He rolled himself a cigarette, lighted it, and then blowing a thin cloud of blue smoke, crossed his legs and looked complacently32 at her.
"So you say no?" he observed with a smile. "Of course you know the consequences?"
"I do."
"And you are prepared to abide33 by them?"
"I am."
"Noble mother! May I ask your reasons?"
"Yes--and I will tell you my reasons," she said deliberately34. "I half intended to agree to your scheme the other day, as I thought it would benefit my son--but now I have found a way to benefit him without participation35 in your villainy."
"The deuce you have," said Beaumont curiously37. "How clever you are--come tell me all about it."
She smiled coldly at his evident uneasiness and went on speaking calmly with a certain malignant38 satisfaction which was not by any means acceptable to Mr. Beaumont.
"I asked the squire before he died to help Reginald Blake, telling him I was the boy's nurse and anxious to see him settled in life, he refused at first but by working on his delusion about re-incarnation I got him to give Reginald a cheque for one hundred pounds."
"Oh, and you think Reginald would prefer one hundred pounds down to ten thousand a year?" he said with an ugly look.
"Reginald doesn't know anything about it; the squire signed the cheque and wrote a letter, enclosed them both in an envelope and sealed it with his arms, then I, by his directions, locked it up in his desk."
"Where it is still?"
"No, I have got it. I have it here," she said, producing the letter from her bosom and holding it up to him.
"How did you get it?" he asked craftily39.
"I watched by the body the first night after death, and remembering where he had put the letter, I took his keys from under his pillow and obtained it, then I locked up the desk and replaced the keys."
"Ah, perhaps you don't know that you have been guilty of a felony?"
"I don't care," she retorted defiantly40. "You won't tell?"
"Won't I? that depends; at all events I'd like to look at that letter," he said, stretching out his hand.
She put the letter quickly behind her back.
"No, you won't see it."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust you."
"Very well," he said deliberately, "if you don't let me see the contents of the letter, I'll go straight to the lawyers when they arrive and tell them you stole it."
"You would not be such a villain36?" she cried in despair.
"I don't see why I shouldn't--you always thought me bad, so why should I give the lie to your estimate of my character by proving myself good?--come, choose--the letter, or the exposure!"
Patience looked at him in despair, as she knew by her fatal admission she was in his power--so, with a sudden gesture of anger, she held the letter out to him.
"Take it."
Beaumont laughed softly, and took the letter daintily between his thumb and forefinger41.
"I thought you'd have known," he said sneeringly42. "Now get me a light."
"To do what?"
"Melt the wax--I want to see what's inside this envelope."
"But you mustn't do that--it's sealed with the Garsworth Arms--the lawyers won't pay the cheque if they find the seal has been tampered43 with."
"I can re-seal it with the Garsworth Arms," he replied coolly, "don't be alarmed. I know what I'm about."
She looked at him irresolutely44, then apparently45 recognizing the futility46 of resistance, she lighted a candle and brought it to him.
With a dexterity47 only acquired by long practice Mr. Beaumont deftly48 melted the wax of the seal and speedily opened the letter. First he took out the short note, written by the Squire, which he read aloud to Patience, the contents being as follows:
"I give you this money to help you in your life. When I am born again in another body, and come to you for help or friendship, you must help me, if I ask, on my reminding you of this money I now give you--for no one but ourselves will know of this transaction, so you can be certain that he who speaks to you of it will be myself in a new body.
"Randal Garsworth."
"As mad as ever, I see," said Beaumont, with a sneer21, putting down the note. "Now for the cheque."
He glanced at it quickly--saw that it was for one hundred pounds, payable49 to Reginald Blake, and dated the thirtieth of the month--whereupon he gave a low whistle.
"What's the matter?" asked Patience, quickly.
"To-day, I believe, is the fourteenth?"
"Yes--I know what you're going to say--the cheque is dated the thirtieth--I understand that."
"Yes, and you, doubtless, understand that the Squire died on the twelfth, and that this cheque is waste paper?"
"Waste paper?"
"Exactly--it's dated after the Squire's death, so to all intents and purposes, the Squire was not legally in existence when he signed it."
"What nonsense!" she said impatiently. "I saw him sign it myself."
"Of course you did," he replied smoothly50. "You don't seem to understand me--a cheque is generally supposed to be signed on the day it is dated; and as this is dated the thirtieth, and the Squire died on the twelfth--well--it's so much waste paper."
"The lawyers will pay it when I explain the circumstances."
"The lawyers have nothing to do with it--the executors might, certainly, recognize it as a claim against the estate, but it is entirely51 optional with them; if you brought an action, you would, no doubt, recover on the cheque, but I'm afraid the costs would swallow up the amount claimed."
It was in order to get her to consent to join in his scheme that Beaumont thus argued in such a subtle manner, and he certainly succeeded in his plan; for, by taking away her last chance, he reduced her to despair.
"Then I can do nothing to help my son?" she cried, with a terrible expression of anguish52 on her face.
"Yes, you can--help me to get Reginald the property."
"I'm afraid."
"Afraid of what?" he asked, with supreme53 contempt, "the law?"
"No!--I'm not afraid of the law--but I am afraid of the curse this money will be to Reginald, if it's unlawfully obtained."
"Oh, if that is all your objection, I think you can set your mind at rest," replied the artist, with a sneer. "I'll help him to spend the money, and take my share of the curse. Don't talk rubbish--by putting Reginald in possession of ten thousand a year you will be harming no one--the money which should rightfully become Una Challoner's will still become hers by marriage, and two people will be made happy--if you will not help me, I'll tell Reginald all about his birth, and he will remain a pauper--if you help me, he will retain all--if you decline, he will lose everything."
"I do not see what chance I have against you," she cried in despair.
"No more do I!"
"You villain!" she said, furiously. "Why do you come and tempt54 me to sin like this?"
"I'm not tempting55 you to sin--don't I tell you, it will harm no one. Come, give me your answer--yes or no?"
"Yes," she said, faintly, "I agree."
"You will say that Reginald is the son of Fanny Blake and the Squire?"
"I will--for his sake."
"I don't care for whose sake you do it," he retorted, brutally56, rising to his feet. "You've agreed to help me, so that's all I care about--now I'm going to get the papers."
"Where are they?"
"That's my business," said Beaumont, coolly sauntering to the door. "I'll fix up the necessary proofs, all you've got to do is, to tell a consistent story--I'll instruct you. By the way, you are quite sure Una Challoner, and that fool of an aunt, are out of the way?"
"Quite sure--they are in the oak parlour."
"No chance of their coming out?"
"None."
"Very good--then I can get what I want, without suspicion. Have you got the keys of the Squire's desk?"
"No, Dr. Nestley took them yesterday from the room, to give them to Miss Una."
"Confound it--has he done so?"
"I do not know."
"That's a nuisance," said Beaumont, reflectively; "I want to put the papers in the squire's desk and lock them up so that they may be found there in a natural manner. I must get those keys. Humph! never mind--I'll hit on some plan; when do the lawyers arrive?"
"Tomorrow afternoon."
"Well, I'll arrange the papers to-night, and bring them to you to-morrow morning; they must be put in the desk secretly. Now, good-bye at present, and mind, I have your promise."
Patience nodded silently, and turned away with a calm but determined57 face, while Beaumont went away to carry out the details of his nefarious58 scheme.
"I have done all I could to resist temptation," she said to herself, bitterly, "I can do no more. If I do sin it is for my son's sake, not my own."
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收听单词发音
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1
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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4
dreariness
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| 沉寂，可怕，凄凉 | |
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5
eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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6
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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7
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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8
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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9
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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10
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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11
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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12
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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13
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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14
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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15
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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16
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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17
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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18
lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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19
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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21
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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22
sneering
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| 嘲笑的，轻蔑的 | |
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23
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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24
gibing
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| adj.讥刺的，嘲弄的v.嘲笑，嘲弄( gibe的现在分词 ) | |
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25
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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26
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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27
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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28
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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30
stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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31
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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32
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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33
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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34
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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35
participation
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| n.参与，参加，分享 | |
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36
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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craftily
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| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
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40
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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41
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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42
sneeringly
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| 嘲笑地，轻蔑地 | |
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43
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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irresolutely
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| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
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45
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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46
futility
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| n.无用 | |
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47
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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49
payable
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| adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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51
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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52
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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53
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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54
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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55
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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56
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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57
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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