A conqueror’s soul, and make him leave his crown
OTWAY.
THIRD floor, rear room, first door at the head of the stairs! What was I about to encounter there?
Mounting the lower flight, and shuddering2 by the library wall, which to my troubled fancy seemed written all over with horrible suggestions, I took my way slowly up-stairs, revolving3 in my mind many things, among which an admonition uttered long ago by my mother occupied a prominent place.
“My son, remember that a woman with a secret may be a fascinating study, but she can never be a safe, nor even satisfactory, companion.”
A wise saw, no doubt, but totally inapplicable to the present situation; yet it continued to haunt me till the sight of the door to which I had been directed put every other thought to flight save that I was about to meet the stricken nieces of a brutally4 murdered man.
Pausing only long enough on the threshold to compose myself for the interview, I lifted my hand to knock, when a rich, clear voice rose from within, and I heard distinctly uttered these astounding5 words: “I do not accuse your hand, though I know of none other which would or could have done this deed; but your heart, your head, your will, these I do and must accuse, in my secret mind at least; and it is well that you should know it!”
Struck with horror, I staggered back, my hands to my ears, when a touch fell on my arm, and turning, I saw Mr. Gryce standing6 close beside me, with his finger on his lip, and the last flickering7 shadow of a flying emotion fading from his steady, almost compassionate8 countenance9.
“Come, come,” he exclaimed; “I see you don’t begin to know what kind of a world you are living in. Rouse yourself; remember they are waiting down below.”
“That we shall soon see.” And without waiting to meet, much less answer, my appealing look, he struck his hand against the door, and flung it wide open.
Instantly a flush of lovely color burst upon us. Blue curtains, blue carpets, blue walls. It was like a glimpse of heavenly azure11 in a spot where only darkness and gloom were to be expected. Fascinated by the sight, I stepped impetuously forward, but instantly paused again, overcome and impressed by the exquisite12 picture I saw before me.
Seated in an easy chair of embroidered13 satin, but rousing from her half-recumbent position, like one who was in the act of launching a powerful invective14, I beheld15 a glorious woman. Fair, frail16, proud, delicate; looking like a lily in the thick creamy-tinted wrapper that alternately clung to and swayed from her finely moulded figure; with her forehead, crowned with the palest of pale tresses, lifted and flashing with power; one quivering hand clasping the arm of her chair, the other outstretched and pointing toward some distant object in the room,—her whole appearance was so startling, so extraordinary, that I held my breath in surprise, actually for the moment doubting if it were a living woman I beheld, or some famous pythoness conjured17 up from ancient story, to express in one tremendous gesture the supreme18 indignation of outraged19 womanhood.
“Miss Mary Leavenworth,” whispered that ever present voice over my shoulder.
Ah! Mary Leavenworth! What a relief came with this name. This beautiful creature, then, was not the Eleanore who could load, aim, and fire a pistol. Turning my head, I followed the guiding of that uplifted hand, now frozen into its place by a new emotion: the emotion of being interrupted in the midst of a direful and pregnant revelation, and saw—but, no, here description fails me! Eleanore Leavenworth must be painted by other hands than mine. I could sit half the day and dilate20 upon the subtle grace, the pale magnificence, the perfection of form and feature which make Mary Leavenworth the wonder of all who behold21 her; but Eleanore—I could as soon paint the beatings of my own heart. Beguiling22, terrible, grand, pathetic, that face of faces flashed upon my gaze, and instantly the moonlight loveliness of her cousin faded from my memory, and I saw only Eleanore—only Eleanore from that moment on forever.
When my glance first fell upon her, she was standing by the side of a small table, with her face turned toward her cousin, and her two hands resting, the one upon her breast, the other on the table, in an attitude of antagonism23. But before the sudden pang24 which shot through me at the sight of her beauty had subsided25, her head had turned, her gaze had encountered mine; all the horror of the situation had burst upon her, and, instead of a haughty26 woman, drawn27 up to receive and trample28 upon the insinuations of another, I beheld, alas29! a trembling, panting human creature, conscious that a sword hung above her head, and without a word to say why it should not fall and slay30 her.
It was a pitiable change; a heart-rending revelation! I turned from it as from a confession31. But just then, her cousin, who had apparently32 regained33 her self-possession at the first betrayal of emotion on the part of the other, stepped forward and, holding out her hand, inquired:
“Is not this Mr. Raymond? How kind of you, sir. And you?” turning to Mr. Gryce; “you have come to tell us we are wanted below, is it not so?”
It was the voice I had heard through the door, but modulated34 to a sweet, winning, almost caressing35 tone.
Glancing hastily at Mr. Gryce, I looked to see how he was affected36 by it. Evidently much, for the bow with which he greeted her words was lower than ordinary, and the smile with which he met her earnest look both deprecatory and reassuring37. His glance did not embrace her cousin, though her eyes were fixed38 upon his face with an inquiry39 in their depths more agonizing40 than the utterance41 of any cry would have been. Knowing Mr. Gryce as I did, I felt that nothing could promise worse, or be more significant, than this transparent42 disregard of one who seemed to fill the room with her terror. And, struck with pity, I forgot that Mary Leavenworth had spoken, forgot her very presence in fact, and, turning hastily away, took one step toward her cousin, when Mr. Gryce’s hand falling on my arm stopped me.
“Miss Leavenworth speaks,” said he.
Recalled to myself, I turned my back upon what had so interested me even while it repelled43, and forcing myself to make some sort of reply to the fair creature before me, offered my arm and led her toward the door.
Immediately the pale, proud countenance of Mary Leavenworth softened44 almost to the point of smiling;—and here let me say, there never was a woman who could smile and not smile like Mary Leavenworth. Looking in my face, with a frank and sweet appeal in her eyes, she murmured:
“You are very good. I do feel the need of support; the occasion is so horrible, and my cousin there,”—here a little gleam of alarm nickered into her eyes—“is so very strange to-day.”
“Humph!” thought I to myself; “where is the grand indignant pythoness, with the unspeakable wrath45 and menace in her countenance, whom I saw when I first entered the room?” Could it be that she was trying to beguile46 us from our conjectures47, by making light of her former expressions? Or was it possible she deceived herself so far as to believe us unimpressed by the weighty accusation48 overheard by us at a moment so critical?
But Eleanore Leavenworth, leaning on the arm of the detective, soon absorbed all my attention. She had regained by this time her self-possession, also, but not so entirely49 as her cousin. Her step faltered50 as she endeavored to walk, and the hand which rested on his arm trembled like a leaf. “Would to God I had never entered this house,” said I to myself. And yet, before the exclamation51 was half uttered, I became conscious of a secret rebellion against the thought; an emotion, shall I say, of thankfulness that it had been myself rather than another who had been allowed to break in upon their privacy, overhear that significant remark, and, shall I acknowledge it, follow Mr. Gryce and the trembling, swaying figure of Eleanore Leavenworth down-stairs. Not that I felt the least relenting in my soul towards guilt52. Crime had never looked so black; revenge, selfishness, hatred53, cupidity54, never seemed more loathsome55; and yet—but why enter into the consideration of my feelings at that time. They cannot be of interest; besides, who can fathom56 the depths of his own soul, or untangle for others the secret cords of revulsion and attraction which are, and ever have been, a mystery and wonder to himself? Enough that, supporting upon my arm the half-fainting form of one woman, but with my attention, and interest devoted57 to another, I descended58 the stairs of the Leavenworth mansion59, and re-entered the dreaded60 presence of those inquisitors of the law who had been so impatiently awaiting us.
As I once more crossed that threshold, and faced the eager countenances61 of those I had left so short a time before, I felt as if ages had elapsed in the interval62; so much can be experienced by the human soul in the short space of a few over-weighted moments.
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1
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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2
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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3
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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4
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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5
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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6
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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7
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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10
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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11
azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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12
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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13
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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14
invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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15
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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18
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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19
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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20
dilate
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| vt.使膨胀，使扩大 | |
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21
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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22
beguiling
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| adj.欺骗的，诱人的v.欺骗( beguile的现在分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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23
antagonism
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| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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25
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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26
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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27
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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28
trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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29
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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30
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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31
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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32
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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33
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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34
modulated
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| 已调整[制]的，被调的 | |
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35
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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36
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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37
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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38
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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39
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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40
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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41
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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42
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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43
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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44
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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45
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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46
beguile
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| vt.欺骗，消遣 | |
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47
conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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48
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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49
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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50
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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51
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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52
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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53
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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54
cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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55
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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56
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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57
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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58
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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59
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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60
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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61
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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62
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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