classic mystery and detective stories- 第75部分

result　of　desertion　by　her　lover。　　You　may　imagine　how　that　verdict

was　commented　upon　by　every　Radical　newspaper　in　the　kingdom；　and

for　once　society　more　than　corroborated　the　opinions　of　the　press。

The　larger　public　regarded　the　story　as　an　extreme　case　of　the

innocent　victim　and　the　cowardly　society　villain。　　It　was　only

among　a　comparatively　small　set　that　Delia's　reputation　was　known；

and　there；　in　view　of　Jack's　notorious　and　peculiar　intimacy；　his

repudiation　of　all　relations　with　her　was　received　with

contemptuous　incredulity。　　That　he　should　have　first　entered　upon

such　relations　at　the　very　time　when　he　was　already　courting　Lady

Sylvia　was　regarded　even　in　those　circles　as　a　'strong　order；'　and

they　looked　upon　his　present　attitude　with　great　indignation；　as　a

cowardly　attempt　to　save　his　own　character　by　casting　upon　the　dead

woman's　memory　all　the　odium　of　a　false　accusation。　　With　an　entire

absence　of　logic；　too；　he　was　made　responsible　for　the　suicide

having　taken　place　in　Lady　Sylvia's　presence。　　She　had　broken　off

the　engagement　the　day　after　the　catastrophe；　and　her　family；　a

clan　powerful　in　the　London　world；　furious　at　the　mud　through　which

her　name　had　been　dragged；　did　all　that　they　could　to　intensify　the

feeling　already　existing　against　Jack。



〃Not　a　voice　was　raised　in　his　defense。　　He　was　advised　to　leave

the　army；　he　was　requested　to　withdraw　from　some　of　his　clubs；

turned　out　of　others；　avoided　by　his　fast　acquaintances；　cut　by　his

respectable　ones。　　It　was　enough　to　kill　a　weaker　man。



〃He　showed　no　resentment　at　the　measure　thus　dealt　out　to　him。

Indeed；　at　the　first；　except　for　Sylvia's　desertion　of　him；　he

seemed　dully　indifferent　to　it　all。　　It　was　as　if　his　soul　had　been

stunned；　from　the　moment　that　that　wretched　woman's　blood　had

splashed　upon　his　fingers；　and　her　dead　eyes　had　looked　up　into　his

own。



〃But　it　was　not　long　before　he　realized　the　full　extent　of　the

social　damnation　which　had　been　inflicted　upon　him；　and　he　then

resolved　to　leave　the　country　and　go　to　America。　　The　night　before

he　started　he　came　down　here　to　take　leave。　　I　was　here　looking

after　my　parentsGeorge；　whose　mind　was　almost　unhinged　by　the

family　disgrace；　having　gone　abroad　with　his　wife。　　My　mother　at

the　first　news　of　what　had　happened　had　taken　to　her　bed；　never　to

leave　it　again；　and　thus　it　was　in　my　presence　alone；　up　there　in

my　father's　little　study；　that　Jack　gave　him　that　night　the　whole

story。　　He　told　it　quietly　enough；　but　when　he　had　finished；　with　a

sudden　outburst　of　feeling　he　turned　upon　me。　　It　was　I　who　had

been　the　cause　of　it　all。　　My　insensate　folly　had　induced　him　to

make　the　unhappy　woman's　acquaintance；　to　allow　and　even　encourage

her　fatal　love；　to　commit　all　the　blunders　and　sins　which　had

brought　about　her　miserable　ending　and　his　final　overthrow。　　It　was

by　means　of　me　that　she　had　obtained　access　to　him　on　that　dreadful

night；　my　evidence　which　most　utterly　damned　him　in　public　opinion；

through　me　he　had　lost　his　reputation；　his　friends；　his　career；　his

country；　the　woman　he　loved；　his　hopes　for　the　future；　through　me；

above　all；　that　the　burden　of　that　horrible　death　would　lie　for

ever　on　his　soul。　　He　was　lashing　himself　to　fury　with　his　own

words　as　he　spoke；　and　I　stood　leaning　against　the　wall　opposite　to

him；　cold；　dumb；　unresisting；　when　suddenly　my　father　interrupted。

I　think　that　both　Jack　and　I　had　forgotten　his　presence；　but　at　the

sound　of　his　voice；　changed　from　what　we　had　ever　heard　it；　we

turned　to　him；　and　I　then　for　the　first　time　saw　in　his　face　the

death…look　which　never　afterwards　quitted　it。



〃'Stop；　Jack；'　he　said；　'Alan　is　not　to　blame；　and　if　it　had　not

been　in　this　way；　it　would　have　been　in　some　other。　　I　only　am

guilty；　who　brought　you　both　into　existence　with　my　own　hell…

stained　blood　in　your　veins。　　If　you　wish　to　curse　anyone；　curse

your　family；　your　name；　me　if　you　will；　and　may　God　forgive　me　that

you　were　ever　born　into　the　world！'〃



Alan　stopped　with　a　shudder；　and　then　continued；　dully；　〃It　was

when　I　heard　those　words；　the　most　terrible　that　a　father　could

have　uttered；　that　I　first　understood　all　that　that　old　sixteenth…

century　tale　might　mean　to　me　and　mine；I　have　realized　it　vividly

enough　since。　　Early　the　next　morning；　when　the　dawn　was　just

breaking；　Jack　came　to　the　door　of　my　room　to　bid　me　good…by。　　All

his　passion　was　gone。　　His　looks　and　tones　seemed　part　and　parcel

of　the　dim　gray　morning　light。　　He　freely　withdrew　all　the　charges

he　had　made　against　me　the　night　before；　forgave　me　all　the　share

that　I　had　had　in　his　misfortunes；　and　then　begged　that　I　would

never　come　near　him；　or　let　him　hear　from　me　again。　　'The　curse　is

heavy　upon　us　both；'　he　said；　'and　it　is　the　only　favor　which　you

can　do　me。'　　I　have　never　seen　him　since。〃



〃But　you　have　heard　of　him！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃what　has　become　of　him？〃



Alan　raised　himself　to　a　sitting　posture。　　〃The　last　that　I　heard；〃

he　said；　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　〃was　that　in　his　misery　and

hopelessness　he　was　taking　to　drink。　　George　writes　to　him；　and

does　what　he　can；　but　II　dare　not　say　a　word；　for　fear　it　should

turn　to　poison　on　my　lips；I　dare　not　lift　a　hand　to　help　him；　for

fear　it　should　have　power　to　strike　him　to　the　ground。　　The　worst

may　be　yet　to　come；　I　am　still　living；　still　living：　there　are

depths　of　shame　to　which　he　has　not　sunk。　　And　oh；　Evie；　Evie；　he

is　my　own；　my　best…loved　brother！〃



All　his　composure　was　gone　now。　　His　voice　rose　to　a　kind　of　wail

with　the　last　words；　and　folding　his　arms　on　his　raised　knee；　he

let　his　head　fall　upon　them；　while　his　figure　quivered　with

scarcely　restrained　emotion。　　There　was　a　silence　for　some　moments

while　he　sat　thus；　I　looking　on　in　wretched　helplessness　beside

him。　　Then　he　raised　his　head；　and；　without　looking　round　at　me；

went　on　in　a　low　tone：　〃And　what　is　in　the　future？　　I　pray　that

death　instead　of　shame　may　be　the　portion　of　the　next　generation；

and　I　look　at　George's　boys　only　to　wonder　which　of　them　is　the

happy　one　who　shall　some　day　lie　dead　at　his　brother's　feet。　　Are

you　surprised　at　my　resolution　never　to　marry？　　The　fatal　prophecy

is　rich　in　its　fulfillment；　none　of　our　name　and　blood　are　safe；

and　the　day　might　come　when　I　too　should　have　to　call　upon　my

children　to　curse　me　for　their　birth；should　have　to　watch　while

the　burden　which　I　could　no　longer　bear　alone　pressed　the　life　from

their　mother's　heart。〃



Through　the　tragedy　of　this　speech　I　was　conscious　of　a　faint

suggestion　of　comfort；　a　far…off　glimmer；　as　of　unseen　home…lights

on　a　midnight　sky。　　I　was　in　no　mood　then　to　understand；　or　to　seek

to　understand；　what　it　was；　but　I　know　now　that　his　words　had

removed　the　weight　of　helpless　banishment　from　my　spiritthat　his

heart；　speaking　through　them　to　my　own；　had　made　me　for　life　the

sharer　of　his　grief。





VIII





Presently　he　drew　his　shoulders　together　with　a　slight　determined

jerk；　threw　himself　back　upon　the　grass；　and　turning　to　me；　with

that　tremulous；　haggard　smile　upon　his　lips　which　I　knew　so　well；

but　which　had　never　before　struck　me　with　such　infinite　pathos；

〃Luckily；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　other　things　to　do　in　life　besides

being　happy。　　Only　perhaps　you　understand　now　what　I　meant　last

night　when　I　spoke　of　things　which　flesh　and　blood　cannot　bear；　and

yet　which　must　be　borne。〃



Suddenly　and　sharply　his　words　roused　again　into　activity　the

loathsome　memory　which　my　interest　in　his　story　had　partially

deadened。　　He　noticed　the　quick　involuntary　contraction　of　my

muscles；　and　read　it　aright。　　〃That　reminds　me；〃　he　went　on；　〃I

must　claim　your　promise。　　I　have　told　you　my　story。　　Now；　tell　me

yours。〃



I　told　him；　not　as　I　have　set　it　down　here；　though　perhaps　even　in

greater　detail；　but　incoherently；　bit　by　bit；　while　he　helped　me

out　with　gentle　questions；　quickly　comprehending　gestures；　and

patient　waiting　during　the　pauses　of　exhaustion　which　perforce

interposed　themselves。　　As　my　story　approached　its　climax；　his

agitation　grew　almost　equal　to　my　own；　and　he　listened　to　the

close；　his　teeth　clenched；　his　brows　bent；　as　if　passing　again　with

me　through　that　awful　conflict。　　When　I　had　finished；　it　was　some

moments　before　either　of　us　could　speak；　and　then　he　burst　forth

into　bitter　self…reproach　for　having　so　far　yielded　to　his

brother's　angry　obstinacy　as　to　allow　me　to　sleep　the　third　night

in　that　fatal　room。



〃It　was　cowardice；〃　he　said；　〃sheer　cowardice！　　After　all　that　has

happened；　I　dared　not　have　a　quarrel　with　one　of　my　own　blood。　　And

yet　if　I　had　not　hardened　my　heart；　I　had　reason　to　know　what　I　was

risking。〃



〃How　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。



〃Those　other　two　girls　who　slept　there；〃　he　said；　breathlessly；　〃it

was　in　each　case　after　the　third　night　there　that　they　were　found

deaddead；　Evie；　so　runs　the　story；　with　a　mark　upon　their　necks

similar　in　shape　and　position　to　the　death…wound　which　Margaret

Mervyn　inflicted　upon　herself。〃



I　could　not　speak；　but　I　clutched　his　hand　with　an　almost

convulsive　grip。



〃And　I　knew　the　story；I　knew　it！〃　he　cried。　　〃As　boys　we　were　not

allowed　to　hear　much　of　our　family　traditions；　but　this　one　I　knew。

When　my　father　redid　the　interior　of　the　east　room；　he　removed　at

the　same　time　a　board　from　above　the　doorway　outside；　on　which　had

been　writtenit　is　said　by　Dame　Alice　herselfa　warning　upon　this

very　subject。　　I　happened　to　be　present　when　our　old　housekeeper；

who　had　been　his　nurse；　remonstrated　with　him　warmly　upon　this　act；

and　I　asked　her　afterwards　what　the　board　was；　and　why　she　cared

about　it　so　much。　　In　her　excitement　she　told　me　the　story　of　those

unhappy　girls；　repeating　again　and　again　that；　if　the　warning　were

taken　away；　evil　would　come　of　it。〃



〃And　she　was　right；〃　I　said；　dully。　　〃Oh；　if　only　your　father　had

left　it　there！〃