little novels- 第15部分

Cosway　matched　him　in　generosity。　〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃It　was　I　who　brought　you　here；　and　I　who　led　you　into　these　infernal　expenses。　I　ought　to　pay　the　penaltyand　I　will。〃

Before　Stone　could　remonstrate；　the　five　minutes　expired。　Punctual　Mrs。　Pounce　appeared　again　in　the　doorway。

〃Well？〃　she　inquired；　〃which　is　it　to　be　Cosway；　or　Stone？〃

Cosway　advanced　as　reckless　as　ever；　and　offered　his　arm。

〃Now　then；　Fatsides；〃　he　said；　〃come　and　be　married！〃

In　five…and…twenty　minutes　more；　Mrs。　Pounce　had　become　Mrs。　Cosway；　and　the　two　officers　were　on　their　way　to　the　ship。


_The　Second　Epoch　in　Mr。　Cosway's　Life。_

Four　years　elapsed　before　the　_Albicore_　returned　to　the　port　from　which　she　had　sailed。

In　that　interval；　the　death　of　Cosway's　parents　had　taken　place。　The　lawyer　who　had　managed　his　affairs；　during　his　absence　from　England；　wrote　to　inform　him　that　his　inheritance　from　his　late　father's　〃estate〃　was　eight　hundred　a　year。　His　mother　only　possessed　a　life　interest　in　her　fortune；　she　had　left　her　jewels　to　her　son；　and　that　was　all。

Cosway's　experience　of　the　life　of　a　naval　officer　on　foreign　stations　（without　political　influence　to　hasten　his　promotion）　had　thoroughly　disappointed　him。　He　decided　on　retiring　from　the　service　when　the　ship　was　〃paid　off。〃　In　the　meantime；　to　the　astonishment　of　his　comrades；　he　seemed　to　be　in　no　hurry　to　make　use　of　the　leave　granted　him　to　go　on　shore。　The　faithful　Stone　was　the　only　man　on　board　who　knew　that　he　was　afraid　of　meeting　his　〃wife。〃　This　good　friend　volunteered　to　go　to　the　inn；　and　make　the　necessary　investigation　with　all　needful　prudence。　〃Four　years　is　a　long　time；　at　_her_　age；〃　he　said。　〃Many　things　may　happen　in　four　years。〃

An　hour　later；　Stone　returned　to　the　ship；　and　sent　a　written　message　on　board；　addressed　to　his　brother…officer；　in　these　words：　〃Pack　up　your　things　at　once；　and　join　me　on　shore。　〃

〃What　news？〃　asked　the　anxious　husband。

Stone　looked　significantly　at　the　idlers　on　the　landing…place。　〃Wait；〃　he　said；　〃till　we　are　by　ourselves。〃

〃Where　are　we　going？〃

〃To　the　railway　station。〃

They　got　into　an　empty　carriage；　and　Stone　at　once　relieved　his　friend　of　all　further　suspense。

〃Nobody　is　acquainted　with　the　secret　of　your　marriage；　but　our　two　selves；〃　he　began　quietly。　〃I　don't　think；　Cosway；　you　need　go　into　mourning。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　she's　dead！〃

〃I　have　seen　a　letter　（written　by　her　own　lawyer）　which　announces　her　death；〃　Stone　replied。　〃It　was　so　short　that　I　believe　I　can　repeat　it　word　for　word：　'Dear　SirI　have　received　information　of　the　death　of　my　client。　Please　address　your　next　and　last　payment；　on　account　of　the　lease　and　goodwill　of　the　inn；　to　the　executors　of　the　late　Mrs。　Cosway。'　There；　that　is　the　letter。　'Dear　Sir'　means　the　present　proprietor　of　the　inn。　He　told　me　your　wife's　previous　history　in　two　words。　After　carrying　on　the　business　with　her　customary　intelligence　for　more　than　three　years；　her　health　failed；　and　she　went　to　London　to　consult　a　physician。　There　she　remained　under　the　doctor's　care。　The　next　event　was　the　appearance　of　an　agent；　instructed　to　sell　the　business　in　consequence　of　the　landlady's　declining　health。　Add　the　death　at　a　later　time　and　there　is　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　the　story。　Fortune　owed　you　a　good　turn；　Cosway　and　Fortune　has　paid　the　debt。　Accept　my　best　congratulations。〃

Arrived　in　London；　Stone　went　on　at　once　to　his　relations　in　the　North。　Cosway　proceeded　to　the　office　of　the　family　lawyer　（Mr。　Atherton）；　who　had　taken　care　of　his　interests　in　his　absence。　His　father　and　Mr。　Atherton　had　been　schoolfellows　and　old　friends。　He　was　affectionately　received；　and　was　invited　to　pay　a　visit　the　next　day　to　the　lawyer's　villa　at　Richmond。

〃You　will　be　near　enough　to　London　to　attend　to　your　business　at　the　Admiralty；〃　said　Mr。　Atherton；　〃and　you　will　meet　a　visitor　at　my　house；　who　is　one　of　the　most　charming　girls　in　Englandthe　only　daughter　of　the　great　Mr。　Restall。　Good　heavens！　have　you　never　heard　of　him？　My　dear　sir；　he's　one　of　the　partners　in　the　famous　firm　of　Benshaw；　Restall；　and　Benshaw。〃

Cosway　was　wise　enough　to　accept　this　last　piece　of　information　as　quite　conclusive。　The　next　day；　Mrs。　Atherton　presented　him　to　the　charming　Miss　Restall；　and　Mrs。　Atherton's　young　married　daughter　（who　had　been　his　playfellow　when　they　were　children）　whispered　to　him；　half　in　jest；　half　in　earnest：　〃Make　the　best　use　of　your　time；　she　isn't　engaged　yet。〃

Cosway　shuddered　inwardly　at　the　bare　idea　of　a　second　marriage。　Was　Miss　Restall　the　sort　of　woman　to　restore　his　confidence？

She　was　small　and　slim　and　darka　graceful；　well…bred；　brightly　intelligent　person；　with　a　voice　exquisitely　sweet　and　winning　in　tone。　Her　ears；　hands；　and　feet　were　objects　to　worship；　and　she　had　an　attraction；　irresistibly　rare　among　the　women　of　the　present　timethe　attraction　of　a　perfectly　natural　smile。　Before　Cosway　had　been　an　hour　in　the　house；　she　discovered　that　his　long　term　of　service　on　foreign　stations　had　furnished　him　with　subjects　of　conversation　which　favorably　contrasted　with　the　commonplace　gossip　addressed　to　her　by　other　men。　Cosway　at　once　became　a　favorite；　as　Othello　became　a　favorite　in　his　day。

The　ladies　of　the　household　all　rejoiced　in　the　young　officer's　success；　with　the　exception　of　Miss　Restall's　companion　（supposed　to　hold　the　place　of　her　lost　mother；　at　a　large　salary）；　one　Mrs。　Margery。

Too　cautious　to　commit　herself　in　words；　this　lady　expressed　doubt　and　disapprobation　by　her　looks。　She　had　white　hair；　iron…gray　eyebrows；　and　protuberant　eyes；　her　looks　were　unusually　expressive。　One　evening；　she　caught　poor　Mr。　Atherton　alone；　and　consulted　him　confidentially　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Cosway's　income。　This　was　the　first　warning　which　opened　the　eyes　of　the　good　lawyer　to　the　nature　of　the　〃friendship〃　already　established　between　his　two　guests。　He　knew　Miss　Restall's　illustrious　father　well；　and　he　feared　that　it　might　soon　be　his　disagreeable　duty　to　bring　Cosway's　visit　to　an　end。

On　a　certain　Saturday　afternoon；　while　Mr。　Atherton　was　still　considering　how　he　could　most　kindly　and　delicately　suggest　to　Cosway　that　it　was　time　to　say　good…by；　an　empty　carriage　arrived　at　the　villa。　A　note　from　Mr。　Restall　was　delivered　to　Mrs。　Atherton；　thanking　her　with　perfect　politeness　for　her　kindness　to　his　daughter。　Circumstances；〃　he　added；　〃rendered　it　necessary　that　Miss　Restall　should　return　home　that　afternoon。〃

The　〃circumstances〃　were　supposed　to　refer　to　a　garden…party　to　be　given　by　Mr。　Restall　in　the　ensuing　week。　But　why　was　his　daughter　wanted　at　home　before　the　day　of　the　party？

The　ladies　of　the　family；　still　devoted　to　Cosway's　interests；　entertained　no　doubt　that　Mrs。　Margery　had　privately　communicated　with　Mr。　Restall；　and　that　the　appearance　of　the　carriage　was　the　natural　result。　Mrs。　Atherton's　married　daughter　did　all　that　could　be　done：　she　got　rid　of　Mrs。　Margery　for　one　minute；　and　so　arranged　it　that　Cosway　and　Miss　Restall　took　leave　of　each　other　in　her　own　sitting…room。

When　the　young　lady　appeared　in　the　hall　she　had　drawn　her　veil　down。　Cosway　escaped　to　the　road　and　saw　the　last　of　the　carriage　as　it　drove　away。　In　a　little　more　than　a　fortnight　his　horror　of　a　second　marriage　had　become　one　of　the　dead　and　buried　emotions　of　his　nature。　He　stayed　at　the　villa　until　Monday　morning；　as　an　act　of　gratitude　to　his　good　friends；　and　then　accompanied　Mr。　Atherton　to　London。　Business　at　the　Admiralty　was　the　excuse。　It　imposed　on　nobody。　He　was　evidently　on　his　way　to　Miss　Restall。

〃Leave　your　business　in　my　hands；〃　said　the　lawyer；　on　the　journey　to　town；　〃and　go　and　amuse　yourself　on　the　Continent。　I　can't　blame　you　for　falling　in　love　with　Miss　Restall；　I　ought　to　have　foreseen　the　danger；　and　waited　till　she　had　left　us　before　I　invited　you　to　my　house。　But　I　may　at　least　warn　you　to　carry　the　matter　no　further。　If　you　had　eight　thousand　instead　of　eight　hundred　a　year；　Mr。　Restall　would　think　it　an　act　of　presumption　on　your　part　to　aspire　to　his　daughter's　hand；　unless　you　had　a　title　to　throw　into　the　bargain。　Look　at　it　in　the　true　light；　my　dear　boy；　and　one　of　these　days　you　will　thank　me　for　speaking　plainly。〃

Cosway　promised　to　〃look　at　it　in　the　true　light。〃

The　result；　from　his　point　of　view；　led　him　into　a　change　of　residence。　He　left　his　hotel　and　took　a　lodging　in　the　nearest　bystreet　to　Mr。　Restall's　palace　at　Kensington。

On　the　same　evening　he　applied　（with　the　confidence　due　to　a　previous　arrangement）　for　a　letter　at　the　neighboring　post…office；　addressed　to　E。　C。the　initials　of　Edwin　Cosway。　〃Pray　be　careful；〃　Miss　Restall　wrote；　〃I　have　tried　to　get　you　a　card　for　our　garden　party。　But　that　hateful　creature；　Margery；　has　evidently　spoken　to　my　father；　I　am　not　trusted　with　any　invitation　cards。　Bear　it　patiently；　dear；　as　I　do；　and　let　me　hear　if　you　have　succeeded　in　finding　a　lodging　near　us。〃

Not　submitting　to　this　first　disappointment　very　patiently；　Cosway　sent　his　reply　to　the　post…office；　addressed　to　A。　R。the　initials　of　Adela　Restall。　The　next　day　the　impatient　lover　applied　for　another　letter。　It　was　waiting　for　him；　but　it　was　not　directed　in　Adela's　handwriting。　Had　their　correspondence　been　discovered？　He　opened　the　letter　in　the　street；　and　read；　with　amazement；　these　lines：

〃Dear　Mr。　Cosway；　my　heart　sympathizes　with　two　faithful　lovers；　in　spite　of　my　age　and　my　duty。　I　inclose　an　invitation　to　the　party　tomorrow。　Pray　don't　betray　me；　and　don't　pay　too　marked　attention　to　Adela。　Discretion　is　easy。　There　will　be　twelve　hundred　guests。　Your　friend；　in　spite　of　appearances；　Louisa　Margery。〃

How　infamously　they　had　all　misjudged　this　excellent　woman！　Cosway　went　to　the　party　a　grateful；　as　well　as　a　happy　man。　The　first　persons　known　to　him；　whom　he　discovered　among　the　crowd　of　strangers；　were　the　Athertons。　They　looked；　as　well　they　might；　astonished　to　see　him。　Fidelity　to　Mrs。　Margery　forbade　him　to　enter　into　any　explanations。　Where　was　that　best　and　truest　friend？　With　some　difficulty　he　succeeded　in　finding　her。　Was　there　any　impropriety　in　seizing　her　hand　and　cordially　pressing　it？　The　result　of　this　expression　of　gratitu