robert falconer- 第98部分

him　to　give　it　me；　but　he　read　it；　and　then　tore　it　in　pieces。　　I

entered　the　hotel；　as　wretched　as　girl　could　well　be。　　I　began　to

dislike　him。　　But　during　dinner　he　was　so　kind　and　attentive　that　I

tried　to　persuade　myself　that　my　fears　were　fanciful。　　After　dinner

he　took　me　out。　　On　the　stairs　we　met　a　lady　whose　speech　was

Scotch。　　Her　maid　called　her　Lady　Janet。　　She　looked　kindly　at　me　as

I　passed。　　I　thought　she　could　read　my　face。　　I　remembered

afterwards　that　Lord　Rothie　turned　his　head　away　when　we　met　her。

We　went　into　the　cathedral。　　We　were　standing　under　that　curious

dome；　and　I　was　looking　up　at　its　strange　lights；　when　down　came　a

rain　of　bell…notes　on　the　roof　over　my　head。　　Before　the　first　tune

was　over；　I　seemed　to　expect　the　second；　and　then　the　third；　without

thinking　how　I　could　know　what　was　coming；　but　when　they　ended　with

the　ballad　of　the　Witch　Lady；　and　I　lifted　up　my　head　and　saw　that　I

was　not　by　my　father's　fireside；　but　in　Antwerp　Cathedral　with　Lord

Rothie；　despair　filled　me　with　a　half…insane　resolution。　　Happily

Lord　Rothie　was　at　some　little　distance　talking　to　a　priest　about

one　of　Rubens's　pictures。　　I　slipped　unseen　behind　the　nearest

pillar；　and　then　flew　from　the　church。　　How　I　got　to　the　hotel　I　do

not　know；　but　I　did　reach　it。　'Lady　Janet；'　was　all　I　could　say。

The　waiter　knew　the　name；　and　led　me　to　her　room。　　I　threw　myself

on　my　knees；　and　begged　her　to　save　me。　　She　assured　me　no　one

should　touch　me。　　I　gasped　'Lord　Rothie；'　and　fainted。　　When　I　came

to　myselfbut　I　need　not　tell　you　all　the　particulars。　　Lady　Janet

did　take　care　of　me。　　Till　last　night　I　never　saw　Lord　Rothie　again。

I　did　not　acknowledge　him；　but　he　persisted　in　talking　to　me；

behave　as　I　would；　and　I　saw　well　enough　that　he　knew　me。'



Falconer　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



'Thank　God；'　he　said。　'That　spire　was　indeed　the　haunt　of　angels　as

I　fancied　while　I　played　upon　those　bells。'



'I　knew　it　was　youthat　is；　I　was　sure　of　it　when　I　came　to　think

about　it；　but　at　the　time　I　took　it　for　a　direct　message　from

heaven；　which　nobody　heard　but　myself。'



'It　was　such　none　the　less　that　I　was　sent　to　deliver　it；'　said

Falconer。　'I　little　thought　during　my　imprisonment　because　of　it；

that　the　end　of　my　journey　was　already　accomplished。'



Mysie　put　her　hand　in　his。



'You　have　saved　me；　Mr。　Falconer。'



'For　Ericson's　sake；　who　was　dying　and　could　not；'　returned

Falconer。



'Ah！'　said　Mysie；　her　large　eyes　opening　with　wonder。　　It　was

evident　she　had　had　no　suspicion　of　his　attachment　to　her。



'But；'　said　Falconer；　'there　was　another　in　it；　without　whom　I　could

have　done　nothing。'



'Who　was　that？'



'George　Moray。'



'Did　he　know　me　then？'



'No。　Fortunately　not。　　You　would　not　have　looked　at　him　then。　　It

was　all　done　for　love　of　me。　　He　is　the　truest　fellow　in　the　world；

and　altogether　worthy　of　you；　Miss　Hamilton。　　I　will　tell　you　the

whole　story　some　day；　lest　he　should　not　do　himself　justice。'



'Ah；　that　reminds　me。　　Hamilton　sounds　strange　in　your　voice。　　You

suspected　me　of　having　changed　my　name　to　hide　my　history？'



It　was　so；　and　Falconer's　silence　acknowledged　the　fact。



'Lady　Janet　brought　me　home；　and　told　my　father　all。　　When　he　died　a

few　years　after；　she　took　me　to　live　with　her；　and　never　rested　till

she　had　brought　me　acquainted　with　Sir　John　Hamilton；　in　favour　of

whom　my　father　had　renounced　his　claim　to　some　disputed　estates。

Sir　John　had　lost　his　only　son；　and　he　had　no　daughter。　　He　was　a

kind…hearted　old　man；　rather　like　my　own　father。　　He　took　to　me；　as

they　say；　and　made　me　change　my　name　to　his；　leaving　me　the　property

that　might　have　been　my　father's；　on　condition　that　whoever　I

married　should　take　the　same　name。　　I　don't　think　your　friend　will

mind　making　the　exchange；'　said　Mysie　in　conclusion；　as　the　door

opened　and　Shargar　came　in。



'Robert；　ye're　a'　gait　（everywhere）！'　he　exclaimed　as　he　entered。

Then；　stopping　to　ask　no　questions；　'Ye　see　I'm　to　hae　a　name　o'　my

ain　efter　a'；'　he　said；　with　a　face　which　looked　even　handsome　in

the　light　of　his　gladness。



Robert　shook　hands　with　him；　and　wished　him　joy　heartily。



'Wha　wad　hae　thocht　it；　Shargar；'　he　added；　'that　day　'at　ye　pat

bonnets　for　hose　upo'　Black　Geordie's　huves？'



The　butler　announced　the　Marquis　of　Boarshead。　　Mysie's　eyes

flashed。　　She　rose　from　her　seat；　and　advanced　to　meet　the　marquis；

who　entered　behind　the　servant。　　He　bowed　and　held　out　his　hand。

Mysie　retreated　one　step；　and　stood。



'Your　lordship　has　no　right　to　force　yourself　upon　me。　　You　must

have　seen　that　I　had　no　wish　to　renew　the　acquaintance　I　was　unhappy

enough　to　formnow；　thank　God；　many　years　ago。'



'Forgive　me；　Miss　Hamilton。　　One　word　in　private；'　said　the　marquis。



'Not　a　word；'　returned　Mysie。



'Before　these　gentlemen；　then；　whom　I　have　not　the　honour　of

knowing；　I　offer　you　my　hand。'



'To　accept　that　offer　would　be　to　wrong　myself　even　more　than　your

lordship　has　done。'



She　went　back　to　where　Moray　was　standing；　and　stood　beside　him。

The　evil　spirit　in　the　marquis　looked　out　at　its　windows。



'You　are　aware；　madam；'　he　said；　'that　your　reputation　is　in　the

hand　I　offer　you？'



'The　worse　for　it；　my　lord；'　returned　Mysie；　with　a　scornful　smile。

'But　your　lordship's　brother　will　protect　it。'



'My　brother！'　said　the　marquis。　'What　do　you　mean？　　I　have　no

brother！'



'Ye　hae　mair　brithers　than　ye　ken　o'；　Lord　Sandy；　and　I'm　ane　o'

them；'　said　Shargar。



'You　are　either　a　liar　or　a　bastard；　then；'　said　the　marquis；　who

had　not　been　brought　up　in　a　school　of　which　either　self…restraint

or　respect　for　women　were　prominent　characteristics。



Falconer　forgot　himself　for　a　moment；　and　made　a　stride　forward。



'Dinna　hit　him；　Robert；'　cried　Shargar。　'He　ance　gae　me　a　shillin'；

an'　it　helpit；　as　ye　ken；　to　haud　me　alive　to　face　him　this　day。No

liar；　my　lord；　but　a　bastard；　thank　heaven。'　　Then；　with　a　laugh；　he

instantly　added；　'Gin　I　had　been　ain　brither　to　you；　my　lord；　God

only　knows　what　a　rascal　I　micht　hae　been。'



'By　God；　you　shall　answer　for　your　damned　insolence；'　said　the

marquis；　and；　lifting　his　riding…whip　from　the　table　where　he　had

laid　it；　he　approached　his　brother。



Mysie　rang　the　bell。



'Haud　yer　han'；　Sandy；'　cried　Shargar。　'I　hae　faced　mair　fearsome

foes　than　you。　　But　I　hae　some　faimily…feelin'；　though　ye　hae　nane：

I　wadna　willin'ly　strike　my　brither。'



As　he　spoke；　he　retreated　a　little。　　The　marquis　came　on　with　raised

whip。　　But　Falconer　stepped　between；　laid　one　of　his　great　hands　on

the　marquis's　chest；　and　flung　him　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；

where　he　fell　over　an　ottoman。　　The　same　moment　the　servant　entered。



'Ask　your　mistress　to　oblige　me　by　coming　to　the　drawing…room；'　said

Mysie。



The　marquis　had　risen；　but　had　not　recovered　his　presence　of　mind

when　Lady　Janet　entered。　　She　looked　inquiringly　from　one　to　the

other。



'Please；　Lady　Janet；　will　you　ask　the　Marquis　of　Boarshead　to　leave

the　house；'　said　Mysie。



'With　all　my　hert；'　answered　Lady　Janet；　'and　the　mair　that　he's　a

kin'　o'　a　cousin　o'　my　ain。　　Gang　yer　wa's；　Sandy。　　Ye're　no　fit

company　for　decent　fowk；　an'　that　ye　wad　ken　yersel'；　gin　ye　had　ony

idea　left　o'　what　decency　means。'



Without　heeding　her；　the　marquis　went　up　to　Falconer。



'Your　card；　sir。'



Lady　Janet　followed　him。



''Deed　ye　s'　get　nae　cairds　here；'　she　said；　pushing　him　aside。　'So

you　allow　your　friends　to　insult　me　in　your　own　house　as　they

please；　cousin　Janet？'　said　the　marquis；　who　probably　felt　her

opposition　the　most　formidable　of　all。



''Deed　they　canna　say　waur　o'　ye　nor　I　think。　　Gang　awa'；　an'

repent。　　Consider　yer　gray　hairs；　man。'



This　was　the　severest　blow　he　had　yet　received。　　He　left　the　room；

'swearing　at　large。'



Falconer　followed　him；　but　what　came　of　it　nobody　ever　heard。



Major　and　Miss　Hamilton　were　married　within　three　months；　and　went

out　to　India　together；　taking　Nancy　Kennedy　with　them。









CHAPTER　X。



A　NEOPHYTE。



Before　many　months　had　passed；　without　the　slightest　approach　to　any

formal　recognition；　I　found　myself　one　of　the　church　of　labour　of

which　Falconer　was　clearly　the　bishop。　　As　he　is　the　subject；　or

rather　object　of　my　book；　I　will　now　record　a　fact　which　may　serve

to　set　forth　his　views　more　clearly。　　I　gained　a　knowledge　of　some

of　the　circumstances；　not　merely　from　the　friendly　confidences　of

Miss　St。　John　and　Falconer；　but　from　being　a　kind　of　a　Scotch　cousin

of　Lady　Janet　Gordon；　whom　I　had　taken　an　opportunity　of　acquainting

with　the　relation。　　She　was　old…fashioned　enough　to　acknowledge　it

even　with　some　eagerness。　　The　ancient　clan…feeling　is　good　in　this；

that　it　opens　a　channel　whose　very　existence　is　a　justification　for

the　flow　of　simply　human　feelings　along　all　possible　levels　of

social　position。　　And　I　would　there　were　more　of　it。　　Only　something

better　is　coming　instead　of　ita　recognition　of　the　infinite

brotherhood　in　Christ。　　All　other　relations；　all　attempts　by

churches；　by　associations；　by　secret　societiesof　Freemasons　and

others；　are　good　merely　as　they　tend　to　destroy　themselves　in　the

wider　truth；　as　they　teach　men　to　be　dissatisfied　with　their

limitations。　　But　I　wander；　for　I　mentioned　Lady　Janet　now；　merely

to　account　for　some　of　the　information　I　possess　concerning　Lady

Georgina　Betterton。



I　met　her　once　at　my　so…called　cousin's；　whom　she　patronized　as　a

dear　old　thing。　　To　my　mind；　she　was　worth　twenty　of　her；　though　she

was　wrinkled　and　Scottishly　sententious。　'A　sweet　old　bat；'　was

another　epithet　of　Lady　Georgina's。　　But　she　came　to　see　her；

notwithstanding；　and　did　not　refuse　to　share　in　her　nice　little

dinners；　and　least　of　all；　when　Falconer　was　of　the　party；　who　had

been　so　much　taken　with　Lady　Jan