第115章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(30)

第115章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(30)

'mypatientdied，twohoursbeforemidnight—atatime，bymywatch，answeringalmosttotheminutewhenihadfirstseenher.iwasalonewithher，whenherforlornyoungheaddroppedgentlyononeside，andallherearthlywrongsandsorrowsended.

'thebrotherswerewaitinginaroomdown-stairs，impatienttorideaway.ihadheardthem，aloneatthebedside，strikingtheirbootswiththeirriding-whips，andloiteringupanddown.

'atlastsheisdead？'saidtheelder，wheniwentin.

'sheisdead，'saidi.

'icongratulateyou，mybrother，'werehiswordsasheturnedround.

'hehadbeforeofferedmemoney，whichihadpostponedtaking.henowgavemearouleauofgold.itookitfromhishand，butlaiditonthetable.ihadconsideredthequestion，andhadresolvedtoacceptnothing.

'prayexcuseme，'saidi.'underthecircumstances，no.'

'theyexchangedlooks，butbenttheirheadstomeasibentminetothem，andwepartedwithoutanotherwordoneitherside.

'iamweary，weary，weary—worndownbymisery；icannotreadwhatihavewrittenwiththisgaunthand.

'earlyinthemorning，therouleauofgoldwasleftatmydoorinalittlebox，withmynameontheoutside.fromthefirst，ihadanxiouslyconsideredwhatioughttodo.idecided，thatday，towriteprivatelytotheminister，statingthenatureofthetwocasestowhichihadbeensummoned，andtheplacetowhichihadgone：ineffect，statingallthecircumstances.iknewwhatcourtinfluencewas，andwhattheimmunitiesofthenobleswere，andiexpectedthatthematterwouldneverbeheardof；but，iwishedtorelievemyownmind.ihadkeptthematteraprofoundsecret，evenfrommywife；andthis，too，iresolvedtostateinmyletter.ihadnoapprehensionwhateverofmyrealdanger；butiwasconsciousthattheremightbedangerforothers，ifotherswerecompromisedbypossessingtheknowledgethatipossessed.

'iwasmuchengagedthatday，andcouldnotcompletemyletterthatnight.iroselongbeforemyusualtimenextmorningtofinishit.itwasthelastdayoftheyear.theletterwaslyingbeforemejustcompleted，wheniwastoldthataladywaited，whowishedtoseeme.

'iamgrowingmoreandmoreunequaltothetaskihavesetmyself.itissocold，sodark，mysensesaresobenumbed，andthegloomuponmeissodreadful.

'theladywasyoung，engaging，andhandsome，butnotmarkedforlonglife.shewasingreatagitation.shepresentedherselftomeasthewifeofthemarquisst.evremonde.iconnectedthetitlebywhichtheboyhadaddressedtheelderbrother，withtheinitialletterembroideredonthescarf，andhadnodifficultyinarrivingattheconclusionthatihadseenthatnoblemanverylately.

'mymemoryisstillaccurate，buticannotwritethewordsofourconversation.isuspectthatiamwatchedmorecloselythaniwas，andiknownotatwhattimesimaybewatched.shehadinpartsuspected，andinpartdiscovered，themainfactsofthecruelstory，ofherhusband'sshareinit，andmybeingresortedto.shedidnotknowthatthegirlwasdead.herhopehadbeen，shesaidingreatdistress，toshowher，insecret，awoman'ssympathy.herhopehadbeentoavertthewrathofheavenfromahousethathadlongbeenhatefultothesufferingmany.

'shehadreasonsforbelievingthattherewasayoungsisterliving，andhergreatestdesirewas，tohelpthatsister.icouldtellhernothingbutthattherewassuchasister；beyondthat，iknewnothing.herinducementtocometome，relyingonmyconfidence，hadbeenthehopethaticouldtellherthenameandplaceofabode.whereas，tothiswretchedhouriamignorantofboth.

'thesescrapsofpaperfailme.onewastakenfromme，withawarningyesterday.imustfinishmyrecordtoday.

'shewasagood，compassionatelady，andnothappyinhermarriage.howcouldshebe！thebrotherdistrustedanddislikedher，andhisinfluencewasallopposedtoher；shestoodindreadofhim，andindreadofherhusbandtoo.whenihandedherdowntothedoor，therewasachild，aprettyboyfromtwotothreeyearsold，inhercarriage.

'forhissake，doctor，'shesaid，pointingtohimintears.'iwoulddoallicantomakewhatpooramendsican.hewillneverprosperinhisinheritanceotherwise.ihaveapresentimentthatifnootherinnocentatonementismadeforthis，itwillonedayberequiredofhim.whatihavelefttocallmyown—itislittlebeyondtheworthofafewjewels—iwillmakeitthefirstchargeofhislifetobestow，withthecompassionandlamentingofhisdeadmother，onthisinjuredfamily，ifthesistercanbediscovered.'shekissedtheboy，andsaid，caressinghim，'itisforthineowndearsake.thouwiltbefaithful，littlecharles？'thechildansweredherbravely，'yes！'ikissedherhand，andshetookhiminherarms，andwentawaycaressinghim.ineversawhermore.

'asshehadmentionedherhusband'snameinthefaiththatiknewit，iaddednomentionofittomyletter.isealedmyletter，and，nottrustingitoutofmyownhands，delivereditmyselfthatday.

'thatnight，thelastnightoftheyear，towardsnineo'clock，amaninablackdressrangatmygate，demandedtoseeme，andsoftlyfollowedmyservant，ernestdefarge，ayouth，up-stairs.whenmyservantcameintotheroomwhereisatwithmywife—omywife，belovedofmyheart！myfairyoungenglishwife！—wesawtheman，whowassupposedtobeatthegate.standingsilentbehindhim.

'anurgentcaseintheruest.honore，hesaid.itwouldnotdetainme，hehadacoachinwaiting.

'itbroughtmehere，itbroughtmetomygrave.wheniwasclearofthehouse，ablackmufflerwasdrawntightlyovermymouthfrombehind，andmyarmswerepinioned.thetwobrotherscrossedtheroadfromadarkcorner，andidentifiedmewithasinglegesture.themarquistookfromhispockettheletterihadwritten，showedittome，burntitinthelightofalanternthatwasheld，andextinguishedtheasheswithhisfoot.notawordwasspoken.iwasbroughthere，iwasbroughttomylivinggrave.