按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
so good as to tell me what all this means？〃 he said； a little sharply。 〃Miss
Lavinia asked me to call here when she heard I was coming to town。 I was
to take charge of a pattern for a dress； which she said you would give me。
You ought to have received a telegram explaining it all； hours since。 Has
the message not reached you？〃
The leading spirit of the three sisters was Miss Amelia。 She was the
first who summoned presence of mind enough to give a plain answer to
Turlington's plain question。
〃We received the telegram this morning； 〃she said。 〃Something has
68
… Page 69…
Miss or Mrs。？
happened since which has shocked and surprised us。 We beg your pardon。〃
She turned to one of her sisters。 〃Sophia； the pattern is ready in the drawer
of that table behind you。 Give it to Mr。 Turlington。〃
Sophia produced the packet。 Before she handed it to the visitor； she
looked at her sister。 〃Ought we to let Mr。 Turlington go；〃 she asked； 〃as if
nothing had happened？〃
Amelia considered silently with herself。 Dorothea； the third sister （who
had not spoken yet）； came forward with a suggestion。 She proposed；
before proceeding further； to inquire whether Lady Winwood was in the
house。 The idea was instantly adopted。 Sophia rang the bell。 Amelia put
the questions when the servant appeared。
Lady Winwood had left the house for a drive immediately after
luncheon。 Lord Winwoodinquired for nexthad accompanied her
ladyship。 No message had been left indicating the hour of their return。
The sisters looked at Turlington； uncertain what to say or do next。
Miss Amelia addressed him as soon as the servant had left the room。
〃Is it possible for you to remain here until either my father or Lady
Winwood return？〃 she asked。
〃It is quite impossible。 Minutes are of importance to me to…day。〃
〃Will you give us one of your minutes？ We want to consider
something which we may have to say to you before you go。〃
Turlington； wondering； took a chair。 Miss Amelia put the case before
her sisters from the sternly conscientious point of view； at the opposite end
of the room。
〃We have not found out this abominable deception by any underhand
means；〃 she said。 〃The discovery has been forced upon us； and we stand
pledged to nobody to keep the secret。 Knowing as we do how cruelly this
gentleman has been used； it seems to me that we are bound in honor to
open his eyes to the truth。 If we remain silent we make ourselves Lady
Winwood's accomplices。 I； for one I don't care what may come of it
refuse to do that。〃
Her sisters agreed with her。 The first chance their clever stepmother
had given them of asserting their importance against hers was now in their
69
… Page 70…
Miss or Mrs。？
hands。 Their jealous hatred of Lady Winwood assumed the mask of Duty
duty toward an outraged and deceived fellow…creature。 Could any earthly
motive be purer than that？ 〃Tell him； Amelia！〃 cried the two young ladies；
with the headlong recklessness of the sex which only stops to think when
the time for reflection has gone by。
A vague sense of something wrong began to stir uneasily in
Turlington's mind。
〃Don't let me hurry you；〃 he said； 〃but if you really have anything to
tell me〃
Miss Amelia summoned her courage； and began。
〃We have something very dreadful to tell you；〃 she said； interrupting
him。 〃You have been presented in this house； Mr。 Turlington； as a
gentleman engaged to marry Lady Winwood's cousin。 Miss Natalie
Graybrooke。〃 She paused thereat the outset of the disclosure。 A sudden
change of expression passed over Turlington's face； which daunted her for
the moment。 〃We have hitherto understood；〃 she went on； 〃that you were
to be married to that young lady early in next month。〃
〃Well？〃
He could say that one word。 Looking at their pale faces； and their
eager eyes； he could say no more。
〃Take care！〃 whispered Dorothea； in her sister's ear。 〃Look at him；
Amelia！ Not too soon。〃
Amelia went on more carefully。
〃We have just returned from a musical meeting；〃 she said。 〃One of the
ladies there was an acquaintance； a former school…fellow of ours。 She is
the wife of the rector of St。 Columb Majora large church； far from this
at the East End of London。〃
〃I know nothing about the woman or the church；〃 interposed
Turlington； sternly。
〃I must beg you to wait a little。 I can't tell you what I want to tell you
unless I refer to the rector's wife。 She knows Lady Winwood by name。
And she heard of Lady Winwood recently under very strange
circumstancescircumstances connected with a signature in one of the
70
… Page 71…
Miss or Mrs。？
books of the church。〃
Turlington lost his self…control。 〃You have got something against my
Natalie；〃 he burst out； 〃I know it by your whispering； I see it in your looks！
Say it at once in plain words。〃
There was no trifling with him now。 In plain words Amelia said it。
* * * * * * * * *
There was silence in the room。 They could hear the sound of passing
footsteps in the street。 He stood perfectly still on the spot where they had
struck him dumb by the disclosure； supporting himself with his right hand
laid on the head of a sofa near him。 The sisters drew back horror…struck
into the furthest corner of the room。 His face turned them cold。 Through
the mute misery which it had expressed at first； there appeared； slowly
forcing its way to view； a look of deadly vengeance which froze them to
the soul。 They whispered feverishly one to the other； without knowing
what they were talking of； without hearing their own voices。 One of them
said； 〃Ring the bell！〃 Another said； 〃Offer him something； he will faint。〃
The third shuddered； and repeated； over and over again； 〃Why did we do it？
Why did we do it？〃
He silenced them on the instant by speaking on his side。 He came on
slowly； by a step at a time； with the big drops of agony falling slowly over
his rugged face。 He said； in a hoarse whisper； 〃Write me down the name of
the churchthere。〃 He held out his open pocketbook to Amelia while he
spoke。 She steadied herself； and wrote the address。 She tried to say a word
to soften him。 The word died on her lips。 There was a light in his eyes as
they looked at her which transfigured his face to something superhuman
and devilish。 She turned away from him； shuddering。
He put the book back in his pocket； and passed his handkerchief over
his face。 After a moment of indecision； he suddenly and swiftly stole out
of the room； as if he was afraid of their calling somebody in； and stopping
him。 At the door he turned round for a moment； and said； 〃You will hear
how this ends。 I wish you good…morning。〃
The door closed on him。 Left by themselves； they began to realize it。
They thought of the consequences when his back was turned and it was
71
… Page 72…
Miss or Mrs。？
too late。
The Graybrookes！ Now he knew it； what would become of the
Graybrookes？ What wou ld he do when he got back？ Even at ordinary
timeswhen he was on his best behaviorhe was a rough man。 What
would happen？ Oh； good God！ what would happen when he and Natalie
next stood face to face？ It was a lonely houseNatalie had told them about
itno neighbors near； nobody by to interfere but the weak old father and
the maiden aunt。 Something ought to be done。 Some steps ought to be
taken to warn them。 Advicewho could give advice？ Who was the first
person who ought to be told of what had happened？ Lady Winwood？ No！
even at that crisis the sisters still shrank from their stepmotherstill hated
her with the old hatred！ Not a word to _her！_ They owed no duty to _her！_
Who else could they appeal to？ To their father？ Yes！ There was the person
to advise them。 In the