the author of beltraffio-第11节

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fairly　good　form。〃

〃There　has　been　a　change　for　the　worse；　very　sudden　and　rapid；　and
when　the　Doctor　got　here　he　found　diphtheritic　symptoms。　　He　ought　to
have　been　called；　as　I　knew；　in　the　morning；　and　the　child　oughtn't
to　have　been　brought　into　the　garden。〃

〃My　dear　lady；　he　was　very　happy　there；〃　I　protested　with　horror。

〃He　would　be　very　happy　anywhere。　　I've　no　doubt　he's　very　happy　now；
with　his　poor　little　temperature！〃　　She　dropped　her　voice　as　her
brother　came　in；　and　Mark　let　us　know　that　as　a　matter　of　course　Mrs。
Ambient　wouldn't　appear。　　It　was　true　the　boy　had　developed
diphtheritic　symptoms；　but　he　was　quiet　for　the　present　and　his
mother　earnestly　watching　him。　　She　was　a　perfect　nurse；　Mark　said；
and　Mackintosh　would　come　back　at　ten。　　Our　dinner　wasn't　very　gay
with　my　host　worried　and　absent；　and　his　sister　annoyed　me　by　her
constant　tacit　assumption；　conveyed　in　the　very　way　she　nibbled　her
bread　and　sipped　her　wine；　of　having　〃told　me　so。〃　　I　had　had　no
disposition　to　deny　anything　she　might　have　told　me；　and　I　couldn't
see　that　her　satisfaction　in　being　justified　by　the　event　relieved
her　little　nephew's　condition。　　The　truth　is　that；　as　the　sequel　was
to　prove；　Miss　Ambient　had　some　of　the　qualities　of　the　sibyl　and　had
therefore　perhaps　a　right　to　the　sibylline　contortions。　　Her　brother
was　so　preoccupied　that　I　felt　my　presence　an　indiscretion　and　was
sorry　I　had　promised　to　remain　over　the　morrow。　　I　put　it　to　Mark
that　clearly　I　had　best　leave　them　in　the　morning；　to　which　he
replied　that；　on　the　contrary；　if　he　was　to　pass　the　next　days　in　the
fidgets　my　company　would　distract　his　attention。　　The　fidgets　had
already　begun　for　him；　poor　fellow；　and　as　we　sat　in　his　study　with
our　cigars　after　dinner　he　wandered　to　the　door　whenever　he　heard　the
sound　of　the　Doctor's　wheels。　　Miss　Ambient；　who　shared　this
apartment　with　us；　gave　me　at　such　moments　significant　glances；　she
had　before　rejoining　us　gone　upstairs　to　ask　about　the　child。　　His
mother　and　his　nurse　gave　a　fair　report；　but　Miss　Ambient　found　his
fever　high　and　his　symptoms　very　grave。　　The　Doctor　came　at　ten
o'clock；　and　I　went　to　bed　after　hearing　from　Mark　that　he　saw　no
present　cause　for　alarm。　　He　had　made　every　provision　for　the　night
and　was　to　return　early　in　the　morning。

I　quitted　my　room　as　eight　struck　the　next　day　and　when　I　came
downstairs　saw；　through　the　open　door　of　the　house；　Mrs。　Ambient
standing　at　the　front　gate　of　the　grounds　in　colloquy　with
Mackintosh。　　She　wore　a　white　dressing…gown；　but　her　shining　hair　was
carefully　tucked　away　in　its　net；　and　in　the　morning　freshness；　after
a　night　of　watching；　she　looked　as　much　〃the　type　of　the　lady〃　as　her
sister…in…law　had　described　her。　　Her　appearance；　I　suppose；　ought　to
have　reassured　me；　but　I　was　still　nervous　and　uneasy；　so　that　I
shrank　from　meeting　her　with　the　necessary　challenge。　　None　the　less；
however；　was　I　impatient　to　learn　how　the　new　day　found　him；　and　as
Mrs。　Ambient　hadn't　seen　me　I　passed　into　the　grounds　by　a　roundabout
way　and；　stopping　at　a　further　gate；　hailed　the　Doctor　just　as　he　was
driving　off。　　Mrs。　Ambient　had　returned　to　the　house　before　he　got
into　his　cart。

〃Pardon　me；　but　as　a　friend　of　the　family　I　should　like　very　much　to
hear　about　the　little　boy。〃

The　stout　sharp　circumspect　man　looked　at　me　from　head　to　foot　and
then　said：　　〃I'm　sorry　to　say　I　haven't　seen　him。〃

〃Haven't　seen　him？〃

〃Mrs。　Ambient　came　down　to　meet　me　as　I　alighted；　and　told　me　he　was
sleeping　so　soundly；　after　a　restless　night；　that　she　didn't　wish　him
disturbed。　　I　assured　her　I　wouldn't　disturb　him；　but　she　said　he　was
quite　safe　now　and　she　could　look　after　him　herself。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much。　　Are　you　coming　back？〃

〃No；　sir；　I'll　be　hanged　if　I　come　back！〃　cried　the　honest
practitioner　in　high　resentment。　　And　the　horse　started　as　he　settled
beside　his　man。

I　wandered　back　into　the　garden；　and　five　minutes　later　Miss　Ambient
came　forth　from　the　house　to　greet　me。　　She　explained　that　breakfast
wouldn't　be　served　for　some　time　and　that　she　desired　a　moment
herself　with　the　Doctor。　　I　let　her　know　that　the　good　vexed　man　had
come　and　departed；　and　I　repeated　to　her　what　he　had　told　me　about
his　dismissal。　　This　made　Miss　Ambient　very　serious；　very　serious
indeed；　and　she　sank　into　a　bench；　with　dilated　eyes；　hugging　her
elbows　with　crossed　arms。　　She　indulged　in　many　strange　signs；　she
confessed　herself　immensely　distressed；　and　she　finally　told　me　what
her　own　last　news　of　her　nephew　had　been。　　She　had　sat　up　very　late
after　me；　after　Markand　before　going　to　bed　had　knocked　at　the　door
of　the　child's　room；　opened　to　her　by　the　nurse。　　This　good　woman　had
admitted　her　and　she　had　found　him　quiet；　but　flushed　and
〃unnatural；〃　with　his　mother　sitting　by　his　bed。　　〃She　held　his　hand
in　one　of　hers；〃　said　Miss　Ambient；　〃and　in　the　otherwhat　do　you
think？the　proof…sheets　of　Mark's　new　book！〃　　She　was　reading　them
there　intently：　　〃did　you　ever　hear　of　anything　so　extraordinary？
Such　a　very　odd　time　to　be　reading　an　author　whom　she　never　could
abide！〃　　In　her　agitation　Miss　Ambient　was　guilty　of　this　vulgarism
of　speech；　and　I　was　so　impressed　by　her　narrative　that　only　in
recalling　her　words　later　did　I　notice　the　lapse。　　Mrs。　Ambient　had
looked　up　from　her　reading　with　her　finger　on　her　lipsI　recognised
the　gesture　she　had　addressed　me　in　the　afternoonand；　though　the
nurse　was　about　to　go　to　rest；　had　not　encouraged　her　sister…in…law
to　relieve　her　of　any　part　of　her　vigil。　　But　certainly　at　that　time
the　boy's　state　was　far　from　reassuringhis　poor　little　breathing　so
painful；　and　what　change　could　have　taken　place　in　him　in　those　few
hours　that　would　justify　Beatrice　in　denying　Mackintosh　access？　　This
was　the　moral　of　Miss　Ambient's　anecdote；　the　moral　for　herself　at
least。　　The　moral　for　me；　rather；　was　that　it　WAS　a　very　singular
time　for　Mrs。　Ambient　to　be　going　into　a　novelist　she　had　never
appreciated　and　who　had　simply　happened　to　be　recommended　to　her　by　a
young　American　she　disliked。　　I　thought　of　her　sitting　there　in　the
sick…chamber　in　the　still　hours　of　the　night　and　after　the　nurse　had
left　her；　turning　and　turning　those　pages　of　genius　and　wrestling
with　their　magical　influence。

I　must　be　sparing　of　the　minor　facts　and　the　later　emotions　of　this
sojournit　lasted　but　a　few　hours　longerand　devote　but　three　words
to　my　subsequent　relations　with　Ambient。　　They　lasted　five　years
till　his　deathand　were　full　of　interest；　of　satisfaction　and；　I　may
add；　of　sadness。　　The　main　thing　to　be　said　of　these　years　is　that　I
had　a　secret　from　him　which　I　guarded　to　the　end。　　I　believe　he　never
suspected　it；　though　of　this　I'm　not　absolutely　sure。　　If　he　had　so
much　as　an　inkling　the　line　he　had　taken；　the　line　of　absolute
negation　of　the　matter　to　himself；　shows　an　immense　effort　of　the
will。　　I　may　at　last　lay　bare　my　secret；　giving　it　for　what　it　is
worth；　now　that　the　main　sufferer　has　gone；　that　he　has　begun　to　be
alluded　to　as　one　of　the　famous　early　dead　and　that　his　wife　has
ceased　to　survive　him；　now；　too；　that　Miss　Ambient；　whom　I　also　saw
at　intervals　during　the　time　that　followed；　has；　with　her
embroideries　and　her　attitudes；　her　necromantic　glances　and　strange
intuitions；　retired　to　a　Sisterhood；　where；　as　I　am　told；　she　is
deeply　immured　and　quite　lost　to　the　world。

Mark　came　in　to　breakfast　after　this　lady　and　I　had　for　some　time
been　seated　there。　　He　shook　hands　with　me　in　silence；　kissed　my
companion；　opened　his　letters　and　newspapers　and　pretended　to　drink
his　coffee。　　But　I　took　these　movements　for　mechanical　and　was　little
surprised　when　he　suddenly　pushed　away　everything　that　was　before　him
and；　with　his　head　in　his　hands　and　his　elbows　on　the　table；　sat
staring　strangely　at　the　cloth。

〃What's　the　matter；　caro　fratello　mio？〃　Miss　Ambient　quavered；
peeping　from　behind　the　urn。

He　answered　nothing；　but　got　up　with　a　certain　violence　and　strode　to
the　window。　　We　rose　to　our　feet；　his　relative　and　I；　by　a　common
impulse；　exchanging　a　glance　of　some　alarm；　and　he　continued　to　stare
into　the　garden。　　〃In　heaven's　name　what　has　got　possession　of
Beatrice？〃　he　cried　at　last；　turning　round　on　us　a　ravaged　face。　　He
looked　from　one　of　us　to　the　otherthe　appeal　was　addressed　to　us
alike。

Miss　Ambient　gave　a　shrug。　　〃My　poor　Mark；　Beatrice　is　always
Beatrice！〃

〃She　has　locked　herself　up　with　the　boybolted　and　barred　the　door。
She　refuses　to　let　me　come　near　him！〃　he　went　on。

〃She　refused　to　let　Mackintosh　see　him　an　hour　ago！〃　Miss　Ambient
promptly　returned。

〃Refused　to　let　Mackintosh　see　him？　　By　heaven　I'll　smash　in　the
door！〃　　And　Mark　brought　his　fist　down　upon　the　sideboard；　which　he
had　now　approached；　so　that　all　the　breakfast…service　rang。

I　begged　Miss　Ambient　to　go　up　and　try　to　have　speech　of　her　sister…
in…law；　and　I　drew　Mark　out　into　the　garden。　　〃You're　exceedingly
nervous；　and　Mrs。　Ambient's　probably　right；〃　I　there　undertook　to
plead。　　〃Women　know；　women　should　be　supreme　in　such　a　situation。
Trust　a　mothera　devoted　mother；　my　dear　friend！〃　　With　such　words
as　these　I　tried　to　soo