stories by modern american authors-第78节

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in　keeping　the　smallest　peculiarities　of　his　home　unaltered。　　Thus

the　many　peaks　and　gables；　the　numerous　turrets；　and　the　mullioned

windows　with　their　quaint　lozenge　panes　set　in　lead；　remained　very

nearly　as　they　had　been　three　centuries　back。　　Over　and　above　the

quaint　melancholy　of　our　dwelling；　with　the　deep　woods　of　its　park

and　the　sullen　waters　of　the　mere；　our　neighborhood　was　thinly

peopled　and　primitive；　and　the　people　round　us　were　ignorant；　and

tenacious　of　ancient　ideas　and　traditions。　　Thus　it　was　a

superstitious　atmosphere　that　we　children　were　reared　in；　and　we

heard；　from　our　infancy；　countless　tales　of　horror；　some　mere

fables　doubtless；　others　legends　of　dark　deeds　of　the　olden　time；

exaggerated　by　credulity　and　the　love　of　the　marvelous。　　Our　mother

had　died　when　we　were　young；　and　our　other　parent　being；　though　a

kind　father；　much　absorbed　in　affairs　of　various　kinds；　as　an

active　magistrate　and　landlord；　there　was　no　one　to　check　the

unwholesome　stream　of　tradition　with　which　our　plastic　minds　were

inundated　in　the　company　of　nurses　and　servants。　　As　years　went　on；

however；　the　old　ghostly　tales　partially　lost　their　effects；　and

our　undisciplined　minds　were　turned　more　towards　balls；　dress；　and

partners；　and　other　matters　airy　and　trivial；　more　welcome　to　our

riper　age。　　It　was　at　a　county　assembly　that　Reginald　and　I　first

metmet　and　loved。　　Yes；　I　am　sure　that　he　loved　me　with　all　his

heart。　　It　was　not　as　deep　a　heart　as　some；　I　have　thought　in　my

grief　and　anger；　but　I　never　doubted　its　truth　and　honesty。

Reginald's　father　and　mine　approved　of　our　growing　attachment；　and

as　for　myself；　I　know　I　was　so　happy　then；　that　I　look　back　upon

those　fleeting　moments　as　on　some　delicious　dream。　　I　now　come　to

the　change。　　I　have　lingered　on　my　childish　reminiscences；　my

bright　and　happy　youth；　and　now　I　must　tell　the　restthe　blight

and　the　sorrow。



It　was　Christmas；　always　a　joyful　and　a　hospitable　time　in　the

country；　especially　in　such　an　old　hall　as　our　home；　where　quaint

customs　and　frolics　were　much　clung　to；　as　part　and　parcel　of　the

very　dwelling　itself。　　The　hall　was　full　of　guestsso　full；

indeed；　that　there　was　great　difficulty　in　providing　sleeping

accommodation　for　all。　　Several　narrow　and　dark　chambers　in　the

turretsmere　pigeon…holes；　as　we　irreverently　called　what　had　been

thought　good　enough　for　the　stately　gentlemen　of　Elizabeth's　reign

were　now　allotted　to　bachelor　visitors；　after　having　been　empty

for　a　century。　　All　the　spare　rooms　in　the　body　and　wings　of　the

hall　were　occupied；　of　course；　and　the　servants　who　had　been

brought　down　were　lodged　at　the　farm　and　at　the　keeper's；　so　great

was　the　demand　for　space。　　At　last　the　unexpected　arrival　of　an

elderly　relative；　who　had　been　asked　months　before；　but　scarcely

expected；　caused　great　commotion。　　My　aunts　went　about　wringing

their　hands　distractedly。　　Lady　Speldhurst　was　a　personage　of　some

consequence；　she　was　a　distant　cousin；　and　had　been　for　years　on

cool　terms　with　us　all；　on　account　of　some　fancied　affront　or

slight　when　she　had　paid　her　LAST　visit；　about　the　time　of　my

christening。　　She　was　seventy　years　old；　she　was　infirm；　rich；　and

testy；　moreover；　she　was　my　godmother；　though　I　had　forgotten　the

fact；　but　it　seems　that　though　I　had　formed　no　expectations　of　a

legacy　in　my　favor；　my　aunts　had　done　so　for　me。　　Aunt　Margaret　was

especially　eloquent　on　the　subject。　　〃There　isn't　a　room　left；〃　she

said；　〃was　ever　anything　so　unfortunate！　　We　cannot　put　Lady

Speldhurst　into　the　turrets；　and　yet　where　IS　she　to　sleep？　　And

Rosa's　godmother；　too！　　Poor；　dear　child；　how　dreadful！　　After　all

these　years　of　estrangement；　and　with　a　hundred　thousand　in　the

funds；　and　no　comfortable；　warm　room　at　her　own　unlimited　disposal

and　Christmas；　of　all　times　in　the　year！〃　　What　WAS　to　be　done？

My　aunts　could　not　resign　their　own　chambers　to　Lady　Speldhurst；

because　they　had　already　given　them　up　to　some　of　the　married

guests。　　My　father　was　the　most　hospitable　of　men；　but　he　was

rheumatic；　gouty；　and　methodical。　　His　sisters…in…law　dared　not

propose　to　shift　his　quarters；　and；　indeed；　he　would　have　far

sooner　dined　on　prison　fare　than　have　been　translated　to　a　strange

bed。　　The　matter　ended　in　my　giving　up　my　room。　　I　had　a　strange

reluctance　to　making　the　offer；　which　surprised　myself。　　Was　it　a

boding　of　evil　to　come？　　I　cannot　say。　　We　are　strangely　and

wonderfully　made。　　It　MAY　have　been。　　At　any　rate；　I　do　not　think

it　was　any　selfish　unwillingness　to　make　an　old　and　infirm　lady

comfortable　by　a　trifling　sacrifice。　　I　was　perfectly　healthy　and

strong。　　The　weather　was　not　cold　for　the　time　of　the　year。　　It　was

a　dark；　moist　Yulenot　a　snowy　one；　though　snow　brooded　overhead

in　the　darkling　clouds。　　I　DID　make　the　offer；　which　became　me；　I

said　with　a　laugh；　as　the　youngest。　　My　sisters　laughed　too；　and

made　a　jest　of　my　evident　wish　to　propitiate　my　godmother。　　〃She　is

a　fairy　godmother；　Rosa；〃　said　Minnie；　〃and　you　know　she　was

affronted　at　your　christening；　and　went　away　muttering　vengeance。

Here　she　is　coming　back　to　see　you；　I　hope　she　brings　golden　gifts

with　her。〃



I　thought　little　of　Lady　Speldhurst　and　her　possible　golden　gifts。

I　cared　nothing　for　the　wonderful　fortune　in　the　funds　that　my

aunts　whispered　and　nodded　about　so　mysteriously。　　But　since　then　I

have　wondered　whether；　had　I　then　showed　myself　peevish　or

obstinatehad　I　refused　to　give　up　my　room　for　the　expected

kinswomanit　would　not　have　altered　the　whole　of　my　life？　　But

then　Lucy　or　Minnie　would　have　offered　in　my　stead；　and　been

sacrificedwhat　do　I　say？better　that　the　blow　should　have　fallen

as　it　did　than　on　those　dear　ones。



The　chamber　to　which　I　removed　was　a　dim　little　triangular　room　in

the　western　wing；　and　was　only　to　be　reached　by　traversing　the

picture…gallery；　or　by　mounting　a　little　flight　of　stone　stairs

which　led　directly　upward　from　the　low…browed　arch　of　a　door　that

opened　into　the　garden。　　There　was　one　more　room　on　the　same

landing…place；　and　this　was　a　mere　receptacle　for　broken　furniture；

shattered　toys；　and　all　the　lumber　that　WILL　accumulate　in　a

country…house。　　The　room　I　was　to　inhabit　for　a　few　nights　was　a

tapestry…hung　apartment；　with　faded　green　curtains　of　some　costly

stuff；　contrasting　oddly　with　a　new　carpet　and　the　bright；　fresh

hangings　of　the　bed；　which　had　been　hurriedly　erected。　　The

furniture　was　half　old；　half　new；　and　on　the　dressing…table　stood　a

very　quaint　oval　mirror；　in　a　frame　of　black　woodunpolished

ebony；　I　think。　　I　can　remember　the　very　pattern　of　the　carpet；　the

number　of　chairs；　the　situation　of　the　bed；　the　figures　on　the

tapestry。　　Nay；　I　can　recollect　not　only　the　color　of　the　dress　I

wore　on　that　fated　evening；　but　the　arrangement　of　every　scrap　of

lace　and　ribbon；　of　every　flower；　every　jewel；　with　a　memory　but

too　perfect。



Scarcely　had　my　maid　finished　spreading　out　my　various　articles　of

attire　for　the　evening　（when　there　was　to　be　a　great　dinner…party）

when　the　rumble　of　a　carriage　announced　that　Lady　Speldhurst　had

arrived。　　The　short　winter's　day　drew　to　a　close；　and　a　large

number　of　guests　were　gathered　together　in　the　ample　drawing…room；

around　the　blaze　of　the　wood…fire；　after　dinner。　　My　father；　I

recollect；　was　not　with　us　at　first。　　There　were　some　squires　of

the　old；　hard…riding；　hard…drinking　stamp　still　lingering　over

their　port　in　the　dining…room；　and　the　host；　of　course；　could　not

leave　them。　　But　the　ladies　and　all　the　younger　gentlemenboth

those　who　slept　under　our　roof；　and　those　who　would　have　a　dozen

miles　of　fog　and　mire　to　encounter　on　their　road　homewere　all

together。　　Need　I　say　that　Reginald　was　there？　　He　sat　near　memy

accepted　lover；　my　plighted　future　husband。　　We　were　to　be　married

in　the　spring。　　My　sisters　were　not　far　off；　they；　too；　had　found

eyes　that　sparkled　and　softened　in　meeting　theirs；　had　found　hearts

that　beat　responsive　to　their　own。　　And；　in　their　cases；　no　rude

frost　nipped　the　blossom　ere　it　became　the　fruit；　there　was　no

canker　in　their　flowerets　of　young　hope；　no　cloud　in　their　sky。

Innocent　and　loving；　they　were　beloved　by　men　worthy　of　their

esteem。



The　rooma　large　and　lofty　one；　with　an　arched　roofhad　somewhat

of　a　somber　character；　from　being　wainscoted　and　ceiled　with

polished　black　oak　of　a　great　age。　　There　were　mirrors；　and　there

were　pictures　on　the　walls；　and　handsome　furniture；　and　marble

chimney…pieces；　and　a　gay　Tournay　carpet；　but　these　merely　appeared

as　bright　spots　on　the　dark　background　of　the　Elizabethan　woodwork。

Many　lights　were　burning；　but　the　blackness　of　the　walls　and　roof

seemed　absolutely　to　swallow　up　their　rays；　like　the　mouth　of　a

cavern。　　A　hundred　candles　could　not　have　given　that　apartment　the

cheerful　lightness　of　a　modern　drawing　room。　　But　the　gloomy

richness　of　the　panels　matched　well　with　the　ruddy　gleam　from　the