st. ives-第36节

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And　you　had　some　education　from　the　Abbe　de　Culemberg；　a　man　of　a　

good　house？　　Yes；　you　will　do　very　well。　　You　have　a　good　manner　

and　a　handsome　person；　which　hurts　nothing。　　We　are　all　handsome　in　

the　family；　even　I　myself；　I　have　had　my　successes；　the　memories　of　

which　still　charm　me。　　It　is　my　intention；　my　nephew；　to　make　of　

you　my　heir。　　I　am　not　very　well　content　with　my　other　nephew；　

Monsieur　le　Vicomte：　he　has　not　been　respectful；　which　is　the　

flattery　due　to　age。　　And　there　are　other　matters。'



I　was　half　tempted　to　throw　back　in　his　face　that　inheritance　so　

coldly　offered。　　At　the　same　time　I　had　to　consider　that　he　was　an　

old　man；　and；　after　all；　my　relation；　and　that　I　was　a　poor　one；　in　

considerable　straits；　with　a　hope　at　heart　which　that　inheritance　

might　yet　enable　me　to　realise。　　Nor　could　I　forget　that；　however　

icy　his　manners；　he　had　behaved　to　me　from　the　first　with　the　

extreme　of　liberality　and　…　I　was　about　to　write；　kindness；　but　the　

word；　in　that　connection；　would　not　come。　　I　really　owed　the　man　

some　measure　of　gratitude；　which　it　would　be　an　ill　manner　to　repay　

if　I　were　to　insult　him　on　his　deathbed。



'Your　will；　monsieur；　must　ever　be　my　rule；'　said　I；　bowing。



'You　have　wit；　MONSIEUR　MON　NEVEU；'　said　he；　'the　best　wit　…　the　

wit　of　silence。　　Many　might　have　deafened　me　with　their　gratitude。　　

Gratitude！'　he　repeated；　with　a　peculiar　intonation；　and　lay　and　

smiled　to　himself。　　'But　to　approach　what　is　more　important。　　As　a　

prisoner　of　war；　will　it　be　possible　for　you　to　be　served　heir　to　

English　estates？　　I　have　no　idea：　long　as　I　have　dwelt　in　England；　

I　have　never　studied　what　they　call　their　laws。　　On　the　other　hand；　

how　if　Romaine　should　come　too　late？　　I　have　two　pieces　of　business　

to　be　transacted　…　to　die；　and　to　make　my　will；　and；　however　

desirous　I　may　be　to　serve　you；　I　cannot　postpone　the　first　in　

favour　of　the　second　beyond　a　very　few　hours。'



'Well；　sir；　I　must　then　contrive　to　be　doing　as　I　did　before；'　said　

I。



'Not　so；'　said　the　Count。　　'I　have　an　alternative。　　I　have　just　

drawn　my　balance　at　my　banker's；　a　considerable　sum；　and　I　am　now　

to　place　it　in　your　hands。　　It　will　be　so　much　for　you　and　so　much　

less　…　'　he　paused；　and　smiled　with　an　air　of　malignity　that　

surprised　me。　　'But　it　is　necessary　it　should　be　done　before　

witnesses。　　MONSIEUR　LE　VICOMTE　is　of　a　particular　disposition；　and　

an　unwitnessed　donation　may　very　easily　be　twisted　into　a　theft。'



He　touched　a　bell；　which　was　answered　by　a　man　having　the　

appearance　of　a　confidential　valet。　　To　him　he　gave　a　key。



'Bring　me　the　despatch…box　that　came　yesterday；　La　Ferriere；'　said　

he。　　'You　will　at　the　same　time　present　my　compliments　to　Dr。　

Hunter　and　M。　l'Abbe；　and　request　them　to　step　for　a　few　moments　to　

my　room。'



The　despatch…box　proved　to　be　rather　a　bulky　piece　of　baggage；　

covered　with　Russia　leather。　　Before　the　doctor　and　an　excellent　

old　smiling　priest　it　was　passed　over　into　my　hands　with　a　very　

clear　statement　of　the　disposer's　wishes；　immediately　after　which；　

though　the　witnesses　remained　behind　to　draw　up　and　sign　a　joint　

note　of　the　transaction；　Monsieur　de　Keroual　dismissed　me　to　my　own　

room；　La　Ferriere　following　with　the　invaluable　box。



At　my　chamber　door　I　took　it　from　him　with　thanks；　and　entered　

alone。　　Everything　had　been　already　disposed　for　the　night；　the　

curtains　drawn　and　the　fire　trimmed；　and　Rowley　was　still　busy　with　

my　bedclothes。　　He　turned　round　as　I　entered　with　a　look　of　welcome　

that　did　my　heart　good。　　Indeed；　I　had　never　a　much　greater　need　of　

human　sympathy；　however　trivial；　than　at　that　moment　when　I　held　a　

fortune　in　my　arms。　　In　my　uncle's　room　I　had　breathed　the　very　

atmosphere　of　disenchantment。　　He　had　gorged　my　pockets；　he　had　

starved　every　dignified　or　affectionate　sentiment　of　a　man。　　I　had　

received　so　chilling　an　impression　of　age　and　experience　that　the　

mere　look　of　youth　drew　me　to　confide　in　Rowley：　he　was　only　a　boy；　

his　heart　must　beat　yet；　he　must　still　retain　some　innocence　and　

natural　feelings；　he　could　blurt　out　follies　with　his　mouth；　he　was　

not　a　machine　to　utter　perfect　speech！　　At　the　same　time；　I　was　

beginning　to　outgrow　the　painful　impressions　of　my　interview；　my　

spirits　were　beginning　to　revive；　and　at　the　jolly；　empty　looks　of　

Mr。　Rowley；　as　he　ran　forward　to　relieve　me　of　the　box；　St。　Ives　

became　himself　again。



'Now；　Rowley；　don't　be　in　a　hurry；'　said　I。　　'This　is　a　momentous　

juncture。　　Man　and　boy；　you　have　been　in　my　service　about　three　

hours。　　You　must　already　have　observed　that　I　am　a　gentleman　of　a　

somewhat　morose　disposition；　and　there　is　nothing　that　I　more　

dislike　than　the　smallest　appearance　of　familiarity。　　Mr。　Pole　or　

Mr。　Powl；　probably　in　the　spirit　of　prophecy；　warned　you　against　

this　danger。'



'Yes；　Mr。　Anne；'　said　Rowley　blankly。



'Now　there　has　just　arisen　one　of　those　rare　cases；　in　which　I　am　

willing　to　depart　from　my　principles。　　My　uncle　has　given　me　a　box　

…　what　you　would　call　a　Christmas　box。　　I　don't　know　what's　in　it；　

and　no　more　do　you：　perhaps　I　am　an　April　fool；　or　perhaps　I　am　

already　enormously　wealthy；　there　might　be　five　hundred　pounds　in　

this　apparently　harmless　receptacle！'



'Lord；　Mr。　Anne！'　cried　Rowley。



'Now；　Rowley；　hold　up　your　right　hand　and　repeat　the　words　of　the　

oath　after　me；'　said　I；　laying　the　despatch…box　on　the　table。　　

'Strike　me　blue　if　I　ever　disclose　to　Mr。　Powl；　or　Mr。　Powl's　

Viscount；　or　anything　that　is　Mr。　Powl's；　not　to　mention　Mr。　Dawson　

and　the　doctor；　the　treasures　of　the　following　despatch…box；　and　

strike　me　sky…blue　scarlet　if　I　do　not　continually　maintain；　

uphold；　love；　honour　and　obey；　serve；　and　follow　to　the　four　

corners　of　the　earth　and　the　waters　that　are　under　the　earth；　the　

hereinafter　before…mentioned　（only　that　I　find　I　have　neglected　to　

mention　him）　Viscount　Anne　de　Keroual　de　St。…Yves；　commonly　known　

as　Mr。　Rowley's　Viscount。　　So　be　it。　　Amen。'



He　took　the　oath　with　the　same　exaggerated　seriousness　as　I　gave　it　

to　him。



'Now；'　said　I。　　'Here　is　the　key　for　you；　I　will　hold　the　lid　with　

both　hands　in　the　meanwhile。'　　He　turned　the　key。　　'Bring　up　all　

the　candles　in　the　room；　and　range　them　along…side。　　What　is　it　to　

be？　　A　live　gorgon；　a　Jack…in…the…box；　or　a　spring　that　fires　a　

pistol？　　On　your　knees；　sir；　before　the　prodigy！'



So　saying；　I　turned　the　despatch…box　upside　down　upon　the　table。　　

At　sight　of　the　heap　of　bank　paper　and　gold　that　lay　in　front　of　

us；　between　the　candles；　or　rolled　upon　the　floor　alongside；　I　

stood　astonished。



'O　Lord！'　cried　Mr。　Rowley；　'oh　Lordy；　Lordy；　Lord！'　and　he　

scrambled　after　the　fallen　guineas。　　'O　my；　Mr。　Anne！　what　a　sight　

o'　money！　　Why；　it's　like　a　blessed　story…book。　　It's　like　the　

Forty　Thieves。'



'Now　Rowley；　let's　be　cool；　let's　be　businesslike；'　said　I。　　

'Riches　are　deceitful；　particularly　when　you　haven't　counted　them；　

and　the　first　thing　we　have　to　do　is　to　arrive　at　the　amount　of　my　

…　let　me　say；　modest　competency。　　If　I'm　not　mistaken；　I　have　

enough　here　to　keep　you　in　gold　buttons　all　the　rest　of　your　life。　　

You　collect　the　gold；　and　I'll　take　the　paper。'



Accordingly；　down　we　sat　together　on　the　hearthrug；　and　for　some　

time　there　was　no　sound　but　the　creasing　of　bills　and　the　jingling　

of　guineas；　broken　occasionally　by　the　exulting　exclamations　of　

Rowley。　　The　arithmetical　operation　on　which　we　were　embarked　took　

long；　and　it　might　have　been　tedious　to　others；　not　to　me　nor　to　my　

helper。



'Ten　thousand　pounds！'　I　announced　at　last。



'Ten　thousand！'　echoed　Mr。　Rowley。



And　we　gazed　upon　each　other。



The　greatness　of　this　fortune　took　my　breath　away。　　With　that　sum　

in　my　hands；　I　need　fear　no　enemies。　　People　are　arrested；　in　nine　

cases　out　of　ten；　not　because　the　police　are　astute；　but　because　

they　themselves　run　short　of　money；　and　I　had　here　before　me　in　the　

despatch…box　a　succession　of　devices　and　disguises　that　insured　my　

liberty。　　Not　only　so；　but；　as　I　felt　with　a　sudden　and　

overpowering　thrill；　with　ten　thousand　pounds　in　my　hands　I　was　

become　an　eligible　suitor。　　What　advances　I　had　made　in　the　past；　

as　a　private　soldier　in　a　military　prison；　or　a　fugitive　by　the　

wayside；　could　only　be　qualified　or；　indeed；　excused　as　acts　of　

desperation。　　And　now；　I　might　come　in　by　the　front　door；　I　might　

approach　the　dragon　with　a　lawyer　at　my　elbow；　and　rich　settlements　

to　offer。　　The　poor　French　prisoner；　Champdivers；　might　be　in　a　

perpetual　danger　of　arrest；　but　the　rich　travelling　Englishman；　

St。…Ives；　in　his　post…chaise；　with　his　despatch…box　by　his　side；　

could　smile　at　fate　and　laugh　at　locksmiths。　　I　repeated　the　

proverb；　exulting；　LOVE　LAUGHS　AT　LOCKSMITHS！　　In　a　moment；　by　the　

mere　coming　of　this　money；　my　love　had　become　possible　…　it　ha