the queen of hearts-第23部分

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wits　about　a　dream？〃

〃I'll　leave　your　house；〃　said　Isaac；　faintly。　〃Better　out　on　the
road；　in　rain　and　dark；　on　my　road　home；　than　back　again　in　that
room；　after　what　I've　seen　in　it。　Lend　me　a　light　to　get　my
clothes　by；　and　tell　me　what　I'm　to　pay。〃

〃Pay！〃　cried　the　landlord；　leading　the　way　with　his　light　sulkily
into　the　bedroom。　〃You'll　find　your　score　on　the　slate　when　you
go　downstairs。　I　wouldn't　have　taken　you　in　for　all　the　money
you've　got　about　you　if　I'd　known　your　dreaming；　screeching　ways
beforehand。　Look　at　the　bed。　Where's　the　cut　of　a　knife　in　it？
Look　at　the　windowis　the　lock　bursted？　Look　at　the　door　（which
I　heard　you　fasten　yourself）is　it　broke　in？　A　murdering　woman
with　a　knife　in　my　house！　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself！〃

Isaac　answered　not　a　word。　He　huddled　on　his　clothes；　and　then
they　went　downstairs　together。

〃Nigh　on　twenty　minutes　past　two！〃　said　the　landlord；　as　they
passed　the　clock。　〃A　nice　time　in　the　morning　to　frighten　honest
people　out　of　their　wits！〃

Isaac　paid　his　bill；　and　the　landlord　let　him　out　at　the　front
door；　asking；　with　a　grin　of　contempt；　as　he　undid　the　strong
fastenings；　whether　〃the　murdering　woman　got　in　that　way。〃

They　parted　without　a　word　on　either　side。　The　rain　had　ceased；
but　the　night　was　dark；　and　the　wind　bleaker　than　ever。　Little
did　the　darkness；　or　the　cold；　or　the　uncertainty　about　the　way
home　matter　to　Isaac。　If　he　had　been　turned　out　into　a　wilderness
in　a　thunder…storm　it　would　have　been　a　relief　after　what　he　had
suffered　in　the　bedroom　of　the　inn。

What　was　the　fair　woman　with　the　knife？　The　creature　of　a　dream；
or　that　other　creature　from　the　unknown　world　called　among　men　by
the　name　of　ghost？　He　could　make　nothing　of　the　mysteryhad　made
nothing　of　it；　even　when　it　was　midday　on　Wednesday；　and　when　he
stood；　at　last；　after　many　times　missing　his　road；　once　more　on
the　doorstep　of　home。

CHAPTER　III。

His　mother　came　out　eagerly　to　receive　him。

His　face　told　her　in　a　moment　that　something　was　wrong。

〃I've　lost　the　place；　but　that's　my　luck。　I　dreamed　an　ill　dream
last　night；　motheror　maybe　I　saw　a　ghost。　Take　it　either　way；
it　scared　me　out　of　my　senses；　and　I'm　not　my　own　man　again　yet。〃

〃Isaac；　your　face　frightens　me。　Come　in　to　the　firecome　in；　and
tell　mother　all　about　it。〃

He　was　as　anxious　to　tell　as　she　was　to　hear；　for　it　had　been　his
hope；　all　the　way　home；　that　his　mother；　with　her　quicker
capacity　and　superior　knowledge；　might　be　able　to　throw　some
light　on　the　mystery　which　he　could　not　clear　up　for　himself。　His
memory　of　the　dream　was　still　mechanically　vivid；　though　his
thoughts　were　entirely　confused　by　it。

His　mother's　face　grew　paler　and　paler　as　he　went　on。　She　never
interrupted　him　by　so　much　as　a　single　word；　but　when　he　had
done；　she　moved　her　chair　close　to　his；　put　her　arm　round　his
neck；　and　said　to　him：

〃Isaac；　you　dreamed　your　ill　dream　on　this　Wednesday　morning。
What　time　was　it　when　you　saw　the　fair　woman　with　the　knife　in
her　hand？〃　Isaac　reflected　on　what　the　landlord　had　said　when
they　had　passed　by　the　clock　on　his　leaving　the　inn；　allowed　as
nearly　as　he　could　for　the　time　that　must　have　elapsed　between
the　unlocking　of　his　bedroom　door　and　the　paying　of　his　bill　just
before　going　away；　and　answered：

〃Somewhere　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

His　mother　suddenly　quitted　her　hold　of　his　neck；　and　struck　her
hands　together　with　a　gesture　of　despair。

〃This　Wednesday　is　your　birthday；　Isaac；　and　two　o'clock　in　the
morning　was　the　time　when　you　were　born。〃

Isaac's　capacities　were　not　quick　enough　to　catch　the　infection
of　his　mother's　superstitious　dread。　He　was　amazed；　and　a　little
startled；　also；　when　she　suddenly　rose　from　her　chair；　opened　her
old　writing…desk；　took　pen；　ink　and　paper；　and　then　said　to　him：

〃Your　memory　is　but　a　poor　one；　Isaac；　and；　now　I'm　an　old　woman；
mine's　not　much　better。　I　want　all　about　this　dream　of　yours　to
be　as　well　known　to　both　of　us；　years　hence；　as　it　is　now。　Tell
me　over　again　all　you　told　me　a　minute　ago；　when　you　spoke　of
what　the　woman　with　the　knife　looked　like。〃

Isaac　obeyed；　and　marveled　much　as　he　saw　his　mother　carefully
set　down　on　paper　the　very　words　that　he　was　saying。

〃Light　gray　eyes；〃　she　wrote；　as　they　came　to　the　descriptive
part；　〃with　a　droop　in　the　left　eyelid；　flaxen　hair；　with　a
gold…yellow　streak　in　it；　white　arms；　with　a　down　upon　them；
little　lady's　hand；　with　a　reddish　look　about　the　finger　nails；
clasp…knife　with　a　buck…horn　handle；　that　seemed　as　good　as　new。〃
To　these　particulars　Mrs。　Scatchard　added　the　year；　month；　day　of
the　week；　and　time　in　the　morning　when　the　woman　of　the　dream
appeared　to　her　son。　She　then　locked　up　the　paper　carefully　in
her　writing…desk。

Neither　on　that　day　nor　on　any　day　after　could　her　son　induce　her
to　return　to　the　matter　of　the　dream。　She　obstinately　kept　her
thoughts　about　it　to　herself；　and　even　refused　to　refer　again　to
the　paper　in　her　writing…desk。　Ere　long　Isaac　grew　weary　of
attempting　to　make　her　break　her　resolute　silence；　and　time；
which　sooner　or　later　wears　out　all　things；　gradually　wore　out
the　impression　produced　on　him　by　the　dream。　He　began　by　thinking
of　it　carelessly；　and　he　ended　by　not　thinking　of　it　at　all。

The　result　was　the　more　easily　brought　about　by　the　advent　of
some　important　changes　for　the　better　in　his　prospects　which
commenced　not　long　after　his　terrible　night's　experience　at　the
inn。　He　reaped　at　last　th　e　reward　of　his　long　and　patient
suffering　under　adversity　by　getting　an　excellent　place；　keeping
it　for　seven　years；　and　leaving　it；　on　the　death　of　his　master；
not　only　with　an　excellent　character；　but　also　with　a　comfortable
annuity　bequeathed　to　him　as　a　reward　for　saving　his　mistress's
life　in　a　carriage　accident。　Thus　it　happened　that　Isaac
Scatchard　returned　to　his　old　mother；　seven　years　after　the　time
of　the　dream　at　the　inn；　with　an　annual　sum　of　money　at　his
disposal　sufficient　to　keep　them　both　in　ease　and　independence
for　the　rest　of　their　lives。

The　mother；　whose　health　had　been　bad　of　late　years；　profited　so
much　by　the　care　bestowed　on　her　and　by　freedom　from　money
anxieties；　that　when　Isaac's　birthday　came　round　she　was　able　to
sit　up　comfortably　at　table　and　dine　with　him。

On　that　day；　as　the　evening　drew　on；　Mrs。　Scatchard　discovered
that　a　bottle　of　tonic　medicine　which　she　was　accustomed　to　take；
and　in　which　she　had　fancied　that　a　dose　or　more　was　still　left；
happened　to　be　empty。　Isaac　immediately　volunteered　to　go　to　the
chemist's　and　get　it　filled　again。　It　was　as　rainy　and　bleak　an
autumn　night　as　on　the　memorable　past　occasion　when　he　lost　his
way　and　slept　at　the　road…side　inn。

On　going　into　the　chemist's　shop　he　was　passed　hurriedly　by　a
poorly…dressed　woman　coming　out　of　it。　The　glimpse　he　had　of　her
face　struck　him；　and　he　looked　back　after　her　as　she　descended
the　door…steps。

〃You're　noticing　that　woman？〃　said　the　chemist's　apprentice
behind　the　counter。　〃It's　my　opinion　there's　something　wrong　with
her。　She's　been　asking　for　laudanum　to　put　to　a　bad　tooth。
Master's　out　for　half　an　hour；　and　I　told　her　I　wasn't　allowed　to
sell　poison　to　strangers　in　his　absence。　She　laughed　in　a　queer
way；　and　said　she　would　come　back　in　half　an　hour。　If　she　expects
master　to　serve　her；　I　think　she'll　be　disappointed。　It's　a　case
of　suicide；　sir；　if　ever　there　was　one　yet。〃

These　words　added　immeasurably　to　the　sudden　interest　in　the
woman　which　Isaac　had　felt　at　the　first　sight　of　her　face。　After
he　had　got　the　medicine…bottle　filled；　he　looked　about　anxiously
for　her　as　soon　as　he　was　out　in　the　street。　She　was　walking
slowly　up　and　down　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road。　With　his
heart；　very　much　to　his　own　surprise；　beating　fast；　Isaac　crossed
over　and　spoke　to　her。

He　asked　if　she　was　in　any　distress。　She　pointed　to　her　torn
shawl；　her　scanty　dress；　her　crushed；　dirty　bonnet；　then　moved
under　a　lamp　so　as　to　let　the　light　fall　on　her　stern；　pale；　but
still　most　beautiful　face。

〃I　look　like　a　comfortable；　happy　woman；　don't　I？〃　she　said；　with
a　bitter　laugh。

She　spoke　with　a　purity　of　intonation　which　Isaac　had　never　heard
before　from　other　than　ladies'　lips。　Her　slightest　actions　seemed
to　have　the　easy；　negligent　grace　of　a　thoroughbred　woman。　Her
skin；　for　all　its　poverty…stricken　paleness；　was　as　delicate　as
if　her　life　had　been　passed　in　the　enjoyment　of　every　social
comfort　that　wealth　can　purchase。　Even　her　small；　finely…shaped
hands；　gloveless　as　they　were；　had　not　lost　their　whiteness。

Little　by　little；　in　answer　to　his　questions；　the　sad　story　of
the　woman　came　out。　There　is　no　need　to　relate　it　here；　it　is
told　over　and　over　again　in　police　reports　and　paragraphs　about
attempted　suicides。

〃My　name　is　Rebecca　Murdoch；〃　said　the　woman；　as　she　ended。　〃I
have　nine…pence　left；　and　I　thought　of　spending　it　at　the
chemist's　over　the　way　in　securing　a　passage　to　the　other　world。
Whatever　it　is；　it　can't　be　worse　to　me　than　this；　so　why　should
I　stop　here？〃

Besides　the　natural　compassion　and　sadness　moved　in　his　heart　by
what　he　heard；　Isaac　felt　within　him　s