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！
a little cap with pink ribbons； and a maroon dressing…jacket； daintily fulled
at the neck and sleeves。
〃My dear friend；〃 said she as he entered； 〃I wish to make a last few
remarks to you。 No； no；〃 she continued； laughing； as she saw a look of
dismay upon his face。 〃I shall not dream of dying for at least another
thirty years。 A woman should be ashamed to die before she is seventy。
I wish； Clara； that you would ask your father to step up。 And you； Ida；
just pass me my cigarettes； and open me a bottle of stout。〃
〃Now then；〃 she continued； as the doctor joined their party。 〃I don't
quite know what I ought to say to you； Admiral。 You want some very
plain speaking to。〃
〃'Pon my word； ma'am； I don't know what you are talking about。〃
〃The idea of you at your age talking of going to sea； and leaving that
dear； patient little wife of yours at home； who has seen nothing of you all
her life！ It's all very well for you。 You have the life； and the change；
and the excitement； but you don't think of her eating her heart out in a
dreary London lodging。 You men are all the same。〃
〃Well； ma'am； since you know so much； you probably know also that I
have sold my pension。 How am I to live if I do not turn my hand to
work？〃
109
… Page 110…
BEYOND THE CITY
Mrs。 Westmacott produced a large registered envelope from beneath
the sheets and tossed it over to the old seaman。
〃That excuse won't do。 There are your pension papers。 Just see if
they are right。〃
He broke the seal； and out tumbled the very papers which he had made
over to McAdam two days before。
〃But what am I to do with these now？〃 he cried in bewilderment。
〃You will put them in a safe place； or get a friend to do so； and； if you
do your duty； you will go to your wife and beg her pardon for having even
for an instant thought of leaving her。〃
The Admiral passed his hand over his rugged forehead。 〃This is very
good of you； ma'am〃 said he； 〃very good and kind； and I know that you
are a staunch friend； but for all that these papers mean money； and though
we may have been in broken water lately； we are not quite in such straits
as to have to signal to our friends。 When we do； ma'am； there's no one
we would look to sooner than to you。〃
〃Don't be ridiculous！〃 said the widow。 〃You know nothing whatever
about it； and yet you stand there laying down the law。 I'll have my way
in the matter； and you shall take the papers； for it is no favor that I am
doing you； but simply a restoration of stolen property。〃
〃How that； ma'am？〃
〃I am just going to explain； though you might take a lady's word for it
without asking any questions。 Now； what I am going to say is just
between you four； and must go no farther。 I have my own reasons for
wishing to keep it from the police。 Who do you think it was who struck
me last night； Admiral？〃
〃Some villain； ma'am。 I don't know his name。〃
〃But I do。 It was the same man who ruined or tried to ruin your son。
It was my only brother； Jeremiah。〃
〃Ah！〃
〃I will tell you about himor a little about him； for he has done much
which I would not care to talk of； nor you to listen to。 He was always a
villain； smooth…spoken and plausible； but a dangerous； subtle villain all the
same。 If I have some hard thoughts about mankind I can trace them back
110
… Page 111…
BEYOND THE CITY
to the childhood which I spent with my brother。 He is my only living
relative； for my other brother； Charles's father； was killed in the Indian
mutiny。
〃Our father was rich； and when he died he made a good provision both
for Jeremiah and for me。 He knew Jeremiah and he mistrusted him；
however； so instead of giving him all that he meant him to have he handed
me over a part of it； telling me； with what was almost his dying breath； to
hold it in trust for my brother； and to use it in his behalf when he should
have squandered or lost all that he had。 This arrangement was meant to
be a secret between my father and myself； but unfortunately his words
were overheard by the nurse； and she repeated them afterwards to my
brother； so that he came to know that I held some money in trust for him。
I suppose tobacco will not harm my head； Doctor？ Thank you； then I
shall trouble you for the matches； Ida。〃 She lit a cigarette； and leaned
back upon the pillow； with the blue wreaths curling from her lips。
〃I cannot tell you how often he has attempted to get that money from
me。 He has bullied； cajoled； threatened； coaxed； done all that a man
could do。 I still held it with the presentiment that a need for it would
come。 When I heard of this villainous business； his flight； and his
leaving his partner to face the storm； above all that my old friend had been
driven to surrender his income in order to make up for my brother's
defalcations； I felt that now indeed I had a need for it。 I sent in Charles
yesterday to Mr。 McAdam； and his client； upon hearing the facts of the
case； very graciously consented to give back the papers； and to take the
money which he had advanced。 Not a word of thanks to me； Admiral。 I
tell you that it was very cheap benevolence； for it was all done with his
own money； and how could I use it better？
〃I thought that I should probably hear from him soon； and I did。 Last
evening there was handed in a note of the usual whining； cringing tone。
He had come back from abroad at the risk of his life and liberty； just in
order that he might say good…bye to the only sister he ever had； and to
entreat my forgiveness for any pain which he had caused me。 He would
never trouble me again； and he begged only that I would hand over to him
the sum which I held in trust for him。 That； with what he had already；
111
… Page 112…
BEYOND THE CITY
would be enough to start him as an hones