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！
fact kind。 Francis Raven had； in my opinion； brooded over the
misty connection between his strange dream and his vile wife； until
his mind was in a state of partial delusion on that subject。 I was
quite willing to help him with a trifle of money； and to recommend
him to the kindness of my lawyer； if he was really in any danger
and wanted advice。 There my idea of my duty toward this afflicted
person began and ended。
Confronted with this sensible view of the matter； Mrs。 Fairbank's
romantic temperament rushed； as usual； into extremes。 〃I should no
more think of losing sight of Francis Raven when his next birthday
comes round；〃 says my wife； 〃than I should think of laying down a
good story with the last chapters unread。 I am positively
determined； Percy； to take him back with us when we return to
France； in the capacity of groom。 What does one man more or less
among the horses matter to people as rich as we are？〃 In this
strain the partner of my joys and sorrows ran on； perfectly
impenetrable to everything that I could say on the side of common
sense。 Need I tell my married brethren how it ended？ Of course I
allowed my wife to irritate me； and spoke to her sharply。
Of course my wife turned her face away indignantly on the conjugal
pillow； and burst into tears。 Of course upon that； 〃Mr。〃 made his
excuses； and 〃Mrs。〃 had her own way。
Before the week was out we rode over to Underbridge； and duly
offered to Francis Raven a place in our service as supernumerary
groom。
At first the poor fellow seemed hardly able to realize his own
extraordinary good fortune。 Recovering himself； he expressed his
gratitude modestly and becomingly。 Mrs。 Fairbank's ready
sympathies overflowed； as usual； at her lips。 She talked to him
about our home in France； as if the worn； gray…headed hostler had
been a child。 〃Such a dear old house； Francis； and such pretty
gardens！ Stables！ Stables ten times as big as your stables here
quite a choice of rooms for you。 You must learn the name of our
houseMaison Rouge。 Our nearest town is Metz。 We are within a
walk of the beautiful River Moselle。 And when we want a change we
have only to take the railway to the frontier； and find ourselves
in Germany。〃
Listening； so far； with a very bewildered face； Francis started and
changed color when my wife reached the end of her last sentence。
〃Germany？〃 he repeated。
〃Yes。 Does Germany remind you of anything？〃
The hostler's eyes looked down sadly on the ground。 〃Germany
reminds me of my wife；〃 he replied。
〃Indeed！ How？〃
〃She once told me she had lived in Germanylong before I knew her…
…in the time when she was a young girl。〃
〃Was she living with relations or friends？〃
〃She was living as governess in a foreign family。〃
〃In what part of Germany？〃
〃I don't remember； ma'am。 I doubt if she told me。〃
〃Did she tell you the name of the family？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 It was a foreign name； and it has slipped my memory
long since。 The head of the family was a wine grower in a large
way of businessI remember that。〃
〃Did you hear what sort of wine he grew？ There are wine growers in
our neighborhood。 Was it Moselle wine？〃
〃I couldn't say； ma'am； I doubt if I ever heard。〃
There the conversation dropped。 We engaged to communicate with
Francis Raven before we left England； and took our leave。 I had
made arrangements to pay our round of visits to English friends；
and to return to Maison Rouge in the summer。 On the eve of
departure； certain difficulties in connection with the management
of some landed property of mine in Ireland obliged us to alter our
plans。 Instead of getting back to our house in France in the
Summer； we only returned a week or two before Christmas。 Francis
Raven accompanied us； and was duly established； in the nominal
capacity of stable keeper； among the servants at Maison Rouge。
Before long； some of the objections to taking him into our
employment； which I had foreseen and had vainly mentioned to my
wife； forced themselves on our attention in no very agreeable form。
Francis Raven failed （as I had feared he would） to get on smoothly
with his fellow…servants。 They were all French； and not one of
them understood English。 Francis； on his side； was equally
ignorant of French。 His reserved manners； his melancholy
temperament； his solitary waysall told against him。 Our servants
called him 〃the English Bear。〃 He grew widely known in the
neighborhood under his nickname。 Quarrels took place； ending once
or twice in blows。 It became plain； even to Mrs。 Fairbank herself；
that some wise change must be made。 While we were still
considering what the change was to be； the unfortunate hostler was
thrown on our hands for some time to come by an accident in the
stables。 Still pursued by his proverbial ill…luck； the poor
wretch's leg was broken by a kick from a horse。
He was attended to by our own surgeon； in his comfortable bedroom
at the stables。 As the date of his birthday drew near； he was
still confined to his bed。
Physically speaking； he was doing very well。 Morally speaking； the
surgeon was not satisfied。 Francis Raven was suffering under some
mysterious mental disturbance； which interfered seriously with his
rest at night。 Hearing this； I thought it my duty to tell the
medical attendant what was preying on the patient's mind。 As a
practical man； he shared my opinion that the hostler was in a state
of delusion on the subject of his Wife and his Dream。 〃Curable
delusion； in my opinion；〃 the surgeon added； 〃if the experiment
could be fairly tried。〃
〃How can it be tried？〃 I asked。 Instead of replying； the surgeon
put a question to me； on his side。
〃Do you happen to know；〃 he said； 〃that this year is Leap Year？〃
〃Mrs。 Fairbank reminded me of it yesterday；〃 I answered。
〃Otherwise I might NOT have known it。〃
〃Do you think Francis Raven knows that this year is Leap Year？〃
（I began to see dimly what my friend was driving at。）
〃It depends；〃 I answered； 〃on whether he has got an English
almanac。 Suppose he has NOT got the almanacwhat then？〃
〃In that case；〃 pursued the surgeon； 〃Francis Raven is innocent of
all suspicion that there is a twenty…ninth day in February this
year。 As a necessary consequencewhat will he do？ He will
anticipate the appearance of the Woman with the Knife； at two in
the morning of the twenty…ninth of February； instead of the first
of March。 Let him suffer all his superstitious terrors on the
wrong day。 Leave him； on the day that is really his birthday； to
pass a perfectly quiet night； and to be as sound asleep as other
people at two in the morning。 And then； when he wakes comfortably
in time for his breakfast； shame him out of his delusion by telling
him the truth。〃
I agreed to try the experiment。 Leaving the surgeon to caution
Mrs。 Fairbank on the subject of Leap Year； I went to