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！
eum？
〃Good…afternoon； Doctor Allday。〃
〃Good…afternoon； sir。〃
For a moment after Alban's departure； the doctor stood irresolute。 Arriving suddenly at a decision； he snatched up his hat； and turned to Emily in a hurry。
〃I bring you news； my dear； which will surprise you。 Who do you think has just left my house？ Mrs。 Ellmother！ Don't interrupt me。 She has made up her mind to go out to service again。 Tired of leading an idle lifethat's her own account of itand asks me to act as her reference。〃
〃Did you consent？〃
〃Consent！ If I act as her reference； I shall be asked how she came to leave her last place。 A nice dilemma！ Either I must own that she deserted her mistress on her deathbedor tell a lie。 When I put it to her in that way； she walked out of the house in dead silence。 If she applies to you next； receive her as I didor decline to see her； which would be better still。〃
〃Why am I to decline to see her？〃
〃In consequence of her behavior to your aunt； to be sure！ No： I have said all I wanted to sayand I have no time to spare for answering idle questions。 Good…by。〃
Socially…speaking； doctors try the patience of their nearest and dearest friends； in this respectthey are almost always in a hurry。 Doctor Allday's precipitate departure did not tend to soothe Emily's irritated nerves。 She began to find excuses for Mrs。 Ellmother in a spirit of pure contradiction。 The old servant's behavior might admit of justification： a friendly welcome might persuade her to explain herself。 〃If she applies to me；〃 Emily determined； 〃I shall certainly receive her。〃
Having arrived at this resolution； her mind reverted to Alban。
Some of the sharp things she had said to him； subjected to after…reflection in solitude； failed to justify themselves。 Her better sense began to reproach her。 She tried to silence that unwelcome monitor by laying the blame on Alban。 Why had he been so patient and so good？ What harm was there in his calling her 〃Emily〃？ If he had told her to call _him_ by his Christian name； she might have done it。 How noble he looked； when he got up to go away； he was actually handsome！ Women may say what they please and write what they please： their natural instinct is to find their master in a manespecially when they like him。 Sinking lower and lower in her own estimation； Emily tried to turn the current of her thoughts in another direction。 She took up a bookopened it； looked into it； threw it across the room。
If Alban had returned at that moment； resolved on a reconciliationif he had said； 〃My dear； I want to see you like yourself again； will you give me a kiss； and make it up〃would he have left her crying； when he went away？ She was crying now。
CHAPTER XXVII。
MENTOR AND TELEMACHUS。
If Emily's eyes could have followed Alban as her thoughts were following him； she would have seen him stop before he reached the end of the road in which the cottage stood。 His heart was full of tenderness and sorrow： the longing to return to her was more than he could resist。 It would be easy to wait； within view of the gate； until the doctor's visit came to an end。 He had just decided to go back and keep watchwhen he heard rapid footsteps approaching。 There （devil take him！） was the doctor himself。
〃I have something to say to you； Mr。 Morris。 Which way are you walking？〃
〃Any way；〃 Alban answerednot very graciously。
〃Then let us take the turning that leads to my house。 It's not customary for strangers； especially when they happen to be Englishmen； to place confidence in each other。 Let me set the example of violating that rule。 I want to speak to you about Miss Emily。 May I take your arm？ Thank you。 At my age； girls in generalunless they are my patientsare not objects of interest to me。 But that girl at the cottageI daresay I am in my dotageI tell you； sir； she has bewitched me！ Upon my soul； I could hardly be more anxious about her； if I was her father。 And； mind； I am not an affectionate man by nature。 Are you anxious about her too？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃In what way？〃
〃In what way are you anxious； Doctor Allday？〃
The doctor smiled grimly。
〃You don't trust me？ Well； I have promised to set the example。 Keep your mask on； sirmine is off； come what may of it。 But； observe： if you repeat what I am going to say〃
Alban would hear no more。 〃Whatever you may say； Doctor Allday； is trusted to my honor。 If you doubt my honor； be so good as to let go my armI am not walking your way。〃
The doctor's hand tightened its grasp。 〃That little flourish of temper； my dear sir； is all I want to set me at my ease。 I feel I have got hold of the right man。 Now answer me this。 Have you ever heard of a person named Miss Jethro？〃
Alban suddenly came to a standstill。
〃All right！〃 said the doctor。 〃I couldn't have wished for a more satisfactory reply。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Alban interposed。 〃I know Miss Jethro as a teacher at Miss Ladd's school； who left her situation suddenlyand I know no more。〃
The doctor's peculiar smile made its appearance again。
〃Speaking in the vulgar tone；〃 he said； 〃you seem to be in a hurry to wash your hands of Miss Jethro。〃
〃I have no reason to feel any interest in her；〃 Alban replied。
〃Don't be too sure of that； my friend。 I have something to tell you which may alter your opinion。 That ex…teacher at the school； sir； knows how the late Mr。 Brown met his death； and how his daughter has been deceived about it。〃
Alban listened with surpriseand with some little doubt； which he thought it wise not to acknowledge。
〃The report of the inquest alludes to a 'relative' who claimed the body；〃 he said。 〃Was that 'relative' the person who deceived Miss Emily？ And was the person her aunt？〃
〃I must leave you to take your own view；〃 Doctor Allday replied。 〃A promise binds me not to repeat the information that I have received。 Setting that aside； we have the same object in viewand we must take care not to get in each other's way。 Here is my house。 Let us go in； and make a clean breast of it on both sides。〃
Established in the safe seclusion of his study； the doctor set the example of confession in these plain terms：
〃We only differ in opinion on one point；〃 he said。 〃We both think it likely （from our experience of the women） that the suspected murderer had an accomplice。 I say the guilty person is Miss Jethro。 You sayMrs。 Rook。〃
〃When you have read my copy of the report；〃 Alban answered； 〃I think you will arrive at my conclusion。 Mrs。 Rook might have entered the outhouse in which the two men slept； at any time during the night； while her husband was asleep。 The jury believed her when she declared that she never woke till the morning。 I don't。〃
〃I am open to conviction； Mr。 Morris。 Now about the future。 Do you mean to go on with your inquiries？〃
〃Even if I had no other motive than mere curiosity；〃 Alban answered； 〃I think I should go on。 But I have a more urgent purpose in view。 All that I have done thus far； has been done in Emily's interests。 My object； from the first； has been to preserve her from any associationin the past or in the futurewith the woman whom I believe to have been concerned in her father's death。 As I have already told you； she is innocently doing all she can； poor