a ride across palestine-第8部分

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unfortunate　young　woman　from　further　misery。〃

〃If　it　be　as　you　say；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃by　the　honour　of　a　gentleman〃

〃I　care　nothing　for　the　honour　of　a　gentleman　till　I　see　it　proved。
Be　good　enough　to　inform　me；　sir；　whether　Miss　Weston　is　in　this
house。〃

For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　but　I　saw　at　once　that　I　should　make
myself　responsible　for　certain　mischief；　of　which　I　was　at　any　rate
hitherto　in　truth　innocent；　if　I　allowed　myself　to　become　a　party　to
concealing　a　young　lady。　　Up　to　this　period　I　could　at　any　rate
defend　myself；　whether　my　defence　were　believed　or　not　believed。　　I
still　had　a　hope　that　the　charming　Julia　might　have　escaped　through
the　window；　and　a　feeling　that　if　she　had　done　so　I　was　not
responsible。　　When　I　turned　the　lock　I　turned　it　on　Smith。

For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　and　then　walked　slowly　across　the　yard　and
opened　the　door。　　〃Sir　William；〃　I　said；　as　I　did　so；　〃I　travelled
here　with　a　companion　dressed　as　a　man；　and　I　believed　him　to　be
what　he　seemed　till　this　minute。〃

〃Sir！〃　said　Sir　William；　with　a　look　of　scorn　in　his　face　which　gave
me　the　lie　in　my　teeth　as　plainly　as　any　words　could　do。　　And　then
he　entered　the　room。　　The　Pole　was　standing　in　one　corner；
apparently　amazed　at　what　was　going　on；　and　Smith；I　may　as　well
call　her　Miss　Weston　at　once；　for　the　baronet's　statement　was　true；…
…was　sitting　on　a　sort　of　divan　in　the　corner　of　the　chamber　hiding
her　face　in　her　hands。　　She　had　made　no　attempt　at　an　escape；　and　a
full　explanation　was　therefore　indispensable。　　For　myself　I　own　that
I　felt　ashamed　of　my　part　in　the　play；ashamed　even　of　my　own
innocency。　　Had　I　been　less　innocent　I　should　certainly　have
contrived　to　appear　much　less　guilty。　　Had　it　occurred　to　me　on　the
banks　of　the　Jordan　that　Smith　was　a　lady；　I　should　not　have
travelled　with　her　in　her　gentleman's　habiliments　from　Jerusalem　to
Jaffa。　　Had　she　consented　to　remain　under　my　protection；　she　must
have　done　so　without　a　masquerade。

The　uncle　stood　still　and　looked　at　his　niece。　　He　probably
understood　how　thoroughly　stern　and　disagreeable　was　his　own　face；
and　considered　that　he　could　punish　the　crime　of　his　relative　in　no
severer　way　than　by　looking　at　her。　　In　this　I　think　he　was　right。
But　at　last　there　was　a　necessity　for　speaking。　　〃Unfortunate　young
woman！〃　he　said；　and　then　paused。

〃We　had　better　get　rid　of　the　landlord；〃　I　said；　〃before　we　come　to
any　explanation。〃　　And　I　motioned　to　the　man　to　leave　the　room。
This　he　did　very　unwillingly；　but　at　last　he　was　gone。

〃I　fear　that　it　is　needless　to　care　on　her　account　who　may　hear　the
story　of　her　shame；〃　said　Sir　William。　　I　looked　at　Miss　Weston；　but
she　still　sat　hiding　her　face。　　However；　if　she　did　not　defend
herself；　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　defend　both　her　and　me。

〃I　do　not　know　how　far　I　may　be　at　liberty　to　speak　with　reference
to　the　private　matters　of　yourself　or　of　youryour　niece；　Sir
William　Weston。　　I　would　not　willingly　interfere〃

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃your　interference　has　already　taken　place。　　Will
you　have　the　goodness　to　explain　to　me　what　are　your　intentions　with
regard　to　that　lady？〃

My　intentions！　　Heaven　help　me！　　My　intentions；　of　course；　were　to
leave　her　in　her　uncle's　hands。　　Indeed；　I　could　hardly　be　said　to
have　formed　any　intention　since　I　had　learned　that　I　had　been
honoured　by　a　lady's　presence。　　At　this　moment　I　deeply　regretted
that　I　had　thoughtlessly　stated　to　her　that　I　was　an　unmarried　man。
In　doing　so　I　had　had　no　object。　　But　at　that　time　〃Smith〃　had　been
quite　a　stranger　to　me；　and　I　had　not　thought　it　necessary　to
declare　my　own　private　concerns。　　Since　that　I　had　talked　so　little
of　myself　that　the　fact　of　my　family　at　home　had　not　been　mentioned。
〃Will　you　have　the　goodness　to　explain　what　are　your　intentions　with
regard　to　that　lady？〃　said　the　baronet。

〃Oh；　Uncle　William！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Weston；　now　at　length　raising
her　head　from　her　hands。

〃Hold　your　peace；　madam；〃　said　he。　　〃When　called　upon　to　speak；　you
will　find　your　words　with　difficulty　enough。　　Sir；　I　am　waiting　for
an　answer　from　you。〃

〃But；　uncle；　he　is　nothing　to　me；the　gentleman　is　nothing　to　me！〃

〃By　the　heavens　above　us；　he　shall　be　something；　or　I　will　know　the
reason　why！　　What！　he　has　gone　off　with　you；　he　has　travelled
through　the　country　with　you；　hiding　you　from　your　only　natural
friend；　he　has　been　your　companion　for　weeks〃

〃Six　days；　sir；〃　said　I。

〃Sir！〃　said　the　baronet；　again　giving　me　the　lie。　　〃And　now；〃　he
continued；　addressing　his　niece；　〃you　tell　me　that　he　is　nothing　to
you。　　He　shall　give　me　his　promise　that　he　will　make　you　his　wife　at
the　consulate　at　Alexandria；　or　I　will　destroy　him。　　I　know　who　he
is。〃

〃If　you　know　who　I　am；〃　said　I；　〃you　must　know〃

But　he　would　not　listen　to　me。　　〃And　as　for　you；　madam；　unless　he
makes　me　that　promise〃　　And　then　he　paused　in　his　threat；　and；
turning　round；　looked　me　in　the　face。　　I　saw　that　she　also　was
looking　at　me；　though　not　openly　as　he　did；　and　some　flattering
devil　that　was　at　work　round　my　heart；　would　have　persuaded　that　she
also　would　have　heard　a　certain　answer　given　without　dismay；would
even　have　received　comfort　in　her　agony　from　such　an　answer。　　But
the　reader　knows　how　completely　that　answer　was　out　of　my　power。

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　ground　for　supposing；〃　said　I；　〃that　the
lady　would　accede　to　such　an　arrangement；if　it　were　possible。　　My
acquaintance　with　her　has　been　altogether　confined　to。　　To　tell
the　truth；　I　have　not　been　in　Miss　Weston's　confidence；　and　have
only　taken　her　for　that　which　she　has　seemed　to　be。〃

〃Sir！〃　said　the　baronet；　again　looking　at　me　as　though　he　would
wither　me　on　the　spot　for　my　falsehood。

〃It　is　true！〃　said　Julia；　getting　up　from　her　seat；　and　appealing
with　clasped　hands　to　her　uncle〃as　true　as　Heaven。〃

〃Madam！〃　said　he；　〃do　you　both　take　me　for　a　fool？〃

〃That　you　should　take　me　for　one；〃　said　I；　〃would　be　very　natural。
The　facts　are　as　we　state　to　you。　　Miss　Weston；as　I　now　learn　that
she　is；did　me　the　honour　of　calling　at　my　hotel；　having　heard〃
And　then　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　I　were　attempting　to　screen
myself　by　telling　the　story　against　her；　so　I　was　again　silent。
Never　in　my　life　had　I　been　in　a　position　of　such　extraordinary
difficulty。　　The　duty　which　I　owed　to　Julia　as　a　woman；　and　to　Sir
William　as　a　guardian；　and　to　myself　as　the　father　of　a　family；　all
clashed　with　each　other。　　I　was　anxious　to　be　generous；　honest；　and
prudent；　but　it　was　impossible；　so　I　made　up　my　mind　to　say　nothing
further。

〃Mr。　Jones；〃　said　the　baronet；　〃I　have　explained　to　you　the　only
arrangement　which　under　the　present　circumstances　I　can　permit　to
pass　without　open　exposure　and　condign　punishment。　　That　you　are　a
gentleman　by　birth；　education；　and　position　I　am　aware；〃whereupon
I　raised　my　hat；　and　then　he　continued：　　〃That　lady　has　three
hundred　a　year　of　her　own〃

〃And　attractions；　personal　and　mental；　which　are　worth　ten　times　the
money；〃　said　I；　and　I　bowed　to　my　fair　friend；　who　looked　at　me　the
while　with　sad　beseeching　eyes。　　I　confess　that　the　mistress　of　my
bosom；　had　she　known　my　thoughts　at　that　one　moment；　might　have　had
cause　for　anger。

〃Very　well；〃　continued　he。　　〃Then　the　proposal　which　I　name；　cannot；
I　imagine；　but　be　satisfactory。　　If　you　will　make　to　her　and　to　me
the　only　amends　which　it　is　in　your　power　as　a　gentleman　to　afford；
I　will　forgive　all。　　Tell　me　that　you　will　make　her　your　wife　on
your　arrival　in　Egypt。〃

I　would　have　given　anything　not　to　have　looked　at　Miss　Weston　at
this　moment；　but　I　could　not　help　it。　　I　did　turn　my　face　half　round
to　her　before　I　answered；　and　then　felt　that　I　had　been　cruel　in
doing　so。　　〃Sir　William；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　at　home　already　a　wife　and
family　of　my　own。〃

〃It　is　not　true！〃　said　he；　retreating　a　step；　and　staring　at　me　with
amazement。

〃There　is　something；　sir；〃　I　replied；　〃in　the　unprecedented
circumstances　of　this　meeting；　and　in　your　position　with　regard　to
that　lady；　which；　joined　to　your　advanced　age；　will　enable　me　to
regard　that　useless　insult　as　unspoken。　　I　am　a　married　man。　　There
is　the　signature　of　my　wife's　last　letter；〃　and　I　handed　him　one
which　I　had　received　as　I　was　leaving　Jerusalem。

But　the　coarse　violent　contradiction　which　Sir　William　had　given　me
was　nothing　compared　with　the　reproach　conveyed　in　Miss　Weston's
countenance。　　She　looked　at　me　as　though　all　her　anger　were　now
turned　against　me。　　And　yet；　methought；　there　was　more　of　sorrow
than　of　resentment　in　her　countenance。　　But　what　cause　was　there　for
either？　　Why　should　I　be　reproached；　even　by　her　look？　　She　did　not
remember　at　the　moment　that　when　I　answered　her　chance　question　as
to　my　domestic　affairs；　I　had　answered　it　as　to　a　man　who　was　a
stranger　to　me；　and　not　as　to　a　beautiful　woman；　with　whom　I　was
about　to　pass　certain　days　in　close　and　intimate　society。　　To　her；
at　the　moment；　it　seemed　as　though　I　had　cruelly　deceived　her。　　In
truth；　the　one　person　really　deceived　had　been　myself。

And　here　I　must　explain；　on　behalf　of　the　lady；　that　when　she　first
joined　me　she　had　no　other　view　than　that　of　seeing　the　banks　of　the
Jordan　in　that　guise　which　she　had　chosen　to　assume；　in　order　to
escape　from　the　solemnity　and　austerity　of　a　disagreeable　relative。
She　had　been　very　foolish；　and　that　was　all。　　I　take　it　that　she　had
first　left　her　uncle　at　Constantinople；　but　on　this　point　I　never
got　certain　information。　　Afterwards；　while　we　were　travelling
together；　the　idea　had　come　upon　her；　that　she　might　go　on　as　far　as
Alexandria　with　me。　　And　then　I　know　nothing　further　of　the　lady's
intentions；　but　I　am　certain　that　her　wishes　were　good　and　pure。
Her　uncle　had　been　intolerable　to　her；　and　she　had　fled　from　him。
Such　had　been　her　offence；　and　no　more。

〃Then；　sir；〃　said　the　baronet；　giving　me　back　my　letter；　〃you　must
be　a　double…dyed　villain。〃

〃And　you；　sir；〃　said　I　…。　　But　here　Julia　Weston　interrupted　me。

〃Uncle；　you　altogether　wrong　this　gentleman；〃　she　said。　　〃He　has
been　kind　to　me　beyond　my　power　of　words　to　express；　but；　till　told
by　you；　he　knew　nothing　of　my　secret。　　Nor　would　he　have　known　it；〃
she　added；