marjorie daw-第4部分

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manner；　and　that　I　cannot　reproduce。　Perhaps　it　was　of　a　piece　with
the　strangeness　of　this　whole　business；　that　she　should　tacitly
acknowledge　to　a　third　party　the　love　she　feels　for　a　man　she　has
never　beheld！　But　I　have　lost；　through　your　aid；　the　faculty　of
being　surprised。　I　accept　things　as　people　do　in　dreams。　Now　that　I
am　again　in　my　room；　it　all　appears　like　an　illusionthe　black
masses　of　Rembrandtish　shadow　under　the　trees；　the　fireflies
whirling　in　Pyrrhic　dances　among　the　shrubbery；　the　sea　over　there；
Marjorie　sitting　on　the　hammock！

It　is　past　midnight；　and　I　am　too　sleepy　to　write　more。

Thursday　Morning。

My　father　has　suddenly　taken　it　into　his　head　to　spend　a　few　days
at　the　Shoals。　In　the　meanwhile　you　will　not　hear　from　me。　I　see
Marjorie　walking　in　the　garden　with　the　colonel。　I　wish　I　could
speak　to　her　alone；　but　shall　probably　not　have　an　opportunity
before　we　leave。


X。

EDWARD　DELANEY　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

August　28；　1872。

You　were　passing　into　your　second　childhood；　were　you？　Your
intellect　was　so　reduced　that　my　epistolary　gifts　seemed　quite
considerable　to　you；　did　they？　I　rise　superior　to　the　sarcasm　in
your　favor　of　the　11th　instant；　when　I　notice　that　five　days'
silence　on　my　part　is　sufficient　to　throw　you　into　the　depths　of
despondency。

We　returned　only　this　morning　from　Appledore；　that　enchanted　island
at　four　dollars　per　day。　I　find　on　my　desk　three　letters　from
you！　Evidently　there　is　no　lingering　doubt　in　your　mind　as　to　the
pleasure　I　derive　from　your　correspondence。　These　letters　are
undated；　but　in　what　I　take　to　be　the　latest　are　two　passages　that
require　my　consideration。　You　will　pardon　my　candor；　dear　Flemming；
but　the　conviction　forces　itself　upon　me　that　as　your　leg　grows
stronger　your　head　becomes　weaker。　You　ask　my　advice　on　a　certain
point。　I　will　give　it。　In　my　opinion　you　could　do　nothing　more
unwise　that　to　address　a　note　to　Miss　Daw；　thanking　her　for　the
flower。　It　would；　I　am　sure；　offend　her　delicacy　beyond　pardon。　She
knows　you　only　through　me；　you　are　to　her　an　abstraction；　a　figure
in　a　dreama　dream　from　which　the　faintest　shock　would　awaken　her。
Of　course；　if　you　enclose　a　note　to　me　and　insist　on　its　delivery；
I　shall　deliver　it；　but　I　advise　you　not　to　do　so。

You　say　you　are　able；　with　the　aid　of　a　cane；　to　walk　about　your
chamber；　and　that　you　purpose　to　come　to　The　Pines　the　instant
Dillon　thinks　you　strong　enough　to　stand　the　journey。　Again　I
advise　you　not　to。　Do　you　not　see　that；　every　hour　you　remain　away；
Marjorie's　glamour　deepens；　and　your　influence　over　her　increases？
You　will　ruin　everything　by　precipitancy。　Wait　until　you　are
entirely　recovered；　in　any　case；　do　not　come　without　giving　me
warning。　I　fear　the　effect　of　your　abrupt　advent　hereunder　the
circumstances。

Miss　Daw　was　evidently　glad　to　see　us　back　again；　and　gave　me　both
hands　in　the　frankest　way。　She　stopped　at　the　door　a　moment　this
afternoon　in　the　carriage；　she　had　been　over　to　Rivermouth　for　her
pictures。　Unluckily　the　photographer　had　spilt　some　acid　on　the
plate；　and　she　was　obliged　to　give　him　another　sitting。　I　have　an
intuition　that　something　is　troubling　Marjorie。　She　had　an
abstracted　air　not　usual　with　her。　However；　it　may　be　only　my
fancy。　。　。　。　I　end　this；　leaving　several　things　unsaid；　to
accompany　my　father　on　one　of　those　long　walks　which　are　now　his
chief　medicineand　mine！


XI。

EDWARD　DELANY　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

August　29；　1972。

I　write　in　great　haste　to　tell　you　what　has　taken　place　here　since
my　letter　of　last　night。　I　am　in　the　utmost　perplexity。　Only　one
thing　is　plainyou　must　not　dream　of　coming　to　The　Pines。　Marjorie
has　told　her　father　everything！　I　saw　her　for　a　few　minutes；　an
hour　ago；　in　the　garden；　and；　as　near　as　I　could　gather　from　her
confused　statement；　the　facts　are　these：　Lieutenant　Bradlythat's
the　naval　officer　stationed　at　Rivermouthhas　been　paying　court　to
Miss　Daw　for　some　time　past；　but　not　so　much　to　her　liking　as　to
that　of　the　colonel；　who　it　seems　is　an　old　fiend　of　the　young
gentleman's　father。　Yesterday　（I　knew　she　was　in　some　trouble　when
she　drove　up　to　our　gate）　the　colonel　spoke　to　Marjorie　of　Bradly
urged　his　suit；　I　infer。　Marjorie　expressed　her　dislike　for　the
lieutenant　with　characteristic　frankness；　and　finally　confessed　to
her　fatherwell；　I　really　do　not　know　what　she　confessed。　It　must
have　been　the　vaguest　of　confessions；　and　must　have　sufficiently
puzzled　the　colonel。　At　any　rate；　it　exasperated　him。　I　suppose　I
am　implicated　in　the　matter；　and　that　the　colonel　feels　bitterly
towards　me。　I　do　not　see　why：　I　have　carried　no　messages　between
you　and　Miss　Daw；　I　have　behaved　with　the　greatest　discretion。　I
can　find　no　flaw　anywhere　in　my　proceeding。　I　do　not　see　that
anybody　has　done　anythingexcept　the　colonel　himself。

It　is　probable；　nevertheless；　that　the　friendly　relations　between
the　two　houses　will　be　broken　off。　〃A　plague　o'　both　your　houses；〃
say　you。　I　will　keep　you　informed；　as　well　as　I　can；　of　what　occurs
over　the　way。　We　shall　remain　here　until　the　second　week　in
September。　Stay　where　you　are；　or；　at　all　events；　do　not　dream　of
joining　me。。。。Colonel　Daw　is　sitting　on　the　piazza　looking　rather
wicked。　I　have　not　seen　Marjorie　since　I　parted　with　her　in　the
garden。


XII。

EDWARD　DELANEY　TO　THOMAS　DILLON；　M。D。；　MADISON
SQUARE；　NEW　YORK。

August　30；　1872。

My　Dear　Doctor：　If　you　have　any　influence　over　Flemming；　I　beg　of
you　to　exert　it　to　prevent　his　coming　to　this　place　at　present。
There　are　circumstances；　which　I　will　explain　to　you　before　long；
that　make　it　of　the　first　importance　that　he　should　not　come　into
this　neighborhood。　His　appearance　here；　I　speak　advisedly；　would　be
disastrous　to　him。　In　urging　him　to　remain　in　New　York；　or　to　go　to
some　inland　resort；　you　will　be　doing　him　and　me　a　real　service。　Of
course　you　will　not　mention　my　name　in　this　connection。　You　know　me
well　enough；　my　dear　doctor；　to　be　assured　that；　in　begging　your
secret　cooperation；　I　have　reasons　that　will　meet　your　entire
approval　when　they　are　made　plain　to　you。　We　shall　return　to　town
on　the　15th　of　next　month；　and　my　first　duty　will　be　to　present
myself　at　your　hospitable　door　and　satisfy　your　curiosity；　if　I
have　excited　it。　My　father；　I　am　glad　to　state；　has　so　greatly
improved　that　he　can　no　longer　be　regarded　as　an　invalid。　With
great　esteem；　I　am；　etc。；　etc。


XIII。

EDWARD　DELANEY　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

August　31；　1872。

Your　letter；　announcing　your　mad　determination　to　come　here；　has
just　reached　me。　I　beseech　you　to　reflect　a　moment。　The　step　would
be　fatal　to　your　interests　and　hers。　You　would　furnish　just　cause
for　irritation　to　R。　W。　D。；　and；　though　he　loves　Marjorie
devotedly；　he　is　capable　of　going　to　any　lengths　if　opposed。　You
would　not　like；　I　am　convinced；　to　be　the　means　of　causing　him　to
treat　her　with　severity。　That　would　be　the　result　of　your　presence
at　The　Pines　at　this　juncture。　I　am　annoyed　to　be　obliged　to　point
out　these　things　to　you。　We　are　on　very　delicate　ground；　Jack；　the
situation　is　critical；　and　the　slightest　mistake　in　a　move　would
cost　us　the　game。　If　you　consider　it　worth　the　winning；　be　patient。
Trust　a　little　to　my　sagacity。　Wait　and　see　what　happens。　Moreover；
I　understand　from　Dillon　that　you　are　in　no　condition　to　take　so
long　a　journey。　He　thinks　the　air　of　the　coast　would　be　the　worst
thing　possible　for　you；　that　you　ought　to　go　inland；　if　anywhere。
Be　advised　by　me。　Be　advised　by　Dillon。


XIV。

TELEGRAMS。
September　1；　1872。

1。　…　TO　EDWARD　DELANEY。

Letter　received。　Dillon　be　hanged。　I　think　I　ought　to　be　on　the
ground。
J。　F。

2。　…　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

Stay　where　you　are。　You　would　only　complicated　matters。　Do　not　move
until　you　hear　from　me。
E。　D。

3。　…　TO　EDWARD　DELANEY。

My　being　at　The　Pines　could　be　kept　secret。　I　must　see　her。
J。　F。

4。　…　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

Do　not　think　of　it。　It　would　be　useless。　R。　W。　D。　has　locked　M。　in
her　room。　You　would　not　be　able　to　effect　and　interview。
E。　D。

5。　…　TO　EDWARD　DELANEY。

Locked　her　in　her　room。　Good　God。　That　settles　the　question。　I
shall　leave　by　the　twelve…fifteen　express。
J。　F。


XV。

THE　ARRIVAL。

On　the　second　day　of　September；　1872；　as　the　down　express；　due　at
3。40；　left　the　station　at　Hampton；　a　young　man；　leaning　on　the
shoulder　of　a　servant；　whom　he　addressed　as　Watkins；　stepped　from
the　platform　into　a　hack；　and　requested　to　be　driven　to　〃The
Pines。〃　On　arriving　at　the　gate　of　a　modest　farm…house；　a　few　miles
from　the　station；　the　young　man　descended　with　difficulty　from　the
carriage；　and；　casting　a　hasty　glance　across　the　road；　seemed　much
impressed　by　some　peculiarity　in　the　landscape。　Again　leaning　on
the　shoulder　of　the　person　Watkins；　he　walked　to　the　door　of　the
farm…house　and　inquired　for　Mr。　Edward　Delaney。　He　was　informed　by
the　aged　man　who　answered　his　knock；　that　Mr。　Edward　Delaney　had
gone　to　Boston　the　day　before；　but　that　Mr。　Jonas　Delaney　was
within。　This　information　did　not　appear　satisfactory　to　the
stranger；　who　inquired　if　Mr。　Edward　Delaney　had　left　any　message
for　Mr。　John　Flemming。　There　was　a　letter　for　Mr。　Flemming　if　he
were　that　person。　After　a　brief　absence　the　aged　man　reappeared
with　a　Letter。


XVI。

EDWARD　DELANEY　TO　JOHN　FLEMMING。

September　1；　1872。

I　am　horror…stricken　at　what　I　have　done！　When　I　began　this
correspondence　I　had　no　other　purpose　than　to　relieve　the　tedium　of
your　sick…chamber。　Dillon　told　me　to　cheer　you　up。　I　tried　to。　I
thought　that　you　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　thing。　I　had　no
idea；　until　within　a　few　days；　that　you　were　taking　matters　au
grand　serieux。

What　can　I　say？　I　am　in　sackcloth　and　ashes。　I　am　a　pariah；　a　dog
of　an　outcast。　I　tried　to　make　a　little　romance　to　interest　you；
something　soothing　and　idyllic；　and；　by　Jove！　I　have　done　it　only
too　well！　My　father　doesn't　know　a　word　of　this；　so　don't　jar　the
old　gentleman　any　more　than　you　can　help。　I　fly　from　the　wrath　to
comewhen　you　arrive！　For　oh；　dear　Jack；　there　isn't　any　piazza；
there　isn't　any　hammockthere　isn't　any　Marjorie　Daw！





The　End