robert falconer-第122章

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between　Major　Moray　and　Miss　Hamilton。'



'Do　not　suppose；　Mr。　Falconer；　that　I　could　not　meet　Major　Moray's

honesty　with　equal　openness　on　my　side。'



Falconer；　for　the　first　time　almost　in　his　life；　was　incapable　of

speech　from　bewilderment。　　But　Miss　Hamilton　did　not　in　the　least

enjoy　his　perplexity；　and　made　haste　to　rescue　both　him　and　herself。

With　a　blush　that　was　now　deep　as　any　rose；　she　resumed；



'But　I　owe　you　equal　frankness；　Mr。　Falconer。　　There　is　no　barrier

between　Major　Moray　and　myself　but　the　foolishno；

wickedindiscretion　of　an　otherwise　innocent　and　ignorant　girl。

Listen；　Mr。　Falconer：　under　the　necessity　of　the　circumstances　you

will　not　misjudge　me　if　I　compel　myself　to　speak　calmly。　　This；　I

trust；　will　be　my　final　penance。　　I　thought　Lord　Rothie　was　going　to

marry　me。　　To　do　him　justice；　he　never　said　so。　　Make　what　excuse

for　my　folly　you　can。　　I　was　lost　in　a　mist　of　vain　imaginations。　　I

had　had　no　mother　to　teach　me　anything；　Mr。　Falconer；　and　my　father

never　suspected　the　necessity　of　teaching　me　anything。　　I　was　very

ill　on　the　passage　to　Antwerp；　and　when　I　began　to　recover　a　little；

I　found　myself　beginning　to　doubt　both　my　own　conduct　and　his

lordship's　intentions。　　Possibly　the　fact　that　he　was　not　quite　so

kind　to　me　in　my　illness　as　I　had　expected；　and　that　I　felt　hurt　in

consequence；　aided　the　doubt。　　Then　the　thought　of　my　father

returning　and　finding　that　I　had　left　him；　came　and　burned　in　my

heart　like　fire。　　But　what　was　I　to　do？　　I　had　never　been　out　of

Aberdeen　before。　　I　did　not　know　even　a　word　of　French。　　I　was

altogether　in　Lord　Rothie's　power。　　I　thought　I　loved　him；　but　it

was　not　much　of　love　that　sea…sickness　could　get　the　better　of。

With　a　heart　full　of　despair　I　went　on　shore。　　The　captain　slipped

a　note　into　my　hand。　　I　put　it　in　my　pocket；　but　pulled　it　out　with

my　handkerchief　in　the　street。　　Lord　Rothie　picked　it　up。　　I　begged

him　to　give　it　me；　but　he　read　it；　and　then　tore　it　in　pieces。　　I

entered　the　hotel；　as　wretched　as　girl　could　well　be。　　I　began　to

dislike　him。　　But　during　dinner　he　was　so　kind　and　attentive　that　I

tried　to　persuade　myself　that　my　fears　were　fanciful。　　After　dinner

he　took　me　out。　　On　the　stairs　we　met　a　lady　whose　speech　was

Scotch。　　Her　maid　called　her　Lady　Janet。　　She　looked　kindly　at　me　as

I　passed。　　I　thought　she　could　read　my　face。　　I　remembered

afterwards　that　Lord　Rothie　turned　his　head　away　when　we　met　her。

We　went　into　the　cathedral。　　We　were　standing　under　that　curious

dome；　and　I　was　looking　up　at　its　strange　lights；　when　down　came　a

rain　of　bell…notes　on　the　roof　over　my　head。　　Before　the　first　tune

was　over；　I　seemed　to　expect　the　second；　and　then　the　third；　without

thinking　how　I　could　know　what　was　coming；　but　when　they　ended　with

the　ballad　of　the　Witch　Lady；　and　I　lifted　up　my　head　and　saw　that　I

was　not　by　my　father's　fireside；　but　in　Antwerp　Cathedral　with　Lord

Rothie；　despair　filled　me　with　a　half…insane　resolution。　　Happily

Lord　Rothie　was　at　some　little　distance　talking　to　a　priest　about

one　of　Rubens's　pictures。　　I　slipped　unseen　behind　the　nearest

pillar；　and　then　flew　from　the　church。　　How　I　got　to　the　hotel　I　do

not　know；　but　I　did　reach　it。　'Lady　Janet；'　was　all　I　could　say。

The　waiter　knew　the　name；　and　led　me　to　her　room。　　I　threw　myself

on　my　knees；　and　begged　her　to　save　me。　　She　assured　me　no　one

should　touch　me。　　I　gasped　'Lord　Rothie；'　and　fainted。　　When　I　came

to　myselfbut　I　need　not　tell　you　all　the　particulars。　　Lady　Janet

did　take　care　of　me。　　Till　last　night　I　never　saw　Lord　Rothie　again。

I　did　not　acknowledge　him；　but　he　persisted　in　talking　to　me；

behave　as　I　would；　and　I　saw　well　enough　that　he　knew　me。'



Falconer　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



'Thank　God；'　he　said。　'That　spire　was　indeed　the　haunt　of　angels　as

I　fancied　while　I　played　upon　those　bells。'



'I　knew　it　was　youthat　is；　I　was　sure　of　it　when　I　came　to　think

about　it；　but　at　the　time　I　took　it　for　a　direct　message　from

heaven；　which　nobody　heard　but　myself。'



'It　was　such　none　the　less　that　I　was　sent　to　deliver　it；'　said

Falconer。　'I　little　thought　during　my　imprisonment　because　of　it；

that　the　end　of　my　journey　was　already　accomplished。'



Mysie　put　her　hand　in　his。



'You　have　saved　me；　Mr。　Falconer。'



'For　Ericson's　sake；　who　was　dying　and　could　not；'　returned

Falconer。



'Ah！'　said　Mysie；　her　large　eyes　opening　with　wonder。　　It　was

evident　she　had　had　no　suspicion　of　his　attachment　to　her。



'But；'　said　Falconer；　'there　was　another　in　it；　without　whom　I　could

have　done　nothing。'



'Who　was　that？'



'George　Moray。'



'Did　he　know　me　then？'



'No。　Fortunately　not。　　You　would　not　have　looked　at　him　then。　　It

was　all　done　for　love　of　me。　　He　is　the　truest　fellow　in　the　world；

and　altogether　worthy　of　you；　Miss　Hamilton。　　I　will　tell　you　the

whole　story　some　day；　lest　he　should　not　do　himself　justice。'



'Ah；　that　reminds　me。　　Hamilton　sounds　strange　in　your　voice。　　You

suspected　me　of　having　changed　my　name　to　hide　my　history？'



It　was　so；　and　Falconer's　silence　acknowledged　the　fact。



'Lady　Janet　brought　me　home；　and　told　my　father　all。　　When　he　died　a

few　years　after；　she　took　me　to　live　with　her；　and　never　rested　till

she　had　brought　me　acquainted　with　Sir　John　Hamilton；　in　favour　of

whom　my　father　had　renounced　his　claim　to　some　disputed　estates。

Sir　John　had　lost　his　only　son；　and　he　had　no　daughter。　　He　was　a

kind…hearted　old　man；　rather　like　my　own　father。　　He　took　to　me；　as

they　say；　and　made　me　change　my　name　to　his；　leaving　me　the　property

that　might　have　been　my　father's；　on　condition　that　whoever　I

married　should　take　the　same　name。　　I　don't　think　your　friend　will

mind　making　the　exchange；'　said　Mysie　in　conclusion；　as　the　door

opened　and　Shargar　came　in。



'Robert；　ye're　a'　gait　（everywhere）！'　he　exclaimed　as　he　entered。

Then；　stopping　to　ask　no　questions；　'Ye　see　I'm　to　hae　a　name　o'　my

ain　efter　a'；'　he　said；　with　a　face　which　looked　even　handsome　in

the　light　of　his　gladness。



Robert　shook　hands　with　him；　and　wished　him　joy　heartily。



'Wha　wad　hae　thocht　it；　Shargar；'　he　added；　'that　day　'at　ye　pat

bonnets　for　hose　upo'　Black　Geordie's　huves？'



The　butler　announced　the　Marquis　of　Boarshead。　　Mysie's　eyes

flashed。　　She　rose　from　her　seat；　and　advanced　to　meet　the　marquis；

who　entered　behind　the　servant。　　He　bowed　and　held　out　his　hand。

Mysie　retreated　one　step；　and　stood。



'Your　lordship　has　no　right　to　force　yourself　upon　me。　　You　must

have　seen　that　I　had　no　wish　to　renew　the　acquaintance　I　was　unhappy

enough　to　formnow；　thank　God；　many　years　ago。'



'Forgive　me；　Miss　Hamilton。　　One　word　in　private；'　said　the　marquis。



'Not　a　word；'　returned　Mysie。



'Before　these　gentlemen；　then；　whom　I　have　not　the　honour　of

knowing；　I　offer　you　my　hand。'



'To　accept　that　offer　would　be　to　wrong　myself　even　more　than　your

lordship　has　done。'



She　went　back　to　where　Moray　was　standing；　and　stood　beside　him。

The　evil　spirit　in　the　marquis　looked　out　at　its　windows。



'You　are　aware；　madam；'　he　said；　'that　your　reputation　is　in　the

hand　I　offer　you？'



'The　worse　for　it；　my　lord；'　returned　Mysie；　with　a　scornful　smile。

'But　your　lordship's　brother　will　protect　it。'



'My　brother！'　said　the　marquis。　'What　do　you　mean？　　I　have　no

brother！'



'Ye　hae　mair　brithers　than　ye　ken　o'；　Lord　Sandy；　and　I'm　ane　o'

them；'　said　Shargar。



'You　are　either　a　liar　or　a　bastard；　then；'　said　the　marquis；　who

had　not　been　brought　up　in　a　school　of　which　either　self…restraint

or　respect　for　women　were　prominent　characteristics。



Falconer　forgot　himself　for　a　moment；　and　made　a　stride　forward。



'Dinna　hit　him；　Robert；'　cried　Shargar。　'He　ance　gae　me　a　shillin'；

an'　it　helpit；　as　ye　ken；　to　haud　me　alive　to　face　him　this　day。No

liar；　my　lord；　but　a　bastard；　thank　heaven。'　　Then；　with　a　laugh；　he