she-第3章
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what was in the sealed iron chest？
The whole thing baffled and puzzled me to such an
extent that at last I could stand it no longer； and
determined to sleep over it； So I jumped up； and
having put the keys and the letter that Vincey had
left away into my despatch…box； and stowed the iron
chest in a large portmanteau； I turned in； and was
soon fast asleep。
As it seemed to me； I had only been asleep for a few
minutes when I was awakened by somebody calling me。 I
sat up and rubbed my eyes； it was broad daylight
eight o'clock； in fact。
〃Why； what is the matter with you； John？〃 I asked of
the gyp who waited on Vincey and myself。 〃You look as
though you had seen a ghost！〃'
〃Yes； sir； and so I have；〃 he answered； 〃leastways
I've seen a corpse； which is worse。 I've been in to
call Mr。 Vincey； as usual； and there he lies stark and
dead！〃
CHAPTER II
THE YEARS ROLL BY
OF course； poor Vincey's sudden death created a great
stir in the college； but； as he was known to be very
ill； and a satisfactory doctor's certificate was
forthcoming； there was no inquest。 They were not so
particular about inquests in those days as they are
now； indeed； they were generally disliked； as causing
a scandal。 Under all these circumstances； as I was
asked no questions； I did not feel called upon to
volunteer any information about our interview of the
night of Vincey's decease； beyond saying that he had
come into my rooms to see me； as he often did。 On the
day of the funeral a lawyer came down from London and
followed my poor friend's remains to the grave； and
then went back with his papers and effects； except； of
course； the iron chest which had been left in my
keeping。 For a week after this I heard no more of the
matter； and； indeed； my attention was amply occupied
in other ways； for I was up for my Fellowship； a fact
that had prevented me from attending the funeral or
seeing the lawyer。 At last； however； the examination
was over； and I came back to my rooms and sank into an
easy…chair with a happy consciousness that I had got
through it very fairly。
Soon； however； my thoughts； relieved of the pressure
that had crushed them into a single groove during the
last few days； turned to the events of the night of
poor Vincey's death； and again I asked myself what it
all meant； and wondered if I should hear anything more
of the matter； and if I did not； what it would be my
duty to do with the curious iron chest。 I sat there
and thought and thought till I began to grow quite
disturbed over the whole occurrence： the mysterious
midnight visit； the prophecy of death so shortly to be
fulfilled； the solemn oath that I had taken； and which
Vincey had called on me to answer to in another world
than this。 Had the man committed suicide？ It looked
like it。 And what was the quest of which he spoke？ The
circumstances were almost uncanny； so much so that；
though I am by no means nervous； or apt to be alarmed
at anything that may seem to cross the bounds of the
natural； I grew afraid； and began to wish I had had
nothing to do with it。 How much more do I wish it now；
over twenty years afterwards！
As I sat and thought； there was a knock at the door；
and a letter； in a big blue envelope； was brought in
to me。 I saw at a glance that it was a lawyer's
letter； and an instinct told me that it was connected
with my trust。 The letter； which； I still have； runs
thus：
〃Sir；Our client； the late M。 L。 Vincey； Esq。； who
died on the 9th instant in … College； Cambridge； has
left behind him a will； of which you will please find
copy enclosed； and of which we are the executors。 By
this will you will perceive that you take a life…
interest in about half of the late Mr。 Vincey's
property； now invested in consols； subject to your
acceptance of the guardianship of his only son； Leo
Vincey； at present an infant； aged five。 Had we not
ourselves drawn up the document in question in
obedience to Mr。 Vincey's clear and precise
instructions； both personal and written； and had he
not then assured us that he had very good reasons for
what he was doing； we are bound to tell you that its
provisions seem to us of so unusual a nature that we
should have felt bound to call the attention of the
Court of Chancery to them； in order that such steps
might be taken as seemed desirable to it； either by
contesting the capacity of the testator or otherwise；
to safeguard the interests of the infant。 As it is；
knowing that the testator was a gentleman of the
highest intelligence and acumen； and that he has
absolutely no relations living to whom he could have
confided the guardianship of the child； we do not feel
justified in taking this course。
〃Awaiting such instructions as you please to send us
as regards the delivery of the infant and the payment
of the proportion of the dividends due to you；
〃We remain； sir； faithfully yours；
〃GEOFFREY & JORDAN。〃
I put down the letter； and ran my eye through the
will； which appeared； from its utter
unintelligibility； to have been drawn on the strictest
legal principles。 So far as I could discover； however；
it exactly bore out what my friend had told me on the
night of his death。 So it was true after all。 I must
take the boy。 Suddenly I remembered the letter which
he had left with the chest。 I fetched it and opened
it。 It only contained such directions as he had
already given to me as to opening the chest on Leo's
twenty…fifth birthday； and laid down the outlines of
the boy's education； which was to include Greek； the
higher mathematics； and Arabic。 At the bottom there
was a postscript to the effect that if the boy died
under the age of twenty…five； which； however； he did
not believe would be the case； I was to open the
chest； and act on the information I obtained if I saw
fit。 If I did not see fit； I was to destroy all the
contents。 On no account pass them on to a stranger。
As this letter added nothing material to my knowledge；
and certainly raised no further objection in my mind
to undertaking the task I had promised my dead friend
to undertake； there was only one course open to me
namely； to write to Messrs。 Geoffrey & Jordan； and
express my readiness to enter on the trust； stating
that I should be willing to commence my guardianship
of Leo in ten days' time。 This done I proceeded to the
authorities of my college； and； having told them as
much of the story as I considered desirable； which was
not very much； after considerable difficulty succeeded
in persuading them to stretch a point； and； in the
event of my having obtained a fellowship； which I was
pretty certain I had done； allow me to have the child
to live with me。 Their consent； however； was only
granted on the condition that I vacated my rooms in
college and took lodgings。 This I did； and with some
difficulty succeeded in obtaining very good apartments
quite close to the college gates。 The next thing was
to find a nurse。 And on this point I came to a
determination。 I would have no woman to lord it over
me about the child； and steal his affections from me。
The boy was old enough to do without female
assistance； so I set to work to hunt up a suitable
male attendant。 With some difficulty I succeeded in
hiring a most respectable round…faced young man； who
had been a helper in a hunting…stable； but who said
that he was one of a family of seventeen and well
accustomed to the ways of children； and professed
himself quite willing to undertake the charge of
Master Leo when he arrived。 Then； having taken the
iron box to town； and with my own hands deposited it
at my banker's； I bought some books upon the health
and management of children； and read them； first to
myself； and then aloud to Jobthat was the young
man's nameand waited。
At length the child arrived in the charge of an
elderly person； who wept bitterly at parting with him；
and a beautiful boy he was。 Indeed； I do not think
that I ever saw such a perfect child before or since。
His eyes were gray； his forehead broad； and his face；
even at that early age； clean cut a
