登陆注册
15540800000034

第34章 LET AT LAST(3)

"If you desire it,ma'am,"said Trottle,with a gentleness of manner that I had never noticed in him before."But pray don't think me wanting in duty and right feeling,if I beg you to try and wait a little.You are agitated already,and a first meeting with the child will not help to make you so calm,as you would wish to be,if Mr.Forley's messenger comes.The little boy is safe up-stairs.

Pray think first of trying to compose yourself for a meeting with a stranger;and believe me you shall not leave the house afterwards without the child."I felt that Trottle was right,and sat down as patiently as I could in a chair he had thoughtfully placed ready for me.I was so horrified at the discovery of my own relation's wickedness that when Trottle proposed to make me acquainted with the confession wrung from Barsham and his mother,I begged him to spare me all details,and only to tell me what was necessary about George Forley.

"All that can be said for Mr.Forley,ma'am,is,that he was just scrupulous enough to hide the child's existence and blot out its parentage here,instead of consenting,at the first,to its death,or afterwards,when the boy grew up,to turning him adrift,absolutely helpless in the world.The fraud has been managed,ma'am,with the cunning of Satan himself.Mr.Forley had the hold over the Barshams,that they had helped him in his villany,and that they were dependent on him for the bread they eat.He brought them up to London to keep them securely under his own eye.He put them into this empty house (taking it out of the agent's hands previously,on pretence that he meant to manage the letting of it himself);and by keeping the house empty,made it the surest of all hiding places for the child.Here,Mr.Forley could come,whenever he pleased,to see that the poor lonely child was not absolutely starved;sure that his visits would only appear like looking after his own property.Here the child was to have been trained to believe himself Barsham's child,till he should be old enough to be provided for in some situation,as low and as poor as Mr.Forley's uneasy conscience would let him pick out.He may have thought of atonement on his death-bed;but not before--I am only too certain of it--not before!"A low,double knock startled us.

"The messenger!"said Trottle,under his breath.He went out instantly to answer the knock;and returned,leading in a respectable-looking elderly man,dressed like Trottle,all in black,with a white cravat,but otherwise not at all resembling him.

"I am afraid I have made some mistake,"said the stranger.

Trottle,considerately taking the office of explanation into his own hands,assured the gentleman that there was no mistake;mentioned to him who I was;and asked him if he had not come on business connected with the late Mr.Forley.Looking greatly astonished,the gentleman answered,"Yes."There was an awkward moment of silence,after that.The stranger seemed to be not only startled and amazed,but rather distrustful and fearful of committing himself as well.

Noticing this,I thought it best to request Trottle to put an end to further embarrassment,by stating all particulars truthfully,as he had stated them to me;and I begged the gentleman to listen patiently for the late Mr.Forley's sake.He bowed to me very respectfully,and said he was prepared to listen with the greatest interest.

It was evident to me--and,I could see,to Trottle also--that we were not dealing,to say the least,with a dishonest man.

"Before I offer any opinion on what I have heard,"he said,earnestly and anxiously,after Trottle had done,"I must be allowed,in justice to myself,to explain my own apparent connection with this very strange and very shocking business.I was the confidential legal adviser of the late Mr.Forley,and I am left his executor.Rather more than a fortnight back,when Mr.Forley was confined to his room by illness,he sent for me,and charged me to call and pay a certain sum of money here,to a man and woman whom Ishould find taking charge of the house.He said he had reasons for wishing the affair to be kept a secret.He begged me so to arrange my engagements that I could call at this place either on Monday last,or to-day,at dusk;and he mentioned that he would write to warn the people of my coming,without mentioning my name (Dalcott is my name),as he did not wish to expose me to any future importunities on the part of the man and woman.I need hardly tell you that this commission struck me as being a strange one;but,in my position with Mr.Forley,I had no resource but to accept it without asking questions,or to break off my long and friendly connection with my client.I chose the first alternative.Business prevented me from doing my errand on Monday last--and if I am here to-day,notwithstanding Mr.Forley's unexpected death,it is emphatically because I understood nothing of the matter,on knocking at this door;and therefore felt myself bound,as executor,to clear it up.That,on my word of honour,is the whole truth,so far as Iam personally concerned."

"I feel quite sure of it,sir,"I answered.

同类推荐
  • Eothen

    Eothen

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 滋溪文稿

    滋溪文稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 昌吉县呼图壁乡土志

    昌吉县呼图壁乡土志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 毗尼日用切要

    毗尼日用切要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 小儿食癖门

    小儿食癖门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 我们不说话这样站着就很美好

    我们不说话这样站着就很美好

    连载题材暖萌类记事小说,类似窗前的小豆豆,内容讲述一对刚结婚不久却意外迎来从天而降的小宝贝儿引发的一系列令人捧腹的故事逗逼夫妇的逗逼生活,在懵懂的新世界里,匪夷所思,稀奇古怪的事情也一应的出现,令人费解却也真实存在,科学能解释的,科学不能解释的,你经历过吗?比如你和身边的人做了同样的梦,孩童跟你说他记得从前的事,到底怎么回事,迥异奇幻却有真实冷幽默的风格,喜欢天马行空额想象还是真实发生的事,有悬疑有温情有幽默
  • 民间异闻录

    民间异闻录

    因为和几个美女玩了一个游戏,我的脸上被烙上了人脸地图,这张图是一切恐怖事情的开端……
  • 太虚仙尊

    太虚仙尊

    今世得造化,巅峰还会远吗?登上界巅,体悟天道,终悟道果。而这一切,不过是刚刚开始。
  • 亿万首席缠上身:老婆,你被潜了

    亿万首席缠上身:老婆,你被潜了

    她就是一届平凡的学生,怀揣着自己的梦想来到这里,可不想,居然睡了s省最有权有势的男人,事后留下38元逃走了。再相遇,他逼着她和他领了证,结了婚。新婚夜:他把她再一次吃抹干净。“说好的宠咧?”“360度无死角得宠,老婆,你还想用那个姿势。”实在忍受不了了“北冥寒,我要和你离婚。”他挑眉道“那就先喂饱我再说。”他虎躯一震,她娇躯一颤,床塌了。【绝对的宠文,不虐。】
  • 峡中行

    峡中行

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 域外仙途

    域外仙途

    {仙侠流}我站在茫茫星域,凝望最初的你。此生寻找亲人,甘为阶下囚。我站在蓝蓝天空,呼唤远方的你。此生刀光剑影,一心向故乡。
  • 英雄联盟:杀神再起

    英雄联盟:杀神再起

    一代杀神,号称人屠的武安君,转世化为再起,他也玩《无名》网游了,《无名》网游就是能够招募英雄联盟的英雄参战,再起招募了大天使凯尔,于是横扫网游界,坑杀四十万算什么,这一次我一定要坑杀全世界,然而他却在《无名》中遇到了成为NPC的秦始皇,顿时事情扑朔迷离……
  • 往事如风

    往事如风

    2033年,维斯当政的成功修改宪法,并提出“欲取龙朔,先取西南;欲取西南,先取C市”的战略,加快对龙朔战争准备。龙朔的有识之士,觉察到维斯的狼子野心,战争准备也在无声中展开....当烽烟散尽,将军沉沉睡去,再不醒来,只留下红颜泪尽,把朱唇贴向冰冷的雕像;壮士远去,身影一步步消失在隐隐青山悠悠碧水....
  • 宠物小精灵小仙灵奇幻口袋之旅

    宠物小精灵小仙灵奇幻口袋之旅

    小仙灵无意中来到一个神秘的地方,没错就是口袋世界!遇到了在口袋世界里自称是父亲的空羽博士和妹妹小仙贝,从父亲空羽博士口中知道了自己是空羽博士的失散多年的儿子,为了找到神秘人解开身世之谜,为了成为小精灵大师和小精灵协调训练家,而带着妹妹小仙贝和小磊、小伊,一起旅游踏上口袋世界冠军之路............................
  • 我体内有恶魔

    我体内有恶魔

    一个不慎被一个恶魔附身,周清不得不投靠恶魔,和恶魔合作。原本以为投靠恶魔会给自己带来一些好处,却没想到那是一个被满世界神魔追杀的恶魔。周清:“你还能再坑爹一些吗?”恶魔:“努力吧!奋斗吧!投靠恶魔的少年!推倒越多妹子,就能少奋斗好多年!”于是,周清不得不朝着伟大的奋斗目标前进!