The Thirteenth Tale-第49章

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ched　me　as　i　brushed　the　bits　of　broken　twig　and　dead　leaves　from　my　sleeves　and　shoulders。

‘inside？“　i　suggested；　and　he　was　more　than　happy　to　concur。

mr。　drake　hadn’t　been　able　to　trace　hester　for　me。　on　the　other　hand；　i　had　found　emmeline。

。。！



THE　ETERNAL　TWILIGHT

？小说、网
in　my　study　i　transcribed；　in　the　garden　i　wandered；　in　my　bedroom　i　stroked　the　cat　and　held　off　my　nightmares　by　staying　awake。　the　moonlit　night　when　i　had　seen　emmeline　appear　in　the　garden　seemed　like　a　dream　to　me　now；　for　the　sky　had　closed　in　again；　and　we　were　immersed　once　more　in　the　endless　twilight。

with　the　deaths　of　the　missus　and　now　john…the…dig；　an　additional　chill　crept　into　miss　winter’s　story。　was　it　emmeline—that　alarming　figure　in　the　garden—who　had　tampered　with　the　ladder？　i　could　only　wait　and　let　the　story　reveal　itself。　meanwhile；　with　december　waxing；　the　shadow　hovering　at　my　window　grew　always　more　intense。　her　closeness　repelled　me；　her　distance　broke　my　heart；　every　sight　of　her　evoked　in　me　the　familiar　bination　of　fear　and　longing。

i　got　to　the　library　in　advance　of　miss　winter—morning　or　afternoon　or　evening；　i　don’t　know；　they　were　all　the　same　by　now—and　stood　by　the　window　to　wait。　my　pale　sister　pressed　her　fingers　to　mine；　trapped　me　in　her　imploring　gaze；　misted　the　glass　with　her　cool　breath。　i　only　had　to　break　the　glass；　and　i　could　join　her。

‘whatever　are　you　looking　at？“　came　miss　winter’s　voice　behind　me。

slowly　i　turned。

‘sit　down；“　she　barked　at　me。　then；　”judith；　put　another　log　on　the　fire；　would　you；　and　then　bring　this　girl　something　to　eat。“　i　sat　down。

judith　brought　cocoa　and　toast。　miss　winter　continued　her　story　while　i　sipped　at　the　hot　cocoa。

‘i’ll　help　you；“　he　said。　but　what　could　he　do？　he　was　just　a　boy。

i　got　him　out　of　the　way。　i　sent　him　to　fetch　dr。　maudsley；　and　while　he　was　gone　i　made　strong；　sweet　tea　and　drank　a　potful。　i　thought　hard　thoughts　and　i　thought　them　quickly。　by　the　time　i　was　at　the　dregs；　the　prick　of　tears　had　quite　retreated　from　my　eyes。　it　was　time　for　action。

by　the　time　the　boy　returned　with　the　doctor；　i　was　ready。　the　moment　i　heard　their　steps　approaching　the　house；　i　turned　the　corner　to　meet　them。

‘emmeline；　poor　child！“　the　doctor　exclaimed　as　he　came　near；　hand　outstretched　in　a　sympathetic　gesture；　as　though　to　embrace　me。

i　took　a　step　back；　and　he　halted。　“emmeline？”　in　his　eyes；　uncertainty　flared。　adeline？　it　was　not　possible。　it　could　not　be。　the　name　died　on　his　lips。　“forgive　me；”　he　stammered。　but　still　he　did　not　know。

i　did　not　help　him　out　of　his　confusion。　instead　i　cried。

not　real　tears。　my　real　tears—and　i　had　plenty　of　them；　believe　me—were　all　stored　up。　sometime；　tonight　or　tomorrow　or　sometime　soon；　i　did　not　exactly　know　when；　i　would　be　alone　and　i　would　cry　for　hours。　for　john。　for　me。　i　would　cry　out　loud；　shrieking　my　tears；　the　way　i　used　to　cry　as　a　little　girl　when　only　john　could　soothe　me；　stroking　my　hair　with　hands　that　smelled　of　tobacco　and　the　garden。　hot；　ugly　tears　they　would　be；　and　when　the　end　came—if　it　came—　my　eyes　would　be　so　puffed　up　i　would　have　only　red…rimmed　slits　to　see　out　of。

but　those　were　private　tears；　and　not　for　this　man。　the　tears　i　gratified　him　with　were　fake　ones。　ones　to　set　off　my　green　eyes　the　way　diamonds　set　off　emeralds。　and　it　worked。　if　you　dazzle　a　man　with　green　eyes；　he　will　be　so　hypnotized　that　he　won’t　notice　there　is　someone　inside　the　eyes　spying　on　him。

‘i’m　afraid　there’s　nothing　i　can　do　for　mr。　digence；“　he　said；　rising　from　beside　the　body。

it　was　odd　to　hear　john’s　real　name。

‘however　did　it　happen？“　he　looked　up　at　the　balustrade　where　john　had　been　working；　then　bent　over　the　ladder。　”did　the　safety　catch　fail？“

i　could　look　at　the　corpse　without　emotion；　almost。　“might　he　have　slipped？”　i　wondered　aloud。　“did　he　grab　at　the　ladder　as　he　fell　and　bring　it　down　after　him？”

‘no　one　saw　him　fall？“

‘our　rooms　are　at　the　other　side　of　the　house；　and　the　boy　was　in　the　vegetable　garden。“　the　boy　stood　slightly　apart　from　us；　looking　away　from　the　body。

‘hmm。　there　is　no　family；　i　seem　to　remember。“

‘he　always　lived　quite　alone。“

‘i　see。　and　where　is　your　uncle？　why　is　he　not　here　to　meet　me？“

i　had　no　idea　what　john　had　told　the　boy　about　our　situation。　i　had　to　play　it　by　ear。

with　a　sob　to　my　voice；　i　told　the　doctor　that　my　uncle　had　gone　away。

‘away！“　the　doctor　frowned。

the　boy　did　not　react。　nothing　to　surprise　him　so　far；　then。　he　stood　looking　at　his　feet　so　as　not　to　look　at　the　corpse；　and　i　had　time　to　think　him　a　sissy　before　going　on　to　say；　“my　uncle　won’t　be　back　for　a　few　days。”

‘how　many　days？“

‘oh！　now；　when　was　it　exactly　he　went　away…　？“　i　frowned　and　made　a　little　pretense　of　counting　back　the　days。　then；　allowing　my　eyes　to　rest　on　the　corpse；　i　let　my　knees　quiver。

the　doctor　and　the　boy　both　leaped　to　my　side；　taking　an　elbow　each。

‘all　right。　later；　my　dear；　later。“

i　permitted　them　to　lead　me　around　the　house　toward　the　kitchen　door。

‘i　don’t　know　exactly　what　to　do！“　i　said　as　we　rounded　the　corner。

‘about　what；　exactly？“

‘the　funeral。“

‘you　don’t　need　to　do　anything。　i　will　arrange　the　undertakers；　and　the　vicar　will　take　care　of　the　rest。“

‘but　what　about　the　money？“

‘your　uncle　will　settle　that　when　he　returns。　where　is　he；　by　the　way？

‘but　what　if　he　should　be　delayed？“

‘you　think　it　likely　he　will　be　delayed？“

‘he’s　an…　unpredictable　man。“

‘indeed。“　the　boy　opened　the　kitchen　door；　and　the　doctor　guided　me　in　and　pulled　out　a　chair。　i　collapsed　into　it。

‘the　solicitor　will　sort　out　anything　that　needs　doing；　if　it　es　to　it。　now；　where　is　your　sister？　does　she　know　what’s　happened？“

i　didn’t　bat　an　eyelid。　“she　is　sleeping。”

‘just　as　well。　let　her　sleep；　perhaps；　eh？“

i　nodded。

‘now；　who　can　look　after　you　while　you’re　on　your　own　here；　then？“

‘look　after　us？“

‘you　can　hardly　stay　here　on　your　own…　not　after　this。　it　was　rash　of　your　uncle　to　leave　you　in　the　first　place　so　soon　after　losing　your　housekeeper　and　without　finding　a　replacement。　someone　must　e。“

‘is　it　really　necessary？“　i　was　all　tears　and　green　eyes；　emmeline　wasn’t　the　only　one　who　knew　how　to　be　womanly。

‘well；　surely　you—“

‘it’s　just　that　the　last　time　someone　came　to　take　care　of　us—　you　do　remember　our　governess；　don’t　you？“　and　i　flashed　him　a　look　so　mean　and　so　quick　he　could　hardly　believe　he’d　seen　it。　he　had　the　grace　to　blush　and　looked　away。　when　he　looked　back；　i　was　nothing　but　emeralds　and　diamonds　again。

the　boy　cleared　his　throat。　“my　grandmother　could　e　and　look　in；　sir。　not　to　stay　like；　but　she　could　e　every　day；　just　for　a　bit。”

dr。　maudsley；　disconcerted；　considered。　it　was　a　way　out；　and　he　was　looking　for　a　way　out。

‘well；　ambrose；　i　think　that　would　be　the　ideal　arrangement。　in　the　short　term；　at　least。　and　no　doubt　your　uncle　will　be　back　in　a　very　few　days；　in　which　case　there　will　be　no　need；　as　you　say；　to；　her；　to—“

‘indeed。“　i　rose　smoothly　from　my　chair。　”so　if　you　will　see　to　the　undertakers；　i　will　see　the　vicar。“　i　held　out　my　hand。　”thank　you　for　ing　so　quickly。“

the　man　had　lost　his　footing　entirely。　he　rose　to　his　feet　at　my　prompt；　and　i　felt　the　brief　touch　of　his　fingers　in　mine。　they　were　sweaty。

once　again　he　searched　in　my　face　for　my　name。　adeline　or　emmeline？　emmeline　or　adeline？　he　took　the　only　way　out。　“i’m　sorry　about　mr。　digence。　truly　i　am；　miss　march。”

‘thank　you；　doctor。“　and　i　hid　my　smile　behind　a　veil　of　tears。

dr。　maudsley　nodded　at　the　boy　on　his　way　out　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。

now　for　the　boy　himself。

i　waited　for　the　doctor　to　get　away；　then　opened　the　door　and　invited　the　boy　to　go　through　it。　“by　the　way；”　i　said　as　he　reached　the　threshold；　in　a　voice　that　showed　i　was　mistress　of　the　house；　“there’s　no　need　for　your　grandmother　to　e　in。”

he　gave　me　a　curious　look。　here　was　one　who　saw　the　green　eyes　and　the　girl　inside　them。

‘just　as　well；“　he　said　with　a　casual　touch　to　the　brim　of　his　cap；　”since　i　haven’t　got　a　grandmother。“

‘i’ll　help　you；“　he　had　said；　but　he　was　only　a　boy。　he　did　know　how　to　drive　a　car；　though。

the　next　day　he　drove　us　to　the　solicitor　in　banbury；　i　beside　him　and　emmeline　behind。　after　a　quarter　of　an　hour　waiting　under　the　eye　of　a　receptionist；　we　were　finally　asked　into　mr。　lomax’s　office。　he　looked　at　emmeline　and　he　looked　at　me　and　he　said；　“no　need　to　ask　who　you　two　are。”

‘we’re　in　something　of　a　quandary；“　i　explained。　”my　uncle　is　absent；　and　our　gardener　has　died。　it　was　an　accident。　a　tragic　accident；　since　he　has　no　family　and　has　worked　for　us　forever；　i　do　feel　the　family　should　pay　for　the　funeral；　only　we　are　a　little　short…“

his　eyes　veered　from　me　to　emmeline　and　back　again。

‘please　excuse　my　sister。　she　is　not　quite　well。“　emmeline　did　indeed　look　odd。　i　had　let　her　dress　in　her　outmoded　finery；　and　her　eyes　were　so　full　of　beauty　to　leave　room　for　anything　so　mundane　as　intelligence。

‘yes；