第78部分(第2/8 頁)

whom　I　had　never　heard　laugh　before；　laughed　now。

“Well；”　said　he；　“if　you　had　mitted　a　murder；　and　I　had　told　you　your　crime　was　discovered；　you　could　scarcely　look　more　aghast。”

“It　is　a　large　sum—don’t　you　think　there　is　a　mistake？”

“No　mistake　at　all。”

“Perhaps　you　have　read　the　figures　wrong—it　may　be　two　thousand！”

“It　is　written　in　letters；　not　figures；—twenty　thousand。”

I　again　felt　rather　like　an　individual　of　but　average　gastronomical　powers　sitting　down　to　feast　alone　at　a　table　spread　with　provisions　for　a　hundred。　Mr。　Rivers　rose　now　and　put　his　cloak　on。

“If　it　were　not　such　a　very　wild　night；”　he　said；　“I　would　send　Hannah　down　to　keep　you　pany：　you　look　too　desperately　miserable　to　be　left　alone。　But　Hannah；　poor　woman！　could　not　stride　the　drifts　so　well　as　I：　her　legs　are　not　quite　so　long：　so　I　must　e’en　leave　you　to　your　sorrows。　Good…night。”

He　was　lifting　the　latch：　a　sudden　thought　occurred　to　me。　“Stop　one　minute！”　I　cried。

“Well？”

“It　puzzles　me　to　know　why　Mr。　Briggs　wrote　to　you　about　me；　or　how　he　knew　you；　or　could　fancy　that　you；　living　in　such　an　out…of…the…　way　place；　had　the　power　to　aid　in　my　discovery。”

“Oh！　I　am　a　clergyman；”　he　said；　“and　the　clergy　are　often　appealed　to　about　odd　matters。”　Again　the　latch　rattled。

“No；　that　does　not　satisfy　me！”　I　exclaimed：　and　indeed　there　was　something　in　the　hasty　and　unexplanatory　reply　which；　instead　of　allaying；　piq