XXVIII. A WEIRD EXPERIENCE
“Flat burglary as ever was committed.” --Much Ado about Nothing.
THE first thing I did was to inspect with greater care the room in whichI sat.
It was a pleasant apartment, as I have already said; square, sunny, andwell furnished. On the floor was a crimson carpet, on the walls severalpictures, at the windows, cheerful curtains of white, tastefullyornamented with ferns and autumn leaves; in one corner an old melodeon,and in the centre of the room a table draped with a bright cloth, onwhich were various little knick-knacks which, without being rich orexpensive, were both pretty and, to a certain extent, ornamental. Butit was not these things, which I had seen repeated in many other countryhomes, that especially attracted my attention, or drew me forward in theslow march which I now undertook around the room. It was the somethingunderlying all these, the evidences which I found, or sought to find,not only in the general aspect of the room, but in each trivial objectI encountered, of the character, disposition, and history of the womanwith whom I now had to deal. It was for this reason I studied thedaguerreotypes on the mantel-piece, the books on the shelf, and themusic on the rack; for this and the still further purpose of noting ifany indications were to be found of there being in the house any suchperson as Hannah.
First then, for the little library, which I was pleased to see occupiedone corner of the room. Composed of a few well-chosen books, poetical,historical, and narrative, it was of itself sufficient to accountfor the evidences of latent culture observable in Mrs. Belden’sconversation. Taking out a well-worn copy of _Byron,_ I opened it. Therewere many passages marked, and replacing the book with a mental commentupon her evident impressibility to the softer emotions, I turned towardsthe melodeon fronting me from the opposite wall. It was closed, but onits neatly-covered top lay one or two hymn-books, a basket of russetapples, and a piece of half-completed knitting work.
I took up the latter, but was forced to lay it down again without anotion for what it was intended. Proceeding, I next stopped beforea window opening upon the small yard that ran about the house, andseparated it from the one adjoining. The scene without failed to attractme, but the window itself drew my attention, for, written with a diamondpoint on one of the panes, I perceived a row of letters which, asnearly as I could make out, were meant for some word or words, but whichutterly failed in sense or apparent connection. Passing it by as thework of some school-girl, I glanced down at the work-basket standing ona table at my side. It was full of various kinds of work, among which Ispied a pair of stockings, which were much too small, as well as in toogreat a state of disrepair, to belong to Mrs. Belden; and drawing themcarefully out, I examined them for any name on them. Do not start when Isay I saw the letter H plainly marked upon them. Thrusting them back,I drew a deep breath of relief, gazing, as I did so, out of the window,when those letters again attracted my attention.
What could they mean? Idly I began to read them backward, when--But tryfor yourself, reader, and judge of my surprise! Elate at the discoverythus made, I sat down to write my letters. I had barely finished them,when Mrs. Belden came in with the announcement that supper was ready.“As for your room,” said she, “I have prepared my own room for your use,thinking you would like to remain on the first floor.” And, throwingopen a door at my side, she displayed a small, but comfortable room,in which I could dimly see a bed, an immense bureau, and a shadowylooking-glass in a dark, old-fashioned frame.
“I live in very primitive fashion,” she resumed, leading the way intothe dining-room; “but I mean to be comfortable and make others so.”
“I should say you amply succeeded,” I rejoined, with an appreciativeglance at her well-spread board.
She smiled, and I felt I had paved the way to her good graces in a waythat would yet redound to my advantage.
Shall I ever forget that supper! its dainties, its pleasant freedom, itsmysterious, pervading atmosphere of unreality, and the constant sensewhich every bountiful dish she pressed upon me brought of the shame ofeating this woman’s food with such feelings of suspicion in my heart!Shall I ever forget the emotion I experienced when I first perceivedshe had something on her mind, which she longed, yet hesitated, to giveutterance to! Or how she started when a cat jumped from the sloping roofof the kitchen on to the grass-plot at the back of the house; or how myheart throbbed when I heard, or thought I heard, a board creak overhead!We were in a long and narrow room which seemed, curiously enough, to runcrosswise of the house, opening on one side into the parlor, and on theother into the small bedroom, which had been allotted to my use.
“You live in this house alone, without fear?” I asked, as Mrs. Belden,contrary to my desire, put another bit of cold chicken on my plate.“Have you no marauders in this town: no tramps, of whom a solitary womanlike you might reasonably be afraid?”
“No one will hurt me,” said she; “and no one ever came here for food orshelter but got it.”
“I should think, then, that living as you do, upon a railroad, you wouldbe constantly overrun with worthless beings whose only trade is to takeall they can get without giving a return.”
“I cannot turn them away. It is the only luxury I have: to feed thepoor.”
“But the idle, restless ones, who neither will work, nor let otherswork----”
“Are still the poor.”
Mentally remarking, here is the woman to shield an unfortunate who hassomehow become entangled in the meshes of a great crime, I drew backfrom the table. As I did so, the thought crossed me that, in casethere was any such person in the house as Hannah, she would take theopportunity of going up-stairs with something for her to eat; and thatshe might not feel hampered by my presence, I stepped out on the verandawith my cigar.
While smoking it, I looked about for Q. I felt that the least tokenof his presence in town would be very encouraging at this time. But itseemed I was not to be afforded even that small satisfaction. If Q wasanywhere near, he was lying very low.
Once again seated with Mrs. Belden (who I know came down-stairs with anempty plate, for going into the kitchen for a drink, I caught her inthe act of setting it down on the table), I made up my mind to wait areasonable length of time for what she had to say; and then, if she didnot speak, make an endeavor on my own part to surprise her secret.
But her avowal was nearer and of a different nature from what Iexpected, and brought its own train of consequences with it.
“You are a lawyer, I believe,” she began, taking down her knitting work,with a forced display of industry.
“Yes,” I said; “that is my profession.”
She remained for a moment silent, creating great havoc in her work I amsure, from the glance of surprise and vexation she afterwards threw it.Then, in a hesitating voice, remarked:
“Perhaps you may be willing, then, to give me some advice. The truth is,I am in a very curious predicament; one from which I don’t know how toescape, and yet which demands immediate action. I should like to tellyou about it; may I?”
“You may; I shall be only too happy to give you any advice in my power.”
She drew in her breath with a sort of vague relief, though her foreheaddid not lose its frown.
“It can all be said in a few words. I have in my possession a package ofpapers which were intrusted to me by two ladies, with the understandingthat I should neither return nor destroy them without the fullcognizance and expressed desire of both parties, given in person orwriting. That they were to remain in my hands till then, and thatnothing or nobody should extort them from me.”
“That is easily understood,” said I; for she stopped.
“But, now comes word from one of the ladies, the one, too, mostinterested in the matter, that, for certain reasons, the immediatedestruction of those papers is necessary to her peace and safety.”
“And do you want to know what your duty is in this case?”
“Yes,” she tremulously replied.
I rose. I could not help it: a flood of con
jectures rushing in tumultover me.
“It is to hold on to the papers like grim death till released from yourguardianship by the combined wish of both parties.”
“Is that your opinion as a lawyer?”
“Yes, and as a man. Once pledged in that way, you have no choice. Itwould be a betrayal of trust to yield to the solicitations of one partywhat you have undertaken to return to both. The fact that grief or lossmight follow your retention of these papers does not release you fromyour bond. You have nothing to do with that; besides, you are by nomeans sure that the representations of the so-called interested partyare true. You might be doing a greater wrong, by destroying in this way,what is manifestly considered of value to them both, than by preservingthe papers intact, according to compact.”
“But the circumstances? Circumstances alter cases; and in short, itseems to me that the wishes of the one most interested ought to beregarded, especially as there is an estrangement between these ladieswhich may hinder the other’s consent from ever being obtained.”
“No,” said I; “two wrongs never make a right; nor are we at liberty todo an act of justice at the expense of an injustice. The papers must bepreserved, Mrs. Belden.”
Her head sank very despondingly; evidently it had been her wish toplease the interested party. “Law is very hard,” she said; “very hard.”
“This is not only law, but plain duty,” I remarked. “Suppose a casedifferent; suppose the honor and happiness of the other party dependedupon the preservation of the papers; where would your duty be then?”
“But----”
“A contract is a contract,” said I, “and cannot be tampered with. Havingaccepted the trust and given your word, you are obliged to fulfil, tothe letter, all its conditions. It would be a breach of trust for you toreturn or destroy the papers without the mutual consent necessary.”
An expression of great gloom settled slowly over her features. “Isuppose you are right,” said she, and became silent.
Watching her, I thought to myself, “If I were Mr. Gryce, or even Q, Iwould never leave this seat till I had probed this matter to the bottom,learned the names of the parties concerned, and where those preciouspapers are hidden, which she declares to be of so much importance.” Butbeing neither, I could only keep her talking upon the subject untilshe should let fall some word that might serve as a guide to my furtherenlightenment; I therefore turned, with the intention of asking hersome question, when my attention was attracted by the figure of a womancoming out of the back-door of the neighboring house, who, for generaldilapidation and uncouthness of bearing, was a perfect type of the styleof tramp of whom we had been talking at the supper table. Gnawing acrust which she threw away as she reached the street, she trudged downthe path, her scanty dress, piteous in its rags and soil, flapping inthe keen spring wind, and revealing ragged shoes red with the mud of thehighway.
“There is a customer that may interest you,” said I.
Mrs. Belden seemed to awake from a trance. Rising slowly, she lookedout, and with a rapidly softening gaze surveyed the forlorn creaturebefore her.
“Poor thing!” she muttered; “but I cannot do much for her to-night. Agood supper is all I can give her.”
And, going to the front door, she bade her step round the house to thekitchen, where, in another moment, I heard the rough creature’s voicerise in one long “Bless you!” that could only have been produced by thesetting before her of the good things with which Mrs. Belden’s larderseemed teeming.
But supper was not all she wanted. After a decent length of time,employed as I should judge in mastication, I heard her voice rise oncemore in a plea for shelter.
“The barn, ma’am, or the wood-house. Any place where I can lie out ofthe wind.” And she commenced a long tale of want and disease, so piteousto hear that I was not at all surprised when Mrs. Belden told me,upon re-entering, that she had consented, notwithstanding her previousdetermination, to allow the woman to lie before the kitchen fire for thenight.
“She has such an honest eye,” said she; “and charity is my only luxury.”
The interruption of this incident effectually broke up our conversation.Mrs. Belden went up-stairs, and for some time I was left alone to ponderover what I had heard, and determine upon my future course of action. Ihad just reached the conclusion that she would be fully as liable tobe carried away by her feelings to the destruction of the papers in hercharge, as to be governed by the rules of equity I had laid down to her,when I heard her stealthily descend the stairs and go out by the frontdoor. Distrustful of her intentions, I took up my hat and hastilyfollowed her. She was on her way down the main street, and my firstthought was, that she was bound for some neighbor’s house or perhaps forthe hotel itself; but the settled swing into which she soon altered herrestless pace satisfied me that she had some distant goal in prospect;and before long I found myself passing the hotel with its appurtenances,even the little schoolhouse, that was the last building at this end ofthe village, and stepping out into the country beyond. What could itmean?
But still her fluttering figure hasted on, the outlines of her form,with its close shawl and neat bonnet, growing fainter and fainter in thenow settled darkness of an April night; and still I followed, walking onthe turf at the side of the road lest she should hear my footsteps andlook round. At last we reached a bridge. Over this I could hear herpass, and then every sound ceased. She had paused, and was evidentlylistening. It would not do for me to pause too, so gathering myself intoas awkward a shape as possible, I sauntered by her down the road, butarrived at a certain point, stopped, and began retracing my steps with asharp lookout for her advancing figure, till I had arrived once more atthe bridge. She was not there.
Convinced now that she had discovered my motive for being in her houseand, by leading me from it, had undertaken to supply Hannah with anopportunity for escape, I was about to hasten back to the charge I hadso incautiously left, when a strange sound heard at my left arrested me.It came from the banks of the puny stream which ran under the bridge,and was like the creaking of an old door on worn-out hinges.
Leaping the fence, I made my way as best I could down the sloping fieldin the direction from which the sound came. It was quite dark, and myprogress was slow; so much so, that I began to fear I had ventured upona wild-goose chase, when an unexpected streak of lightning shot acrossthe sky, and by its glare I saw before me what seemed, in the momentaryglimpse I had of it, an old barn. From the rush of waters near at hand,I judged it to be somewhere on the edge of the stream, and consequentlyhesitated to advance, when I heard the sound of heavy breathing near me,followed by a stir as of some one feeling his way over a pile of looseboards; and presently, while I stood there, a faint blue light flashedup from the interior of the barn, and I saw, through the tumbled-downdoor that faced me, the form of Mrs. Belden standing with a lightedmatch in her hand, gazing round on the four walls that encompassed her.Hardly daring to breathe, lest I should alarm her, I watched her whileshe turned and peered at the roof above her, which was so old as to bemore than half open to the sky, at the flooring beneath, which was ina state of equal dilapidation, and finally at a small tin box which shedrew from under her shawl and laid on the ground at her feet. The sightof that box at once satisfied me as to the nature of her errand. She wasgoing to hide what she dared not destroy; and, relieved upon this point,I was about to take a step forward when the match went out in her hand.While she was engaged in lighting another, I considered that perhaps itwould be better for me not to arouse her apprehensions by accosting herat this time, and thus endanger the success of my main scheme; butto wait till she was gone, before I endeavored to secure the box.Accordingly I edged my way up to the side of the barn and waited tillshe should leave it, knowing that if I attempted to peer in at thedoor, I ran great risk of being seen, owing to the frequent streaks oflightning which now flashed about us on every side. Minute after minutewent by, with its weird alternations of heavy darkness and suddenglare; and still she did not come. At
last, just as I was about to startimpatiently from my hiding-place, she reappeared, and began to withdrawwith faltering steps toward the bridge. When I thought her quite out ofhearing, I stole from my retreat and entered the barn. It was of courseas dark as Erebus, but thanks to being a smoker I was as well providedwith matches as she had been, and having struck one, I held it up; butthe light it gave was very feeble, and as I did not know just where tolook, it went out before I had obtained more than a cursory glimpse ofthe spot where I was. I thereupon lit another; but though I confined myattention to one place, namely, the floor at my feet, it too went outbefore I could conjecture by means of any sign seen there where she hadhidden the box. I now for the first time realized the difficulty beforeme. She had probably made up her mind, before she left home, in justwhat portion of this old barn she would conceal her treasure; but I hadnothing to guide me: I could only waste matches. And I did waste them. Adozen had been lit and extinguished before I was so much as sure the boxwas not under a pile of debris that lay in one corner, and I had takenthe last in my hand before I became aware that one of the broken boardsof the floor was pushed a little out of its proper position. One match!and that board was to be raised, the space beneath examined, and thebox, if there, lifted safely out. I concluded not to waste my resources,so kneeling down in the darkness, I groped for the board, tried it, andfound it to be loose. Wrenching at it with all my strength, I tore itfree and cast it aside; then lighting my match looked into the hole thusmade. Something, I could not tell what, stone or box, met my eye, butwhile I reached for it, the match flew out of my hand. Deploring mycarelessness, but determined at all hazards to secure what I had seen,I dived down deep into the hole, and in another moment had the object ofmy curiosity in my hands. It was the box!
Satisfied at this result of my efforts, I turned to depart, my one wishnow being to arrive home before Mrs. Belden. Was this possible? She hadseveral minutes the start of me; I would have to pass her on the road,and in so doing might be recognized. Was the end worth the risk? Idecided that it was.
Regaining the highway, I started at a brisk pace. For some littledistance I kept it up, neither overtaking nor meeting any one. Butsuddenly, at a turn in the road, I came unexpectedly upon Mrs. Belden,standing in the middle of the path, looking back. Somewhat disconcerted,I hastened swiftly by her, expecting her to make some effort to stop me.But she let me pass without a word. Indeed, I doubt now if she even sawor heard me. Astonished at this treatment, and still more surprisedthat she made no attempt to follow me, I looked back, when I saw whatenchained her to the spot, and made her so unmindful of my presence. Thebarn behind us was on fire!
Instantly I realized it was the work of my hands; I had dropped ahalf-extinguished match, and it had fallen upon some inflammablesubstance.
Aghast at the sight, I paused in my turn, and stood staring. Higher andhigher the red flames mounted, brighter and brighter glowed the cloudsabove, the stream beneath; and in the fascination of watching it all,I forgot Mrs. Belden. But a short, agitated gasp in my vicinity soonrecalled her presence to my mind, and drawing nearer, I heard herexclaim like a person speaking in a dream, “Well, I didn’t mean to doit”; then lower, and with a certain satisfaction in her tone, “But it’sall right, any way; the thing is lost now for good, and Mary will besatisfied without any one being to blame.”
I did not linger to hear more; if this was the conclusion she had cometo, she would not wait there long, especially as the sound of distantshouts and running feet announced that a crowd of village boys was onits way to the scene of the conflagration.
The first thing I did, upon my arrival at the house, was to assuremyself that no evil effects had followed my inconsiderate desertion ofit to the mercies of the tramp she had taken in; the next to retire tomy room, and take a peep at the box. I found it to be a neat tin coffer,fastened with a lock. Satisfied from its weight that it containednothing heavier than the papers of which Mrs. Belden had spoken, I hidit under the bed and returned to the sitting-room. I had barely taken aseat and lifted a book when Mrs. Belden came in.
“Well!” cried she, taking off her bonnet and revealing a face muchflushed with exercise, but greatly relieved in expression; “this _is_a night! It lightens, and there is a fire somewhere down street, andaltogether it is perfectly dreadful out. I hope you have not beenlonesome,” she continued, with a keen searching of my face which Ibore in the best way I could. “I had an errand to attend to, but didn’texpect to stay so long.”
I returned some nonchalant reply, and she hastened from the room tofasten up the house.
I waited, but she did not come back; fearful, perhaps, of betrayingherself, she had retired to her own apartment, leaving me to take careof myself as best I might. I own that I was rather relieved at this. Thefact is, I did not feel equal to any more excitement that night, and wasglad to put off further action until the next day. As soon, then, asthe storm was over, I myself went to bed, and, after several ineffectualefforts, succeeded in getting asleep.