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A Rogue's Life-Part19_WILKIE COLLINS (1824-1899)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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the nature of her master's pursuits, and reproached me in terms



of the most vehement and virtuousindignation for incurring the

guilt of abetting them, even though I had done so from the very



excusable motive of saving my own life. Having a lively sense of

the humorous, I was necessarily rather amused by this; but I



began to get a little surprised as well, when we diverged to the

subject of the doctor's escape, on finding that Mrs. Baggs viewed



the fact of his running away to some hiding-place of his own in

the light of a personal insult to his faithful and attached



housekeeper.

"It shows a want of confidence in me," said the old lady, "which



I may forgive, but can never forget. The sacrifices I have made

for that ungrateful man are not to be told in words. The very



morning he sent us away here, what did I do? Packed up the moment

he said Go. I had my preserves to pot, and the kitchen chimney to



be swept, and the lock of my box hampered into the bargain. Other

women in my place would have grumbled--I got up directly, as



lively as any girl of eighteen you like to mention. Says he, 'I

want Alicia taken out of young Softly's way, and you must do



it.'---Says I, 'This very morning, sir?'--Says he, 'This very

morning.'--Says I, 'Where to?'--Says he, 'As far off as ever you



can go; coast of Wales--Crickgelly. I won't trust her nearer;

young Softly's too cunning, and she's too fond of him.'--'Any



more orders, sir?' says I.--'Yes; take some fancy name--Simkins,

Johnson, Giles, Jones, James,' says he, 'what you like bu t



Dulcifer; for that scamp Softly will move heaven and earth to

trace her.'--'What else?' says I.--'Nothing, but look sharp,'



says he; 'and mind one thing, that she sees no visitors, and

posts no letters.' Before those last words had been out of his



wicked lips an hour, we were off. A nice job I had to get her

away--a nice job to stop her from writing letters to you--a nice



job to keep her here. But I did it; I followed my orders like a

slave in a plantation with a whip at his bare back. I've had



rheumatics, weak legs, bad nights, and miss in the sulks--all

from obeying the doctor's orders. And what is my reward? He turns



coiner, and runs away without a word to me beforehand, and writes

me a trumpery note, without a date to it, without a farthing of



money in it, telling me nothing! Look at my confidence in him,

and then look at the way he's treated me in return. What woman's



nerves can stand that? Don't keep fidgeting with the bottle! Pass

it this way, Mr. Softly, or you'll break it, and drive me



distracted."

"He has no excuse, ma'am," I said. "But will you allow me to



change the subject, as I am pressed for time? You appear to be so

well acquainted with the favorable opinion which Miss Alicia and



I entertain of each other, that I hope it will be no fresh shock

to your nerves, if I inform you, in plain words, that I have come



to Crickgelly to marry her."

"Marry her! marry--If you don't leave off fidgeting with the



bottle, Mr. Softly, and change the subject directly, I shall ring

the bell."



"Hear me out, ma'am, and then ring if you like. If you persist,

however, in considering yourself still the confidential servant



of a felon who is now flying for his life, and if you decline

allowing the young lady to act as she wishes, I will not be so



rude as to hint that--as she is of age--she may walk out of this

house with me, whenever she likes, without your having the power



to prevent her; but, I will politely ask instead, what you would

propose to do with her, in the straitened position as to money in



which she and you are likely to be placed? You can't find her

father to give her to; and, if you could, who would be the best



protector for her? The doctor, who is the principalcriminal in

the eye of the law, or I, who am only the unwilling accomplice?



He is known to the Bow Street runners--I am not. There is a

reward for the taking of him, and none for the taking of me. He



has no respectable relatives and friends, I have plenty. Every

way my chances are the best; and consequently I am, every way,



the fittest person to trust her to. Don't you see that?"

Mrs. Baggs did not immediately answer. She snatched the bottle



out of my hands--drank off another dram, shook her head at me,

and ejaculated lamentably: "My nerves, my nerves! what a heart of






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