T H E M T N E O O N S O . 0111311158 . W I L K I E C O L L I N S , A UTH OR OF " TH E W OM A N IN WH ITE " N E " “ E , O N A M , A R M A DA L , ET C . ETC . IN TH R EE V OL UM ES . V III. OL . L O ND O N I E O HE S 1 8 CATHERINE STREET STRAND. TNSL Y BR T R , , , 1 8 68 . ' [ Tfie A u zlz or reserves ziz e rzgkt of Tra nsla tion ! T H E M O O N T N E S O . TH E N A R R A TIV E o r FR A NKL I N B L A KE CHAPTER Iv f HAVE not a word to say abou t my own sensations . th a t o fli t o My impression is, the sh ck in c ed n me completely suspended my thinking and feel ul ing power . I certainly co d not have known w I u B ett ered e hat was abo t , when g j oined me f o r I I have it on his authority that laughed, when w as an d u he asked what the matter, , p tting the his d nightgown into hands, tol him to read the riddle for himself . O u s o n th e I f what was said between beach , ll fi s have not the faintest reco ection . The r t place in which I can now s ee myself again plainly is the V O I I I B L . 2 THE MOONSTONE . B ett ered e I plant ation of firs . g and are walking back together to the hou se ;and B ett eredge is “ I telling me that shall be able to face it, and he of will be able to face it, when we have had a glass grog . The scene shifts from the plantation , to Better ’ - e dge s little sitting room . My resolution not to ’ enter Rachel s house is forgotten . I feel gratefully ulet o f the coolness and shadiness and q the room . I r u d ink the grog (a perfectly new l xury to me, a t old that time of day), which my good friend - mixes with icy cool water from the well . Under dr ul any other circumstances , the ink wo d simply A s u . st pefy me things are, it strings up my nerves ” I begin to face it, as B ett eredge has predicted “ B ettered e And g , on his side, begins to face it, ‘ too . The picture which I am now presenting o f mv I h e o n e self, will , suspect , thought a very strange , to say the least of it . Placed in a situation which I h e may, think , described as entirely without t o I parallel , what is the first proceeding which resort ? Do I seclude myself from all human ? society Do I set my mind to analyse the abomi nable impossibility which , nevertheless, confronts me as an undeniable fact ? Do I hurry back to THE MOONSTONE . 3 London by the first train to consult the highest i s et i i u o n authorit es, and to a search ng nq iry foot immediately ? No . I accept the shelter of a house which I h ad resolved never to degrade myself by i ri e ntering aga n ;and I sit , tippling spi ts and water ’ o f old o l in the company an servant, at ten c o ck in n th e morni g . Is this the conduct that might have b een expected from a man placed in my horrible ? of o l position I can only answer, that the sight d ’ B ett ered ge s familiar face was an inexpressible co m o f old fort to me, and that the drinking Better ’ l edge s grog helped me, as I be ieve nothing else o f would have helped me, in the state complete bodily and mental prostration into which I h ad ff hi u f or s fallen . I can only o er t s exc se my elf ; a n d I can only admire that invariable preservation f di t o f o gnity, and that stric ly logical consistency c onduct which distin guish every man and woman i who may read these l nes, in every emergency of dl their lives from the cra e to the grave . “ ’ N . o n e ow, Mr Franklin , there s thing certain, ” a t B ett ered e any rate, said g , throwing the night o n gown down the table between us , and pointing to it as if it was a living creatu re that could hear ’ i ” him H e s . a liar, to begin w th This comforting view of the matter was not the view that presented itself to my mind . 4 TH E MOONST ONE . 1 am as innocent o f all knowledge o f having ” “ taken the Diamond as you are, I said . But there is the witness against me ' The paint on on the nightgown , and the name the nightgown are ” facts . B ettered e a n d g lifted my glass , put it persuasively into my hand . “ ” Facts ? he repeated . Take a drop more ’ grog, Mr . Franklin, and you ll get over the weak !” ness of believing in facts Foul play, sir he t continued, dropping his voice confidentially . Tha — . s o m ewh is how I read the riddle Foul play, ere and you and I must find it out . Was there nothing else s in the tin ca e, when you put your hand into it The question instantly reminded me of the letter . o u t O in my pocket I took it , and pened it . It was a letter of many pages , closely written . I looked impatiently for the signature at the end . ” Rosanna Spearman . As I read the name, a sudden remembrance n illumi ated my mind , and a sudden suspicion rose o u t o f the new light . ” Stop ! I exclaimed . Rosanna Spearman came to my aunt o u t o f a Reformatory ? Rosanna Spearman had once been a thief ?” “ ’ t There s no denying that, Mr . Franklin . Wha o f it now, if you please TH E M T OONS ONE . 5 What o f it now ? How do we know she may not have stolen the Diamond after all ? H o w do we know sh e m av n o t have smeared my nightgown purposely with the ' paint B ettered e li o n o g lai his hand my arm, and st pped m e before I could say any more . Y o u hi . l will be cleared of t s, Mr Frank in, ’ 0 beyond all doubt . But I h pe you won t be cleared a S s ir. I n th t . in way ee what the letter says, i ’ ” t o m t . justice the g rl s me ory, see what the le ter says I felt the earnestness with wh ich he spoke—felt “ Y o u m it almost as a rebuke to me . shall for ” o wn on your judgment her letter, I said, I will ” re ad it out . I began— and read these lines — n u Sir I have something to o w to yo . A con f es s io n which means much misery, may sometimes hi be made in very few words . T s confession can ” u . be m ade in three words . I love yo The letter dropped from my hand . I looked In o f a t tt r d e . B e e e g the name Heaven, I said , what does it mean ?” He seemed to shrink from answering the q uestion . Y o u and Limping Lucy were alone together ” h e t n . s his morni g, sir, he said Did say nothing a bout Rosanna Spearman TH M T 6 E OONS ONE . ’ She never even mentioned Rosanna Spearman s ” name . o o . Please t go back t the letter, Mr Franklin . ’ ou in I tell y plainly, I can t find it my heart to ou f e r distress y , a ter what you hav had to bea sir already . Let her speak for herself . And get ur r u o wn on with yo g og . For yo r sake, get on ” with your grog . o f l I resumed the reading the etter . It would be very disgraceful to me to tell you: ou . this, if I was a living woman when y read it I s ir o u shall be dead and gone , , when y find my is h old N o t letter . It that which makes me . o f even my grave will be left to tell me . I may — o wn the truth with the quicksand waiting to hide o me when the w rds are written . ou l w Besides, y wil find your nightgo n in my - o f o n hiding place, with the smear the paint it and you will want to know how it came to be hidde n by me ? and why I said nothing to you abou t it in - ? n e my life time I have only o reason to give .