下载辰思小说免费APP
Atlengthhesaid，’IsoldMr。Watkinsstillalive？’inavoicewhichhadacuriousyouthfulcadenceinitevennow。
’Myfatherisdead，sir，’saidtheyoungman。
’Ah，Iamsorrytohearit，’saidthestranger。’ButitissomanyyearssinceIlastvisitedthistownthatIcouldhardlyexpectitshouldbeotherwise。’Afterashortsilencehecontinued——’AndisthefirmofBarnet，Browse，andCompanystillinexistence？——theyusedtobelargeflax-merchantsandtwine-spinnershere？’
’Thefirmisstillgoingon，sir，buttheyhavedroppedthenameofBarnet。Ibelievethatwasasortoffancyname——atleast，IneverknewofanylivingBarnet。’TisnowBrowseandCo。’
’AnddoesAndrewJonesstillkeeponasarchitect？’
’He’sdead，sir。’
’AndtheVicarofSt。Mary’s——Mr。Melrose？’
’He’sbeendeadagreatmanyyears。’
’Dearme！’Hepausedyetlonger，andclearedhisvoice。’IsMr。
Downe，thesolicitor，stillinpractice？’
’No，sir，he’sdead。Hediedaboutsevenyearsago。’
Hereitwasalongersilencestill；andanattentiveobserverwouldhavenoticedthatthepaperinthestranger’shandincreaseditsimperceptibletremortoavisibleshake。Thatgray-hairedgentlemannoticedithimself，andrestedthepaperonthecounter。’IsMRS。
Downestillalive？’heasked，closinghislipsfirmlyassoonasthewordswereoutofhismouth，anddroppinghiseyes。
’Yes，sir，she’saliveandwell。She’slivingattheoldplace。’
’InEastStreet？’
’Ono；atChateauRingdale。Ibelieveithasbeeninthefamilyforsomegenerations。’
’Sheliveswithherchildren，perhaps？’
’No；shehasnochildrenofherown。ThereweresomeMissDownes；I
thinktheywereMr。Downe’sdaughtersbyaformerwife；buttheyaremarriedandlivinginotherpartsofthetown。Mrs。Downelivesalone。’
’Quitealone？’
’Yes，sir；quitealone。’
Thenewly-arrivedgentlemanwentbacktothehotelanddined；afterwhichhemadesomechangeinhisdress，shavedbackhisbeardtothefashionthathadprevailedtwentyyearsearlier，whenhewasyoungandinteresting，andoncemoreemerging，benthisstepsinthedirectionoftheharbour-road。Justbeforegettingtothepointwherethepavementceasedandthehousesisolatedthemselves，heovertookashambling，stooping，unshavenman，whoatfirstsightappearedlikeaprofessionaltramp，hisshouldershavingaperceptiblegreasinessastheypassedunderthegaslight。Eachpedestrianmomentarilyturnedandregardedtheother，andthetramp-
likegentlemanstartedback。
’Good——why——isthatMr。Barnet？’TisMr。Barnet，surely！’
’Yes；andyouareCharlson？’
’Yes——ah——younoticemyappearance。TheFateshaveratheri
