Мертвая комната. Уровень 2 / The Dead Secret

Treverton paused, and signed her name at the end of it

“Sign!” she cried. “Sign 'Sarah Leeson, witness.' No! Write 'Accomplice.' Sign, I insist on it! Sign as I tell you.”

Sarah obeyed. Mrs. Treverton took the paper from her and pointed to it solemnly.

“You will give this to your master,” she said, “when I am dead. You will answer any questions he puts to you. Promise me that you will give the paper to your master. Oh no! I won't trust your promise. I'll have your oath. Get the Bible. Get it, or I shall not rest in my grave.

Get it, or I will come to you from the other world. Yes, yes – the Bible the clergyman used. The clergyman – a poor weak man. I frightened him, Sarah. He said, 'Are you at peace with all the world?' and I said, 'All but one[5 - All but one. – Со всеми, кроме одного.].' You know who.”

“The Captain's brother? Oh, don't die at enmity with anybody. Don't die at enmity even with him,” pleaded Sarah.

“The clergyman said so too,” murmured Mrs.

Treverton. “'You must forgive him,' the clergyman said. And I said, 'No, I forgive all the world, but not my husband's brother.' The clergyman will pray for me and come back. Will he come back?”

“Yes, yes,” answered Sarah. “He is a good man – he will come back – and oh! tell him that you forgive the Captain's brother! Those vile words he spoke of you when you were married will come home to him some day. Forgive him-forgive him before you die!”

Sarah attempted to remove the Bible softly out of her mistress's sight.

The action attracted Mrs. Treverton's attention.

“Stop!” she cried.

She caught at Sarah's hand with a great effort, placed it on the Bible, and held it there.

“Ah!” she said, “Sarah; you can't deceive me even yet.”

She stopped again, smiled a little, whispered to herself rapidly,

“Wait, wait, wait!” then added aloud, with the old stage voice and the old stage gesture:

“No! I won't trust you on your promise.

I'll have your oath. Kneel down. These are my last words in this world – disobey them if you dare!”

Sarah dropped on her knees by the bed.

“Swear!” said Mrs. Treverton. “Swear that you will not destroy this paper after I am dead.”

Sarah answered faintly,

“I swear it.”

“Swear that you will not take this paper away with you, if you leave the house, after I am dead.”

Again Sarah said,

“I swear it.”

“Swear!” Mrs.