第64部分(第2/7 頁)

nge　when；　subsequent　to　the　writing　of　the　book；　I　discovered　from　Mr。　Herbert　Hartcup；　the　lawyer；　who　is　a　trustee　of　the　Bungay　Charities；　that　a　man　called　Thomas　Wingfield　did　live　and　die　at　that　exact　time；　that　he　was　a　doctor　who　served　his　apprenticeship　with　another　local　leech；　that　in　some　way　or　other　he　did　accumulate　wealth　of　which　he　bequeathed　a　portion　to　the　poor　that　they　enjoy　to　this　day；　and　that　his　will；　which　I　have　since　seen；　was　just　such　a　one　as　might　have　been　written　by　the　imaginary　Thomas。　Almost　am　I　tempted　to　believe　that　the　true　Wingfield　must　have　visited　Mexico　in　the　days　of　Cortes；　and　that；　if　one　were　to　dig　up　his　bones；　among　them　would　be　found　the　necklace　of　great　emeralds　which　was　given　to　him　by　Guatemoc　in　the　hiding…place　of　Montezuma’s　treasure。

The　last　specimen　is　very　simple。　While　visiting　an　old　church　in　Suffolk　I　conceived　the　idea　of　my　novel；　“Joan　Haste；”　of　which　it　is　unnecessary　to　set　out　the　plot。　After　reading　it　a　connection　of　mine　remarked　that　he　had　been　much　interested　by　the　book；　though　he　did　not　think　that　the　A。…Z。‘s；　whom　he　knew　well；　would　altogether　appreciate　such　an　accurate　report　of　a　passage　in　their　family　history　whereof　they　did　not　often　speak。　Also　he　was　nervous　lest　it　should　be　supposed　by　them　that　he　had　told　me　a　story　which　was　municated　to　him　in　confidence。　On　further　investigation　it　transpired　that　these　A。…Z。‘s　were　buried　in　the　very　churchyard　where　I　had　imagined　my　tale；　and　that　their　family　owned　and　still　own　all　the　land　by　which　it　is　surrounded。

It　needs　no　great　stretch　of　fancy　to　believe　that　in　some　subtle　way　the　bones　beneath　the　soil　of　that　churchyard　had　imparted　some　of　their　history　to　my　mind　while；　touched　by　the　place；　I　s