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　Ah；　do　not　think　that　I　have　not　hated　myself　for　the　lie　I　have　been。　But　these　forest　creatures　that　you　take；　…　will　they　not　bite　against　springe　and　snare？　Are　they　scrupulous　as　to　how　they　free　themselves？　I　too　was　in　the　toils　of　the　hunter；　and　I　too　was　not　scrupulous。　There　was　a　thing　of　which　I　stood　in　danger　that　would　have　been　bitterer　to　me；　a　thousand　times；　than　death。　I　had　but　one　thought；　to　escape；　how；　I　did　not　care；　…　only　to　escape。　I　had　a　waiting　woman　named　Patience　Worth。　One　night　she　came　to　me；　weeping。　She　had　wearied　of　service；　and　had　signed　to　go　to　Virginia　as　one　of　Sir　Edwyn　Sandys'　maids；　and　at　the　last　moment　her　heart　had　failed　her。　There　had　been　pressure　brought　to　bear　upon　me　that　day；　…　I　had　been　angered　to　the　very　soul。　I　sent　her　away　with　a　heavy　bribe；　and　in　her　dress　and　under　her　name　I　fled　from　…　I　went　aboard　that　ship。　No　one　guessed　that　I　was　　not　the　Patience　Worth　to　whose　name　I　answered。　No　one

knows　now；　…　none　but　you；　none　but　you。〃

〃And　why　am　I　so　far　honored；　madam？〃　I　said　bluntly。

She　crimsoned；　then　went　white　again。　She　was　trembling　now　through　her　whole　frame。　At　last　she　broke　out：　〃I　am　not　of　that　crew　that　came　to　marry！　To　me　you　are　the　veriest　stranger；　…　you　are　but　the　hand　at　which　I　caught　to　draw　myself　from　a　pit　that　had　been　digged　for　me。　It　was　my　hope　that　this　hour　would　never　come。　When　I　fled；　mad　for　escape；　willing　to　dare　anything　but　that　which　I　left　behind；　I　thought；　'I　may　die　before　that　ship　with　its　shameless　cargo　sets　sail。'　When　the　ship　set　sail；　and　we　met　with　stormy　weather；　and　there　was　much　sickness　aboard；　I　thought；　'I　may　drown　or　I　may　die　of　the　fever。'　When；　this　afternoon；　I　lay　there　in　the　boat；　coming　up　this　dreadful　river　through　the　glare　of　the　lightning；　and　you　thought　I　slept；　I　was　thinking；　'The　bolts　may　strike　me　yet；　and　all　will　be　well。'　I　prayed　for　that　death；　but　the　storm　passed。　I　am　not　without　shame。　I　know　that　you　must　think　all　ill　of　me；　that　you　must　feel　yourself　gulled　and　cheated。　I　am　sorry　…　that　is　all　I　can　say　…　I　am　sorry。　I　am　your　wife　…　I　was　married　to　you　to…day　…　but　I　know　you　not　and　love　you　not。　I　ask　you　to　hold　me　as　I　hold　myself；　a　guest　in　your　house；　nothing　more。　I　am　quite　at　your　mercy。　I　am　entirely　friendless；　entirely　alone。　I　appeal　to　your　generosity；　to　your　honor〃　…

Before　I　could　prevent　her　she　was　kneeling　to　me；　and　she　would　not　rise；　though　I　bade　her　do　so。

I　went　to　the　door；　unbarred　it；　and　looked　out　into　the　night；　for　the　air　within　the　room　stifled　me。　It　　was　not　much　better　outside。　The　clouds　had　gathered　again；　and　were　now　hanging　thick　and　low。　From　the　distance　came　a　rumble　of　thunder；　and　the　whole　night　was　dull；　heavy；　and　breathless。　Hot　anger　possessed　me：　anger　against　Rolfe　for　suggesting　this　thing　to　me；　anger　against　myself　for　that　unlucky　throw；　anger；　most　of　all；　against　the　woman　who　had　so　cozened　me。　In　the　servants'　huts；　a　hundred　yards　away；　lights　were　still　burning；　against　rule；　for　the　hour　was　late。　Glad　that　there　was　something　I　could　rail　out　against；　I　strode　down　upon　the　men；　and　caught　them　assembled　in　Diccon's　cabin；　dicing　for　to…morrow's　rum。　When　I　had　struck　out　the　light　with　my　rapier；　and　had　rated　the　rogues　to　their　several　quarters；　I　went　back　through　the　gathering　storm　to　the　brightly…lit；　flower…decked　room；　and　to　Mistress　Percy。

She　was　still　kneeling；　her　hands　at　her　breast；　and　her　eyes；　wide　and　dark；　fixed　upon　the　blackness　without　the　open　door。　I　went　up　to　her　and　took　her　by　the　hand。

〃I　am　a　gentleman；　madam；〃　I　said。　〃You　need　have　no　fear　of　me。　I　pray　you　to　rise。〃

She　stood　up　at　that；　and　her　breath　came　hurriedly　through　her　parted　lips；　but　she　did　not　speak。

〃It　grows　late；　and　you　must　be　weary；〃　I　continued。　〃Your　room　is　yonder。　I　trust　that　you　will　sleep　well。　Good…night。〃

I　bowed　low；　and　she　curtsied　to　me。　〃Good…night；〃　she　said。

On　her　way　to　the　door；　she　brushed　against　the　rack　wherein　hung　my　weapons。　Among　them　was　a　small　dagger。　Her　quick　eye　caught　its　gleam；　and　I　saw　her　press　closer　to　the　wall；　and　with　her　right　　hand　strive　stealthily　to　detach　the　blade　from　its　fastening。　She　did　not　understand　the　trick。　Her　hand　dropped　to　her　side；　and　she　was　passing　on；　when　I　crossed　the　room；　loosened　the　dagger；　and　offered　it　to　her；　with　a　smile　and　a　bow。　She　flushed　scarlet　and　bit　her　lips；　but　she　took　it。

〃There　are　bars　to　the　door　within；〃　I　said。　〃Again；　good…night。〃

〃Good…night；〃　she　answered；　and；　entering　the　room；　she　shut　the　door。　A　moment　more；　and　I　heard　the　heavy　bars　drop　into　place。



CHAPTER　V　　IN　WHICH　A　WOMAN　HAS　HER　WAY


TEN　days　later；　Rolfe；　going　down　river　in　his　barge；　touched　at　my　wharf；　and　finding　me　there　walked　with　me　toward　the　house。

〃I　have　not　seen　you　since　you　laughed　my　advice　to　scorn　…　and　took　it；〃　he　said。　〃Where's　the　farthingale；　Benedick　the　married　man？〃

〃In　the　house。〃

〃Oh；　ay！〃　he　commented。　〃It's　near　to　supper　time。　I　trust　she's　a　good　cook？〃

〃She　does　not　cook；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃I　have　hired　old　Goody　Cotton　to　do　that。〃

He　eyed　me　closely。　〃By　all　the　gods！　a　new　doublet！　She　is　skillful　with　her　needle；　then？〃

〃She　may　be；〃　I　answered。　〃Having　never　seen　her　with　one；　I　am　no　judge。　The　doublet　was　made　by　the　tailor　at　Flowerdieu　Hundred。〃

By　this　we　had　reached　the　level　sward　at　the　top　of　the　bank。　〃Roses！〃　he　exclaimed；　…　〃a　long　row　of　them　new　planted！　An　arbor；　too；　and　a　seat　beneath　the　big　walnut！　Since　when　hast　thou　turned　gardner；　Ralph？〃

〃It's　Diccon's　doing。　He　is　anxious　to　please　his　mistress。〃

〃Who　neither　sews；　nor　cooks；　nor　plants！　What　does　she　do？〃

〃She　pulls　the　roses；〃　I　said。　〃Come　in。〃

When　we　had　entered　the　house　he　stared　about　him；　then　cried　out；　〃Acrasia's　bower！　Oh；　thou　sometime　Guyon！〃　and　began　to　laugh。

It　was　late　afternoon；　and　the　slant　sunshine　streaming　in　at　door　and　window　striped　wall　and　floor　with　gold。　Floor　and　wall　were　no　longer　logs　gnarled　and　stained：　upon　the　one　lay　a　carpet　of　delicate　ferns　and　aromatic　leaves；　and　glossy　vines；　purple…berried；　tapestried　the　other。　Flowers　…　purple　and　red　and　yellow　…　were　everywhere。　As　we　entered；　a　figure　started　up　from　the　hearth。

〃St。　George！〃　exclaimed　Rolfe。　〃You　have　never　married　a　blackamoor？〃

〃It　is　the　negress；　Angela；〃　I　said。　〃I　bought　her　from　William　Pierce　the　other　day。　Mistress　Percy　wished　a　waiting　damsel。〃

The　creature；　one　of　the　five　females　of　her　kind　then　in　Virginia；　looked　at　us　with　large；　rolling　eyes。　She　knew　a　little　Spanish；　and　I　spoke　to　her　in　that　tongue；　bidding　her　find　her　mistress　and　tell　her　that　company　waited。　When　she　was　gone　I　placed　a　jack　of　ale　upon　the　table；　and　Rolfe　and　I　sat　down　to　discuss　it。　Had　I　been　in　a　mood　for　laughter；　I　could　have　found　reason　in　his　puzzled　face。　There　were　flowers　upon　the　table；　and　beside　them　a　litter　of　small　objects；　one　of　which　he　now　took　up。

〃A　white　glove；〃　he　said；　〃perfumed　and　silver…fringed；　and　of　a　size　to　fit　Titania。〃

I　spread　its　mate　out　upon　my　palm。　〃A　woman's　hand。　Too　white；　too　soft；　and　too　small。〃

He　touched　lightly；　one　by　one；　the　slender　fingers　of　the　glove　he　held。　〃A　woman's　hand；　…　strength　in　weakness；　veiled　power；　the　star　in　the　mist；　guiding；　beckoning；　drawing　upward！〃

I　laughed　and　threw　the　glove　from　me。　〃The　star；　a　will…of…the…wisp；　the　goal；　a　slough；〃　I　said。

As　he　sat　opposite　me　a　change　came　over　his　face；　a　change　so　great　that　I　knew　before　I　turned　that　she　was　in　the　room。

The　bundle　which　I　had　carried　for　her　from　Jamestown　was　neither　small　nor　light。　Why；　when　she　fled；　she　chose　to　burden　herself　with　such　toys；　or　whether　she　gave　a　thought　to　the　suspicions　that　might　be　raised　in　Virginia　if　one　of　Sir　Edwyn's　maids　bedecked　herself　in　silk　and　lace　and　jewels；　I　do　not　know；　but　she　had　brought　to　the　forest　and　the　tobacco　fields　the　gauds　of　a　maid　of　honor。　The　Puritan　dress　in　which　I　first　saw　her　was　a　thing　of　the　past；　she　clothed　herself　now　like　the　parrakeets　in　the　forest；　…　or　liker　the　lilies　of　the　field；　for　verily　she　toiled　not；　neither　did　she　spin。

Rolfe　and　I　rose　from　our　seats。　〃Mistress　Percy；〃　I　said；　〃let　me　present　to　you　a　right　worthy　gentleman　and　my　very　good　friend；　Master　John　Rolfe。〃

She　curtsied；　and　he　bowed　low。　He　was　a　man　of　quick　wit　and　had　been　at　court；　but　for　a　time　he　could　find　no　words。　Then：　〃Mistress　Percy's　face　is　not　one　to　be　forgotten。　I　have　surely　seen　it　before；　though　where〃　…

Her　color　mounted；　but　she　answered　him　indifferently　enough。　〃Probably　in　London；　amongst　the　spectators　of　some　pageant　arranged　in　honor　of　the　princess；　your　wife；　sir；〃　she　said　carelessly。　〃I　had　twice　the　fortune　to　see　the　Lady　Rebekah　passing　through　the　streets。〃

〃Not　in　the　streets　only；〃　he　said　courteously。　〃I　remember　now：　't　was　at　my　lord　bishop's　dinner。　　A　very　courtly　company　it　was。　You　were　laughing　with　my　Lord　Rich。　You　wore　pearls　in　your　hair〃　…

She　met　his　gaze　fully　and　boldly。　〃Memory　plays　us　strange　tricks　at　times；〃　she　told　him　in　a　clear；　slightly　ra