christie johnstone-第24节

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you　have　made　me；　but　you　have　no　pity；　I　could　not　have　believed　it；
but；　since　you　have　no　mercy　on　me；　I　will　have　the　more　mercy　on　myself；
I　marry　her　to…morrow；　and　put　an　end　to　all　this　shuffling　and
maneuvering　against　an　angel！　I　am　not　worthy　of　her；　but　I'll　marry　her
to…morrow。　Good…by。〃

〃Stay！〃　said　the　old　woman；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃before　you　destroy　me
and　all　I　have　lived　for；　and　suffered；　and　pinched　for；　hear　me；　if　that
ring　is　not　off　the　hussy's　finger　in　half　an　hour；　and　you　my　son　again；
I　fall　on　this　sand　and〃

〃Then　God　have　mercy　upon　me；　for　I'll　see　the　whole　creation　lost
eternally　ere　I'll　wrong　the　only　creature　that　is　an　ornament　to　the
world。〃

He　was　desperate；　and　the　weak；　driven　to　desperation；　are　more　furious
than　the　strong。

It　was　by　Heaven's　mercy　that　neither　mother　nor　son　had　time　to　speak
again。

As　they　faced　each　other；　with　flaming　eyes　and　faces；　all　self…command
gone；　about　to　utter　hasty　words；　and　lay　up　regret；　perhaps　for　all
their　lives　to　come；　in　a　moment；　as　if　she　had　started　from　the　earth；
Christie　Johnstone　stood　between　them！

Gatty's　words；　and；　still　more；　his　hesitation；　had　made　her　quick
intelligence　suspect。　She　had　resolved　to　know　the　truth；　the　boats
offered　every　facility　for　listeningshe　had　heard　every　word。

She　stood　between　the　mother　and　son。

They　were　confused；　abashed；　and　the　hot　blood　began　to　leave　their
faces。

She　stood　erect　like　a　statue；　her　cheek　pale　as　ashes；　her　eyes
glittering　like　basilisks；　she　looked　at　neither　of　them。

She　slowly　raised　her　left　hand；　she　withdrew　a　ruby　ring　from　it；　and
dropped　the　ring　on　the　sand　between　the　two。

She　turned　on　her　heel；　and　was　gone　as　she　had　come；　without　a　word
spoken。

They　looked　at　one　another；　stupefied　at　first；　after　a　considerable
pause　the　stern　old　woman　stooped；　picked　up　the　ring；　and；　in　spite　of　a
certain　chill　that　the　young　woman's　majestic　sorrow　had　given　her；　said；
placing　it　on　her　own　finger；　〃This　is　for　your　wife！！！〃

〃It　will　be　for　my　coffin；　then；〃　said　her　son；　so　coldly；　so　bitterly
and　so　solemnly　that　the　mother's　heart　began　to　quake。

〃Mother；〃　said　he　calmly；　〃forgive　me；　and　accept　your　son's　arm。

〃I　will；　my　son！〃

〃We　are　alone　in　the　world　now；　mother。〃

Mrs。　Gatty　had　triumphed；　but　she　felt　the　price　of　her　triumph　more　than
her　victory。　It　had　been　done　in　one　moment；　that　for　which　she　had　so
labored；　and　it　seemed　that　had　she　spoken　long　ago　to　Christie；　instead
of　Charles；　it　could　have　been　done　at　any　moment。

Strange　to　say；　for　some　minutes　the　mother　felt　more　uneasy　than　her
son；　she　was　a　woman；　after　all；　and　could　measure　a　woman's　heart；　and
she　saw　how　deep　the　wound　she　had　given　one　she　was　now　compelled　to
respect。

Charles；　on　the　other　hand；　had　been　so　harassed　backward　and　forward；
that　to　him　certainty　was　relief；　it　was　a　great　matter　to　be　no　longer
called　upon　to　decide。　His　mother　had　said；　〃Part；〃　and　now　Christie　had
said；　〃Part〃；　at　least　the　affair　was　taken　out　of　his　hands；　and　his
first　feeling　was　a　heavenly　calm。

In　this　state　he　continued　for　about　a　mile；　and　he　spoke　to　his　mother
about　his　art；　sole　object　now；　but　after　the　first　mile　he　became
silent；　_distrait；_　Christie's　pale　face；　her　mortified　air；　when　her
generous　offer　was　coldly　repulsed；　filled　him　with　remorse。　Finally；
unable　to　bear　it；　yet　not　daring　to　speak；　he　broke　suddenly　from　his
mother　without　a　word；　and　ran　wildly　back　to　Newhaven；　he　looked　back
only　once；　and　there　stood　his　mother；　pale；　with　her　hands　piteously
lifted　toward　heaven。

By　the　time　he　got　to　Newhaven　he　was　as　sorry　for　her　as　for　Christie。
He　ran　to　the　house　of　the　latter；　Flucker　and　Jean　told　him　she　was　on
the　beach。　He　ran　to　the　beach！　he　did　not　see　her　at　first；　but；
presently　looking　back；　he　saw　her；　at　the　edge　of　the　boats；　in　company
with　a　gentleman　in　a　boating…dress。　He　lookedcould　he　believe　his
eyes？　he　saw　Christie　Johnstone　kiss　this　man's　hand；　who　then；　taking
her　head　gently　in　his　two　hands；　placed　a　kiss　upon　her　brow；　while　she
seemed　to　yield　lovingly　to　the　caress。

Gatty　turned　faint；　sick；　for　a　moment　everything　swam　before　his　eyes；
he　recovered　himself；　they　were　gone。

He　darted　round　to　intercept　them；　Christie　had　slipped　away　somewhere；
he　encountered　the　man　alone！




CHAPTER　XV。


CHRISTIE'S　situation　requires　to　be　explained。

On　leaving　Gatty　and　his　mother；　she　went　to　her　own　house。　Fluckerwho
after　looking　upon　her　for　years　as　an　inconvenient　appendage；　except　at
dinnertime；　had　fallen　in　love　with　her　in　a　manner　that　was　half
pathetic；　half　laughable；　all　things　consideredsaw　by　her　face　she　had
received　a　blow；　and　raising　himself　in　the　bed；　inquired　anxiously；
〃What　ailed　her？〃

At　these　kind　words；　Christie　Johnstone　laid　her　cheek　upon　the　pillow
beside　Flucker's　and　said：

〃Oh；　my　laamb；　be　kind　to　your　puir　sister　fra'　this　hoor；　for　she　has
naething　i'　the　warld　noo　but　yoursel'。〃

Flucker　began　to　sob　at　this。

Christie　could　not　cry；　her　heart　was　like　a　lump　of　lead　in　her　bosom；
but　she　put　her　arm　round　his　neck；　and　at　the　sight　of　his　sympathy　she
panted　heavily；　but　could　not　shed　a　tearshe　was　sore　stricken。

Presently　Jean　came　in；　and；　as　the　poor　girl's　head　ached　as　well　as　her
heart；　they　forced　her　to　go　and　sit　in　the　air。　She　took　her　creepie　and
sat；　and　looked　on　the　sea；　but；　whether　she　looked　seaward　or　landward；
all　seemed　unreal；　not　things；　but　hard　pictures　of　things；　some　moving；
some　still。　Life　seemed　endedshe　had　lost　her　love。

An　hour　she　sat　in　this　miserable　trance；　she　was　diverted　into　a　better；
because　a　somewhat　less　dangerous　form　of　grief；　by　one　of　those　trifling
circumstances　that　often　penetrate　to　the　human　heart　when　inaccessible
to　greater　things。

Willy　the　fiddler　and　his　brother　came　through　the　town；　playing　as　they
went；　according　to　custom；　their　music　floated　past　Christie's　ears　like
some　drowsy　chime；　until；　all　of　a　sudden；　they　struck　up　the　old　English
air；　〃Speed　the　Plow。〃

Now　it　was　to　this　tune　Charles　Gatty　had　danced　with　her　their　first
dance　the　night　they　made　acquaintance。

Christie　listened；　lifted　up　her　hands；　and　crying：

〃Oh；　what　will　I　do？　what　will　I　do？〃　burst　into　a　passion　of　grief。

She　put　her　apron　over　her　head；　and　rocked　herself；　and　sobbed　bitterly。

She　was　in　this　situation　when　Lord　Ipsden；　who　was　prowling　about；
examining　the　proportions　of　the　boats；　discovered　her。

〃Some　one　in　distressthat　was　all　in　his　way。〃

〃Madam！〃　said　he。

She　lifted　up　her　head。

〃It　is　Christie　Johnstone。　I'm　so　glad；　that　is；　I'm　sorry　you　are
crying；　but　I'm　glad　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　relieving　you；〃　and　his
lordship　began　to　feel　for　a　check…book。

〃And　div　ye　really　think　siller's　a　cure　for　every　grief！〃　said　Christie；
bitterly。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　his　lordship；　〃it　has　cured　them　all　as　yet。〃

〃It　will　na　cure　me；　then！〃　and　she　covered　her　head　with　her　apron
again。

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　he；　〃tell　me〃　_（whispering）；_　〃what　is　it？　poor
little　Christie！〃

〃Dinna　speak　to　me；　I　think　shame；　ask　Jean。　Oh；　Richard；　I'll　no　be　lang
in　this　warld！！！〃

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃I　know　too　well　what　it　is　now；　I　know；　by　sad
experience。　But；　Christie；　money　will　cure　it　in　your　case；　and　it　shall；
too；　only；　instead　of　five　pounds；　we　must　put　a　thousand　pounds　or　two
to　your　banker's　account；　and　then　they　will　all　see　your　beauty；　and　run
after　you。〃

〃How　daur　ye　even　to　me　that　I'm　seekin　a　lad？〃　cried　she；　rising　from
her　stool；　〃I　would　na　care　suppose　there　was　na　a　lad　in　Britain。〃　And
off　she　flounced。

〃Offended　her　by　my　gross　want　of　tact；〃　thought　the　viscount。

She　crept　back；　and　two　velvet　lips　touched　his　hand。　That　was　because
she　had　spoken　harshly　to　a　friend。

〃Oh；　Richard；〃　said　she；　despairingly；　〃I'll　no　be　lang　in　this　warld。〃

He　was　touched；　and　it　was　then　he　took　her　head　and　kissed　her　brow；　and
said：　〃This　will　never　do。　My　child；　go　home　and　have　a　nice　cry；　and　I
will　speak　to　Jean；　and；　rely　upon　me；　I　will　not　leave　the　neighborhood
till　I　have　arranged　it　all　to　your　satisfaction。〃

And　so　she　wenta　little；　a　very　little；　comforted　by　his　tone　and
words。

Now　this　was　all　very　pretty；　but　then　seen　at　a　distance　of　fifty　yards
it　looked　very　ugly；　and　Gatty；　who　had　never　before　known　jealousy；　the
strongest　and　worst　of　human　passions；　was　ripe　for　anything。

He　met　Lord　Ipsden；　and　said　at　once；　in　his　wise；　temperate　way：

〃Sir；　you　are　a　villain！〃

_Ipsden。　〃Plait…il？〃_

_Gatty。_　〃You　are　a　villain！〃

_Ipsden。_　〃How　do　you　make　that　out？〃

_Gatty。_　〃But；　of　course；　you　are　not　a　coward；　too。〃

_Ipsden　（ironically）。_　〃You　surprise　me　with　your　moderation；　sir。〃

_Gatty。_　〃Then　you　will　waive　your　rankyou　are　a　lord；　I　believe…and
give　me　satisfaction。〃

_Ipsden。_　〃My　rank；　sir；　such　as　it　is；　engages　me　to　give　a　proper
answer　to　proposals　of　this　sort；　I　am　at　your　orders。〃

_Gatty。_　〃A　man　of　your　character　must　often　have　been　called　to　an
account　by　your　victims；　soso〃　（hesit