robert falconer-第69节

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shelter　from　the　blast；　which　blew　from　behind。　　Letting　himself

down　by　his　hands；　he　alighted　upon　something　that　crunched　beneath

his　tread；　and　found　the　bones　of　many　small　animals　scattered　about

in　front　of　a　little　cave　in　the　rock；　offering　the　refuge　he

sought；　He　went　in；　and　sat　upon　a　stone。　　The　storm　increased　in

violence；　and　as　the　darkness　grew　he　became　uneasy；　for　he　did　not

relish　the　thought　of　spending　the　night　in　the　cave。　　He　had　parted

from　his　companions　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　island；　and　it　added

to　his　uneasiness　that　they　must　be　full　of　apprehension　about　him。

At　last　there　came　a　lull　in　the　storm；　and　the　same　instant　he

heard　a　footfall；　stealthy　and　light　as　that　of　a　wild　beast；　upon

the　bones　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　　He　started　up　in　some　fear；

though　the　least　thought　might　have　satisfied　him　that　there　could

be　no　very　dangerous　animals　upon　the　island。　　Before　he　had　time　to

think；　however；　the　face　of　a　woman　appeared　in　the　opening。

Eagerly　the　wanderer　spoke。　　She　started　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。

He　could　not　see　her　well；　because　she　was　turned　towards　the

darkness　of　the　cave。



'〃Will　you　tell　me　how　to　find　my　way　across　the　moor　to　Shielness？〃

he　asked。



'〃You　cannot　find　it　to…night；〃　she　answered；　in　a　sweet　tone；　and

with　a　smile　that　bewitched　him；　revealing　the　whitest　of　teeth。



'〃What　am　I　to　do；　then？〃　he　asked。



'〃My　mother　will　give　you　shelter；　but　that　is　all　she　has　to

offer。〃



'〃And　that　is　far　more　than　I　expected　a　minute　ago；〃　he　replied。　〃I

shall　be　most　grateful。〃



'She　turned　in　silence　and　left　the　cave。　　The　youth　followed。



'She　was　barefooted；　and　her　pretty　brown　feet　went　catlike　over　the

sharp　stones；　as　she　led　the　way　down　a　rocky　path　to　the　shore。

Her　garments　were　scanty　and　torn；　and　her　hair　blew　tangled　in　the

wind。　　She　seemed　about　five…and…twenty；　lithe　and　small。　　Her　long

fingers　kept　clutching　and　pulling　nervously　at　her　skirts　as　she

went。　　Her　face　was　very　gray　in　complexion；　and　very　worn；　but

delicately　formed；　and　smooth…skinned。　　Her　thin　nostrils　were

tremulous　as　eyelids；　and　her　lips；　whose　curves　were　faultless；　had

no　colour　to　give　sign　of　indwelling　blood。　　What　her　eyes　were　like

he　could　not　see；　for　she　had　never　lifted　the　delicate　films　of　her

eyelids。



'At　the　foot　of　the　cliff　they　came　upon　a　little　hut　leaning

against　it；　and　having　for　its　inner　apartment　a　natural　hollow

within　it。　　Smoke　was　spreading　over　the　face　of　the　rock；　and　the

grateful　odour　of　food　gave　hope　to　the　hungry　student。　　His　guide

opened　the　door　of　the　cottage；　he　followed　her　in；　and　saw　a　woman

bending　over　a　fire　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　　On　the　fire　lay　a

large　fish　boiling。　　The　daughter　spoke　a　few　words；　and　the　mother

turned　and　welcomed　the　stranger。　　She　had　an　old　and　very　wrinkled；

but　honest　face；　and　looked　troubled。　　She　dusted　the　only　chair　in

the　cottage；　and　placed　it　for　him　by　the　side　of　the　fire；　opposite

the　one　window；　whence　he　saw　a　little　patch　of　yellow　sand　over

which　the　spent　waves　spread　themselves　out　listlessly。　　Under　this

window　was　a　bench；　upon　which　the　daughter　threw　herself　in　an

unusual　posture；　resting　her　chin　upon　her　hand。　　A　moment　after　the

youth　caught　the　first　glimpse　of　her　blue　eyes。　　They　were　fixed

upon　him　with　a　strange　look　of　greed；　amounting　to　craving；　but　as

if　aware　that　they　belied　or　betrayed　her；　she　dropped　them

instantly。　　The　moment　she　veiled　them；　her　face；　notwithstanding

its　colourless　complexion；　was　almost　beautiful。



'When　the　fish　was　ready　the　old　woman　wiped　the　deal　table；

steadied　it　upon　the　uneven　floor；　and　covered　it　with　a　piece　of

fine　table…linen。　　She　then　laid　the　fish　on　a　wooden　platter；　and

invited　the　guest　to　help　himself。　　Seeing　no　other　provision；　he

pulled　from　his　pocket　a　hunting…knife；　and　divided　a　portion　from

the　fish；　offering　it　to　the　mother　first。



'〃Come；　my　lamb；〃　said　the　old　woman；　and　the　daughter　approached

the　table。　　But　her　nostrils　and　mouth　quivered　with　disgust。



'The　next　moment　she　turned　and　hurried　from　the　hut。



'〃She　doesn't　like　fish；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃and　I　haven't

anything　else　to　give　her。〃



'〃She　does　not　seem　in　good　health；〃　he　rejoined。



'The　woman　answered　only　with　a　sigh；　and　they　ate　their　fish　with

the　help　of　a　little　rye…bread。　　As　they　finished　their　supper；　the

youth　heard　the　sound　as　of　the　pattering　of　a　dog's　feet　upon　the

sand　close　to　the　door；　but　ere　he　had　time　to　look　out　of　the

window；　the　door　opened　and　the　young　woman　entered。　　She　looked

better；　perhaps　from　having　just　washed　her　face。　　She　drew　a　stool

to　the　corner　of　the　fire　opposite　him。　　But　as　she　sat　down；　to　his

bewilderment；　and　even　horror；　the　student　spied　a　single　drop　of

blood　on　her　white　skin　within　her　torn　dress。　　The　woman　brought

out　a　jar　of　whisky；　put　a　rusty　old　kettle　on　the　fire；　and　took

her　place　in　front　of　it。　　As　soon　as　the　water　boiled；　she

proceeded　to　make　some　toddy　in　a　wooden　bowl。



'Meantime　the　youth　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　young　woman；　so

that　at　length　he　found　himself　fascinated；　or　rather　bewitched。

She　kept　her　eyes　for　the　most　part　veiled　with　the　loveliest

eyelids　fringed　with　darkest　lashes；　and　he　gazed　entranced；　for　the

red　glow　of　the　little　oil…lamp　covered　all　the　strangeness　of　her

complexion。　　But　as　soon　as　he　met　a　stolen　glance　out　of　those　eyes

unveiled；　his　soul　shuddered　within　him。　　Lovely　face　and　craving

eyes　alternated　fascination　and　repulsion。



'The　mother　placed　the　bowl　in　his　hands。　　He　drank　sparingly；　and

passed　it　to　the　girl。　　She　lifted　it　to　her　lips；　and　as　she

tastedonly　tasted　itlooked　at　him。　　He　thought　the　drink　must

have　been　drugged　and　have　affected　his　brain。　　Her　hair　smoothed

itself　back；　and　drew　her　forehead　backwards　with　it；　while　the

lower　part　of　her　face　projected　towards　the　bowl；　revealing；　ere

she　sipped；　her　dazzling　teeth　in　strange　prominence。　　But　the　same

moment　the　vision　vanished；　she　returned　the　vessel　to　her　mother；

and　rising；　hurried　out　of　the　cottage。



'Then；　the　old　woman　pointed　to　a　bed　of　heather　in　one　corner　with

a　murmured　apology；　and　the　student；　wearied　both　with　the　fatigues

of　the　day　and　the　strangeness　of　the　night；　threw　himself　upon　it；

wrapped　in　his　cloak。　　The　moment　he　lay　down；　the　storm　began

afresh；　and　the　wind　blew　so　keenly　through　the　crannies　of　the　hut；

that　it　was　only　by　drawing　his　cloak　over　his　head　that　he　could

protect　himself　from　its　currents。　　Unable　to　sleep；　he　lay

listening　to　the　uproar　which　grew　in　violence；　till　the　spray　was

dashing　against　the　window。　　At　length　the　door　opened；　and　the

young　woman　came　in；　made　up　the　fire；　drew　the　bench　before　it；　and

lay　down　in　the　same　strange　posture；　with　her　chin　propped　on　her

hand　and　elbow；　and　her　face　turned　towards　the　youth。　　He　moved　a

little；　she　dropped　her　head；　and　lay　on　her　face；　with　her　arms

crossed　beneath　her　forehead。　　The　mother　had　disappeared。



'Drowsiness　crept　over　him。　　A　movement　of　the　bench　roused　him；　and

he　fancied　he　saw　some　four…footed　creature　as　tall　as　a　large　dog

trot　quietly　out　of　the　door。　　He　was　sure　he　felt　a　rush　of　cold

wind。　　Gazing　fixedly　through　the　darkness；　he　thought　he　saw　the

eyes　of　the　damsel　encountering　his；　but　a　glow　from　the　falling

together　of　the　remnants　of　the　fire；　revealed　clearly　enough　that

the　bench　was　vacant。　　Wondering　what　could　have　made　her　go　out　in

such　a　storm；　he　fell　fast　asleep。



'In　the　middle　of　the　night　he　felt　a　pain　in　his　shoulder；　came

broad　awake；　and　saw　the　gleaming　eyes　and　grinning　teeth　of　some

animal　close　to　his　face。　　Its　claws　were　in　his　shoulder；　and　its

mouth　was　in　the　act　of　seeking　his　throat。　　Before　it　had　fixed　its

fangs；　however；　he　had　its　throat　in　one　hand；　and　sought　his　knife

with　the　other。　　A　terrible　struggle　followed；　but　regardless　of　the

tearing　claws；　he　found　and　opened　his　knife。　　He　had　made　one

futile　stab；　and　was　drawing　it　for　a　surer；　when；　with　a　spring　of

the　whole　body；　and　one　wildly…contorted　effort；　the　creature

twisted　its　neck　from　his　hold；　and　with　something　betwixt　a　scream

and　a　howl；　darted　from　him。　　Again　he　heard　the　door　open；　again

the　wind　blew　in　upon　him；　and　it　continued　blowing；　a　sheet　of

spray　dashed　across　the　floor；　and　over　his　face。　　He　sprung　from

his　couch　and　bounded　to　the　door。



'It　was　a　wild　nightdark；　but　for　the　flash　of　whiteness　from　the

waves　as　they　broke　within　a　few　yards　of　the　cottage；　the　wind　was

raving；　and　the　rain　pouring　down　the　air。　　A　gruesome　sound　as　of

mingled　weeping　and　howling　came　from　somewhere　in　the　dark。　　He

turned　again　into　the　hut　and　closed　the　door；　but　could　find　no　way

of　securing　it。



'The　lamp　was　nearly　out；　and　he　could　not　be　certain　whe