robert falconer-第70节

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of　securing　it。



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

form　of　the　young　woman　was　upon　the　bench　or　not。　　Overcoming　a

strong　repugnance；　he　approached　it；　and　put　out　his　handsthere

was　nothing　there。　　He　sat　down　and　waited　for　the　daylight：　he

dared　not　sleep　any　more。



'When　the　day　dawned　at　length；　he　went　out　yet　again；　and　looked

around。　　The　morning　was　dim　and　gusty　and　gray。　　The　wind　had

fallen；　but　the　waves　were　tossing　wildly。　　He　wandered　up　and　down

the　little　strand；　longing　for　more　light。



'At　length　he　heard　a　movement　in　the　cottage。　　By　and　by　the　voice

of　the　old　woman　called　to　him　from　the　door。



'〃You're　up　early；　sir。　　I　doubt　you　didn't　sleep　well。〃



'〃Not　very　well；〃　he　answered。　〃But　where　is　your　daughter？〃



'〃She's　not　awake　yet；〃　said　the　mother。　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　but　a

poor　breakfast　for　you。　　But　you'll　take　a　dram　and　a　bit　of　fish。

It's　all　I've　got。〃



'Unwilling　to　hurt　her；　though　hardly　in　good　appetite；　he　sat　down

at　the　table。　　While　they　were　eating　the　daughter　came　in；　but

turned　her　face　away　and　went　to　the　further　end　of　the　hut。　　When

she　came　forward　after　a　minute　or　two；　the　youth　saw　that　her　hair

was　drenched；　and　her　face　whiter　than　before。　　She　looked　ill　and

faint；　and　when　she　raised　her　eyes；　all　their　fierceness　had

vanished；　and　sadness　had　taken　its　place。　　Her　neck　was　now　covered

with　a　cotton　handkerchief。　　She　was　modestly　attentive　to　him；　and

no　longer　shunned　his　gaze。　　He　was　gradually　yielding　to　the

temptation　of　braving　another　night　in　the　hut；　and　seeing　what

would　follow；　when　the　old　woman　spoke。



'〃The　weather　will　be　broken　all　day；　sir；〃　she　said。　〃You　had

better　be　going；　or　your　friends　will　leave　without　you。〃



'Ere　he　could　answer；　he　saw　such　a　beseeching　glance　on　the　face　of

the　girl；　that　he　hesitated；　confused。　　Glancing　at　the　mother；　he

saw　the　flash　of　wrath　in　her　face。　　She　rose　and　approached　her

daughter；　with　her　hand　lifted　to　strike　her。　　The　young　woman

stooped　her　head　with　a　cry。　　He　darted　round　the　table　to　interpose

between　them。　　But　the　mother　had　caught　hold　of　her；　the

handkerchief　had　fallen　from　her　neck；　and　the　youth　saw　five　blue

bruises　on　her　lovely　throatthe　marks　of　the　four　fingers　and　the

thumb　of　a　left　hand。　　With　a　cry　of　horror　he　rushed　from　the

house；　but　as　he　reached　the　door　he　turned。　　His　hostess　was　lying

motionless　on　the　floor；　and　a　huge　gray　wolf　came　bounding　after

him。'



An　involuntary　cry　from　Mysie　interrupted　the　story…teller。　　He

changed　his　tone　at　once。



'I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Lindsay；　for　telling　you　such　a　horrid

tale。　　Do　forgive　me。　　I　didn't　mean　to　frighten　you　more　than　a

little。'



'Only　a　case　of　lycanthropia；'　remarked　Mr。　Lindsay；　as　coolly　as　if

that　settled　everything　about　it　and　lycanthropia；　horror　and　all；

at　once。



'Do　tell　us　the　rest；'　pleaded　Mysie；　and　Ericson　resumed。



'There　was　no　weapon　at　hand；　and　if　there　had　been；　his　inborn

chivalry　would　never　have　allowed　him　to　harm　a　woman　even　under　the

guise　of　a　wolf。　　Instinctively；　he　set　himself　firm；　leaning　a

little　forward；　with　half　outstretched　arms；　and　hands　curved　ready

to　clutch　again　at　the　throat　upon　which　he　had　left　those　pitiful

marks。　　But　the　creature　as　she　sprang　eluded　his　grasp；　and　just　as

he　expected　to　feel　her　fangs；　he　found　a　woman　weeping　on　his

bosom；　with　her　arms　around　his　neck。　　The　next　instant；　the　gray

wolf　broke　from　him；　and　bounded　howling　up　the　cliff。　　Recovering

himself　as　he　best　might；　the　youth　followed；　for　it　was　the　only

way　to　the　moor　above；　across　which　he　must　now　make　his　way　to　find

his　companions。



'All　at　once　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　crunching　of　bonesnot　as　if　a

creature　was　eating　them；　but　as　if　they　were　ground　by　the　teeth　of

rage　and　disappointment：　looking　up；　he　saw　close　above　him　the

mouth　of　the　little　cavern　in　which　he　had　taken　refuge　the　day

before。　　Summoning　all　his　resolution；　he　passed　it　slowly　and

softly。　　From　within　came　the　sounds　of　a　mingled　moaning　and

growling。



'Having　reached　the　top；　he　ran　at　full　speed　for　some　distance

across　the　moor　before　venturing　to　look　behind　him。　　When　at　length

he　did　so　he　saw；　against　the　sky；　the　girl　standing　on　the　edge　of

the　cliff；　wringing　her　hands。　　One　solitary　wail　crossed　the　space

between。　　She　made　no　attempt　to　follow　him；　and　he　reached　the

opposite　shore　in　safety。'



Mysie　tried　to　laugh；　but　succeeded　badly。　　Robert　took　his　violin；

and　its　tones　had　soon　swept　all　the　fear　from　her　face；　leaving　in

its　stead　a　trouble　that　has　no　namethe　trouble　of　wanting　one

knows　not　whator　how　to　seek　it。



It　was　now　time　to　go　home。　　Mysie　gave　each　an　equally　warm

good…night　and　thanks；　Mr。　Lindsay　accompanied　them　to　the　door；　and

the　students　stepped　into　the　moonlight。　　Across　the　links　the　sound

of　the　sea　came　with　a　swell。



As　they　went　down　the　garden；　Ericson　stopped。　　Robert　thought　he

was　looking　back　to　the　house；　and　went　on。　　When　Ericson　joined

him；　he　was　pale　as　death。



'What　is　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　Mr。　Ericson？'　he　asked　in　terror。



'Look　there！'　said　Ericson；　pointing；　not　to　the　house；　but　to　the

sky。



Robert　looked　up。　　Close　about　the　moon　were　a　few　white　clouds。

Upon　these　white　clouds；　right　over　the　moon；　and　near　as　the

eyebrow　to　an　eye；　hung　part　of　an　opalescent　halo；　bent　into　the

rude；　but　unavoidable　suggestion　of　an　eyebrow；　while；　close　around

the　edge　of　the　moon；　clung　another；　a　pale　storm…halo。　　To　this

pale　iris　and　faint…hued　eyebrow　the　full　moon　itself　formed　the

white　pupil：　the　whole　was　a　perfect　eye　of　ghastly　death；　staring

out　of　the　winter　heaven。　　The　vision　may　never　have　been　before；

may　never　have　been　again；　but　this　Ericson　and　Robert　saw　that

night。









CHAPTER　XV。



THE　LAST　OF　THE　COALS。



The　next　Sunday　Robert　went　with　Ericson　to　the　episcopal　chapel；

and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　heard　the　epic　music　of　the

organ。　　It　was　a　new　starting…point　in　his　life。　　The　worshipping

instrument　flooded　his　soul　with　sound；　and　he　stooped　beneath　it　as

a　bather　on　the　shore　stoops　beneath　the　broad　wave　rushing　up　the

land。　　But　I　will　not　linger　over　this　portion　of　his　history。　　It

is　enough　to　say　that　he　sought　the　friendship　of　the　organist；　was

admitted　to　the　instrument；　touched；　trembled；　exulted；　grew

dissatisfied；　fastidious；　despairing；　gathered　hope　and　tried　again；

and　yet　again；　till　at　last；　with　constantly…recurring　fits　of

self…despite；　he　could　not　leave　the　grand　creature　alone。　　It

became　a　rival　even　to　his　violin。　　And　once　before　the　end　of

March；　when　the　organist　was　ill；　and　another　was　not　to　be　had；　he

ventured　to　occupy　his　place　both　at　morning　and　evening　service。



Dr。　Anderson　kept　George　Moray　in　bed　for　a　few　days；　after　which　he

went　about　for　a　while　with　his　arm　in　a　sling。　　But　the　season　of

bearing　material　burdens　was　over　for　him　now。　　Dr。　Anderson　had　an

interview　with　the　master　of　the　grammar…school；　a　class　was

assigned　to　Moray；　and　with　a　delight；　resting　chiefly　on　his　social

approximation　to　Robert；　which　in　one　week　elevated　the　whole

character　of　his　person　and　countenance　and　bearing；　George　Moray

bent　himself　to　the　task　of　mental　growth。　　Having　good　helpers　at

home；　and　his　late…developed　energy　turning　itself　entirely　into　the

new　channel；　he　got　on　admirably。　　As　there　was　no　other　room　to　be

had　in　Mrs。　Fyvie's　house；　he　continued　for　the　rest　of　the　session

to　sleep　upon　the　rug；　for　he　would　not　hear　of　going　to　another

house。　　The　doctor　had　advised　Robert　to　drop　the　nickname　as　much

as　possible；　but　the　first　time　he　called　him　Moray；　Shargar

threatened　to　cut　his　throat；　and　so　between　the　two　the　name

remained。



I　presume　that　by　this　time　Doctor　Anderson　had　made　up　his　mind　to

leave　his　money　to　Robert；　but　thought　it　better　to　say　nothing

about　it；　and　let　the　boy　mature　his　independence。　　He　had　him　often

to　his　house。　　Ericson　frequently　accompanied　him；　and　as　there　was

a　good　deal　of　original　similarity　between　the　doctor　and　Ericson；

the　latter　soon　felt　his　obligation　no　longer　a　burden。　　Shargar

likewise；　though　more　occasionally；　made　one　of　the　party；　and　soon

began；　in　his　new　circumstances；　to　develop　the　manners　of　a

gentleman。　　I　say　develop　advisedly；　for　Shargar　had　a　deep　humanity

in　him；　as　abundantly　testified　by　his　devotion　to　Robert；　and

humanity　is　the　body　of　which　true　manners　is　the　skin　and　ordinary

manifestation：　true　manners　are　the　polish　which　lets　the　internal

humanity　shine　through；　just　as　the　polish　on　marble　reveals　its

veined　beauty。　　Many　talks　did　the　elderly　man　hold　with　the　three

youths；　and　his　experience　of　life　taught　Ericson　and　Robert　much；

especially　what　he　told　them　about　his　Brah