villa rubein and other stories-第20节

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〃Keep　this　track　down　to　the　rivergo　southyou'll　be　in　Italy　in　a

couple　of　hours。　　Get　rail　at　Feltre。　　Money？　　Yes？　　Well！〃　　He　held

out　his　hand；　Harz　gripped　it。



〃Give　her　up；　eh？〃



Harz　shook　his　head。



〃No？　　Then　it's　'pull　devil；　pull　baker；'　between　us。　　Good…bye；　and

good　luck　to　you！〃　　And　mustering　his　strength　for　a　last　attempt　at

dignity；　Mr。　Treffry　gathered　up　the　reins。



Harz　watched　his　figure　huddled　again　beneath　the　hood。　　The　carriage

moved　slowly　away。









XVIII



At　Villa　Rubein　people　went　about；　avoiding　each　other　as　if　detected

in　conspiracy。　　Miss　Naylor；　who　for　an　inscrutable　reason　had　put　on

her　best　frock；　a　purple；　relieved　at　the　chest　with　bird's…eye　blue；

conveyed　an　impression　of　trying　to　count　a　chicken　which　ran　about

too　fast。　　When　Greta　asked　what　she　had　lost　she　was　heard　to

mutter：　〃Mr。Needlecase。



Christian；　with　big　circles　round　her　eyes；　sat　silent　at　her　little

table。　　She　had　had　no　sleep。　　Herr　Paul　coming　into　the　room　about

noon　gave　her　a　furtive　look　and　went　out　again；　after　this　he　went

to　his　bedroom；　took　off　all　his　clothes；　flung　them　passionately　one

by　one　into　a　footbath；　and　got　into　bed。



〃I　might　be　a　criminal！〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　while　the　buttons　of

his　garments　rattled　on　the　bath。



〃Am　I　her　father？　　Have　I　authority？　　Do　I　know　the　world？　　Bssss！　　I

might　be　a　frog！〃



Mrs。　Decie；　having　caused　herself　to　be　announced；　found　him　smoking

a　cigar；　and　counting　the　flies　on　the　ceiling。



〃If　you　have　really　done　this；　Paul；〃　she　said　in　a　restrained　voice；

〃you　have　done　a　very　unkind　thing；　and　what　is　worse；　you　have　made

us　all　ridiculous。　　But　perhaps　you　have　not　done　it？〃



〃I　have　done　it；〃　cried　Herr　Paul；　staring　dreadfully：　〃I　have　done

it；　I　tell　you；　I　have　done　it〃



〃Very　well；　you　have　done　itand　why；　pray？　　What　conceivable　good

was　there　in　it？　　I　suppose　you　know　that　Nicholas　has　driven　him　to

the　frontier？　　Nicholas　is　probably　more　dead　than　alive　by　this

time；　you　know　his　state　of　health。〃



Herr　Paul's　fingers　ploughed　up　his　beard。



〃Nicholas　is　madand　the　girl　is　mad！　　Leave　me　alone！　　I　will　not

be　made　angry；　do　you　understand？　　I　will　not　be　worriedI　am　not

fit　for　it。〃　　His　prominent　brown　eyes　stared　round　the　room；　as　if

looking　for　a　way　of　escape。



〃If　I　may　prophesy；　you　will　be　worried　a　good　deal；〃　said　Mrs。　Decie

coldly；　〃before　you　have　finished　with　this　affair。〃



The　anxious；　uncertain　glance　which　Herr　Paul　gave　her　at　these　words

roused　an　unwilling　feeling　of　compunction　in　her。



〃You　are　not　made　for　the　outraged　father　of　the　family；〃　she　said。

〃You　had　better　give　up　the　attitude；　Paul；　it　does　not　suit　you。〃



Herr　Paul　groaned。



〃I　suppose　it　is　not　your　fault；〃　she　added。



Just　then　the　door　was　opened；　and　Fritz；　with　an　air　of　saying　the

right　thing；　announced：



〃A　gentleman　of　the　police　to　see　you；　sir。〃



Herr　Paul　bounded。



〃Keep　him　out！〃　he　cried。



Mrs。　Decie；　covering　her　lips；　disappeared　with　a　rustling　of　silk；

in　her　place　stood　a　stiff　man　in　blue。。。。



Thus　the　morning　dragged　itself　away　without　any　one　being　able　to

settle　to　anything；　except　Herr　Paul；　who　was　settled　in　bed。　　As　was

fitting　in　a　house　that　had　lost　its　soul；　meals　were　neglected；　even

by　the　dog。



About　three　o'clock　a　telegram　came　for　Christian；　containing　these

words：　〃All　right；　self　returns　to…morrow。　　Treffry。〃　　After　reading

it　she　put　on　her　hat　and　went　out；　followed　closely　by　Greta；　who；

when　she　thought　that　she　would　not　be　sent　away；　ran　up　from　behind

and　pulled　her　by　the　sleeve。



〃Let　me　come；　ChrisI　shall　not　talk。〃



The　two　girls　walked　on　together。　　When　they　had　gone　some　distance

Christian　said：



〃I'm　going　to　get　his　pictures；　and　take　charge　of　them！〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Greta　timidly。



〃If　you　are　afraid；〃　said　Christian；　〃you　had　better　go　back　home。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid；　Chris；〃　said　Greta　meekly。



Neither　girl　spoke　again　till　they　had　taken　the　path　along　the　wall。

Over　the　tops　of　the　vines　the　heat　was　dancing。



〃The　sun…fairies　are　on　the　vines！〃　murmured　Greta　to　herself。



At　the　old　house　they　stopped；　and　Christian；　breathing　quickly；

pushed　the　door；　it　was　immovable。



〃Look！〃　said　Greta；　〃they　have　screwed　it！〃　　She　pointed　out　three

screws　with　a　rosy…tipped　forefinger。



Christian　stamped　her　foot。



〃We　mustn't　stand　here；〃　she　said；　〃let's　sit　on　that　bench　and

think。〃



〃Yes；〃　murmured　Greta；　〃let　us　think。〃　　Dangling　an　end　of　hair；　she

regarded　Christian　with　her　wide　blue　eyes。



〃I　can't　make　any　plan；〃　Christian　cried　at　last；　〃while　you　stare　at

me　like　that。〃



〃I　was　thinking；〃　said　Greta　humbly；　〃if　they　have　screwed　it　up；

perhaps　we　shall　screw　it　down　again；　there　is　the　big　screw…driver

of　Fritz。〃



〃It　would　take　a　long　time；　people　are　always　passing。〃



〃People　do　not　pass　in　the　evening；〃　murmured　Greta；　〃because　the

gate　at　our　end　is　always　shut。〃



Christian　rose。



〃We　will　come　this　evening；　just　before　the　gate　is　shut。〃



〃But；　Chris；　how　shall　we　get　back　again？〃



〃I　don't　know；　I　mean　to　have　the　pictures。〃



〃It　is　not　a　high　gate；〃　murmured　Greta。



After　dinner　the　girls　went　to　their　room；　Greta　bearing　with　her　the

big　screw…driver　of　Fritz。　　At　dusk　they　slipped　downstairs　and　out。



They　arrived　at　the　old　house；　and　stood；　listening；　in　the　shadow　of

the　doorway。　　The　only　sounds　were　those　of　distant　barking　dogs；　and

of　the　bugles　at　the　barracks。



〃Quick！〃　whispered　Christian；　and　Greta；　with　all　the　strength　of　her

small　hands；　began　to　turn　the　screws。　　It　was　some　time　before　they

yielded；　the　third　was　very　obstinate；　till　Christian　took　the　screw…

driver　and　passionately　gave　the　screw　a　starting　twist。



〃It　is　like　a　pigthat　one；〃　said　Greta；　rubbing　her　wrists

mournfully。



The　opened　door　revealed　the　gloom　of　the　dank　rooms　and　twisting

staircase；　then　fell　to　behind　them　with　a　clatter。



Greta　gave　a　little　scream；　and　caught　her　sister's　dress。



〃It　is　dark；〃　she　gasped；　〃O　Chris！　it　is　dark！〃



Christian　groped　for　the　bottom　stair；　and　Greta　felt　her　arm

shaking。



〃Suppose　there　is　a　man　to　keep　guard！　　O　Chris！　suppose　there　are

bats！〃



〃You　are　a　baby！〃　Christian　answered　in　a　trembling　voice。　　〃You　had

better　go　home！〃



Greta　choked　a　little　in　the　dark。



〃I　amnotgoing　home；　but　I'm　afraid　of　bats。　　O　Chris！　aren't　you

afraid？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Christian；　〃but　I'm　going　to　have　the　pictures。〃



Her　cheeks　were　burning；　she　was　trembling　all　over。　　Having　found

the　bottom　step　she　began　to　mount　with　Greta　clinging　to　her　skirts。



The　haze　above　inspired　a　little　courage　in　the　child；　who；　of　all

things；　hated　darkness。　　The　blanket　across　the　doorway　of　the　loft

had　been　taken　down；　there　was　nothing　to　veil　the　empty　room。



〃Nobody　here；　you　see；〃　said　Christian。



〃No…o；〃　whispered　Greta；　running　to　the　window；　and　clinging　to　the

wall；　like　one　of　the　bats　she　dreaded。



〃But　they　have　been　here！〃　cried　Christian　angrily。　　〃They　have

broken　this。〃　　She　pointed　to　the　fragments　of　a　plaster　cast　that

had　been　thrown　down。



Out　of　the　corner　she　began　to　pull　the　canvases　set　in　rough；　wooden

frames；　dragging　them　with　all　her　strength。



〃Help　me！〃　she　cried；　〃it　will　be　dark　directly。〃



They　collected　a　heap　of　sketches　and　three　large　pictures；　piling

them　before　the　window；　and　peering　at　them　in　the　failing　light。



Greta　said　ruefully：



〃O　Chris！　they　are　heavy　ones；　we　shall　never　carry　them；　and　the

gate　is　shut　now！〃



Christian　took　a　pointed　knife　from　the　table。



〃I　shall　cut　them　out　of　the　frames；〃　she　said。　　〃Listen！　　What's

that？〃



It　was　the　sound　of　whistling；　which　stopped　beneath　the　window。　　The

girls；　clasping　each　other's　hands；　dropped　on　their　knees。



〃Hallo！〃　cried　a　voice。



Greta　crept　to　the　window；　and；　placing　her　face　level　with　the

floor；　peered　over。



〃It　is　only　Dr。　Edmund；　he　doesn't　know；　then；〃　she　whispered；　〃I

shall　call　him；　he　is　going　away！〃　cried　Christian　catching　her

sister's



〃Don't！〃　cried　Christian　catching　her　sister's　dress。



〃He　would　help　us；〃　Greta　said　reproachfully；　〃and　it　would　not　be　so

dark　if　he　were　here。〃



Christian's　cheeks　were　burning。



〃I　don't　choose；〃　she　said；　and　began　handling　the　pictures；　feeling

their　edges　with　her　knife。



〃Chris！　　Suppose　anybody　came？〃



〃The　door　is　screwed；〃　Christian　answered　absently。



〃O　Chris！　　We　screwed　it　unscrewed；　anybody　who　wishes　shall　come！〃



Christian；　leaning　her　chin　in　her　hands；　gazed　at　her　thoughtfully。



〃It　will　take　a　long　time　to　cut　these　pictures　out　carefully；　or；

perhaps　I　can　get　them　out　without　cutting。