villa rubein and other stories-第21节
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〃It will take a long time to cut these pictures out carefully； or；
perhaps I can get them out without cutting。 You must screw me up and
go home。 In the morning you must come early； when the gate is open；
unscrew me again； and help carry the pictures。〃
Greta did not answer at once。 At last she shook her head violently。
〃I am afraid；〃 she gasped。
〃We can't both stay here all night；〃 said Christian； 〃if any one
comes to our room there will be nobody to answer。 We can't lift
these pictures over the gate。 One of us must go back； you can climb
over the gatethere is nothing to be afraid of〃
Greta pressed her hands together。
〃Do you want the pictures badly； Chris？〃
Christian nodded。
〃Very badly？〃
〃Yesyesyes！〃
Greta remained sitting where she was； shivering violently； as a
little animal shivers when it scents danger。 At last she rose。
〃I am going；〃 she said in a despairing voice。 At the doorway she
turned。
〃If Miss Naylor shall ask me where you are； Chris； I shall be telling
her a story。〃
Christian started。
〃I forgot that …O Greta； I am sorry！ I will go instead。〃
Greta took another stepa quick one。
〃I shall die if I stay here alone；〃 she said； 〃I can tell her that
you are in bed； you must go to bed here； Chris； so it shall be true
after all。〃
Christian threw her arms about her。
〃I am so sorry； darling； I wish I could go instead。 But if you have
to tell a lie； I would tell a straight one。〃
〃Would you？〃 said Greta doubtfully。
〃Yes。〃
〃I think；〃 said Greta to herself； beginning to descend the stairs； 〃I
think I will tell it in my way。〃 She shuddered and went on groping
in the darkness。
Christian listened for the sound of the screws。 It came slowly；
threatening her with danger and solitude。
Sinking on her knees she began to work at freeing the canvas of a
picture。 Her heart throbbed distressfully； at the stir of wind…
breath or any distant note of clamour she stopped； and held her
breathing。 No sounds came near。 She toiled on； trying only to think
that she was at the very spot where last night his arms had been
round her。 How long ago it seemed！ She was full of vague terror；
overmastered by the darkness； dreadfully alone。 The new glow of
resolution seemed suddenly to have died down in her heart； and left
her cold。
She would never be fit to be his wife； if at the first test her
courage failed！ She set her teeth； and suddenly she felt a kind of
exultation； as if she too were entering into life； were knowing
something within herself that she had never known before。 Her
fingers hurt； and the pain even gave pleasure； her cheeks were
burning； her breath came fast。 They could not stop her now！ This
feverish task in darkness was her baptism into life。 She finished；
and rolling the pictures very carefully； tied them with cord。 She
had done something for him！ Nobody could take that from her！ She
had a part of him！ This night had made him hers！ They might do
their worst！ She lay down on his mattress and soon fell asleep。。。。
She was awakened by Scruff's tongue against her face。 Greta was
standing by her side。
〃Wake up； Chris！ The gate is open！〃
In the cold early light the child seemed to glow with warmth and
colour； her eyes were dancing。
〃I am not afraid now； Scruff and I sat up all night； to catch the
morningIthink it was fun； and O Chris！〃 she ended with a rueful
gleam in her eyes； 〃I told it。〃
Christian hugged her。
〃Comequick！ There is nobody about。 Are those the pictures？〃
Each supporting an end； the girls carried the bundle downstairs； and
set out with their corpse…like burden along the wall…path between the
river and the vines。
XIX
Hidden by the shade of rose…bushes Greta lay stretched at length；
cheek on arm； sleeping the sleep of the unrighteous。 Through the
flowers the sun flicked her parted lips with kisses； and spilled the
withered petals on her。 In a denser islet of shade； Scruff lay
snapping at a fly。 His head lolled drowsily in the middle of a snap；
and snapped in the middle of a loll。
At three o'clock Miss Naylor too came out； carrying a basket and pair
of scissors。 Lifting her skirts to avoid the lakes of water left by
the garden hose； she stopped in front of a rose…bush； and began to
snip off the shrivelled flowers。 The little lady's silvered head and
thin； brown face sustained the shower of sunlight unprotected； and
had a gentle dignity in their freedom。
Presently； as the scissors flittered in and out of the leaves； she；
began talking to herself。
〃If girls were more like what they used to be； this would not have
happened。 Perhaps we don't understand； it's very easy to forget。〃
Burying her nose and lips in a rose； she sniffed。 〃Poor dear girl！
It's such a pity his father isa〃
〃A farmer；〃 said a sleepy voice behind the rosebush。
Miss Naylor leaped。 〃Greta！ How you startled me！ A farmerthat is…
…anan agriculturalist！〃
〃A farmer with vineyardshe told us； and he is not ashamed。 Why is
it a pity； Miss Naylor？〃
Miss Naylor's lips looked very thin。
〃For many reasons； of which you know nothing。〃
〃That is what you always say；〃 pursued the sleepy voice； 〃and that is
why； when I am to be married； there shall also be a pity。〃
〃Greta！〃 Miss Naylor cried； 〃it is not proper for a girl of your age
to talk like that。〃
〃Why？〃 said Greta。 〃Because it is the truth？〃
Miss Naylor made no reply to this； but vexedly cut off a sound rose；
which she hastily picked up and regarded with contrition。 Greta
spoke again：
〃Chris said： 'I have got the pictures； I shall tell her'； but I shall
tell you instead； because it was I that told the story。〃
Miss Naylor stared； wrinkling her nose； and holding the scissors wide
apart。。。。
〃Last night；〃 said Greta slowly； 〃I and Chris went to his studio and
took his pictures； and so； because the gate was shut； I came back to
tell it； and when you asked me where Chris was； I told it； because
she was in the studio all night； and I and Scruff sat up all night；
and in the morning we brought the pictures； and hid them under our
beds； and that is whywearesosleepy。〃
Over the rose…bush Miss Naylor peered down at her； and though she was
obliged to stand on tiptoe this did not altogether destroy her
dignity。
〃I am surprised at you； Greta； I am surprised at Christian； more
surprised at Christian。 The world seems upside down。〃
Greta； a sunbeam entangled in her hair； regarded her with
inscrutable； innocent eyes。
〃When you were a girl； I think you would be sure to be in love；〃 she
murmured drowsily。
Miss Naylor； flushing deeply； snipped off a particularly healthy bud。
〃And so； because you are not married； I think〃
The scissors hissed。
Greta nestled down again。 〃I think it is wicked to cut off all the
good buds；〃 she said； and shut her eyes。
Miss Naylor continued to peer across the rosebush； but her thin face；
close to the glistening leaves； had become oddly soft； pink； and
girlish。 At a deeper breath from Greta； the little lady put down her
basket； and began to pace the lawn； followed dubiously by Scruff。 It
was thus that Christian came on them。
Miss Naylor slipped her arm into the girl's and though she made no
sound； her lips kept opening and shutting； like the beak of a bird
contemplating a worm。
Christian spoke first：
〃Miss Naylor； I want to tell you please〃
〃Oh； my dear！ I know； Greta has been in the confessional before
you。〃 She gave the girl's arm a squeeze。 〃Isn't it a lovely day？
Did you ever see 'Five Fingers' look so beautiful？〃 And she pointed
to the great peaks of the Funffingerspitze glittering in the sun like
giant crystals。
〃I like them better with clouds about them。〃
〃Well；〃 agreed Miss Naylor nervously； 〃they certainly are nicer with
clouds about them。 They look almost hot and greasy； don't they。。。。
My dear！〃 she went on； giving Christian's arm a dozen little
squeezes； 〃we all of usthat is； we all of us〃
Christian turned her eyes away。
〃My dear；〃 Miss Naylor tried again； 〃I am farthat is； I mean； to
all of us at some time or anotherand then you seewellit is
hard！〃
Christian kissed the gloved hand resting on her arm。 Miss Naylor
bobbed her head； a tear trickled off her nose。
〃Do let us wind your skein of woof！〃 she said with resounding gaiety。
Some half…hour later Mrs。 Decie called Christian to her room。
〃My dear！〃 she said； 〃come here a minute； I have a message for you。〃
Christian went with an odd； set look about her mouth。
Her aunt was sitting； back to the light； tapping a bowl of goldfish
with the tip of a polished finger…nail； the room was very cool。 She
held a letter out。 〃Your uncle is not coming back tonight。〃
Ch
