tales of trail and town-第5节

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freely　admiring。　　His　very　originality；　which　prevented　them　from

comparing　him　with　any　English　or　American　standard　of　excellence；

gave　them　a　comfortable　assurance　of　safety　in　their　admiration。

His　reserve；　his　seriousness；　his　simplicity；　very　unlike　their

own；　and　yet　near　enough　to　suggest　a　delicate　flattery；　was　in　his

favor。　　So　was　his　naive　frankness　in　regard　to　his　status　in　the

family；　shown　in　the　few　words　of　greeting　with　Sir　Ashley；　and　in

his　later　simple　yet　free　admissions　regarding　his　obscure　youth；

his　former　poverty；　and　his　present　wealth。　　He　boasted　of　neither；

he　was　disturbed　by　neither。　　Standing　alone；　a　stranger；　for　the

first　time　in　an　assemblage　of　distinguished　and　titled　men　and

women；　he　betrayed　no　consciousness；　surrounded　for　the　first　time

by　objects　which　he　knew　his　wealth　could　not　buy；　he　showed　the

most　unmistakable　indifference；the　indifference　of　temperament。

The　ladies　vied　with　each　other　to　attack　this　unimpressible

nature；this　profound　isolation　from　external　attraction。　　They

followed　him　about；　they　looked　into　his　dark；　melancholy　eyes；　it

was　impossible；　they　thought；　that　he　could　continue　this　superb

acting　forever。　　A　glance；　a　smile；　a　burst　of　ingenuous

confidence；　a　covert　appeal　to　his　chivalry　would　yet　catch　him

tripping。　　But　the　melancholy　eyes　that　had　gazed　at　the　treasures

of　Ashley　Grange　and　the　opulent　ease　of　its　guests　without

kindling；　opened　to　their　first　emotion；wonder！　　At　which　Lady

Elfrida；　who　had　ingenuously　admired　him；　hated　him　a　little；　as

the　first　step　towards　a　kindlier　feeling。



The　next　day；　having　declared　his　intention　of　visiting　Ashley

Church；　and；　as　frankly；　his　intention　of　going　there　alone；　he

slipped　out　in　the　afternoon　and　made　his　way　quietly　through　the

park　to　the　square　ivied　tower　he　had　first　seen。　　In　this　tranquil

level　length　of　the　wood　there　was　the　one　spot；　the　churchyard；

where；　oddly　enough；　the　green　earth　heaved　into　little　billows　as

if　to　show　the　turbulence　of　that　life　which　those　who　lay　below

them　had　lately　quitted。　　It　was　a　relief　to　the　somewhat　studied

and　formal　monotony　of　the　well…ordered　woodland；every　rood；　of

which　had　been　paced　by　visitors；　keepers；　or　poachers；to　find

those　decrepit　and　bending　tombstones；　lurching　at　every　angle；　or

deeply　sinking　into　the　green　sea　of　forgetfulness　around　them。

All　this；　and　the　trodden　paths　of　the　villagers　towards　that

common　place　of　meeting；　struck　him　as　being　more　human　than

anything　he　had　left　behind　him　at　the　Grange。



He　entered　the　ivy…grown　porch　and　stared　for　a　moment　at　the　half…

legal　official　parochial　notices　posted　on　the　oaken　door；his

first　obtrusive　intimation　of　the　combination　of　church　and　state；

and　hesitated。　　He　was　not　prepared　to　find　that　this　last

resting…place　of　his　people　had　something　to　do　with　taxes　and

tithes；　and　that　a　certain　material　respectability　and　security

attended　his　votive　sigh。　　God　and　the　reigning　sovereign　of　the

realm　preserved　a　decorous　alliance　in　the　royal　arms　that　appeared

above　the　official　notices。　　Presently　he　pushed　open　the　door

gently　and　entered　the　nave。　　For　a　moment　it　seemed　to　him　as　if

the　arched　gloom　of　the　woods　he　had　left　behind　was　repeated　in

the　dim　aisle　and　vaulted　roof；　there　was　an　earthy　odor；　as　if　the

church　itself；　springing　from　the　fertilizing　dust　below；　had　taken

root　in　the　soil；　the　chequers　of　light　from　the　faded　stained…

glass　windows　fell　like　the　flicker　of　leaves　on　the　pavement。　　He

paused　before　the　cold　altar；　and　started；　for　beside　him　lay　the

recumbent　figure　of　a　warrior　pillowed　on　his　helmet　with　the

paraphernalia　of　his　trade　around　him。　　A　sudden　childish　memory　of

the　great　Western　plains；　and　the　biers　of　the　Indian　〃braves〃

raised　on　upright　poles　against　the　staring　sky　and　above　the

sunbaked　prairie；　rushed　upon　him。　　There；　too；　had　lain　the

weapons　of　the　departed　chieftain；　there；　too；　lay　the　Indian's

〃faithful　hound；〃　here　simulated　by　the　cross…legged　crusader's

canine　effigy。　　And　now；　strangest　of　all；　he　found　that　this

unlooked…for　recollection　and　remembrance　thrilled　him　more　at　that

moment　than　the　dead　before　him。　　Here　they　rested；the　Atherlys

of　centuries；　recumbent　in　armor　or　priestly　robes；　upright　in

busts　that　were　periwigged　or　hidden　in　long　curls；　above　the

marble　record　of　their　deeds　and　virtues。　　Some　of　these　records

were　in　Latin；an　unknown　tongue　to　Peter；some　in　a　quaint

English　almost　as　unintelligible；　but　none　as　foreign　to　him　as　the

dead　themselves。　　Their　banners　waved　above　his　head；　their　voices

filled　the　silent　church；　but　fell　upon　his　vacant　eye　and　duller

ear。　　He　was　none　of　them。



Presently　he　was　conscious　of　a　footstep；　so　faint；　so　subtle；　that

it　might　have　come　from　a　peregrinating　ghost。　　He　turned　quickly

and　saw　Lady　Elfrida；　half　bold；　yet　half　frightened；　halting

beside　a　pillar　of　the　chancel。　　But　there　was　nothing　of　the　dead

about　her：　she　was　radiating　and　pulsating　with　the　uncompromising

and　material　freshness　of　English　girlhood。　　The　wild　rose　in　the

hedgerow　was　not　more　tangible　than　her　cheek；　nor　the　summer　sky

more　clearly　cool　and　blue　than　her　eyes。　　The　vigor　of　health　and

unfettered　freedom　of　limb　was　in　her　figure　from　her　buckled

walking…shoe　to　her　brown　hair　topped　by　a　sailor　hat。　　The

assurance　and　contentment　of　a　well…ordered　life；　of　secured

position　and　freedom　from　vain　anxieties　or　expectations；　were

visible　in　every　line　of　her　refined；　delicate；　and　evenly　quiescent

features。　　And　yet　Lady　Elfrida；　for　the　first　time　in　her　girlhood；

felt　a　little　nervous。



Yet　she　was　frank；　too；　with　the　frankness　of　those　who　have　no

thought　of　being　misunderstood。　　She　said　she　had　come　there　out　of

curiosity　to　see　how　he　would　〃get　on〃　with　his　ancestors。　　She　had

been　watching　him　from　the　chancel　ever　since　he　came；and　she　was

disappointed。　　As　far　as　emotion　went　she　thought　he　had　the

advantage　of　the　stoniest　and　longest　dead　of　them　all。　　Perhaps　he

did　not　like　them？　　But　he　must　be　careful　what　he　SAID；　for　some

of　her　own　people　were　there；manifestly　this　one。　　（She　put　the

toe　of　her　buckled　shoe　on　the　crusader　Peter　had　just　looked　at。）

And　then　there　was　another　in　the　corner。　　So　she　had　a　right　to

come　there　as　well　as　he；and　she　could　act　as　cicerone！　　This　one

was　a　De　Brecy；　one　of　King　John's　knights；　who　married　an　Atherly。

（She　swung　herself　into　a　half…sitting　posture　on　the　effigy　of　the

dead　knight；　composed　her　straight　short　skirt　over　her　trim

ankles；　and　looked　up　in　Peter's　dark　face。）　　That　would　make　them

some　kind　of　relations；wouldn't　it？　　He　must　come　over　to　Bentley

Towers　and　see　the　rest　of　the　De　Brecys　in　the　chapel　there　to…

morrow。　　Perhaps　there　might　be　some　he　liked　better；　and　who

looked　more　like　him。　　For　there　was　no　one　here　or　at　the　Grange

who　resembled　him　in　the　least。



He　assented　to　the　truth　of　this　with　such　grave；　disarming

courtesy；　and　yet　with　such　undisguised　wonder；as　she　appeared　to

talk　with　greater　freedom　to　a　stranger　than　an　American　girl

would；that　she　at　once　popped　off　the　crusader；　and　accompanied

him　somewhat　more　demurely　around　the　church。　　Suddenly　she　stopped

with　a　slight　exclamation。



They　had　halted　before　a　tablet　to　the　memory　of　a　later　Atherly；

an　officer　of　his　Majesty's　100th　Foot；　who　was　killed　at

Braddock's　defeat。　　The　tablet　was　supported　on　the　one　side　by　a

weeping　Fame；　and　on　the　other　by　a　manacled　North　American　Indian。

She　stammered　and　said：　〃You　see　there　are　other　Atherlys　who　went

to　America　even　before　your　father；〃　and　then　stopped　with　a　sense

of　having　made　a　slip。



A　wild　and　inexplicable　resentment　against　this　complacent

historical　outrage　suddenly　took　possession　of　Peter。　　He　knew　that

his　rage　was　inconsistent　with　his　usual　calm；　but　he　could　not

help　it！　　His　swarthy　cheek　glowed；　his　dark　eyes　flashed；　he

almost　trembled　with　excitement　as　he　hurriedly　pointed　out　to　Lady

Elfrida　that　the　Indians　were　VICTORIOUS　in　that　ill…fated

expedition　of　the　British　forces；　and　that　the　captive　savage　was

an　allegorical　lie。　　So　swift　and　convincing　was　his　emotion　that

the　young　girl；　knowing　nothing　of　the　subject　and　caring　less；

shared　his　indignation；　followed　him　with　anxious　eyes；　and　their

hands　for　an　instant　touched　in　innocent　and　generous　sympathy。

And　thenhe　knew　not　how　or　whya　still　more　wild　and　terrible

idea　sprang　up　in　his　fancy。　　He　knew　it　was　madness；　yet　for　a

moment　he　could　only　stand　and　grapple　with　it　silently　and

breathlessly。　　It　was　to　seize　this　young　and　innocent　girl；　this

witness　of　his　disappointment；　this　complacent　and　beautiful　type

of　all　they　valued　here；　and　bear　her　awaya　prisoner；　a　hostage

he　knew　not　whyon　a　galloping　horse　in　the　dust　of　the　prairie

far　beyond　the　seas！　　It　was　only