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第35节

five tales-第35节

小说: five tales 字数: 每页4000字

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nt up to his bedroom to get a book; and his heart began to beat violently; for she was in there making the bed。  He stood in the doorway watching; and suddenly; with turbulent joy; he saw her stoop and kiss his pillow; just at the hollow made by his head last night。

How let her know he had seen that pretty act of devotion?  And yet; if she heard him stealing away; it would be even worse。  She took the pillow up; holding it as if reluctant to shake out the impress of his cheek; dropped it; and turned round。

〃Megan!〃

She put her hands up to her cheeks; but her eyes seemed to look right into him。  He had never before realised the depth and purity and touching faithfulness in those dew…bright eyes; and he stammered:

〃It was sweet of you to wait up for me last night。〃

She still said nothing; and he stammered on:

〃I was wandering about on the moor; it was such a jolly night。  I I've just come up for a book。〃

Then; the kiss he had seen her give the pillow afflicted him with sudden headiness; and he went up to her。  Touching her eyes with his lips; he thought with queer excitement: 'I've done it!  Yesterday all was suddenanyhow; but nowI've done it!' The girl let her forehead rest against his lips; which moved downwards till they reached hers。 That first real lover's kiss…strange; wonderful; still almost innocentin which heart did it make the most disturbance?

〃Come to the big apple tree to…night; after they've gone to bed。 Megan…promise!〃

She whispered back: 〃I promise。〃

Then; scared at her white face; scared at everything; he let her go; and went downstairs again。  Yes!  He had done it now!  Accepted her love; declared his own!  He went out to the green chair as devoid of a book as ever; and there he sat staring vacantly before him; triumphant and remorseful; while under his nose and behind his back the work of the farm went on。  How long he had been sitting in that curious state of vacancy he had no notion when he saw Joe standing a little behind him to the right。  The youth had evidently come from hard work in the fields; and stood shifting his feet; breathing loudly; his face coloured like a setting sun; and his arms; below the rolled…up sleeves of his blue shirt; showing the hue and furry sheen of ripe peaches。  His red lips were open; his blue eyes with their flaxen lashes stared fixedly at Ashurst; who said ironically:

〃Well; Joe; anything I can do for you?〃

〃Yeas。〃

〃What; then?〃

〃Yu can goo away from yere。  Us don' want yu。〃

Ashurst's face; never too humble; assumed its most lordly look。

〃Very good of you; but; do you know; I prefer the others should speak for themselves。〃

The youth moved a pace or two nearer; and the scent of his honest heat afflicted Ashurst's nostrils。

〃What d'yu stay yere for?〃

〃Because it pleases me。〃

〃Twon't please yu when I've bashed yure head in!〃

〃Indeed!  When would you like to begin that?〃

Joe answered only with the loudness of his breathing; but his eyes looked like those of a young and angry bull。  Then a sort of spasm seemed to convulse his face。

〃Megan don' want yu。〃

A rush of jealousy; of contempt; and anger with this thick; loud… breathing rustic got the better of Ashurst's self…possession; he jumped up; and pushed back his chair。

〃You can go to the devil!〃

And as he said those simple words; he saw Megan in the doorway with a tiny brown spaniel puppy in her arms。  She came up to him quickly:

〃Its eyes are blue!〃  she said。

Joe turned away; the back of his neck was literally crimson。

Ashurst put his finger to the mouth of the little brown bullfrog of a creature in her arms。  How cosy it looked against her!

〃It's fond of you already。  Ah I Megan; everything is fond of you。〃

〃What was Joe saying to you; please?〃

〃Telling me to go away; because you didn't want me here。〃

She stamped her foot; then looked up at Ashurst。  At that adoring look he felt his nerves quiver; just as if he had seen a moth scorching its wings。

〃To…night!〃  he said。  〃Don't forget!〃

〃No。〃  And smothering her face against the puppy's little fat; brown body; she slipped back into the house。

Ashurst wandered down the lane。  At the gate of the wild meadow he came on the lame man and his cows。

〃Beautiful day; Jim!〃

〃Ah!  'Tes brave weather for the grass。  The ashes be later than th' oaks this year。  'When th' oak before th' ash…'〃

Ashurst said idly: 〃Where were you standing when you saw the gipsy bogie; Jim?〃

〃It might be under that big apple tree; as you might say。〃

〃And you really do think it was there?〃

The lame man answered cautiously:

〃I shouldn't like to say rightly that 't was there。  'Twas in my mind as 'twas there。〃

〃What do you make of it?〃

The lame man lowered his voice。

〃They du zay old master; Mist' Narracombe come o' gipsy stock。  But that's tellin'。  They'm a wonderful people; yu know; for claimin' their own。  Maybe they knu 'e was goin'; and sent this feller along for company。  That's what I've a…thought about it。〃

〃What was he like?〃

〃'E 'ad 'air all over 'is face; an' goin' like this; he was; zame as if 'e 'ad a viddle。  They zay there's no such thing as bogies; but I've a…zeen the 'air on this dog standin' up of a dark naight; when I couldn' zee nothin'; meself。〃

〃Was there a moon?〃

〃Yeas; very near full; but 'twas on'y just risen; gold…like be'ind them trees。〃

〃And you think a ghost means trouble; do you?〃

The lame man pushed his hat up; his aspiring eyes looked at Ashurst more earnestly than ever。

〃'Tes not for me to zay that but 'tes they bein' so unrestin'like。 There's things us don' understand; that's zartin; for zure。  There's people that zee things; tu; an' others that don't never zee nothin'。 Now; our Joeyu might putt anything under'is eyes an e'd never zee it; and them other boys; tu; they'm rattlin' fellers。  But yu take an' putt our Megan where there's suthin'; she'll zee it; an' more tu; or I'm mistaken。〃

〃She's sensitive; that's why。〃

〃What's that?〃

〃I mean; she feels everything。〃

〃Ah!  She'm very lovin'…'earted。〃

Ashurst; who felt colour coming into his cheeks; held out his tobacco pouch。

〃Have a fill; Jim?〃

〃Thank 'ee; sir。  She'm one in an 'underd; I think。〃

〃I expect so;〃 said Ashurst shortly; and folding up his pouch; walked on。

〃Lovin'…hearted!  〃Yes!  And what was he doing?  What were his intentions…as they say towards this loving…hearted girl?  The thought dogged him; wandering through fields bright with buttercups; where the little red calves were feeding; and the swallows flying high。 Yes; the oaks were before the ashes; brown…gold already; every tree in different stage and hue。  The cuckoos and a thousand birds were singing; the little streams were very bright。  The ancients believed in a golden age; in the garden of the Hesperides!。。。  A queen wasp settled on his sleeve。  Each queen wasp killed meant two thousand fewer wasps to thieve the apples which would grow from that blossom in the orchard; but who; with love in his heart; could kill anything on a day like this?  He entered a field where a young red bull was feeding。  It seemed to Ashurst that he looked like Joe。  But the young bull took no notice of this visitor; a little drunk himself; perhaps; on the singing and the glamour of the golden pasture; under his short legs。  Ashurst crossed out unchallenged to the hillside above the stream。  From that slope a for mounted to its crown of rocks。  The ground there was covered with a mist of bluebells; and nearly a score of crab…apple trees were in full bloom。  He threw himself down on the grass。  The change from the buttercup glory and oak…goldened glamour of the fields to this ethereal beauty under the grey for filled him with a sort of wonder; nothing the same; save the sound of running water and the songs of the cuckoos。  He lay there a long time; watching the sunlight wheel till the crab…trees threw shadows over the bluebells; his only companions a few wild bees。  He was not quite sane; thinking of that morning's kiss; and of to…night under the apple tree。  In such a spot as this; fauns and dryads surely lived; nymphs; white as the crab…apple blossom; retired within those trees; fauns; brown as the dead bracken; with pointed ears; lay in wait for them。  The cuckoos were still calling when he woke; there was the sound of running water; but the sun had couched behind the tor; the hillside was cool; and some rabbits had come out。 'Tonight!' he thought。  Just as from the earth everything was pushing up; unfolding under the soft insistent fingers of an unseen hand; so were his heart and senses being pushed; unfolded。  He got up and broke off a spray from a crab…apple tree。  The buds were like Megan shell…like; rose…pink; wild; and fresh; and so; too; the opening flowers; white; and wild; and touching。  He put the spray into his coat。  And all the rush of the spring within him escaped in a triumphant sigh。  But the rabbits scurried away。




6

It was nearly eleven that night when Ashurst put down the pocket 〃Odyssey〃 which for half an hour he had held in his hands without reading; and slipped through the yard down to the orchard。  The moon had just risen; very golden; over the hill; and like a bright; powerful;

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