five tales-第36节

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n　to　the　orchard。　　The　moon　had　just　risen；　very　golden；　over　the　hill；　and　like　a　bright；　powerful；　watching　spirit　peered　through　the　bars　of　an　ash　tree's　half…naked　boughs。　　In　among　the　apple　trees　it　was　still　dark；　and　he　stood　making　sure　of　his　direction；　feeling　the　rough　grass　with　his　feet。　　A　black　mass　close　behind　him　stirred　with　a　heavy　grunting　sound；　and　three　large　pigs　settled　down　again　close　to　each　other；　under　the　wall。　　He　listened。　　There　was　no　wind；　but　the　stream's　burbling　whispering　chuckle　had　gained　twice　its　daytime　strength。　　One　bird；　he　could　not　tell　what；　cried　〃Pippip；〃　〃Pip…　pip；〃　with　perfect　monotony；　he　could　hear　a　night…Jar　spinning　very　far　off；　an　owl　hooting。　　Ashurst　moved　a　step　or　two；　and　again　halted；　aware　of　a　dim　living　whiteness　all　round　his　head。　　On　the　dark　unstirring　trees　innumerable　flowers　and　buds　all　soft　and　blurred　were　being　bewitched　to　life　by　the　creeping　moonlight。　　He　had　the　oddest　feeling　of　actual　companionship；　as　if　a　million　white　moths　or　spirits　had　floated　in　and　settled　between　dark　sky　and　darker　ground；　and　were　opening　and　shutting　their　wings　on　a　level　with　his　eyes。　　In　the　bewildering；　still；　scentless　beauty　of　that　moment　he　almost　lost　memory　of　why　he　had　come　to　the　orchard。　　The　flying　glamour　which　had　clothed　the　earth　all　day　had　not　gone　now　that　night　had　fallen；　but　only　changed　into　this　new　form。　　He　moved　on　through　the　thicket　of　stems　and　boughs　covered　with　that　live　powdering　whiteness；　till　he　reached　the　big　apple　tree。　　No　mistaking　that；　even　in　the　dark；　nearly　twice　the　height　and　size　of　any　other；　and　leaning　out　towards　the　open　meadows　and　the　stream。　Under　the　thick　branches　he　stood　still　again；　to　listen。　　The　same　sounds　exactly；　and　a　faint　grunting　from　the　sleepy　pigs。　　He　put　his　hands　on　the　dry；　almost　warm　tree　trunk；　whose　rough　mossy　surface　gave　forth　a　peaty　scent　at　his　touch。　　Would　she　comewould　she？　　And　among　these　quivering；　haunted；　moon…witched　trees　he　was　seized　with　doubts　of　everything！　　All　was　unearthly　here；　fit　for　no　earthly　lovers；　fit　only　for　god　and　goddess；　faun　and　nymph　not　for　him　and　this　little　country　girl。　　Would　it　not　be　almost　a　relief　if　she　did　not　come？　　But　all　the　time　he　was　listening。　　And　still　that　unknown　bird　went　〃Pip…pip；〃　〃Pip…pip；〃　and　there　rose　the　busy　chatter　of　the　little　trout　stream；　whereon　the　moon　was　flinging　glances　through　the　bars　of　her　tree…prison。　　The　blossom　on　a　level　with　his　eyes　seemed　to　grow　more　living　every　moment；　seemed　with　its　mysterious　white　beauty　more　and　more　a　part　of　his　suspense。　　He　plucked　a　fragment　and　held　it　closethree　blossoms。　　Sacrilege　to　pluck　fruit…tree　blossomsoft；　sacred；　young　blossomand　throw　it　away！　　Then　suddenly　he　heard　the　gate　close；　the　pigs　stirring　again　and　grunting；　and　leaning　against　the　trunk；　he　pressed　his　hands　to　its　mossy　sides　behind　him；　and　held　his　breath。　　She　might　have　been　a　spirit　threading　the　trees；　for　all　the　noise　she　made！　　Then　he　saw　her　quite　closeher　dark　form　part　of　a　little　tree；　her　white　face　part　of　its　blossom；　so　still；　and　peering　towards　him。　He　whispered：　〃Megan！〃　and　held　out　his　hands。　She　ran　forward；　straight　to　his　breast。　　When　he　felt　her　heart　beating　against　him；　Ashurst　knew　to　the　full　the　sensations　of　chivalry　and　passion。　Because　she　was　not　of　his　world；　because　she　was　so　simple　and　young　and　headlong；　adoring　and　defenceless；　how　could　he　be　other　than　her　protector；　in　the　dark！　　Because　she　was　all　simple　Nature　and　beauty；　as　much　a　part　of　this　spring　night　as　was　the　living　blossom；　how　should　he　not　take　all　that　she　would　give　him　how　not　fulfil　the　spring　in　her　heart　and　his！　　And　torn　between　these　two　emotions　he　clasped　her　close；　and　kissed　her　hair。　　How　long　they　stood　there　without　speaking　he　knew　not。　　The　stream　went　on　chattering；　the　owls　hooting；　the　moon　kept　stealing　up　and　growing　whiter；　the　blossom　all　round　them　and　above　brightened　in　suspense　of　living　beauty。　　Their　lips　had　sought　each　other's；　and　they　did　not　speak。　　The　moment　speech　began　all　would　be　unreal！　　Spring　has　no　speech；　nothing　but　rustling　and　whispering。　　Spring　has　so　much　more　than　speech　in　its　unfolding　flowers　and　leaves；　and　the　coursing　of　its　streams；　and　in　its　sweet　restless　seeking！　　And　sometimes　spring　will　come　alive；　and；　like　a　mysterious　Presence　stand；　encircling　lovers　with　its　arms；　laying　on　them　the　fingers　of　enchantment；　so　that；　standing　lips　to　lips；　they　forget　everything　but　just　a　kiss。　　While　her　heart　beat　against　him；　and　her　lips　quivered　on　his；　Ashurst　felt　nothing　but　simple　raptureDestiny　meant　her　for　his　arms；　Love　could　not　be　flouted！　　But　when　their　lips　parted　for　breath；　division　began　again　at　once。　　Only；　passion　now　was　so　much　the　stronger；　and　he　sighed：

〃Oh！　　Megan！　　Why　did　you　come？〃　　She　looked　up；　hurt；　amazed。

〃Sir；　you　asked　me　to。〃

〃Don't　call　me　'sir；'　my　pretty　sweet。〃　　〃What　should　I　be　callin〃　you？〃

〃Frank。〃

〃I　could　not。　　Oh；　no！〃

〃But　you　love　medon't　you？〃

〃I　could　not　help　lovin'　you。　　I　want　to　be　with　youthat's　all。〃

〃All！〃

So　faint　that　he　hardly　heard；　she　whispered：　〃I　shall　die　if　I　can't　be　with　you。〃

Ashurst　took　a　mighty　breath。

〃Come　and　be　with　me；　then！〃

〃Oh！〃

Intoxicated　by　the　awe　and　rapture　in　that　〃Oh！〃　he　went　on；　whispering：

〃We'll　go　to　London。　　I'll　show　you　the　world。


And　I　will　take　care　of　you；　I　promise；　Megan。　　I'll　never　be　a　brute　to　you！〃

〃If　I　can　be　with　you…that　is　all。〃

He　stroked　her　hair；　and　whispered　on：

〃To…morrow　I'll　go　to　Torquay　and　get　some　money；　and　get　you　some　clothes　that　won't　be　noticed；　and　then　we'll　steal　away。　　And　when　we　get　to　London；　soon　perhaps；　if　you　love　me　well　enough；　we'll　be　married。〃

He　could　feel　her　hair　shiver　with　the　shake　of　her　head。

〃Oh；　no！　　I　could　not。　　I　only　want　to　be　with　you！〃

Drunk　on　his　own　chivalry；　Ashurst　went　on　murmuring　〃It's　I　who　am　not　good　enough　for　you。　　Oh！　Megan；　when　did　you　begin　to　love　me？〃

〃When　I　saw　you　in　the　road；　and　you　looked　at　me。　　The　first　night　I　loved　you；　but　I　never　thought　you　would　want　me。〃

She　slipped　down　suddenly　to　her　knees；　trying　to　kiss　his　feet。

A　shiver　of　horror　went　through　Ashurst；　he　lifted　her　up　bodily　and　held　her　fasttoo　upset　to　speak。

She　whispered：　〃Why　won't　you　let　me？〃

〃It's　I　who　will　kiss　your　feet！〃

Her　smile　brought　tears　into　his　eyes。　　The　whiteness　of　her　moonlit　face　so　close　to　his；　the　faint　pink　of　her　opened　lips；　had　the　living　unearthly　beauty　of　the　apple　blossom。

And　then；　suddenly；　her　eyes　widened　and　stared　past　him　painfully；　she　writhed　out　of　his　arms；　and　whispered：　〃Look！〃

Ashurst　saw　nothing　but　the　brightened　stream；　the　furze　faintly　gilded；　the　beech　trees　glistening；　and　behind　them　all　the　wide　loom　of　the　moonlit　hill。　　Behind　him　came　her　frozen　whisper：　〃The　gipsy　bogie！〃

〃Where？〃

〃Thereby　the　stoneunder　the　trees！〃

Exasperated；　he　leaped　the　stream；　and　strode　towards　the　beech　clump。　　Prank　of　the　moonlight！　　Nothing！　　In　and　out　of　the　boulders　and　thorn　trees；　muttering　and　cursing；　yet　with　a　kind　of　terror；　he　rushed　and　stumbled。　　Absurd！　　Silly！　　Then　he　went　back　to　the　apple　tree。　　But　she　was　gone；　he　could　hear　a　rustle；　the　grunting　of　the　pigs；　the　sound　of　a　gate　closing。　　Instead　of　her；　only　this　old

apple　tree！　　He　flung　his　arms　round　the　trunk。　　What　a　substitute　for　her　soft　body；　the　rough　moss　against　his　facewhat　a　substitute　for　her　soft　cheek；　only　the　scent；　as　of　the　woods；　a　little　the　same！　　And　above　him；　and　around；　the　blossoms；　more　living；　more　moonlit　than　ever；　seemed　to　glow　and　breathe。




7

Descending　from　the　train　at　Torquay　station；　Ashurst　wandered　uncertainly　along　the　front；　for　he　did　not　know　this　particular　queen　of　English　watering　places。　　Having　little　sense　of　what　he　had　on；　he　was　quite　unconscious　of　being　remarkable　among　its　inhabitants；　and　strode　along　in　his　rough　Norfolk　jacket；　dusty　boots；　and　battered　hat；　without　observing　that　people　gazed　at　him　rather　blankly。　　He　was　seeking　a　branch　of　his　London　bank；　and　having　found　one；　found　also　the　first　obstacle　to　his　mood。　　Did　he　know　anyone　in　Torquay？　　No。　　In　that　case；　if　he　would　wire　to　his　bank　in　London；　they　would　be　happy　to　oblige　him　on　receipt　of　the　reply。　　That　suspicious　breath　from　the　matter…of…fact　world　somewhat　tarnished　the　brightness　of　his　visions。　　But　he　sent　the　telegram。

Nearly　opposite　to　the　post　office　he　saw　a　shop　full　of　ladies'　garments；　and　examined　the　window　with　strange　sensations。　　To　have　to　undertake　the　clothing　of　his　rustic　love　was　more　than　a　little　disturbing。　　He　went　in。　　A　young　woman　came　forward；　she　had　blue　eyes　and　a　faintly　puzzled　forehead。　　Ashurst　stared　at　her　in　silence。

〃Yes；　sir？〃

〃I　want　a　dress　for　a　young　lady。〃

The　young　woman　smiled。　　Ashurst　frowned　the　peculiarity　of　his　request　struck　him　with　sudden　force。

The　young　woman　added　hastily：

〃What　style　would　you　likesomething　modish？〃

〃No。　　Simple。〃

〃What　figure　would　the　young　lady　be？〃

〃I　don't　know；　about　two　inches　shorter　than