within the tides-第29节
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between two hovels emerged a vile cur with its tail between its
legs。 He slunk off silently showing me his teeth as he ran before
me； and he disappeared so suddenly that he might have been the
unclean incarnation of the Evil One。 There was； too； something so
weird in the manner of its coming and vanishing； that my spirits；
already by no means very high； became further depressed by the
revolting sight of this creature as if by an unlucky presage。〃
He got away from the coast unobserved； as far as he knew； then
struggled manfully to the west against wind and rain； on a barren
dark upland； under a sky of ashes。 Far away the harsh and desolate
mountains raising their scarped and denuded ridges seemed to wait
for him menacingly。 The evening found him fairly near to them；
but； in sailor language； uncertain of his position； hungry； wet；
and tired out by a day of steady tramping over broken ground during
which he had seen very few people； and had been unable to obtain
the slightest intelligence of Tom Corbin's passage。 〃On！ on！ I
must push on；〃 he had been saying to himself through the hours of
solitary effort； spurred more by incertitude than by any definite
fear or definite hope。
The lowering daylight died out quickly； leaving him faced by a
broken bridge。 He descended into the ravine； forded a narrow
stream by the last gleam of rapid water； and clambering out on the
other side was met by the night which fen like a bandage over his
eyes。 The wind sweeping in the darkness the broadside of the
sierra worried his ears by a continuous roaring noise as of a
maddened sea。 He suspected that he had lost the road。 Even in
daylight； with its ruts and mud…holes and ledges of outcropping
stone； it was difficult to distinguish from the dreary waste of the
moor interspersed with boulders and clumps of naked bushes。 But；
as he says； 〃he steered his course by the feel of the wind；〃 his
hat rammed low on his brow； his head down； stopping now and again
from mere weariness of mind rather than of body … as if not his
strength but his resolution were being overtaxed by the strain of
endeavour half suspected to be vain； and by the unrest of his
feelings。
In one of these pauses borne in the wind faintly as if from very
far away he heard a sound of knocking； just knocking on wood。 He
noticed that the wind had lulled suddenly。
His heart started beating tumultuously because in himself he
carried the impression of the desert solitudes he had been
traversing for the last six hours … the oppressive sense of an
uninhabited world。 When he raised his head a gleam of light；
illusory as it often happens in dense darkness； swam before his
eyes。 While he peered； the sound of feeble knocking was repeated …
and suddenly he felt rather than saw the existence of a massive
obstacle in his path。 What was it？ The spur of a hill？ Or was it
a house！ Yes。 It was a house right close； as though it had risen
from the ground or had come gliding to meet him； dumb and pallid；
from some dark recess of the night。 It towered loftily。 He had
come up under its lee； another three steps and he could have
touched the wall with his hand。 It was no doubt a POSADA and some
other traveller was trying for admittance。 He heard again the
sound of cautious knocking。
Next moment a broad band of light fell into the night through the
opened door。 Byrne stepped eagerly into it； whereupon the person
outside leaped with a stifled cry away into the night。 An
exclamation of surprise was heard too； from within。 Byrne；
flinging himself against the half closed door； forced his way in
against some considerable resistance。
A miserable candle； a mere rushlight； burned at the end of a long
deal table。 And in its light Byrne saw； staggering yet； the girl
he had driven from the door。 She had a short black skirt； an
orange shawl； a dark complexion … and the escaped single hairs from
the mass； sombre and thick like a forest and held up by a comb；
made a black mist about her low forehead。 A shrill lamentable howl
of： 〃Misericordia！〃 came in two voices from the further end of the
long room； where the fire…light of an open hearth played between
heavy shadows。 The girl recovering herself drew a hissing breath
through her set teeth。
It is unnecessary to report the long process of questions and
answers by which he soothed the fears of two old women who sat on
each side of the fire； on which stood a large earthenware pot。
Byrne thought at once of two witches watching the brewing of some
deadly potion。 But all the same； when one of them raising forward
painfully her broken form lifted the cover of the pot； the escaping
steam had an appetising smell。 The other did not budge； but sat
hunched up； her head trembling all the time。
They were horrible。 There was something grotesque in their
decrepitude。 Their toothless mouths； their hooked noses； the
meagreness of the active one； and the hanging yellow cheeks of the
other （the still one； whose head trembled） would have been
laughable if the sight of their dreadful physical degradation had
not been appalling to one's eyes； had not gripped one's heart with
poignant amazement at the unspeakable misery of age； at the awful
persistency of life becoming at last an object of disgust and
dread。
To get over it Byrne began to talk； saying that he was an
Englishman； and that he was in search of a countryman who ought to
have passed this way。 Directly he had spoken the recollection of
his parting with Tom came up in his mind with amazing vividness：
the silent villagers； the angry gnome； the one…eyed wine…seller；
Bernardino。 Why！ These two unspeakable frights must be that man's
aunts … affiliated to the devil。
Whatever they had been once it was impossible to imagine what use
such feeble creatures could be to the devil； now； in the world of
the living。 Which was Lucilla and which was Erminia？ They were
now things without a name。 A moment of suspended animation
followed Byrne's words。 The sorceress with the spoon ceased
stirring the mess in the iron pot； the very trembling of the
other's head stopped for the space of breath。 In this
infinitesimal fraction of a second Byrne had the sense of being
really on his quest； of having reached the turn of the path； almost
within hail of Tom。
〃They have seen him；〃 he thought with conviction。 Here was at last
somebody who had seen him。 He made sure they would deny all
knowledge of the Ingles； but on the contrary they were eager to
tell him that he had eaten and slept the night in the house。 They
both started talking together； describing his appearance and
behaviour。 An excitement quite fierce in its feebleness possessed
them。 The doubled…up sorceress flourished aloft her wooden spoon；
the puffy monster got off her stool and screeched； stepping from
one foot to the other； while the trembling of her head was
accelerated to positive vibration。 Byrne was quite disconcerted by
their excited behaviour。 。 。 Yes！ The big； fierce Ingles went away
in the morning； after eating a piece of bread and drinking some
wine。 And if the caballero wished to follow the same path nothing
could be easier … in the morning。
〃You will give me somebody to show me the way？〃 said Byrne。
〃Si； senor。 A proper youth。 The man the caballero saw going out。〃
〃But he was knocking at the door；〃 protested Byrne。 〃He only
bolted when he saw me。 He was coming in。〃
〃No！ No！〃 the two horrid witches screamed out together。 〃Going
out。 Going out！〃
After all it may have been true。 The sound of knocking had been
faint； elusive； reflected Byrne。 Perhaps only the effect of his
fancy。 He asked …
〃Who is that man？〃
〃Her NOVIO。〃 They screamed pointing to the girl。 〃He is gone home
to a village far away from here。 But he will return in the
morning。 Her NOVIO！ And she is an orphan … the child of poor
Christian people。 She lives with us for the love of God； for the
love of God。〃
The orphan crouching on the corner of the hearth had been looking
at Byrne。 He thought that she was more like a child of Satan kept
there by these two weird harridans for the love of the Devil。 Her
eyes were a little oblique； her mouth rather thick； but admirably
formed； her dark face had a wild beauty； voluptuous and untamed。
As to the character of her steadfast gaze attached upon him with a
sensuously savage attention； 〃to know what it was like；〃 says Mr。
Byrne； 〃you have only to observe a hungry cat watching a bird in a
cage or a mouse inside a trap。〃
It was she who served
