the turn of the screw-第8节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I saw the way to help her。 〃Remarkably！〃
〃And dressed？〃
〃In somebody's clothes。 〃They're smart； but they're not his own。〃
She broke into a breathless affirmative groan： 〃They're the master's！〃
I caught it up。 〃You DO know him？〃
She faltered but a second。 〃Quint！〃 she cried。
〃Quint？〃
〃Peter Quinthis own man； his valet； when he was here！〃
〃When the master was？〃
Gaping still； but meeting me； she pieced it all together。
〃He never wore his hat； but he did wearwell； there were
waistcoats missed。 They were both herelast year。
Then the master went； and Quint was alone。〃
I followed； but halting a little。 〃Alone？〃
〃Alone with US。〃 Then； as from a deeper depth； 〃In charge；〃 she added。
〃And what became of him？〃
She hung fire so long that I was still more mystified。
〃He went； too；〃 she brought out at last。
〃Went where？〃
Her expression； at this； became extraordinary。 〃God knows where！
He died。〃
〃Died？〃 I almost shrieked。
She seemed fairly to square herself； plant herself more firmly to utter
the wonder of it。 〃Yes。 Mr。 Quint is dead。〃
VI
It took of course more than that particular passage to place us
together in presence of what we had now to live with as we could
my dreadful liability to impressions of the order so vividly
exemplified； and my companion's knowledge； hencefortha knowledge
half consternation and half compassionof that liability。
There had been； this evening； after the revelation left me；
for an hour； so prostratethere had been； for either of us；
no attendance on any service but a little service of tears and vows；
of prayers and promises； a climax to the series of mutual challenges
and pledges that had straightway ensued on our retreating together to
the schoolroom and shutting ourselves up there to have everything out。
The result of our having everything out was simply to reduce
our situation to the last rigor of its elements。 She herself had
seen nothing； not the shadow of a shadow； and nobody in the house
but the governess was in the governess's plight； yet she accepted
without directly impugning my sanity the truth as I gave it to her；
and ended by showing me； on this ground； an awestricken tenderness；
an expression of the sense of my more than questionable privilege；
of which the very breath has remained with me as that of the sweetest
of human charities。
What was settled between us； accordingly； that night； was that we
thought we might bear things together； and I was not even sure that；
in spite of her exemption； it was she who had the best of the burden。
I knew at this hour； I think； as well as I knew later； what I was
capable of meeting to shelter my pupils； but it took me some time
to be wholly sure of what my honest ally was prepared for to keep
terms with so compromising a contract。 I was queer company enough
quite as queer as the company I received； but as I trace over
what we went through I see how much common ground we must have
found in the one idea that； by good fortune； COULD steady us。
It was the idea； the second movement； that led me straight out；
as I may say； of the inner chamber of my dread。 I could take
the air in the court； at least； and there Mrs。 Grose could join me。
Perfectly can I recall now the particular way strength came to me
before we separated for the night。 We had gone over and over every
feature of what I had seen。
〃He was looking for someone else； you saysomeone who was not you？〃
〃He was looking for little Miles。〃 A portentous clearness now possessed me。
〃THAT'S whom he was looking for。〃
〃But how do you know？〃
〃I know； I know； I know！〃 My exaltation grew。 〃And YOU know； my dear！〃
She didn't deny this； but I required； I felt； not even so much
telling as that。 She resumed in a moment； at any rate：
〃What if HE should see him？〃
〃Little Miles？ That's what he wants！〃
She looked immensely scared again。 〃The child？〃
〃Heaven forbid！ The man。 He wants to appear to THEM。〃
That he might was an awful conception； and yet； somehow； I could
keep it at bay； which； moreover； as we lingered there；
was what I succeeded in practically proving。 I had an absolute
certainty that I should see again what I had already seen；
but something within me said that by offering myself bravely
as the sole subject of such experience； by accepting； by inviting；
by surmounting it all； I should serve as an expiatory victim
and guard the tranquility of my companions。 The children；
in especial； I should thus fence about and absolutely save。
I recall one of the last things I said that night to Mrs。 Grose。
〃It does strike me that my pupils have never mentioned〃
She looked at me hard as I musingly pulled up。 〃His having been
here and the time they were with him？〃
〃The time they were with him； and his name； his presence； his history；
in any way。〃
〃Oh； the little lady doesn't remember。 She never heard or knew。〃
〃The circumstances of his death？〃 I thought with some intensity。
〃Perhaps not。 But Miles would rememberMiles would know。〃
〃Ah； don't try him！〃 broke from Mrs。 Grose。
I returned her the look she had given me。 〃Don't be afraid。〃
I continued to think。 〃It IS rather odd。〃
〃That he has never spoken of him？〃
〃Never by the least allusion。 And you tell me they were ‘great friends'？〃
〃Oh； it wasn't HIM！〃 Mrs。 Grose with emphasis declared。
〃It was Quint's own fancy。 To play with him； I mean
to spoil him。〃 She paused a moment； then she added：
〃Quint was much too free。〃
This gave me； straight from my vision of his faceSUCH a face！
a sudden sickness of disgust。 〃Too free with MY boy？〃
〃Too free with everyone！〃
I forbore； for the moment； to analyze this description further than
by the reflection that a part of it applied to several of the members
of the household； of the half…dozen maids and men who were still
of our small colony。 But there was everything； for our apprehension；
in the lucky fact that no discomfortable legend； no perturbation
of scullions； had ever； within anyone's memory attached to the kind
old place。 It had neither bad name nor ill fame； and Mrs。 Grose；
most apparently； only desired to cling to me and to quake in silence。
I even put her； the very last thing of all； to the test。 It was when；
at midnight； she had her hand on the schoolroom door to take leave。
〃I have it from you thenfor it's of great importancethat he was
definitely and admittedly bad？〃
〃Oh； not admittedly。 _I_ knew itbut the master didn't。〃
〃And you never told him？〃
〃Well； he didn't like tale…bearinghe hated complaints。
He was terribly short with anything of that kind； and if people
were all right to HIM〃
〃He wouldn't be bothered with more？〃 This squared well enough
with my impressions of him： he was not a trouble…loving gentleman；
nor so very particular perhaps about some of the company HE kept。
All the same； I pressed my interlocutress。 〃I promise you _I_
would have told！〃
She felt my discrimination。 〃I daresay I was wrong。
But； really； I was afraid。〃
〃Afraid of what？〃
〃Of things that man could do。 Quint was so cleverhe was so deep。〃
I took this in still more than； probably； I showed。
〃You weren't afraid of anything else？ Not of his effect？〃
〃His effect？〃 she repeated with a face of anguish and waiting
while I faltered。
〃On innocent little precious lives。 They were in your charge。〃
〃No； they were not in mine！〃 she roundly and distressfully returned。
〃The master believed in him and placed him here because he was
supposed not to be well and the country air so good for him。
So he had everything to say。 Yes〃she let me have it〃even
about THEM。〃
〃Themthat creature？〃 I had to smother a kind of howl。
〃And you could bear it！〃
〃No。 I couldn'tand I can't now！〃 And the poor woman burst into tears。
A rigid control； from the next day； was； as I have said； to follow them；
yet how often and how passionately； for a week； we came back together
to the subject！ Much as we had discussed it that Sunday night； I was；
in the immediate later hours in especialfor it may be imagined whether
I sleptstill haunted with the shadow of something she had not told me。
I myself had kept back nothing； but there was a word Mrs。 Grose had
kept back。 I was sure； moreover； by morning； that this was not from
a failure of frankness； but because on every side there were fears。
It seems to me indeed； in retrospect； that by the time the morrow's sun
was high I had restlessly read into the fact before us almost all the
meaning they were to receive from subsequent and more cruel occurrences。
What they gave me above all was just the sinister figure of the living man
the dead one would keep awhile！and of the months he had continuously
passed at Bly； whic
