wessex tales-第14节

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'Did　you　hear　anything　fall？　　At　what　time？'

'Just　when　the　clock　struck　two。'

She　could　not　explain；　and　when　the　meal　was　done　went　silently
about　her　household　work；　the　boy　assisting　her；　for　he　hated　going
afield　on　the　farms；　and　she　indulged　his　reluctance。　　Between
eleven　and　twelve　the　garden…gate　clicked；　and　she　lifted　her　eyes
to　the　window。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　within　the　gate；　stood
the　woman　of　her　vision。　　Rhoda　seemed　transfixed。

'Ah；　she　said　she　would　come！'　exclaimed　the　boy；　also　observing
her。

'Said　sowhen？　　How　does　she　know　us？'

'I　have　seen　and　spoken　to　her。　　I　talked　to　her　yesterday。'

'I　told　you；'　said　the　mother；　flushing　indignantly；　'never　to　speak
to　anybody　in　that　house；　or　go　near　the　place。'

'I　did　not　speak　to　her　till　she　spoke　to　me。　　And　I　did　not　go　near
the　place。　　I　met　her　in　the　road。'

'What　did　you　tell　her？'

'Nothing。　　She　said；　〃Are　you　the　poor　boy　who　had　to　bring　the
heavy　load　from　market？〃　　And　she　looked　at　my　boots；　and　said　they
would　not　keep　my　feet　dry　if　it　came　on　wet；　because　they　were　so
cracked。　　I　told　her　I　lived　with　my　mother；　and　we　had　enough　to　do
to　keep　ourselves；　and　that's　how　it　was；　and　she　said　then；　〃I'll
come　and　bring　you　some　better　boots；　and　see　your　mother。〃　　She
gives　away　things　to　other　folks　in　the　meads　besides　us。'

Mrs。　Lodge　was　by　this　time　close　to　the　doornot　in　her　silk；　as
Rhoda　had　seen　her　in　the　bed…chamber；　but　in　a　morning　hat；　and
gown　of　common　light　material；　which　became　her　better　than　silk。
On　her　arm　she　carried　a　basket。

The　impression　remaining　from　the　night's　experience　was　still
strong。　　Brook　had　almost　expected　to　see　the　wrinkles；　the　scorn；
and　the　cruelty　on　her　visitor's　face。

She　would　have　escaped　an　interview；　had　escape　been　possible。
There　was；　however；　no　backdoor　to　the　cottage；　and　in　an　instant
the　boy　had　lifted　the　latch　to　Mrs。　Lodge's　gentle　knock。

'I　see　I　have　come　to　the　right　house；'　said　she；　glancing　at　the
lad；　and　smiling。　　'But　I　was　not　sure　till　you　opened　the　door。'

The　figure　and　action　were　those　of　the　phantom；　but　her　voice　was
so　indescribably　sweet；　her　glance　so　winning；　her　smile　so　tender；
so　unlike　that　of　Rhoda's　midnight　visitant；　that　the　latter　could
hardly　believe　the　evidence　of　her　senses。　　She　was　truly　glad　that
she　had　not　hidden　away　in　sheer　aversion；　as　she　had　been　inclined
to　do。　　In　her　basket　Mrs。　Lodge　brought　the　pair　of　boots　that　she
had　promised　to　the　boy；　and　other　useful　articles。

At　these　proofs　of　a　kindly　feeling　towards　her　and　hers　Rhoda's
heart　reproached　her　bitterly。　　This　innocent　young　thing　should
have　her　blessing　and　not　her　curse。　　When　she　left　them　a　light
seemed　gone　from　the　dwelling。　　Two　days　later　she　came　again　to
know　if　the　boots　fitted；　and　less　than　a　fortnight　after　that　paid
Rhoda　another　call。　　On　this　occasion　the　boy　was　absent。

'I　walk　a　good　deal；'　said　Mrs。　Lodge；　'and　your　house　is　the
nearest　outside　our　own　parish。　　I　hope　you　are　well。　　You　don't
look　quite　well。'

Rhoda　said　she　was　well　enough；　and；　indeed；　though　the　paler　of　the
two；　there　was　more　of　the　strength　that　endures　in　her　well…defined
features　and　large　frame；　than　in　the　soft…cheeked　young　woman
before　her。　　The　conversation　became　quite　confidential　as　regarded
their　powers　and　weaknesses；　and　when　Mrs。　Lodge　was　leaving；　Rhoda
said；　'I　hope　you　will　find　this　air　agree　with　you；　ma'am；　and　not
suffer　from　the　damp　of　the　water…meads。'

The　younger　one　replied　that　there　was　not　much　doubt　of　it；　her
general　health　being　usually　good。　　'Though；　now　you　remind　me；'　she
added；　'I　have　one　little　ailment　which　puzzles　me。　　It　is　nothing
serious；　but　I　cannot　make　it　out。'

She　uncovered　her　left　hand　and　arm；　and　their　outline　confronted
Rhoda's　gaze　as　the　exact　original　of　the　limb　she　had　beheld　and
seized　in　her　dream。　　Upon　the　pink　round　surface　of　the　arm　were
faint　marks　of　an　unhealthy　colour；　as　if　produced　by　a　rough　grasp。
Rhoda's　eyes　became　riveted　on　the　discolorations；　she　fancied　that
she　discerned　in　them　the　shape　of　her　own　four　fingers。

'How　did　it　happen？'　she　said　mechanically。

'I　cannot　tell；'　replied　Mrs。　Lodge；　shaking　her　head。　　'One　night
when　I　was　sound　asleep；　dreaming　I　was　away　in　some　strange　place；
a　pain　suddenly　shot　into　my　arm　there；　and　was　so　keen　as　to　awaken
me。　　I　must　have　struck　it　in　the　daytime；　I　suppose；　though　I　don't
remember　doing　so。'　　She　added；　laughing；　'I　tell　my　dear　husband
that　it　looks　just　as　if　he　had　flown　into　a　rage　and　struck　me
there。　　O；　I　daresay　it　will　soon　disappear。'

'Ha；　ha！　　Yes　。　。　。　On　what　night　did　it　come？'

Mrs。　Lodge　considered；　and　said　it　would　be　a　fortnight　ago　on　the
morrow。　　'When　I　awoke　I　could　not　remember　where　I　was；'　she　added；
'till　the　clock　striking　two　reminded　me。'

She　had　named　the　night　and　the　hour　of　Rhoda's　spectral　encounter；
and　Brook　felt　like　a　guilty　thing。　　The　artless　disclosure　startled
her；　she　did　not　reason　on　the　freaks　of　coincidence；　and　all　the
scenery　of　that　ghastly　night　returned　with　double　vividness　to　her
mind。

'O；　can　it　be；'　she　said　to　herself；　when　her　visitor　had　departed；
'that　I　exercise　a　malignant　power　over　people　against　my　own　will？'
She　knew　that　she　had　been　slily　called　a　witch　since　her　fall；　but
never　having　understood　why　that　particular　stigma　had　been　attached
to　her；　it　had　passed　disregarded。　　Could　this　be　the　explanation；
and　had　such　things　as　this　ever　happened　before？



CHAPTER　IVA　SUGGESTION



The　summer　drew　on；　and　Rhoda　Brook　almost　dreaded　to　meet　Mrs。
Lodge　again；　notwithstanding　that　her　feeling　for　the　young　wife
amounted　well…nigh　to　affection。　　Something　in　her　own　individuality
seemed　to　convict　Rhoda　of　crime。　　Yet　a　fatality　sometimes　would
direct　the　steps　of　the　latter　to　the　outskirts　of　Holmstoke
whenever　she　left　her　house　for　any　other　purpose　than　her　daily
work；　and　hence　it　happened　that　their　next　encounter　was　out　of
doors。　　Rhoda　could　not　avoid　the　subject　which　had　so　mystified
her；　and　after　the　first　few　words　she　stammered；　'I　hope　yourarm
is　well　again；　ma'am？'　　She　had　perceived　with　consternation　that
Gertrude　Lodge　carried　her　left　arm　stiffly。

'No；　it　is　not　quite　well。　　Indeed　it　is　no　better　at　all；　it　is
rather　worse。　　It　pains　me　dreadfully　sometimes。'

'Perhaps　you　had　better　go　to　a　doctor；　ma'am。'

She　replied　that　she　had　already　seen　a　doctor。　　Her　husband　had
insisted　upon　her　going　to　one。　　But　the　surgeon　had　not　seemed　to
understand　the　afflicted　limb　at　all；　he　had　told　her　to　bathe　it　in
hot　water；　and　she　had　bathed　it；　but　the　treatment　had　done　no
good。

'Will　you　let　me　see　it？'　said　the　milkwoman。

Mrs。　Lodge　pushed　up　her　sleeve　and　disclosed　the　place；　which　was　a
few　inches　above　the　wrist。　　As　soon　as　Rhoda　Brook　saw　it；　she
could　hardly　preserve　her　composure。　　There　was　nothing　of　the
nature　of　a　wound；　but　the　arm　at　that　point　had　a　shrivelled　look；
and　the　outline　of　the　four　fingers　appeared　more　distinct　than　at
the　former　time。　　Moreover；　she　fancied　that　they　were　imprinted　in
precisely　the　relative　position　of　her　clutch　upon　the　arm　in　the
trance；　the　first　finger　towards　Gertrude's　wrist；　and　the　fourth
towards　her　elbow。

What　the　impress　resembled　seemed　to　have　struck　Gertrude　herself
since　their　last　meeting。　　'It　looks　almost　like　finger…marks；'　she
said；　adding　with　a　faint　laugh；　'my　husband　says　it　is　as　if　some
witch；　or　the　devil　himself；　had　taken　hold　of　me　there；　and　blasted
the　flesh。'

Rhoda　shivered。　　'That's　fancy；'　she　said　hurriedly。　　'I　wouldn't
mind　it；　if　I　were　you。'

'I　shouldn't　so　much　mind　it；'　said　the　younger；　with　hesitation；
'ifif　I　hadn't　a　notion　that　it　makes　my　husbanddislike　meno；
love　me　less。　　Men　think　so　much　of　personal　appearance。'

'Some　dohe　for　one。'

'Yes；　and　he　was　very　proud　of　mine；　at　first。'

'Keep　your　arm　covered　from　his　sight。'

'Ahhe　knows　the　disfigurement　is　there！'　　She　tried　to　hide　the
tears　that　filled　her　eyes。

'Well；　ma'am；　I　earnestly　hope　it　will　go　away　soon。'

And　so　the　milkwoman's　mind　was　chained　anew　to　the　subject　by　a
horrid　sort　of　spell　as　she　returned　home。　　The　sense　of　having　been
guilty　of　an　act　of　malignity　increased；　affect　as　she　might　to
ridicule　her　superstition。　　In　her　secret　heart　Rhoda　did　not
altogether　object　to　a　slight　diminution　of　her　successor's　beauty；
by　whatever　means　it　had　come　about；　but　she　did　not　wish　to　inflict
upon　her　physical　pain。　　For　though　this　pretty　young　woman　had
rendered　impossible　any　reparation　which　Lodge　might　have　made　Rhoda
for　his　past　conduct；　everything　like　resentment　at　the　unconscious
usurpation　had　quite　passed　away　from　the　elder's　mind。

If　the　sweet　and　kindly　Gertrude　Lodge　only　knew　of　the　scene　in　the
bed…chamber；　what　would　she　think？　　Not　to　inform　her　of　it　seemed
treachery　in　the　presence　of　her　friendliness；　but　tell　she　could
not　of　her　own　accordneither　could　she　devise　a　remedy。

She　mused　upon　the　matter　the　greater　part　of　the　night；　and　the
next　day；　after　the