wessex tales-第15节

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She　mused　upon　the　matter　the　greater　part　of　the　night；　and　the
next　day；　after　the　morning　milking；　set　out　to　obtain　another
glimpse　of　Gertrude　Lodge　if　she　could；　being　held　to　her　by　a
gruesome　fascination。　　By　watching　the　house　from　a　distance　the
milkmaid　was　presently　able　to　discern　the　farmer's　wife　in　a　ride
she　was　taking　aloneprobably　to　join　her　husband　in　some　distant
field。　　Mrs。　Lodge　perceived　her；　and　cantered　in　her　direction。

'Good　morning；　Rhoda！'　Gertrude　said；　when　she　had　come　up。　　'I　was
going　to　call。'

Rhoda　noticed　that　Mrs。　Lodge　held　the　reins　with　some　difficulty。

'I　hopethe　bad　arm；'　said　Rhoda。

'They　tell　me　there　is　possibly　one　way　by　which　I　might　be　able　to
find　out　the　cause；　and　so　perhaps　the　cure；　of　it；'　replied　the
other　anxiously。　　'It　is　by　going　to　some　clever　man　over　in　Egdon
Heath。　　They　did　not　know　if　he　was　still　aliveand　I　cannot
remember　his　name　at　this　moment；　but　they　said　that　you　knew　more
of　his　movements　than　anybody　else　hereabout；　and　could　tell　me　if
he　were　still　to　be　consulted。　　Dear　mewhat　was　his　name？　　But　you
know。'

'Not　Conjuror　Trendle？'　said　her　thin　companion；　turning　pale。

'Trendleyes。　　Is　he　alive？'

'I　believe　so；'　said　Rhoda；　with　reluctance。

'Why　do　you　call　him　conjuror？'

'Wellthey　saythey　used　to　say　he　was　ahe　had　powers　other
folks　have　not。'

'O；　how　could　my　people　be　so　superstitious　as　to　recommend　a　man　of
that　sort！　　I　thought　they　meant　some　medical　man。　　I　shall　think　no
more　of　him。'

Rhoda　looked　relieved；　and　Mrs。　Lodge　rode　on。　　The　milkwoman　had
inwardly　seen；　from　the　moment　she　heard　of　her　having　been
mentioned　as　a　reference　for　this　man；　that　there　must　exist　a
sarcastic　feeling　among　the　work…folk　that　a　sorceress　would　know
the　whereabouts　of　the　exorcist。　　They　suspected　her；　then。　　A　short
time　ago　this　would　have　given　no　concern　to　a　woman　of　her　common…
sense。　　But　she　had　a　haunting　reason　to　be　superstitious　now；　and
she　had　been　seized　with　sudden　dread　that　this　Conjuror　Trendle
might　name　her　as　the　malignant　influence　which　was　blasting　the
fair　person　of　Gertrude；　and　so　lead　her　friend　to　hate　her　for
ever；　and　to　treat　her　as　some　fiend　in　human　shape。

But　all　was　not　over。　　Two　days　after；　a　shadow　intruded　into　the
window…pattern　thrown　on　Rhoda　Brook's　floor　by　the　afternoon　sun。
The　woman　opened　the　door　at　once；　almost　breathlessly。

'Are　you　alone？'　said　Gertrude。　　She　seemed　to　be　no　less　harassed
and　anxious　than　Brook　herself。

'Yes；'　said　Rhoda。

'The　place　on　my　arm　seems　worse；　and　troubles　me！'　the　young
farmer's　wife　went　on。　　'It　is　so　mysterious！　　I　do　hope　it　will　not
be　an　incurable　wound。　　I　have　again　been　thinking　of　what　they　said
about　Conjuror　Trendle。　　I　don't　really　believe　in　such　men；　but　I
should　not　mind　just　visiting　him；　from　curiositythough　on　no
account　must　my　husband　know。　　Is　it　far　to　where　he　lives？'

'Yesfive　miles；'　said　Rhoda　backwardly。　　'In　the　heart　of　Egdon。'

'Well；　I　should　have　to　walk。　　Could　not　you　go　with　me　to　show　me
the　waysay　to…morrow　afternoon？'

'O；　not　Ithat　is；'　the　milkwoman　murmured；　with　a　start　of　dismay。
Again　the　dread　seized　her　that　something　to　do　with　her　fierce　act
in　the　dream　might　be　revealed；　and　her　character　in　the　eyes　of　the
most　useful　friend　she　had　ever　had　be　ruined　irretrievably。

Mrs。　Lodge　urged；　and　Rhoda　finally　assented；　though　with　much
misgiving。　　Sad　as　the　journey　would　be　to　her；　she　could　not
conscientiously　stand　in　the　way　of　a　possible　remedy　for　her
patron's　strange　affliction。　　It　was　agreed　that；　to　escape
suspicion　of　their　mystic　intent；　they　should　meet　at　the　edge　of
the　heath　at　the　corner　of　a　plantation　which　was　visible　from　the
spot　where　they　now　stood。



CHAPTER　VCONJUROR　TRENDLE



By　the　next　afternoon　Rhoda　would　have　done　anything　to　escape　this
inquiry。　　But　she　had　promised　to　go。　　Moreover；　there　was　a　horrid
fascination　at　times　in　becoming　instrumental　in　throwing　such
possible　light　on　her　own　character　as　would　reveal　her　to　be
something　greater　in　the　occult　world　than　she　had　ever　herself
suspected。

She　started　just　before　the　time　of　day　mentioned　between　them；　and
half…an…hour's　brisk　walking　brought　her　to　the　south…eastern
extension　of　the　Egdon　tract　of　country；　where　the　fir　plantation
was。　　A　slight　figure；　cloaked　and　veiled；　was　already　there。　　Rhoda
recognized；　almost　with　a　shudder；　that　Mrs。　Lodge　bore　her　left　arm
in　a　sling。

They　hardly　spoke　to　each　other；　and　immediately　set　out　on　their
climb　into　the　interior　of　this　solemn　country；　which　stood　high
above　the　rich　alluvial　soil　they　had　left　half…an…hour　before。　　It
was　a　long　walk；　thick　clouds　made　the　atmosphere　dark；　though　it
was　as　yet　only　early　afternoon；　and　the　wind　howled　dismally　over
the　hills　of　the　heathnot　improbably　the　same　heath　which　had
witnessed　the　agony　of　the　Wessex　King　Ina；　presented　to　after…ages
as　Lear。　　Gertrude　Lodge　talked　most；　Rhoda　replying　with
monosyllabic　preoccupation。　　She　had　a　strange　dislike　to　walking　on
the　side　of　her　companion　where　hung　the　afflicted　arm；　moving　round
to　the　other　when　inadvertently　near　it。　　Much　heather　had　been
brushed　by　their　feet　when　they　descended　upon　a　cart…track；　beside
which　stood　the　house　of　the　man　they　sought。

He　did　not　profess　his　remedial　practices　openly；　or　care　anything
about　their　continuance；　his　direct　interests　being　those　of　a
dealer　in　furze；　turf；　'sharp　sand；'　and　other　local　products。
Indeed；　he　affected　not　to　believe　largely　in　his　own　powers；　and
when　warts　that　had　been　shown　him　for　cure　miraculously
disappearedwhich　it　must　be　owned　they　infallibly　didhe　would
say　lightly；　'O；　I　only　drink　a　glass　of　grog　upon　'emperhaps　it's
all　chance；'　and　immediately　turn　the　subject。

He　was　at　home　when　they　arrived；　having　in　fact　seen　them
descending　into　his　valley。　　He　was　a　gray…bearded　man；　with　a
reddish　face；　and　he　looked　singularly　at　Rhoda　the　first　moment　he
beheld　her。　　Mrs。　Lodge　told　him　her　errand；　and　then　with　words　of
self…disparagement　he　examined　her　arm。

'Medicine　can't　cure　it；'　he　said　promptly。　　''Tis　the　work　of　an
enemy。'

Rhoda　shrank　into　herself；　and　drew　back。

'An　enemy？　　What　enemy？'　asked　Mrs。　Lodge。

He　shook　his　head。　　'That's　best　known　to　yourself；'　he　said。　　'If
you　like；　I　can　show　the　person　to　you；　though　I　shall　not　myself
know　who　it　is。　　I　can　do　no　more；　and　don't　wish　to　do　that。'

She　pressed　him；　on　which　he　told　Rhoda　to　wait　outside　where　she
stood；　and　took　Mrs。　Lodge　into　the　room。　　It　opened　immediately
from　the　door；　and；　as　the　latter　remained　ajar；　Rhoda　Brook　could
see　the　proceedings　without　taking　part　in　them。　　He　brought　a
tumbler　from　the　dresser；　nearly　filled　it　with　water；　and　fetching
an　egg；　prepared　it　in　some　private　way；　after　which　he　broke　it　on
the　edge　of　the　glass；　so　that　the　white　went　in　and　the　yolk
remained。　　As　it　was　getting　gloomy；　he　took　the　glass　and　its
contents　to　the　window；　and　told　Gertrude　to　watch　them　closely。
They　leant　over　the　table　together；　and　the　milkwoman　could　see　the
opaline　hue　of　the　egg…fluid　changing　form　as　it　sank　in　the　water；
but　she　was　not　near　enough　to　define　the　shape　that　it　assumed。

'Do　you　catch　the　likeness　of　any　face　or　figure　as　you　look？'
demanded　the　conjuror　of　the　young　woman。

She　murmured　a　reply；　in　tones　so　low　as　to　be　inaudible　to　Rhoda；
and　continued　to　gaze　intently　into　the　glass。　　Rhoda　turned；　and
walked　a　few　steps　away。

When　Mrs。　Lodge　came　out；　and　her　face　was　met　by　the　light；　it
appeared　exceedingly　paleas　pale　as　Rhoda'sagainst　the　sad　dun
shades　of　the　upland's　garniture。　　Trendle　shut　the　door　behind　her；
and　they　at　once　started　homeward　together。　　But　Rhoda　perceived
that　her　companion　had　quite　changed。

'Did　he　charge　much？'　she　asked　tentatively。

'O　nonothing。　　He　would　not　take　a　farthing；'　said　Gertrude。

'And　what　did　you　see？'　inquired　Rhoda。

'Nothing　Icare　to　speak　of。'　　The　constraint　in　her　manner　was
remarkable；　her　face　was　so　rigid　as　to　wear　an　oldened　aspect；
faintly　suggestive　of　the　face　in　Rhoda's　bed…chamber。

'Was　it　you　who　first　proposed　coming　here？'　Mrs。　Lodge　suddenly
inquired；　after　a　long　pause。　　'How　very　odd；　if　you　did！'

'No。　　But　I　am　not　sorry　we　have　come；　all　things　considered；'　she
replied。　　For　the　first　time　a　sense　of　triumph　possessed　her；　and
she　did　not　altogether　deplore　that　the　young　thing　at　her　side
should　learn　that　their　lives　had　been　antagonized　by　other
influences　than　their　own。

The　subject　was　no　more　alluded　to　during　the　long　and　dreary　walk
home。　　But　in　some　way　or　other　a　story　was　whispered　about　the
many…dairied　lowland　that　winter　that　Mrs。　Lodge's　gradual　loss　of
the　use　of　her　left　arm　was　owing　to　her　being　'overlooked'　by　Rhoda
Brook。　　The　latter　kept　her　own　counsel　about　the　incubus；　but　her
face　grew　sadder　and　thinner；　and　in　the　spring　she　and　her　boy
disappeared　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Holmstoke。



CHAPTER　VIA　SECOND　ATTEMPT



Half…a…dozen　years　passed　away；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Lodge's　married
exp