wessex tales-第43节

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reproach　her　in　any　way　whatever。　　He　simply　parted　from　her　when
she　had　done　talking；　and　lived　on　in　perplexity；　till　by　degrees
his　natural　manner　became　sad　and　constrained。



CHAPTER　IVAT　THE　TIME　OF　THE　NEW　MOON



The　following　Thursday　was　changeable；　damp；　and　gloomy；　and　the
night　threatened　to　be　windy　and　unpleasant。　　Stockdale　had　gone
away　to　Knollsea　in　the　morning；　to　be　present　at　some　commemoration
service　there；　and　on　his　return　he　was　met　by　the　attractive　Lizzy
in　the　passage。　　Whether　influenced　by　the　tide　of　cheerfulness
which　had　attended　him　that　day；　or　by　the　drive　through　the　open
air；　or　whether　from　a　natural　disposition　to　let　bygones　alone；　he
allowed　himself　to　be　fascinated　into　forgetfulness　of　the　greatcoat
incident；　and　upon　the　whole　passed　a　pleasant　evening；　not　so　much
in　her　society　as　within　sound　of　her　voice；　as　she　sat　talking　in
the　back　parlour　to　her　mother；　till　the　latter　went　to　bed。
Shortly　after　this　Mrs。　Newberry　retired；　and　then　Stockdale
prepared　to　go　upstairs　himself。　　But　before　he　left　the　room　he
remained　standing　by　the　dying　embers　awhile；　thinking　long　of　one
thing　and　another；　and　was　only　aroused　by　the　flickering　of　his
candle　in　the　socket　as　it　suddenly　declined　and　went　out。　　Knowing
that　there　were　a　tinder…box；　matches；　and　another　candle　in　his
bedroom；　he　felt　his　way　upstairs　without　a　light。　　On　reaching　his
chamber　he　laid　his　hand　on　every　possible　ledge　and　corner　for　the
tinderbox；　but　for　a　long　time　in　vain。　　Discovering　it　at　length；
Stockdale　produced　a　spark；　and　was　kindling　the　brimstone；　when　he
fancied　that　he　heard　a　movement　in　the　passage。　　He　blew　harder　at
the　lint；　the　match　flared　up；　and　looking　by　aid　of　the　blue　light
through　the　door；　which　had　been　standing　open　all　this　time；　he　was
surprised　to　see　a　male　figure　vanishing　round　the　top　of　the
staircase　with　the　evident　intention　of　escaping　unobserved。　　The
personage　wore　the　clothes　which　Lizzy　had　been　brushing；　and
something　in　the　outline　and　gait　suggested　to　the　minister　that　the
wearer　was　Lizzy　herself。

But　he　was　not　sure　of　this；　and；　greatly　excited；　Stockdale
determined　to　investigate　the　mystery；　and　to　adopt　his　own　way　for
doing　it。　　He　blew　out　the　match　without　lighting　the　candle；　went
into　the　passage；　and　proceeded　on　tiptoe　towards　Lizzy's　room。　　A
faint　grey　square　of　light　in　the　direction　of　the　chamber…window　as
he　approached　told　him　that　the　door　was　open；　and　at　once　suggested
that　the　occupant　was　gone。　　He　turned　and　brought　down　his　fist
upon　the　handrail　of　the　staircase：　　'It　was　she；　in　her　late
husband's　coat　and　hat！'

Somewhat　relieved　to　find　that　there　was　no　intruder　in　the　case；
yet　none　the　less　surprised；　the　minister　crept　down　the　stairs；
softly　put　on　his　boots；　overcoat；　and　hat；　and　tried　the　front
door。　　It　was　fastened　as　usual：　　he　went　to　the　back　door；　found
this　unlocked；　and　emerged　into　the　garden。　　The　night　was　mild　and
moonless；　and　rain　had　lately　been　falling；　though　for　the　present
it　had　ceased。　　There　was　a　sudden　dropping　from　the　trees　and
bushes　every　now　and　then；　as　each　passing　wind　shook　their　boughs。
Among　these　sounds　Stockdale　heard　the　faint　fall　of　feet　upon　the
road　outside；　and　he　guessed　from　the　step　that　it　was　Lizzy's。　　He
followed　the　sound；　and；　helped　by　the　circumstance　of　the　wind
blowing　from　the　direction　in　which　the　pedestrian　moved；　he　got
nearly　close　to　her；　and　kept　there；　without　risk　of　being
overheard。　　While　he　thus　followed　her　up　the　street　or　lane；　as　it
might　indifferently　be　called；　there　being　more　hedge　than　houses　on
either　side；　a　figure　came　forward　to　her　from　one　of　the　cottage
doors。　　Lizzy　stopped；　the　minister　stepped　upon　the　grass　and
stopped　also。

'Is　that　Mrs。　Newberry？'　said　the　man　who　had　come　out；　whose　voice
Stockdale　recognized　as　that　of　one　of　the　most　devout　members　of
his　congregation。

'It　is；'　said　Lizzy。

'I　be　quite　readyI've　been　here　this　quarter…hour。'

'Ah；　John；'　said　she；　'I　have　bad　news；　there　is　danger　to…night　for
our　venture。'

'And　d'ye　tell　o't！　　I　dreamed　there　might　be。'

'Yes；'　she　said　hurriedly；　'and　you　must　go　at　once　round　to　where
the　chaps　are　waiting；　and　tell　them　they　will　not　be　wanted　till
to…morrow　night　at　the　same　time。　　I　go　to　burn　the　lugger　off。'

'I　will；'　he　said；　and　instantly　went　off　through　a　gate；　Lizzy
continuing　her　way。

On　she　tripped　at　a　quickening　pace　till　the　lane　turned　into　the
turnpike…road；　which　she　crossed；　and　got　into　the　track　for
Ringsworth。　　Here　she　ascended　the　hill　without　the　least
hesitation；　passed　the　lonely　hamlet　of　Holworth；　and　went　down　the
vale　on　the　other　side。　　Stockdale　had　never　taken　any　extensive
walks　in　this　direction；　but　he　was　aware　that　if　she　persisted　in
her　course　much　longer　she　would　draw　near　to　the　coast；　which　was
here　between　two　and　three　miles　distant　from　Nether…Moynton；　and　as
it　had　been　about　a　quarter…past　eleven　o'clock　when　they　set　out；
her　intention　seemed　to　be　to　reach　the　shore　about　midnight。

Lizzy　soon　ascended　a　small　mound；　which　Stockdale　at　the　same　time
adroitly　skirted　on　the　left；　and　a　dull　monotonous　roar　burst　upon
his　ear。　　The　hillock　was　about　fifty　yards　from　the　top　of　the
cliffs；　and　by　day　it　apparently　commanded　a　full　view　of　the　bay。
There　was　light　enough　in　the　sky　to　show　her　disguised　figure
against　it　when　she　reached　the　top；　where　she　paused；　and
afterwards　sat　down。　　Stockdale；　not　wishing　on　any　account　to　alarm
her　at　this　moment；　yet　desirous　of　being　near　her；　sank　upon　his
hands　and　knees；　crept　a　little　higher　up；　and　there　stayed　still。

The　wind　was　chilly；　the　ground　damp；　and　his　position　one　in　which
he　did　not　care　to　remain　long。　　However；　before　he　had　decided　to
leave　it；　the　young　man　heard　voices　behind　him。　　What　they
signified　he　did　not　know；　but；　fearing　that　Lizzy　was　in　danger；　he
was　about　to　run　forward　and　warn　her　that　she　might　be　seen；　when
she　crept　to　the　shelter　of　a　little　bush　which　maintained　a
precarious　existence　in　that　exposed　spot；　and　her　form　was　absorbed
in　its　dark　and　stunted　outline　as　if　she　had　become　part　of　it。
She　had　evidently　heard　the　men　as　well　as　he。　　They　passed　near
him；　talking　in　loud　and　careless　tones；　which　could　be　heard　above
the　uninterrupted　washings　of　the　sea；　and　which　suggested　that　they
were　not　engaged　in　any　business　at　their　own　risk。　　This　proved　to
be　the　fact：　　some　of　their　words　floated　across　to　him；　and　caused
him　to　forget　at　once　the　coldness　of　his　situation。

'What's　the　vessel？'

'A　lugger；　about　fifty　tons。'

'From　Cherbourg；　I　suppose？'

'Yes；　'a　b'lieve。'

'But　it　don't　all　belong　to　Owlett？'

'O　no。　　He's　only　got　a　share。　　There's　another　or　two　in　ita
farmer　and　such　like；　but　the　names　I　don't　know。'

The　voices　died　away；　and　the　heads　and　shoulders　of　the　men
diminished　towards　the　cliff；　and　dropped　out　of　sight。

'My　darling　has　been　tempted　to　buy　a　share　by　that　unbeliever
Owlett；'　groaned　the　minister；　his　honest　affection　for　Lizzy　having
quickened　to　its　intensest　point　during　these　moments　of　risk　to　her
person　and　name。　　'That's　why　she's　here；'　he　said　to　himself。　　'O；
it　will　be　the　ruin　of　her！'

His　perturbation　was　interrupted　by　the　sudden　bursting　out　of　a
bright　and　increasing　light　from　the　spot　where　Lizzy　was　in　hiding。
A　few　seconds　later；　and　before　it　had　reached　the　height　of　a
blaze；　he　heard　her　rush　past　him　down　the　hollow　like　a　stone　from
a　sling；　in　the　direction　of　home。　　The　light　now　flared　high　and
wide；　and　showed　its　position　clearly。　　She　had　kindled　a　bough　of
furze　and　stuck　it　into　the　bush　under　which　she　had　been　crouching；
the　wind　fanned　the　flame；　which　crackled　fiercely；　and　threatened
to　consume　the　bush　as　well　as　the　bough。　　Stockdale　paused　just
long　enough　to　notice　thus　much；　and　then　followed　rapidly　the　route
taken　by　the　young　woman。　　His　intention　was　to　overtake　her；　and
reveal　himself　as　a　friend；　but　run　as　he　would　he　could　see　nothing
of　her。　　Thus　he　flew　across　the　open　country　about　Holworth；
twisting　his　legs　and　ankles　in　unexpected　fissures　and　descents；
till；　on　coming　to　the　gate　between　the　downs　and　the　road；　he　was
forced　to　pause　to　get　breath。　　There　was　no　audible　movement　either
in　front　or　behind　him；　and　he　now　concluded　that　she　had　not　outrun
him；　but　that；　hearing　him　at　her　heels；　and　believing　him　one　of
the　excise　party；　she　had　hidden　herself　somewhere　on　the　way；　and
let　him　pass　by。

He　went　on　at　a　more　leisurely　pace　towards　the　village。　　On
reaching　the　house　he　found　his　surmise　to　be　correct；　for　the　gate
was　on　the　latch；　and　the　door　unfastened；　just　as　he　had　left　them。
Stockdale　closed　the　door　behind　him；　and　waited　silently　in　the
passage。　　In　about　ten　minutes　he　heard　the　same　light　footstep　that
he　had　heard　in　going　out；　it　paused　at　the　gate；　which　opened　and
shut　softly；　and　then　the　door…latch　was　lifted；　and　Lizzy　came　in。

Stockdale　went　forward　and　said　at　once；　'Lizzy；　don't　be
frightened。　　I　have　been　waiting　up　for　you。'

She　star