westward ho-第21节

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　corner；　and　though　she　was　not　in　the　least　in　love　with　him；　she　could　not　help　hoping　that　he　had　at　least　（to　put　her　pretty　little　thought　in　the　mildest　shape）　not　altogether　forgotten　her；　and　was　hungering；　too；　with　all　her　fancy；　to　give　him　no　peace　till　he　had　told　her　all　the　wonderful　things　which　he　had　seen　and　done　in　this　ever…memorable　voyage。　　So　that；　altogether；　it　was　no　wonder；　if　in　her　last　night's　dream　the　figure　of　Amyas　had　been　even　more　forward　and　troublesome　than　that　of　Frank　or　the　rest。

But；　moreover；　another　figure　had　been　forward　and　troublesome　enough　in　last　night's　sleep…world；　and　forward　and　troublesome　enough；　too；　now　in　to…day's　waking…world；　namely；　Eustace；　the　rejected。　　How　strange　that　she　should　have　dreamt　of　him　the　night　before！　and　dreamt；　too；　of　his　fighting　with　Mr。　Frank　and　Mr。　Amyas！　　It　must　be　a　warningsee；　she　had　met　him　the　very　next　day　in　this　strange　way；　so　the　first　half　of　her　dream　had　come　true；　and　after　what　had　past；　she　only　had　to　breathe　a　whisper；　and　the　second　part　of　the　dream　would　come　true　also。　　If　she　wished　for　a　passage　of　arms　in　her　own　honor；　she　could　easily　enough　compass　one：　not　that　she　would　do　it　for　worlds！　　And　after　all；　though　Mr。　Eustace　had　been　very　rude　and　naughty；　yet　still　it　was　not　his　own　fault；　he　could　not　help　being　in　love　with　her。　Andand；　in　short；　the　poor　little　maid　felt　herself　one　of　the　most　important　personages　on　earth；　with　all　the　cares　（or　hearts）　of　the　country　in　her　keeping；　and　as　much　perplexed　with　matters　of　weight　as　ever　was　any　Cleophila；　or　Dianeme；　Fiordispina　or　Flourdeluce；　in　verse　run　tame；　or　prose　run　mad。

Poor　little　Rose！　　Had　she　but　had　a　mother！　　But　she　was　to　learn　her　lesson；　such　as　it　was；　in　another　school。　　She　was　too　shy　（too　proud　perhaps）　to　tell　her　aunt　her　mighty　troubles；　but　a　counsellor　she　must　have；　and　after　sitting　with　her　head　in　her　hands；　for　half…an…hour　or　more；　she　arose　suddenly；　and　started　off　along　the　cliffs　towards　Marsland。　　She　would　go　and　see　Lucy　Passmore；　the　white　witch；　Lucy　knew　everything；　Lucy　would　tell　her　what　to　do；　perhaps　even　whom　to　marry。

Lucy　was　a　fat；　jolly　woman　of　fifty；　with　little　pig…eyes；　which　twinkled　like　sparks　of　fire；　and　eyebrows　which　sloped　upwards　and　outwards；　like　those　of　a　satyr；　as　if　she　had　been　（as　indeed　she　had）　all　her　life　looking　out　of　the　corners　of　her　eyes。　　Her　qualifications　as　white　witch　were　boundless　cunning；　equally　boundless　good　nature；　considerable　knowledge　of　human　weaknesses；　some　mesmeric　power；　some　skill　in　〃yarbs；〃　as　she　called　her　simples；　a　firm　faith　in　the　virtue　of　her　own　incantations；　and　the　faculty　of　holding　her　tongue。　　By　dint　of　these　she　contrived　to　gain　a　fair　share　of　money；　and　also　（which　she　liked　even　better）　of　power；　among　the　simple　folk　for　many　miles　round。　　If　a　child　was　scalded；　a　tooth　ached；　a　piece　of　silver　was　stolen；　a　heifer　shrew…struck；　a　pig　bewitched；　a　young　damsel　crost　in　love；　Lucy　was　called　in；　and　Lucy　found　a　remedy；　especially　for　the　latter　complaint。　　Now　and　then　she　found　herself　on　ticklish　ground；　for　the　kind…heartedness　which　compelled　her　to　help　all　distressed　damsels　out　of　a　scrape；　sometimes　compelled　her　also　to　help　them　into　one；　whereon　enraged　fathers　called　Lucy　ugly　names；　and　threatened　to　send　her　into　Exeter　gaol　for　a　witch；　and　she　smiled　quietly；　and　hinted　that　if　she　were　〃like　some　that　were　ready　to　return　evil　for　evil；　such　talk　as　that　would　bring　no　blessing　on　them　that　spoke　it；〃　which　being　translated　into　plain　English；　meant；　〃If　you　trouble　me；　I　will　overlook　（i。　　e。　fascinate）　you；　and　then　your　pigs　will　die；　your　horses　stray；　your　cream　turn　sour；　your　barns　be　fired；　your　son　have　St。　Vitus's　dance；　your　daughter　fits；　and　so　on；　woe　on　woe；　till　you　are　very　probably　starved　to　death　in　a　ditch；　by　virtue　of　this　terrible　little　eye　of　mine；　at　which；　in　spite　of　all　your　swearing　and　bullying；　you　know　you　are　now　shaking　in　your　shoes　for　fear。　　So　you　had　much　better　hold　your　tongue；　give　me　a　drink　of　cider；　and　leave　ill　alone；　lest　you　make　it　worse。〃

Not　that　Lucy　ever　proceeded　to　any　such　fearful　extremities。　　On　the　contrary；　her　boast；　and　her　belief　too；　was；　that　she　was　sent　into　the　world　to　make　poor　souls　as　happy　as　she　could；　by　lawful　means；　of　course；　if　possible；　but　if　notwhy；　unlawful　ones　were　better　than　none；　for　she　〃couldn't　a…bear　to　see　the　poor　creatures　taking　on；　she　was　too；　too　tender…hearted。〃　　And　so　she　was；　to　every　one　but　her　husband；　a　tall；　simple…hearted　rabbit…　faced　man；　a　good　deal　older　than　herself。　　Fully　agreeing　with　Sir　Richard　Grenville's　great　axiom；　that　he　who　cannot　obey　cannot　rule；　Lucy　had　been　for　the　last　five…and…twenty　years　training　him　pretty　smartly　to　obey　her；　with　the　intention；　it　is　to　be　charitably　hoped；　of　letting　him　rule　her　in　turn　when　his　lesson　was　perfected。　　He　bore　his　honors；　however；　meekly　enough；　having　a　boundless　respect　for　his　wife's　wisdom；　and　a　firm　belief　in　her　supernatural　powers；　and　let　her　go　her　own　way　and　earn　her　own　money；　while　he　got　a　little　more　in　a　truly　pastoral　method　（not　extinct　yet　along　those　lonely　cliffs）；　by　feeding　a　herd　of　some　dozen　donkeys　and　twenty　goats。　　The　donkeys　fetched；　at　each　low…　tide；　white　shell…sand　which　was　to　be　sold　for　manure　to　the　neighboring　farmers；　the　goats　furnished　milk　and　〃kiddy…pies；〃　and　when　there　was　neither　milking　nor　sand…carrying　to　be　done；　old　Will　Passmore　just　sat　under　a　sunny　rock　and　watched　the　buck…　goats　rattle　their　horns　together；　thinking　about　nothing　at　all；　and　taking　very　good　care　all　the　while　neither　to　inquire　nor　to　see　who　came　in　and　out　of　his　little　cottage　in　the　glen。

The　prophetess；　when　Rose　approached　her　oracular　cave；　was　seated　on　a　tripod　in　front　of　the　fire；　distilling　strong　waters　out　of　penny…royal。　　But　no　sooner　did　her　distinguished　visitor　appear　at　the　hatch；　than　the　still　was　left　to　take　care　of　itself；　and　a　clean　apron　and　mutch　having　been　slipt　on；　Lucy　welcomed　Rose　with　endless　courtesies；　and〃Bless　my　dear　soul　alive；　who　ever　would　have　thought　to　see　the　Rose　of　Torridge　to　my　poor　little　place！〃

Rose　sat　down：　and　then？　　How　to　begin　was　more　than　she　knew；　and　she　stayed　silent　a　full　five　minutes；　looking　earnestly　at　the　point　of　her　shoe；　till　Lucy；　who　was　an　adept　in　such　cases；　thought　it　best　to　proceed　to　business　at　once；　and　save　Rose　the　delicate　operation　of　opening　the　ball　herself；　and　so；　in　her　own　way；　half　fawning；　half　familiar

〃Well；　my　dear　young　lady；　and　what　is　it　I　can　do　for　ye？　　For　I　guess　you　want　a　bit　of　old　Lucy's　help；　eh？　　Though　I'm　most　mazed　to　see　ye　here；　surely。　　I　should　have　supposed　that　pretty　face　could　manage　they　sort　of　matters　for　itself。　　Eh？〃

Rose；　thus　bluntly　charged；　confessed　at　once；　and　with　many　blushes　and　hesitations；　made　her　soon　understand　that　what　she　wanted　was　〃To　have　her　fortune　told。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh！　I　see。　　The　pretty　face　has　managed　it　a　bit　too　well　already；　eh？　　Tu　many　o'　mun；　pure　fellows？　　Well；　'tain't　every　mayden　has　her　pick　and　choose；　like　some　I　know　of；　as　be　blest　in　love　by　stars　above。　　So　you　hain't　made　up　your　mind；　then？〃

Rose　shook　her　head。

〃Ahwell；〃　she　went　on；　in　a　half…bantering　tone。　　〃Not　so　asy；　is　it；　then？　　One's　gude　for　one　thing；　and　one　for　another；　eh？　　One　has　the　blood；　and　another　the　money。〃

And　so　the　〃cunning　woman〃　（as　she　truly　was）；　talking　half　to　herself；　ran　over　all　the　names　which　she　thought　likely；　peering　at　Rose　all　the　while　out　of　the　corners　of　her　foxy　bright　eyes；　while　Rose　stirred　the　peat　ashes　steadfastly　with　the　point　of　her　little　shoe；　half　angry；　half　ashamed；　half　frightened；　to　find　that　〃the　cunning　woman〃　had　guessed　so　well　both　her　suitors　and　her　thoughts　about　them；　and　tried　to　look　unconcerned　at　each　name　as　it　came　out。

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Lucy；　who　took　nothing　by　her　move；　simply　because　there　was　nothing　to　take；　〃think　over　itthink　over　it；　my　dear　life；　and　if　you　did　set　your　mind　on　any　onewhy；　then　then　maybe　I　might　help　you　to　a　sight　of　him。〃

〃A　sight　of　him？〃

〃His　sperrit；　dear　life；　his　sperrit　only；　I　mane。　　I　'udn't　have　no　keeping　company　in　my　house；　no；　not　for　gowld　untowld；　I　'udn't；　but　the　sperrit　of　munto　see　whether　mun　would　be　true　or　not；　you'd　like　to　know　that；　now；　'udn't　you；　my　darling？〃

Rose　sighed；　and　stirred　the　ashes　about　vehemently。

〃I　must　first　know　who　it　is　to　be。　　If　you　could　show　me　that　now〃

〃Oh；　I　can　show　ye　that；　tu；　I　can。　　Ben　there's　a　way　to　't；　a　sure　way；　but　'tis　mortal　cold　for　the　time　o'　year；　you　zee。〃

〃But　what　is　it；　then？〃　said　Rose；　who　had　in　her　heart　been　longing　for　something　of　that　very　kind；　and　had　half　made　up　her　mind　to　ask　for　a　charm。

〃Why；　you'm　not　afraid　to　goo　into　the　say　by　night　for　a　minute；　are　you？　　And　to…morrow　night　would　serve；　too；　't　will　be　just　low　tide　to　midnight。〃

〃If　you　would　come　with　me　perhaps〃

〃I'll　come；　I'll　come；　and　stand　within　call；　to　be　sure。　　Only　do　ye　mind　this；　dear　soul　alive；　not　to　goo　telling　a　crumb　about　mun；　noo；　not　for　the　world；