amy foster-第8节
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country you get an old man for an ambassador in
marriage affairs。 He did not know how to pro…
ceed。 However； one day in the midst of sheep in a
field （he was now Swaffer's under…shepherd with
Foster） he took off his hat to the father and de…
clared himself humbly。 'I daresay she's fool
enough to marry you；' was all Foster said。 'And
then；' he used to relate； 'he puts his hat on his head；
looks black at me as if he wanted to cut my throat；
whistles the dog； and off he goes； leaving me to do
the work。' The Fosters； of course； didn't like to
lose the wages the girl earned： Amy used to give all
her money to her mother。 But there was in Foster
a very genuine aversion to that match。 He con…
tended that the fellow was very good with sheep；
but was not fit for any girl to marry。 For one
thing； he used to go along the hedges muttering to
himself like a dam' fool； and then； these foreign…
ers behave very queerly to women sometimes。 And
perhaps he would want to carry her off somewhere
or run off himself。 It was not safe。 He
preached it to his daughter that the fellow might
ill…use her in some way。 She made no answer。 It
was； they said in the village； as if the man had done
something to her。 People discussed the matter。 It
was quite an excitement； and the two went on
'walking out' together in the face of opposition。
Then something unexpected happened。
〃I don't know whether old Swaffer ever under…
stood how much he was regarded in the light of a
father by his foreign retainer。 Anyway the rela…
tion was curiously feudal。 So when Yanko asked
formally for an interview'and the Miss too' （he
called the severe； deaf Miss Swaffer simply Miss）
it was to obtain their permission to marry。
Swaffer heard him unmoved； dismissed him by a
nod； and then shouted the intelligence into Miss
Swaffer's best ear。 She showed no surprise； and
only remarked grimly； in a veiled blank voice； 'He
certainly won't get any other girl to marry him。'
〃It is Miss Swaffer who has all the credit of the
munificence： but in a very few days it came out
that Mr。 Swaffer had presented Yanko with a cot…
tage （the cottage you've seen this morning） and
something like an acre of groundhad made it
over to him in absolute property。 Willcox expe…
dited the deed； and I remember him telling me he
had a great pleasure in making it ready。 It re…
cited： 'In consideration of saving the life of my
beloved grandchild； Bertha Willcox。'
〃Of course； after that no power on earth could
prevent them from getting married。
〃Her infatuation endured。 People saw her go…
ing out to meet him in the evening。 She stared
with unblinking； fascinated eyes up the road where
he was expected to appear； walking freely； with a
swing from the hip； and humming one of the love…
tunes of his country。 When the boy was born； he
got elevated at the 'Coach and Horses；' essayed
again a song and a dance； and was again ejected。
People expressed their commiseration for a woman
married to that Jack…in…the…box。 He didn't care。
There was a man now （he told me boastfully） to
whom he could sing and talk in the language of his
country； and show how to dance by…and…by。
〃But I don't know。 To me he appeared to have
grown less springy of step； heavier in body； less
keen of eye。 Imagination； no doubt； but it seems
to me now as if the net of fate had been drawn
closer round him already。
〃One day I met him on the footpath over the
Talfourd Hill。 He told me that 'women were fun…
ny。' I had heard already of domestic differences。
People were saying that Amy Foster was begin…
ning to find out what sort of man she had married。
He looked upon the sea with indifferent； unseeing
eyes。 His wife had snatched the child out of his
arms one day as he sat on the doorstep crooning to
it a song such as the mothers sing to babies in his
mountains。 She seemed to think he was doing it
some harm。 Women are funny。 And she had ob…
jected to him praying aloud in the evening。 Why？
He expected the boy to repeat the prayer aloud
after him by…and…by； as he used to do after his old
father when he was a childin his own country。
And I discovered he longed for their boy to grow
up so that he could have a man to talk with in that
language that to our ears sounded so disturbing；
so passionate； and so bizarre。 Why his wife
should dislike the idea he couldn't tell。 But that
would pass； he said。 And tilting his head know…
ingly； he tapped his breastbone to indicate that she
had a good heart： not hard； not fierce； open to com…
passion； charitable to the poor！
〃I walked away thoughtfully； I wondered
whether his difference； his strangeness； were not
penetrating with repulsion that dull nature they
had begun by irresistibly attracting。 I won…
dered。 。 。 。〃
The Doctor came to the window and looked out
at the frigid splendour of the sea； immense in
the haze； as if enclosing all the earth with all
the hearts lost among the passions of love and
fear。
〃Physiologically； now；〃 he said； turning away
abruptly； 〃it was possible。 It was possible。〃
He remained silent。 Then went on
〃At all events； the next time I saw him he was
illlung trouble。 He was tough； but I daresay he
was not acclimatised as well as I had supposed。 It
was a bad winter； and； of course； these mountain…
eers do get fits of home sickness； and a state of de…
pression would make him vulnerable。 He was lying
half dressed on a couch downstairs。
〃A table covered with a dark oilcloth took up all
the middle of the little room。 There was a wicker
cradle on the floor； a kettle spouting steam on the
hob； and some child's linen lay drying on the
fender。 The room was warm； but the door opens
right into the garden； as you noticed perhaps。
〃He was very feverish； and kept on muttering
to himself。 She sat on a chair and looked at him
fixedly across the table with her brown； blurred
eyes。 'Why don't you have him upstairs？' I
asked。 With a start and a confused stammer she
said； 'Oh！ ah！ I couldn't sit with him upstairs；
Sir。'
〃I gave her certain directions； and going out…
side； I said again that he ought to be in bed up…
stairs。 She wrung her hands。 'I couldn't。 I
couldn't。 He keeps on saying somethingI don't
know what。' With the memory of all the talk
against the man that had been dinned into her ears；
I looked at her narrowly。 I looked into her short…
sighted eyes； at her dumb eyes that once in her life
had seen an enticing shape； but seemed； staring at
me； to see nothing at all now。 But I saw she was
uneasy。
〃'What's the matter with him？' she asked in a
sort of vacant trepidation。 'He doesn't look very
ill。 I never did see anybody look like this be…
fore。 。 。 。'
〃'Do you think；' I asked indignantly； 'he is
shamming？'
〃'I can't help it； sir；' she said stolidly。 And
suddenly she clapped her hands and looked right
and left。 'And there's the baby。 I am so fright…
ened。 He wanted me just now to give him the
baby。 I can't understand what he says to it。'
〃'Can't you ask a neighbour to come in to…
night？' I asked。
〃'Please； sir； nobody seems to care to come；' she
muttered； dully resigned all at once。
〃I impressed upon her the necessity of the
greatest care； and then had to go。 There was a
good deal of sickness that winter。 'Oh； I hope he
won't talk！' she exclaimed softly just as I was go…
ing away。
〃I don't know how it is I did not seebut I
didn't。 And yet； turning in my trap； I saw her
lingering before the door； very still； and as if med…
itating a flight up the miry road。
〃Towards the night his fever increased。
〃He tossed； moaned； and now and then muttered
a complaint。 And she sat with the table between
her and the couch； watching every movement and
every sound； with the terror； the unreasonable ter…
ror； of that man she could not understand creeping
over her。 She had drawn the wicker cradle close
to her feet。 There was nothing in her now but the
maternal instinct and that unaccountable fear。
〃Suddenly coming to him
