the white people-第11节

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oneself　in　the　midst　of　wonders。　　I　don't　mean　angels　with　harps　and　crowns；　but　beauty　such　as　we　see　now；　only　seeing　it　without　burdens　of　fears　before　and　behind　us。　　And　knowing　there　is　no　reason　to　be　afraid。　　We　have　all　been　so　afraid。　　We　don't　know　how　afraid　we　have　beenof　everything。〃

I　stopped　among　the　heather　and　threw　my　arms　out　wide。　　I　drew　in　a　great；　joyous　morning　breath。

〃Free　like　that！　　It　is　the　freeness；　the　light；　splendid　freeness；　I　think　of　most。〃

〃The　freeness！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Yes；　the　freeness！〃

〃As　for　beauty；〃　I　almost　whispered；　in　a　sort　of　reverence　for　visions　I　remembered；　〃I　have　stood　on　this　moor　a　thousand　times　and　seen　loveliness　which　made　me　tremble。　　One's　soul　could　want　no　more　in　any　life。　　But　‘Out　on　the　Hillside'　I　KNEW　I　was　part　of　it；　and　it　was　ecstasy。　　That　was　the　freeness。〃

〃Yesit　was　the　freeness；〃　he　answered。

We　brushed　through　the　heather　and　the　bracken；　and　flower…bells　shook　showers　of　radiant　drops　upon　us。　　The　mist　wavered　and　sometimes　lifted　before　us；　and　opened　up　mystic　vistas　to　veil　them　again　a　few　minutes　later。　　The　sun　tried　to　break　through；　and　sometimes　we　walked　in　a　golden　haze。

We　fell　into　silence。　　Now　and　then　I　glanced　sidewise　at　my　companion　as　we　made　our　soundless　way　over　the　thick　moss。　　He　looked　so　strong　and　beautiful。　　His　tall　body　was　so　fine；　his　shoulders　so　broad　and　splendid！　　How　could　it　be！　　How　could　it　be！　　As　he　tramped　beside　me　he　was　thinking　deeply；　and　he　knew　he　need　not　talk　to　me。　　That　made　me　gladthat　he　should　know　me　so　well　and　feel　me　so　near。　　That　was　what　he　felt　when　he　was　with　his　mother；　that　she　understood　and　that　at　times　neither　of　them　needed　words。

Until　we　had　reached　the　patch　of　gorse　where　we　intended　to　end　our　walk　we　did　not　speak　at　all。　　He　was　thinking　of　things　which　led　him　far。　　I　knew　that；　though　I　did　not　know　what　they　were。　　When　we　reached　the　golden　blaze　we　had　seen　the　evening　before　it　was　a　flame　of　gold　again；　becauseit　was　only　for　a　few　momentsthe　mist　had　blown　apart　and　the　sun　was　shining　on　it。

As　we　stood　in　the　midst　of　it　togetherOh！　how　strange　and　beautiful　it　was！Mr。　MacNairn　came　back。　　That　was　what　it　seemed　to　methat　he　came　back。　　He　stood　quite　still　a　moment　and　looked　about　him；　and　then　he　stretched　out　his　arms　as　I　had　stretched　out　mine。　　But　he　did　it　slowly；　and　a　light　came　into　his　face。

〃If；　after　it　was　over；　a　man　awakened　as　you　said　and　found　himselfthe　self　he　knew；　but　light；　free；　splendidremembering　all　the　ages　of　dark；　unknowing　dread；　of　horror　of　some　black；　aimless　plunge；　and　suddenly　seeing　all　the　childish　uselessness　of　ithow　he　would　stand　and　smile！　　How　he　would　stand　and　SMILE！〃

Never　had　I　understood　anything　more　　clearly　than　I　understood　then。　　Yes；　yes！　　That　would　be　it。　　Remembering　all　the　waste　of　fear；　how　he　would　stand　and　SMILE！

He　was　smiling　himself；　the　golden　gorse　about　him　already　losing　its　flame　in　the　light　returning　mist…wraiths　closing　again　over　it；　when　I　heard　a　sound　far　away　and　high　up　the　moor。　　It　sounded　like　the　playing　of　a　piper。　　He　did　not　seem　to　notice　it。

〃We　shall　be　shut　in　again；〃　he　said。　　〃How　mysterious　it　is；　this　opening　and　closing！　　I　like　it　more　than　anything　else。　　Let　us　sit　down；　Ysobel。〃

He　spread　the　plaid　we　had　brought　to　sit　on；　and　laid　on　it　the　little　strapped　basket　Jean　had　made　ready　for　us。　　He　shook　the　mist　drops　from　our　own　plaids；　and　as　I　was　about　to　sit　down　I　stopped　a　moment　to　listen。

〃That　is　a　tune　I　never　heard　on　the　pipes　before；〃　I　said。　　〃What　is　a　piper　doing　out　on　the　moor　so　early？〃

He　listened　also。　　〃It　must　be　far　away。　　I　don't　hear　it；〃　he　said。　　〃Perhaps　it　is　a　bird　whistling。〃

〃It　is　far　away；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it　is　not　a　bird。　　It's　the　pipes；　and　playing　such　a　strange　tune。　　There！　　It　has　stopped！〃

But　it　was　not　silent　long；　I　heard　the　tune　begin　again　much　nearer；　and　the　piper　was　plainly　coming　toward　us。　　I　turned　my　head。

The　mist　was　clearing；　and　floated　about　like　a　thin　veil　through　which　one　could　see　objects。　　At　a　short　distance　above　us　on　the　moor　I　saw　something　moving。　　It　was　a　man　who　was　playing　the　pipes。　　It　was　the　piper；　and　almost　at　once　I　knew　him；　because　it　was　actually　my　own　Feargus；　stepping　proudly　through　the　heather　with　his　step　like　a　stag　on　the　hills。　　His　head　was　held　high；　and　his　face　had　a　sort　of　elated　delight　in　it　as　if　he　were　enjoying　himself　and　the　morning　and　the　music　in　a　new　way。　　I　was　so　surprised　that　I　rose　to　my　feet　and　called　to　him。

〃Feargus！〃　I　cried。　　〃What〃

I　knew　he　heard　me；　because　he　turned　and　looked　at　me　with　the　most　extraordinary　smile。　　He　was　usually　a　rather　grave…faced　man；　but　this　smile　had　a　kind　of　startling　triumph　in　it。　　He　certainly　heard　me；　for　he　whipped　off　his　bonnet　in　a　salute　which　was　as　triumphant　as　the　smile。　　But　he　did　not　answer；　and　actually　passed　in　and　out　of　sight　in　the　mist。

When　I　rose　Mr。　MacNairn　had　risen；　too。　　When　I　turned　to　speak　in　my　surprise；　he　had　fixed　on　me　his　watchful　look。

〃Imagine　its　being　Feargus　at　this　hour！〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃And　why　did　he　pass　by　in　such　a　hurry　without　answering？　　He　must　have　been　to　a　wedding　and　have　been　up　all　night。　　He　looked〃　　I　stopped　a　second　and　laughed。

〃How　did　he　look？〃　Mr。　MacNairn　asked。

〃Pale！　　That　won't　dothough　he　certainly　didn't　look　ill。〃　　I　laughed　again。　　〃I'm　laughing　because　he　looked　almost　like　one　of　the　White　People。〃

〃Are　you　sure　it　was　Feargus？〃　he　said。

〃Quite　sure。　　No　one　else　is　the　least　like　Feargus。　　Didn't　you　see　him　yourself？〃

〃I　don't　know　him　as　well　as　you　do；　and　there　was　the　mist；〃　was　his　answer。　　〃But　he　certainly　was　not　one　of　the　White　People　when　I　saw　him　last　night。〃

I　wondered　why　he　looked　as　he　did　when　he　took　my　hand　and　drew　me　down　to　my　place　on　the　plaid　again。　　He　did　not　let　it　go　when　he　sat　down　by　my　side。　　He　held　it　in　his　own　large；　handsome　one；　looking　down　on　it　a　moment　or　so；　and　then　he　bent　his　head　and　kissed　it　long　and　slowly　two　or　three　times。

〃Dear　little　Ysobel！〃　he　said。　　〃Beloved；　strange　little　Ysobel。〃

〃Am　I　strange！〃　I　said；　softly。

〃Yes；　thank　God！〃　he　answered。

I　had　known　that　some　day　when　we　were　at　Muircarrie　together　he　would　tell　me　what　his　mother　had　told　meabout　what　we　three　might　have　been　to　one　another。　　I　trembled　with　happiness　at　the　thought　of　hearing　him　say　it　himself。　　I　knew　he　was　going　to　say　it　now。

He　held　my　hand　and　stroked　it。　　〃My　mother　told　you；　Ysobelwhat　I　am　waiting　for？〃　he　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　know　I　love　you？〃　he　said；　very　low。

〃Yes。　　I　love　you；　too。　　My　whole　life　would　have　been　heaven　if　we　could　always　have　been　together；〃　was　my　answer。

He　drew　me　up　into　his　arms　so　that　my　cheek　lay　against　his　breast　as　I　went　on；　holding　fast　to　the　rough　tweed　of　his　jacket　and　whispering：　　〃I　should　have　belonged　to　you　two；　heart　and　body　and　soul。　　I　should　never　have　been　lonely　again。　　I　should　have　known　nothing；　whatsoever　happened；　but　tender　joy。〃

〃Whatsoever　happened？〃　he　murmured。

〃Whatsoever　happens　now；　Ysobel；　know　nothing　but　tender　joy。　　I　think　you　CAN。　　‘Out　on　the　Hillside！'　　Let　us　remember。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　said；　〃　‘Out　on　the　Hillside。'　〃　　And　our　two　faces；　damp　with　the　sweet　mist；　were　pressed　together。



CHAPTER　X

The　mist　had　floated　away；　and　the　moor　was　drenched　with　golden　sunshine　when　we　went　back　to　the　castle。　　As　we　entered　the　hall　I　heard　the　sound　of　a　dog　howling；　and　spoke　of　it　to　one　of　the　men…servants　who　had　opened　the　door。

〃That　sounds　like　Gelert。　　Is　he　shut　up　somewhere？〃

Gelert　was　a　beautiful　sheep…dog　who　belonged　to　Feargus　and　was　his　heart's　friend。　　I　allowed　him　to　be　kept　in　the　courtyard。

The　man　hesitated　before　he　answered　me；　with　a　curiously　grave　face。

〃It　is　Gelert；　miss。　　He　is　howling　for　his　master。　　We　were　obliged　to　shut　him　in　the　stables。〃

〃But　Feargus　ought　to　have　reached　here　by　this　time；〃　I　was　beginning。

I　was　stopped　because　I　found　Angus　Macayre　almost　at　my　elbow。　　He　had　that　moment　come　out　of　the　library。　　He　put　his　hand　on　my　arm。

‘Will　ye　come　with　me？〃　he　said；　and　led　me　back　to　the　room　he　had　just　left。　　He　kept　his　hand　on　my　arm　when　we　all　stood　together　inside；　Hector　and　I　looking　at　him　in　wondering　question。　　He　was　going　to　tell　me　something　we　both　saw　that。

〃It　is　a　sad　thing　you　have　to　hear；〃　he　said。　　〃He　was　a　fine　man；　Feargus；　and　a　most　faithful　servant。　　He　went　to　see　his　mother　last　night　and　came　back　late　across　the　moor。　　There　was　a　heavy　mist；　and　he　must　have　lost　his　way。　　A　shepherd　found　his　body　in　a　tarn　at　daybreak。　　They　took　him　back　to　his　father's　home。〃

I　looked　at　Hector　MacNairn　and　again　at　Angus。　　〃But　it　couldn't　be　Feargus；〃　I　cried。　〃I　saw　him　an　hour　ago。　　He　passed　us　playing　on　his　pipes。　　He　was　playing　a　new　tune　I　had　never　heard　before　a　wonderful；　joyous　thing。　　I　both　heard　and　SAW　him！〃

Angus　stood　still　and　watched　me。　　They　both　stood　still　and　watched　me；　and　even　in　my　excitement　I　saw　that　each　of　them　looked　a　little　pale。

〃You　said　you