the white people-第2节

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een　him　and　known　he　was　waiting；　and　that　he　would　not　leave　for　any　far　place　without　her。　　She　was　so　still　that　the　big　doctors　thought　more　than　once　she　had　passed。　　But　I　knew　better。〃

It　was　long　before　I　was　old　enough　to　be　told　anything　like　this　that　I　began　to　feel　that　the　moor　was　in　secret　my　companion　and　friend；　that　it　was　not　only　the　moot　to　me；　but　something　else。　　It　was　like　a　thing　alivea　huge　　giant　lying　spread　out　in　the　sun　warming　itself；　or　covering　itself　with　thick；　white　mist　which　sometimes　writhed　and　twisted　itself　into　wraiths。　　First　I　noticed　and　liked　it　some　day；　perhaps；　when　it　was　purple　and　yellow　with　gorse　and　heather　and　broom；　and　the　honey　scents　drew　bees　and　butterflies　and　birds。　　But　soon　I　saw　and　was　drawn　by　another　thing。

How　young　was　I　that　afternoon　when　I　sat　in　the　deep　window　and　watched　the　low；　soft　whiteness　creeping　out　and　hovering　over　the　heather　as　if　the　moor　had　breathed　it？　　I　do　not　remember。　　It　was　such　a　low　little　mist　at　first；　and　it　crept　and　crept　until　its　creeping　grew　into　something　heavier　and　whiter；　and　it　began　to　hide　the　heather　and　the　gorse　and　broom；　and　then　the　low　young　fir…trees。　　It　mounted　and　mounted；　and　sometimes　a　breath　of　wind　twisted　it　into　weird　shapes；　almost　like　human　creatures。　　It　opened　and　closed　again；　and　then　it　dragged　and　crept　and　grew　thicker。　　And　as　I　pressed　my　face　against　the　window…pane；　it　mounted　still　higher　and　got　hold　of　the　moor　and　hid　it；　hanging　heavy　and　white　and　waiting。　　That　was　what　came　into　my　child　mind：　that　it　had　done　what　the　moor　had　told　it　to　do；　had　hidden　things　which　wanted　to　be　hidden；　and　then　it　waited。

Strangers　say　that　Muircarrie　moor　is　the　most　beautiful　and　the　most　desolate　place　in　the　world；　but　it　never　seemed　desolate　to　me。　　From　my　first　memory　of　it　I　had　a　vague；　half…　comforted　feeling　that　there　was　some　strange　life　on　it　one　could　not　exactly　see；　but　was　always　conscious　of。　　I　know　now　why　I　felt　this；　but　I　did　not　know　then。

If　I　had　been　older　when　I　first　began　to　see　what　I　did　see　there；　I　should　no　doubt　have　read　things　in　books　which　would　have　given　rise　in　my　mind　to　doubts　and　wonders；　but　I　was　only　a　little　child　who　had　lived　a　life　quite　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　world。　　I　was　too　silent　by　nature　to　talk　and　ask　questions；　even　if　I　had　had　others　to　talk　to。　　I　had　only　Jean　and　Angus；　and；　as　I　found　out　years　later；　they　knew　what　I　did　not；　and　would　have　put　me　off　with　adroit　explanations　if　I　had　been　curious。　　But　I　was　not　curious。　　I　accepted　everything　as　it　came　and　went。



CHAPTER　II

I　only　six　when　Wee　Brown　Elspeth　was　brought　to　me。　　Jean　and　Angus　were　as　fond　of　each　other　in　their　silent　way　as　they　were　of　me；　and　they　often　went　together　with　me　when　I　was　taken　out　for　my　walks。　　I　was　kept　in　the　open　air　a　great　deal；　and　Angus　would　walk　by　the　side　of　my　small；　shaggy　Shetland　pony　and　lead　him　over　rough　or　steep　places。　　Sheltie；　the　pony；　was　meant　for　use　when　we　wished　to　fare　farther　than　a　child　could　walk；　but　I　was　trained　to　sturdy　marching　and　climbing　even　from　my　babyhood。　　Because　I　so　loved　the　moor；　we　nearly　always　rambled　there。　　Often　we　set　out　early　in　the　morning；　and　some　simple　food　was　carried；　so　that　we　need　not　return　to　the　castle　until　we　chose。　　I　would　ride　Sheltie　and　walk　by　turns　until　we　found　a　place　I　liked；　then　Jean　and　Angus　would　sit　down　among　the　heather；　Sheltie　would　be　secured；　and　I　would　wander　about　and　play　in　my　own　way。　　I　do　not　think　it　was　in　a　strange　way。　　I　think　I　must　have　played　as　almost　any　lonely　little　girl　might　have　played。　　I　used　to　find　a　corner　among　the　bushes　and　pretend　it　was　my　house　and　that　I　had　little　friends　who　came　to　play　with　me。　　I　only　remember　one　thing　which　was　not　like　the　ordinary　playing　of　children。　　It　was　a　habit　I　had　of　sitting　quite　still　a　long　time　and　listening。　　That　was　what　I　called　it〃listening。〃　　I　was　listening　to　hear　if　the　life　on　the　moor　made　any　sound　I　could　understand。　　I　felt　as　if　it　might；　if　I　were　very　still　and　listened　long　enough。

Angus　and　Jean　and　I　were　not　afraid　of　rain　and　mist　and　change　of　weather。　　If　we　had　been　we　could　have　had　little　outdoor　life。　　We　always　carried　plaids　enough　to　keep　us　warm　and　dry。　　So　on　this　day　I　speak　of　we　did　not　turn　back　when　we　found　ourselves　in　the　midst　of　a　sudden　mist。　　We　sat　down　in　a　sheltered　place　and　waited；　knowing　it　would　lift　in　time。　　The　sun　had　been　shining　when　we　set　out。

Angus　and　Jean　were　content　to　sit　and　guard　me　while　I　amused　myself。　　They　knew　I　would　keep　near　them　and　run　into　no　danger。　　I　was　not　an　adventurous　child。　　I　was；　in　fact；　in　a　more　than　usually　quiet　mood　that　morning。　　The　quiet　had　come　upon　me　when　the　mist　had　begun　to　creep　about　and　inclose　us。　　I　liked　it。　　I　liked　the　sense　of　being　shut　in　by　the　soft　whiteness　I　had　so　often　watched　from　my　nursery　window　in　the　castle。

〃People　might　be　walking　about；〃　I　said　to　Angus　when　he　lifted　me　from　Sheltie's　back。

〃We　couldn't　see　them。　　They　might　be　walking。〃

〃Nothing　that　would　hurt　ye；　bairnie；〃　he　answered。

〃No；　they　wouldn't　hurt　me；〃　I　said。　　I　had　never　been　afraid　that　anything　on　the　moor　would　hurt　me。

I　played　very　little　that　day。　　The　quiet　and　the　mist　held　me　still。　　Soon　I　sat　down　and　began　to　〃listen。〃　　After　a　while　I　knew　that　Jean　and　Angus　were　watching　me；　but　it　did　not　disturb　me。　　They　often　watched　me　when　they　thought　I　did　not　know　they　were　doing　it。

I　had　sat　listening　for　nearly　half　an　hour　when　I　heard　the　first　muffled；　slow　trampling　of　horses'　hoofs。　　I　knew　what　it　was　even　before　it　drew　near　enough　for　me　to　be　conscious　of　the　other　soundsthe　jingling　of　arms　and　chains　and　the　creaking　of　leather　one　notices　as　troopers　pass　by。　　Armed　and　mounted　men　were　coming　toward　me。　　That　was　what　the　sounds　meant；　but　they　seemed　faint　and　distant；　though　I　knew　they　were　really　quite　near。　　Jean　and　Angus　did　not　appear　to　hear　them。　　I　knew　that　I　only　heard　them　because　I　had　been　listening。

Out　of　the　mist　they　rode　a　company　of　wild…looking　men　wearing　garments　such　as　I　had　never　seen　before。　　Most　of　them　were　savage　and　uncouth；　and　their　clothes　were　disordered　and　stained　as　if　with　hard　travel　and　fight。　　I　did　not　knowor　even　ask　myself　why　they　did　not　frighten　me；　but　they　did　not。　　Suddenly　I　seemed　to　know　that　they　were　brave　men　and　had　been　doing　some　brave；　hard　thing。　　Here　and　there　among　them　I　caught　sight　of　a　broken　and　stained　sword；　or　a　dirk　with　only　a　hilt　left。　　They　were　all　pale；　but　their　wild　faces　were　joyous　and　triumphant。　　I　saw　it　as　they　drew　near。

The　man　who　seemed　their　chieftain　was　a　lean　giant　who　was　darker　but；　under　his　darkness；　paler　than　the　rest。　　On　his　forehead　was　a　queer；　star…shaped　scar。　　He　rode　a　black　horse；　and　before　him　he　held　close　with　his　left　arm　a　pretty　little　girl　dressed　in　strange；　rich　clothes。　　The　big　man's　hand　was　pressed　against　her　breast　as　he　held　her；　but　though　it　was　a　large　hand；　it　did　not　quite　cover　a　dark…red　stain　on　the　embroideries　of　her　dress。　　Her　dress　was　brown；　and　she　had　brown　hair　and　soft　brown　eyes　like　a　little　doe's。　　The　moment　I　saw　her　I　loved　her。

The　black　horse　stopped　before　me。　　The　wild　troop　drew　up　and　waited　behind。　　The　great；　lean　rider　looked　at　me　a　moment；　and　then；　lifting　the　little　girl　in　his　long　arms；　bent　down　and　set　her　gently　on　her　feet　on　the　mossy　earth　in　the　mist　beside　me。　　I　got　up　to　greet　her；　and　we　stood　smiling　at　each　other。　　And　in　that　moment　as　we　stood　the　black　horse　moved　forward；　the　muffled　trampling　began　again；　the　wild　company　swept　on　its　way；　and　the　white　mist　closed　behind　it　as　if　it　had　never　passed。

Of　course　I　know　how　strange　this　will　seem　to　people　who　read　it；　but　that　cannot　be　helped　and　does　not　really　matter。　　It　was　in　that　way　the　thing　happened；　and　it　did　not　even　seem　strange　to　me。　　Anything　might　happen　on　the　mooranything。　　And　there　was　the　fair　little　girl　with　the　eyes　like　a　doe's。

I　knew　she　had　come　to　play　with　me；　and　we　went　together　to　my　house　among　the　bushes　of　broom　and　gorse　and　played　happily。　　But　before　we　began　I　saw　her　stand　and　look　wonderingly　at　the　dark…red　stain　on　the　embroideries　on　her　childish　breast。　　It　was　as　if　she　were　asking　herself　how　it　came　there　and　could　not　understand。　　Then　she　picked　a　fern　and　a　bunch　of　the　thick…growing　bluebells　and　put　them　in　her　girdle　in　such　a　way　that　they　hid　its　ugliness。

I　did　not　really　know　how　long　she　stayed。　　I　only　knew　that　we　were　happy；　and　that；　though　her　way　of　playing　was　in　some　ways　different　from　mine；　I　loved　it　and　her。　　Presently　the　mist　lifted　and　the　sun　shone；　and　we　were　deep　in　a　wonderful　game　of　being　hidden　in　a　room　in　a　castle　because　something　strange　was　going　to　happen　which　we　were　not　told　about。　　She　ran　behind　a　big　gorse　bush　and　did　not　come　back。　　When　I　ran　to　look　for　her　she　was　nowhere。　　I　could　not　find　her；　and　I　went　back　to　Jean　and　Angus；　feeling　puzzled。

〃Where　did　she　go？〃　I　asked　them；　turning　my　head　from　side　to　side。

They　were　looking　at　m