the white people-第6节

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I　told　him　about　the　misty　day　on　the　moor；　and　about　the　pale　troopers　and　the　big；　lean　leader　who　carried　Elspeth　before　him　on　his　saddle。　　I　had　never　talked　to　any　one　about　it　before；　not　even　to　Jean　Braidfute。　　But　he　seemed　to　be　so　interested；　as　if　the　little　story　quite　fascinated　him。　　It　was　only　an　episode；　but　it　brought　in　the　weirdness　of　the　moor　and　my　childish　fancies　about　the　things　hiding　in　the　white　mist；　and　the　castle　frowning　on　its　rock；　and　my　baby　face　pressed　against　the　nursery　window　in　the　tower；　and　Angus　and　the　library；　and　Jean　and　her　goodness　and　wise　ways。　　It　was　dreadful　to　talk　so　much　about　oneself。　　But　he　listened　so。　　His　eyes　never　left　my　facethey　watched　and　held　me　as　if　he　were　enthralled。　　Sometimes　he　asked　a　question。

〃I　wonder　who　they　werethe　horsemen？〃　he　pondered。　　〃Did　you　ever　ask　Wee　Elspeth？〃

〃We　were　both　too　little　to　care。　　We　only　played；〃　I　answered　him。　　〃And　they　came　and　went　so　quickly　that　they　were　only　a　sort　of　dream。〃

〃They　seem　to　have　been　a　strange　lot。　　Wasn't　Angus　curious　about　them？〃　he　suggested。

〃Angus　never　was　curious　about　anything；〃　I　said。　　〃Perhaps　he　knew　something　about　them　and　would　not　tell　me。　　When　I　was　a　little　thing　I　always　knew　he　and　Jean　had　secrets　I　was　too　young　to　hear。　　They　hid　sad　and　ugly　things　from　me；　or　things　that　might　frighten　a　child。　　They　were　very　good。〃

〃Yes；　they　were　good；〃　he　said；　thoughtfully。

I　think　any　one　would　have　been　pleased　to　find　herself　talking　quietly　to　a　great　genius　as　quietly　as　if　he　were　quite　an　ordinary　person；　but　to　me　the　experience　was　wonderful。　　I　had

thought　about　him　so　much　and　with　such　adoring　reverence。　　And　he　looked　at　me　as　if　he　truly　liked　me；　even　as　if　I　were　something　newa　sort　of　discovery　which　interested　him。　　I　dare　say　that　he　had　never　before　seen　a　girl　who　had　lived　so　much　alone　and　in　such　a　remote　and　wild　place。

I　believe　Sir　Ian　and　his　wife　were　pleased；　too；　to　see　that　I　was　talking。　　They　were　glad　that　their　guests　should　see　that　I　was　intelligent　enough　to　hold　the　attention　even　of　a　clever　man。　　If　Hector　MacNairn　was　interested　in　me　I　could　not　be　as　silly　and　dull　as　I　looked。　　But　on　my　part　I　was　only　full　of　wonder　and　happiness。　　I　was　a　girl；　and　he　had　been　my　only　hero；　and　it　seemed　even　as　if　he　liked　me　and　cared　about　my　queer　life。

He　was　not　a　man　who　had　the　air　of　making　confidences　or　talking　about　himself；　but　before　we　parted　I　seemed　to　know　him　and　his　surroundings　as　if　he　had　described　them。　　A　mere　phrase　of　his　would　make　a　picture。　　Such　a　few　words　made　his　mother　quite　clear　to　me。　　They　loved　each　other　in　an　exquisite；　intimate　way。　　She　was　a　beautiful　person。　　Artists　had　always　painted　her。　　He　and　she　were　completely　happy　when　they　were　together。　　They　lived　in　a　house　in　the　country；　and　I　could　not　at　all　tell　how　I　discovered　that　it　was　an　old　house　with　beautiful　chimneys　and　a　very　big　garden　with　curious　high　walls　with　corner　towers　round　it。　　He　only　spoke　of　it　briefly；　but　I　saw　it　as　a　picture；　and　always　afterward；　when　I　thought　of　his　mother；　I　thought　of　her　as　sitting　under　a　great　and　ancient　apple…tree　with　the　long；　late…afternoon　shadows　stretching　on　the　thick；　green　grass。　　I　suppose　I　saw　that　just　because　he　said：

〃Will　you　come　to　tea　under　the　big　apple…　tree　some　afternoon　when　the　late　shadows　are　like　velvet　on　the　grass？　　That　is　perhaps　the　loveliest　time。〃

When　we　rose　to　go　and　join　the　rest　of　the　party；　he　stood　a　moment　and　glanced　round　the　room　at　our　fellow…guests。

〃Are　there　any　of　your　White　People　here　to…night？〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃I　shall　begin　to　look　for　them　everywhere。〃

I　glanced　over　the　faces　carelessly。　　〃There　are　none　here　to…night；〃　I　answered；　and　then　I　flushed　because　he　had　smiled。　　〃It　was　only　a　childish　name　I　gave　them；〃　I　hesitated。　　〃I　forgot　you　wouldn't　understand。　　I　dare　say　it　sounds　silly。〃

He　looked　at　me　so　quickly。

〃No！　no！　no！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　mustn't　think　that！　　Certainly　not　silly。〃

I　do　not　think　he　knew　that　he　put　out　his　hand　and　gently　touched　my　arm；　as　one　might　touch　a　child　to　make　it　feel　one　wanted　it　to　listen。

〃You　don't　know；〃　he　said　in　his　low；　slow　voice；　〃how　glad　I　am　that　you　have　talked　to　me。　　Sir　Ian　said　you　were　not　fond　of　talking　to　people；　and　I　wanted　to　know　you。〃

〃You　care　about　places　like　Muircarrie。　　That　is　why；〃　I　answered；　feeling　at　once　how　much　he　understood。　　〃I　care　for　Muircarrie　more　than　for　all　the　rest　of　the　world。　　And　I　suppose　you　saw　it　in　my　face。　　I　dare　say　that　the　people　who　love　that　kind　of　life　cannot　help　seeing　it　there。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　in　your　eyes。　　It　was　what　I　saw　and　found　myself　wondering　about　when　I　watched　you　in　the　train。　　It　was　really　the　moor　and　the　mist　and　the　things　you　think　are　hidden　in　it。〃

〃Did　you　watch　me？〃　I　asked。　　〃I　could　not　help　watching　you　a　little；　when　you　were　so　kind　to　the　poor　woman。　　I　was　afraid　you　would　see　me　and　think　me　rude。〃

〃It　was　the　far　look　in　your　face　I　watched；〃　he　said。　　〃If　you　will　come　to　tea　under　the　big　apple…tree　I　will　tell　you　more　about　it。〃

〃Indeed　I　will　come；〃　I　answered。　　〃Now　we　must　go　and　sit　among　the　other　people　those　who　don't　care　about　Muircarrie　at　all。〃



CHAPTER　V

I　went　to　tea　under　the　big　apple…tree。　　It　was　very　big　and　old　and　wonderful。　　No　wonder　Mr。　MacNairn　and　his　mother　loved　it。　　Its　great　branches　spread　out　farther　than　I　had　ever　seen　the　branches　of　an　apple…tree　spread　before。　　They　were　gnarled　and　knotted　and　beautiful　with　age。　　Their　shadows　upon　the　grass　were　velvet；　deep　and　soft。　　Such　a　tree　could　only　have　lived　its　life　in　such　a　garden。　　At　least　it　seemed　so　to　me。　　The　high；　dim…colored　walls；　with　their　curious；　low　corner　towers　and　the　leafage　of　the　wall　fruits　spread　against　their　brick；　inclosed　it　embracingly；　as　if　they　were　there　to　take　care　of　it　and　its　beauty。　　But　the　tree　itself　seemed　to　have　grown　there　in　all　its　dignified　loveliness　of　shadow　to　take　care　of　Mrs。　MacNairn；　who　sat　under　it。　　I　felt　as　if　it　loved　and　was　proud　of　her。

I　have　heard　clever　literary　people　speak　of　Mrs。　MacNairn　as　a　〃survival　of　type。〃　　Sometimes　clever　people　bewilder　me　by　the　terms　they　use；　but　I　thought　I　understood　what　they　meant　in　her　case。　　She　was　quite　unlike　the　modern　elderly　woman；　and　yet　she　was　not　in　the　least　old…fashioned　or　demodee。　　She　was　only　exquisitely　distinct。

When　she　rose　from　her　chair　under　the　apple…tree　boughs　and　came　forward　to　meet　me　that　afternoon；　the　first　things　which　struck　me　were　her　height　and　slenderness　and　her　light　step。　　Then　I　saw　that　her　clear　profile　seemed　cut　out　of　ivory　and　that　her　head　was　a　beautiful　shape　and　was　beautifully　set。　　Its　every　turn　and　movement　was　exquisite。　　The　mere　fact　that　both　her　long；　ivory　hands　enfolded　mine　thrilled　me。　　I　wondered　if　it　were　possible　that　she　could　be　unaware　of　her　loveliness。　　Beautiful　people　are　thrilling　to　me；　and　Mrs。　MacNairn　has　always　seemed　more　so　than　any　one　else。　　This　is　what　her　son　once　said　of　her：

〃She　is　not　merely　beautiful；　she　is　Beauty　Beauty's　very　spirit　moving　about　among　us　mortals；　pure　Beauty。〃

She　drew　me　to　a　chair　under　her　tree；　and　we　sat　down　together。　　I　felt　as　if　she　were　glad　that　I　had　come。　　The　watching　look　I　had　seen　in　her　son's　eyes　was　in　hers　also。　　They　watched　me　as　we　talked；　and　I　found　myself　telling　her　about　my　home　as　I　had　found　myself　telling　him。　　He　had　evidently　talked　to　her　about　it　himself。　　I　had　never　met　any　one　who　thought　of　Muircarrie　as　I　did；　but　it　seemed　as　if　they　who　were　strangers　were　drawn　by　its　wild；　beautiful　loneliness　as　I　was。

I　was　happy。　　In　my　secret　heart　I　began　to　ask　myself　if　it　could　be　true　that　they　made　me　feel　a　little　as　if　I　somehow　belonged　to　some　one。　　I　had　always　seemed　so　detached　from　every　one。　　I　had　not　been　miserable　about　it；　and　I　had　not　complained　to　myself；　I　only　accepted　the　detachment　as　part　of　my　kind　of　life。

Mr。　MacNairn　came　into　the　garden　later　and　several　other　people　came　in　to　tea。　　It　was　apparently　a　sort　of　daily　customthat　people　who　evidently　adored　Mrs。　MacNairn　dropped　in　to　see　and　talk　to　her　every　afternoon。　　She　talked　wonderfully；　and　her　friends'　joy　in　her　was　wonderful；　too。　　It　evidently　made　people　happy　to　be　near　her。　　All　she　said　and　did　was　like　her　light　step　and　the　movements　of　her　delicate；　fine　headgracious　and　soft　and　arrestingly　lovely。　　She　did　not　let　me　drift　away　and　sit　in　a　corner　looking　on；　as　I　usually　did　among　strangers。　　She　kept　me　near　her；　and　in　some　subtle；　gentle　way　made　me　a　part　of　all　that　was　happeningthe　talk；　the　charming　circle　under　the　spreading　boughs　of　the　apple…tree；　the　charm　of　everything。　　Sometimes　she　would　put　out　her　exquisite；　long…　fingered　hand　and　touch　me　very　lightly；　and　each　time　she　did　it　I　felt　as　if　she　had　given　me　new　life。

There　was　an　interesting　elderly　man　who　came　among　the　rest　of　the　guests。　　I　was　interested　in　him　even　before　she　spoke　to　me　of　him。　　He　had　a　handsome；　aquiline　face　which　looked　very　clever。　　His　talk　was　bri