black rock-第26节

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disappointment。　　He　did　not　appear　to　care。

'The　estates　are　large？'　he　asked。

'Yes；　large　enoughtwelve　thousand　a　year。'

'And　has　your　mother…in…law　any　one　with　her？'

'She　has　friends；　but；　as　she　says；　none　near　of　kin。　　Her　nephew
looks　after　the　worksiron　works；　you　knowhe　has　shares　in
them。'

'She　is　evidently　very　lonely；'　he　answered　gravely。

'What　shall　I　do？'　she　asked；　and　I　knew　she　was　waiting　to　hear
him　urge　her　to　stay；　but　he　did　not　see；　or　at　least　gave　no　heed。

'I　cannot　say；'　he　repeated　quietly。　　'There　are　many　things　to
consider；　the　estates'

'The　estates　seem　to　trouble　you；'　she　replied；　almost　fretfully。
He　looked　up　in　surprise。　　I　wondered　at　his　slowness。

'Yes；　the　estates；'　he　went　on；　'and　tenants；　I　supposeyour
mother…in…law；　your　little　Marjorie's　future；　your　own　future。'

'The　estates　are　in　capable　hands；　I　should　suppose；'　she　urged；
'and　my　future　depends　upon　what　I　choose　my　work　to　be。'

'But　one　cannot　shift　one's　responsibilities；'　he　replied　gravely。
'These　estates；　these　tenants；　have　come　to　you；　and　with　them　come
duties。'

'I　do　not　want　them；'　she　cried。

'That　life　has　great　possibilities　of　good；'　he　said　kindly。

'I　had　thought　that　perhaps　there　was　work　for　me　here；'　she
suggested　timidly。

'Great　work；'　he　hastened　to　say。　　'You　have　done　great　work。　　But
you　will　do　that　wherever　you　go。　　The　only　question　is　where　your
work　lies。'

'You　think　I　should　go；'　she　said　suddenly　and　a　little　bitterly。

'I　cannot　bid　you　stay；'　he　answered　steadily。

'How　can　I　go？'　she　cried；　appealing　to　him。　　'Must　I　go？'

How　he　could　resist　that　appeal　I　could　not　understand。　　His　face
was　cold　and　hard；　and　his　voice　was　almost　harsh　as　he　replied

'If　it　is　right；　you　will　goyou　must　go。'

Then　she　burst　forth

'I　cannot　go。　　I　shall　stay　here。　　My　work　is　here；　my　heart　is
here。　　How　can　I　go？　　You　thought　it　worth　your　while　to　stay　here
and　work；　why　should　not　I？'

The　momentary　gleam　in　his　eyes　died　out；　and　again　he　said　coldly

'This　work　was　clearly　mine。　　I　am　needed　here。'

'Yes；　yes！'　she　cried；　her　voice　full　of　pain；　'you　are　needed；　but
there　is　no　need　of　me。'

'Stop；　stop！'　he　said　sharply；　'you　must　not　say　so。'

'I　will　say　it；　I　must　say　it；'　she　cried；　her　voice　vibrating　with
the　intensity　of　her　feeling。　　'I　know　you　do　not　need　me；　you　have
your　work；　your　miners；　your　plans；　you　need　no　one；　you　are
strong。　　But；'　and　her　voice　rose　to　a　cry；　'I　am　not　strong　by
myself；　you　have　made　me　strong。　　I　came　here　a　foolish　girl；
foolish　and　selfish　and　narrow。　　God　sent　me　grief。　　Three　years
ago　my　heart　died。　　Now　I　am　living　again。　　I　am　a　woman　now；　no
longer　a　girl。　　You　have　done　this　for　me。　　Your　life；　your　words；
yourselfyou　have　showed　me　a　better；　a　higher　life；　than　I　had
ever　known　before；　and　now　you　send　me　away。'

She　paused　abruptly。

'Blind；　stupid　fool！'　I　said　to　myself。

He　held　himself　resolutely　in　hand；　answering　carefully；　but　his
voice　had　lost　its　coldness　and　was　sweet　and　kind。

'Have　I　done　this　for　you？　　Then　surely　God　has　been　good　to　me。
And　you　have　helped　me　more　than　any　words　could　tell　you。'

'Helped！'　she　repeated　scornfully。

'Yes；　helped；'　he　answered；　wondering　at　her　scorn。

'You　can　do　without　my　help；'　she　went　on。　　'You　make　people　help
you。　　You　will　get　many　to　help　you；　but　I　need　help；　too。'　　She
was　standing　before　him　with　her　hands　tightly　clasped；　her　face
was　pale；　and　her　eyes　deeper　than　ever。　　He　sat　looking　up　at　her
in　a　kind　of　maze　as　she　poured　out　her　words　hot　and　fast。

'I　am　not　thinking　of　you。'　　His　coldness　had　hurt　her　deeply。　　'I
am　selfish；　I　am　thinking　of　myself。　　How　shall　I　do？　　I　have　grown
to　depend　on　you；　to　look　to　you。　　It　is　nothing　to　you　that　I　go；
but　to　me'　　She　did　not　dare　to　finish。

By　this　time　Craig　was　standing　before　her；　his　face　deadly　pale。
When　she　came　to　the　end　of　her　words；　he　said；　in　a　voice　low；
sweet；　and　thrilling　with　emotion

'Ah；　if　you　only　knew！　　Do　not　make　me　forget　myself。　　You　do　not
guess　what　you　are　doing。'

'What　am　I　doing？　　What　is　there　to　know；　but　that　you　tell　me
easily　to　go？　　She　was　struggling　with　the　tears　she　was　too　proud
to　let　him　see。

He　put　his　hands　resolutely　behind　him；　looking　at　her　as　if
studying　her　face　for　the　first　time。　　Under　his　searching　look　she
dropped　her　eyes；　and　the　warm　colour　came　slowly　up　into　her　neck
and　face；　then；　as　if　with　a　sudden　resolve；　she　lifted　her　eyes　to
his；　and　looked　back　at　him　unflinchingly。

He　started；　surprised；　drew　slowly　near；　put　his　hands　upon　her
shoulders；　surprise　giving　place　to　wild　joy。　　She　never　moved　her
eyes；　they　drew　him　towards　her。　　He　took　her　face　between　his
hands；　smiled　into　her　eyes；　kissed　her　lips。　　She　did　not　move；　he
stood　back　from　her；　threw　up　his　head；　and　laughed　aloud。　　She
came　to　him；　put　her　head　upon　his　breast；　and　lifting　up　her　face
said；　'Kiss　me。'　　He　put　his　arms　about　her；　bent　down　and　kissed
her　lips　again；　and　then　reverently　her　brow。　　Then　putting　her
back　from　him；　but　still　holding　both　her　hands；　he　cried

'Not　you　shall　not　go。　　I　shall　never　let　you　go。'

She　gave　a　little　sigh　of　content；　and；　smiling　up　at　him；　said

'I　can　go　now'；　but　even　as　she　spoke　the　flush　died　from　her　face；
and　she　shuddered。

'Never！'　he　almost　shouted；　'nothing　shall　take　you　away。　　We　shall
work　here　together。'

'Ah；　if　we　could；　if　we　only　could；'　she　said　piteously。

'Why　not？'　he　demanded　fiercely。

'You　will　send　me　away。　　You　will　say　it　is　right　for　me　to　go；'
she　replied　sadly。

'Do　we　not　love　each　other？'　was　his　impatient　answer。

'Ah！　yes；　love；'　she　said；　'but　love　is　not　all。'

'No！'　cried　Craig；　'but　love　is　the　best'

'Yes！'　she　said　sadly；　'love　is　the　best；　and　it　is　for　love's　sake
we　will　do　the　best。'

'There　is　no　better　work　than　here。　　Surely　this　is　best；'　and　he
pictured　his　plans　before　her。　　She　listened　eagerly。

'Oh！　if　it　should　be　right；'　she　cried；　'I　will　do　what　you　say。
You　are　good；　you　are　wise；　you　shall　tell　me。'

She　could　not　have　recalled　him　better。　　He　stood　silent　some
moments；　then　burst　out　passionately

'Why　then　has　love　come　to　us？　　We　did　not　seek　it。　　Surely　love　is
of　God。　　Does　God　mock　us？'

He　threw　himself　into　his　chair；　pouring　out　his　words　of
passionate　protestation。　　She　listened；　smiling；　then　came　to　him
and；　touching　his　hair　as　a　mother　might　her　child's；　said

'Oh；　I　am　very　happy！　　I　was　afraid　you　would　not　care；　and　I　could
not　bear　to　go　that　way。'

'You　shall　not　go；'　he　cried　aloud；　as　if　in　pain。　　'Nothing　can
make　that　right。'

But　she　only　said；　'You　shall　tell　me　to…morrow。　　You　cannot　see
to…night；　but　you　will　see；　and　you　will　tell　me。'

He　stood　up　and；　holding　both　her　hands；　looked　long　into　her　eyes；
then　turned　abruptly　away　and　went　out。

She　stood　where　he　left　her　for　some　moments；　her　face　radiant；　and
her　hands　pressed　upon　her　heart。　　Then　she　came　toward　my　room。
She　found　me　busy　with　my　painting；　but　as　I　looked　up　and　met　her
eyes　she　flushed　slightly；　and　said

'I　quite　forgot　you。'

'So　it　appeared　to　me。'

'You　heard？'

'And　saw；'　I　replied　boldly。　　'It　would　have　been　rude　to
interrupt；　you　see。'

'Oh；　I　am　so　glad　and　thankful。'

'Yes；　it　was　rather　considerate　of　me。'

'Oh；　I　don't　mean　that；'　the　flush　deepening；　'I　am　glad　you　know。'

'I　have　known　some　time。'

'How　could　you？　　I　only　knew　to…day　myself。'

'I　have　eyes。'　　She　flushed　again。

'Do　you　mean　that　people'　she　began　anxiously。

'No；　I　am　not　〃people。〃　　I　have　eyes；　and　my　eyes　have　been
opened。'

'Opened？'

'Yes；　by　love。'

Then　I　told　her　openly　how；　weeks　ago；　I　struggled　with　my　heart
and　mastered　it；　for　I　saw　it　was　vain　to　love　her；　because　she
loved　a　better　man　who　loved　her　in　return。　　She　looked　at　me　shyly
and　said

'I　am　sorry。'

'Don't　worry；'　I　said　cheerfully。　　'I　didn't　break　my　heart；　you
know；　I　stopped　it　in　time。'

'Oh！'　she　said；　slightly　disappointed；　then　her　lips　began　to
twitch；　and　she　went　off　into　a　fit　of　hysterical　laughter。

'Forgive　me；'　she　said　humbly；　'but　you　speak　as　if　it　had　been　a
fever。'

'Fever　is　nothing　to　it；'　I　said　solemnly。　　'It　was　a　near　thing。'
At　which　she　went　off　again。　　I　was　glad　to　see　her　laugh。　　It　gave
me　time　to　recover　my　equilibrium；　and　it　relieved　her　intense
emotional　strain。　　So　I　rattled　on　some　nonsense　about　Craig　and
myself　till　I　saw　she　was　giving　no　heed；　but　thinking　her　own
thoughts：　and　what　these　were　it　was　not　hard　to　guess。

Suddenly　she　broke　in　upon　my　talk

'He　will　tell　me　that　I　must　go　from　him。'

'I　hope　he　is　no　such　fool；'　I　said　emphatically　and　somewhat
rudely；　I　fear；　for　I　confess　I　was　impatient　with　the　very
possibility　of　separation　for　these　two；　to　whom　love　meant　so
much。　　Some　people　take　this　sort　of　thing　easily　and　some　not　so
easily；　but　love　for　a　woman　like　this　comes　once　only　to　a　man；
and　then　he　carries　it　with　him　through　the　length　of　his　life；　and
warms　his　heart　with　it　in　death。　　And　when　a　man　smiles　or　sneers
at　such　lo