tales and fantasies-第23节

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valley；　where　every　corner　had　its　legend；　and　he　was

besieged　with　memories　of　childhood。　　If　he　fled　into　a　new

land；　and　among　none　but　strangers；　he　might　escape　his

destiny；　who　knew？　and　begin　again　light…heartedly。　　From

that　chief　peak　of　the　hills；　that　now　and　then；　like　an

uplifted　finger；　shone　in　an　arrow　of　sunlight　through　the

broken　clouds；　the　shepherd　in　clear　weather　might　perceive

the　shining　of　the　sea。　　There；　he　thought；　was　hope。　　But

his　heart　failed　him　when　he　saw　the　Squire；　and　he　remained。

His　fate　was　not　that　of　the　voyager　by　sea　and　land；　he　was

to　travel　in　the　spirit；　and　begin　his　journey　sooner　than　he

supposed。



For　it　chanced　one　day　that　his　walk　led　him　into　a　portion

of　the　uplands　which　was　almost　unknown　to　him。　　Scrambling

through　some　rough　woods；　he　came　out　upon　a　moorland

reaching　towards　the　hills。　　A　few　lofty　Scotch　firs　grew

hard　by　upon　a　knoll；　a　clear　fountain　near　the　foot　of　the

knoll　sent　up　a　miniature　streamlet　which　meandered　in　the

heather。　　A　shower　had　just　skimmed　by；　but　now　the　sun　shone

brightly；　and　the　air　smelt　of　the　pines　and　the　grass。　　On　a

stone　under　the　trees　sat　a　young　lady　sketching。　　We　have

learned　to　think　of　women　in　a　sort　of　symbolic

transfiguration；　based　on　clothes；　and　one　of　the　readiest

ways　in　which　we　conceive　our　mistress　is　as　a　composite

thing；　principally　petticoats。　　But　humanity　has　triumphed

over　clothes；　the　look；　the　touch　of　a　dress　has　become

alive；　and　the　woman　who　stitched　herself　into　these　material

integuments　has　now　permeated　right　through　and　gone　out　to

the　tip　of　her　skirt。　　It　was　only　a　black　dress　that　caught

Dick　Naseby's　eye；　but　it　took　possession　of　his　mind；　and

all　other　thoughts　departed。　　He　drew　near；　and　the　girl

turned　round。　　Her　face　startled　him；　it　was　a　face　he

wanted；　and　he　took　it　in　at　once　like　breathing　air。



'I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　said；　taking　off　his　hat；　'you　are

sketching。'



'Oh！'　she　exclaimed；　'for　my　own　amusement。　　I　despise　the

thing。'



'Ten　to　one；　you　do　yourself　injustice；'　returned　Dick。

'Besides；　it's　a　freemasonry。　　I　sketch　myself；　and　you　know

what　that　implies。'



'No。　　What？'　she　asked。



'Two　things；'　he　answered。　　'First；　that　I　am　no　very

difficult　critic；　and　second；　that　I　have　a　right　to　see　your

picture。'



She　covered　the　block　with　both　her　hands。　　'Oh　no；'　she

said；　'I　am　ashamed。'



'Indeed；　I　might　give　you　a　hint；'　said　Dick。　　'Although　no

artist　myself；　I　have　known　many；　in　Paris　I　had　many　for

friends；　and　used　to　prowl　among　studios。'



'In　Paris？'　she　cried；　with　a　leap　of　light　into　her　eyes。

'Did　you　ever　meet　Mr。　Van　Tromp？'



'I？　　Yes。　　Why；　you're　not　the　Admiral's　daughter；　are　you？'



'The　Admiral？　　Do　they　call　him　that？'　she　cried。　　'Oh；　how

nice；　how　nice　of　them！　　It　is　the　younger　men　who　call　him

so；　is　it　not？'



'Yes；'　said　Dick；　somewhat　heavily。



'You　can　understand　now；'　she　said；　with　an　unspeakable

accent　of　contented　noble…minded　pride；　'why　it　is　I　do　not

choose　to　show　my　sketch。　　Van　Tromp's　daughter！　　The

Admiral's　daughter！　　I　delight　in　that　name。　　The　Admiral！

And　so　you　know　my　father？'



'Well；'　said　Dick；　'I　met　him　often；　we　were　even　intimate。

He　may　have　mentioned　my　name　…　Naseby。'



'He　writes　so　little。　　He　is　so　busy；　so　devoted　to　his　art！

I　have　had　a　half　wish；'　she　added　laughing；　'that　my　father

was　a　plainer　man；　whom　I　could　help　…　to　whom　I　could　be　a

credit；　but　only　sometimes；　you　know；　and　with　only　half　my

heart。　　For　a　great　painter！　　You　have　seen　his　works？'



'I　have　seen　some　of　them；'　returned　Dick；　'they　…　they　are

very　nice。'



She　laughed　aloud。　　'Nice？'　she　repeated。　　'I　see　you　don't

care　much　for　art。'



'Not　much；'　he　admitted；　'but　I　know　that　many　people　are

glad　to　buy　Mr。　Van　Tromp's　pictures。'



'Call　him　the　Admiral！'　she　cried。　　'It　sounds　kindly　and

familiar；　and　I　like　to　think　that　he　is　appreciated　and

looked　up　to　by　young　painters。　　He　has　not　always　been

appreciated；　he　had　a　cruel　life　for　many　years；　and　when　I

think'　…　　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes　…　'when　I　think　of

that；　I　feel　incline　to　be　a　fool；'　she　broke　off。　　'And　now

I　shall　go　home。　　You　have　filled　me　full　of　happiness；　for

think；　Mr。　Naseby；　I　have　not　seen　my　father　since　I　was　six

years　old；　and　yet　he　is　in　my　thoughts　all　day！　　You　must

come　and　call　on　me；　my　aunt　will　be　delighted；　I　am　sure；

and　then　you　will　tell　me　all　…　all　about　my　father；　will　you

not？'



Dick　helped　her　to　get　her　sketching　traps　together；　and　when

all　was　ready；　she　gave　Dick　her　hand　and　a　frank　return　of

pressure。



'You　are　my　father's　friend；'　she　said；　'we　shall　be　great

friends　too。　　You　must　come　and　see　me　soon。'



Then　she　was　gone　down　the　hillside　at　a　run；　and　Dick　stood

by　himself　in　a　state　of　some　bewilderment　and　even　distress。

There　were　elements　of　laughter　in　the　business；　but　the

black　dress；　and　the　face　that　belonged　to　it；　and　the　hand

that　he　had　held　in　his；　inclined　him　to　a　serious　view。

What　was　he；　under　the　circumstances；　called　upon　to　do？

Perhaps　to　avoid　the　girl？　　Well；　he　would　think　about　that。

Perhaps　to　break　the　truth　to　her？　　Why；　ten　to　one；　such　was

her　infatuation；　he　would　fail。　　Perhaps　to　keep　up　the

illusion；　to　colour　the　raw　facts；　to　help　her　to　false

ideas；　while　yet　not　plainly　stating　falsehoods？　　Well；　he

would　see　about　that；　he　would　also　see　about　avoiding　the

girl。　　He　saw　about　this　last　so　well；　that　the　next

afternoon　beheld　him　on　his　way　to　visit　her。



In　the　meantime　the　girl　had　gone　straight　home；　light　as　a

bird；　tremulous　with　joy；　to　the　little　cottage　where　she

lived　alone　with　a　maiden　aunt；　and　to　that　lady；　a　grim；

sixty　years　old　Scotchwoman；　with　a　nodding　head；

communicated　news　of　her　encounter　and　invitation。



'A　friend　of　his？'　cried　the　aunt。　　'What　like　is　he？　　What

did　ye　say　was　his　name？'



She　was　dead　silent；　and　stared　at　the　old　woman　darkling。

Then　very　slowly；　'I　said　he　was　my　father's　friend；　I　have

invited　him　to　my　house；　and　come　he　shall；'　she　said；　and

with　that　she　walked　off　to　her　room；　where　she　sat　staring

at　the　wall　all　the　evening。　　Miss　M'Glashan；　for　that　was

the　aunt's　name；　read　a　large　bible　in　the　kitchen　with　some

of　the　joys　of　martyrdom。



It　was　perhaps　half…past　three　when　Dick　presented　himself；

rather　scrupulously　dressed；　before　the　cottage　door；　he

knocked；　and　a　voice　bade　him　enter。　　The　kitchen；　which

opened　directly　off　the　garden；　was　somewhat　darkened　by

foliage；　but　he　could　see　her　as　she　approached　from　the　far

end　to　meet　him。　　This　second　sight　of　her　surprised　him。

Her　strong　black　brows　spoke　of　temper　easily　aroused　and

hard　to　quiet；　her　mouth　was　small；　nervous　and　weak；　there

was　something　dangerous　and　sulky　underlying；　in　her　nature；

much　that　was　honest；　compassionate；　and　even　noble。



'My　father's　name；'　she　said；　'has　made　you　very　welcome。'



And　she　gave　him　her　hand；　with　a　sort　of　curtsy。　　It　was　a

pretty　greeting；　although　somewhat　mannered；　and　Dick　felt

himself　among　the　gods。　　She　led　him　through　the　kitchen　to　a

parlour；　and　presented　him　to　Miss　M'Glashan。



'Esther；'　said　the　aunt；　'see　and　make　Mr。　Naseby　his　tea。'



And　as　soon　as　the　girl　was　gone　upon　this　hospitable　intent；

the　old　woman　crossed　the　room　and　came　quite　near　to　Dick　as

if　in　menace。



'Ye　know　that　man？'　she　asked　in　an　imperious　whisper。



'Mr。　Van　Tromp？'　said　Dick。　　'Yes；　I　know　him。'



'Well；　and　what　brings　ye　here？'　she　said。　　'I　couldn't　save

the　mother　…　her　that's　dead　…　but　the　bairn！'　　She　had　a

note　in　her　voice　that　filled　poor　Dick　with　consternation。

'Man；'　she　went　on；　'what　is　it　now？　　Is　it　money？'



'My　dear　lady；'　said　Dick；　'I　think　you　misinterpret　my

position。　　I　am　young　Mr。　Naseby　of　Naseby　House。　　My

acquaintance　with　Mr。　Van　Tromp　is　really　very　slender；　I　am

only　afraid　that　Miss　Van　Tromp　has　exaggerated　our　intimacy

in　her　own　imagination。　　I　know　positively　nothing　of　his

private　affairs；　and　do　not　care　to　know。　　I　met　him　casually

in　Paris　…　that　is　all。'



Miss　M'Glashan　drew　along　breath。　　'In　Paris？'　she　said。

'Well；　and　what　do　you　think　of　him？　…　what　do　ye　think　of

him？'　she　repeated；　with　a　different　scansion；　as　Richard；

who　had　not　much　taste　for　such　a　question；　kept　her　waiting

for　an　answer。



'I　found　him　a　very　agreeable　companion；'　he　said。



'Ay；'　said　she；　'did　ye！　　And　how　does　he　win　his　bread？'



'I　fancy；'　he　gasped；　'that　Mr。　Van　Tromp　has　many　generous

friends。'



'I'll　warrant！'　she　sneered；　and　before　Dick　could　find　more

to　say；　she　was　gone　from　the　room。



Esther　returned　with　the　tea…things；　and　sat　down。



'Now；'　she　said　cosily；　'tell　me　all　about　my　father。'



'He'　…　stammered　Dick