tales and fantasies-第28节

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words；　toppling　on　his　chair；　he　broke　the　stem　of　his

tobacco…pipe　in　three！　　Never　did　the　sheep　turn　upon　her

shearer　with　a　more　commanding　front。　　Her　voice　was　calm；

her　enunciation　a　little　slow；　but　perfectly　distinct；　and

she　stood　before　him　as　she　spoke；　in　the　simplest　and　most

maidenly　attitude。



'No；'　she　said；　'Mr。　Naseby　will　have　the　goodness　to　go　home

at　once；　and　you　will　go　to　bed。'



The　broken　fragments　of　pipe　fell　from　the　Admiral's　fingers；

he　seemed　by　his　countenance　to　have　lived　too　long　in　a

world　unworthy　of　him；　but　it　is　an　odd　circumstance；　he

attempted　no　reply；　and　sat　thunderstruck；　with　open　mouth。



Dick　she　motioned　sharply　towards　the　door；　and　he　could　only

obey　her。　　In　the　porch；　finding　she　was　close　behind　him；　he

ventured　to　pause　and　whisper；　'You　have　done　right。'



'I　have　done　as　I　pleased；'　she　said。　　'Can　he　paint？'



'Many　people　like　his　paintings；'　returned　Dick；　in　stifled

tones；　'I　never　did；　I　never　said　I　did；'　he　added；　fiercely

defending　himself　before　he　was　attacked。



'I　ask　you　if　he　can　paint。　　I　will　not　be　put　off。　　CAN　he

paint？'　she　repeated。



'No；'　said　Dick。



'Does　he　even　like　it？'



'Not　now；　I　believe。'



'And　he　is　drunk？'　…　she　leaned　upon　the　word　with　hatred。



'He　has　been　drinking。'



'Go；'　she　said；　and　was　turning　to　re…enter　the　house　when

another　thought　arrested　her。　　'Meet　me　to…morrow　morning　at

the　stile；'　she　said。



'I　will；'　replied　Dick。



And　then　the　door　closed　behind　her；　and　Dick　was　alone　in

the　darkness。　　There　was　still　a　chink　of　light　above　the

sill；　a　warm；　mild　glow　behind　the　window；　the　roof　of　the

cottage　and　some　of　the　banks　and　hazels　were　defined　in

denser　darkness　against　the　sky；　but　all　else　was　formless；

breathless；　and　noiseless　like　the　pit。　　Dick　remained　as　she

had　left　him；　standing　squarely　upon　one　foot　and　resting

only　on　the　toe　of　the　other；　and　as　he　stood　he　listened

with　his　soul。　　The　sound　of　a　chair　pushed　sharply　over　the

floor　startled　his　heart　into　his　mouth；　but　the　silence

which　had　thus　been　disturbed　settled　back　again　at　once　upon

the　cottage　and　its　vicinity。　　What　took　place　during　this

interval　is　a　secret　from　the　world　of　men；　but　when　it　was

over　the　voice　of　Esther　spoke　evenly　and　without

interruption　for　perhaps　half　a　minute；　and　as　soon　as　that

ceased　heavy　and　uncertain　footfalls　crossed　the　parlour　and

mounted　lurching　up　the　stairs。　　The　girl　had　tamed　her

father；　Van　Tromp　had　gone　obediently　to　bed：　so　much　was

obvious　to　the　watcher　in　the　road。　　And　yet　he　still　waited；

straining　his　ears；　and　with　terror　and　sickness　at　his

heart；　for　if　Esther　had　followed　her　father；　if　she　had　even

made　one　movement　in　this　great　conspiracy　of　men　and　nature

to　be　still；　Dick　must　have　had　instant　knowledge　of　it　from

his　station　before　the　door；　and　if　she　had　not　moved；　must

she　not　have　fainted？　or　might　she　not　be　dead？



He　could　hear　the　cottage　clock　deliberately　measure　out　the

seconds；　time　stood　still　with　him；　an　almost　superstitious

terror　took　command　of　his　faculties；　at　last；　he　could　bear

no　more；　and；　springing　through　the　little　garden　in　two

bounds；　he　put　his　face　against　the　window。　　The　blind；　which

had　not　been　drawn　fully　down；　left　an　open　chink　about　an

inch　in　height　along　the　bottom　of　the　glass；　and　the　whole

parlour　was　thus　exposed　to　Dick's　investigation。　　Esther　sat

upright　at　the　table；　her　head　resting　on　her　hand；　her　eyes

fixed　upon　the　candle。　　Her　brows　were　slightly　bent；　her

mouth　slightly　open；　her　whole　attitude　so　still　and　settled

that　Dick　could　hardly　fancy　that　she　breathed。　　She　had　not

stirred　at　the　sound　of　Dick's　arrival。　　Soon　after；　making　a

considerable　disturbance　amid　the　vast　silence　of　the　night；

the　clock　lifted　up　its　voice；　whined　for　a　while　like　a

partridge；　and　then　eleven　times　hooted　like　a　cuckoo。　　Still

Esther　continued　immovable　and　gazed　upon　the　candle。

Midnight　followed；　and　then　one　of　the　morning；　and　still　she

had　not　stirred；　nor　had　Richard　Naseby　dared　to　quit　the

window。　　And　then；　about　half…past　one；　the　candle　she　had

been　thus　intently　watching　flared　up　into　a　last　blaze　of

paper；　and　she　leaped　to　her　feet　with　an　ejaculation；　looked

about　her　once；　blew　out　the　light；　turned　round；　and　was

heard　rapidly　mounting　the　staircase　in　the　dark。



Dick　was　left　once　more　alone　to　darkness　and　to　that　dulled

and　dogged　state　of　mind　when　a　man　thinks　that　Misery　must

now　have　done　her　worst；　and　is　almost　glad　to　think　so。　　He

turned　and　walked　slowly　towards　the　stile；　she　had　told　him

no　hour；　and　he　was　determined；　whenever　she　came；　that　she

should　find　him　waiting。　　As　he　got　there　the　day　began　to

dawn；　and　he　leaned　over　a　hurdle　and　beheld　the　shadows　flee

away。　　Up　went　the　sun　at　last　out　of　a　bank　of　clouds　that

were　already　disbanding　in　the　east；　a　herald　wind　had

already　sprung　up　to　sweep　the　leafy　earth　and　scatter　the

congregated　dewdrops。　　'Alas！'　thought　Dick　Naseby；　'how　can

any　other　day　come　so　distastefully　to　me？'　　He　still　wanted

his　experience　of　the　morrow。







CHAPTER　VII　…　THE　ELOPEMENT







IT　was　probably　on　the　stroke　of　ten；　and　Dick　had　been　half

asleep　for　some　time　against　the　bank；　when　Esther　came　up

the　road　carrying　a　bundle。　　Some　kind　of　instinct；　or

perhaps　the　distant　light　footfalls；　recalled　him；　while　she

was　still　a　good　way　off；　to　the　possession　of　his　faculties；

and　he　half　raised　himself　and　blinked　upon　the　world。　　It

took　him　some　time　to　recollect　his　thoughts。　　He　had

awakened　with　a　certain　blank　and　childish　sense　of　pleasure；

like　a　man　who　had　received　a　legacy　overnight；　but　this

feeling　gradually　died　away；　and　was　then　suddenly　and

stunningly　succeeded　by　a　conviction　of　the　truth。　　The　whole

story　of　the　past　night　sprang　into　his　mind　with　every

detail；　as　by　an　exercise　of　the　direct　and　speedy　sense　of

sight；　and　he　arose　from　the　ditch　and；　with　rueful　courage；

went　to　meet　his　love。



She　came　up　to　him　walking　steady　and　fast；　her　face　still

pale；　but　to　all　appearance　perfectly　composed；　and　she

showed　neither　surprise；　relief；　nor　pleasure　at　finding　her

lover　on　the　spot。　　Nor　did　she　offer　him　her　hand。



'Here　I　am；'　said　he。



'Yes；'　she　replied；　and　then；　without　a　pause　or　any　change

of　voice；　'I　want　you　to　take　me　away；'　she　added。



'Away？'　he　repeated。　　'How？　　Where？'



'To…day；'　she　said。　　'I　do　not　care　where　it　is；　but　I　want

you　to　take　me　away。'



'For　how　long？　　I　do　not　understand；'　gasped　Dick。



'I　shall　never　come　back　here　any　more；'　was　all　she

answered。



Wild　words　uttered；　as　these　were；　with　perfect　quiet　of

manner　and　voice；　exercise　a　double　influence　on　the　hearer's

mind。　　Dick　was　confounded；　he　recovered　from　astonishment

only　to　fall　into　doubt　and　alarm。　　He　looked　upon　her　frozen

attitude；　so　discouraging　for　a　lover　to　behold；　and　recoiled

from　the　thoughts　which　it　suggested。



'To　me？'　he　asked。　　'Are　you　coming　to　me；　Esther？'



'I　want　you　to　take　me　away；'　she　repeated　with　weary

impatience。　　'Take　me　away　…　take　me　away　from　here。'



The　situation　was　not　sufficiently　defined。　　Dick　asked

himself　with　concern　whether　she　were　altogether　in　her　right

wits。　　To　take　her　away；　to　marry　her；　to　work　off　his　hands

for　her　support；　Dick　was　content　to　do　all　this；　yet　he

required　some　show　of　love　upon　her　part。　　He　was　not　one　of

those　tough…hided　and　small…hearted　males　who　would　marry

their　love　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet　rather　than　not　marry

her　at　all。　　He　desired　that　a　woman　should　come　to　his　arms

with　an　attractive　willingness；　if　not　with　ardour。　　And

Esther's　bearing　was　more　that　of　despair　than　that　of　love。

It　chilled　him　and　taught　him　wisdom。



'Dearest；'　he　urged；　'tell　me　what　you　wish；　and　you　shall

have　it；　tell　me　your　thoughts；　and　then　I　can　advise　you。

But　to　go　from　here　without　a　plan；　without　forethought；　in

the　heat　of　a　moment；　is　madder　than　madness；　and　can　help

nothing。　　I　am　not　speaking　like　a　man；　but　I　speak　the

truth；　and　I　tell　you　again；　the　thing's　absurd；　and　wrong；

and　hurtful。'



She　looked　at　him　with　a　lowering；　languid　look　of　wrath。



'So　you　will　not　take　me？'　she　said。　　'Well；　I　will　go

alone。'



And　she　began　to　step　forward　on　her　way。　　But　he　threw

himself　before　her。



'Esther；　Esther！'　he　cried。



'Let　me　go　…　don't　touch　me　…　what　right　have　you　to

interfere？　　Who　are　you；　to　touch　me？'　she　flashed　out；

shrill　with　anger。



Then；　being　made　bold　by　her　violence；　he　took　her　firmly；

almost　roughly；　by　the　arm；　and　held　her　while　he　spoke。



'You　know　well　who　I　am；　and　what　I　am；　and　that　I　love　you。

You　say　I　will　not　help　you；　but　your　heart　knows　the

contrary。　　It　is　you　who　will　not　help　m