to-morrow-第8节

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dead。







〃You　can't　buy　me　in；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　can't



buy　yourself　out。〃







He　set　his　hat　firmly　with　a　little　tap；　and　next



moment　she　felt　herself　lifted　up　in　the　powerful



embrace　of　his　arms。　　Her　feet　lost　the　ground；



her　head　hung　back；　he　showered　kisses　on　her　face



with　a　silent　and　over…mastering　ardour；　as　if　in



haste　to　get　at　her　very　soul。　　He　kissed　her　pale



cheeks；　her　hard　forehead；　her　heavy　eyelids；　her



faded　lips；　and　the　measured　blows　and　sighs　of



the　rising　tide　accompanied　the　enfolding　power



of　his　arms；　the　overwhelming　might　of　his　caresses。



It　was　as　if　the　sea；　breaking　down　the　wall　pro…



tecting　all　the　homes　of　the　town；　had　sent　a　wave



over　her　head。　　It　passed　on；　she　staggered　back…



wards；　with　her　shoulders　against　the　wall；　ex…



hausted；　as　if　she　had　been　stranded　there　after　a



storm　and　a　shipwreck。







She　opened　her　eyes　after　awhile；　and　listening



to　the　firm；　leisurely　footsteps　going　away　with



their　conquest；　began　to　gather　her　skirts；　staring



all　the　time　before　her。　　Suddenly　she　darted



through　the　open　gate　into　the　dark　and　deserted



street。







〃Stop！〃　she　shouted。　　〃Don't　go！〃







And　listening　with　an　attentive　poise　of　the　head；



she　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　the　beat　of　the



swell　or　his　fateful　tread　that　seemed　to　fall　cruelly



upon　her　heart。　　Presently　every　sound　grew



fainter；　as　though　she　were　slowly　turning　into



stone。　　A　fear　of　this　awful　silence　came　to　her



worse　than　the　fear　of　death。　　She　called　upon　her



ebbing　strength　for　the　final　appeal：







〃Harry！〃







Not　even　the　dying　echo　of　a　footstep。　　Noth…



ing。　　The　thundering　of　the　surf；　the　voice　of　the



restless　sea　itself；　seemed　stopped。　　There　was　not



a　soundno　whisper　of　life；　as　though　she　were



alone　and　lost　in　that　stony　country　of　which　she



had　heard；　where　madmen　go　looking　for　gold　and



spurn　the　find。







Captain　Hagberd；　inside　his　dark　house；　had



kept　on　the　alert。　　A　window　ran　up；　and　in　the



silence　of　the　stony　country　a　voice　spoke　above　her



head；　high　up　in　the　black　airthe　voice　of　mad…



ness；　lies　and　despairthe　voice　of　inextinguish…



able　hope。　　〃Is　he　gone　yetthat　information



fellow？　　Do　you　hear　him　about；　my　dear？〃







She　burst　into　tears。　　〃No！　no！　no！　　I　don't



hear　him　any　more；〃　she　sobbed。







He　began　to　chuckle　up　there　triumphantly。



〃You　frightened　him　away。　　Good　girl。　　Now　we



shall　be　all　right。　　Don't　you　be　impatient；　my　dear。



One　day　more。〃







In　the　other　house　old　Carvil；　wallowing　regally



in　his　arm…chair；　with　a　globe　lamp　burning　by　his



side　on　the　table；　yelled　for　her；　in　a　fiendish　voice：



〃Bessie！　　Bessie！　you　Bessie！〃







She　heard　him　at　last；　and；　as　if　overcome　by



fate；　began　to　totter　silently　back　toward　her　stuffy



little　inferno　of　a　cottage。　　It　had　no　lofty　portal；



no　terrific　inscription　of　forfeited　hopesshe　did



not　understand　wherein　she　had　sinned。







Captain　Hagberd　had　gradually　worked　himself



into　a　state　of　noisy　happiness　up　there。







〃Go　in！　　Keep　quiet！〃　she　turned　upon　him



tearfully；　from　the　doorstep　below。







He　rebelled　against　her　authority　in　his　great



joy　at　having　got　rid　at　last　of　that　〃something



wrong。〃　　It　was　as　if　all　the　hopeful　madness　of　the



world　had　broken　out　to　bring　terror　upon　her



heart；　with　the　voice　of　that　old　man　shouting　of



his　trust　in　an　everlasting　to…morrow。























End