the doom of the griffiths-第9节

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seen　his　only　child　suffer　during　the　hours　of　this　long　afternoon。

But　he　knew　the　law　would　not　so　regard　it。　　Even　the　lax　Welsh　law

of　those　days　could　not　fail　to　examine　into　the　death　of　a　man　of

Squire　Griffith's　standing。　　So　the　acute　Ellis　thought　how　he　could

conceal　the　culprit　for　a　time。



〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃don't　look　so　scared！　　It　was　your　doom；　not　your

fault；〃　and　he　laid　a　hand　on　Owen's　shoulder。



〃You're　wet；〃　said　he；　suddenly。　　〃Where　have　you　been？　　Nest；　your

husband　is　dripping；　drookit　wet。　　That's　what　makes　him　look　so　blue

and　wan。〃



Nest　softly　laid　her　baby　in　its　cradle；　she　was　half　stupefied　with

crying；　and　had　not　understood　to　what　Owen　alluded；　when　he　spoke　of

his　doom　being　fulfilled；　if　indeed　she　had　heard　the　words。



Her　touch　thawed　Owen's　miserable　heart。



〃Oh；　Nest！〃　said　he；　clasping　her　in　his　arms；　〃do　you　love　me　still…

…can　you　love　me；　my　own　darling？〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　she；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears。　　〃I　only　love　you

more　than　ever；　for　you　were　my　poor　baby's　father！〃



〃But；　NestOh；　tell　her；　Ellis！　YOU　know。〃



〃No　need；　no　need！〃　said　Ellis。　　〃She's　had　enough　to　think　on。

Bustle；　my　girl；　and　get　out　my　Sunday　clothes。〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Nest；　putting　her　hand　up　to　her　head。

〃What　is　to　tell？　and　why　are　you　so　wet？　　God　help　me　for　a　poor

crazed　thing；　for　I　cannot　guess　at　the　meaning　of　your　words　and

your　strange　looks！　　I　only　know　my　baby　is　dead！〃　and　she　burst　into

tears。



〃Come；　Nest！　go　and　fetch　him　a　change；　quick！〃　and　as　she　meekly

obeyed；　too　languid　to　strive　further　to　understand；　Ellis　said

rapidly　to　Owen；　in　a　low；　hurried　voice　…



〃Are　you　meaning　that　the　Squire　is　dead？　　Speak　low；　lest　she　hear。

Well；　well；　no　need　to　talk　about　how　he　died。　　It　was　sudden；　I　see；

and　we　must　all　of　us　die；　and　he'll　have　to　be　buried。　　It's　well

the　night　is　near。　　And　I　should　not　wonder　now　if　you'd　like　to

travel　for　a　bit；　it　would　do　Nest　a　power　of　good；　and　thenthere's

many　a　one　goes　out　of　his　own　house　and　never　comes　back　again；　and…

…I　trust　he's　not　lying　in　his　own　houseand　there's　a　stir　for　a

bit；　and　a　search；　and　a　wonderand；　by…and…by；　the　heir　just　steps

in；　as　quiet　as　can　be。　　And　that's　what　you'll　do；　and　bring　Nest　to

Bodowen　after　all。　　Nay；　child；　better　stockings　nor　those；　find　the

blue　woollens　I　bought　at　Llanrwst　fair。　　Only　don't　lose　heart。

It's　done　now　and　can't　be　helped。　　It　was　the　piece　of　work　set　you

to　do　from　the　days　of　the　Tudors；　they　say。　　And　he　deserved　it。

Look　in　yon　cradle。　　So　tell　us　where　he　is；　and　I'll　take　heart　of

grace　and　see　what　can　be　done　for　him。〃



But　Owen　sat　wet　and　haggard；　looking　into　the　peat　fire　as　if　for

visions　of　the　past；　and　never　heeding　a　word　Ellis　said。　　Nor　did　he

move　when　Nest　brought　the　armful　of　dry　clothes。



〃Come；　rouse　up；　man！〃　said　Ellis；　growing　impatient。　　But　he　neither

spoke　nor　moved。



〃What　is　the　matter；　father？〃　asked　Nest；　bewildered。



Ellis　kept　on　watching　Owen　for　a　minute　or　two；　till　on　his

daughter's　repetition　of　the　question；　he　said　…



〃Ask　him　yourself；　Nest。〃



〃Oh；　husband；　what　is　it？〃　said　she；　kneeling　down　and　bringing　her

face　to　a　level　with　his。



〃Don't　you　know？〃　said　he；　heavily。　　〃You　won't　love　me　when　you　do

know。　　And　yet　it　was　not　my　doing：　　it　was　my　doom。〃



〃What　does　he　mean；　father？〃　asked　Nest；　looking　up；　but　she　caught　a

gesture　from　Ellis　urging　her　to　go　on　questioning　her　husband。



〃I　will　love　you；　husband；　whatever　has　happened。　　Only　let　me　know

the　worst。〃



A　pause；　during　which　Nest　and　Ellis　hung　breathless。



〃My　father　is　dead；　Nest。〃



Nest　caught　her　breath　with　a　sharp　gasp。



〃God　forgive　him！〃　said　she；　thinking　on　her　babe。



〃God　forgive　ME！〃　said　Owen。



〃You　did　not〃　Nest　stopped。



〃Yes；　I　did。　　Now　you　know　it。　　It　was　my　doom。　　How　could　I　help　it？

The　devil　helped　mehe　placed　the　stone　so　that　my　father　fell。　　I

jumped　into　the　water　to　save　him。　　I　did；　indeed；　Nest。　　I　was

nearly　drowned　myself。　　But　he　was　deaddeadkilled　by　the　fall！〃



〃Then　he　is　safe　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea？〃　said　Ellis；　with　hungry

eagerness。



〃No；　he　is　not；　he　lies　in　my　boat；〃　said　Owen；　shivering　a　little；

more　at　the　thought　of　his　last　glimpse　at　his　father's　face　than

from　cold。



〃Oh；　husband；　change　your　wet　clothes！〃　pleaded　Nest；　to　whom　the

death　of　the　old　man　was　simply　a　horror　with　which　she　had　nothing

to　do；　while　her　husband's　discomfort　was　a　present　trouble。



While　she　helped　him　to　take　off　the　wet　garments　which　he　would

never　have　had　energy　enough　to　remove　of　himself；　Ellis　was　busy

preparing　food；　and　mixing　a　great　tumbler　of　spirits　and　hot　water。

He　stood　over　the　unfortunate　young　man　and　compelled　him　to　eat　and

drink；　and　made　Nest；　too；　taste　some　mouthfulsall　the　while

planning　in　his　own　mind　how　best　to　conceal　what　had　been　done；　and

who　had　done　it；　not　altogether　without　a　certain　feeling　of　vulgar

triumph　in　the　reflection　that　Nest；　as　she　stood　there；　carelessly

dressed；　dishevelled　in　her　grief；　was　in　reality　the　mistress　of

Bodowen；　than　which　Ellis　Pritchard　had　never　seen　a　grander　house；

though　he　believed　such　might　exist。



By　dint　of　a　few　dexterous　questions　he　found　out　all　he　wanted　to

know　from　Owen；　as　he　ate　and　drank。　　In　fact；　it　was　almost　a　relief

to　Owen　to　dilute　the　horror　by　talking　about　it。　　Before　the　meal

was　done；　if　meal　it　could　be　called；　Ellis　knew　all　he　cared　to

know。



〃Now；　Nest；　on　with　your　cloak　and　haps。　　Pack　up　what　needs　to　go

with　you；　for　both　you　and　your　husband　must　be　half　way　to　Liverpool

by　to…morrow's　morn。　　I'll　take　you　past　Rhyl　Sands　in　my　fishing…

boat；　with　yours　in　tow；　and；　once　over　the　dangerous　part；　I'll

return　with　my　cargo　of　fish；　and　learn　how　much　stir　there　is　at

Bodowen。　　Once　safe　hidden　in　Liverpool；　no　one　will　know　where　you

are；　and　you　may　stay　quiet　till　your　time　comes　for　returning。〃



〃I　will　never　come　home　again；〃　said　Owen；　doggedly。　　〃The　place　is

accursed！〃



〃Hoot！　be　guided　by　me；　man。　　Why；　it　was　but　an　accident；　after　all！

And　we'll　land　at　the　Holy　Island；　at　the　Point　of　Llyn；　there　is　an

old　cousin　of　mine；　the　parson；　therefor　the　Pritchards　have　known

better　days；　Squireand　we'll　bury　him　there。　　It　was　but　an

accident；　man。　　Hold　up　your　head！　　You　and　Nest　will　come　home　yet

and　fill　Bodowen　with　children；　and　I'll　live　to　see　it。〃



〃Never！〃　said　Owen。　　〃I　am　the　last　male　of　my　race；　and　the　son　has

murdered　his　father！〃



Nest　came　in　laden　and　cloaked。　　Ellis　was　for　hurrying　them　off。

The　fire　was　extinguished；　the　door　was　locked。



〃Here；　Nest；　my　darling；　let　me　take　your　bundle　while　I　guide　you

down　the　steps。〃　　But　her　husband　bent　his　head；　and　spoke　never　a

word。　　Nest　gave　her　father　the　bundle　（already　loaded　with　such

things　as　he　himself　had　seen　fit　to　take）；　but　clasped　another

softly　and　tightly。



〃No　one　shall　help　me　with　this；〃　said　she；　in　a　low　voice。



Her　father　did　not　understand　her；　her　husband　did；　and　placed　his

strong　helping　arm　round　her　waist；　and　blessed　her。



〃We　will　all　go　together；　Nest；〃　said　he。　　〃But　where？〃　and　he　looked

up　at　the　storm…tossed　clouds　coming　up　from　windward。



〃It　is　a　dirty　night；〃　said　Ellis；　turning　his　head　round　to　speak　to

his　companions　at　last。　　〃But　never　fear；　we'll　weather　it？〃　　And　he

made　for　the　place　where　his　vessel　was　moored。　　Then　he　stopped　and

thought　a　moment。



〃Stay　here！〃　said　he；　addressing　his　companions。　　〃I　may　meet　folk；

and　I　shall；　maybe；　have　to　hear　and　to　speak。　　You　wait　here　till　I

come　back　for　you。〃　　So　they　sat　down　close　together　in　a　corner　of

the　path。



〃Let　me　look　at　him；　Nest！〃　said　Owen。



She　took　her　little　dead　son　out　from　under　her　shawl；　they　looked　at

his　waxen　face　long　and　tenderly；　kissed　it；　and　covered　it　up

reverently　and　softly。



〃Nest；〃　said　Owen；　at　last；　〃I　feel　as　though　my　father's　spirit　had

been　near　us；　and　as　if　it　had　bent　over　our　poor　little　one。　　A

strange　chilly　air　met　me　as　I　stooped　over　him。　　I　could　fancy　the

spirit　of　our　pure；　blameless　child　guiding　my　father's　safe　over　the

paths　of　the　sky　to　the　gates　of　heaven；　and　escaping　those　accursed

dogs　of　hell　that　were　darting　up　from　the　north　in　pursuit　of　souls

not　five　minutes　since。



〃Don't　talk　so；　Owen；〃　said　Nest；　curling　up　to　him　in　the　darkness

of　the　copse。　　〃Who　knows　what　may　be　listening？〃



The　pair　were　silent；　in　a　kind　of　nameless　terror；　till　they　heard

Ellis　Pritchard's　loud　whisper。　　〃Where　are　ye？　　Come　along；　soft　and

steady。　　There　were　folk　about　even　now；　and　the　Squire　is　missed；

and　madam　in　a　fright。〃



They　went　swiftly　down　to　the　little　harbour；　and　embarked　on　board

Ellis's　boat。　　The　sea　heaved　and　r