stories by modern american authors-第5节

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to　think；　or　to　let　my　thoughts　meander　through　labyrinths　of　their

own　choosing；　utterly　indifferent　to　the　course　they　might　take。



The　tall　windows　of　the　room　opened　to　the　level　of　the　ground　upon

the　terrace　at　the　head　of　the　garden。　　It　was　in　the　end　of　July；

and　everything　was　open；　for　the　weather　was　warm。　　As　I　sat　alone

I　heard　the　unceasing　splash　of　the　great　fountains；　and　I　fell　to

thinking　of　the　Woman　of　the　Water。　　I　rose　and　went　out　into　the

still　night；　and　sat　down　upon　a　seat　on　the　terrace；　between　two

gigantic　Italian　flower　pots。　　The　air　was　deliciously　soft　and

sweet　with　the　smell　of　the　flowers；　and　the　garden　was　more

congenial　to　me　than　the　house。　　Sad　people　always　like　running

water　and　the　sound　of　it　at　night；　though　I　cannot　tell　why。　　I

sat　and　listened　in　the　gloom；　for　it　was　dark　below；　and　the　pale

moon　had　not　yet　climbed　over　the　hills　in　front　of　me；　though　all

the　air　above　was　light　with　her　rising　beams。　　Slowly　the　white

halo　in　the　eastern　sky　ascended　in　an　arch　above　the　wooded

crests；　making　the　outlines　of　the　mountains　more　intensely　black

by　contrast；　as　though　the　head　of　some　great　white　saint　were

rising　from　behind　a　screen　in　a　vast　cathedral；　throwing　misty

glories　from　below。　　I　longed　to　see　the　moon　herself；　and　I　tried

to　reckon　the　seconds　before　she　must　appear。　　Then　she　sprang　up

quickly；　and　in　a　moment　more　hung　round　and　perfect　in　the　sky。　　I

gazed　at　her；　and　then　at　the　floating　spray　of　the　tall　fountains；

and　down　at　the　pools；　where　the　water　lilies　were　rocking　softly

in　their　sleep　on　the　velvet　surface　of　the　moonlit　water。　　Just

then　a　great　swan　floated　out　silently　into　the　midst　of　the　basin；

and　wreathed　his　long　neck；　catching　the　water　in　his　broad　bill；

and　scattering　showers　of　diamonds　around　him。



Suddenly；　as　I　gazed；　something　came　between　me　and　the　light。　　I

looked　up　instantly。　　Between　me　and　the　round　disk　of　the　moon

rose　a　luminous　face　of　a　woman；　with　great　strange　eyes；　and　a

woman's　mouth；　full　and　soft；　but　not　smiling；　hooded　in　black；

staring　at　me　as　I　sat　still　upon　my　bench。　　She　was　close　to　me

so　close　that　I　could　have　touched　her　with　my　hand。　　But　I　was

transfixed　and　helpless。　　She　stood　still　for　a　moment；　but　her

expression　did　not　change。　　Then　she　passed　swiftly　away；　and　my

hair　stood　up　on　my　head；　while　the　cold　breeze　from　her　white

dress　was　wafted　to　my　temples　as　she　moved。　　The　moonlight；

shining　through　the　tossing　spray　of　the　fountain；　made　traceries

of　shadow　on　the　gleaming　folds　of　her　garments。　　In　an　instant　she

was　gone　and　I　was　alone。



I　was　strangely　shaken　by　the　vision；　and　some　time　passed　before　I

could　rise　to　my　feet；　for　I　was　still　weak　from　my　illness；　and

the　sight　I　had　seen　would　have　startled　anyone。　　I　did　not　reason

with　myself；　for　I　was　certain　that　I　had　looked　on　the　unearthly；

and　no　argument　could　have　destroyed　that　belief。　　At　last　I　got　up

and　stood　unsteadily；　gazing　in　the　direction　in　which　I　thought

the　face　had　gone；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seennothing　but

the　broad　paths；　the　tall；　dark　evergreen　hedges；　the　tossing　water

of　the　fountains　and　the　smooth　pool　below。　　I　fell　back　upon　the

seat　and　recalled　the　face　I　had　seen。　　Strange　to　say；　now　that

the　first　impression　had　passed；　there　was　nothing　startling　in　the

recollection；　on　the　contrary；　I　felt　that　I　was　fascinated　by　the

face；　and　would　give　anything　to　see　it　again。　　I　could　retrace　the

beautiful　straight　features；　the　long　dark　eyes；　and　the　wonderful

mouth　most　exactly　in　my　mind；　and　when　I　had　reconstructed　every

detail　from　memory　I　knew　that　the　whole　was　beautiful；　and　that　I

should　love　a　woman　with　such　a　face。



〃I　wonder　whether　she　is　the　Woman　of　the　Water！〃　I　said　to　myself。

Then　rising　once　more；　I　wandered　down　the　garden；　descending　one

short　flight　of　steps　after　another　from　terrace　to　terrace　by　the

edge　of　the　marble　basins；　through　the　shadow　and　through　the

moonlight；　and　I　crossed　the　water　by　the　rustic　bridge　above　the

artificial　grotto；　and　climbed　slowly　up　again　to　the　highest

terrace　by　the　other　side。　　The　air　seemed　sweeter；　and　I　was　very

calm；　so　that　I　think　I　smiled　to　myself　as　I　walked；　as　though　a

new　happiness　had　come　to　me。　　The　woman's　face　seemed　always

before　me；　and　the　thought　of　it　gave　me　an　unwonted　thrill　of

pleasure；　unlike　anything　I　had　ever　felt　before。



I　turned　as　I　reached　the　house；　and　looked　back　upon　the　scene。

It　had　certainly　changed　in　the　short　hour　since　I　had　come　out；

and　my　mood　had　changed　with　it。　　Just　like　my　luck；　I　thought；　to

fall　in　love　with　a　ghost！　　But　in　old　times　I　would　have　sighed；

and　gone　to　bed　more　sad　than　ever；　at　such　a　melancholy

conclusion。　　To…night　I　felt　happy；　almost　for　the　first　time　in　my

life。　　The　gloomy　old　study　seemed　cheerful　when　I　went　in。　　The

old　pictures　on　the　walls　smiled　at　me；　and　I　sat　down　in　my　deep

chair　with　a　new　and　delightful　sensation　that　I　was　not　alone。

The　idea　of　having　seen　a　ghost；　and　of　feeling　much　the　better　for

it；　was　so　absurd　that　I　laughed　softly；　as　I　took　up　one　of　the


books　I　had　brought　with　me　and　began　to　read。



That　impression　did　not　wear　off。　　I　slept　peacefully；　and　in　the

morning　I　threw　open　my　windows　to　the　summer　air　and　looked　down

at　the　garden；　at　the　stretches　of　green　and　at　the　colored　flower…

beds；　at　the　circling　swallows　and　at　the　bright　water。



〃A　man　might　make　a　paradise　of　this　place；〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃A　man

and　a　woman　together！〃



From　that　day　the　old　Castle　no　longer　seemed　gloomy；　and　I　think　I

ceased　to　be　sad；　for　some　time；　too；　I　began　to　take　an　interest

in　the　place；　and　to　try　and　make　it　more　alive。　　I　avoided　my　old

Welsh　nurse；　lest　she　should　damp　my　humor　with　some　dismal

prophecy；　and　recall　my　old　self　by　bringing　back　memories　of　my

dismal　childhood。　　But　what　I　thought　of　most　was　the　ghostly

figure　I　had　seen　in　the　garden　that　first　night　after　my　arrival。

I　went　out　every　evening　and　wandered　through　the　walks　and　paths；

but；　try　as　I　might；　I　did　not　see　my　vision　again。　　At　last；　after

many　days；　the　memory　grew　more　faint；　and　my　old　moody　nature

gradually　overcame　the　temporary　sense　of　lightness　I　had

experienced。　　The　summer　turned　to　autumn；　and　I　grew　restless。　　It

began　to　rain。　　The　dampness　pervaded　the　gardens；　and　the　outer

halls　smelled　musty；　like　tombs；　the　gray　sky　oppressed　me

intolerably。　　I　left　the　place　as　it　was　and　went　abroad；

determined　to　try　anything　which　might　possibly　make　a　second　break

in　the　monotonous　melancholy　from　which　I　suffered。





II





Most　people　would　be　struck　by　the　utter　insignificance　of　the

small　events　which；　after　the　death　of　my　parents；　influenced　my

life　and　made　me　unhappy。　　The　grewsome　forebodings　of　a　Welsh

nurse；　which　chanced　to　be　realized　by　an　odd　coincidence　of

events；　should　not　seem　enough　to　change　the　nature　of　a　child　and

to　direct　the　bent　of　his　character　in　after　years。　　The　little

disappointments　of　schoolboy　life；　and　the　somewhat　less　childish

ones　of　an　uneventful　and　undistinguished　academic　career；　should

not　have　sufficed　to　turn　me　out　at　one…and…twenty　years　of　age　a

melancholic；　listless　idler。　　Some　weakness　of　my　own　character　may

have　contributed　to　the　result；　but　in　a　greater　degree　it　was　due

to　my　having　a　reputation　for　bad　luck。　　However；　I　will　not　try　to

analyze　the　causes　of　my　state；　for　I　should　satisfy　nobody；　least

of　all　myself。　　Still　less　will　I　attempt　to　explain　why　I　felt　a

temporary　revival　of　my　spirits　after　my　adventure　in　the　garden。

It　is　certain　that　I　was　in　love　with　the　face　I　had　seen；　and　that

I　longed　to　see　it　again；　that　I　gave　up　all　hope　of　a　second

visitation；　grew　more　sad　than　ever；　packed　up　my　traps；　and

finally　went　abroad。　　But　in　my　dreams　I　went　back　to　my　home；　and

it　always　appeared　to　me　sunny　and　bright；　as　it　had　looked　on　that

summer's　morning　after　I　had　seen　the　woman　by　the　fountain。



I　went　to　Paris。　　I　went　farther；　and　wandered　about　Germany。　　I

tried　to　amuse　myself；　and　I　failed　miserably。　　With　the　aimless

whims　of　an　idle　and　useless　man　come　all　sorts　of　suggestions　for

good　resolutions。　　One　day　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　go　and

bury　myself　in　a　German　university　for　a　time；　and　live　simply　like

a　poor　student。　　I　started　with　the　intention　of　going　to　Leipzig；

determined　to　stay　there　until　some　event　should　direct　my　life　or

change　my　humor；　or　make　an　end　of　me　altogether。　　The　express

train　stopped　at　some　station　of　which　I　did　not　know　the　name。　　It

was　dusk　on　a　winter's　afternoon；　and　I　peered　through　the　thick

glass　from　my　seat。　　Suddenly　another　train　came　gliding　in　from

the　opposite　direction；　and　stopped　alongside　of　ours。　　I　looked　at

the　carriage　which　chanced　to　be　abreast　of　mine；　and　idly　read　the