stories by modern american authors-第79节

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richness　of　the　panels　matched　well　with　the　ruddy　gleam　from　the

enormous　wood…fire；　in　which；　crackling　and　glowing；　now　lay　the

mighty　Yule　log。　　Quite　a　blood…red　luster　poured　forth　from　the

fire；　and　quivered　on　the　walls　and　the　groined　roof。　　We　had

gathered　round　the　vast　antique　hearth　in　a　wide　circle。　　The

quivering　light　of　the　fire　and　candles　fell　upon　us　all；　but　not

equally；　for　some　were　in　shadow。　　I　remember　still　how　tall　and

manly　and　handsome　Reginald　looked　that　night；　taller　by　the　head

than　any　there；　and　full　of　high　spirits　and　gayety。　　I；　too；　was

in　the　highest　spirits；　never　had　my　bosom　felt　lighter；　and　I

believe　it　was　my　mirth　that　gradually　gained　the　rest；　for　I

recollect　what　a　blithe；　joyous　company　we　seemed。　　All　save　one。

Lady　Speldhurst；　dressed　in　gray　silk　and　wearing　a　quaint　head…

dress；　sat　in　her　armchair；　facing　the　fire；　very　silent；　with　her

hands　and　her　sharp　chin　propped　on　a　sort　of　ivory…handled　crutch

that　she　walked　with　（for　she　was　lame）；　peering　at　me　with　half…

shut　eyes。　　She　was　a　little；　spare　old　woman；　with　very　keen；

delicate　features　of　the　French　type。　　Her　gray　silk　dress；　her

spotless　lace；　old…fashioned　jewels；　and　prim　neatness　of　array；

were　well　suited　to　the　intelligence　of　her　face；　with　its　thin

lips；　and　eyes　of　a　piercing　black；　undimmed　by　age。　　Those　eyes

made　me　uncomfortable；　in　spite　of　my　gayety；　as　they　followed　my

every　movement　with　curious　scrutiny。　　Still　I　was　very　merry　and

gay；　my　sisters　even　wondered　at　my　ever…ready　mirth；　which　was

almost　wild　in　its　excess。　　I　have　heard　since　then　of　the　Scottish

belief　that　those　doomed　to　some　great　calamity　become　fey；　and　are

never　so　disposed　for　merriment　and　laughter　as　just　before　the

blow　falls。　　If　ever　mortal　was　fey；　then　I　was　so　on　that　evening。

Still；　though　I　strove　to　shake　it　off；　the　pertinacious

observation　of　old　Lady　Speldhurst's　eyes　DID　make　an　impression　on

me　of　a　vaguely　disagreeable　nature。　　Others；　too；　noticed　her

scrutiny　of　me；　but　set　it　down　as　a　mere　eccentricity　of　a　person

always　reputed　whimsical；　to　say　the　least　of　it。



However；　this　disagreeable　sensation　lasted　but　a　few　moments。

After　a　short　pause　my　aunt　took　her　part　in　the　conversation；　and

we　found　ourselves　listening　to　a　weird　legend；　which　the　old　lady

told　exceedingly　well。　　One　tale　led　to　another。　　Everyone　was

called　on　in　turn　to　contribute　to　the　public　entertainment；　and

story　after　story；　always　relating　to　demonology　and　witchcraft；

succeeded。　　It　was　Christmas；　the　season　for　such　tales；　and　the

old　room；　with　its　dusky　walls　and　pictures；　and　vaulted　roof；

drinking　up　the　light　so　greedily；　seemed　just　fitted　to　give

effect　to　such　legendary　lore。　　The　huge　logs　crackled　and　burned

with　glowing　warmth；　the　blood…red　glare　of　the　Yule　log　flashed　on

the　faces　of　the　listeners　and　narrator；　on　the　portraits；　and　the

holly　wreathed　about　their　frames；　and　the　upright　old　dame；　in　her

antiquated　dress　and　trinkets；　like　one　of　the　originals　of　the

pictures；　stepped　from　the　canvas　to　join　our　circle。　　It　threw　a

shimmering　luster　of　an　ominously　ruddy　hue　upon　the　oaken　panels。

No　wonder　that　the　ghost　and　goblin　stories　had　a　new　zest。　　No

wonder　that　the　blood　of　the　more　timid　grew　chill　and　curdled；

that　their　flesh　crept；　that　their　hearts　beat　irregularly；　and　the

girls　peeped　fearfully　over　their　shoulders；　and　huddled　close

together　like　frightened　sheep；　and　half　fancied　they　beheld　some

impish　and　malignant　face　gibbering　at　them　from　the　darkling

corners　of　the　old　room。　　By　degrees　my　high　spirits　died　out；　and

I　felt　the　childish　tremors；　long　latent；　long　forgotten；　coming

over　me。　　I　followed　each　story　with　painful　interest；　I　did　not

ask　myself　if　I　believed　the　dismal　tales。　　I　listened；　and　fear

grew　upon　methe　blind；　irrational　fear　of　our　nursery　days。　　I　am

sure　most　of　the　other　ladies　present；　young　or　middle…aged；　were

affected　by　the　circumstances　under　which　these　traditions　were

heard；　no　less　than　by　the　wild　and　fantastic　character　of　them。

But　with　them　the　impression　would　die　out　next　morning；　when　the

bright　sun　should　shine　on　the　frosted　boughs；　and　the　rime　on　the

grass；　and　the　scarlet　berries　and　green　spikelets　of　the　holly；

and　with　mebut；　ah！　what　was　to　happen　ere　another　day　dawn？

Before　we　had　made　an　end　of　this　talk　my　father　and　the　other

squires　came　in；　and　we　ceased　our　ghost　stories；　ashamed　to　speak

of　such　matters　before　these　new…comershard…headed；　unimaginative

men；　who　had　no　sympathy　with　idle　legends。　　There　was　now　a　stir

and　bustle。



Servants　were　handing　round　tea　and　coffee；　and　other　refreshments。

Then　there　was　a　little　music　and　singing。　　I　sang　a　duet　with

Reginald；　who　had　a　fine　voice　and　good　musical　skill。　　I　remember

that　my　singing　was　much　praised；　and　indeed　I　was　surprised　at　the

power　and　pathos　of　my　own　voice；　doubtless　due　to　my　excited

nerves　and　mind。　　Then　I　heard　someone　say　to　another　that　I　was　by

far　the　cleverest　of　the　Squire's　daughters；　as　well　as　the

prettiest。　　It　did　not　make　me　vain。　　I　had　no　rivalry　with　Lucy

and　Minnie。　　But　Reginald　whispered　some　soft；　fond　words　in　my　ear

a　little　before　he　mounted　his　horse　to　set　off　homeward；　which　DID

make　me　happy　and　proud。　　And　to　think　that　the　next　time　we　met

but　I　forgave　him　long　ago。　　Poor　Reginald！　　And　now　shawls　and

cloaks　were　in　request；　and　carriages　rolled　up　to　the　porch；　and

the　guests　gradually　departed。　　At　last　no　one　was　left　but　those

visitors　staying　in　the　house。　　Then　my　father；　who　had　been　called

out　to　speak　with　the　bailiff　of　the　estate；　came　back　with　a　look

of　annoyance　on　his　face。



〃A　strange　story　I　have　just　been　told；〃　said　he；　〃here　has　been　my

bailiff　to　inform　me　of　the　loss　of　four　of　the　choicest　ewes　out

of　that　little　flock　of　Southdowns　I　set　such　store　by；　and　which

arrived　in　the　north　but　two　months　since。　　And　the　poor　creatures

have　been　destroyed　in　so　strange　a　manner；　for　their　carcasses　are

horribly　mangled。〃



Most　of　us　uttered　some　expression　of　pity　or　surprise；　and　some

suggested　that　a　vicious　dog　was　probably　the　culprit。



〃It　would　seem　so；〃　said　my　father；　〃it　certainly　seems　the　work　of

a　dog；　and　yet　all　the　men　agree　that　no　dog　of　such　habits　exists

near　us；　where；　indeed；　dogs　are　scarce；　excepting　the　shepherds'

collies　and　the　sporting　dogs　secured　in　yards。　　Yet　the　sheep　are

gnawed　and　bitten；　for　they　show　the　marks　of　teeth。　　Something　has

done　this；　and　has　torn　their　bodies　wolfishly；　but　apparently　it

has　been　only　to　suck　the　blood；　for　little　or　no　flesh　is　gone。〃



〃How　strange！〃　cried　several　voices。　　Then　some　of　the　gentlemen

remembered　to　have　heard　of　cases　when　dogs　addicted　to　sheep…

killing　had　destroyed　whole　flocks；　as　if　in　sheer　wantonness；

scarcely　deigning　to　taste　a　morsel　of　each　slain　wether。



My　father　shook　his　head。　　〃I　have　heard　of　such　cases；　too；〃　he

said；　〃but　in　this　instance　I　am　tempted　to　think　the　malice　of

some　unknown　enemy　has　been　at　work。　　The　teeth　of　a　dog　have　been

busy；　no　doubt；　but　the　poor　sheep　have　been　mutilated　in　a

fantastic　manner；　as　strange　as　horrible；　their　hearts；　in

especial；　have　been　torn　out；　and　left　at　some　paces　off；　half…

gnawed。　　Also；　the　men　persist　that　they　found　the　print　of　a　naked

human　foot　in　the　soft　mud　of　the　ditch；　and　near　itthis。〃　　And

he　held　up　what　seemed　a　broken　link　of　a　rusted　iron　chain。



Many　were　the　ejaculations　of　wonder　and　alarm；　and　many　and　shrewd

the　conjectures；　but　none　seemed　exactly　to　suit　the　bearings　of

the　case。　　And　when　my　father　went　on　to　say　that　two　lambs　of　the

same　valuable　breed　had　perished　in　the　same　singular　manner　three

days　previously；　and　that　they　also　were　found　mangled　and　gore…

stained；　the　amazement　reached　a　higher　pitch。　　Old　Lady　Speldhurst

listened　with　calm；　intelligent　attention；　but　joined　in　none　of

our　exclamations。　　At　length　she　said　to　my　father；　〃Try　and

recollecthave　you　no　enemy　among　your　neighbors？〃　　My　father

started；　and　knit　his　brows。　　〃Not　one　that　I　know　of；〃　he　replied；

and　indeed　he　was　a　popular　man　and　a　kind　landlord。　　〃The　more

lucky　you；〃　said　the　old　dame；　with　one　of　her　grim　smiles。　　It　was

now　late；　and　we　retired　to　rest　before　long。　　One　by　one　the

guests　dropped　off。　　I　was　the　member　of　the　family　selected　to

escort　old　Lady　Speldhurst　to　her　roomthe　room　I　had　vacated　in

her　favor。　　I　did　not　much　like　the　office。　　I　felt　a　remarkable

repugnance　to　my　godmother；　but　my　worthy　aunts　insisted　so　much

that　I　should　ingratiate　myself　with　one　who　had　so　much　to　leave

that　I　could　not　but　comply。　　The　visitor　hobbled　up　the　broad

oaken　stairs　actively　enough；　propped　on　my　arm　and　her　ivory

crutch。　　The　room　never　had　looked　more　genial　and　pretty；　with　its

brisk　fire；　modern　furniture；　and　the　gay