the trees of pride-第6节

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amland；　for　a　few　seconds　later　he　was　again　asleep。　In　dreams　he　toiled　through　a　tangle　of　inconclusive　tales；　each　filled　with　the　same　stress　and　noise　of　sea　and　sea　wind；　and　above　and　outside　all　other　voices　the　wailing　of　the　Trees　of　Pride。

When　he　woke　it　was　broad　day；　and　a　bloom　of　early　light　lay　on　wood　and　garden　and　on　fields　and　farms　for　miles　away。　The　comparative　common　sense　that　daylight　brings　even　to　the　sleepless　drew　him　alertly　to　his　feet；　and　showed　him　all　his　companions　standing　about　the　lawn　in　similar　attitudes　of　expectancy。　There　was　no　need　to　ask　what　they　were　expecting。　　They　were　waiting　to　hear　the　nocturnal　experiences；　comic　or　commonplace　or　whatever　they　might　prove　to　be；　of　that　eccentric　friend；　whose　experiment　（whether　from　some　subconscious　fear　or　some　fancy　of　honor）　they　had　not　ventured　to　interrupt。　　Hour　followed　hour；　and　still　nothing　stirred　in　the　wood　save　an　occasional　bird。　The　Squire；　like　most　men　of　his　type；　was　an　early　riser；　and　it　was　not　likely　that　he　would　in　this　case　sleep　late；　it　was　much　more　likely；　in　the　excitement　in　which　he　had　left　them；　that　he　would　not　sleep　at　all。　　Yet　it　was　clear　that　he　must　be　sleeping；　perhaps　by　some　reaction　from　a　strain。　By　the　time　the　sun　was　high　in　heaven　Ashe　the　lawyer；　turning　to　the　others；　spoke　abruptly　and　to　the　point。

〃Shall　we　go　into　the　wood　now？〃　asked　Paynter；　and　almost　seemed　to　hesitate。

〃I　will　go　in；〃　said　Treherne　simply。　　Then；　drawing　up　his　dark　head　in　answer　to　their　glances；　he　added：

〃No；　do　not　trouble　yourselves。　　It　is　never　the　believer　who　is　afraid。〃

For　the　second　time　they　saw　a　man　mount　the　white　curling　path　and　disappear　into　the　gray　tangled　wood；　but　this　time　they　did　not　have　to　wait　long　to　see　him　again。

A　few　minutes　later　he　reappeared　in　the　woodland　gateway；　and　came　slowly　toward　them　across　the　grass。　　He　stopped　before　the　doctor；　who　stood　nearest；　and　said　something。　It　was　repeated　to　the　others；　and　went　round　the　ring　with　low　cries　of　incredulity。　　The　others　plunged　into　the　wood　and　returned　wildly；　and　were　seen　speaking　to　others　again　who　gathered　from　the　house；　the　wild　wireless　telegraphy　which　is　the　education　of　countryside　communities　spread　it　farther　and　farther　before　the　fact　itself　was　fully　realized；　and　before　nightfall　a　quarter　of　the　county　knew　that　Squire　Vane　had　vanished　like　a　burst　bubble。

Widely　as　the　wild　story　was　repeated；　and　patiently　as　it　was　pondered；　it　was　long　before　there　was　even　the　beginning　of　a　sequel　to　it。　In　the　interval　Paynter　had　politely　removed　himself　from　the　house　of　mourning；　or　rather　of　questioning；　but　only　so　far　as　the　village　inn；　for　Barbara　Vane　was　glad　of　the　traveler's　experience　and　sympathy；　in　addition　to　that　afforded　her　by　the　lawyer　and　doctor　as　old　friends　of　the　family。　　Even　Treherne　was　not　discouraged　from　his　occasional　visits　with　a　view　to　helping　the　hunt　for　the　lost　man。　The　five　held　many　counsels　round　the　old　garden　table；　at　which　the　unhappy　master　of　the　house　had　dined　for　the　last　time；　and　Barbara　wore　her　old　mask　of　stone；　if　it　was　now　a　more　tragic　mask。　She　had　shown　no　passion　after　the　first　morning　of　discovery；　when　she　had　broken　forth　once；　speaking　strangely　enough　in　the　view　of　some　of　her　hearers。

She　had　come　slowly　out　of　the　house；　to　which　her　own　or　some　one　else's　wisdom　had　relegated　her　during　the　night　of　the　wager；　and　it　was　clear　from　her　face　that　somebody　had　told　her　the　truth；　Miles；　the　butler；　stood　on　the　steps　behind　her；　and　it　was　probably　he。

〃Do　not　be　much　distressed；　Miss　Vane；〃　said　Doctor　Brown；　in　a　low　and　rather　uncertain　voice。　　〃The　search　in　the　wood　has　hardly　begun。　I　am　convinced　we　shall　findsomething　quite　simple。〃

〃The　doctor　is　right；〃　said　Ashe；　in　his　firm　tones；　〃I　myself〃

〃The　doctor　is　not　right；〃　said　the　girl；　turning　a　white　face　on　the　speaker；　〃I　know　better。　　The　poet　is　right。　The　poet　is　always　right。　　Oh；　he　has　been　here　from　the　beginning　of　the　world；　and　seen　wonders　and　terrors　that　are　all　round　our　path；　and　only　hiding　behind　a　bush　or　a　stone。　You　and　your　doctoring　and　your　sciencewhy；　you　have　only　been　here　for　a　few　fumbling　generations；　and　you　can't　conquer　even　your　own　enemies　of　the　flesh。　　Oh；　forgive　me；　Doctor；　I　know　you　do　splendidly；　but　the　fever　comes　in　the　village；　and　the　people　die　and　die　for　all　that。　　And　now　it's　my　poor　father。　God　help　us　all　I　The　only　thing　left　is　to　believe　in　God；　for　we　can't　help　believing　in　devils。〃　　And　she　left　them；　still　walking　quite　slowly；　but　in　such　a　fashion　that　no　one　could　go　after　her。

The　spring　had　already　begun　to　ripen　into　summer；　and　spread　a　green　tent　from　the　tree　over　the　garden　table；　when　the　American　visitor；　sitting　there　with　his　two　professional　companions；　broke　the　silence　by　saying　what　had　long　been　in　his　mind。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　whatever　we　may　think　it　wise　to　say；　we　have　all　begun　to　think　of　a　possible　conclusion。　It　can't　be　put　very　delicately　anyhow；　but；　after　all；　there's　a　very　necessary　business　side　to　it。　　What　are　we　going　to　do　about　poor　Vane's　affairs；　apart　from　himself？　I　suppose　you　know；〃　he　added；　in　a　low　voice　to　the　lawyer；　〃whether　he　made　a　will？〃

〃He　left　everything　to　his　daughter　unconditionally；〃　replied　Ashe。　　〃But　nothing　can　be　done　with　it。　　There's　no　proof　whatever　that　he's　dead。〃　　〃No　legal　proof？〃　remarked　Paynter　dryly。　A　wrinkle　of　irritation　had　appeared　in　the　big　bald　brow　of　Doctor　Brown；　and　he　made　an　impatient　movement。

〃Of　course　he's　dead；〃　he　said。　　〃What's　the　sense　of　all　this　legal　fuss？　　We　were　watching　this　side　of　the　wood；　weren't　we？　A　man　couldn't　have　flown　off　those　high　cliffs　over　the　sea；　he　could　only　have　fallen　off。　　What　else　can　he　be　but　dead？〃

〃I　speak　as　a　lawyer；〃　returned　Ashe；　raising　his　eyebrows。　〃We　can't　presume　his　death；　or　have　an　inquest　or　anything　till　we　find　the　poor　fellow's　body；　or　some　remains　that　may　reasonably　be　presumed　to　be　his　body。〃

〃I　see；〃　observed　Paynter　quietly。　　〃You　speak　as　a　lawyer；　but　I　don't　think　it's　very　hard　to　guess　what　you　think　as　a　man。〃

〃I　own　I'd　rather　be　a　man　than　a　lawyer；〃　said　the　doctor；　rather　roughly。　　〃I'd　no　notion　the　law　was　such　an　ass。　What's　the　good　of　keeping　the　poor　girl　out　of　her　property；　and　the　estate　all　going　to　pieces？　　Well；　I　must　be　off；　or　my　patients　will　be　going　to　pieces　too。〃

And　with　a　curt　salutation　he　pursued　his　path　down　to　the　village。

〃That　man　does　his　duty；　if　anybody　does；〃　remarked　Paynter。　　〃We　must　pardon　hisshall　I　say　manners　or　manner？〃

〃Oh；　I　bear　him　no　malice；〃　replied　Ashe　good…humoredly；　〃But　I'm　glad　he's　gone；　becausewell；　because　I　don't　want　him　to　know　how　jolly　right　he　is。〃　　And　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　stared　up　at　the　roof　of　green　leaves。

〃You　are　sure；〃　said　Paynter；　looking　at　the　table；　〃that　Squire　Vane　is　dead？〃

〃More　than　that；〃　said　Ashe；　still　staring　at　the　leaves。　〃I'm　sure　of　how　he　died。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　American；　with　an　intake　of　breath；　and　they　remained　for　a　moment；　one　gazing　at　the　tree　and　the　other　at　the　table。

〃Sure　is　perhaps　too　strong　a　word；〃　continued　Ashe。　　〃But　my　conviction　will　want　some　shaking。　　I　don't　envy　the　counsel　for　the　defense。〃

〃The　counsel　for　the　defense；〃　repeated　Paynter；　and　looked　up　quickly　at　his　companion。　　He　was　struck　again　by　the　man's　Napoleon'ic　chin　and　jaw；　as　he　had　been　when　they　first　talked　of　the　legend　of　St。　Securis。

〃Then；〃　he　began；　〃you　don't　think　the　trees〃

〃The　trees　be　damned！〃　snorted　the　lawyer。　　〃The　tree　had　two　legs　on　that　evening。　　What　our　friend　the　poet；〃　he　added；　with　a　sneer；　〃would　call　a　walking　tree。　　Apropos　of　our　friend　the　poet；　you　seemed　surprised　that　night　to　find　he　was　not　walking　poetically　by　the　sea　all　the　time；　and　I　fear　I　affected　to　share　your　ignorance。　I　was　not　so　sure　then　as　I　am　now。〃

〃Sure　of　what？〃　demanded　the　other。

〃To　begin　with；〃　said　Ashe；　〃I'm　sure　our　friend　the　poet　followed　Vane　into　the　wood　that　night；　for　I　saw　him　coming　out　again。〃

Paynter　leaned　forward；　suddenly　pale　with　excitement；　and　struck　the　wooden　table　so　that　it　rattled。

〃Mr。　Ashe；　you're　wrong；〃　he　cried。　　〃You're　a　wonderful　man　and　you're　wrong。　　You've　probably　got　tons　of　true　convincing　evidence；　and　you're　wrong。　　I　know　this　poet；　I　know　him　as　a　poet；　and　that's　just　what　you　don't。　I　know　you　think　he　gave　you　crooked　answers；　and　seemed　to　be　all　smiles　and　black　looks　at　once；　but　you　don't　understand　the　type。　I　know　now　why　you　don't　understand　the　Irish。　　Sometimes　you　think　it's　soft；　and　sometimes　sly；　and　sometimes　murderous；　and　sometimes　uncivilized；　and　all　the　time　it's　only　civilized；　quivering　with　the　sensitive　irony　of　understanding　all　that　you　don't　understand。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Ashe　shortly；　〃we'll　see　who's　right。〃

〃We　will；〃　cried　Cyprian；　and　rose　suddenly　from　the　table。　All　the　drooping　of　the　aesthete　had　dropped　from　him；　his　Yankee　accent　rose　high；　like　a　horn　of　defiance；　and　there　was　nothing　about　him　but　the　New　World。

〃I　guess　I　will　look　into　this　myself；〃　he