malvina of brittany-第3章
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made the place its nest。 But then what animal was ever known to
sleep so soundly as not to be disturbed by human footsteps？ If
wounded； and so unable to escape； it would not be breathing with
that quiet； soft regularity； contrasting so strangely with the
stillness and the silence all round。 Possibly an owl's nest。 Young
owlets make that sort of noisethe 〃snorers；〃 so country people
call them。 Young Raffleton threw away his cigar and went down upon
his knees to grope among the shadows； and； doing so； he touched
something warm and soft and yielding。
But it wasn't an owl。 He must have touched her very lightly； for
even then she did not wake。 She lay there with her head upon her
arm。 And now close to her； his eyes growing used to the shadows； he
saw her quite plainly； the wonder of the parted lips； the gleam of
the white limbs beneath their flimsy covering。
Of course； what he ought to have done was to have risen gently and
moved away。 Then he could have coughed。 And if that did not wake
her he might have touched her lightly； say； on the shoulder； and
have called to her； first softly； then a little louder；
〃Mademoiselle；〃 or 〃Mon enfant。〃 Even better； he might have stolen
away on tiptoe and left her there sleeping。
This idea does not seem to have occurred to him。 One makes the
excuse for him that he was but three…and…twenty； that； framed in the
purple moonlight； she seemed to him the most beautiful creature his
eyes had ever seen。 And then there was the brooding mystery of it
all； that atmosphere of far…off primeval times from which the roots
of life still draw their sap。 One takes it he forgot that he was
Flight Commander Raffleton； officer and gentleman； forgot the proper
etiquette applying to the case of ladies found sleeping upon lonely
moors without a chaperon。 Greater still； the possibility that he
never thought of anything at all； but； just impelled by a power
beyond himself； bent down and kissed her。
Not a platonic kiss upon the brow； not a brotherly kiss upon the
cheek； but a kiss full upon the parted lips； a kiss of worship and
amazement； such as that with which Adam in all probability awakened
Eve。
Her eyes opened； and； just a little sleepily； she looked at him。
There could have been no doubt in her mind as to what had happened。
His lips were still pressing hers。 But she did not seem in the
least surprised； and most certainly not angry。 Raising herself to a
sitting posture； she smiled and held out her hand that he might help
her up。 And； alone in that vast temple； star…roofed and moon…
illumined； beside that grim grey altar of forgotten rites； hand in
hand they stood and looked at one another。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Commander Raffleton。 〃I'm afraid I have
disturbed you。〃
He remembered afterwards that in his confusion he had spoken to her
in English。 But she answered him in French； a quaint； old…fashioned
French such as one rarely finds but in the pages of old missals。 He
would have had some difficulty in translating it literally； but the
meaning of it was； adapted to our modern idiom：
〃Don't mention it。 I'm so glad you've come。〃
He gathered she had been expecting him。 He was not quite sure
whether he ought not to apologise for being apparently a little
late。 True； he had no recollection of any such appointment。 But
then at that particular moment Commander Raffleton may be said to
have had no consciousness of anything beyond just himself and the
wondrous other beside him。 Somewhere outside was moonlight and a
world； but all that seemed unimportant。 It was she who broke the
silence。
〃How did you get here？〃 she asked。
He did not mean to be enigmatical。 He was chiefly concerned with
still gazing at her。
〃I flew here；〃 he answered。 Her eyes opened wider at that； but with
interest； not doubt。
〃Where are your wings？〃 she asked。 She was leaning sideways； trying
to get a view of his back。
He laughed。 It made her seem more human； that curiosity about his
back。
〃Over there；〃 he answered。 She looked； and for the first time saw
the great shimmering sails gleaming like silver under the moonlight。
She moved towards it； and he followed； noticing without surprise
that the heather seemed to make no sign of yielding to the pressure
of her white feet。
She halted a little away from it； and he came and stood beside her。
Even to Commander Raffleton himself it looked as if the great wings
were quivering； like the outstretched pinions of a bird preening
itself before flight。
〃Is it alive？〃 she asked。
〃Not till I whisper to it；〃 he answered。 He was losing a little of
his fear of her。 She turned to him。
〃Shall we go？〃 she asked。
He stared at her。 She was quite serious； that was evident。 She was
to put her hand in his and go away with him。 It was all settled。
That is why he had come。 To her it did not matter where。 That was
his affair。 But where he went she was to go。 That was quite
clearly the programme in her mind。
To his credit； let it be recorded； he did make an effort。 Against
all the forces of nature； against his twenty…three years and the red
blood pulsing in his veins； against the fumes of the midsummer
moonlight encompassing him and the voices of the stars； against the
demons of poetry and romance and mystery chanting their witches'
music in his ears； against the marvel and the glory of her as she
stood beside him； clothed in the purple of the night； Flight
Commander Raffleton fought the good fight for common sense。
Young persons who； scantily clad； go to sleep on the heather； five
miles from the nearest human habitation； are to be avoided by
well…brought…up young officers of His Majesty's Aerial Service。 The
incidence of their being uncannily beautiful and alluring should
serve as an additional note of warning。 The girl had had a row with
her mother and wanted to get away。 It was this infernal moonlight
that was chiefly responsible。 No wonder dogs bayed at it。 He
almost fancied he could hear one now。 Nice； respectable；
wholesome…minded things； dogs。 No damned sentiment about them。
What if he had kissed her！ One is not bound for life to every woman
one kisses。 Not the first time she had been kissed； unless all the
young men in Brittany were blind or white blooded。 All this
pretended innocence and simplicity！ It was just put on。 If not；
she must be a lunatic。 The proper thing to do was to say good…bye
with a laugh and a jest； start up his machine and be off to
Englanddear old practical； merry England； where he could get
breakfast and a bath。
It wasn't a fair fight； one feels it。 Poor little prim Common
Sense； with her defiant； turned…up nose and her shrill giggle and
her innate vulgarity。 And against her the stillness of the night；
and the music of the ages； and the beating of his heart。
So it all fell down about his feet； a little crumbled dust that a
passing breath of wind seemed to scatter； leaving him helpless；
spellbound by the magic of her eyes。
〃Who are you？〃 he asked her。
〃Malvina；〃 she answered him。 〃I am a fairy。〃
III。 HOW COUSIN CHRISTOPHER BECAME MIXED UP WITH IT。
It did just occur to him that maybe he had not made that descent
quite as successfully as he had thought he had； that maybe he had
come down on his head； that in consequence he had done with the
experiences of Flight Commander Raffleton and was now about to enter
on a new and less circumscribed existence。 If so； the beginning； to
an adventuresome young spirit； seemed promising。 It was Malvina's
voice that recalled him from this train of musing。
〃Shall we go？〃 she repeated； and this time the note in her voice
suggested command rather than question。
Why not？ Whatever had happened to him； at whatever plane of
existence he was now arrived； the machine apparently had followed
him。 Mechanically he started it up。 The familiar whir of the
engine brought back to him the possibility of his being alive in the
ordinary acceptation of the term。 It also suggested to him the
practical advisability of insisting that Malvina should put on his
spare coat。 Malvina being five feet three； and the coat having been
built for a ma
