aaron trow-第3章

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you　were　in　trouble。〃

〃Women　don't　get　into　trouble　as　men　do；　and　do　not　want　any　one　to
help　them。　　If　you　were　alone　in　the　house　you　would　have　to　go　to
bed　without　your　supper；　because　you　could　not　make　a　basin　of
boiled　milk　ready　for　your　own　meal。　　Now；　when　your　reverence　has
gone；　I　shall　go　to　work　and　have　my　tea　comfortably。〃　　And　then　he
did　go；　bidding　God　bless　her　as　he　left　her。　　Three　hours　after
that　he　was　disturbed　in　his　own　lodgings　by　one　of　the　negro　girls
from　the　cottage　rushing　to　his　door；　and　begging　him　in　Heaven's
name　to　come　down　to　the　assistance　of　her　mistress。

When　Morton　left　her；　Anastasia　did　not　proceed　to　do　as　she　had
said；　and　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her　evening　meal。　　She　had　been
working　sedulously　with　her　needle　during　all　that　last
conversation；　but　when　her　lover　was　gone；　she　allowed　the　work　to
fall　from　her　hands；　and　sat　motionless　for　awhile；　gazing　at　the
last　streak　of　colour　left　by　the　setting　sun；　but　there　was　no
longer　a　sign　of　its　glory　to　be　traced　in　the　heavens　around　her。
The　twilight　in　Bermuda　is　not　long　and　enduring　as　it　is　with　us；
though　the　daylight　does　not　depart　suddenly；　leaving　the　darkness
of　night　behind　it　without　any　intermediate　time　of　warning；　as　is
the　case　farther　south；　down　among　the　islands　of　the　tropics。　　But
the　soft；　sweet　light　of　the　evening　had　waned　and　gone；　and　night
had　absolutely　come　upon　her；　while　Anastasia　was　still　seated
before　the　cottage　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　white　streak　of
motionless　sea　which　was　still　visible　through　the　gloom。　　She　was
thinking　of　him；　of　his　ways　of　life；　of　his　happiness；　and　of　her
duty　towards　him。　　She　had　told　him；　with　her　pretty　feminine
falseness；　that　she　could　wait　without　impatience；　but　now　she　said
to　herself　that　it　would　not　be　good　for　him　to　wait　longer。　　He
lived　alone　and　without　comfort；　working　very　hard　for　his　poor
pittance；　and　she　could　see；　and　feel；　and　understand　that　a
companion　in　his　life　was　to　him　almost　a　necessity。　　She　would　tell
her　father　that　all　this　must　be　brought　to　an　end。　　She　would　not
ask　him　for　money；　but　she　would　make　him　understand　that　her
services　must；　at　any　rate　in　part；　be　transferred。　　Why　should　not
she　and　Morton　still　live　at　the　cottage　when　they　were　married？
And　so　thinking；　and　at　last　resolving；　she　sat　there　till　the　dark
night　fell　upon　her。

She　was　at　last　disturbed　by　feeling　a　man's　hand　upon　her　shoulder。
She　jumped　from　her　chair　and　faced　him；not　screaming；　for　it　was
especially　within　her　power　to　control　herself；　and　to　make　no
utterance　except　with　forethought。　　Perhaps　it　might　have　been
better　for　her　had　she　screamed；　and　sent　a　shrill　shriek　down　the
shore　of　that　inland　sea。　　She　was　silent；　however；　and　with　awe…
struck　face　and　outstretched　hands　gazed　into　the　face　of　him　who
still　held　her　by　the　shoulder。　　The　night　was　dark；　but　her　eyes
were　now　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　and　she　could　see　indistinctly
something　of　his　features。　　He　was　a　low…sized　man；　dressed　in　a
suit　of　sailor's　blue　clothing；　with　a　rough　cap　of　hair　on　his
head；　and　a　beard　that　had　not　been　clipped　for　many　weeks。　　His
eyes　were　large；　and　hollow；　and　frightfully　bright；　so　that　she
seemed　to　see　nothing　else　of　him；　but　she　felt　the　strength　of　his
fingers　as　he　grasped　her　tighter　and　more　tightly　by　the　arm。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　said；　after　a　moment's　pause。

〃Do　you　know　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Know　you！　　No。〃　　But　the　words　were　hardly　out　of　her　mouth　before
it　struck　her　that　the　man　was　Aaron　Trow；　of　whom　every　one　in
Bermuda　had　been　talking。

〃Come　into　the　house；〃　he　said；　〃and　give　me　food。〃　　And　he　still
held　her　with　his　hand　as　though　he　would　compel　her　to　follow　him。

She　stood　for　a　moment　thinking　what　she　would　say　to　him；　for　even
then；　with　that　terrible　man　standing　close　to　her　in　the　darkness；
her　presence　of　mind　did　not　desert　her。　　〃Surely；〃　she　said；　〃I
will　give　you　food　if　you　are　hungry。　　But　take　your　hand　from　me。
No　man　would　lay　his　hands　on　a　woman。〃

〃A　woman！〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃What　does　the　starved　wolf　care　for
that？　　A　woman's　blood　is　as　sweet　to　him　as　that　of　a　man。　　Come
into　the　house；　I　tell　you。〃　　And　then　she　preceded　him　through　the
open　door　into　the　narrow　passage；　and　thence　to　the　kitchen。　　There
she　saw　that　the　back　door；　leading　out　on　the　other　side　of　the
house；　was　open；　and　she　knew　that　he　had　come　down　from　the　road
and　entered　on　that　side。　　She　threw　her　eyes　around；　looking　for
the　negro　girls；　but　they　were　away；　and　she　remembered　that　there
was　no　human　being　within　sound　of　her　voice　but　this　man　who　had
told　her　that　he　was　as　a　wolf　thirsty　after　her　blood！

〃Give　me　food　at　once；〃　he　said。

〃And　will　you　go　if　I　give　it　you？〃　she　asked。

〃I　will　knock　out　your　brains　if　you　do　not；〃　he　replied；　lifting
from　the　grate　a　short；　thick　poker　which　lay　there。　　〃Do　as　I　bid
you　at　once。　　You　also　would　be　like　a　tiger　if　you　had　fasted　for
two　days；　as　I　have　done。〃

She　could　see；　as　she　moved　across　the　kitchen；　that　he　had　already
searched　there　for　something　that　he　might　eat；　but　that　he　had
searched　in　vain。　　With　the　close　economy　common　among　his　class　in
the　islands；　all　comestibles　were　kept　under　close　lock　and　key　in
the　house　of　Mr。　Bergen。　　Their　daily　allowance　was　given　day　by　day
to　the　negro　servants；　and　even　the　fragments　were　then　gathered　up
and　locked　away　in　safety。　　She　moved　across　the　kitchen　to　the
accustomed　cupboard；　taking　the　keys　from　her　pocket；　and　he
followed　close　upon　her。　　There　was　a　small　oil　lamp　hanging　from
the　low　ceiling　which　just　gave　them　light　to　see　each　other。　　She
lifted　her　hand　to　this　to　tare　it　from　its　hook；　but　he　prevented
her。　　〃No；　by　Heaven！〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　touch　that　till　I've　done
with　it。　　There's　light　enough　for　you　to　drag　out　your　scraps。〃

She　did　drag　out　her　scraps　and　a　bowl　of　milk；　which　might　hold
perhaps　a　quart。　　There　was　a　fragment　of　bread；　a　morsel　of　cold
potato…cake；　and　the　bone　of　a　leg　of　kid。　　〃And　is　that　all？〃　said
he。　　But　as　he　spoke　he　fleshed　his　teeth　against　the　bone　as　a　dog
would　have　done。

〃It　is　the　best　I　have；〃　she　said；　〃I　wish　it　were　better；　and　you
should　have　had　it　without　violence；　as　you　have　suffered　so　long
from　hunger。〃

〃Bah！　　Better；　yes！　　You　would　give　the　best　no　doubt；　and　set　the
hell　hounds　on　my　track　the　moment　I　am　gone。　　I　know　how　much　I
might　expect　from　your　charity。〃

〃I　would　have　fed　you　for　pity's　sake；〃　she　answered。

〃Pity！　　Who　are　you；　that　you　should　dare　to　pity　me！　　By　…；　my
young　woman；　it　is　I　that　pity　you。　　I　must　cut　your　throat　unless
you　give　me　money。　　Do　you　know　that？〃

〃Money！　　I　have　got　no　money。〃

〃I'll　make　you　have　some　before　I　go。　　Come；　don't　move　till　I　have
done。〃　　And　as　he　spoke　to　her　he　went　on　tugging　at　the　bone；　and
swallowing　the　lumps　of　stale　bread。　　He　had　already　finished　the
bowl　of　milk。　　〃And；　now；〃　said　he；　〃tell　me　who　I　am。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　Aaron　Trow；〃　she　answered；　very　slowly。　　He　said
nothing　on　hearing　this；　but　continued　his　meal；　standing　close　to
her　so　that　she　might　not　possibly　escape　from　him　out　into　the
darkness。　　Twice　or　thrice　in　those　few　minutes　she　made　up　her　mind
to　make　such　an　attempt；　feeling　that　it　would　be　better　to　leave
him　in　possession　of　the　house；　and　make　sure；　if　possible；　of　her
own　life。　　There　was　no　money　there；　not　a　dollar！　　What　money　her
father　kept　in　his　possession　was　locked　up　in　his　safe　at　Hamilton。
And　might　he　not　keep　to　his　threat；　and　murder　her；　when　he　found
that　she　could　give　him　nothing？　　She　did　not　tremble　outwardly；　as
she　stood　there　watching　him　as　he　ate；　but　she　thought　how　probable
it　might　be　that　her　last　moments　were　very　near。　　And　yet　she　could
scrutinise　his　features；　form；　and　garments；　so　as　to　carry　away　in
her　mind　a　perfect　picture　of　them。　　Aaron　Trowfor　of　course　it
was　the　escaped　convictwas　not　a　man　of　frightful；　hideous　aspect。
Had　the　world　used　him　well；　giving　him　when　he　was　young　ample
wages　and　separating　him　from　turbulent　spirits；　he　als