st. ives-第60章

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were　opened　against　the　coffee…house　windows；　and　at　that　inclement　

signal　I　remembered　I　was　due　elsewhere。









CHAPTER　XXVI　…　THE　COTTAGE　AT　NIGHT





AT　the　door　I　was　nearly　blown　back　by　the　unbridled　violence　of　

the　squall；　and　Rowley　and　I　must　shout　our　parting　words。　　All　the　

way　along　Princes　Street　（whither　my　way　led）　the　wind　hunted　me　

behind　and　screamed　in　my　ears。　　The　city　was　flushed　with　

bucketfuls　of　rain　that　tasted　salt　from　the　neighbouring　ocean。　　

It　seemed　to　darken　and　lighten　again　in　the　vicissitudes　of　the　

gusts。　　Now　you　would　say　the　lamps　had　been　blown　out　from　end　to　

end　of　the　long　thoroughfare；　now；　in　a　lull；　they　would　revive；　

re…multiply；　shine　again　on　the　wet　pavements；　and　make　darkness　

sparingly　visible。



By　the　time　I　had　got　to　the　corner　of　the　Lothian　Road　there　was　a　

distinct　improvement。　　For　one　thing；　I　had　now　my　shoulder　to　the　

wind；　for　a　second；　I　came　in　the　lee　of　my　old　prison…house；　the　

Castle；　and；　at　any　rate；　the　excessive　fury　of　the　blast　was　

itself　moderating。　　The　thought　of　what　errand　I　was　on　re…awoke　

within　me；　and　I　seemed　to　breast　the　rough　weather　with　increasing　

ease。　　With　such　a　destination；　what　mattered　a　little　buffeting　of　

wind　or　a　sprinkle　of　cold　water？　　I　recalled　Flora's　image；　I　took　

her　in　fancy　to　my　arms；　and　my　heart　throbbed。　　And　the　next　

moment　I　had　recognised　the　inanity　of　that　fool's　paradise。　　If　I　

could　spy　her　taper　as　she　went　to　bed；　I　might　count　myself　lucky。



I　had　about　two　leagues　before　me　of　a　road　mostly　uphill；　and　now　

deep　in　mire。　　So　soon　as　I　was　clear　of　the　last　street　lamp；　

darkness　received　me　…　a　darkness　only　pointed　by　the　lights　of　

occasional　rustic　farms；　where　the　dogs　howled　with　uplifted　heads　

as　I　went　by。　　The　wind　continued　to　decline：　it　had　been　but　a　

squall；　not　a　tempest。　　The　rain；　on　the　other　hand；　settled　into　a　

steady　deluge；　which　had　soon　drenched　me　thoroughly。　　I　continued　

to　tramp　forward　in　the　night；　contending　with　gloomy　thoughts　and　

accompanied　by　the　dismal　ululation　of　the　dogs。　　What　ailed　them　

that　they　should　have　been　thus　wakeful；　and　perceived　the　small　

sound　of　my　steps　amid　the　general　reverberation　of　the　rain；　was　

more　than　I　could　fancy。　　I　remembered　tales　with　which　I　had　been　

entertained　in　childhood。　　I　told　myself　some　murderer　was　going　

by；　and　the　brutes　perceived　upon　him　the　faint　smell　of　blood；　and　

the　next　moment；　with　a　physical　shock；　I　had　applied　the　words　to　

my　own　case！



Here　was　a　dismal　disposition　for　a　lover。　　'Was　ever　lady　in　this　

humour　wooed？'　I　asked　myself；　and　came　near　turning　back。　　It　is　

never　wise　to　risk　a　critical　interview　when　your　spirits　are　

depressed；　your　clothes　muddy；　and　your　hands　wet！　　But　the　

boisterous　night　was　in　itself　favourable　to　my　enterprise：　now；　or　

perhaps　never；　I　might　find　some　way　to　have　an　interview　with　

Flora；　and　if　I　had　one　interview　（wet　clothes；　low　spirits　and　

all）；　I　told　myself　there　would　certainly　be　another。



Arrived　in　the　cottage…garden　I　found　the　circumstances　mighty　

inclement。　　From　the　round　holes　in　the　shutters　of　the　parlour；　

shafts　of　candle…light　streamed　forth；　elsewhere　the　darkness　was　

complete。　　The　trees；　the　thickets；　were　saturated；　the　lower　parts　

of　the　garden　turned　into　a　morass。　　At　intervals；　when　the　wind　

broke　forth　again；　there　passed　overhead　a　wild　coil　of　clashing　

branches；　and　between　whiles　the　whole　enclosure　continuously　and　

stridently　resounded　with　the　rain。　　I　advanced　close　to　the　window　

and　contrived　to　read　the　face　of　my　watch。　　It　was　half…past　

seven；　they　would　not　retire　before　ten；　they　might　not　before　

midnight；　and　the　prospect　was　unpleasant。　　In　a　lull　of　the　wind　I　

could　hear　from　the　inside　the　voice　of　Flora　reading　aloud；　the　

words　of　course　inaudible　…　only　a　flow　of　undecipherable　speech；　

quiet；　cordial；　colourless；　more　intimate　and　winning；　more　

eloquent　of　her　personality；　but　not　less　beautiful　than　song。　　And　

the　next　moment　the　clamour　of　a　fresh　squall　broke　out　about　the　

cottage；　the　voice　was　drowned　in　its　bellowing；　and　I　was　glad　to　

retreat　from　my　dangerous　post。



For　three　egregious　hours　I　must　now　suffer　the　elements　to　do　

their　worst　upon　me；　and　continue　to　hold　my　ground　in　patience。　　I　

recalled　the　least　fortunate　of　my　services　in　the　field：　being　

out…sentry　of　the　pickets　in　weather　no　less　vile；　sometimes　

unsuppered　and　with　nothing　to　look　forward　to　by　way　of　breakfast　

but　musket…balls；　and　they　seemed　light　in　comparison。　　So　

strangely　are　we　built：　so　much　more　strong　is　the　love　of　woman　

than　the　mere　love　of　life。



At　last　my　patience　was　rewarded。　　The　light　disappeared　from　the　

parlour　and　reappeared　a　moment　after　in　the　room　above。　　I　was　

pretty　well　informed　for　the　enterprise　that　lay　before　me。　　I　knew　

the　lair　of　the　dragon　…　that　which　was　just　illuminated。　　I　knew　

the　bower　of　my　Rosamond；　and　how　excellently　it　was　placed　on　the　

ground…level；　round　the　flank　of　the　cottage　and　out　of　earshot　of　

her　formidable　aunt。　　Nothing　was　left　but　to　apply　my　knowledge。　　

I　was　then　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　whether　I　had　gone　（Heaven　

save　the　mark！）　for　warmth；　that　I　might　walk　to　and　fro　unheard　

and　keep　myself　from　perishing。　　The　night　had　fallen　still；　the　

wind　ceased；　the　noise　of　the　rain　had　much　lightened；　if　it　had　

not　stopped；　and　was　succeeded　by　the　dripping　of　the　garden　trees。　　

In　the　midst　of　this　lull；　and　as　I　was　already　drawing　near　to　the　

cottage；　I　was　startled　by　the　sound　of　a　window…sash　screaming　in　

its　channels；　and　a　step　or　two　beyond　I　became　aware　of　a　gush　of　

light　upon　the　darkness。　　It　fell　from　Flora's　window；　which　she　

had　flung　open　on　the　night；　and　where　she　now　sat；　roseate　and　

pensive；　in　the　shine　of　two　candles　falling　from　behind；　her　

tresses　deeply　embowering　and　shading　her；　the　suspended　comb　still　

in　one　hand；　the　other　idly　clinging　to　the　iron　stanchions　with　

which　the　window　was　barred。



Keeping　to　the　turf；　and　favoured　by　the　darkness　of　the　night　and　

the　patter　of　the　rain　which　was　now　returning；　though　without　

wind；　I　approached　until　I　could　almost　have　touched　her。　　It　

seemed　a　grossness　of　which　I　was　incapable　to　break　up　her　reverie　

by　speech。　　I　stood　and　drank　her　in　with　my　eyes；　how　the　light　

made　a　glory　in　her　hair；　and　（what　I　have　always　thought　the　most　

ravishing　thing　in　nature）　how　the　planes　ran　into　each　other；　and　

were　distinguished；　and　how　the　hues　blended　and　varied；　and　were　

shaded　off；　between　the　cheek　and　neck。　　At　first　I　was　abashed：　

she　wore　her　beauty　like　an　immediate　halo　of　refinement；　she　

discouraged　me　like　an　angel；　or　what　I　suspect　to　be　the　next　most　

discouraging；　a　modern　lady。　　But　as　I　continued　to　gaze；　hope　and　

life　returned　to　me；　I　forgot　my　timidity；　I　forgot　the　sickening　

pack　of　wet　clothes　with　which　I　stood　burdened；　I　tingled　with　new　

blood。



Still　unconscious　of　my　presence；　still　gazing　before　her　upon　the　

illuminated　image　of　the　window；　the　straight　shadows　of　the　bars；　

the　glinting　of　pebbles　on　the　path；　and　the　impenetrable　night　on　

the　garden　and　the　hills　beyond　it；　she　heaved　a　deep　breath　that　

struck　upon　my　heart　like　an　appeal。



'Why　does　Miss　Gilchrist　sigh？'　I　whispered。　　'Does　she　recall　

absent　friends？'



She　turned　her　head　swiftly　in　my　direction；　it　was　the　only　sign　

of　surprise　she　deigned　to　make。　　At　the　same　time　I　stepped　into　

the　light　and　bowed　profoundly。



'You！'　she　said。　　'Here？'



'Yes；　I　am　here；'　I　replied。　　'I　have　come　very　far；　it　may　be　a　

hundred　and　fifty　leagues；　to　see　you。　　I　have　waited　all　this　

night　in　your　garden。　　Will　Miss　Gilchrist　not　offer　her　hand　…　to　

a　friend　in　trouble？'



She　extended　it　between　the　bars；　and　I　dropped　upon　on