robert falconer-第78章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　fish；　offering　it　to　the　mother　first。



'〃Come；　my　lamb；〃　said　the　old　woman；　and　the　daughter　approached

the　table。　　But　her　nostrils　and　mouth　quivered　with　disgust。



'The　next　moment　she　turned　and　hurried　from　the　hut。



'〃She　doesn't　like　fish；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃and　I　haven't

anything　else　to　give　her。〃



'〃She　does　not　seem　in　good　health；〃　he　rejoined。



'The　woman　answered　only　with　a　sigh；　and　they　ate　their　fish　with

the　help　of　a　little　rye…bread。　　As　they　finished　their　supper；　the

youth　heard　the　sound　as　of　the　pattering　of　a　dog's　feet　upon　the

sand　close　to　the　door；　but　ere　he　had　time　to　look　out　of　the

window；　the　door　opened　and　the　young　woman　entered。　　She　looked

better；　perhaps　from　having　just　washed　her　face。　　She　drew　a　stool

to　the　corner　of　the　fire　opposite　him。　　But　as　she　sat　down；　to　his

bewilderment；　and　even　horror；　the　student　spied　a　single　drop　of

blood　on　her　white　skin　within　her　torn　dress。　　The　woman　brought

out　a　jar　of　whisky；　put　a　rusty　old　kettle　on　the　fire；　and　took

her　place　in　front　of　it。　　As　soon　as　the　water　boiled；　she

proceeded　to　make　some　toddy　in　a　wooden　bowl。



'Meantime　the　youth　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　young　woman；　so

that　at　length　he　found　himself　fascinated；　or　rather　bewitched。

She　kept　her　eyes　for　the　most　part　veiled　with　the　loveliest

eyelids　fringed　with　darkest　lashes；　and　he　gazed　entranced；　for　the

red　glow　of　the　little　oil…lamp　covered　all　the　strangeness　of　her

complexion。　　But　as　soon　as　he　met　a　stolen　glance　out　of　those　eyes

unveiled；　his　soul　shuddered　within　him。　　Lovely　face　and　craving

eyes　alternated　fascination　and　repulsion。



'The　mother　placed　the　bowl　in　his　hands。　　He　drank　sparingly；　and

passed　it　to　the　girl。　　She　lifted　it　to　her　lips；　and　as　she

tastedonly　tasted　itlooked　at　him。　　He　thought　the　drink　must

have　been　drugged　and　have　affected　his　brain。　　Her　hair　smoothed

itself　back；　and　drew　her　forehead　backwards　with　it；　while　the

lower　part　of　her　face　projected　towards　the　bowl；　revealing；　ere

she　sipped；　her　dazzling　teeth　in　strange　prominence。　　But　the　same

moment　the　vision　vanished；　she　returned　the　vessel　to　her　mother；

and　rising；　hurried　out　of　the　cottage。



'Then；　the　old　woman　pointed　to　a　bed　of　heather　in　one　corner　with

a　murmured　apology；　and　the　student；　wearied　both　with　the　fatigues

of　the　day　and　the　strangeness　of　the　night；　threw　himself　upon　it；

wrapped　in　his　cloak。　　The　moment　he　lay　down；　the　storm　began

afresh；　and　the　wind　blew　so　keenly　through　the　crannies　of　the　hut；

that　it　was　only　by　drawing　his　cloak　over　his　head　that　he　could

protect　himself　from　its　currents。　　Unable　to　sleep；　he　lay

listening　to　the　uproar　which　grew　in　violence；　till　the　spray　was

dashing　against　the　window。　　At　length　the　door　opened；　and　the

young　woman　came　in；　made　up　the　fire；　drew　the　bench　before　it；　and

lay　down　in　the　same　strange　posture；　with　her　chin　propped　on　her

hand　and　elbow；　and　her　face　turned　towards　the　youth。　　He　moved　a

little；　she　dropped　her　head；　and　lay　on　her　face；　with　her　arms

crossed　beneath　her　forehead。　　The　mother　had　disappeared。



'Drowsiness　crept　over　him。　　A　movement　of　the　bench　roused　him；　and

he　fancied　he　saw　some　four…footed　creature　as　tall　as　a　large　dog

trot　quietly　out　of　the　door。　　He　was　sure　he　felt　a　rush　of　cold

wind。　　Gazing　fixedly　through　the　darkness；　he　thought　he　saw　the

eyes　of　the　damsel　encountering　his；　but　a　glow　from　the　falling

together　of　the　remnants　of　the　fire；　revealed　clearly　enough　that

the　bench　was　vacant。　　Wondering　what　could　have　made　her　go　out　in

such　a　storm；　he　fell　fast　asleep。



'In　the　middle　of　the　night　he　felt　a　pain　in　his　shoulder；　came

broad　awake；　and　saw　the　gleaming　eyes　and　grinning　teeth　of　some

animal　close　to　his　face。　　Its　claws　were　in　his　shoulder；　and　its

mouth　was　in　the　act　of　seeking　his　throat。　　Before　it　had　fixed　its

fangs；　however；　he　had　its　throat　in　one　hand；　and　sought　his　knife

with　the　other。　　A　terrible　struggle　followed；　but　regardless　of　the

tearing　claws；　he　found　and　opened　his　knife。　　He　had　made　one

futile　stab；　and　was　drawing　it　for　a　surer；　when；　with　a　spring　of

the　whole　body；　and　one　wildly…contorted　effort；　the　creature

twisted　its　neck　from　his　hold；　and　with　something　betwixt　a　scream

and　a　howl；　darted　from　him。　　Again　he　heard　the　door　open；　again

the　wind　blew　in　upon　him；　and　it　continued　blowing；　a　sheet　of

spray　dashed　across　the　floor；　and　over　his　face。　　He　sprung　from

his　couch　and　bounded　to　the　door。



'It　was　a　wild　nightdark；　but　for　the　flash　of　whiteness　from　the

waves　as　they　broke　within　a　few　yards　of　the　cottage；　the　wind　was

raving；　and　the　rain　pouring　down　the　air。　　A　gruesome　sound　as　of

mingled　weeping　and　howling　came　from　somewhere　in　the　dark。　　He

turned　again　into　the　hut　and　closed　the　door；　but　could　find　no　way

of　securing　it。



'The　lamp　was　nearly　out；　and　he　could　not　be　certain　whether　the

form　of　the　young　woman　was　upon　the　bench　or　not。　　Overcoming　a

strong　repugnance；　he　approached　it；　and　put　out　his　handsthere

was　nothing　there。　　He　sat　down　and　waited　for　the　daylight：　he

dared　not　sleep　any　more。



'When　the　day　dawned　at　length；　he　went　out　yet　again；　and　looked

around。　　The　morning　was　dim　and　gusty　and　gray。　　The　wind　had

fallen；　but　the　waves　were　tossing　wildly。　　He　wandered　up　and　down

the　little　strand；　longing　for　more　light。



'At　length　he　heard　a　movement　in　the　cottage。　　By　and　by　the　voice

of　the　old　woman　called　to　him　from　the　door。



'〃You're　up　early；　sir。　　I　doubt　you　didn't　sleep　well。〃



'〃Not　very　well；〃　he　answered。　〃But　where　is　your　daughter？〃



'〃She's　not　awake　yet；〃　said　the　mother。　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　but　a

poor　breakfast　for　you。　　But　you'll　take　a　dram　and　a　bit　of　fish。

It's　all　I've　got。〃



'Unwilling　to　hurt　her；　though　hardly　in　good　appetite；　he　sat　down

at　the　table。　　While　they　were　eating　the　daughter　came　in；　but

turned　her　face　away　and　went　to　the　further　end　of　the　hut。　　When

she　came　forward　after　a　minute　or　two；　the　youth　saw　that　her　hair

was　drenched；　and　her　face　whiter　than　before。　　She　looked　ill　and

faint；　and　when　she　raised　her　eyes；　all　their　fierceness　had

vanished；　and　sadness　had　taken　its　place。　　Her　neck　was　now　covered

with　a　cotton　handkerchief。　　She　was　modestly　attentive　to　him；　and

no　longer　shunned　his　gaze。　　He　was　gradually　yielding　to　the

temptation　of　braving　another　night　in　the　hut；　and　seeing　what

would　follow；　when　the　old　woman　spoke。



'〃The　weather　will　be　broken　all　day；　sir；〃　she　said。　〃You　had

better　be　going；　or　your　friends　will　leave　without　you。〃



'Ere　he　could　answer；　he　saw　such　a　beseeching　glance　on　the　face　of

the　girl；　that　he　hesitated；　confused。　　Glancing　at　the　mother；　he

saw　the　flash　of　wrath　in　her　face。　　She　rose　and　approached　her

daughter；　with　her　hand　lifted　to　strike　her。　　The　young　woman

stooped　her　head　with　a　cry。　　He　darted　round　the　table　to　interpose

between　them。　　But　the　mother　had　caught　hold　of　her；　the

handkerchief　had　fallen　from　her　neck；　and　the　youth　saw　five　blue

bruises　on　her　lovely　throatthe　marks　of　the　four　fingers　and　the

thumb　of　a　left　hand。　　With　a　cry　of　horror　he　rushed　from　the

house；　but　as　he　reached　the　door　he　turned。　　His　hostess　was　lying

motionless　on　the　floor；　and　a　huge　gray　wolf　came　bounding　after

him。'



An　involuntary　cry　from　Mysie　interrupted　the　story…teller。　　He

changed　his　tone　at　once。



'I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Lindsay；　for　telling　you　such　a　horrid

tale。　　Do　forgive　me。　　I　didn't　mean　to　frighten　you　more　than　a

little。'



'Only　a　case　of　lycanthropia；'　remarked　Mr。　Lindsay；　as　coolly　as　if

that　settled　everything　about　it　and　lycanthropia；　horror　and　all；

at　once。



'Do　tell　us　the　rest；'　pleaded　Mysie；　and　Ericson　resumed。



'There　was　no　weapon　at　hand；　and　if　the