in the carquinez woods(在卡圭尼兹森林)-第4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！
he had glided noiselessly away； even as an Indian might have done。
She readjusted the slips of hanging bark with feminine ingenuity；
dispersing them so as to completely hide the entrance。 Yet this did not
darken the chamber； which seemed to draw a purer and more vigorous
light through the soaring shaft that pierced the roof than that which came
from the dim woodland aisles below。 Nevertheless； she shivered； and
drawing her shawl closely around her began to collect some half…burnt
fragments of wood in the chimney to make a fire。 But the preoccupation
of her thoughts rendered this a tedious process； as she would from time to
time stop in the middle of an action and fall into an attitude of rapt
abstraction； with far…off eyes and rigid mouth。 When she had at last
succeeded in kindling a fire and raising a film of pale blue smoke； that
seemed to fade and dissipate entirely before it reached the top of the
chimney shaft； she crouched beside it； fixed her eyes on the darkest corner
of the cavern； and became motionless。
What did she see through that shadow？
Nothing at first but a confused medley of figures and incidents of the
preceding night； things to be put away and forgotten； things that would not
have happened but for another thingthe thing before which everything
faded！ A ball…room； the sounds of music； the one man she had cared for
insulting her with the flaunting ostentation of his unfaithfulness； herself
despised； put aside； laughed at； or worse； jilted。 And then the moment of
delirium； when the light danced； the one wild act that lifted her； the
despised one； above them allmade her the supreme figure； to be glanced
at by frightened women； stared at by half… startled； half…admiring men！
〃Yes；〃 she laughed； but struck by the sound of her own voice； moved
twice round the cavern nervously； and then dropped again into her old
position。
As they carried him away he had laughed at herlike a hound that he
was； he who had praised her for her spirit； and incited her revenge against
others； he who had taught her to strike when she was insulted； and it was
only fit he should reap what he had sown。 She was what he； what other
men； had made her。 And what was she now？ What had she been once？
She tried to recall her childhood： the man and woman who might have
11
… Page 12…
IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
been her father and mother； who fought and wrangled over her precocious
little life； abused or caressed her as she sided with either； and then left her
with a circus troupe； where she first tasted the power of her courage； her
beauty； and her recklessness。 She remembered those flashes of triumph
that left a fever in her veinsa fever that when it failed must be stimulated
by dissipation； by anything； by everything that would keep her name a
wonder in men's mouths； an envious fear to women。 She recalled her
transfer to the strolling players； her cheap pleasures； and cheaper rivalries
and hatredbut always Teresa！ the daring Teresa！ the reckless Teresa！
audacious as a woman； invincible as a boy； dancing； flirting； fencing；
shooting； swearing； drinking； smoking； fighting Teresa！ 〃Oh； yes； she
had been loved； perhapswho knows？but always feared。 Why should
she change now？ Ha； he should see。〃
She had lashed herself in a frenzy； as was her wont； with gestures；
ejaculations； oaths； adjurations； and passionate apostrophes； but with this
strange and unexpected result。 Heretofore she had always been sustained
and kept up by an audience of some kind or quality； if only perhaps a
humble companion； there had always been some one she could fascinate
or horrify； and she could read her power mirrored in their eyes。 Even the
half…abstracted indifference of her strange host had been something。 But
she was alone now。 Her words fell on apathetic solitude； she was acting
to viewless space。 She rushed to the opening； dashed the hanging bark
aside； and leaped to the ground。
She ran forward wildly a few steps； and stopped。
〃Hallo！〃 she cried。 〃Look； 'tis I； Teresa！〃
The profound silence remained unbroken。 Her shrillest tones were
lost in an echoless space； even as the smoke of her fire had faded into pure
ether。 She stretched out her clenched fists as if to defy the pillared
austerities of the vaults around her。
〃Come and take me if you dare！〃
The challenge was unheeded。 If she had thrown herself violently
against the nearest tree…trunk； she could not have been stricken more
breathless than she was by the compact； embattled solitude that
encompassed her。 The hopelessness of impressing these cold and passive
12
… Page 13…
IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
vaults with her selfish passion filled her with a vague fear。 In her rage of
the previous night she had not seen the wood in its profound immobility。
Left alone with the majesty of those enormous columns； she trembled and
turned faint。 The silence of the hollow tree she had just quitted seemed
to her less awful than the crushing presence of these mute and monstrous
witnesses of her weakness。 Like a wounded quail with lowered crest and
trailing wing； she crept back to her hiding place。
Even then the influence of the wood was still upon her。 She picked
up the novel she had contemptuously thrown aside； only to let it fall again
in utter weariness。 For a moment her feminine curiosity was excited by
the discovery of an old book； in whose blank leaves were pressed a variety
of flowers and woodland grasses。 As she could not conceive that these
had been kept for any but a sentimental purpose； she was disappointed to
find that underneath each was a sentence in an unknown tongue； that even
to her untutored eye did not appear to be the language of passion。 Finally
she rearranged the couch of skins and blankets； and； imparting to it in
three clever shakes an entirely different character； lay down to pursue her
reveries。 But nature asserted herself； and ere she knew it she was asleep。
So intense and prolonged had been her previous excitement that； the
tension once relieved； she passed into a slumber of exhaustion so deep that
she seemed scarce to breathe。 High noon succeeded morning； the central
shaft received a single ray of upper sunlight； the afternoon came and went；
the shadows gathered below； the sunset fires began to eat their way
through the groined roof； and she still slept。 She slept even when the
bark hangings of the chamber were put aside； and the young man
reentered。
He laid down a bundle he was carrying and softly approached the
sleeper。 For a moment he was startled from his indifference； she lay so
still and motionless。 But this was not all that struck him； the face before
him was no longer the passionate； haggard visage that
