christie johnstone-第27章
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their lives to come； in a moment； as if she had started from the earth；
Christie Johnstone stood between them！
Gatty's words； and； still more； his hesitation； had made her quick
intelligence suspect。 She had resolved to know the truth； the boats
offered every facility for listeningshe had heard every word。
She stood between the mother and son。
They were confused； abashed； and the hot blood began to leave their
faces。
She stood erect like a statue； her cheek pale as ashes； her eyes
glittering like basilisks； she looked at neither of them。
She slowly raised her left hand； she withdrew a ruby ring from it； and
dropped the ring on the sand between the two。
She turned on her heel； and was gone as she had come； without a word
spoken。
They looked at one another； stupefied at first； after a considerable
pause the stern old woman stooped； picked up the ring； and； in spite of a
certain chill that the young woman's majestic sorrow had given her； said；
placing it on her own finger； 〃This is for your wife！！！〃
〃It will be for my coffin； then；〃 said her son； so coldly； so bitterly
and so solemnly that the mother's heart began to quake。
〃Mother；〃 said he calmly； 〃forgive me； and accept your son's arm。
〃I will； my son！〃
〃We are alone in the world now； mother。〃
Mrs。 Gatty had triumphed； but she felt the price of her triumph more than
her victory。 It had been done in one moment； that for which she had so
labored； and it seemed that had she spoken long ago to Christie； instead
of Charles； it could have been done at any moment。
Strange to say； for some minutes the mother felt more uneasy than her
son； she was a woman； after all； and could measure a woman's heart； and
she saw how deep the wound she had given one she was now compelled to
respect。
Charles； on the other hand； had been so harassed backward and forward；
that to him certainty was relief； it was a great matter to be no longer
called upon to decide。 His mother had said； 〃Part；〃 and now Christie had
said； 〃Part〃； at least the affair was taken out of his hands； and his
first feeling was a heavenly calm。
In this state he continued for about a mile； and he spoke to his mother
about his art； sole object now； but after the first mile he became
silent； _distrait；_ Christie's pale face； her mortified air； when her
generous offer was coldly repulsed； filled him with remorse。 Finally；
unable to bear it； yet not daring to speak； he broke suddenly from his
mother without a word； and ran wildly back to Newhaven； he looked back
only once； and there stood his mother； pale； with her hands piteously
lifted toward heaven。
By the time he got to Newhaven he was as sorry for her as for Christie。
He ran to the house of the latter； Flucker and Jean told him she was on
the beach。 He ran to the beach！ he did not see her at first； but；
presently looking back； he saw her； at the edge of the boats； in company
with a gentleman in a boating…dress。 He lookedcould he believe his
eyes？ he saw Christie Johnstone kiss this man's hand； who then； taking
her head gently in his two hands； placed a kiss upon her brow； while she
seemed to yield lovingly to the caress。
Gatty turned faint； sick； for a moment everything swam before his eyes；
he recovered himself； they were gone。
He darted round to intercept them； Christie had slipped away somewhere；
he encountered the man alone！
CHAPTER XV。
CHRISTIE'S situation requires to be explained。
On leaving Gatty and his mother； she went to her own house。 Fluckerwho
after looking upon her for years as an inconvenient appendage； except at
dinnertime； had fallen in love with her in a manner that was half
pathetic； half laughable； all things consideredsaw by her face she had
received a blow； and raising himself in the bed； inquired anxiously；
〃What ailed her？〃
At these kind words； Christie Johnstone laid her cheek upon the pillow
beside Flucker's and said：
〃Oh； my laamb； be kind to your puir sister fra' this hoor； for she has
naething i' the warld noo but yoursel'。〃
Flucker began to sob at this。
Christie could not cry； her heart was like a lump of lead in her bosom；
but she put her arm round his neck； and at the sight of his sympathy she
panted heavily； but could not shed a tearshe was sore stricken。
Presently Jean came in； and； as the poor girl's head ached as well as her
heart； they forced her to go and sit in the air。 She took her creepie and
sat； and looked on the sea； but； whether she looked seaward or landward；
all seemed unreal； not things； but hard pictures of things； some moving；
some still。 Life seemed endedshe had lost her love。
An hour she sat in this miserable trance； she was diverted into a better；
because a somewhat less dangerous form of grief； by one of those trifling
circumstances that often penetrate to the human heart when inaccessible
to greater things。
Willy the fiddler and his brother came through the town； playing as they
went； according to custom； their music floated past Christie's ears like
some drowsy chime； until； all of a sudden； they struck up the old English
air； 〃Speed the Plow。〃
Now it was to this tune Charles Gatty had danced with her their first
dance the night they made acquaintance。
Christie listened； lifted up her hands； and crying：
〃Oh； what will I do？ what will I do？〃 burst into a passion of grief。
She put her apron over her head； and rocked herself； and sobbed bitterly。
She was in this situation when Lord Ipsden； who was prowling about；
examining the proportions of the boats； discovered her。
〃Some one in distressthat was all in his way。〃
〃Madam！〃 said he。
She lifted up her head。
〃It is Christie Johnstone。 I'm so glad； that is； I'm sorry you are
crying； but I'm glad I shall have the pleasure of relieving you；〃 and his
lordship began to feel for a check…book。
〃And div ye really think siller's a cure for every grief！〃 said Christie；
bitterly。
〃I don't know；〃 said his lordship； 〃it has cured them all as yet。〃
〃It will na cure me； then！〃 and she covered her head with her apron
again。
〃I am very sorry；〃 said he； 〃tell me〃 _（whispering）；_ 〃what is it？ poor
little Christie！〃
〃Dinna speak to me； I think shame； ask Jean。 Oh； Richard； I'll no be lang
in this warld！！！〃
〃Ah！〃 said he； 〃I know too well what it is now； I know； by sad
experience。 But； Christie； money will cure it in your case； and it shall；
too； only； instead of five pounds； we must put a thousand pounds or two
to your banker's account； and then they will all see your beauty； and run
after you。〃
〃How daur ye even to me that I'm seekin a lad？〃 cried she； rising from
her stool； 〃I would na care suppose there was na a lad in Britain。〃 And
off she flounced。
〃Offended her by my gross want of tact；〃 thought the viscount。
She crept back； and two velvet lips touched his hand。 That was because
she had spoken harshly to a friend。
〃Oh； Richard；〃 said she； despairingly； 〃I'll no be lang in this warld。〃
He was touched； and it was then he took her head and kissed her brow； and
said： 〃This will never do。 My child； go home and have a nice cry； and I
will speak to Jean； and； rely upon me； I will not leave the neighborhood
till I have arranged it all to your satisfaction。〃
And so she wenta little； a very little； comforted by his tone and
words。
Now this was all very pretty； but then seen at a distance of fifty yards
it looked very ugly； and Gatty； who had never before known jealousy； the
strongest and worst of human passions； was ripe for anything。
He met Lord Ipsden； and said at once； in his wise； temperate way：
〃Sir； you are a villain！〃
_Ipsden。 〃Plait…il？〃_
_Gatty。_ 〃You are a villain！〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃How do you make that out？〃
_Gatty。_ 〃But； of course； you are not a coward； too。〃
_Ipsden （ironically）。_ 〃You surprise me with your moderation； sir。〃
_Gatty。_ 〃Then you will waive your rankyou are a lord； I believe…and
give me satisfaction。〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃My rank； sir； such as it is； engages me to give a proper
answer to proposals of this sort； I am at your orders。〃
_Gatty。_ 〃A man of your character must often have been called to an
account by your victims； soso〃 （hesitatin
