five tales-第41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！
〃Frank。〃
〃I could not。 Oh； no！〃
〃But you love medon't you？〃
〃I could not help lovin' you。 I want to be with youthat's all。〃
〃All！〃
So faint that he hardly heard； she whispered： 〃I shall die if I can't be with you。〃
Ashurst took a mighty breath。
〃Come and be with me； then！〃
〃Oh！〃
Intoxicated by the awe and rapture in that 〃Oh！〃 he went on； whispering：
〃We'll go to London。 I'll show you the world。
And I will take care of you； I promise； Megan。 I'll never be a brute to you！〃
〃If I can be with you…that is all。〃
He stroked her hair； and whispered on：
〃To…morrow I'll go to Torquay and get some money； and get you some clothes that won't be noticed； and then we'll steal away。 And when we get to London； soon perhaps； if you love me well enough； we'll be married。〃
He could feel her hair shiver with the shake of her head。
〃Oh； no！ I could not。 I only want to be with you！〃
Drunk on his own chivalry； Ashurst went on murmuring 〃It's I who am not good enough for you。 Oh！ Megan； when did you begin to love me？〃
〃When I saw you in the road； and you looked at me。 The first night I loved you； but I never thought you would want me。〃
She slipped down suddenly to her knees； trying to kiss his feet。
A shiver of horror went through Ashurst； he lifted her up bodily and held her fasttoo upset to speak。
She whispered： 〃Why won't you let me？〃
〃It's I who will kiss your feet！〃
Her smile brought tears into his eyes。 The whiteness of her moonlit face so close to his； the faint pink of her opened lips； had the living unearthly beauty of the apple blossom。
And then； suddenly； her eyes widened and stared past him painfully； she writhed out of his arms； and whispered： 〃Look！〃
Ashurst saw nothing but the brightened stream； the furze faintly gilded； the beech trees glistening； and behind them all the wide loom of the moonlit hill。 Behind him came her frozen whisper： 〃The gipsy bogie！〃
〃Where？〃
〃Thereby the stoneunder the trees！〃
Exasperated； he leaped the stream； and strode towards the beech clump。 Prank of the moonlight！ Nothing！ In and out of the boulders and thorn trees； muttering and cursing； yet with a kind of terror； he rushed and stumbled。 Absurd！ Silly！ Then he went back to the apple tree。 But she was gone； he could hear a rustle； the grunting of the pigs； the sound of a gate closing。 Instead of her； only this old
apple tree！ He flung his arms round the trunk。 What a substitute for her soft body； the rough moss against his facewhat a substitute for her soft cheek； only the scent； as of the woods； a little the same！ And above him； and around； the blossoms； more living； more moonlit than ever； seemed to glow and breathe。
7
Descending from the train at Torquay station； Ashurst wandered uncertainly along the front； for he did not know this particular queen of English watering places。 Having little sense of what he had on； he was quite unconscious of being remarkable among its inhabitants； and strode along in his rough Norfolk jacket； dusty boots； and battered hat； without observing that people gazed at him rather blankly。 He was seeking a branch of his London bank； and having found one； found also the first obstacle to his mood。 Did he know anyone in Torquay？ No。 In that case； if he would wire to his bank in London； they would be happy to oblige him on receipt of the reply。 That suspicious breath from the matter…of…fact world somewhat tarnished the brightness of his visions。 But he sent the telegram。
Nearly opposite to the post office he saw a shop full of ladies' garments； and examined the window with strange sensations。 To have to undertake the clothing of his rustic love was more than a little disturbing。 He went in。 A young woman came forward； she had blue eyes and a faintly puzzled forehead。 Ashurst stared at her in silence。
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃I want a dress for a young lady。〃
The young woman smiled。 Ashurst frowned the peculiarity of his request struck him with sudden force。
The young woman added hastily：
〃What style would you likesomething modish？〃
〃No。 Simple。〃
〃What figure would the young lady be？〃
〃I don't know； about two inches shorter than you； I should say。〃
〃Could you give me her waist measurement？〃
Megan's waist！
〃Oh！ anything usual！〃
〃Quite！〃
While she was gone he stood disconsolately eyeing the models in the window； and suddenly it seemed to him incredible that Meganhis Megan could ever be dressed save in the rough tweed skirt； coarse blouse； and tam…o'…shanter cap he was wont to see her in。 The young woman had come back with several dresses in her arms； and Ashurst eyed her laying them against her own modish figure。 There was one whose colour he liked； a dove…grey； but to imagine Megan clothed in it was beyond him。 The young woman went away； and brought some more。 But on Ashurst there had now come a feeling of paralysis。 How choose？ She would want a hat too； and shoes； and gloves； and； suppose； when he had got them all； they commonised her； as Sunday clothes always commonised village folk！ Why should she not travel as she was？ Ah！ But conspicuousness would matter； this was a serious elopement。 And； staring at the young woman； he thought： 'I wonder if she guesses； and thinks me a blackguard？'
〃Do you mind putting aside that grey one for me？〃 he said desperately at last。 〃I can't decide now； I'll come in again this afternoon。〃
The young woman sighed。
〃Oh！ certainly。 It's a very tasteful costume。 I don't think you'll get anything that will suit your purpose better。〃
〃I expect not；〃 Ashurst murmured； and went out。
Freed again from the suspicious matter…of…factness of the world； he took a long breath； and went back to visions。 In fancy he saw the trustful； pretty creature who was going to join her life to his； saw himself and her stealing forth at night； walking over the moor under the moon； he with his arm round her； and carrying her new garments； till； in some far…off wood； when dawn was coming； she would slip off her old things and put on these； and an early train at a distant station would bear them away on their honeymoon journey； till London swallowed them up； and the dreams of love came true。
〃Frank Ashurst！ Haven't seen you since Rugby； old chap！〃
Ashurst's frown dissolved； the face； close to his own； was blue…eyed； suffused with sunone of those faces where sun from within and without join in a sort of lustre。 And he answered：
〃Phil Halliday； by Jove！〃
〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Oh！ nothing。 Just looking round； and getting some money。 I'm staying on the moor。〃
〃Are you lunching anywhere？ Come and lunch with us； I'm here with my young sisters。 They've had measles。〃
Hooked in by that friendly arm Ashurst went along； up a hill； down a hill； away out of the town； while the voice of Halliday； redolent of optimism as his face was of sun； explained how 〃in this mouldy place the only decent things were the bathing and boating；〃 and so on； till presently they came to a crescent of houses a little above and back from the sea； and into the centre one an hotelmade their way。
〃Come up to my room and have a wash。 Lunch'll be ready in a jiffy。〃
Ashurst contemplated his visage in a looking…glass。 After his farmhouse bedroom； the comb and one spare shirt regime of the last fortnight； this room littered with clothes and brushes was a sort of Capua； and he thought： 'Queerone doesn't realise But whathe did not quite know。
When he followed Halliday into the sitting room for lunch； three faces； very fair and blue…eyed； were turned suddenly at the words： 〃This is Frank Ashurst my young sisters。〃
Two were indeed young； about eleven and ten。 The third was perhaps seventeen； tall and fair…haired too； with pink…and…white cheeks just touched by the sun； and eyebrows； rather darker than the hair； running a little upwards from her nose to their outer points。 The voices of all three were like Halliday's； high and cheerful； they stood up straight； shook hands with a quick movement； looked at Ashurst critically； away again at once； and began to talk of what they were going to do in the afternoon。 A regular Diana and attendant nymphs！
