five tales-第47章
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〃'Twas in the spring； 'bout now as 't might be； or a little later blossom timean' we 'ad one o' they young college gentlemen stayin' at the farm…nice feller tu； with 'is 'ead in the air。 I liked 'e very well； an' I never see nothin' between 'em； but to my thinkin' 'e turned the maid's fancy。〃 The old man took the pipe out of his mouth； spat； and went on：
〃Yu see； 'e went away sudden one day； an' never come back。 They got 'is knapsack and bits o' things down there still。 That's what stuck in my mind'is never sendin' for 'em。 'Is name was Ashes； or somethen' like that。〃
〃Yes？〃 said Ashurst once more。
The old man licked his lips。
〃'Er never said nothin'； but from that day 'er went kind of dazed lukin'； didn'seem rightly therr at all。 I never knu a'uman creature so changed in me lifenever。 There was another young feller at the farmJoe Biddaford 'is name wer'； that was praaperly sweet on 'er； tu； I guess 'e used to plague 'er wi 'is attentions。 She got to luke quite wild。 I'd zee her sometimes of an avenin' when I was bringin' up the calves； ther' she'd stand in th' orchard； under the big apple tree； lukin' straight before 'er。 'Well；' I used t'think； 'I dunno what 'tes that's the matter wi' yu； but yu'm lukin' pittiful； that yu be！'〃
The old man refit his pipe； and sucked at it reflectively。
〃Yes？〃 said Ashurst。
〃I remembers one day I said to 'er： 'What's the matter； Megan？''er name was Megan David； she come from Wales same as 'er aunt； ol' Missis Narracombe。 'Yu'm frettin' about somethin'。 I says。 'No； Jim；' she says； 'I'm not frettin'。' 'Yes； yu be！' I says。 'No；' she says； and to tears cam' rollin' out。 'Yu'm cryin'what's that； then？' I says。 She putts 'er 'and over 'er 'eart： 'It 'urts me；' she says； 'but 'twill sune be better；' she says。 'But if anything shude 'appen to me； Jim； I wants to be burried under this 'ere apple tree。' I laughed。 'What's goin' to 'appen to yu？' I says； 'don't 'ee be fulish。' 'No；' she says； ' I won't be fulish。' Well； I know what maids are； an' I never thought no more about et； till two days arter that； 'bout six in the avenin' I was comin' up wi' the calves； when I see somethin' dark lyin' in the strame； close to that big apple tree。 I says to meself： 'Is that a pig…funny place for a pig to get to！' an' I goes up to et； an' I see what 'twas。〃
The old man stopped； his eyes； turned upward； had a bright； suffering look。
〃'Twas the maid； in a little narrer pool ther' that's made by the stoppin' of a rockwhere I see the young gentleman bathin' once or twice。 'Er was lyin' on 'er face in the watter。 There was a plant o' goldie…cups growin' out o' the stone just above 'er'ead。 An' when I come to luke at 'er face； 'twas luvly； butiful； so calm's a baby's… …wonderful butiful et was。 When the doctor saw 'er； 'e said： 〃Er culdn' never a…done it in that little bit o' watter ef' er 'adn't a… been in an extarsy。' Ah！ an' judgin' from 'er face； that was just 'ow she was。 Et made me cry praaper…butiful et was！ 'Twas June then； but she'd afound a little bit of apple…blossom left over somewheres； and stuck et in 'er 'air。 That's why I thinks 'er must abeen in an extarsy； to go to et gay； like that。 Why！ there wasn't more than a fute and 'arf o' watter。 But I tell 'ee one thingthat meadder's 'arnted； I knu et； an' she knu et； an' no one'll persuade me as 'tesn't。 I told 'em what she said to me 'bout bein' burried under th' apple tree。 But I think that turned 'emmade et luke to much 's ef she'd 'ad it in 'er mind deliberate； an' so they burried 'er up 'ere。 Parson we 'ad then was very particular； 'e was。〃
Again the old man drew his hand over the turf。
〃'Tes wonderful； et seems；〃 he added slowly； 〃what maids 'll du for love。 She 'ad a lovin…'eart； I guess 'twas broken。 But us never knu nothin'！〃
He looked up as if for approval of his story； but Ashurst had walked past him as if he were not there。
Up on the top of the hill； beyond where he had spread the lunch； over； out of sight； he lay down on his face。 So had his virtue been rewarded； and 〃the Cyprian；〃 goddess of love； taken her revenge！ And before his eyes； dim with tears； came Megan's face with the sprig of apple blossom in her dark； wet hair。 'What did I do that was wrong？' he thought。 'What did I do？' But he could not answer。 Spring； with its rush of passion； its flowers and song…the spring in his heart and Megan's！ Was it just Love seeking a victim！ The Greek was right； thenthe words of the 〃Hippolytus〃 as true to…day！
〃For mad is the heart of Love； And gold the gleam of his wing； And all to the spell thereof Bend when he makes his spring。 All life that is wild and young In mountain and wave and stream All that of earth is sprung； Or breathes in the red sunbeam； Yea； and Mankind。 O'er all a royal throne； Cyprian； Cyprian； is thine alone！〃
The Greek was right！ Megan！ Poor little Megancoming over the hill！ Megan under the old apple tree waiting and looking！ Megan dead； with beauty printed on her！
A voice said：
〃Oh； there you are！ Look ！〃
Ashurst rose； took his wife's sketch； and stared at it in silence。
〃Is the foreground right； Frank？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But there's something wanting； isn't there？〃
Ashurst nodded。 Wanting？ The apple tree； the singing； and the gold！
And solemnly he put his lips to her forehead。 It was his silver… wedding day。
1916
THE JURYMAN
〃Don't you see； brother； I was reading yesterday the Gospel about Christ； the little Father； how He suffered； how He walked on the earth。 I suppose you have heard about it？〃
〃Indeed； I have；〃 replied Stepanuitch； 〃but we are people in darkness； we can't read。〃TOLSTOI。
Mr。 Henry Bosengate； of the London Stock Exchange； seated himself in his car that morning during the great war with a sense of injury。 Major in a Volunteer Corps； member of all the local committees； lending this very car to the neighbouring hospital； at times even driving it himself for their benefit； subscribing to funds； so far as his diminished income permittedhe was conscious of being an asset to the country； and one whose time could not be wasted with impunity。 To be summoned to sit on a jury at the local assizes； and not even the grand jury at that！ It was in the nature of an outrage。
Strong and upright； with hazel eyes and dark eyebrows； pinkish…brown cheeks； a forehead white； well…shaped； and getting high； with greyish hair glossy and well…brushed； and a trim moustache； he might have been taken for that colonel of Volunteers which indeed he was in a fair way of becoming。
His wife had followed him out under the porch； and stood bracing her supple body clothed in lilac linen。 Red rambler roses formed a sort of crown to her dark head； her ivory…coloured face had in it just a suggestion of the Japanese。
Mr。 Bosengate spoke through the whirr of the engine：
〃I don't expect to be late； dear。 This business is ridiculous。 There oughtn't to be any crime in these days。〃
His wifeher name was Kathleensmiled。 She looked very pretty and cool； Mr。 Bosengate thought。 To him bound on this dull and stuffy business everything he owned seemed pleasantthe geranium beds beside the gravel drive； his long； red…brick house mellowing decorously in its creepers and ivy； the little clock…tower over stables now converted to a garage； the dovecote； masking at the other end the conservatory which adjoined the billiard…room。 Close to the red…brick lodge his two children； Kate and Harry； ran out from under the acacia trees； and waved to him； scrambling bare…legged on to the low； red； ivy…covered wall which guarded his domain of eleven acres。 Mr。 Bosengate waved back； thinking： 'Jolly coupleby Jove； they are！' Above their heads； through the trees； he could see right away to some Downs； faint in the July heat haze。 And he thought： 'Pretty a spot as one could have got； so close to Town！'
Despite the war he had enjoyed these last two years more than any of the ten since he built 〃Charmleigh〃 and settled down to semi…rural domesticity with his young wife。 There had been a certain piquancy； a savour added to existence； by the country's per
