the trees of pride-第11章

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〃See　here；〃　he　said　hoarsely　and　hastily。　　〃You　have　said　the　word。　What　does　it　mean？　　What　can　it　mean？　　Dry？　　Why　are　these　bones　dry？〃

The　lawyer　started　and　stared　down　at　the　heap。

〃Your　case　complete！〃　cried　Paynter；　in　mounting　excitement。　〃Where　is　the　water　in　the　well？　　The　water　I　saw　leap　like　a　flame？　Why　did　it　leap？　　Where　is　it　gone　to？　　Complete！　　We　are　buried　under　riddles。〃

Ashe　stooped；　picked　up　a　bone　and　looked　at　it。

〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　and　shaken　voice：　〃this　bone　is　as　dryas　a　bone。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　right；〃　replied　Cyprian。　　〃And　your　mystic　is　still　as　mysterious　as　a　mystic。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　　Ashe　laid　down　the　bone；　picked　up　the　ax　and　studied　it　more　closely。　　Beyond　the　dull　stain　at　the　corner　of　the　steel　there　was　nothing　unusual　about　it　save　a　broad　white　rag　wrapped　round　the　handle；　perhaps　to　give　a　better　grip。　　The　lawyer　thought　it　worth；　noting；　however；　that　the　rag　was　certainly　newer　and　cleaner　than　the　chopper。　But　both　were　quite　dry。

〃Mr。　Paynter；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　admit　you　have　scored；　in　the　spirit　if　not　in　the　letter。　　In　strict　logic；　this　greater　puzzle　is　not　a　reply　to　my　case。　　If　this　ax　has　not　been　dipped　in　water；　it　has　been　dipped　in　blood；　and　the　water　jumping　out　of　the　well　is　not　an　explanation　of　the　poet　jumping　out　of　the　wood。　　But　I　admit　that　morally　and　practically　it　does　make　a　vital　difference。　We　are　not　faced　with　a　colossal　contradiction；　and　we　don't　know　how　far　it　extends。　　The　body　might　have　been　broken　up　or　boiled　down　to　its　bones　by　the　murderer；　though　it　may　be　hard　to　connect　it　with　the　conditions　of　the　murder。　It　might　conceivably　have　been　so　reduced　by　some　property　in　the　water　and　soil；　for　decomposition　varies　vastly　with　these　things。　　I　should　not　dismiss　my　strong　prima　facie　case　against　the　likely　person　because　of　these　difficulties。　But　here　we　have　something　entirely　different。　　That　the　bones　themselves　should　remain　dry　in　a　well　full　of　water；　or　a　well　that　yesterday　was　full　of　waterthat　brings　us　to　the　edge　of　something　beyond　which　we　can　make　no　guess。　There　is　a　new　factor；　enormous　and　quite　unknown。　While　we　can't　fit　together　such　prodigious　facts；　we　can't　fit　together　a　case　against　Treherne　or　against　anybody。　　No；　there　is　only　one　thing　to　be　done　now。　　Since　we　can't　accuse　Treherne；　we　must　appeal　to　him。　　We　must　put　the　case　against　him　frankly　before　him；　and　trust　he　has　an　explanationand　will　give　it。　I　suggest　we　go　back　and　do　it　now。〃

Paynter；　beginning　to　follow；　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said：　〃Forgive　me　for　a　kind　of　liberty；　as　you　say；　you　are　an　older　friend　of　the　family。　　I　entirely　agree　with　your　suggestion；　but　before　you　act　on　your　present　suspicions；　do　you　know；　I　think　Miss　Vane　ought　to　be　warned　a　little？　　I　rather　fear　all　this　will　be　a　new　shock　to　her。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Ashe；　after　looking　at　him　steadily　for　an　instant。　〃Let　us　go　across　to　her　first。〃

From　the　opening　of　the　wood　they　could　see　Barbara　Vane　writing　at　the　garden　table；　which　was　littered　with　correspondence；　and　the　butler　with　his　yellow　face　waiting　behind　her　chair。　As　the　lengths　of　grass　lessened　between　them；　and　the　little　group　at　the　table　grew　larger　and　clearer　in　the　sunlight；　Paynter　had　a　painful　sense　of　being　part　of　an　embassy　of　doom。　It　sharpened　when　the　girl　looked　up　from　the　table　and　smiled　on　seeing　them。

〃I　should　like　to　speak　to　you　rather　particularly　if　I　may；〃　said　the　lawyer；　with　a　touch　of　authority　in　his　respect；　and　when　the　butler　was　dismissed　he　laid　open　the　whole　matter　before　her；　speaking　sympathetically；　but　leaving　out　nothing；　from　the　strange　escape　of　the　poet　from　the　wood　to　the　last　detail　of　the　dry　bones　out　of　the　well。　　No　fault　could　be　found　with　any　one　of　his　tones　or　phrases；　and　yet　Cyprian；　tingling　in　every　nerve　with　the　fine　delicacy　of　his　nation　about　the　other　sex；　felt　as　if　she　were　faced　with　an　inquisitor。　He　stood　about　uneasily；　watched　the　few　colored　clouds　in　the　clear　sky　and　the　bright　birds　darting　about　the　wood；　and　he　heartily　wished　himself　up　the　tree　again。

Soon；　however；　the　way　the　girl　took　it　began　to　move　him　to　perplexity　rather　than　pity。　　It　was　like　nothing　he　had　expected；　and　yet　he　could　not　name　the　shade　of　difference。　The　final　identification　of　her　father's　skull；　by　the　hole　in　the　hat；　turned　her　a　little　pale；　but　left　her　composed；　this　was；　perhaps；　explicable；　since　she　had　from　the　first　taken　the　pessimistic　view。　　But　during　the　rest　of　the　tale　there　rested　on　her　broad　brows　under　her　copper　coils　of　hair；　a　brooding　spirit　that　was　itself　a　mystery。　He　could　only　tell　himself　that　she　was　less　merely　receptive；　either　firmly　or　weakly；　than　he　would　have　expected。　It　was　as　if　she　revolved；　not　their　problem；　but　her　own。　She　was　silent　a　long　time；　and　said　at　last：

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Ashe；　I　am　really　very　grateful　for　this。　　After　all；　it　brings　things　to　the　point　where　they　must　have　come　sooner　or　later。〃　She　looked　dreamily　at　the　wood　and　sea；　and　went　on：　　〃I've　not　only　had　myself　to　consider；　you　see；　but　if　you're　really　thinking　THAT；　it's　time　I　spoke　out；　without　asking　anybody。　　You　say；　as　if　it　were　something　very　dreadful；　'Mr。　Treherne　was　in　the　wood　that　night。'　Well；　it's　not　quite　so　dreadful　to　me；　you　see；　because　I　know　he　was。　In　fact；　we　were　there　together。〃

〃Together！〃　repeated　the　lawyer。

〃We　were　together；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃because　we　had　a　right　to　be　together。〃

〃Do　you　mean；〃　stammered　Ashe；　surprised　out　of　himself；　〃that　you　were　engaged？〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　said。　　〃We　were　married。〃

Then；　amid　a　startled　silence；　she　added；　as　a　kind　of　afterthought：

〃In　fact；　we　are　still。〃

Strong　as　was　his　composure；　the　lawyer　sat　back　in　his　chair　with　a　sort　of　solid　stupefaction　at　which　Paynter　could　not　help　smiling。

〃You　will　ask　me；　of　course；〃　went　on　Barbara　in　the　same　measured　manner；　〃why　we　should　be　married　secretly；　so　that　even　my　poor　father　did　not　know。　　Well；　I　answer　you　quite　frankly　to　begin　with；　because；　if　he　had　known；　he　would　certainly　have　cut　me　off　with　a　shilling。　　He　did　not　like　my　husband；　and　I　rather　fancy　you　do　not　like　him　either。　And　when　I　tell　you　this；　I　know　perfectly　well　what　you　will　say　the　usual　adventurer　getting　hold　of　the　usual　heiress。　It　is　quite　reasonable；　and；　as　it　happens；　it　is　quite　wrong。　If　I　had　deceived　my　father　for　the　sake　of　the　money；　or　even　for　the　sake　of　a　man；　I　should　be　a　little　ashamed　to　talk　to　you　about　it。　　And　I　think　you　can　see　that　I　am　not　ashamed。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　American；　with　a　grave　inclination；　〃yes；　I　can　see　that。〃

She　looked　at　him　thoughtfully　for　a　moment；　as　if　seeking　words　for　an　obscure　matter；　and　then　said：

〃Do　you　remember；　Mr。　Paynter；　that　day　you　first　lunched　here　and　told　us　about　the　African　trees？　　Well；　it　was　my　birthday；　I　mean　my　first　birthday。　　I　was　born　then；　or　woke　up　or　something。　I　had　walked　in　this　garden　like　a　somnambulist　in　the　sun。　I　think　there　are　many　such　somnambulists　in　our　set　and　our　society；　stunned　with　health；　drugged　with　good　manners；　fitting　their　surroundings　too　well　to　be　alive。　　Well；　I　came　alive　somehow；　and　you　know　how　deep　in　us　are　the　things　we　first　realize　when　we　were　babies　and　began　to　take　notice。　　I　began　to　take　notice。　One　of　the　first　things　I　noticed　was　your　own　story；　Mr。　Paynter。　　I　feel　as　if　I　heard　of　St。　Securis　as　children　hear　of　Santa　Claus；　and　as　if　that　big　tree　were　a　bogey　I　still　believed　in。　　For　I　do　still　believe　in　such　things；　or　rather　I　believe　in　them　more　and　more；　I　feel　certain　my　poor　father　drove　on　the　rocks　by　disbelieving；　and　you　are　all　racing　to　ruin　after　him。　　That　is　why　I　do　honestly　want　the　estate；　and　that　is　why　I　am　not　ashamed　of　wanting　it。　I　am　perfectly　certain；　Mr。　Paynter；　that　nobody　can　save　this　perishing　land　and　this　perishing　people　but　those　who　understand。　I　mean　who　understand　a　thousand　little　signs　and　guides　in　the　very　soil　and　lie　of　the　land；　and　traces　that　are　almost　trampled　out。　My　husband　understands；　and　I　have　begun　to　understand；　my　f