villa rubein and other stories-第16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！



on　a　wharf　a　lantern。　　I　stumbled　over　casks　and　ropes　and　boxes；　I

saw　I　should　never　get　clearthe　dawn　had　begun　already　on　the　other

side。　　Some　men　came　from　a　house　behind　me。　　I　bent；　and　crept

behind　some　barrels。　　They　passed　along　the　wharf；　they　seemed　to

drop　into　the　river。　　I　heard　one　of　them　say：　'Passau　before　night。'

I　stood　up　and　saw　they　had　walked　on　board　a　steamer　which　was　lying

head　up…stream；　with　some　barges　in　tow。　　There　was　a　plank　laid　to

the　steamer；　and　a　lantern　at　the　other　end。　　I　could　hear　the

fellows　moving　below　deck；　getting　up　steam。　　I　ran　across　the　plank

and　crept　to　the　end　of　the　steamer。　　I　meant　to　go　with　them　to

Passau！　　The　rope　which　towed　the　barges　was　nearly　taut；　and　I　knew

if　I　could　get　on　to　the　barges　I　should　be　safe。　　I　climbed　down　on

this　rope　and　crawled　along。　　I　was　desperate；　I　knew　they'd　soon　be

coming　up；　and　it　was　getting　light。　　I　thought　I　should　fall　into

the　water　several　times；　but　I　got　to　the　barge　at　last。　　It　was

laden　with　straw。　　There　was　nobody　on　board。　　I　was　hungry　and

thirstyI　looked　for　something　to　eat；　there　was　nothing　but　the

ashes　of　a　fire　and　a　man's　coat。　　I　crept　into　the　straw。　　Soon　a

boat　brought　men；　one　for　each　barge；　and　there　were　sounds　of　steam。

As　soon　as　we　began　moving　through　the　water；　I　fell　asleep。　　When　I

woke　we　were　creeping　through　a　heavy　mist。　　I　made　a　little　hole　in

the　straw　and　saw　the　bargeman。　　He　was　sitting　by　a　fire　at　the

barge's　edge；　so　that　the　sparks　and　smoke　blew　away　over　the　water。

He　ate　and　drank　with　both　hands；　and　funny　enough　he　looked　in　the

mist；　like　a　big　bird　flapping　its　wings；　there　was　a　good　smell　of

coffee；　and　I　sneezed。　　How　the　fellow　started！　　But　presently　he

took　a　pitchfork　and　prodded　the　straw。　　Then　I　stood　up。　　I　couldn't

help　laughing；　he　was　so　surpriseda　huge；　dark　man；　with　a　great

black　beard。　　I　pointed　to　the　fire　and　said　'Give　me　some；　brother！'

He　pulled　me　out　of　the　straw；　I　was　so　stiff；　I　couldn't　move。　　I

sat　by　the　fire；　and　ate　black　bread　and　turnips；　and　drank　coffee；

while　he　stood　by；　watching　me　and　muttering。　　I　couldn't　understand

him　wellhe　spoke　a　dialect　from　Hungary。　　He　asked　me：　How　I　got

therewho　I　waswhere　I　was　from？　　I　looked　up　in　his　face；　and　he

looked　down　at　me；　sucking　his　pipe。　　He　was　a　big　man；　he　lived

alone　on　the　river；　and　I　was　tired　of　telling　lies；　so　I　told　him

the　whole　thing。　　When　I　had　done　he　just　grunted。　　I　can　see　him　now

standing　over　me；　with　the　mist　hanging　in　his　beard；　and　his　great

naked　arms。　　He　drew　me　some　water；　and　I　washed　and　showed　him　my

wig　and　moustache；　and　threw　them　overboard。　　All　that　day　we　lay　out

on　the　barge　in　the　mist；　with　our　feet　to　the　fire；　smoking；　now　and

then　he　would　spit　into　the　ashes　and　mutter　into　his　beard。　　I　shall

never　forget　that　day。　　The　steamer　was　like　a　monster　with　fiery

nostrils；　and　the　other　barges　were　dumb　creatures　with　eyes；　where

the　fires　were；　we　couldn't　see　the　bank；　but　now　and　then　a　bluff

and　high　trees；　or　a　castle；　showed　in　the　mist。　　If　I　had　only　had

paint　and　canvas　that　day！〃　　He　sighed。



〃It　was　early　Spring；　and　the　river　was　in　flood；　they　were　going　to

Regensburg　to　unload　there；　take　fresh　cargo；　and　back　to　Linz。　　As

soon　as　the　mist　began　to　clear；　the　bargeman　hid　me　in　the　straw。

At　Passau　was　the　frontier；　they　lay　there　for　the　night；　but　nothing

happened；　and　I　slept　in　the　straw。　　The　next　day　I　lay　out　on　the

barge　deck；　there　was　no　mist；　but　I　was　freethe　sun　shone　gold　on

the　straw　and　the　green　sacking；　the　water　seemed　to　dance；　and　I

laughedI　laughed　all　the　time；　and　the　barge　man　laughed　with　me。

A　fine　fellow　he　was！　　At　Regensburg　I　helped　them　to　unload；　for

more　than　a　week　we　worked；　they　nicknamed　me　baldhead；　and　when　it

was　all　over　I　gave　the　money　I　earned　for　the　unloading　to　the　big

bargeman。　　We　kissed　each　other　at　parting。　　I　had　still　three　of　the

gulden　that　Luigi　gave　me；　and　I　went　to　a　house…painter　and　got　work

with　him。　　For　six　months　I　stayed　there　to　save　money；　then　I　wrote

to　my　mother's　cousin　in　Vienna；　and　told　him　I　was　going　to　London。

He　gave　me　an　introduction　to　some　friends　there。　　I　went　to　Hamburg；

and　from　there　to　London　in　a　cargo　steamer；　and　I've　never　been　back

till　now。〃









XI



After　a　minute's　silence　Christian　said　in　a　startled　voice：　〃They

could　arrest　you　then！〃



Harz　laughed。



〃If　they　knew；　but　it's　seven　years　ago。〃



〃Why　did　you　come　here；　when　it's　so　dangerous？〃



〃I　had　been　working　too　hard；　I　wanted　to　see　my　countryafter　seven

years；　and　when　it's　forbidden！　　But　I'm　ready　to　go　back　now。〃　　He

looked　down　at　her；　frowning。



〃Had　you　a　hard　time　in　London；　too？〃



〃Harder；　at　firstI　couldn't　speak　the　language。　　In　my　profession

it's　hard　work　to　get　recognised；　it's　hard　work　to　make　a　living。

There　are　too　many　whose　interest　it　is　to　keep　you　downI　shan't

forget　them。〃



〃But　every　one　is　not　like　that？〃



〃No；　there　are　fine　fellows；　too。　　I　shan't　forget　them　either。　　I

can　sell　my　pictures　now；　I'm　no　longer　weak；　and　I　promise　you　I

shan't　forget。　　If　in　the　future　I　have　power；　and　I　shall　have

powerI　shan't　forget。〃



A　shower　of　fine　gravel　came　rattling　on　the　wall。　　Dawney　was

standing　below　them　with　an　amused　expression　on　his　upturned　face。



〃Are　you　going　to　stay　there　all　night？〃　he　asked。　　〃Greta　and　I　have

bored　each　other。〃



〃We're　coming；〃　called　Christian　hastily。



On　the　way　back　neither　spoke　a　word；　but　when　they　reached　the

Villa；　Harz　took　her　hand；　and　said：　〃Fraulein　Christian；　I　can't　do

any　more　with　your　picture。　　I　shan't　touch　it　again　after　this。〃



She　made　no　answer；　but　they　looked　at　each　other；　and　both　seemed　to

ask；　to　entreat；　something　more；　then　her　eyes　fell。　　He　dropped　her

hand；　and　saying；　〃Good…night；〃　ran　after　Dawney。



In　the　corridor；　Dominique；　carrying　a　dish　of　fruit；　met　the

sisters；　he　informed　them　that　Miss　Naylor　had　retired　to　bed；　that

Herr　Paul　would　not　be　home　to　dinner；　his　master　was　dining　in　his

room；　dinner　would　be　served　for　Mrs。　Decie　and　the　two　young　ladies

in　a　quarter　of　an　hour：　〃And　the　fish　is　good　to…night；　little

trouts！　try　them；　Signorina！〃　He　moved　on　quickly；　softly；　like　a

cat；　the　tails　of　his　dress…coat　flapping；　and　the　heels　of　his　white

socks　gleaming。



Christian　ran　upstairs。　　She　flew　about　her　room；　feeling　that　if　she

once　stood　still　it　would　all　crystallise　in　hard　painful　thought；

which　motion　alone　kept　away。　　She　washed；　changed　her　dress　and

shoes；　and　ran　down　to　her　uncle's　room。　　Mr。　Treffry　had　just

finished　dinner；　pushed　the　little　table　back；　and　was　sitting　in　his

chair；　with　his　glasses　on　his　nose；　reading　the　Tines。　　Christian

touched　his　forehead　with　her　lips。



〃Glad　to　see　you；　Chris。　　Your　stepfather's　out　to　dinner；　and　I

can't　stand　your　aunt　when　she's　in　one　of　her　talking　moodsbit　of

a　humbug；　Chris；　between　ourselves；　eh；　isn't　she？〃　His　eyes

twinkled。



Christian　smiled。　　There　was　a　curious　happy　restlessness　in　her　that

would　not　let　her　keep　still。



〃Picture　finished？〃　Mr。　Treffry　asked　suddenly；　taking　up　the　paper

with　a　crackle。　　〃Don't　go　and　fall　in　love　with　the　painter；　Chris。〃



Christian　was　still　enough　now。



'Why　not？'　she　thought。　　'What　should　you　know　about　him？　　Isn't　he

good　enough　for　me？'　　A　gong　sounded。



〃There's　your　dinner；〃　Mr。　Treffry　remarked。



With　sudden　contrition　she　bent　and　kissed　him。



But　when　she　had　left　the　room　Mr。　Treffry　put　down　the　Times　and

stared　at　the　door；　humming　to　himself；　and　thoughtfully　fingering

his　chin。



Christian　could　not　eat；　she　sat；　indifferent　to　the　hoverings　of

Dominique；　tormented　by　uneasy　fear　and　longings。　　She　answered　Mrs。

Decie　at　random。　　Greta　kept　stealing　looks　at　her　from　under　her

lashes。