villa rubein and other stories-第23章

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of　Fritz。〃



〃It　would　take　a　long　time；　people　are　always　passing。〃



〃People　do　not　pass　in　the　evening；〃　murmured　Greta；　〃because　the

gate　at　our　end　is　always　shut。〃



Christian　rose。



〃We　will　come　this　evening；　just　before　the　gate　is　shut。〃



〃But；　Chris；　how　shall　we　get　back　again？〃



〃I　don't　know；　I　mean　to　have　the　pictures。〃



〃It　is　not　a　high　gate；〃　murmured　Greta。



After　dinner　the　girls　went　to　their　room；　Greta　bearing　with　her　the

big　screw…driver　of　Fritz。　　At　dusk　they　slipped　downstairs　and　out。



They　arrived　at　the　old　house；　and　stood；　listening；　in　the　shadow　of

the　doorway。　　The　only　sounds　were　those　of　distant　barking　dogs；　and

of　the　bugles　at　the　barracks。



〃Quick！〃　whispered　Christian；　and　Greta；　with　all　the　strength　of　her

small　hands；　began　to　turn　the　screws。　　It　was　some　time　before　they

yielded；　the　third　was　very　obstinate；　till　Christian　took　the　screw…

driver　and　passionately　gave　the　screw　a　starting　twist。



〃It　is　like　a　pigthat　one；〃　said　Greta；　rubbing　her　wrists

mournfully。



The　opened　door　revealed　the　gloom　of　the　dank　rooms　and　twisting

staircase；　then　fell　to　behind　them　with　a　clatter。



Greta　gave　a　little　scream；　and　caught　her　sister's　dress。



〃It　is　dark；〃　she　gasped；　〃O　Chris！　it　is　dark！〃



Christian　groped　for　the　bottom　stair；　and　Greta　felt　her　arm

shaking。



〃Suppose　there　is　a　man　to　keep　guard！　　O　Chris！　suppose　there　are

bats！〃



〃You　are　a　baby！〃　Christian　answered　in　a　trembling　voice。　　〃You　had

better　go　home！〃



Greta　choked　a　little　in　the　dark。



〃I　amnotgoing　home；　but　I'm　afraid　of　bats。　　O　Chris！　aren't　you

afraid？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Christian；　〃but　I'm　going　to　have　the　pictures。〃



Her　cheeks　were　burning；　she　was　trembling　all　over。　　Having　found

the　bottom　step　she　began　to　mount　with　Greta　clinging　to　her　skirts。



The　haze　above　inspired　a　little　courage　in　the　child；　who；　of　all

things；　hated　darkness。　　The　blanket　across　the　doorway　of　the　loft

had　been　taken　down；　there　was　nothing　to　veil　the　empty　room。



〃Nobody　here；　you　see；〃　said　Christian。



〃No…o；〃　whispered　Greta；　running　to　the　window；　and　clinging　to　the

wall；　like　one　of　the　bats　she　dreaded。



〃But　they　have　been　here！〃　cried　Christian　angrily。　　〃They　have

broken　this。〃　　She　pointed　to　the　fragments　of　a　plaster　cast　that

had　been　thrown　down。



Out　of　the　corner　she　began　to　pull　the　canvases　set　in　rough；　wooden

frames；　dragging　them　with　all　her　strength。



〃Help　me！〃　she　cried；　〃it　will　be　dark　directly。〃



They　collected　a　heap　of　sketches　and　three　large　pictures；　piling

them　before　the　window；　and　peering　at　them　in　the　failing　light。



Greta　said　ruefully：



〃O　Chris！　they　are　heavy　ones；　we　shall　never　carry　them；　and　the

gate　is　shut　now！〃



Christian　took　a　pointed　knife　from　the　table。



〃I　shall　cut　them　out　of　the　frames；〃　she　said。　　〃Listen！　　What's

that？〃



It　was　the　sound　of　whistling；　which　stopped　beneath　the　window。　　The

girls；　clasping　each　other's　hands；　dropped　on　their　knees。



〃Hallo！〃　cried　a　voice。



Greta　crept　to　the　window；　and；　placing　her　face　level　with　the

floor；　peered　over。



〃It　is　only　Dr。　Edmund；　he　doesn't　know；　then；〃　she　whispered；　〃I

shall　call　him；　he　is　going　away！〃　cried　Christian　catching　her

sister's



〃Don't！〃　cried　Christian　catching　her　sister's　dress。



〃He　would　help　us；〃　Greta　said　reproachfully；　〃and　it　would　not　be　so

dark　if　he　were　here。〃



Christian's　cheeks　were　burning。



〃I　don't　choose；〃　she　said；　and　began　handling　the　pictures；　feeling

their　edges　with　her　knife。



〃Chris！　　Suppose　anybody　came？〃



〃The　door　is　screwed；〃　Christian　answered　absently。



〃O　Chris！　　We　screwed　it　unscrewed；　anybody　who　wishes　shall　come！〃



Christian；　leaning　her　chin　in　her　hands；　gazed　at　her　thoughtfully。



〃It　will　take　a　long　time　to　cut　these　pictures　out　carefully；　or；

perhaps　I　can　get　them　out　without　cutting。　　You　must　screw　me　up　and

go　home。　　In　the　morning　you　must　come　early；　when　the　gate　is　open；

unscrew　me　again；　and　help　carry　the　pictures。〃



Greta　did　not　answer　at　once。　　At　last　she　shook　her　head　violently。



〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　gasped。



〃We　can't　both　stay　here　all　night；〃　said　Christian；　〃if　any　one

comes　to　our　room　there　will　be　nobody　to　answer。　　We　can't　lift

these　pictures　over　the　gate。　　One　of　us　must　go　back；　you　can　climb

over　the　gatethere　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of〃



Greta　pressed　her　hands　together。



〃Do　you　want　the　pictures　badly；　Chris？〃



Christian　nodded。



〃Very　badly？〃



〃Yesyesyes！〃



Greta　remained　sitting　where　she　was；　shivering　violently；　as　a

little　animal　shivers　when　it　scents　danger。　　At　last　she　rose。



〃I　am　going；〃　she　said　in　a　despairing　voice。　　At　the　doorway　she

turned。



〃If　Miss　Naylor　shall　ask　me　where　you　are；　Chris；　I　shall　be　telling

her　a　story。〃



Christian　started。



〃I　forgot　that　…O　Greta；　I　am　sorry！　I　will　go　instead。〃



Greta　took　another　stepa　quick　one。



〃I　shall　die　if　I　stay　here　alone；〃　she　said；　〃I　can　tell　her　that

you　are　in　bed；　you　must　go　to　bed　here；　Chris；　so　it　shall　be　true

after　all。〃



Christian　threw　her　arms　about　her。



〃I　am　so　sorry；　darling；　I　wish　I　could　go　instead。　　But　if　you　have

to　tell　a　lie；　I　would　tell　a　straight　one。〃



〃Would　you？〃　said　Greta　doubtfully。



〃Yes。〃



〃I　think；〃　said　Greta　to　herself；　beginning　to　descend　the　stairs；　〃I

think　I　will　tell　it　in　my　way。〃　　She　shuddered　and　went　on　groping

in　the　darkness。



Christian　listened　for　the　sound　of　the　screws。　　It　came　slowly；

threatening　her　with　danger　and　solitude。



Sinking　on　her　knees　she　began　to　work　at　freeing　the　canvas　of　a

picture。　　Her　heart　throbbed　distressfully；　at　the　stir　of　wind…

breath　or　any　distant　note　of　clamour　she　stopped；　and　held　her

breathing。　　No　sounds　came　near。　　She　toiled　on；　trying　only　to　think

that　she　was　at　the　very　spot　where　last　night　his　arms　had　been

round　her。　　How　long　ago　it　seemed！　　She　was　full　of　vague　terror；

overmastered　by　the　darkness；　dreadfully　alone。　　The　new　glow　of

resolution　seemed　suddenly　to　have　died　down　in　her　heart；　and　left

her　cold。



She　would　never　be　fit　to　be　his　wife；　if　at　the　first　test　her

courage　failed！　She　set　her　teeth；　and　suddenly　she　felt　a　kind　of

exultation；　as　if　she　too　were　entering　into　life；　were　knowing

something　within　herself　that　she　had　never　known　before。　　Her

fingers　hurt；　and　the　pain　even　gave　pleasure；　her　cheeks　were

burning；　her　breath　came　fast。　　They　could　not　stop　her　now！　　This

feverish　task　in　darkness　was　her　baptism　into　life。　　She　finished；

and　rolling　the　pictures　very　carefully；　tied　them　with　cord。　　She

had　done　something　for　him！　　Nobody　could　take　that　from　her！　　She

had　a　part　of　him！　　This　night　had　made　him　hers！　　They　might　do

their　worst！　　She　lay　down　on　his　mattress　and　soon　fell　asleep。。。。



She　was　awakened　by　Scruff's　tongue　against　her　face。　　Greta　was

standing　by　her　side。



〃Wake　up；　Chris！　　The　gate　is　open！〃



In　the　cold　early　light　the　child　seemed　to　glow　with　warmth　and

colour；　her　eyes　were　dancing。



〃I　am　not　afraid　now；　Scruff　and　I　sat　up　all　night；　to　catch　the

morningIthink　it　was　fun；　and　O　Chris！〃　she　ended　with　a　rueful

gleam　in　her　eyes；　〃I　told　it。〃



Christian　hugged　her。



〃Comequick！　There　is　nobody　about。　　Are　those　the　pictures？〃



Each　supporting　an　end；　the　girls　carried　the　bundle　downstairs；　and

set　out　with　their　corpse…like　burden　along　the　wall…path　between　the

river　and　the　vines。









XIX



Hidden　by　the　shade　of　rose…bushes　Greta　lay　stretched　at　length；

cheek　on　arm；　sleeping　the　sleep　of　the　unrighteous。　　Through　the

flowers　the　sun　flicked　her　parted　lips　with　kisses；　and　spilled　the

withered　petals　on　her。　　In　a　denser　i