villa rubein and other stories-第31章

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too！〃



〃Brave？〃　repeated　Greta；　〃what　is　it　to　be　brave？　　If　it　is　not　to

cry　and　make　a　fussthat　I　can　do。　　But　if　it　is　not　to　be　sad　in

here；〃　she　touched　her　breast；　〃that　I　cannot　do；　and　it　shall　not　be

any　good　for　me　to　try。〃



〃To　be　brave　is　to　hope；　don't　give　up　hope；　dear。〃



〃No；〃　said　Greta；　tracing　the　pattern　of　the　sunlight　on　her　skirt。

〃But　I　think　that　when　we　hope；　we　are　not　brave；　because　we　are

expecting　something　for　ourselves。　　Chris　says　that　hope　is　prayer；

and　if　it　is　prayer；　then　all　the　time　we　are　hoping；　we　are　asking

for　something；　and　it　is　not　brave　to　ask　for　things。〃



A　smile　curved　Dawney's　mouth。



〃Go　on；　Philosopher！〃　he　said。　　〃Be　brave　in　your　own　way；　it　will　be

just　as　good　as　anybody　else's。〃



〃What　are　you　going　to　do　to　be　brave；　Dr。　Edmund？〃



〃I？　　Fight！　　If　only　we　had　five　years　off　his　life！〃



Greta　watched　him　as　he　walked　away。



〃I　shall　never　be　brave；〃　she　mourned；　〃I　shall　always　be　wanting　to

be　happy。〃　　And；　kneeling　down；　she　began　to　disentangle　a　fly；

imprisoned　in　a　cobweb。　　A　plant　of　hemlock　had　sprung　up　in　the　long

grass　by　her　feet。　　Greta　thought；　dismayed：　'There　are　weeds！'



It　seemed　but　another　sign　of　the　death　of　joy。



'But　it's　very　beautiful；'　she　thought；　'the　blossoms　are　like　stars。

I　am　not　going　to　pull　it　up。　　I　will　leave　it；　perhaps　it　will

spread　all　through　the　garden；　and　if　it　does　I　do　not　care；　for　now

things　are　not　like　they　used　to　be　and　I　do　not；　think　they　ever

shall　be　again。'









XXVII



The　days　went　by；　those　long；　hot　days；　when　the　heat　haze　swims　up

about　ten　of　the　forenoon；　and；　as　the　sun　sinks　level　with　the

mountains；　melts　into　golden　ether　which　sets　the　world　quivering

with　sparkles。



At　the　lighting　of　the　stars　those　sparkles　die；　vanishing　one　by　one

off　the　hillsides；　evening　comes　flying　down　the　valleys；　and　life

rests　under　her　cool　wings。　　The　night　falls；　and　the　hundred　little

voices　of　the　night　arise。



It　was　near　grape…gathering；　and　in　the　heat　the　fight　for　Nicholas

Treffry's　life　went　on；　day　in；　day　out；　with　gleams　of　hope　and

moments　of　despair。　　Doctors　came；　but　after　the　first　he　refused　to

see　them。



〃No；〃　he　said　to　Dawney　〃throwing　away　money。　　If　I　pull　through　it

won't　be　because　of　them。〃



For　days　together　he　would　allow　no　one　but　Dawney；　Dominique；　and

the　paid　nurse　in　the　room。



〃I　can　stand　it　better；〃　he　said　to　Christian；　〃when　I　don't　see　any

of　you；　keep　away；　old　girl；　and　let　me　get　on　with　it！〃



To　have　been　able　to　help　would　have　eased　the　tension　of　her　nerves；

and　the　aching　of　her　heart。　　At　his　own　request　they　had　moved　his

bed　into　a　corner　so　that　he　might　face　the　wall。　　There　he　would　lie

for　hours　together；　not　speaking　a　word；　except　to　ask　for　drink。



Sometimes　Christian　crept　in　unnoticed；　and　sat　watching；　with　her

arms　tightly　folded　across　her　breast。　　At　night；　after　Greta　was

asleep；　she　would　toss　from　side　to　side；　muttering　feverish　prayers。

She　spent　hours　at　her　little　table　in　the　schoolroom；　writing

letters　to　Harz　that　were　never　sent。　　Once　she　wrote　these　words：　〃I

am　the　most　wicked　of　all　creaturesI　have　even　wished　that　he　may

die！〃　　A　few　minutes　afterwards　Miss　Naylor　found　her　with　her　head

buried　on　her　arms。　　Christian　sprang　up；　tears　were　streaming　down

her　cheeks。　　〃Don't　touch　me！〃　she　cried；　and　rushed　away。　　Later；

she　stole　into　her　uncle's　room；　and　sank　down　on　the　floor　beside

the　bed。　　She　sat　there　silently；　unnoticed　all　the　evening。　　When

night　came　she　could　hardly　be　persuaded　to　leave　the　room。



One　day　Mr。　Treffry　expressed　a　wish　to　see　Herr　Paul；　it　was　a　long

while　before　the　latter　could　summon　courage　to　go　in。



〃There's　a　few　dozen　of　the　Gordon　sherry　at　my　Chambers；　in　London；

Paul；〃　Mr。　Treffry　said；　〃I'd　be　glad　to　think　you　had　'em。　　And　my

man；　Dominique；　I've　made　him　all　right　in　my　will；　but　keep　your　eye

on　him；　he's　a　good　sort　for　a　foreigner；　and　no　chicken；　but　sooner

or　later；　the　women'll　get　hold　of　him。　　That's　all　I　had　to　say。

Send　Chris　to　me。〃



Herr　Paul　stood　by　the　bedside　speechless。　　Suddenly　he　blurted　out。



〃Ah！　my　dear！　　Courage！　　We　are　all　mortal。　　You　will　get　well！〃　　All

the　morning　he　walked　about　quite　inconsolable。　　〃It　was　frightful　to

see　him；　you　know；　frightful！　　An　iron　man　could　not　have　borne　it。〃



When　Christian　came　to　him；　Mr。　Treffry　raised　himself　and　looked　at

her　a　long　while。



His　wistful　face　was　like　an　accusation。　　But　that　very　afternoon　the

news　came　from　the　sickroom　that　he　was　better；　having　had　no　pain

for　several　hours。



Every　one　went　about　with　smiles　lurking　in　their　eyes；　and　ready　to

break　forth　at　a　word。　　In　the　kitchen　Barbi　burst　out　crying；　and；

forgetting　to　toss　the　pan；　spoiled　a　Kaiser…Schmarn　she　was　making。

Dominique　was　observed　draining　a　glass　of　Chianti；　and　solemnly

casting　forth　the　last　drops　in　libation。　　An　order　was　given　for　tea

to　be　taken　out　under　the　acacias；　where　it　was　always　cool；　it　was

felt　that　something　in　the　nature　of　high　festival　was　being　held。

Even　Herr　Paul　was　present；　but　Christian　did　not　come。　　Nobody　spoke

of　illness；　to　mention　it　might　break　the　spell。



Miss　Naylor；　who　had　gone　into　the　house；　came　back；　saying：



〃There　is　a　strange　man　standing　over　there　by　the　corner　of　the

house。〃



〃Really！〃　asked　Mrs。　Decie；　〃what　does　he　want？〃



Miss　Naylor　reddened。　　〃I　did　not　ask　him。　　Idon'tknowwhether

he　is　quite　respectable。　　His　coat　is　buttoned　very　close；　and　he

doesn't　seemto　have　acollar。〃



〃Go　and　see　what　he　wants；　dear　child；〃　Mrs。　Decie　said　to　Greta。



〃I　don't　knowI　really　do　not　know〃　began　Miss　Naylor；　〃he　has

veryhighboots；〃　but　Greta　was　already　on　her　way；　with　hands

clasped　behind　her；　and　demure　eyes　taking　in　the　stranger's　figure。



〃Please？〃　she　said；　when　she　was　close　to　him。



The　stranger　took　his　cap　off　with　a　jerk。



〃This　house　has　no　bells；〃　he　said　in　a　nasal　voice；　〃it　has　a

tendency　to　discourage　one。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Greta　gravely；　〃there　is　a　bell；　but　it　does　not　ring

now；　because　my　uncle　is　so　ill。〃



〃I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　that。　　I　don't　know　the　people　here；　but　I

am　very　sorry　to　hear　that。



I　would　be　glad　to　speak　a　few　words　to　your　sister；　if　it　is　your

sister　that　I　want。〃



And　the　stranger's　face　grew　very　red。



〃Is　it；〃　said　Greta；　〃that　you　are　a　friend　of　Herr　Harz？　　If　you　are

a　friend　of　his；　you　will　please　come　and　have　some　tea；　and　while

you　are　having　tea　I　will　look　for　Chris。〃



Perspiration　bedewed　the　stranger's　forehead。



〃Tea？　　Excuse　me！　　I　don't　drink　tea。〃



〃There　is　also　coffee；〃　Greta　said。



The　stranger's　progress　towards　the　arbour　was　so　slow　that　Greta

arrived　considerably　before　him。



〃It　is　a　friend　of　Herr　Harz；〃　she　whispered；　〃he　will　drink　coffee。

I　am　going　to　find　Chris。〃



〃Greta！〃　gasped　Miss　Naylor。



Mrs。　Decie　put　up　her　hand。



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃if　it　is　so；　we　must　be　very　nice　to　him　for

Christian's　sake。〃



Miss　Naylor's　face　grew　soft。　　　　　　…



〃Ah；　yes！〃　she　said；　〃of　course。〃



〃Bah！〃　muttered　Herr　Paul；　〃that　recommences。'



〃Paul！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Decie；　〃you　lack　the　elements　of　wisdom。〃



Herr　Paul　glared　at　the　approaching　stranger。



Mrs。　Decie　had　risen；　and　smilingly　held　out　her　hand。



〃We　are　so　glad　to　know　you；　you　are　an　artist　too；　perhaps？　　I　take

a　great　interest　in　art；　and　especially　in　that　school　which　Mr。　Harz

represents。〃



The　stranger　smiled。



〃He　is　the　genuine　article；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　　〃He　represents　no

school；　he　is　one　of　that　kind　whose　corpses　make　schools。〃



〃Ah！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Decie；　〃you　are　an　American。　　That　is　so　nice。

Do　sit　down！　　My　niece　will　soon　be　here。〃



Greta　came　running　back。



〃Will　you　come；　please？