villa rubein and other stories-第32章

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Greta　came　running　back。



〃Will　you　come；　please？〃　she　said。　　〃Chris　is　ready。〃



Gulping　down　his　coffee；　the　stranger　included　them　all　in　a　single

bow；　and　followed　her。



〃Ach！〃　said　Herr　Paul；　〃garcon　tres　chic；　celui…la！〃



Christian　was　standing　by　her　little　table。　　The　stranger　began。



〃I　am　sending　Mr。　Harz's　things　to　England；　there　are　some　pictures

here。　　He　would　be　glad　to　have　them。〃



A　flood　of　crimson　swept　over　her　face。



〃I　am　sending　them　to　London；〃　the　stranger　repeated；　〃perhaps　you

could　give　them　to　me　to…day。〃



〃They　are　ready；　my　sister　will　show　you。〃



Her　eyes　seemed　to　dart　into　his　soul；　and　try　to　drag　something　from

it。　　The　words　rushed　from　her　lips



〃Is　there　any　message　for　me？〃



The　stranger　regarded　her　curiously。



〃No；〃　he　stammered；　〃no！　I　guess　not。　　He　is　well。。。。　　I　wish。。。。〃　He

stopped；　her　white　face　seemed　to　flash　scorn；　despair；　and　entreaty

on　him　all　at　once。　　And　turning；　she　left　him　standing　there。









XXVII



When　Christian　went　that　evening　to　her　uncle's　room　he　was　sitting

up　in　bed；　and　at　once　began　to　talk。　　〃Chris；〃　he　said；　〃I　can't

stand　this　dying　by　inches。　　I'm　going　to　try　what　a　journey'll　do

for　me。　　I　want　to　get　back　to　the　old　country。　　The　doctor's

promised。　　There's　a　shot　in　the　locker　yet！　　I　believe　in　that　young

chap；　he's　stuck　to　me　like　a　man。。。。　　It'll　be　your　birthday；　on

Tuesday；　old　girl；　and　you'll　be　twenty。　　Seventeen　years　since　your

father　died。　　You've　been　a　lot　to　me。。。。　　A　parson　came　here　today。

That's　a　bad　sign。　　Thought　it　his　duty！　　Very　civil　of　him！

I　wouldn't　see　him；　though。　　If　there's　anything　in　what　they　tell

you；　I'm　not　going　to　sneak　in　at　this　time　o'　day。　　There's　one

thing　that's　rather　badly　on　my　mind。　　I　took　advantage　of　Mr。　Harz

with　this　damned　pitifulness　of　mine。　　You've　a　right　to　look　at　me

as　I've　seen　you　sometimes　when　you　thought　I　was　asleep。　　If　I

hadn't　been　ill　he'd　never　have　left　you。　　I　don't　blame　you；　Chris

not　I！　　You　love　me？　　I　know　that；　my　dear。　　But　one's　alone　when　it

comes　to　the　run…in。　　Don't　cry！　　Our　minds　aren't　Sunday…school

books；　you're　finding　it　out；　that's　all！〃　　He　sighed　and　turned

away。



The　noise　of　sun…blinds　being　raised　vibrated　through　the　house。　　A

feeling　of　terror　seized　on　the　girl；　he　lay　so　still；　and　yet　the

drawing　of　each　breath　was　a　fight。　　If　she　could　only　suffer　in　his

place！　　She　went　close；　and　bent　over　him。



〃It's　air　we　want；　both　you　and　I！〃　he　muttered。　　Christian　beckoned

to　the　nurse；　and　stole　out　through　the　window。



A　regiment　was　passing　in　the　road；　she　stood　half…hidden　amongst　the

lilac　bushes　watching。　　The　poplar　leaves　drooped　lifeless　and　almost

black　above　her　head；　the　dust　raised　by　the　soldiers'　feet　hung　in

the　air；　it　seemed　as　if　in　all　the　world　no　freshness　and　no　life

were　stirring。　　The　tramp　of　feet　died　away。　　Suddenly　within　arm's

length　of　her　a　man　appeared；　his　stick　shouldered　like　a　sword。　　He

raised　his　hat。



〃Good…evening！　　You　do　not　remember　me？　　Sarelli。　　Pardon！　You　looked

like　a　ghost　standing　there。　　How　badly　those　fellows　marched！　　We

hang；　you　see；　on　the　skirts　of　our　profession　and　criticise；　it　is

all　we　are　fit　for。〃　　His　black　eyes；　restless　and　malevolent　like　a

swan's；　seemed　to　stab　her　face。　　〃A　fine　evening！　　Too　hot。　　The

storm　is　wanted；　you　feel　that？　　It　is　weary　waiting　for　the　storm；

but　after　the　storm；　my　dear　young　lady；　comes　peace。〃　　He　smiled；

gently；　this　time；　and　baring　his　head　again；　was　lost　to　view　in　the

shadow　of　the　trees。



His　figure　had　seemed　to　Christian　like　the　sudden　vision　of　a

threatening；　hidden　force。　　She　thrust　out　her　hands；　as　though　to

keep　it　off。



No　use；　it　was　within　her；　nothing　could　keep　it　away！　　She　went　to

Mrs。　Decie's　room；　where　her　aunt　and　Miss　Naylor　were　conversing　in

low　tones。　　To　hear　their　voices　brought　back　the　touch　of　this　world

of　everyday　which　had　no　part　or　lot　in　the　terrifying　powers　within

her。



Dawney　slept　at　the　Villa　now。　　In　the　dead　of　night　he　was　awakened

by　a　light　flashed　in　his　eyes。　　Christian　was　standing　there；　her

face　pale　and　wild　with　terror；　her　hair　falling　in　dark　masses　on

her　shoulders。



〃Save　him！　　Save　him！〃　she　cried。　　〃Quick！　The　bleeding！〃



He　saw　her　muffle　her　face　in　her　white　sleeves；　and　seizing　the

candle；　leaped　out　of　bed　and　rushed　away。



The　internal　haemorrhage　had　come　again；　and　Nicholas　Treffry　wavered

between　life　and　death。　　When　it　had　ceased；　he　sank　into　a　sort　of

stupor。　　About　six　o'clock　he　came　back　to　consciousness；　watching

his　eyes；　they　could　see　a　mental　struggle　taking　place　within　him。

At　last　he　singled　Christian　out　from　the　others　by　a　sign。



〃I'm　beat；　Chris；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Let　him　know；　I　want　to　see　him。〃



His　voice　grew　a　little　stronger。　　〃I　thought　that　I　could　see　it

throughbut　here's　the　end。〃　　He　lifted　his　hand　ever　so　little；　and

let　it　fall　again。　　When　told　a　little　later　that　a　telegram　had　been

sent　to　Harz　his　eyes　expressed　satisfaction。



Herr　Paul　came　down　in　ignorance　of　the　night's　events。　　He　stopped

in　front　of　the　barometer　and　tapped　it；　remarking　to　Miss　Naylor：

〃The　glass　has　gone　downstairs；　we　shall　have　cool　weatherit　will

still　go　well　with　him！〃



When；　with　her　brown　face　twisted　by　pity　and　concern；　she　told　him

that　it　was　a　question　of　hours；　Herr　Paul　turned　first　purple；　then

pale；　and　sitting　down；　trembled　violently。　　〃I　cannot　believe　it；〃

he　exclaimed　almost　angrily。　　〃Yesterday　he　was　so　well！　　I　cannot

believe　it！　　Poor　Nicholas！　　Yesterday　he　spoke　to　me！〃　　Taking　Miss

Naylor's　hand；　he　clutched　it　in　his　own。　　〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　letting　it

go　suddenly；　and　striking　at　his　forehead；　〃it　is　too　terrible；　only

yesterday　he　spoke　to　me　of　sherry。　　Is　there　nobody；　then；　who　can

do　good？〃



〃There　is　only　God；〃　replied　Miss　Naylor　softly。



〃God？〃　said　Herr　Paul　in　a　scared　voice。



〃Wecanallpray　to　Him；〃　Miss　Naylor　murmured；　little　spots　of

colour　came　into　her　cheeks。　　〃I　am　going　to　do　it　now。〃



Herr　Paul　raised　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



〃Are　you？〃　he　said；　〃good！　I　too。〃　　He　passed　through　his　study　door；

closed　it　carefully　behind　him；　then　for　some　unknown　reason　set　his

back　against　it。　　Ugh！　Death！　It　came　to　all！　Some　day　it　would　come

to　him。　　It　might　come　tomorrow！　　One　must　pray！



The　day　dragged　to　its　end。　　In　the　sky　clouds　had　mustered；　and；

crowding　close　on　one　another；　clung　round　the　sun；　soft；　thick；

greywhite；　like　the　feathers　on　a　pigeon's　breast。　　Towards　evening

faint　tremblings　were　felt　at　intervals；　as　from　the　shock　of

immensely　distant　earthquakes。



Nobody　went　to　bed　that　night；　but　in　the　morning　the　report　was　the

same：　〃Unconsciousa　question　of　hours。〃　　Once　only　did　he　recover

consciousness；　and　then　asked　for　Harz。　　A　telegram　had　come　from

him；　he　was　on　the　way。　　Towards　seven　of　the　evening　the　long…

expected　storm　broke　in　a　sky　like　ink。　　Into　the　valleys　and　over

the　crests　of　mountains　it　seemed　as　though　an　unseen　hand　were

spilling　goblets　of　pale　wine；　darting　a　sword…blade　zigzag　over

trees；　roofs；　spires；　peaks；　into　the　very　firmament；　which　answered

every　thrust　with　great　bursts　of　groaning。　　Just　beyond　the　veranda

Greta　saw　a　glowworm　shining；　as　it　might　be　a　tiny　bead　of　the

fallen　lightning。　　Soon　the　rain　covered　everything。　　Sometimes　a　jet

of　light　brought　the　hilltops；　towering；　dark；　and　hard；　over　the

house；　to　disappear　again　behind　the　raindrops　and　shaken　leaves。

Each　breath　drawn　by　the　storm　was　like　the　clash　of　a　thousand

cymbals；　and　in　his　room　Mr。　Treffry　lay　unconscious　of　its　fury。



Greta　had　crept　in　unobserved；　and　sat　curled　in　a　corner；　with

Scruff　in　her　arms；　rocking　slightly　to　and　fro。　　When　Christian

passed；　she　caught　her　skirt；　and　whispered：　〃It　is　you