villa rubein and other stories-第41章

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promise　that　I'd　take　her　out　there；　and　we'd　have　gone　off　on

Wednesday　quietly　enough；　if　you　hadn't　come　and　nosed　the　whole

thing　out　with　your　infernal　dog。　　The　fat's　in　the　fire！　　There's　no

reason　why　I　should　take　her　now。　　I'll　come　back　to　her　a　rich　man；

or　not　at　all。〃



〃And　in　the　meantime？〃　I　slipped　in。



He　turned　to　me；　in　an　ingratiating　way。



〃I　would　have　taken　her　to　save　the　fussI　really　wouldit's　not　my

fault　the　thing's　come　out。　　I'm　on　a　risky　job。　　To　have　her　with　me

might　ruin　the　whole　thing；　it　would　affect　my　nerve。　　It　isn't　safe

for　her。〃



〃And　what's　her　position　to　be；〃　I　said；　〃while　you're　away？　　Do　you

think　she'd　have　married　you　if　she'd　known　you　were　going　to　leave

her　like　this？　　You　ought　to　give　up　this　business。



You　stole　her。　　Her　life's　in　your　hands；　she's　only　a　child！〃



A　quiver　passed　over　his　face；　it　showed　that　he　was　suffering。



〃Give　it　up！〃　I　urged。



〃My　last　farthing's　in　it；〃　he　sighed；　〃the　chance　of　a　lifetime。〃



He　looked　at　me　doubtfully；　appealingly；　as　if　for　the　first　time　in

his　life　he　had　been　given　a　glimpse　of　that　dilemma　of　consequences

which　his　nature　never　recognises。　　I　thought　he　was　going　to　give

in。　　Suddenly；　to　my　horror；　Dan　growled；　〃Play　the　man！〃



Pearse　turned　his　head。　　〃I　don't　want　your　advice　anyway；〃　he　said；

〃I'll　not　be　dictated　to。〃



〃To　your　last　day；〃　said　Dan；　〃you　shall　answer　to　me　for　the　way　you

treat　her。〃



Zachary　smiled。



〃Do　you　see　that　fly？〃　he　said。　　〃WelI　care　for　you　as　little　as

this；〃　and　he　flicked　the　fly　off　his　white　trousers。　　〃Good…

morning。。。！〃



The　noble　mariners　who　manned　our　boat　pulled　lustily　for　the　shore；

but　we　had　hardly　shoved　off'　when　a　storm　of　rain　burst　over　the

ship；　and　she　seemed　to　vanish；　leaving　a　picture　on　my　eyes　of　the

mate　waving　his　cap　above　the　rail；　with　his　tanned　young　face　bent

down　at　us；　smiling；　keen；　and　friendly。



。。。。。。　We　reached　the　shore　drenched；　angry　with　ourselves；　and　with

each　other；　I　started　sulkily　for　home。



As　I　rode　past　an　orchard；　an　apple；　loosened　by　the　rainstorm；　came

down　with　a　thud。



〃The　apples　were　ripe　and　ready　to　fall；

Oh！　heigh…ho！　and　ready　to　fall。〃



I　made　up　my　mind　to　pack；　and　go　away。　　But　there's　a　strangeness；　a

sort　of　haunting　fascination　in　it　all。　　To　you；　who　don't　know　the

people；　it　may　only　seem　a　piece　of　rather　sordid　folly。　　But　it

isn't　the　good；　the　obvious；　the　useful　that　puts　a　spell　on　us　in

life。　　It's　the　bizarre；　the　dimly　seen；　the　mysterious　for　good　or

evil。



The　sun　was　out　again　when　I　rode　up　to　the　farm；　its　yellow　thatch

shone　through　the　trees　as　if　sheltering　a　store　of　gladness　and　good

news。　　John　Ford　himself　opened　the　door　to　me。



He　began　with　an　apology；　which　made　me　feel　more　than　ever　an

intruder；　then　he　said：



〃I　have　not　spoken　to　my　granddaughterI　waited　to　see　Dan　Treffry。〃



He　was　stern　and　sad…eyed；　like　a　man　with　a　great　weight　of　grief　on

his　shoulders。　　He　looked　as　if　he　had　not　slept；　his　dress　was　out

of　order；　he　had　not　taken　his　clothes　off；　I　think。　　He　isn't　a　man

whom　you　can　pity。　　I　felt　I　had　taken　a　liberty　in　knowing　of　the

matter　at　all。　　When　I　told　him　where　we　had　been；　he　said：



〃It　was　good　of　you　to　take　this　trouble。　　That　you　should　have　had

to！　　But　since　such　things　have　come　to　pass〃　He　made　a　gesture

full　of　horror。　　He　gave　one　the　impression　of　a　man　whose　pride　was

struggling　against　a　mortal　hurt。　　Presently　he　asked：



〃You　saw　him；　you　say？　　He　admitted　this　marriage？　　Did　he　give　an

explanation？〃



I　tried　to　make　Pearse's　point　of　view　clear。　　Before　this　old　man；

with　his　inflexible　will　and　sense　of　duty；　I　felt　as　if　I　held　a

brief　for　Zachary；　and　must　try　to　do　him　justice。



〃Let　me　understand；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃He　stole　her；　you　say；　to

make　sure；　and　deserts　her　within　a　fortnight。〃



〃He　says　he　meant　to　take　her〃



〃Do　you　believe　that？〃



Before　I　could　answer；　I　saw　Pasiance　standing　at　the　window。　　How

long　she　had　been　there　I　don't　know。



〃Is　it　true　that　he　is　going　to　leave　me　behind？〃　she　cried　out。



I　could　only　nod。



〃Did　you　hear　him　your　own　self？〃



〃Yes。〃



She　stamped　her　foot。



〃But　he　promised！　He　promised！〃



John　Ford　went　towards　her。



〃Don't　touch　me；　grandfather！　　I　hate　every　one！　　Let　him　do　what　he

likes；　I　don't　care。〃



John　Ford's　face　turned　quite　grey。



〃Pasiance；〃　he　said；　〃did　you　want　to　leave　me　so　much？〃



She　looked　straight　at　us；　and　said　sharply：



〃What's　the　good　of　telling　stories。　　I　can't　help　its　hurting　you。〃



〃What　did　you　think　you　would　find　away　from　here？〃



She　laughed。



〃Find？　　I　don't　knownothing；　I　wouldn't　be　stifled　anyway。　　Now　I

suppose　you'll　shut　me　up　because　I'm　a　weak　girl；　not　strong　like

men！〃



〃Silence！〃　said　John　Ford；　〃I　will　make　him　take　you。〃



〃You　shan't！〃　she　cried；　〃I　won't　let　you。　　He's　free　to　do　as　he

likes。　　He's　freeI　tell　you　all；　everybodyfree！〃



She　ran　through　the　window；　and　vanished。



John　Ford　made　a　movement　as　if　the　bottom　had　dropped　out　of　his

world。　　I　left　him　there。



I　went　to　the　kitchen；　where　Hopgood　was　sitting　at　the　table；　eating

bread　and　cheese。　　He　got　up　on　seeing　me；　and　very　kindly　brought　me

some　cold　bacon　and　a　pint　of　ale。



〃I　thart　I　shude　be　seeing　yu；　zurr；〃　he　said　between　his　bites；

〃Therr's　no　thart　to　'atin'　'bout　the　'ouse　to…day。　　The　old　wumman's

puzzivantin'　over　Miss　Pasiance。　　Young　girls　are　skeery　critters〃

he　brushed　his　sleeve　over　his　broad；　hard　jaws；　and　filled　a　pipe

〃specially　when　it's　in　the　blood　of　'em。　　Squire　Rick　Voisey　werr　a

dandy；　an'　Mistress　Voiseywell；　she　werr　a　nice　lady　tu；　but〃

rolling　the　stem　of　his　pipe　from　corner　to　corner　of　his　mouth〃she

werr　a　pra…aper　vixen。〃



Hopgood's　a　good　fellow；　and　I　believe　as　soft　as　he　looks　hard；　but

he's　not　quite　the　sort　with　whom　one　chooses　to　talk　over　a　matter

like　this。　　I　went　upstairs；　and　began　to　pack；　but　after　a　bit

dropped　it　for　a　book；　and　somehow　or　other　fell　asleep。



I　woke；　and　looked　at　my　watch；　it　was　five　o'clock。　　I　had　been

asleep　four　hours。　　A　single　sunbeam　was　slanting　across　from　one　of

my　windows　to　the　other；　and　there　was　the　cool　sound　of　milk

dropping　into　pails；　then；　all　at　once；　a　stir　as　of　alarm；　and　heavy

footsteps。



I　opened　my　door。　　Hopgood　and　a　coast…guardsman　were　carrying

Pasiance　slowly　up　the　stairs。　　She　lay　in　their　arms　without　moving；

her　face　whiter　than　her　dress；　a　scratch　across　the　forehead；　and

two　or　three　drops　there　of　dried　blood。　　Her　hands　were　clasped；　and

she　slowly　crooked　and　stiffened　out　her　fingers。　　When　they　turned

with　her　at　the　stair　top；　she　opened　her　lips；　and　gasped；　〃All

right；　don't　put　me　down。　　I　can　bear　it。〃　　They　passed；　and；　with　a

half…smile　in　her　eyes；　she　said　something　to　me　that　I　couldn't

catch；　the　door　was　shut；　and　the　excited　whispering　began　again

below。　　I　waited　for　the　men　to　come　out；　and　caught　hold　of　Hopgood。

He　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　forehead。



〃Poor　young　thing！〃　he　said。　　〃She　felldown　the　cliffs'tis　her

backcoastguard　saw　her　'twerr　they　fetched　her　in。　　The　Lord　'elp

her　mebbe　she's　not　broken　up　much！　　An'　Mister　Ford　don't　know！　　I'm

gwine　for　the　doctor。〃



There　was　an　hour　or　more　to　wait　before　he　came；　a　young　fellow；

almost　a　boy。　　He　looked　very　grave；　when　he　came　out　of　her　room。



〃The　old　woman　there　fond　of　her？　　nurse　her　well。。。？　　Fond　as　a

dog！good！　　Don't　knowcan't　tell　for　certain！　　Afraid　it's　the

spine；　must　have　another　opinion！　　What　a　plucky　girl！　　Tell　Mr。　Ford

to　have　the　best　man　he　can　get　in　Torquaythere's　C…。　　I'll　be

round　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。　　Keep　her　dead　quiet。　　I've

left　a　sleeping　draught；　she'll　have　fever　tonight。〃



John　Ford