villa rubein and other stories-第48章

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her　blue　eyes；　a　little　frown　between　them；　and　her　upper　lip　closed

firm　on　her　lower　lip；　where　she　had　an　uneven　tooth。　　When　her

father　came；　she'd　jump　up　and　hang　on　to　his　neck　until　he　groaned；

then　run　away；　but　presently　come　stealing　back　on　tiptoe。　　I　used　to

listen　for　her　footsteps　on　the　stairs；　then　the　knock；　the　door

flung　back　or　opened　quietlyyou　never　could　tell　which；　and　her

voice；　with　a　little　lisp；　'Are　you　better　today；　Mr。　Brune？　　What

funny　things　you　say　when　you're　delirious！　　Father　says　you've　been

in　heaps　of　battles！〃'



He　got　up；　paced　restlessly　to　and　fro；　and　sat　down　again。　　〃I

remember　every　word　as　if　it　were　yesterday；　all　the　things　she　said；

and　did；　I've　had　a　long　time　to　think　them　over；　you　see。　　Well；　I

must　tell　you；　the　first　morning　that　I　was　able　to　get　up；　I　missed

her。　　Dalton　came　in　her　place；　and　I　asked　him　where　she　was。　　'My

dear　fellow；'　he　answered；　'I've　sent　Eilie　away　to　her　old　nurse's

inn　down　on　the　river；　she's　better　there　at　this　time　of　year。'　　We

looked　at　each　other；　and　I　saw　that　he　had　sent　her　away　because　he

didn't　trust　me。　　I　was　hurt　by　this。　　Illness　spoils　one。　　He　was

right；　he　was　quite　right；　for　all　he　knew　about　me　was　that　I　could

fight　and　had　got　drunk；　but　I　am　very　quick…tempered。　　I　made　up　my

mind　at　once　to　leave　him。　　But　I　was　too　weakhe　had　to　put　me　to

bed　again。　　The　very　next　morning　he　came　and　proposed　that　I　should

go　into　partnership　with　him。　　He　kept　a　fencing…school　and　pistol…

gallery。　　It　seemed　like　the　finger　of　God；　and　perhaps　it　waswho

knows？〃　　He　fell　into　a　reverie；　and　taking　out　his　caporal；　rolled

himself　a　cigarette；　having　lighted　it；　he　went　on　suddenly：　〃There；

in　the　room　above　the　school；　we　used　to　sit　in　the　evenings；　one　on

each　side　of　the　grate。　　The　room　was　on　the　second　floor；

I　remember；　with　two　windows；　and　a　view　of　nothing　but　the　houses

opposite。　　The　furniture　was　covered　up　with　chintz。　　The　things　on

the　bookshelf　were　never　disturbed；　they　were　Eilie'shalf…broken

cases　with　butterflies；　a　dead　frog　in　a　bottle；　a　horse…shoe　covered

with　tinfoil；　some　shells　too；　and　a　cardboard　box　with　three

speckled　eggs　in　it；　and　these　words　written　on　the　lid：　'Missel…

thrush　from　Lucy's　treesecond　family；　only　one　blown。'〃　　He　smoked

fiercely；　with　puffs　that　were　like　sharp　sighs。



〃Dalton　was　wrapped　up　in　her。　　He　was　never　tired　of　talking　to　me

about　her；　and　I　was　never　tired　of　hearing。　　We　had　a　number　of

pupils；　but　in　the　evening　when　we　sat　there；　smokingour　talk　would

sooner　or　latercome　round　to　her。　　Her　bedroom　opened　out　of　that

sittingroom；　he　took　me　in　once　and　showed　me　a　narrow　little　room

the　width　of　a　passage；　fresh　and　white；　with　a　photograph　of　her

mother　above　the　bed；　and　an　empty　basket　for　a　dog　or　cat。〃　　He

broke　off　with　a　vexed　air；　and　resumed　sternly；　as　if　trying　to　bind

himself　to　the　narration　of　his　more　important　facts：　〃She　was　then

fifteenher　mother　had　been　dead　twelve　yearsa　beautiful；　face；

her　mother's；　it　had　been　her　death　that　sent　Dalton　to　fight　with

us。　　Well；　sir；　one　day　in　August；　very　hot　weather；　he　proposed　a

run　into　the　country；　and　who　should　meet　us　on　the　platform　when　we

arrived　but　Eilie；　in　a　blue　sun…bonnet　and　frock…flax　blue；　her

favourite　colour。　　I　was　angry　with　Dalton　for　not　telling　me　that　we

should　see　her；　my　clothes　were　not　quitemy　hair　wanted　cutting。

It　was　black　then；　sir；〃　he　added；　tracing　a　pattern　in　the　darkness

with　his　stick。　　〃She　had　a　little　donkey…cart；　she　drove；　and；　while

we　walked　one　on　each　side；　she　kept　looking　at　me　from　under　her

sunbonnet。　　I　must　tell　you　that　she　never　laughedher　eyes　danced；

her　cheeks　would　go　pink；　and　her　hair　shake　about　on　her　neck；　but

she　never　laughed。　Her　old　nurse；　Lucy；　a　very　broad；　good　woman；　had

married　the　proprietor　of　the　inn　in　the　village　there。　　I　have　never

seen　anything　like　that　inn：　sweetbriar　up　to　the　roof！　　And　the

scentI　am　very　susceptible　to　scents！〃　　His　head　drooped；　and　the

cigarette　fell　from　his　hand。　A　train　passing　beneath　sent　up　a

shower　of　sparks。　　He　started；　and　went　on：　〃We　had　our　lunch　in　the

parlourI　remember　that　room　very　well；　for　I　spent　the　happiest

days　of　my　life　afterwards　in　that　inn。。。。　　We　went　into　a　meadow

after　lunch；　and　my　friend　Dalton　fell　asleep。　　A　wonderful　thing

happened　then。　　Eilie　whispered　to　me；　'Let's　have　a　jolly　time。'

She　took　me　for　the　most　glorious　walk。　　The　river　was　close　by。

A　lovely　stream；　your　river　Thames；　so　calm　and　broad；　it　is　like　the

spirit　of　your　people。　　I　was　bewitched；　I　forgot　my　friend；　I

thought　of　nothing　but　how　to　keep　her　to　myself。　　It　was　such　a　day！

There　are　days　that　are　the　devil's；　but　that　was　truly　one　of　God's。

She　took　me　to　a　little　pond　under　an　elm…tree；　and　we　dragged　it；　we

two；　an　hour；　for　a　kind　of　tiny　red　worm　to　feed　some　creature　that

she　had。　　We　found　them　in　the　mud；　and　while　she　was　bending　over；

the　curls　got　in　her　eyes。　　If　you　could　have　seen　her　then；　I　think；

sir；　you　would　have　said　she　was　like　the　first　sight　of　spring。。。。

We　had　tea　afterwards；　all　together；　in　the　long　grass　under　some

fruit…trees。　　If　I　had　the　knack　of　words；　there　are　things　that　I

could　say。〃　　He　bent；　as　though　in　deference　to　those　unspoken

memories。　　〃Twilight　came　on　while　we　were　sitting　there。　A　wonderful

thing　is　twilight　in　the　country！　　It　became　time　for　us　to　go。

There　was　an　avenue　of　trees　close　bylike　a　church　with　a　window　at

the　end；　where　golden　light　came　through。　　I　walked　up　and　down　it

with　her。　　'Will　you　come　again？'　she　whispered；　and　suddenly　she

lifted　up　her　face　to　be　kissed。　I　kissed　her　as　if　she　were　a　little

child。　　And　when　we　said　good…bye；　her　eyes　were　looking　at　me　across

her　father's　shoulder；　with　surprise　and　sorrow　in　them。　　'Why　do　you

go　away？'　they　seemed　to　say。。。。　　But　I　must　tell　you；〃　he　went　on

hurriedly；　〃of　a　thing　that　happened　before　we　had　gone　a　hundred

yards。　　We　were　smoking　our　pipes；　and　I；　thinking　of　herwhen　out

she　sprang　from　the　hedge　and　stood　in　front　of　us。　　Dalton　cried

out；　'What　are　you　here　for　again；　you　mad　girl？'　　She　rushed　up　to

him　and　hugged　him；　but　when　she　looked　at　me；　her　face　was　quite

differentcareless；　defiant；　as　one　might　sayit　hurt　me。　　I

couldn't　understand　it；　and　what　one　doesn't　understand　frightens

one。









IV



〃Time　went　on。　　There　was　no　swordsman；　or　pistol…shot　like　me　in

London；　they　said。　　We　had　as　many　pupils　as　we　likedit　was　the

only　part　of　my　life　when　I　have　been　able　to　save　money。　　I　had　no

chance　to　spend　it。　　We　gave　lessons　all　day；　and　in　the　evening　were

too　tired　to　go　out。　　That　year　I　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　my　dear

mother。　　I　became　a　rich　manyes；　sir；　at　that　time　I　must　have　had

not　less　than　six　hundred　a　year。



〃It　was　a　long　time　before　I　saw　Eilie　again。　　She　went　abroad　to

Dresden　with　her　father's　sister　to　learn　French　and　German。　　It　was

in　the　autumn　of　1875　when　she　came　back　to　us。　　She　was　seventeen

thena　beautiful　young　creature。〃　　He　paused；　as　if　to　gather　his

forces　for　description；　and　went　on。



〃Tall；　as　a　young　tree；　with　eyes　like　the　sky。　　I　would　not　say　she

was　perfect；　but　her　imperfections　were　beautiful　to　me。　　What　is　it

makes　you　loveah！　sir；　that　is　very　hidden　and　mysterious。　　She　had

never　lost　the　trick　of　closing　her　lips　tightly　when　she　remembered

her　uneven　tooth。　　You　may　say　that　was　vanity；　but　in　a　young　girl

and　which　of　us　is　not　vain；　eh？　　'Old　men　and　maidens；　young　men　and

children！'



〃As　I　said；　she　came　back　to　London　to　her　little　room；　and　in　the

evenings　was　always　ready　with　our　tea。　　You　mustn't　suppose　she　was

housewifely；　there　is　something　in　me　that　never　admired

housewifelinessa　fine　quality；　no　doubt；　still〃　He　sighed。



〃No；〃　he　resumed；　〃Eilie　was　not　like　that；　for　she　was　never　quite

the　s