to have and to hold-第24章

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　passed　the　guest　house；　I　glanced　up　at　the　window　from　which；　at　daybreak；　the　Italian　had　looked　down　upon　me。　No　one　looked　out　now；　the　window　was　closely　shuttered；　and　at　the　door　beneath　my　lord's　French　rascals　were　conspicuously　absent。　A　few　yards　further　on　I　met　my　lord　face　to　face；　as　he　emerged　from　a　lane　that　led　down　to　the　river。　At　sight　of　me　he　started　violently；　　and　his　hand　went　to　his　mouth。　I　slightly　bent　my　head；　and　rode　on　past　him。　At　the　gate　of　the　churchyard；　a　stone's　throw　from　home；　I　met　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow。

〃Well　met！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Are　the　Indians　quiet？〃

〃For　the　nonce。　How　is　your　sick　man？〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　answered　gravely。　〃I　closed　his　eyes　two　hours　ago。〃

〃He's　dead；　then；〃　I　said。　〃Well；　he　's　out　of　his　troubles；　and　hath　that　advantage　over　the　living。　Have　you　another　call；　that　you　travel　from　home　so　fast？〃

〃Why；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　he　replied；　〃I　could　not　but　feel　uneasy　when　I　learned　just　now　of　this　commotion　amongst　the　heathen。　You　must　know　best；　but　I　should　not　have　thought　it　a　day　for　madam　to　walk　in　the　woods；　so　I　e'en　thought　I　would　cross　the　neck　and　bring　her　home。〃

〃For　madam　to　walk　in　the　woods？〃　I　said　slowly。　〃So　she　walks　there？　With　whom？〃

〃With　Diccon　and　Angela；〃　he　answered。　〃They　went　before　the　sun　was　an　hour　high；　so　Goodwife　Allen　says。　I　thought　that　you〃　…

〃No；〃　I　told　him。　〃On　the　contrary；　I　left　command　that　she　should　not　venture　outside　the　garden。　There　are　more　than　Indians　abroad。〃

I　was　white　with　anger；　but　besides　anger　there　was　fear　in　my　heart。

〃I　will　go　at　once　and　bring　her　home；〃　I　said。　As　I　spoke；　I　happened　to　glance　toward　the　fort　and　the　shipping　in　the　river　beyond。　Something　seemed　wrong　with　the　prospect。　I　looked　again；　and　saw　what　hated　and　familiar　object　was　missing。

〃Where　is　the　Santa　Teresa？〃　I　demanded；　the　fear　at　my　heart　tugging　harder。

〃She　dropped　downstream　this　morning。　I　passed　her　as　I　came　up　from　Archer's　Hope；　awhile　ago。　She's　anchored　in　midstream　off　the　big　spring。　Why　did　she　go？〃

We　looked　each　other　in　the　eyes；　and　each　read　the　thought　that　neither　cared　to　put　into　words。

〃You　can　take　the　brown　mare；〃　I　said；　speaking　lightly　because　my　heart　was　as　heavy　as　lead；　〃and　we'll　ride　to　the　forest。　It　is　all　right；　I　dare　say。　Doubtless　we'll　find　her　garlanding　herself　with　the　grape；　or　playing　with　the　squirrels；　or　asleep　on　the　red　leaves；　with　her　head　in　Angela's　lap。〃

〃Doubtless；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　lose　time。　I'll　saddle　the　mare　and　overtake　you　in　two　minutes。〃



CHAPTER　XIV　IN　WHICH　WE　SEEK　A　LOST　LADY


BESIDE　the　minister　and　myself；　nothing　human　moved　in　the　crimson　woods。　Blue　haze　was　there；　and　the　steady　drift　of　colored　leaves；　and　the　sunshine　freely　falling　through　bared　limbs；　but　no　man　or　woman。　The　fallen　leaves　rustled　as　the　deer　passed；　the　squirrels　chattered　and　the　foxes　barked；　but　we　heard　no　sweet　laughter　or　ringing　song。

We　found　a　bank　of　moss；　and　lying　upon　it　a　chaplet　of　red…brown　oak　leaves；　further　on；　the　mint　beside　a　crystal　streamlet　had　been　trodden　underfoot；　then；　flung　down　upon　the　brown　earth　beneath　some　pines；　we　came　upon　a　long　trailer　of　scarlet　vine。　Beyond　was　a　fairy　hollow；　a　cuplike　depression；　curtained　from　the　world　by　the　red　vines　that　hung　from　the　trees　upon　its　brim；　and　carpeted　with　the　gold　of　a　great　maple；　and　here　Fear　became　a　giant　with　whom　it　was　vain　to　wrestle。

There　had　been　a　struggle　in　the　hollow。　The　curtain　of　vines　was　torn；　the　boughs　of　a　sumach　bent　and　broken；　the　fallen　leaves　groun　underfoot。　In　one　place　there　was　blood　upon　the　leaves。

The　forest　seemed　suddenly　very　quiet；　…　quite　soundless　save　for　the　beating　of　our　hearts。　On　every　side　opened　red　and　yellow　ways；　sunny　glades；　labyrinthine　paths；　long　aisles；　all　dim　with　the　blue　haze　like　the　cloudy　incense　in　stone　cathedrals；　but　　nothing　moved　in　them　save　the　creatures　of　the　forest。　Without　the　hollow　there　was　no　sign。　The　leaves　looked　undisturbed；　or　others；　drifting　down；　had　hidden　any　marks　there　might　have　been；　no　footprints；　no　broken　branches；　no　token　of　those　who　had　left　the　hollow。　Down　which　of　the　painted　ways　had　they　gone；　and　where　were　they　now？

Sparrow　and　I　sat　our　horses；　and　stared　now　down　this　alley；　now　down　that；　into　the　blue　that　closed　each　vista。

〃The　Santa　Teresa　is　just　off　the　big　spring；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃She　must　have　dropped　down　there　in　order　to　take　in　water　quietly。〃

〃The　man　that　came　upon　her　is　still　in　town；　…　or　was　an　hour　agone；〃　I　replied。

〃Then　she　has　n't　sailed　yet；〃　he　said。

In　the　distance　something　grew　out　of　the　blue　mist。　I　had　not　lived　thirteen　years　in　the　woodland　to　be　dim　of　sight　or　dull　of　hearing。

〃Some　one　is　coming；〃　I　announced。　〃Back　your　horse　into　this　clump　of　sumach。〃

The　sumach　grew　thick；　and　was　draped；　moreover；　with　some　broad…leafed　vine。　Within　its　covert　we　could　see　with　small　danger　of　being　seen；　unless　the　approaching　figure　should　prove　to　be　that　of　an　Indian。　It　was　not　an　Indian；　it　was　my　Lord　Carnal。　He　came　on　slowly；　glancing　from　side　to　side；　and　pausing　now　and　then　as　if　to　listen。　He　was　so　little　of　a　woodsman　that　he　never　looked　underfoot。

Sparrow　touched　my　arm　and　pointed　down　a　glade　at　right　angles　with　the　path　my　lord　was　pursuing。　Up　this　glade　there　was　coming　toward　us　another　figure；　…　a　small　black　figure　that　moved　swiftly；　looking　neither　to　the　right　nor　to　the　left。

Black　Lamoral　stood　like　a　stone；　the　brown　mare；　too；　had　learned　what　meant　a　certain　touch　upon　her　shoulder。　Sparrow　and　I；　with　small　shame　for　our　eavesdropping；　bent　to　our　saddlebows　and　looked　sideways　through　tiny　gaps　in　the　crimson　foliage。

My　lord　descended　one　side　of　the　hollow；　his　heavy　foot　bringing　down　the　dead　leaves　and　loose　earth；　the　Italian　glided　down　the　opposite　side；　disturbing　the　economy　of　the　forest　as　little　as　a　snake　would　have　done。

〃I　thought　I　should　never　meet　you；〃　growled　my　lord。　〃I　thought　I　had　lost　you　and　her　and　myself。　This　d…d　red　forest　and　this　blue　haze　are　enough　to〃　…　He　broke　off　with　an　oath。

〃I　came　as　fast　as　I　could；〃　said　the　other。　His　voice　was　strange；　thin　and　dreamy；　matching　his　filmy　eyes　and　his　eternal；　very　faint　smile。　〃Your　poor　physician　congratulates　your　lordship　upon　the　success　that　still　attends　you。　Yours　is　a　fortunate　star；　my　lord。〃

〃Then　you　have　her　safe？〃　cried　my　lord。

〃Three　miles　from　here；　on　the　river　bank；　is　a　ring　of　pines；　in　which　the　trees　grow　so　thick　that　it　is　always　twilight。　Ten　years　ago　a　man　was　murdered　there；　and　Sir　Thomas　Dale　chained　the　murderer　to　the　tree　beneath　which　his　victim　was　buried；　and　left　him　to　perish　of　hunger　and　thirst。　That　is　the　tale　they　tell　at　Jamestown。　The　wood　is　said　to　be　haunted　by　murdered　and　murderer；　and　no　one　enters　it　or　comes　nearer　to　it　than　he　can　avoid：　which　makes　it　an　excellent　resort　for　those　whom　the　dead　cannot　scare。　The　lady　is　there；　my　lord；　with　your　four　knaves　to　guard　her。　They　do　not　know　that　the　gloom　and　quiet　of　the　place　are　due　to　more　than　nature。〃

My　lord　began　to　laugh。　Either　he　had　been　drinking；　or　the　success　of　his　villainy　had　served　for　wine。　〃You　are　a　man　in　a　thousand；　Nicolo！〃　he　said。　〃How　far　above　or　below　the　ship　is　this　fortunate　wood？〃

〃Just　opposite；　my　lord。〃

〃Can　a　boat　land　easily？〃

〃A　creek　runs　through　the　wood　to　the　river。　There　needs　but　the　appointed　signal　from　the　bank；　and　a　boat　from　the　Santa　Teresa　can　be　rowed　up　the　stream　to　the　very　tree　beneath　which　the　lady　sits。〃

My　lord's　laughter　rang　out　again。　〃You're　a　man　in　ten　thousand；　Nicolo！　Nicolo；　the　bridegroom's　in　town。〃

〃Back　so　soon？〃　said　the　Italian。　〃Then　we　must　change　your　lordship's　plan。　With　him　on　the　ground；　you　can　no　longer　wait　until　nightfall　to　row　downstream　to　the　lady　and　the　Santa　Teresa。　He'll　come　to　look　for　her。〃

〃Ay　he'll　come　to　look　for　her；　curse　him！〃　echoed　my　lord。

〃Do　you　think　the　dead　will　scare　him？〃　continued　the　Italian。

〃No；　I　don't！〃　answered　my　lord；　with　an　oath。　〃I　would　he　were　among　them！　An　I　could　have　killed　hi