to have and to hold-第26章

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es；　and　the　birds　sang。　You　would　n't　think　it　from　the　looks　of　things　now；　would　you？　As　the　dead　man　rotted　in　his　grave；　and　the　living　man　died　by　inches　above　him；　they　say　the　wood　grew　darker；　and　darker；　and　darker。　How　dark　it's　getting　now；　and　cold；　…　cold　as　the　dead！〃

His　auditors　drew　closer　together；　and　shivered。　Sparrow　and　I　were　so　near　that　we　could　see　the　hands　of　the　ingenious　story…teller；　bound　behind　his　back；　working　as　he　talked。　Now　they　strained　this　way；　and　now　that；　at　the　piece　of　rope　that　bound　them。

〃That　was　ten　years　ago；〃　he　said；　his　voice　becoming　more　and　more　impressive。　〃Since　that　day　nothing　comes　into　this　wood；　…　nothing　human；　that　is。　Neither　white　man　nor　Indian　comes；　that's　certain。　Then　why　are　n't　there　chains　around　that　tree；　and　why　are　there　no　bones　beneath　it；　on　the　ground　there？　Because；　Jackies　all；　the　man　that　did　that　murder　walks！　It　is　not　always　deadly　still　here；　sometimes　there　's　a　clanking　of　chains！　And　a　bodkin　through　the　tongue　can't　keep　the　dead　from　wailing！　And　the　murdered　man　walks；　too；　in　his　shroud　he　follows　the　other　…　Is　n't　that　something　white　in　the　distance　yonder？〃

My　lord's　four　knaves　looked　down　the　arcade　of　trees；　and　saw　the　something　white　as　plainly　as　if　it　had　been　verily　there。　Each　moment　the　wood　grew　darker；　…　a　thing　in　nature；　since　the　sun　outside　was　swiftly　sinking　to　the　horizon。　But　to　those　to　whom　that　tale　had　been　told　it　was　a　darkening　unearthly　and　portentous；　bringing　with　it　a　colder　air　and　a　deepened　silence。

〃Oh；　Sir　Thomas　Dale；　Sir　Thomas　Dale！〃

The　voice　seemed　to　come　from　the　distance；　and　bore　in　its　dismal　cadence　the　melancholy　of　the　damned。　For　a　moment　my　heart　stood　still；　and　the　hair　of　my　head　commenced　to　rise；　the　next；　I　knew　that　Diccon　had　found　an　ally；　not　in　the　dead；　but　in　the　living。　The　minister；　standing　beside　me；　opened　his　mouth　again；　and　again　that　dismal　voice　rang　through　the　wood；　and　again　it　seemed；　by　I　know　not　what　art；　to　come　from　any　spot　rather　than　from　that　particular　tree　behind　whose　trunk　stood　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow。

〃Oh；　the　bodkin　through　my　tongue！　Oh；　the　bodkin　through　my　tongue！〃

Two　of　the　guard　sat　with　hanging　lip　and　lacklustre　eyes；　turned　to　stone；　one；　at　full　length　upon　the　ground；　bruised　his　face　against　the　pine　needles　and　called　on　the　Virgin；　the　fourth；　panic…stricken；　leaped　to　his　feet　and　dashed　off　into　the　darkness；　to　trouble　us　no　more　that　day。

〃Oh；　the　heavy　chains！〃　cried　the　unseen　spectre。　〃Oh；　the　dead　man　in　his　grave！〃

The　man　on　his　face　dug　his　nails　into　the　earth　and　howled；　his　fellows　were　too　frightened　for　sound　or　motion。　Diccon；　a　hardy　rogue；　with　little　fear　of　God　or　man；　gave　no　sign　of　perturbation　beyond　a　desperate　tugging　at　the　rope　about　his　wrists。　He　was　ever　quick　to　take　suggestion；　and　he　had　probably　begun　to　question　the　nature　of　the　ghost　who　was　doing　him　such　yeoman　service。

〃D'　ye　think　they've　had　enough？〃　said　Sparrow　in　my　ear。　〃My　invention　flaggeth。〃

I　nodded；　too　choked　with　laughter　for　speech；　and　drew　my　sword。　The　next　moment　we　were　upon　the　men　like　wolves　upon　the　fold。

They　made　no　resistance。　Amazed　and　shaken　as　they　were；　we　might　have　dispatched　them　with　all　ease；　to　join　the　dead　whose　lamentations　yet　rang　in　their　ears；　but　we　contented　ourselves　with　disarming　them　and　bidding　them　begone　for　their　lives　in　the　direction　of　the　Pamunkey。　They　went　like　frightened　deer；　their　one　goal　in　life　escape　from　the　wood。

〃Did　you　meet　the　Italian？〃

I　turned　to　find　my　wife　at　my　side。　The　King's　ward　had　a　kingly　spirit；　she　was　not　one　that　the　dead　or　the　living　could　daunt。　To　her；　as　to　me；　danger　was　a　trumpet　call　to　nerve　heart　and　strengthen　soul。　She　had　been　in　peril　of　that　which　she　most　feared；　but　the　light　in　her　eye　was　not　quenched；　and　the　hand　with　which　she　touched　mine；　though　cold；　was　steady。

〃Is　he　dead？〃　she　asked。　〃At　court　they　called　him　the　Black　Death。　They　said〃　…

〃I　did　not　kill　him；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　will　if　you　desire　it。〃

〃And　his　master？〃　she　demanded。　〃What　have　you　done　with　his　master？〃

I　told　her。　At　the　vision　my　words　conjured　up　her　strained　nerves　gave　way；　and　she　broke　into　laughter　as　cruel　as　it　was　sweet。　Peal　after　peal　rang　through　the　haunted　wood；　and　increased　the　eeriness　of　the　place。

〃The　knot　that　I　tied　he　will　untie　directly；〃　I　said。　〃If　we　would　reach　Jamestown　first；　we　had　best　be　going。〃

〃Night　is　upon　us；　too；〃　said　the　minister；　〃and　this　place　hath　the　look　of　the　very　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death。　If　the　spirits　walk；　it　is　hard　upon　their　time　…　and　I　prefer　to　walk　elsewhere。〃

〃Cease　your　laughter；　madam；〃　I　said。　〃Should　a　boat　be　coming　up　this　stream；　you　would　betray　us。〃

I　went　over　to　Diccon；　and　in　a　silence　as　grim　as　his　own　cut　the　rope　which　bound　his　hands；　which　done　we　all　moved　through　the　deepening　gloom　to　where　we　had　left　the　horses；　Jeremy　Sparrow　going　on　ahead　to　have　them　in　readiness。　Presently　he　came　hurrying　back。　〃The　Italian　is　gone！〃　he　cried。

〃Gone！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃I　told　you　to　tie　him　fast　to　the　saddle！〃

〃Why；　so　I　did；〃　he　replied。　〃I　drew　the　thongs　so　tight　that　they　cut　into　his　flesh。　He　could　not　have　endured　to　pull　against　them。〃

〃Then　how　did　he　get　away？〃

〃Why；〃　he　answered；　with　a　rueful　countenance；　〃I　did　bind　him；　as　I　have　said；　but　when　I　had　done　so；　I　bethought　me　of　how　the　leather　must　cut；　and　of　how　pain　is　dreadful　even　to　a　snake；　and　of　the　injunction　to　do　as　you　would　be　done　by；　and　so　e'en　loosened　his　bonds。　But；　as　I　am　a　christened　man；　I　thought　that　they　would　yet　hold　him　fast！〃

I　began　to　swear；　but　ended　in　vexed　laughter。　〃The　milk's　spilt。　There　's　no　use　in　crying　over　it。　After　all；　we　must　have　loosed　him　before　we　entered　the　town。〃

〃Will　you　not　bring　the　matter　before　the　Governor？〃　he　asked。

I　shook　my　head。　〃If　Yeardley　did　me　right；　he　would　put　in　jeopardy　his　office　and　his　person。　This　is　my　private　quarrel；　and　I　will　draw　no　man　into　it　against　his　will。　Here　are　the　horses；　and　we　had　best　be　gone；　for　by　this　time　my　lord　and　his　physician　may　have　their　heads　together　again。〃

I　mounted　Black　Lamoral；　and　lifted　Mistress　Percy　to　a　seat　behind　me。　The　brown　mare　bore　the　minister　and　the　negress；　and　Diccon；　doggedly　silent；　trudged　beside　us。

We　passed　through　the　haunted　wood　and　the　painted　forest　beyond　without　adventure。　We　rode　in　silence：　the　lady　behind　me　too　weary　for　speech；　the　minister　revolving　in　his　mind　the　escape　of　the　Italian；　and　I　with　my　own　thoughts　to　occupy　me。　It　was　dusk　when　we　crossed　the　neck　of　land；　and　as　we　rode　down　the　street　torches　were　being　lit　in　the　houses。　The　upper　room　in　the　guest　house　was　brightly　illumined；　and　the　window　was　open。　Black　Lamoral　and　the　brown　mare　made　a　trampling　with　their　hoofs；　and　I　began　to　whistle　a　gay　old　tune　I　had　learnt　in　the　wars。　A　figure　in　scarlet　and　black　came　to　the　window；　and　stood　there　looking　down　upon　us。　The　lady　riding　with　me　straightened　herself　and　raised　her　weary　head。　〃The　next　time　we　go　to　the　forest；　Ralph；〃　she　said　in　a　clear；　high　voice；　〃thou　'lt　show　me　a　certain　tree；〃　and　she　broke　into　silvery　laughter。　She　laughed　until　we　had　left　behind　the　guest　house　and　the　figure　in　the　upper　window；　and　then　the　laughter　changed　to　something　like　a　sob。　If　there　were　pain　and　anger　in　her　heart；　pain　and　anger　were　in　mine　also。　She　had　never　called　me　by　my　name　before。　She　had　only　used　it　now　as　a　dagger　with　which　to　stab　at　that　fierce　heart　above　us。

At　last　we　reached　the　minister's　house；　and　dismounted　before　the　door。　Diccon　led　the　horses　away；　and　I　handed　my　wife　into　the　great　room。　The　minister　tarried　but　for　a　few　words　anent　some　precautions　that　I　meant　to　take；　and　then　betook　　himself　to　his　own　chamber。　As　he　went　out　of　the　door　Diccon　entered　the　room。

〃Oh；　I　am　weary！〃　sighed　Mistress　Jocelyn　Percy。　〃What　was　the　mighty　business；　Captain　Percy；　that　made　you　break　tryst　with　a　lady？　You　should　go　to　court；　sir；　to　be　taught　gallantry。〃

〃Where　should　a　wife　go　to　be　taught　obedience？〃　I　deman