wessex tales-第17章
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might name her as the malignant influence which was blasting the
fair person of Gertrude； and so lead her friend to hate her for
ever； and to treat her as some fiend in human shape。
But all was not over。 Two days after； a shadow intruded into the
window…pattern thrown on Rhoda Brook's floor by the afternoon sun。
The woman opened the door at once； almost breathlessly。
'Are you alone？' said Gertrude。 She seemed to be no less harassed
and anxious than Brook herself。
'Yes；' said Rhoda。
'The place on my arm seems worse； and troubles me！' the young
farmer's wife went on。 'It is so mysterious！ I do hope it will not
be an incurable wound。 I have again been thinking of what they said
about Conjuror Trendle。 I don't really believe in such men； but I
should not mind just visiting him； from curiositythough on no
account must my husband know。 Is it far to where he lives？'
'Yesfive miles；' said Rhoda backwardly。 'In the heart of Egdon。'
'Well； I should have to walk。 Could not you go with me to show me
the waysay to…morrow afternoon？'
'O； not Ithat is；' the milkwoman murmured； with a start of dismay。
Again the dread seized her that something to do with her fierce act
in the dream might be revealed； and her character in the eyes of the
most useful friend she had ever had be ruined irretrievably。
Mrs。 Lodge urged； and Rhoda finally assented； though with much
misgiving。 Sad as the journey would be to her； she could not
conscientiously stand in the way of a possible remedy for her
patron's strange affliction。 It was agreed that； to escape
suspicion of their mystic intent； they should meet at the edge of
the heath at the corner of a plantation which was visible from the
spot where they now stood。
CHAPTER VCONJUROR TRENDLE
By the next afternoon Rhoda would have done anything to escape this
inquiry。 But she had promised to go。 Moreover； there was a horrid
fascination at times in becoming instrumental in throwing such
possible light on her own character as would reveal her to be
something greater in the occult world than she had ever herself
suspected。
She started just before the time of day mentioned between them； and
half…an…hour's brisk walking brought her to the south…eastern
extension of the Egdon tract of country； where the fir plantation
was。 A slight figure； cloaked and veiled； was already there。 Rhoda
recognized； almost with a shudder； that Mrs。 Lodge bore her left arm
in a sling。
They hardly spoke to each other； and immediately set out on their
climb into the interior of this solemn country； which stood high
above the rich alluvial soil they had left half…an…hour before。 It
was a long walk； thick clouds made the atmosphere dark； though it
was as yet only early afternoon； and the wind howled dismally over
the hills of the heathnot improbably the same heath which had
witnessed the agony of the Wessex King Ina； presented to after…ages
as Lear。 Gertrude Lodge talked most； Rhoda replying with
monosyllabic preoccupation。 She had a strange dislike to walking on
the side of her companion where hung the afflicted arm； moving round
to the other when inadvertently near it。 Much heather had been
brushed by their feet when they descended upon a cart…track； beside
which stood the house of the man they sought。
He did not profess his remedial practices openly； or care anything
about their continuance； his direct interests being those of a
dealer in furze； turf； 'sharp sand；' and other local products。
Indeed； he affected not to believe largely in his own powers； and
when warts that had been shown him for cure miraculously
disappearedwhich it must be owned they infallibly didhe would
say lightly； 'O； I only drink a glass of grog upon 'emperhaps it's
all chance；' and immediately turn the subject。
He was at home when they arrived； having in fact seen them
descending into his valley。 He was a gray…bearded man； with a
reddish face； and he looked singularly at Rhoda the first moment he
beheld her。 Mrs。 Lodge told him her errand； and then with words of
self…disparagement he examined her arm。
'Medicine can't cure it；' he said promptly。 ''Tis the work of an
enemy。'
Rhoda shrank into herself； and drew back。
'An enemy？ What enemy？' asked Mrs。 Lodge。
He shook his head。 'That's best known to yourself；' he said。 'If
you like； I can show the person to you； though I shall not myself
know who it is。 I can do no more； and don't wish to do that。'
She pressed him； on which he told Rhoda to wait outside where she
stood； and took Mrs。 Lodge into the room。 It opened immediately
from the door； and； as the latter remained ajar； Rhoda Brook could
see the proceedings without taking part in them。 He brought a
tumbler from the dresser； nearly filled it with water； and fetching
an egg； prepared it in some private way； after which he broke it on
the edge of the glass； so that the white went in and the yolk
remained。 As it was getting gloomy； he took the glass and its
contents to the window； and told Gertrude to watch them closely。
They leant over the table together； and the milkwoman could see the
opaline hue of the egg…fluid changing form as it sank in the water；
but she was not near enough to define the shape that it assumed。
'Do you catch the likeness of any face or figure as you look？'
demanded the conjuror of the young woman。
She murmured a reply； in tones so low as to be inaudible to Rhoda；
and continued to gaze intently into the glass。 Rhoda turned； and
walked a few steps away。
When Mrs。 Lodge came out； and her face was met by the light； it
appeared exceedingly paleas pale as Rhoda'sagainst the sad dun
shades of the upland's garniture。 Trendle shut the door behind her；
and they at once started homeward together。 But Rhoda perceived
that her companion had quite changed。
'Did he charge much？' she asked tentatively。
'O nonothing。 He would not take a farthing；' said Gertrude。
'And what did you see？' inquired Rhoda。
'Nothing Icare to speak of。' The constraint in her manner was
remarkable； her face was so rigid as to wear an oldened aspect；
faintly suggestive of the face in Rhoda's bed…chamber。
'Was it you who first proposed coming here？' Mrs。 Lodge suddenly
inquired； after a long pause。 'How very odd； if you did！'
'No。 But I am not sorry we have come； all things considered；' she
replied。 For the first time a sense of triumph possessed her； and
she did not altogether deplore that the young thing at her side
should learn that their lives had been antagonized by other
influences than their own。
The subject was no more alluded to during the long and dreary walk
home。 But in some way or other a story was whispered about the
many…dairied lowland that winter that Mrs。 Lodge's gradual loss of
the use of her left arm was owing to her being 'overlooked' by Rhoda
Brook。 The latter kept her own counsel about the incubus； but her
face grew sadder and thinner； and in the spring she and her boy
disappeared from the neighbourhood of Holmstoke。
CHAPTER VIA SECOND ATTEMPT
Half…a…dozen years passed away； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Lodge's married
experience sank into prosiness； and worse。 The farmer was usually
gloomy and silent： the woman whom he had wooed for her grace and
beauty was contorted and disfigured in the left limb； moreover； she
had brought him no child； which rendered it likely that he would be
the last of a family who had occupied that valley for some two
hundred years。 He thought of Rhoda Brook and her son； and feared
this might be a judgment from heaven upon him。
The once blithe…hearted and enlightened Gertrude was changing into
an irritable； superstitious woman； whose whole time was given to
experimenting upon her ailment with every quack remedy she came
across。 She was honestly attached to her husband； and was ever
secretly hoping against hope to win back his heart again by
regaining some at least of her personal beauty。 Hence it arose that
her closet was lined with bottles； packets； and ointment…pots of
every descriptionnay； bunches of mystic herbs； charms； and books
of necromancy； which in her schoolgirl time she would have ridiculed
as folly。
