wessex tales-第26章

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CHAPTER　V



All　had　been　done　that　could　be　done。　　Mrs。　Barnet　was　in　her　own
house　under　medical　hands；　but　the　result　was　still　uncertain。
Barnet　had　acted　as　if　devotion　to　his　wife　were　the　dominant
passion　of　his　existence。　　There　had　been　much　to　decidewhether　to
attempt　restoration　of　the　apparently　lifeless　body　as　it　lay　on　the
shorewhether　to　carry　her　to　the　Harbour　Innwhether　to　drive
with　her　at　once　to　his　own　house。　　The　first　course；　with　no
skilled　help　or　appliances　near　at　hand；　had　seemed　hopeless。　　The
second　course　would　have　occupied　nearly　as　much　time　as　a　drive　to
the　town；　owing　to　the　intervening　ridges　of　shingle；　and　the
necessity　of　crossing　the　harbour　by　boat　to　get　to　the　house；　added
to　which　much　time　must　have　elapsed　before　a　doctor　could　have
arrived　down　there。　　By　bringing　her　home　in　the　carriage　some
precious　moments　had　slipped　by；　but　she　had　been　laid　in　her　own
bed　in　seven　minutes；　a　doctor　called　to　her　side；　and　every
possible　restorative　brought　to　bear　upon　her。

At　what　a　tearing　pace　he　had　driven　up　that　road；　through　the
yellow　evening　sunlight；　the　shadows　flapping　irksomely　into　his
eyes　as　each　wayside　object　rushed　past　between　him　and　the　west！
Tired　workmen　with　their　baskets　at　their　backs　had　turned　on　their
homeward　journey　to　wonder　at　his　speed。　　Halfway　between　the　shore
and　Port…Bredy　town　he　had　met　Charlson；　who　had　been　the　first
surgeon　to　hear　of　the　accident。　　He　was　accompanied　by　his
assistant　in　a　gig。　　Barnet　had　sent　on　the　latter　to　the　coast　in
case　that　Downe's　poor　wife　should　by　that　time　have　been　reclaimed
from　the　waves；　and　had　brought　Charlson　back　with　him　to　the　house。

Barnet's　presence　was　not　needed　here；　and　he　felt　it　to　be　his　next
duty　to　set　off　at　once　and　find　Downe；　that　no　other　than　himself
might　break　the　news　to　him。

He　was　quite　sure　that　no　chance　had　been　lost　for　Mrs。　Downe　by　his
leaving　the　shore。　　By　the　time　that　Mrs。　Barnet　had　been　laid　in
the　carriage；　a　much　larger　group　had　assembled　to　lend　assistance
in　finding　her　friend；　rendering　his　own　help　superfluous。　　But　the
duty　of　breaking　the　news　was　made　doubly　painful　by　the
circumstance　that　the　catastrophe　which　had　befallen　Mrs。　Downe　was
solely　the　result　of　her　own　and　her　husband's　loving…kindness
towards　himself。

He　found　Downe　in　his　office。　　When　the　solicitor　comprehended　the
intelligence　he　turned　pale；　stood　up；　and　remained　for　a　moment
perfectly　still；　as　if　bereft　of　his　faculties；　then　his　shoulders
heaved；　he　pulled　out　his　handkerchief　and　began　to　cry　like　a
child。　　His　sobs　might　have　been　heard　in　the　next　room。　　He　seemed
to　have　no　idea　of　going　to　the　shore；　or　of　doing　anything；　but
when　Barnet　took　him　gently　by　the　hand　and　proposed　to　start　at
once；　he　quietly　acquiesced；　neither　uttering　any　further　word　nor
making　any　effort　to　repress　his　tears。

Barnet　accompanied　him　to　the　shore；　where；　finding　that　no　trace
had　as　yet　been　seen　of　Mrs。　Downe；　and　that　his　stay　would　be　of　no
avail；　he　left　Downe　with　his　friends　and　the　young　doctor；　and　once
more　hastened　back　to　his　own　house。

At　the　door　he　met　Charlson。　　'Well！'　　Barnet　said。

'I　have　just　come　down；'　said　the　doctor；　'we　have　done　everything；
but　without　result。　　I　sympathize　with　you　in　your　bereavement。'

Barnet　did　not　much　appreciate　Charlson's　sympathy；　which　sounded　to
his　ears　as　something　of　a　mockery　from　the　lips　of　a　man　who　knew
what　Charlson　knew　about　their　domestic　relations。　　Indeed　there
seemed　an　odd　spark　in　Charlson's　full　black　eye　as　he　said　the
words；　but　that　might　have　been　imaginary。

'And；　Mr。　Barnet；'　Charlson　resumed；　'that　little　matter　between　us…
…I　hope　to　settle　it　finally　in　three　weeks　at　least。'

'Never　mind　that　now；'　said　Barnet　abruptly。　　He　directed　the
surgeon　to　go　to　the　harbour　in　case　his　services　might　even　now　be
necessary　there：　　and　himself　entered　the　house。

The　servants　were　coming　from　his　wife's　chamber；　looking　helplessly
at　each　other　and　at　him。　　He　passed　them　by　and　entered　the　room；
where　he　stood　mutely　regarding　the　bed　for　a　few　minutes；　after
which　he　walked　into　his　own　dressing…room　adjoining；　and　there
paced　up　and　down。　　In　a　minute　or　two　he　noticed　what　a　strange　and
total　silence　had　come　over　the　upper　part　of　the　house；　his　own
movements；　muffled　as　they　were　by　the　carpet；　seemed　noisy；　and　his
thoughts　to　disturb　the　air　like　articulate　utterances。　　His　eye
glanced　through　the　window。　　Far　down　the　road　to　the　harbour　a　roof
detained　his　gaze：　　out　of　it　rose　a　red　chimney；　and　out　of　the　red
chimney　a　curl　of　smoke；　as　from　a　fire　newly　kindled。　　He　had　often
seen　such　a　sight　before。　　In　that　house　lived　Lucy　Savile；　and　the
smoke　was　from　the　fire　which　was　regularly　lighted　at　this　time　to
make　her　tea。

After　that　he　went　back　to　the　bedroom；　and　stood　there　some　time
regarding　his　wife's　silent　form。　　She　was　a　woman　some　years　older
than　himself；　but　had　not　by　any　means　overpassed　the　maturity　of
good　looks　and　vigour。　　Her　passionate　features；　well…defined；　firm；
and　statuesque　in　life；　were　doubly　so　now：　　her　mouth　and　brow；
beneath　her　purplish　black　hair；　showed　only　too　clearly　that　the
turbulency　of　character　which　had　made　a　bear…garden　of　his　house
had　been　no　temporary　phase　of　her　existence。　　While　he　reflected；
he　suddenly　said　to　himself；　I　wonder　if　all　has　been　done？

The　thought　was　led　up　to　by　his　having　fancied　that　his　wife's
features　lacked　in　its　complete　form　the　expression　which　he　had
been　accustomed　to　associate　with　the　faces　of　those　whose　spirits
have　fled　for　ever。　　The　effacement　of　life　was　not　so　marked　but
that；　entering　uninformed；　he　might　have　supposed　her　sleeping。　　Her
complexion　was　that　seen　in　the　numerous　faded　portraits　by　Sir
Joshua　Reynolds；　it　was　pallid　in　comparison　with　life；　but　there
was　visible　on　a　close　inspection　the　remnant　of　what　had　once　been
a　flush；　the　keeping　between　the　cheeks　and　the　hollows　of　the　face
being　thus　preserved；　although　positive　colour　was　gone。　　Long
orange　rays　of　evening　sun　stole　in　through　chinks　in　the　blind；
striking　on　the　large　mirror；　and　being　thence　reflected　upon　the
crimson　hangings　and　woodwork　of　the　heavy　bedstead；　so　that　the
general　tone　of　light　was　remarkably　warm；　and　it　was　probable　that
something　might　be　due　to　this　circumstance。　　Still　the　fact
impressed　him　as　strange。　　Charlson　had　been　gone　more　than　a
quarter　of　an　hour：　　could　it　be　possible　that　he　had　left　too　soon；
and　that　his　attempts　to　restore　her　had　operated　so　sluggishly　as
only　now　to　have　made　themselves　felt？　　Barnet　laid　his　hand　upon
her　chest；　and　fancied　that　ever　and　anon　a　faint　flutter　of
palpitation；　gentle　as　that　of　a　butterfly's　wing；　disturbed　the
stillness　thereceasing　for　a　time；　then　struggling　to　go　on；　then
breaking　down　in　weakness　and　ceasing　again。

Barnet's　mother　had　been　an　active　practitioner　of　the　healing　art
among　her　poorer　neighbours；　and　her　inspirations　had　all　been
derived　from　an　octavo　volume　of　Domestic　Medicine；　which　at　this
moment　was　lying；　as　it　had　lain　for　many　years；　on　a　shelf　in
Barnet's　dressing…room。　　He　hastily　fetched　it；　and　there　read　under
the　head　'Drowning：'…


'Exertions　for　the　recovery　of　any　person　who　has　not　been　immersed
for　a　longer　period　than　half…an…hour　should　be　continued　for　at
least　four　hours；　as　there　have　been　many　cases　in　which　returning
life　has　made　itself　visible　even　after　a　longer　interval。

'Should；　however；　a　weak　action　of　any　of　the　organs　show　itself
when　the　case　seems　almost　hopeless；　our　efforts　must　be　redoubled；
the　feeble　spark　in　this　case　requires　to　be　solicited；　it　will
certainly　disappear　under　a　relaxation　of　labour。'


Barnet　looked　at　his　watch；　it　was　now　barely　two　hours　and　a　half
from　the　time　when　he　had　first　heard　of　the　accident。　　He　threw
aside　the　book　and　turned　quickly　to　reach　a　stimulant　which　had
previously　been　used。　　Pulling　up　the　blind　for　more　light；　his　eye
glanced　out　of　the　window。　　There　he　saw　that　red　chimney　still
smoking　cheerily；　and　that　ro