wessex tales-第48章

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The　previous　day　or　two　having　been　wet；　the　inference　was
irresistible　that　the　wearer　had　quite　recently　been　walking　some
considerable　distance　about　the　lanes　and　fields。　　Stockdale　opened
the　window　and　looked　out；　and　Mrs。　Newberry　turned　her　head。　　Her
face　became　slowly　red；　she　never　had　looked　prettier；　or　more
incomprehensible；　he　waved　his　hand　affectionately；　and　said　good…
morning；　she　answered　with　embarrassment；　having　ceased　her
occupation　on　the　instant　that　she　saw　him；　and　rolled　up　the　coat
half…cleaned。

Stockdale　shut　the　window。　　Some　simple　explanation　of　her
proceeding　was　doubtless　within　the　bounds　of　possibility；　but　he
himself　could　not　think　of　one；　and　he　wished　that　she　had　placed
the　matter　beyond　conjecture　by　voluntarily　saying　something　about
it　there　and　then。

But；　though　Lizzy　had　not　offered　an　explanation　at　the　moment；　the
subject　was　brought　forward　by　her　at　the　next　time　of　their
meeting。　　She　was　chatting　to　him　concerning　some　other　event；　and
remarked　that　it　happened　about　the　time　when　she　was　dusting　some
old　clothes　that　had　belonged　to　her　poor　husband。

'You　keep　them　clean　out　of　respect　to　his　memory？'　said　Stockdale
tentatively。

'I　air　and　dust　them　sometimes；'　she　said；　with　the　most　charming
innocence　in　the　world。

'Do　dead　men　come　out　of　their　graves　and　walk　in　mud？'　murmured　the
minister；　in　a　cold　sweat　at　the　deception　that　she　was　practising。

'What　did　you　say？'　asked　Lizzy。

'Nothing；　nothing；'　said　he　mournfully。　　'Mere　wordsa　phrase　that
will　do　for　my　sermon　next　Sunday。'　　It　was　too　plain　that　Lizzy　was
unaware　that　he　had　seen　actual　pedestrian　splashes　upon　the　skirts
of　the　tell…tale　overcoat；　and　that　she　imagined　him　to　believe　it
had　come　direct　from　some　chest　or　drawer。

The　aspect　of　the　case　was　now　considerably　darker。　　Stockdale　was
so　much　depressed　by　it　that　he　did　not　challenge　her　explanation；
or　threaten　to　go　off　as　a　missionary　to　benighted　islanders；　or
reproach　her　in　any　way　whatever。　　He　simply　parted　from　her　when
she　had　done　talking；　and　lived　on　in　perplexity；　till　by　degrees
his　natural　manner　became　sad　and　constrained。



CHAPTER　IVAT　THE　TIME　OF　THE　NEW　MOON



The　following　Thursday　was　changeable；　damp；　and　gloomy；　and　the
night　threatened　to　be　windy　and　unpleasant。　　Stockdale　had　gone
away　to　Knollsea　in　the　morning；　to　be　present　at　some　commemoration
service　there；　and　on　his　return　he　was　met　by　the　attractive　Lizzy
in　the　passage。　　Whether　influenced　by　the　tide　of　cheerfulness
which　had　attended　him　that　day；　or　by　the　drive　through　the　open
air；　or　whether　from　a　natural　disposition　to　let　bygones　alone；　he
allowed　himself　to　be　fascinated　into　forgetfulness　of　the　greatcoat
incident；　and　upon　the　whole　passed　a　pleasant　evening；　not　so　much
in　her　society　as　within　sound　of　her　voice；　as　she　sat　talking　in
the　back　parlour　to　her　mother；　till　the　latter　went　to　bed。
Shortly　after　this　Mrs。　Newberry　retired；　and　then　Stockdale
prepared　to　go　upstairs　himself。　　But　before　he　left　the　room　he
remained　standing　by　the　dying　embers　awhile；　thinking　long　of　one
thing　and　another；　and　was　only　aroused　by　the　flickering　of　his
candle　in　the　socket　as　it　suddenly　declined　and　went　out。　　Knowing
that　there　were　a　tinder…box；　matches；　and　another　candle　in　his
bedroom；　he　felt　his　way　upstairs　without　a　light。　　On　reaching　his
chamber　he　laid　his　hand　on　every　possible　ledge　and　corner　for　the
tinderbox；　but　for　a　long　time　in　vain。　　Discovering　it　at　length；
Stockdale　produced　a　spark；　and　was　kindling　the　brimstone；　when　he
fancied　that　he　heard　a　movement　in　the　passage。　　He　blew　harder　at
the　lint；　the　match　flared　up；　and　looking　by　aid　of　the　blue　light
through　the　door；　which　had　been　standing　open　all　this　time；　he　was
surprised　to　see　a　male　figure　vanishing　round　the　top　of　the
staircase　with　the　evident　intention　of　escaping　unobserved。　　The
personage　wore　the　clothes　which　Lizzy　had　been　brushing；　and
something　in　the　outline　and　gait　suggested　to　the　minister　that　the
wearer　was　Lizzy　herself。

But　he　was　not　sure　of　this；　and；　greatly　excited；　Stockdale
determined　to　investigate　the　mystery；　and　to　adopt　his　own　way　for
doing　it。　　He　blew　out　the　match　without　lighting　the　candle；　went
into　the　passage；　and　proceeded　on　tiptoe　towards　Lizzy's　room。　　A
faint　grey　square　of　light　in　the　direction　of　the　chamber…window　as
he　approached　told　him　that　the　door　was　open；　and　at　once　suggested
that　the　occupant　was　gone。　　He　turned　and　brought　down　his　fist
upon　the　handrail　of　the　staircase：　　'It　was　she；　in　her　late
husband's　coat　and　hat！'

Somewhat　relieved　to　find　that　there　was　no　intruder　in　the　case；
yet　none　the　less　surprised；　the　minister　crept　down　the　stairs；
softly　put　on　his　boots；　overcoat；　and　hat；　and　tried　the　front
door。　　It　was　fastened　as　usual：　　he　went　to　the　back　door；　found
this　unlocked；　and　emerged　into　the　garden。　　The　night　was　mild　and
moonless；　and　rain　had　lately　been　falling；　though　for　the　present
it　had　ceased。　　There　was　a　sudden　dropping　from　the　trees　and
bushes　every　now　and　then；　as　each　passing　wind　shook　their　boughs。
Among　these　sounds　Stockdale　heard　the　faint　fall　of　feet　upon　the
road　outside；　and　he　guessed　from　the　step　that　it　was　Lizzy's。　　He
followed　the　sound；　and；　helped　by　the　circumstance　of　the　wind
blowing　from　the　direction　in　which　the　pedestrian　moved；　he　got
nearly　close　to　her；　and　kept　there；　without　risk　of　being
overheard。　　While　he　thus　followed　her　up　the　street　or　lane；　as　it
might　indifferently　be　called；　there　being　more　hedge　than　houses　on
either　side；　a　figure　came　forward　to　her　from　one　of　the　cottage
doors。　　Lizzy　stopped；　the　minister　stepped　upon　the　grass　and
stopped　also。

'Is　that　Mrs。　Newberry？'　said　the　man　who　had　come　out；　whose　voice
Stockdale　recognized　as　that　of　one　of　the　most　devout　members　of
his　congregation。

'It　is；'　said　Lizzy。

'I　be　quite　readyI've　been　here　this　quarter…hour。'

'Ah；　John；'　said　she；　'I　have　bad　news；　there　is　danger　to…night　for
our　venture。'

'And　d'ye　tell　o't！　　I　dreamed　there　might　be。'

'Yes；'　she　said　hurriedly；　'and　you　must　go　at　once　round　to　where
the　chaps　are　waiting；　and　tell　them　they　will　not　be　wanted　till
to…morrow　night　at　the　same　time。　　I　go　to　burn　the　lugger　off。'

'I　will；'　he　said；　and　instantly　went　off　through　a　gate；　Lizzy
continuing　her　way。

On　she　tripped　at　a　quickening　pace　till　the　lane　turned　into　the
turnpike…road；　which　she　crossed；　and　got　into　the　track　for
Ringsworth。　　Here　she　ascended　the　hill　without　the　least
hesitation；　passed　the　lonely　hamlet　of　Holworth；　and　went　down　the
vale　on　the　other　side。　　Stockdale　had　never　taken　any　extensive
walks　in　this　direction；　but　he　was　aware　that　if　she　persisted　in
her　course　much　longer　she　would　draw　near　to　the　coast；　which　was
here　between　two　and　three　miles　distant　from　Nether…Moynton；　and　as
it　had　been　about　a　quarter…past　eleven　o'clock　when　they　set　out；
her　intention　seemed　to　be　to　reach　the　shore　about　midnight。

Lizzy　soon　ascended　a　small　mound；　which　Stockdale　at　the　same　time
adroitly　skirted　on　the　left；　and　a　dull　monotonous　roar　burst　upon
his　ear。　　The　hillock　was　about　fifty　yards　from　the　top　of　the
cliffs；　and　by　day　it　apparently　commanded　a　full　view　of　the　bay。
There　was　light　enough　in　the　sky　to　show　her　disguised　figure
against　it　when　she　reached　the　top；　where　she　paused；　and
afterwards　sat　down。　　Stockdale；　not　wishing　on　any　account　to　alarm
her　at　this　moment；　yet　desirous　of　being　near　her；　sank　upon　his
hands　and　knees；　crept　a　little　higher　up；　and　there　stayed　still。

The　wind　was　chilly；　the　ground　damp；　and　his　position　one　in　which
he　did　not　care　to　remain　long。　　However；　before　he　had　decided　to
leave　it；　the　young　man　heard　voices　behind　him。　　What　they
signified　he　did　not　know；　but；　fearing　that　Lizzy　was　in　danger；　he
was　about　to　run　forward　and　warn　her　that　she　might　be　seen；　when
she　crept　to　the　shelter　of　a　little　bush　which　maintained　a
precarious　existence　in　that　exposed　spot；　and　her　form　was　absorbed
in　its　dark