wessex tales-第13章

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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。

'Damned　if　you　won't　poison　yourself　with　these　apothecary　messes
and　witch　mixtures　some　time　or　other；'　said　her　husband；　when　his
eye　chanced　to　fall　upon　the　multitudinous　array。

She　did　not　reply；　but　turned　her　sad；　soft　glance　upon　him　in　such
heart…swollen　reproach　that　he　looked　sorry　for　his　words；　and
added；　'I　only　meant　it　for　your　good；　you　know；　Gertrude。'

'I'll　clear　out　the　whole　lot；　and　destroy　them；'　said　she　huskily；
'and　try　such　remedies　no　more！'

'You　want　somebody　to　cheer　you；'　he　observed。　　'I　once　thought　of
adopting　a　boy；　but　he　is　too　old　now。　　And　he　is　gone　away　I　don't
know　where。'

She　guessed　to　whom　he　alluded；　for　Rhoda　Brook's　story　had　in　the
course　of　years　become　known　to　her；　though　not　a　word　had　ever
passed　between　her　husband　and　herself　on　the　subject。　　Neither　had
she　ever　spoken　to　him　of　her　visit　to　Conjuror　Trendle；　and　of　what
was　revealed　to　her；　or　she　thought　was　revealed　to　her；　by　that
solitary　heath…man。

She　was　now　five…and…twenty；　but　she　seemed　older。

'Six　years　of　marriage；　and　only　a　few　months　of　love；'　she
sometimes　whispered　to　herself。　　And　then　she　thought　of　the
apparent　cause；　and　said；　with　a　tragic　glance　at　her　withering
limb；　'If　I　could　only　again　be　as　I　was　when　he　first　saw　me！'

She　obediently　destroyed　her　nostrums　and　charms；　but　there　remained
a　hankering　wish　to　try　something　elsesome　other　sort　of　cure
altogether。　　She　had　never　revisited　Trendle　since　she　had　been
conducted　to　the　house　of　the　solitary　by　Rhoda　against　her　will；
but　it　now　suddenly　occurred　to　Gertrude　that　she　would；　in　a　last
desperate　effort　at　deliverance　from　this　seeming　curse；　again　seek
out　the　man；　if　he　yet　lived。　　He　was　entitled　to　a　certain
credence；　for　the　indistinct　form　he　had　raised　in　the　glass　had
undoubtedly　resembled　the　only　woman　in　the　world　whoas　she　now
knew；　though　not　thencould　have　a　reason　for　bearing　her　ill…will。
The　visit　should　be　paid。

This　time　she　went　alone；　though　she　nearly　got　lost　on　the　heath；
and　roamed　a　considerable　distance　out　of　her　way。　　Trendle's　house
was　reached　at　last；　however：　　he　was　not　indoors；　and　instead　of
waiting　at　the　cottage；　she　went　to　where　his　bent　figure　was
pointed　out　to　her　at　work　a　long　way　off。　　Trendle　remembered　her；
and　laying　down　the　handful　of　furze…roots　which　he　was　gathering
and　throwing　into　a　heap；　he　offered　to　accompany　her　in　her
homeward　direction；　as　the　distance　was　considerable　and　the　days
were　short。　　So　they　walked　together；　his　head　bowed　nearly　to　the
earth；　and　his　form　of　a　colour　with　it。

'You　can　send　away　warts　and　other　excrescences　I　know；'　she　said；
'why　can't　you　send　away　this？'　　And　the　arm　was　uncovered。

'You　think　too　much　of　my　powers！'　said　Trendle；　'and　I　am　old　and
weak　now；　too。　　No；　no；　it　is　too　much　for　me　to　attempt　in　my　own
person。　　What　have　ye　tried？'

She　named　to　him　some　of　the　hundred　medicaments　and　counterspells
which　she　had　adopted　from　time　to　time。　　He　shook　his　head。

'Some　were　good　enough；'　he　said　approvingly；　'but　not　many　of　them
for　such　as　this。　　This　is　of　the　nature　of　a　blight；　not　of　the
nature　of　a　wound；　and　if　you　ever　do　throw　it　off；　it　will　be　all
at　once。'

'If　I　only　could！'

'There　is　only　one　chance　of　doing　it　known　to　me。　　It　has　never
failed　in　kindred　afflictions；that　I　can　declare。　　But　it　is　hard
to　carry　out；　and　especially　for　a　woman。'

'Tell　me！'　said　she。

'You　must　touch　with　the　limb　the　neck　of　a　man　who's　been　hanged。'

She　started　a　little　at　the　image　he　had　raised。

'Before　he's　coldjust　after　he's　cut　down；'　continued　the　conjuror
impassively。

'How　can　that　do　good？'

'It　will　turn　the　blood　and　change　the　constitution。　　But；　as　I　say；
to　do　it　is　hard。　　You　must　get　into　jail；　and　wait　for　him　when
he's　brought　off　the　gallows。　　Lots　have　done　it；　though　perhaps　not
such　pretty　women　as　you。　　I　used　to　send　dozens　for　skin
complaints。　　But　that　was　in　former　times。　　The　last　I　sent　was　in
'13near　twenty　years　ago。'

He　had　no　more　to　tell　her；　and；　when　he　had　put　her　into　a　straight
track　homeward；　turned　and　left　her；　refusing　all　money　as　at　first。



CHAPTER　VIIA　RIDE



The　communication　sank　deep　into　Gertrude's　mind。　　Her　nature　was
rather　a　timid　one；　and　probably　of　all　remedies　that　the　white
wizard　could　have　suggested　there　was　not　one　which　would　have
filled　her　with　so　much　aversion　as　this；　not　to　speak　of　the
immense　obstacles　in　the　way　of　its　adoption。

Casterbridge；　the　county…town；　was　a　dozen　or　fifteen　miles　off；　and
though　in　those　days；　when　men　were　executed　for　horse…stealing；
arson；　and　burglary；　an　assize　seldom　passed　without　a　hanging；　it
was　not　likely　that　she　could　get　access　to　the　body　of　the　criminal
unaided。　　And　the　fear　of　her　husband's　anger　made　her　reluctant　to
breathe　a　word　of　Trendle's　suggestion　to　him　or　to　anybody　about
him。

She　did　nothing　for　months；　and　patiently　bore　her　disfigurement　as
before。　　But　her　woman's　nature；　craving　for　renewed　love；　through
the　medium　of　renewed　beauty　（she　was　but　twenty…five）；　was　ever
stimulating　her　to　try　what；　at　any　rate；　could　hardly　do　her　any
harm。　　'What　came　by　a　spell　will　go　by　a　spell　surely；'　she　would
say。　　Whenever　her　imagination　pictured　the　act　she　shrank　in　terror
from　the　possibility　of　it：　　then　the　words　of　the　conjuror；　'It
will　turn　your　blood；'　were　seen　to　be　capable　of　a　scientific　no
less　than　a　ghastly　interpretation；　the　mastering　desire　returned；
and　urged　her　on　again。

There　was　at　this　time　but　one　county　paper；　and　that　her　husband
only　occasionally　borrowed。　　But　old…fashioned　days　had　old…
fashioned　means；　and　news　was　extensively　conveyed　by　word　of　mouth
from　market　to　market；　or　from　fair　to　fair；　so　that；　whenever　such
an　event　as　an　execution　was　about　to　take　place；　few　within　a
radius　of　twenty　miles　were　ignorant　of　the　coming　sight；　and；　so
far　as　Holmstoke　was　concerned；　some　enthusiasts　had　been　known　to
walk　all　the　way　to　Casterbridge　and　back　in　one　day；　solely　to
witness　the　spectacle。　　The　next　assizes　were　in　March；　and　when
Gertrude　Lodge　heard　that　they　had　been　held；　she　inquired
stealthily　at　the　inn　as　to　the　result；　as　soon　as　she　could　find
opportunity。

She　was；　however；　too　late。　　The　time　at　which　the　sentences　were　to
be　carried　out　had　arrived；　and　to　make　the　journey　and　obtain
admission　at　such　short　notice　required　at　least　her　husband's
assistance。　　She　dared　not　tell　him；　for　she　had　found　by　delicate
experiment　that　these　smouldering　village　beliefs　made　him　furious
if　mentioned；　partly　because　he　half　entertained　them　himself。　　It
was　therefore　necessary　to　wait　for　another　opportunity。

Her　determination　received　a　fillip　from　learning　that　two　epileptic
children　had　attended　from　this　very　village　of　Holmstoke　many　years
before　with　beneficial　results；　though　the　experiment　had　been
strongly　condemned　by　the　neighbouring　clergy。　　April；　May；