lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第16章

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upon　it。　　When　you　have　written　it　all　fairly；　and　corrected　all

mistakes；　call　in　any　two　people　there　may　be　about　the　house；　and

sign　your　name　to　it　before　them。　　Then；　put　it　in　your　bosom　to

keep　it　safe；　and　when　I　sit　here　again　to…morrow　night；　give　it　to

me。〃



'〃I　will　do　it　all；　with　the　greatest　care。　　I　will　do　anything　you

wish。〃



'〃Don't　shake　and　tremble；　then。〃



'〃I　will　try　my　utmost　not　to　do　it　…　if　you　will　only　forgive　me！〃



'Next　day；　she　sat　down　at　her　desk；　and　did　as　she　had　been　told。

He　often　passed　in　and　out　of　the　room；　to　observe　her；　and　always

saw　her　slowly　and　laboriously　writing：　　repeating　to　herself　the

words　she　copied；　in　appearance　quite　mechanically；　and　without

caring　or　endeavouring　to　comprehend　them；　so　that　she　did　her

task。　　He　saw　her　follow　the　directions　she　had　received；　in　all

particulars；　and　at　night；　when　they　were　alone　again　in　the　same

Bride's　Chamber；　and　he　drew　his　chair　to　the　hearth；　she　timidly

approached　him　from　her　distant　seat；　took　the　paper　from　her

bosom；　and　gave　it　into　his　hand。



'It　secured　all　her　possessions　to　him；　in　the　event　of　her　death。

He　put　her　before　him；　face　to　face；　that　he　might　look　at　her

steadily；　and　he　asked　her；　in　so　many　plain　words；　neither　fewer

nor　more；　did　she　know　that？



'There　were　spots　of　ink　upon　the　bosom　of　her　white　dress；　and

they　made　her　face　look　whiter　and　her　eyes　look　larger　as　she

nodded　her　head。　　There　were　spots　of　ink　upon　the　hand　with　which

she　stood　before　him；　nervously　plaiting　and　folding　her　white

skirts。



'He　took　her　by　the　arm；　and　looked　her；　yet　more　closely　and

steadily；　in　the　face。　　〃Now；　die！　　I　have　done　with　you。〃



'She　shrunk；　and　uttered　a　low；　suppressed　cry。



'〃I　am　not　going　to　kill　you。　　I　will　not　endanger　my　life　for

yours。　　Die！〃



'He　sat　before　her　in　the　gloomy　Bride's　Chamber；　day　after　day；

night　after　night；　looking　the　word　at　her　when　he　did　not　utter

it。　　As　often　as　her　large　unmeaning　eyes　were　raised　from　the

hands　in　which　she　rocked　her　head；　to　the　stern　figure；　sitting

with　crossed　arms　and　knitted　forehead；　in　the　chair；　they　read　in

it；　〃Die！〃　　When　she　dropped　asleep　in　exhaustion；　she　was　called

back　to　shuddering　consciousness；　by　the　whisper；　〃Die！〃　　When　she

fell　upon　her　old　entreaty　to　be　pardoned；　she　was　answered　〃Die！〃

When　she　had　out…watched　and　out…suffered　the　long　night；　and　the

rising　sun　flamed　into　the　sombre　room；　she　heard　it　hailed　with；

〃Another　day　and　not　dead？　…　Die！〃



'Shut　up　in　the　deserted　mansion；　aloof　from　all　mankind；　and

engaged　alone　in　such　a　struggle　without　any　respite；　it　came　to

this　…　that　either　he　must　die；　or　she。　　He　knew　it　very　well；　and

concentrated　his　strength　against　her　feebleness。　　Hours　upon　hours

he　held　her　by　the　arm　when　her　arm　was　black　where　he　held　it；　and

bade　her　Die！



'It　was　done；　upon　a　windy　morning；　before　sunrise。　　He　computed

the　time　to　be　half…past　four；　but；　his　forgotten　watch　had　run

down；　and　he　could　not　be　sure。　　She　had　broken　away　from　him　in

the　night；　with　loud　and　sudden　cries　…　the　first　of　that　kind　to

which　she　had　given　vent　…　and　he　had　had　to　put　his　hands　over　her

mouth。　　Since　then；　she　had　been　quiet　in　the　corner　of　the

paneling　where　she　had　sunk　down；　and　he　had　left　her；　and　had　gone

back　with　his　folded　arms　and　his　knitted　forehead　to　his　chair。



'Paler　in　the　pale　light；　more　colourless　than　ever　in　the　leaden

dawn；　he　saw　her　coming；　trailing　herself　along　the　floor　towards

him　…　a　white　wreck　of　hair；　and　dress；　and　wild　eyes；　pushing

itself　on　by　an　irresolute　and　bending　hand。



'〃O；　forgive　me！　　I　will　do　anything。　　O；　sir；　pray　tell　me　I　may

live！〃



'〃Die！〃



'〃Are　you　so　resolved？　　Is　there　no　hope　for　me？〃



'〃Die！〃



'Her　large　eyes　strained　themselves　with　wonder　and　fear；　wonder

and　fear　changed　to　reproach；　reproach　to　blank　nothing。　　It　was

done。　　He　was　not　at　first　so　sure　it　was　done；　but　that　the

morning　sun　was　hanging　jewels　in　her　hair　…　he　saw　the　diamond；

emerald；　and　ruby；　glittering　among　it　in　little　points；　as　he

stood　looking　down　at　her　…　when　he　lifted　her　and　laid　her　on　her

bed。



'She　was　soon　laid　in　the　ground。　　And　now　they　were　all　gone；　and

he　had　compensated　himself　well。



'He　had　a　mind　to　travel。　　Not　that　he　meant　to　waste　his　Money；

for　he　was　a　pinching　man　and　liked　his　Money　dearly　（liked　nothing

else；　indeed）；　but；　that　he　had　grown　tired　of　the　desolate　house

and　wished　to　turn　his　back　upon　it　and　have　done　with　it。　　But；

the　house　was　worth　Money；　and　Money　must　not　be　thrown　away。　　He

determined　to　sell　it　before　he　went。　　That　it　might　look　the　less

wretched　and　bring　a　better　price；　he　hired　some　labourers　to　work

in　the　overgrown　garden；　to　cut　out　the　dead　wood；　trim　the　ivy

that　drooped　in　heavy　masses　over　the　windows　and　gables；　and　clear

the　walks　in　which　the　weeds　were　growing　mid…leg　high。



'He　worked；　himself；　along　with　them。　　He　worked　later　than　they

did；　and；　one　evening　at　dusk；　was　left　working　alone；　with　his

bill…hook　in　his　hand。　　One　autumn　evening；　when　the　Bride　was　five

weeks　dead。



'〃It　grows　too　dark　to　work　longer；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　must

give　over　for　the　night。〃



'He　detested　the　house；　and　was　loath　to　enter　it。　　He　looked　at

the　dark　porch　waiting　for　him　like　a　tomb；　and　felt　that　it　was　an

accursed　house。　　Near　to　the　porch；　and　near　to　where　he　stood；　was

a　tree　whose　branches　waved　before　the　old　bay…window　of　the

Bride's　Chamber；　where　it　had　been　done。　　The　tree　swung　suddenly；

and　made　him　start。　　It　swung　again；　although　the　night　was　still。

Looking　up　into　it；　he　saw　a　figure　among　the　branches。



'It　was　the　figure　of　a　young　man。　　The　face　looked　down；　as　his

looked　up；　the　branches　cracked　and　swayed；　the　figure　rapidly

descended；　and　slid　upon　its　feet　before　him。　　A　slender　youth　of

about　her　age；　with　long　light　brown　hair。



'〃What　thief　are　you？〃　he　said；　seizing　the　youth　by　the　collar。



'The　young　man；　in　shaking　himself　free；　swung　him　a　blow　with　his

arm　across　the　face　and　throat。　　They　closed；　but　the　young　man　got

from　him　and　stepped　back；　crying；　with　great　eagerness　and　horror；

〃Don't　touch　me！　　I　would　as　lieve　be　touched　by　the　Devil！〃



'He　stood　still；　with　his　bill…hook　in　his　hand；　looking　at　the

young　man。　　For；　the　young　man's　look　was　the　counterpart　of　her

last　look；　and　he　had　not　expected　ever　to　see　that　again。



'〃I　am　no　thief。　　Even　if　I　were；　I　would　not　have　a　coin　of　your

wealth；　if　it　would　buy　me　the　Indies。　　You　murderer！〃



'〃What！〃



'〃I　climbed　it；〃　said　the　young　man；　pointing　up　into　the　tree；

〃for　the　first　time；　nigh　four　years　ago。　　I　climbed　it；　to　look　at

her。　　I　saw　her。　　I　spoke　to　her。　　I　have　climbed　it；　many　a　time；

to　watch　and　listen　for　her。　　I　was　a　boy；　hidden　among　its　leaves；

when　from　that　bay…window　she　gave　me　this！〃



'He　showed　a　tress　of　flaxen　hair；　tied　with　a　mourning　ribbon。



'〃Her　life；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃was　a　life　of　mourning。　　She　gave

me　this；　as　a　token　of　it；　and　a　sign　that　she　was　dead　to　every

one　but　you。　　If　I　had　been　older；　if　I　had　seen　her　sooner；　I

might　have　saved　her　from　you。　　But；　she　was　fast　in　the　web　when　I

first　climbed　the　tree；　and　what　could　I　do　then　to　break　it！〃



'In　saying　those　words；　he　burst　into　a　fit　of　sobbing　and　crying：

weakly　at　first；　then　passionately。



'〃Murderer！　　I　climbed　the　tree　on　the　night　when　you　brought　her

back。　　I　heard　her；　from　the　tree；　speak　of　the　Death…watch　at　the

door。　　I　was　three　times　in　the　tree　while　you　were　shut　up　with

her；　slowly　killing　her。　　I　saw　her；　from　the　tree；　lie　dead　upon

her　bed。　　I　have　watched　you；　from　the　tree；　for　proofs　and　traces

of　your　guilt。　　The　manner　of　it；　is　a　mystery　to　me　yet；　but　I

will　pursue　you　until　you　have　rendered　up　your　life　to　the

hangman。　　You　shall　never；　until　then；　be　rid　of　me。　　I　loved　her！

I　can　know　no　relenting　towards　you。　　Murderer；　I　loved　her！〃



'The　youth　was　bare…headed；　his　hat　having　fluttered　away　in　his

descent　from　the　tree。　　He　moved　towards　the　gate。　　He　had　to　pass

…　Him　…　to　get　to　it。　　There　was　breadth　for　two　old…fashioned

carriages　abreast；　and　the　youth's　abhorrence；　openly　expressed　in

every　feature　of　his　face　and　limb　of　his　body；　and　very　hard　to

bear；　had　verge　enough　to　keep　itself　at　a　distance　in。　　He　（by

which　I　mean　the　other）　had　not　stirred　hand　or　foot；　since　he　had

stood　still　to　look　at　the　boy。　　He　faced　round；　now；　to　follow　him

with　his　eyes。　　As　the　back　of　the　bare　light…brown　head　was　turned

to　him；　he　saw　a　red　curve　stretch　from　his　hand　to　it。　　He　knew；

before　he　threw　the　bill…hook；　where　it　had　alighted　…　I　say；　had

alighted；　and　not；　would　alight；　for；　to　his　clear　perception　the

thing　was　done　before　he　did　it。　　It　cleft　the　head；　and　it

remained　there；　and　the　boy　lay　on　his　face。



'He　buried　the　body　in　the　night；　at　the　foot　of　the　tree。　　As　soon

as　it　was　light　in　the　morning；　he　worked　at　turning　up　all　the

ground　near　the　tree；　and　hacking　and　hewing　at　the　neighbouring

bushes　and　undergrowth。　　When　the　labourers　came；　there　was　nothing

suspicious；　and　nothing　suspected。



'But；　he　had；　in　a　moment；　defeated　all　his　precautions；　and

destroyed　the　triumph　of　the　scheme　he　had　so　long　concerted；　and

so　successfully　worked　out。　　He　had　got　rid　of　the　Bride；　and　had

acquired　her　fortune　without　endangering　his　life；　but　now；　for　a

death　by　which　he　had　gained　nothing；　he　had　evermore　to　live　with

a　rope　around　his　neck。



'Beyond　this；　he　was　chained　to　the　house　of　gloom　and　horror；

which　he　could　not　endure。　　Being　afraid　to　sell　it　or　to　quit　it；

lest　discovery　should　be　made；　he　was　forced　to　live　in　it。　　He

hired　two　old　people；　man　and　wife；　for　his　servants；　and　dwelt　in

it；　and　dreaded　it。　　His　great　difficulty；　for　a　long　time；　was　the

garden。　　Whether　he　should　keep　it　trim；　whether　he　should　suffer

it　to　fall　into　its　former　state　of　neglect；　what　would　be　the

least　likely　way　of　attracting　attention　to　it？



'He　took　the　middle　course　of　gardening；　himself；　in　his　evening

leisure；　and　of　then　calling　the　old　serving…man　to　help　him；　but；

of　never　letting　him　work　there　alone。　　And　he　made　himself　an

arbour　over　against　the　tree；　where　he　could　sit　and　see　that　it

was　safe。



'As　the　seasons　changed；　and　the　tree　changed；　his　mind　perceived

dangers　that　were　always　changing。　　In　the　leafy　time；　he　perceived

that　the　upper　boughs　were　growing　into　the　form　of　the　young　man　…

that　they　made　the　shape　of　him　exactly；　sitting　in　a　forked　branch

swinging　in　the　wind。　　In　the　time　of　the　falling　leaves；　he

perceived　that　they　came　down　from　the　tree；　forming　tell…tale

letters　on　the　path；　or　that　they　had