aaron trow-第2章

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Trow's　escape　from　prison。

Caleb　Morton　was　not　a　native　of　Bermuda；　but　had　been　sent　thither
by　the　synod　of　his　church　from　Nova　Scotia。　　He　was　a　tall；
handsome　man；　at　this　time　of　some　thirty　years　of　age；　of　a
presence　which　might　almost　have　been　called　commanding。　　He　was
very　strong；　but　of　a　temperament　which　did　not　often　give　him
opportunity　to　put　forth　his　strength；　and　his　life　had　been　such
that　neither　he　nor　others　knew　of　what　nature　might　be　his　courage。
The　greater　part　of　his　life　was　spent　in　preaching　to　some　few　of
the　white　people　around　him；　and　in　teaching　as　many　of　the　blacks
as　he　could　get　to　hear　him。　　His　days　were　very　quiet；　and　had　been
altogether　without　excitement　until　he　had　met　with　Anastasia
Bergen。　　It　will　suffice　for　us　to　say　that　he　did　meet　her；　and
that　now；　for　two　years　past；　they　had　been　engaged　as　man　and　wife。

Old　Mr。　Bergen；　when　he　heard　of　the　engagement；　was　not　well
pleased　at　the　information。　　In　the　first　place；　his　daughter　was
very　necessary　to　him；　and　the　idea　of　her　marrying　and　going　away
had　hardly　as　yet　occurred　to　him；　and　then　he　was　by　no　means
inclined　to　part　with　any　of　his　money。　　It　must　not　be　presumed
that　he　had　amassed　a　fortune　by　his　trade　in　cedar　wood。　　Few
tradesmen　in　Bermuda　do；　as　I　imagine；　amass　fortunes。　　Of　some　few
hundred　pounds　he　was　possessed；　and　these；　in　the　course　of　nature；
would　go　to　his　daughter　when　he　died；　but　he　had　no　inclination　to
hand　any　portion　of　them　over　to　his　daughter　before　they　did　go　to
her　in　the　course　of　nature。　　Now；　the　income　which　Caleb　Morton
earned　as　a　Presbyterian　clergyman　was　not　large；　and；　therefore；　no
day　had　been　fixed　as　yet　for　his　marriage　with　Anastasia。

But；　though　the　old　man　had　been　from　the　first　averse　to　the　match；
his　hostility　had　not　been　active。　　He　had　not　forbidden　Mr。　Morton
his　house；　or　affected　to　be　in　any　degree　angry　because　his
daughter　had　a　lover。　　He　had　merely　grumbled　forth　an　intimation
that　those　who　marry　in　haste　repent　at　leisure；that　love　kept
nobody　warm　if　the　pot　did　not　boil；　and　that；　as　for　him；　it　was　as
much　as　he　could　do　to　keep　his　own　pot　boiling　at　Crump　Cottage。
In　answer　to　this　Anastasia　said　nothing。　　She　asked　him　for　no
money；　but　still　kept　his　accounts；　managed　his　household；　and
looked　patiently　forward　for　better　days。

Old　Mr。　Bergen　himself　spent　much　of　his　time　at　Hamilton；　where　he
had　a　woodyard　with　a　couple　of　rooms　attached　to　it。　　It　was　his
custom　to　remain　here　three　nights　of　the　week；　during　which
Anastasia　was　left　alone　at　the　cottage；　and　it　happened　by　no　means
seldom　that　she　was　altogether　alone；　for　the　negro　whom　they　called
the　gardener　would　go　to　her　father's　place　at　Hamilton；　and　the　two
black　girls　would　crawl　away　up　to　the　road；　tired　with　the　monotony
of　the　sea　at　the　cottage。　　Caleb　had　more　than　once　told　her　that
she　was　too　much　alone；　but　she　had　laughed　at　him；　saying　that
solitude　in　Bermuda　was　not　dangerous。　　Nor；　indeed；　was　it；　for　the
people　are　quiet　and　well…mannered；　lacking　much　energy；　but　being；
in　the　same　degree；　free　from　any　propensity　to　violence。

〃So　you　are　going；〃　she　said　to　her　lover；　one　evening；　as　he　rose
from　the　chair　on　which　he　had　been　swinging　himself　at　the　door　of
the　cottage　which　looks　down　over　the　creek　of　the　sea。　　He　had　sat
there　for　an　hour　talking　to　her　as　she　worked；　or　watching　her　as
she　moved　about　the　place。　　It　was　a　beautiful　evening；　and　the　sun
had　been　falling　to　rest　with　almost　tropical　glory　before　his　feet。
The　bright　oleanders　were　red　with　their　blossoms　all　around　him；
and　he　had　thoroughly　enjoyed　his　hour　of　easy　rest。　　〃So　you　are
going；〃　she　said　to　him；　not　putting　her　work　out　of　her　hand　as　he
rose　to　depart。

〃Yes；　and　it　is　time　for　me　to　go。　　I　have　still　work　to　do　before　I
can　get　to　bed。　　Ah；　well；　I　suppose　the　day　will　come　at　last　when
I　need　not　leave　you　as　soon　as　my　hour　of　rest　is　over。〃

〃Come；　of　course　it　will　come。　　That　is；　if　your　reverence　should
choose　to　wait　for　it　another　ten　years　or　so。〃

〃I　believe　you　would　not　mind　waiting　twenty　years。〃

〃Not　if　a　certain　friend　of　mine　would　come　down　and　see　me　of
evenings　when　I'm　alone　after　the　day。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I
shouldn't　mind　waiting　as　long　as　I　had　that　to　look　for。〃

〃You　are　right　not　to　be　impatient；〃　he　said　to　her；　after　a　pause；
as　he　held　her　hand　before　he　went。　　〃Quite　right。　　I　only　wish　I
could　school　myself　to　be　as　easy　about　it。〃

〃I　did　not　say　I　was　easy；〃　said　Anastasia。　　〃People　are　seldom　easy
in　this　world；　I　take　it。　　I　said　I　could　be　patient。　　Do　not　look
in　that　way；　as　though　you　pretended　that　you　were　dissatisfied　with
me。　　You　know　that　I　am　true　to　you；　and　you　ought　to　be　very　proud
of　me。〃

〃I　am　proud　of　you；　Anastasia〃　on　hearing　which　she　got　up　and
courtesied　to　him。　　〃I　am　proud　of　you；　so　proud　of　you　that　I　feel
you　should　not　be　left　here　all　alone；　with　no　one　to　help　you　if
you　were　in　trouble。〃

〃Women　don't　get　into　trouble　as　men　do；　and　do　not　want　any　one　to
help　them。　　If　you　were　alone　in　the　house　you　would　have　to　go　to
bed　without　your　supper；　because　you　could　not　make　a　basin　of
boiled　milk　ready　for　your　own　meal。　　Now；　when　your　reverence　has
gone；　I　shall　go　to　work　and　have　my　tea　comfortably。〃　　And　then　he
did　go；　bidding　God　bless　her　as　he　left　her。　　Three　hours　after
that　he　was　disturbed　in　his　own　lodgings　by　one　of　the　negro　girls
from　the　cottage　rushing　to　his　door；　and　begging　him　in　Heaven's
name　to　come　down　to　the　assistance　of　her　mistress。

When　Morton　left　her；　Anastasia　did　not　proceed　to　do　as　she　had
said；　and　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her　evening　meal。　　She　had　been
working　sedulously　with　her　needle　during　all　that　last
conversation；　but　when　her　lover　was　gone；　she　allowed　the　work　to
fall　from　her　hands；　and　sat　motionless　for　awhile；　gazing　at　the
last　streak　of　colour　left　by　the　setting　sun；　but　there　was　no
longer　a　sign　of　its　glory　to　be　traced　in　the　heavens　around　her。
The　twilight　in　Bermuda　is　not　long　and　enduring　as　it　is　with　us；
though　the　daylight　does　not　depart　suddenly；　leaving　the　darkness
of　night　behind　it　without　any　intermediate　time　of　warning；　as　is
the　case　farther　south；　down　among　the　islands　of　the　tropics。　　But
the　soft；　sweet　light　of　the　evening　had　waned　and　gone；　and　night
had　absolutely　come　upon　her；　while　Anastasia　was　still　seated
before　the　cottage　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　white　streak　of
motionless　sea　which　was　still　visible　through　the　gloom。　　She　was
thinking　of　him；　of　his　ways　of　life；　of　his　happiness；　and　of　her
duty　towards　him。　　She　had　told　him；　with　her　pretty　feminine
falseness；　that　she　could　wait　without　impatience；　but　now　she　said
to　herself　that　it　would　not　be　good　for　him　to　wait　longer。　　He
lived　alone　and　without　comfort；　working　very　hard　for　his　poor
pittance；　and　she　could　see；　and　feel；　and　understand　that　a
companion　in　his　life　was　to　him　almost　a　necessity。　　She　would　tell
her　father　that　all　this　must　be　brought　to　an　end。　　She　would　not
ask　him　for　money；　but　she　would　make　him　understand　that　her
services　must；　at　any　rate　in　part；　be　transferred。　　Why　should　not
she　and　Morton　still　live　at　the　cottage　when　they　were　married？
And　so　thinking；　and　at　last　resolving；　she　sat　there　till　the　dark
night　fell　upon　her。

She　was　at　last　disturbed　by　feeling　a　man's　hand　upon　her　shoulder。
She　jumped　from　her　chair　and　faced　him；not　screaming；　for　it　was
especially　within　her　power　to　control　herself；　and　to　make　no
utterance　except　with　forethought。　　Perhaps　it　might　have　been
better　for　her　had　she　screamed；　and　sent　a　shrill　shriek　down　the
shore　of　that　inland　sea。　　She　was　silent；　however；　and　with　awe…
struck　face　and　outstretched　hands　gazed　into　the　face　of　him　who
still　held　her　by　the　shoulder。　　The　night　was　dark；　but　her　eyes
were　now　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　and　she　could　see　indistinctly
something　of　his　features。　　He　was　a　low…sized　man；　dressed　in　a
suit　of　sailor's　blue　clothing；　with　a　rough　cap　of　hair　on　his
head；　and　a　beard　that　had　not　been　clipped　for　many　weeks。　　His
eyes　were　large；　and　hollow；　and　frightfully　bright；　so　that　she
seemed　to　see　nothing　else　of　him；　but　she　felt　the　strength　of　his
fingers　as　he　grasped　her　tighter　and　more　tightly　by　the　arm。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　said；　after　a　moment's　pause。

〃Do　you　know　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Know　you！　　No。〃　　But　the　words　were　hardly　out　of　her　mouth　before
it　struck　her　that　the　man　was　Aaron　Trow；　of　whom　every　one　in
Bermuda　had　been　talking。

〃Come　into　the　house；〃　he　said；　〃and　give　me　food。〃　　And　he　still
held　her　with　his　hand　as　though　he　would　compel　her　to　follow　him。

She　stood　for　a　moment　thinking　what　she　would　say　to　him；　for　even
then；　with　that　terrible　man　standing　close　to　her　in　the　darkness；
her　presence　of　mind　did　not　desert　her。　　〃Surely；〃　she　said；　〃I
will　give　you　food　if　you　are　hungry。　　But　take　your　hand　from　me。
No　man　would　lay　his　hands　on　a　woman。〃

〃A　woman！〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃What　does　the　starved　wolf　care　for
that？　　A　woman's　blood　is　as　sweet　to　him　as　that　of　a　man。　　Come
into　the　house；　I　tell　you。〃　　And　then　she　preceded　him　through　the
open　door　into　the　narrow　passage；　and　thence　to　the　kitchen。　　There
she　saw　that　the　back　door；　leading　out　on　the　other　side　of　the
house；　was　open；　and　she　knew　that　he　had　come　down　from　the　road
and　entered　on　that　side。　　She　threw　her　eyes　around；　looking　for
the　negro　girls；　but　they　were　away；　and　she　remembered　that　there
was　no　human　being　within　sound　of　her　voice　but　this　man　who　had
told　her　that　he　was　as　a　wolf　thirsty　after　her　blood！

〃Give　me　food　at　once；〃　he　said。

〃And　will　you　go　if　I　give　it　you？〃　she　asked。

〃I　will　knock　out　your　brains　if　you　do　not；〃　he　replied；　lifting
from　the　grate　a　short；　thick　poker　which　lay　there。　　〃Do　as　I　bid
you　at　once。　　You　also　would　be　like　a　tiger　if　you　had　fasted　for
two　days；　as　I　have　done。〃

She　could　see；　as　she　moved　across　the　kitchen；　that　he　had　already
searched　there　for　something　that　he　might　eat；　but　that　he　had
searched　in　vain。　　With　the　close　economy　common　among　his　class　in
the　islands；　all　comestibles　were　kept　under　close　lock　and　key　in
the　house　of　Mr。　Bergen。　　Their　daily　allowance　was　given　day　by　day
to　the　negro　servants；　and　even　the　fragments　were　then　gathered　up
and　locked　away　in　safety。　　She　moved　across　the　kitchen　to　the
accustomed　cupboard；　taking　the　keys　from　her　pocket；　and　he
followed　close　upon　her。　　There　was　a　small　oil　lamp　hanging　from
the　low　ceiling　which　just　gave　them　light　to　see　each　other。　　She
lifted　her　hand　to　this　to　tare　it　from　its　hook；　but　he　prevented
her。　　〃No；　by　Heaven！〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　touch　that　till　I've　done
with　it。　　There's　light　enough　for　you　to　drag　out　your　scraps。〃

She　did　drag　out　her　scraps　and　a　bowl　of　milk；　which　might　hold
perhaps　a　quart。　　There　was　a　fragment　of　bread；　a　morsel　of　cold
potato…cake；　and　the　bone　of　a　leg　of　kid。　　〃And　is　that　all？〃　said
he。　　But　as　he　spoke　he　fleshed　his　teeth　against　the　bone　as　a　dog