aaron trow-第3章

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he。　　But　as　he　spoke　he　fleshed　his　teeth　against　the　bone　as　a　dog
would　have　done。

〃It　is　the　best　I　have；〃　she　said；　〃I　wish　it　were　better；　and　you
should　have　had　it　without　violence；　as　you　have　suffered　so　long
from　hunger。〃

〃Bah！　　Better；　yes！　　You　would　give　the　best　no　doubt；　and　set　the
hell　hounds　on　my　track　the　moment　I　am　gone。　　I　know　how　much　I
might　expect　from　your　charity。〃

〃I　would　have　fed　you　for　pity's　sake；〃　she　answered。

〃Pity！　　Who　are　you；　that　you　should　dare　to　pity　me！　　By　…；　my
young　woman；　it　is　I　that　pity　you。　　I　must　cut　your　throat　unless
you　give　me　money。　　Do　you　know　that？〃

〃Money！　　I　have　got　no　money。〃

〃I'll　make　you　have　some　before　I　go。　　Come；　don't　move　till　I　have
done。〃　　And　as　he　spoke　to　her　he　went　on　tugging　at　the　bone；　and
swallowing　the　lumps　of　stale　bread。　　He　had　already　finished　the
bowl　of　milk。　　〃And；　now；〃　said　he；　〃tell　me　who　I　am。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　Aaron　Trow；〃　she　answered；　very　slowly。　　He　said
nothing　on　hearing　this；　but　continued　his　meal；　standing　close　to
her　so　that　she　might　not　possibly　escape　from　him　out　into　the
darkness。　　Twice　or　thrice　in　those　few　minutes　she　made　up　her　mind
to　make　such　an　attempt；　feeling　that　it　would　be　better　to　leave
him　in　possession　of　the　house；　and　make　sure；　if　possible；　of　her
own　life。　　There　was　no　money　there；　not　a　dollar！　　What　money　her
father　kept　in　his　possession　was　locked　up　in　his　safe　at　Hamilton。
And　might　he　not　keep　to　his　threat；　and　murder　her；　when　he　found
that　she　could　give　him　nothing？　　She　did　not　tremble　outwardly；　as
she　stood　there　watching　him　as　he　ate；　but　she　thought　how　probable
it　might　be　that　her　last　moments　were　very　near。　　And　yet　she　could
scrutinise　his　features；　form；　and　garments；　so　as　to　carry　away　in
her　mind　a　perfect　picture　of　them。　　Aaron　Trowfor　of　course　it
was　the　escaped　convictwas　not　a　man　of　frightful；　hideous　aspect。
Had　the　world　used　him　well；　giving　him　when　he　was　young　ample
wages　and　separating　him　from　turbulent　spirits；　he　also　might　have
used　the　world　well；　and　then　women　would　have　praised　the
brightness　of　his　eye　and　the　manly　vigour　of　his　brow。　　But　things
had　not　gone　well　with　him。　　He　had　been　separated　from　the　wife　he
had　loved；　and　the　children　who　had　been　raised　at　his　knee；
separated　by　his　own　violence；　and　now；　as　he　had　said　of　himself；
he　was　a　wolf　rather　than　a　man。　　As　he　stood　there　satisfying　the
craving　of　his　appetite；　breaking　up　the　large　morsels　of　food；　he
was　an　object　very　sad　to　be　seen。　　Hunger　had　made　him　gaunt　and
yellow；　he　was　squalid　with　the　dirt　of　his　hidden　lair；　and　he　had
the　look　of　a　beast；that　look　to　which　men　fall　when　they　live
like　the　brutes　of　prey；　as　outcasts　from　their　brethren。　　But　still
there　was　that　about　his　brow　which　might　have　redeemed　him；which
might　have　turned　her　horror　into　pity；　had　he　been　willing　that　it
should　be　so。

〃And　now　give　me　some　brandy；〃　he　said。

There　was　brandy　in　the　house；in　the　sitting…room　which　was　close
at　their　hand；　and　the　key　of　the　little　press　which　held　it　was　in
her　pocket。　　It　was　useless；　she　thought；　to　refuse　him；　and　so　she
told　him　that　there　was　a　bottle　partly　full；　but　that　she　must　go
to　the　next　room　to　fetch　it　him。

〃We'll　go　together；　my　darling；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　nothing　like
good　company。〃　　And　he　again　put　his　hand　upon　her　arm　as　they
passed　into　the　family　sitting…room。

〃I　must　take　the　light；〃　she　said。　　But　he　unhooked　it　himself；　and
carried　it　in　his　own　hand。

Again　she　went　to　work　without　trembling。　　She　found　the　key　of　the
side　cupboard；　and　unlocking　the　door；　handed　him　a　bottle　which
might　contain　about　half…a…pint　of　spirits。　　〃And　is　that　all？〃　he
said。

〃There　is　a　full　bottle　here；〃　she　answered；　handing　him　another；
〃but　if　you　drink　it；　you　will　be　drunk；　and　they　will　catch　you。〃

〃By　Heavens；　yes；　and　you　would　be　the　first　to　help　them；　would　you
not？〃

〃Look　here；〃　she　answered。　　〃If　you　will　go　now；　I　will　not　say　a
word　to　any　one　of　your　coming；　nor　set　them　on　your　track　to　follow
you。　　There；　take　the　full　bottle　with　you。　　If　you　will　go；　you
shall　be　safe　from　me。〃

〃What；　and　go　without　money！〃

〃I　have　none　to　give　you。　　You　may　believe　me　when　I　say　so。　　I　have
not　a　dollar　in　the　house。〃

Before　he　spoke　again　he　raised　the　half　empty　bottle　to　his　mouth；
and　drank　as　long　as　there　was　a　drop　to　drink。　　〃There；〃　said　he；
putting　the　bottle　down；　〃I　am　better　after　that。　　As　to　the　other；
you　are　right；　and　I　will　take　it　with　me。　　And　now；　young　woman；
about　the　money？〃

〃I　tell　you　that　I　have　not　a　dollar。〃

〃Look　here；〃　said　he；　and　he　spoke　now　in　a　softer　voice；　as　though
he　would　be　on　friendly　terms　with　her。　　〃Give　me　ten　sovereigns；
and　I　will　go。　　I　know　you　have　it；　and　with　ten　sovereigns　it　is
possible　that　I　may　save　my　life。　　You　are　good；　and　would　not　wish
that　a　man　should　die　so　horrid　a　death。　　I　know　you　are　good。
Come；　give　me　the　money。〃　　And　he　put　his　hands　up；　beseeching　her；
and　looked　into　her　face　with　imploring　eyes。

〃On　the　word　of　a　Christian　woman　I　have　not　got　money　to　give　you；〃
she　replied。

〃Nonsense？〃　　And　as　he　spoke　he　took　her　by　the　arm　and　shook　her。
He　shook　her　violently　so　that　he　hurt　her；　and　her　breath　for　a
moment　was　all　but　gone　from　her。　　〃I　tell　you　you　must　make　dollars
before　I　leave　you；　or　I　will　so　handle　you　that　it　would　have　been
better　for　you　to　coin　your　very　blood。〃

〃May　God　help　me　at　my　need；〃　she　said；　〃as　I　have　not　above　a　few
penny　pieces　in　the　house。〃

〃And　you　expect　me　to　believe　that！　　Look　here！　　I　will　shake　the
teeth　out　of　your　head；　but　I　will　have　it　from　you。〃　　And　he　did
shake　her　again；　using　both　his　hands　and　striking　her　against　the
wall。

〃Would　youmurder　me？〃　she　said；　hardly　able　now　to　utter　the
words。

〃Murder　you；　yes；　why　not？　　I　cannot　be　worse　than　I　am；　were　I　to
murder　you　ten　times　over。　　But　with　money　I　may　possibly　be
better。〃

〃I　have　it　not。〃

〃Then　I　will　do　worse　than　murder　you。　　I　will　make　you　such　an
object　that　all　the　world　shall　loathe　to　look　on　you。〃　　And　so
saying　he　took　her　by　the　arm　and　dragged　her　forth　from　the　wall
against　which　she　had　stood。

Then　there　came　from　her　a　shriek　that　was　heard　far　down　the　shore
of　that　silent　sea；　and　away　across　to　the　solitary　houses　of　those
living　on　the　other　side；a　shriek；　very　sad；　sharp；　and
prolonged；which　told　plainly　to　those　who　heard　it　of　woman's　woe
when　in　her　extremest　peril。　　That　sound　was　spoken　of　in　Bermuda
for　many　a　day　after　that；　as　something　which　had　been　terrible　to
hear。　　But　then；　at　that　moment；　as　it　came　wailing　through　the
dark；　it　sounded　as　though　it　were　not　human。　　Of　those　who　heard
it；　not　one　guessed　from　whence　it　came；　nor　was　the　hand　of　any
brother　put　forward　to　help　that　woman　at　her　need。

〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　said　the　young　wife　to　her　husband；　from　the
far　side　of　the　arm　of　the　sea。

〃Hear　it！　　Oh　Heaven；　yes！　　Whence　did　it　come？〃　　The　young　wife
could　not　say　from　whence　it　came；　but　clung　close　to　her　husband's
breast；　comforting　herself　with　the　knowledge　that　that　terrible
sorrow　was　not　hers。

But　aid　did　come　at　last；　or　rather　that　which　seemed　as　aid。　　Long
and　terrible　was　the　fight　between　that　human　beast　of　prey　and　the
poor　victim　which　had　fallen　into　his　talons。　　Anastasia　Bergen　was
a　strong；　well…built　woman；　and　now　that　the　time　had　come　to　her
when　a　struggle　was　necessary；　a　struggle　for　life；　for　honour；　for
the　happiness　of　him　who　was　more　to　her　than　herself；　she　fought
like　a　tigress　attacked　in　her　own　lair。　　At　such　a　moment　as　this
she　also　could　become　wild　and　savage　as　the　beast　of　the　forest。
When　he　pinioned　her　arms　with　one　of　his；　as　he　pressed　her　down
upon　the　floor；　she　caught　the　first　joint　of　the　forefinger　of　his
other　hand　between　her　teeth　till　he　yelled　in　agony；　and　another
sound　was　heard　across　the　silent　water。　　And　then；　when　one　hand
was　loosed　in　the　struggle；　she　twisted　it　through　his　long　hair；
and　dragged　back　his　head　till　his　eyes　were　nearly　starting　from
their　sockets。　　Anastasia　Bergen　had　hitherto　been　a　sheer　woman；
all　feminine　in　her　nature。　　But　now　the　foam　came　to　her　mouth；　and
fire　sprang　from　her　eyes；　and　the　muscles　of　her　body　worked　as
though　she　had　been　trained　to　deeds　of　violence。　　Of　violence；
Aaron　Trow　had　known　much　in　his　rough　life；　but　never　had　he
combated　with　harder　antagonist　than　her　whom　he　now　held　beneath
his　breast。

〃ByI　will　put　an　end　to　you；〃　he　exclaimed；　in　his　wrath；　as　he
struck　her　violently　across　the　face　with　his　elbow。　　His　hand　was
occupied；　and　he　could　not　use　it　for　a　blow；　but；　nevertheless；　the
violence　was　so　great　that　the　blood　gushed　from　her　nostrils；　while
the　back　of　her　head　was　driven　with　violence　against　the　floor。
But　she　did　not　lose　her　hold　of　him。　　Her　hand　was　still　twined
closely　through　his　thick　hair；　and　in　every　move　he　made　she　clung
to　him　with　all　her　might。　　〃Leave　go　my　hair；〃　he　shouted　at　her；
but　she　still　kept　her　hold；　though　he　again　dashed　her　head　against
the　floor。

There　was　still　light　in　the　room；　for　when　he　first　grasped　her
with　both　his　hands；　he　had　put　the　lamp　down　on　a　small　table。　　Now
they　were　rolling　on　the　floor　together；　and　twice　he　had　essayed　to
kneel　on　her　that　he　might　thus　crush　the　breath　from　her　body；　and
deprive　her　altogether　of　her　strength；　but　she　had　been　too　active
for　him；　moving　herself　along　the　ground；　though　in　doing　so　she
dragged　him　with　her。　　But　by　degrees　he　got　one　hand　at　liberty；
and　with　that　he　pulled　a　clasp　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　opened
it。　　〃I　will　cut　your　head　off　if　you　do　not　let　go　my　hair；〃　he
said。　　But　still　she　held　fast　by　him。　　He　then　stabbed　at　her　arm；
using　his　left　hand　and　making　short；　ineffectual　blows。　　Her　dress
partly　saved　her；　and　partly　also　the　continual　movement　of　all　her
limbs；　but；　nevertheless；　the　knife　wounded　her。　　It　wounded　her　in
several　places　about　the　arm；　covering　them　both　with　blood；but
still　she　hung　on。　　So　close　was　her　grasp　in　her　agony；　that；　as
she　afterwards　found；　she　cut　the　skin　of　her　own　hands　with　her　own
nails。　　Had　the　man's　hair　been　less　thick　or　strong；　or　her　own
tenacity　less　steadfast；　he　would　have　murdered　her　before　any
interruption　could　have　saved　her。

And　yet　he　had　not　purposed　to　murder　her；　or　even；　in　the　first
instance；　to　inflict　on　her　any　bodily　harm。　　But　he　had　been
determined　to　get　money。　　With　such　a　sum　of　money　as　he　had　named；
it　might；　he　thought；　be　possible　for　him　to　win　his　way　across　to
America。　　He　might　bribe　men　to　hide　him　in　the　hold　of　a　ship；　and
thus　there　might　be　for　him；　at　any　rate；　a　possibility　of　escape。
That　there　must　be　money　in　the　house　he　had　still　thought　when
first　he　laid　hands　on　the　poor　woman；　and　then；　when　the　struggle
had　once　begun；　when　he　had　felt　her　muscles　contending　with　his；
the　passion　of　the　beast　was　aroused　within　him；　and　he　strove
against　her　as　he　would　have　striven　against　a　dog。　　But　yet；　when
the　knife　was　in　his　hand；　he　had　not　dri