tales and fantasies-第23章
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You may fancy how Esther quailed at this new feature of the
meeting between her two idols。
And then； again； in a parenthesis：…
'That；' said Van Tromp； 'was when I had to paint those dirty
daubs of mine。'
And a little further on； laughingly said perhaps； but yet
with an air of truth：…
'I never had the slightest hesitation in sponging upon any
human creature。'
Thereupon Dick got up。
'I think perhaps；' he said； 'we had better all be thinking of
going to bed。' And he smiled with a feeble and deprecatory
smile。
'Not at all；' cried the Admiral； 'I know a trick worth two of
that。 Puss here；' indicating his daughter； 'shall go to bed；
and you and I will keep it up till all's blue。'
Thereupon Esther arose in sullen glory。 She had sat and
listened for two mortal hours while her idol defiled himself
and sneered away his godhead。 One by one； her illusions had
departed。 And now he wished to order her to bed in her own
house！ now he called her Puss！ now； even as he uttered the
words； toppling on his chair； he broke the stem of his
tobacco…pipe in three！ Never did the sheep turn upon her
shearer with a more commanding front。 Her voice was calm；
her enunciation a little slow； but perfectly distinct； and
she stood before him as she spoke； in the simplest and most
maidenly attitude。
'No；' she said； 'Mr。 Naseby will have the goodness to go home
at once； and you will go to bed。'
The broken fragments of pipe fell from the Admiral's fingers；
he seemed by his countenance to have lived too long in a
world unworthy of him； but it is an odd circumstance； he
attempted no reply； and sat thunderstruck； with open mouth。
Dick she motioned sharply towards the door； and he could only
obey her。 In the porch； finding she was close behind him； he
ventured to pause and whisper； 'You have done right。'
'I have done as I pleased；' she said。 'Can he paint？'
'Many people like his paintings；' returned Dick； in stifled
tones； 'I never did； I never said I did；' he added； fiercely
defending himself before he was attacked。
'I ask you if he can paint。 I will not be put off。 CAN he
paint？' she repeated。
'No；' said Dick。
'Does he even like it？'
'Not now； I believe。'
'And he is drunk？' … she leaned upon the word with hatred。
'He has been drinking。'
'Go；' she said； and was turning to re…enter the house when
another thought arrested her。 'Meet me to…morrow morning at
the stile；' she said。
'I will；' replied Dick。
And then the door closed behind her； and Dick was alone in
the darkness。 There was still a chink of light above the
sill； a warm； mild glow behind the window； the roof of the
cottage and some of the banks and hazels were defined in
denser darkness against the sky； but all else was formless；
breathless； and noiseless like the pit。 Dick remained as she
had left him； standing squarely upon one foot and resting
only on the toe of the other； and as he stood he listened
with his soul。 The sound of a chair pushed sharply over the
floor startled his heart into his mouth； but the silence
which had thus been disturbed settled back again at once upon
the cottage and its vicinity。 What took place during this
interval is a secret from the world of men； but when it was
over the voice of Esther spoke evenly and without
interruption for perhaps half a minute； and as soon as that
ceased heavy and uncertain footfalls crossed the parlour and
mounted lurching up the stairs。 The girl had tamed her
father； Van Tromp had gone obediently to bed： so much was
obvious to the watcher in the road。 And yet he still waited；
straining his ears； and with terror and sickness at his
heart； for if Esther had followed her father； if she had even
made one movement in this great conspiracy of men and nature
to be still； Dick must have had instant knowledge of it from
his station before the door； and if she had not moved； must
she not have fainted？ or might she not be dead？
He could hear the cottage clock deliberately measure out the
seconds； time stood still with him； an almost superstitious
terror took command of his faculties； at last； he could bear
no more； and； springing through the little garden in two
bounds； he put his face against the window。 The blind； which
had not been drawn fully down； left an open chink about an
inch in height along the bottom of the glass； and the whole
parlour was thus exposed to Dick's investigation。 Esther sat
upright at the table； her head resting on her hand； her eyes
fixed upon the candle。 Her brows were slightly bent； her
mouth slightly open； her whole attitude so still and settled
that Dick could hardly fancy that she breathed。 She had not
stirred at the sound of Dick's arrival。 Soon after； making a
considerable disturbance amid the vast silence of the night；
the clock lifted up its voice； whined for a while like a
partridge； and then eleven times hooted like a cuckoo。 Still
Esther continued immovable and gazed upon the candle。
Midnight followed； and then one of the morning； and still she
had not stirred； nor had Richard Naseby dared to quit the
window。 And then； about half…past one； the candle she had
been thus intently watching flared up into a last blaze of
paper； and she leaped to her feet with an ejaculation； looked
about her once； blew out the light； turned round； and was
heard rapidly mounting the staircase in the dark。
Dick was left once more alone to darkness and to that dulled
and dogged state of mind when a man thinks that Misery must
now have done her worst； and is almost glad to think so。 He
turned and walked slowly towards the stile； she had told him
no hour； and he was determined； whenever she came； that she
should find him waiting。 As he got there the day began to
dawn； and he leaned over a hurdle and beheld the shadows flee
away。 Up went the sun at last out of a bank of clouds that
were already disbanding in the east； a herald wind had
already sprung up to sweep the leafy earth and scatter the
congregated dewdrops。 'Alas！' thought Dick Naseby； 'how can
any other day come so distastefully to me？' He still wanted
his experience of the morrow。
CHAPTER VII … THE ELOPEMENT
IT was probably on the stroke of ten； and Dick had been half
asleep for some time against the bank； when Esther came up
the road carrying a bundle。 Some kind of instinct； or
perhaps the distant light footfalls； recalled him； while she
was still a good way off； to the possession of his faculties；
and he half raised himself and blinked upon the world。 It
took him some time to recollect his thoughts。 He had
awakened with a certain blank and childish sense of pleasure；
like a man who had received a legacy overnight； but this
feeling gradually died away； and was then suddenly and
stunningly succeeded by a conviction of the truth。 The whole
story of the past night sprang into his mind with every
detail； as by an exercise of the direct and speedy sense of
sight； and he arose from the ditch and； with rueful courage；
went to meet his love。
She came up to him walking steady and fast； her face still
pale； but to all appearance perfectly composed； and she
showed neither surprise； relief； nor pleasure at finding her
lover on the spot。 Nor did she offer him her hand。
'Here I am；' said he。
'Yes；' she replied； and then； without a pause or any change
of voice； 'I want you to take me away；' she added。
'Away？' he repeated。 'How？ Where？'
'To…day；' she said。 'I do not care where it is； but I want
you to take me away。'
'For how long？ I do not understand；' gasped Dick。
'I shall never come back here any more；' was all she
answered。
Wild words uttered； as these were； with perfect quiet of
manner and voice； exercise a double influence on the hearer's
mind。 Dick was confounded； he recovered from astonishment
only to fall into doubt and alarm。 He looked upon her frozen
attitude； so discouraging for a lover to behold； and recoiled
from the thoughts which it suggested。
'To me？' he asked。 'Are you coming to me； Esther？'
'I want you to take me away；' she repeated with weary
impatience。 'Take me away … take me away from here。'
The situation was not sufficiently defined。 Dick asked
himself with concern whether she were altogether in her right
wits。 To take her away； to marry her； to work off his hands
for her support； Dick was content to do all this； yet he
required some show of love upon her part。 He was not one of
those tough…hided and small…hearted males who would marry
their love at the point of the bayonet rather than not marry
her at all。 He desired that a woman should come to his arms
with an attractive willingness； if not with ardour。 And
Esther's bearing was more that of despair than that of love。
It chilled him and taught him wisdom。
'Dearest；' he urged； 'tell me what you wish； and you shall
have it； tell me your thoughts； and then I can advise you。
But to go from here without a plan； without forethought； in
the heat of a moment； is madder than madness； and can help
nothing。 I am not speaking like a man； but I speak the
truth； and I tell you again； the thing's absurd； and wrong；
and hurtful。'
She looked at him with a lowering； languid look of wrath。
'So you will not take me？' she said。 'Well； I will go
alone。'
And she began to step forward on her way。 But he threw
himself before her。
'Esther； Esther！' he cried。
'Let me go … don't touch me … what right have you to
interfere？ Who are you； to touch me？' she flashed out；
shrill with anger。
Then； being made bold by her violence； he took her firmly；
almost roughly； by the arm； and held her while he spoke。
'You know well who I am； and what I am； and that I love you。
You say I will not help you； but your heart knows the
contrary。 It is you who will not help me； for you will not
tell me what you want。 You see … or you could see； if you
took the pains to look … how I have waited here all night to
be ready at your service。 I only asked information； I only
urged you to consider； and I still urge and beg you to think
better of your fancies。 But if your mind is made up； so be
it； I will beg no longer； I give you my orders； and I will
not allow … not allow you to go hence alone。'
She looked at him for awhile with cold； unkind scrutiny like
one who tries the temper of a tool。
'Well； take me away； then；' she said with a sigh。
'Good；' said Dick。 'Come with me to the stables； there we
shall get the pony…trap and drive to the junction。 To…night
you shall be in London。 I am yours so wholly that no words
can make me more so； and； besides； you know it； and the words
are needless。 May God help me to be good to you； Esther …
may God help me！ for I see that you
