tales and fantasies-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



are　needless。　　May　God　help　me　to　be　good　to　you；　Esther　…

may　God　help　me！　for　I　see　that　you　will　not。'



So；　without　more　speech；　they　set　out　together；　and　were

already　got　some　distance　from　the　spot；　ere　he　observed　that

she　was　still　carrying　the　hand…bag。　　She　gave　it　up　to　him；

passively；　but　when　he　offered　her　his　arm；　merely　shook　her

head　and　pursed　up　her　lips。　　The　sun　shone　clearly　and

pleasantly；　the　wind　was　fresh　and　brisk　upon　their　faces；

and　smelt　racily　of　woods　and　meadows。　　As　they　went　down

into　the　valley　of　the　Thyme；　the　babble　of　the　stream　rose

into　the　air　like　a　perennial　laughter。　　On　the　far…away

hills；　sun…burst　and　shadow　raced　along　the　slopes　and　leaped

from　peak　to　peak。　　Earth；　air　and　water；　each　seemed　in

better　health　and　had　more　of　the　shrewd　salt　of　life　in　them

than　upon　ordinary　mornings；　and　from　east　to　west；　from　the

lowest　glen　to　the　height　of　heaven；　from　every　look　and

touch　and　scent；　a　human　creature　could　gather　the　most

encouraging　intelligence　as　to　the　durability　and　spirit　of

the　universe。



Through　all　this　walked　Esther；　picking　her　small　steps　like

a　bird；　but　silent　and　with　a　cloud　under　her　thick　eyebrows。

She　seemed　insensible；　not　only　of　nature；　but　of　the

presence　of　her　companion。　　She　was　altogether　engrossed　in

herself；　and　looked　neither　to　right　nor　to　left；　but

straight　before　her　on　the　road。　　When　they　came　to　the

bridge；　however；　she　halted；　leaned　on　the　parapet；　and

stared　for　a　moment　at　the　clear；　brown　pool；　and　swift；

transient　snowdrift　of　the　rapids。



'I　am　going　to　drink；'　she　said；　and　descended　the　winding

footpath　to　the　margin。



There　she　drank　greedily　in　her　hands　and　washed　her　temples

with　water。　　The　coolness　seemed　to　break；　for　an　instant；

the　spell　that　lay　upon　her；　for；　instead　of　hastening

forward　again　in　her　dull；　indefatigable　tramp；　she　stood

still　where　she　was；　for　near　a　minute；　looking　straight

before　her。　　And　Dick；　from　above　on　the　bridge　where　he

stood　to　watch　her；　saw　a　strange；　equivocal　smile　dawn

slowly　on　her　face　and　pass　away　again　at　once　and　suddenly；

leaving　her　as　grave　as　ever；　and　the　sense　of　distance；

which　it　is　so　cruel　for　a　lover　to　endure；　pressed　with

every　moment　more　heavily　on　her　companion。　　Her　thoughts

were　all　secret；　her　heart　was　locked　and　bolted；　and　he

stood　without；　vainly　wooing　her　with　his　eves。



'Do　you　feel　better？'　asked　Dick；　as　she　at　last　rejoined

him；　and　after　the　constraint　of　so　long　a　silence；　his　voice

sounded　foreign　to　his　own　ears。



She　looked　at　him　for　an　appreciable　fraction　of　a　minute　ere

she　answered；　and　when　she　did；　it　was　in　the　monosyllable　…

'Yes。'



Dick's　solicitude　was　nipped　and　frosted。　　His　words　died

away　on　his　tongue。　　Even　his　eyes；　despairing　of

encouragement；　ceased　to　attend　on　hers。　　And　they　went　on　in

silence　through　Kirton　hamlet；　where　an　old　man　followed　them

with　his　eyes；　and　perhaps　envied　them　their　youth　and　love；

and　across　the　Ivy　beck　where　the　mill　was　splashing　and

grumbling　low　thunder　to　itself　in　the　chequered　shadow　of

the　dell；　and　the　miller　before　the　door　was　beating　flour

from　his　hands　as　he　whistled　a　modulation；　and　up　by　the

high　spinney；　whence　they　saw　the　mountains　upon　either　hand；

and　down　the　hill　again　to　the　back　courts　and　offices　of

Naseby　House。　　Esther　had　kept　ahead　all　the　way；　and　Dick

plodded　obediently　in　her　wake；　but　as　they　neared　the

stables；　he　pushed　on　and　took　the　lead。　　He　would　have

preferred　her　to　await　him　in　the　road　while　he　went　on　and

brought　the　carriage　back；　but　after　so　many　repulses　and

rebuffs　he　lacked　courage　to　offer　the　suggestion。　　Perhaps；

too；　he　felt　it　wiser　to　keep　his　convoy　within　sight。　　So

they　entered　the　yard　in　Indian　file；　like　a　tramp　and　his

wife。



The　grooms　eyebrows　rose　as　he　received　the　order　for　the

pony…phaeton；　and　kept　rising　during　all　his　preparations。

Esther　stood　bolt　upright　and　looked　steadily　at　some

chickens　in　the　corner　of　the　yard。　　Master　Richard　himself；

thought　the　groom；　was　not　in　his　ordinary；　for　in　truth；　he

carried　the　hand…bag　like　a　talisman；　and　either　stood

listless；　or　set　off　suddenly　walking　in　one　direction　after

another　with　brisk；　decisive　footsteps。　　Moreover　he　had

apparently　neglected　to　wash　his　hands；　and　bore　the　air　of

one　returning　from　a　prolonged　nutting　ramble。　　Upon　the

groom's　countenance　there　began　to　grow　up　an　expression　as

of　one　about　to　whistle。　　And　hardly　had　the　carriage　turned

the　corner　and　rattled　into　the　high　road　with　this

inexplicable　pair；　than　the　whistle　broke　forth　…　prolonged；

and　low　and　tremulous；　and　the　groom；　already　so　far

relieved；　vented　the　rest　of　his　surprise　in　one　simple

English　word；　friendly　to　the　mouth　of　Jack…tar　and　the　sooty

pitman；　and　hurried　to　spread　the　news　round　the　servants'

hall　of　Naseby　House。　　Luncheon　would　be　on　the　table　in

little　beyond　an　hour；　and　the　Squire；　on　sitting　down；　would

hardly　fail　to　ask　for　Master　Richard。　　Hence；　as　the

intelligent　reader　can　foresee；　this　groom　has　a　part　to　play

in　the　imbroglio。



Meantime；　Dick　had　been　thinking　deeply　and　bitterly。　　It

seemed　to　him　as　if　his　love　had　gone　from　him；　indeed；　yet

gone　but　a　little　way；　as　if　he　needed　but　to　find　the　right

touch　or　intonation；　and　her　heart　would　recognise　him　and　be

melted。　　Yet　he　durst　not　open　his　mouth；　and　drove　in

silence　till　they　had　passed　the　main　park…gates　and　turned

into　the　cross…cut　lane　along　the　wall。　　Then　it　seemed　to

him　as　if　it　must　be　now；　or　never。



'Can't　you　see　you　are　killing　me？'　he　cried。　　'Speak　to　me；

look　at　me；　treat　me　like　a　human　man。'



She　turned　slowly　and　looked　him　in　the　face　with　eyes　that

seemed　kinder。　　He　dropped　the　reins　and　caught　her　hand；　and

she　made　no　resistance；　although　her　touch　was　unresponsive。

But　when；　throwing　one　arm　round　her　waist；　he　sought　to　kiss

her　lips；　not　like　a　lover　indeed；　not　because　he　wanted　to

do　so；　but　as　a　desperate　man　who　puts　his　fortunes　to　the

touch；　she　drew　away　from　him；　with　a　knot　in　her　forehead；

backed　and　shied　about　fiercely　with　her　head；　and　pushed　him

from　her　with　her　hand。　　Then　there　was　no　room　left　for

doubt；　and　Dick　saw；　as　clear　as　sunlight；　that　she　had　a

distaste　or　nourished　a　grudge　against　him。



'Then　you　don't　love　me？'　he　said；　drawing　back　from　her；　he

also；　as　though　her　touch　had　burnt　him；　and　then；　as　she

made　no　answer；　he　repeated　with　another　intonation；

imperious　and　yet　still　pathetic；　'You　don't　love　me；　DO　you；

DO　you？'



'I　don't　know；'　she　replied。　　'Why　do　you　ask　me？　　Oh；　how

should　I　know？　　It　has　all　been　lies　together　…　lies；　and

lies；　and　lies！'



He　cried　her　name　sharply；　like　a　man　who　has　taken　a

physical　hurt；　and　that　was　the　last　word　that　either　of　them

spoke　until　they　reached　Thymebury　Junction。



This　was　a　station　isolated　in　the　midst　of　moorlands；　yet

lying　on　the　great　up　line　to　London。　　The　nearest　town；

Thymebury　itself；　was　seven　miles　distant　along　the　branch

they　call　the　Vale　of　Thyme　Railway。　　It　was　now　nearly　half

an　hour　past　noon；　the　down　train　had　just　gone　by；　and　there

would　be　no　more　traffic　at　the　junction　until　half…past

three；　when　the　local　train　comes　in　to　meet　the　up　express

at　a　quarter　before　four。　　The　stationmaster　had　already　gone

off　to　his　garden；　which　was　half　a　mile　away　in　a　hollow　of

the　moor；　a　porter；　who　was　just　leaving；　took　charge　of　the

phaeton；　and　promised　to　return　it　before　night　to　Naseby

House；　only　a　deaf；　snuffy；　and　stern　old　man　remained　to

play　propriety　for　Dick　and　Esther。



Before　the　phaeton　had　driven　off；　the　girl　had　entered　the

station　and　seated　herself　upon　a　bench。　　The　endless；　empty

moorlands　stretched　before　her；　entirely　unenclosed；　and　with

no　boundary　but　the　horizon。　　Two　lines　of　rails；　a　waggon

shed；　and　a　few　telegraph　posts；　alone　diversified　the

outlook。　　As　for　sounds；　the　silence　was　unbroken　save　by　the

chant　of　the　telegraph　wires　and　the　crying　of　the　plovers　on

the　waste。　　With　the　approach　of　midday　the　wind　had　more　and

more　fallen；　it　was　now　sweltering　hot　and　the　air　trembled

in　the　sunshine。



Dick　paused　for　an　instant　on　the　threshold　of　the　platform。

Then；　in　two　steps；　he　was　by　her　side　and　speaking　almost

with　a　sob。



'Esther；'　he　said；　'have　pity　on　me。　　What　have　I　done？　　Can

you　not　forgive　me？　　Esther；　you　loved　me　once　…　can　you　not

love　me　still？'



'How　can　I　tell　you？　　How　am　I　to　know？'　she　answered。　　'You

are　all　a　lie　to　me　…　all　a　lie　from　first　to　last。　　You　were

laughing　at　my　folly；　playing　with　me　like　a　child；　at　the

very　time　when　you　declared　you　loved　me。　　Which　was　true？

was　any　of　it　true？　or　was　it　all；　all　a　mockery？　　I　am　weary

trying　to　find　out。　　And　you　say　I　loved　you；　I　loved　my

father's　friend。　　I　never　loved；　I　never　heard　of；　you；　until

that　man　came　home　and　I　began　to　find　myself　deceived。　　Give

me　back　my　father；　be　what　you　were　before；　and　you　may　talk

of　love　indeed！'



'Then　you　cannot　forgive　me　…　cannot？'　he　asked。



'I　have　nothing　to　forgive；'　she　answered。　　'You　do　not

understand。'



'Is　that　your　last　word；　Esther？'　said　he；　very　white；　and

biting　his　lip　to　keep　it　still。



'Yes；　that　is　my　last　word；'　replied　she。



'Then　we　are　here　on　false　pretences；　and　we　stay　here　no

longer；'　he　said。　　'Had　you　still　loved　me；　right　or　wrong；　I

should　have　taken　you　away；　because　then　I　could　have　made

you　happy。　　But　as　it　is　…　I　must　speak　plainly　…　what　you

propose　is　degrading　to　you；　and　an　insult　to　me；　and　a　rank

unkindness　to　your　father。　　Your　father　may　be　this　or　that；

but　you　should　use　him　like　a　fellow…creature。'



'What　do　you　mean？'　she　flashed。　　'I　leave　him　my　house　and

all　my　money；　it　is　more　than　he　deserves。　　I　wonder　you　dare

speak　to　me　about　that　man。　　And　besides；　it　is　all　he　cares

for；　let　him　take　it；　and　let　me　never　hear　from　him　again。'



'I　thought　you　romantic　about　fathers；'　he　said。



'Is　that　a　taunt？'　she　demanded。



'No；'　he　replied；　'it　is　an　argument。　　No　one　can　make　you

like　him；　but　don't　disgrace　him　in　his　own　eyes。　　He　is　old；

Esther；　old　and　broken　down。　　Even　I　am　sorry　for　him；　and　he

has　been　the　loss　of　all　I　cared　for。　　Write　to　your　aunt；

when　I　see　her　answer　you　can　leave　quietly　and　naturally；

and　I　will　take　you　to　your　aunt's　door。　　But　in　the　meantime

you　must　go　home。　　You　have　no　money；　and　so　you　are

helpless；　and　must　do　as　I　tell　you；　and　believe　me；　Esther；

I　do　all　for　your　good；　and　your　good　only；　so　God　help　me。'



She　had　put　her　hand　into　her　pocket　and　withdrawn　it　empty。



'I　counted　upon　you；'　she　wailed。



'You　counted　rightly　then；'　he　retorted。　　'I　will　not；　to

please　you　for