malvina of brittany-第11节

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evidence　connecting　him　with　Dolly　Calthorpe's　unaccountable　missing
of　the　last　train　home；　is　of　course；　a　more　serious　matter。　　Mrs。
Dawson；　a　handsome；　high…spirited　woman　herself；　may　have　found
Dawson；　as　originally　fashioned；　trying　to　the　nerves；　though　even
then　the　question　arises：　　Why　have　married　him？　　But　there　is　a
difference；　as　Mrs。　Dawson　has　pointed　out；　between　a　husband　who
hasn't　enough　of　the　natural　man　in　him　and　a　husband　who　has　a　deal
too　much。　　It　is　difficult　to　regulate　these　matters。

Altogether；　and　taking　an　outside　estimate；　the　Doctor's　opinion　is
that　there　may　have　been　half　a　dozen；　who；　with　Malvina's
assistance；　succeeded　in　hypnotising　themselves　into　temporary
insanity。　　When　Malvina；　a　little　disappointed；　but　yielding　quite
sweetly　her　own　judgment　to　that　of　the　wise　and　learned
Christopher；　consented　to　〃restore〃　them；　the　explanation　was　that；
having　spent　their　burst　of　ill…acquired　energy；　they　fell　back　at
the　first　suggestion　to　their　former　selves。

Mrs。　Arlington　does　not　agree　with　the　Doctor。　　She　had　been　trying
to　reform　herself　for　quite　a　long　time　and　had　miserably　failed。
There　was　something　about　themit　might　almost　be　described　as　an
aromathat　prompted　her　that　evening　to　take　the　twins　into　her
confidence；　a　sort　of　intuition　that　in　some　way　they　could　help
her。　　It　remained　with　her　all　the　next　day；　and　when　the　twins
returned　in　the　evening；　in　company　with　the　postman；　she　knew
instinctively　that　they　had　been　about　her　business。　　It　was　this
same　intuitive　desire　that　drew　her　to　the　Downs。　　She　is　confident
she　would　have　taken　that　walk　to　the　Cross　Stones　even　if　the　twins
had　not　proposed　it。　　Indeed；　according　to　her　own　account；　she　was
not　aware　that　the　twins　had　accompanied　her。　　There　was　something
about　the　stones；　a　sense　as　of　a　presence。　　She　knew　when　she
reached　them　that　she　had　arrived　at　the　appointed　place；　and　when
there　appeared　to　hercoming　from　where　she　could　not　tella
diminutive　figure　that　seemed　in　some　mysterious　way　as　if　it　were
clothed　merely　in　the　fading　light；　she　remembered　distinctly　that
she　was　neither　surprised　nor　alarmed。　　The　diminutive　lady　sat　down
beside　her　and　took　Mrs。　Arlington's　hands　in　both　her　own。　　She
spoke　in　a　strange　language；　but　Mrs。　Arlington　at　the　time
understood　it；　though　now　the　meaning　of　it　had　passed　from　her。
Mrs。　Arlington　felt　as　if　her　body　were　being　taken　away　from　her。
She　had　a　sense　of　falling；　a　feeling　that　she　must　make　some
desperate　effort　to　rise　again。　　The　strange　little　lady　was　helping
her；　assisting　her　to　make　this　supreme　effort。　　It　was　as　if　ages
were　passing。　　She　was　wrestling　with　unknown　powers。　　Suddenly　she
seemed　to　slip　from　them。　　The　little　lady　was　holding　her　up。
Clasping　each　other；　they　rose　and　rose　and　rose。　　Mrs。　Arlington
had　a　firm　conviction　that　she　must　always　be　struggling　upward；　or
they　would　overtake　her　and　drag　her　down　again。　　When　she　awoke　the
little　lady　had　gone；　but　that　feeling　remained　with　her；　that
passionate　acceptance　of　ceaseless　struggle；　activity；　contention；
as　now　the　end　and　aim　of　her　existence。　　At　first　she　did　not
recollect　where　she　was。　　A　strange　colourless　light　was　around　her；
and　a　strange　singing　as　of　myriads　of　birds。　　And　then　the　clock
struck　nine　and　life　came　back　to　her　with　a　rush。　　But　with　it
still　that　conviction　that　she　must　seize　hold　of　herself　and
everybody　else　and　get　things　done。　　Its　immediate　expression；　as
already　has　been　mentioned；　was　experienced　by　the　twins。

When；　after　a　talk　with　the　Professor；　aided　and　abetted　by　Mr。
Arlington　and　the　eldest　Arlington　girl；　she　consented　to　pay　that
second　visit　to　the　stones；　it　was　with　very　different　sensations
that　she　climbed　the　grass…grown　path。　　The　little　lady　had　met　her
as　before；　but　the　curious　deep　eyes　looked　sadly；　and　Mrs。
Arlington　had　the　impression；　generally　speaking；　that　she　was　about
to　assist　at　her　own　funeral。　　Again　the　little　lady　took　her　by　the
hands；　and　again　she　experienced　that　terror　of　falling。　　But
instead　of　ending　with　contest　and　effort　she　seemed　to　pass　into　a
sleep；　and　when　she　opened　her　eyes　she　was　again　alone。　　Feeling　a
little　chilly　and　unreasonably　tired；　she　walked　slowly　home；　and
not　being　hungry；　retired　supperless　to　bed。　　Quite　unable　to
explain　why；　she　seems　to　have　cried　herself　to　sleep。

One　supposes　that　something　of　a　similar　nature　may　have　occurred　to
the　otherswith　the　exception　of　Mrs。　Marigold。　　It　was　the　case　of
Mrs。　Marigold　that；　as　the　Doctor　grudgingly　admits；　went　far　to
weaken　his　hypothesis。　　Mrs。　Marigold；　having　emerged；　was　spreading
herself；　much　to　her　own　satisfaction。　　She　had　discarded　her
wedding　ring　as　a　relic　of　barbarismof　the　days　when　women　were
mere　goods　and　chattels；　and　had　made　her　first　speech　at　a　meeting
in　favour　of　marriage　reform。　　Subterfuge；　in　her　case；　had　to　be
resorted　to。　　Malvina　had　tearfully　consented；　and　Marigold；　M。P。；
was　to　bring　Mrs。　Marigold　to　the　Cross　Stones　that　same　evening　and
there　leave　her；　explaining　to　her　that　Malvina　had　expressed　a　wish
to　see　her　again〃just　for　a　chat。〃


All　might　have　ended　well　if　only　Commander　Raffleton　had　not
appeared　framed　in　the　parlour　door　just　as　Malvina　was　starting。
His　Cousin　Christopher　had　written　to　the　Commander。　　Indeed；　after
the　Arlington　affair；　quite　pressingly；　and　once　or　twice　had
thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　Flight　Commander　Raffleton's
propeller；　but　on　each　occasion　had　been　disappointed。　　〃Affairs　of
State；〃　Cousin　Christopher　had　explained　to　Malvina；　who；　familiar
one　takes　it　with　the　calls　upon　knights　and　warriors　through　all
the　ages；　had　approved。

He　stood　there　with　his　helmet　in　his　hand。

〃Only　arrived　this　afternoon　from　France；〃　　he　explained。　　〃Haven't
a　moment　to　spare。〃

But　he　had　just　time　to　go　straight　to　Malvina。　　He　laughed　as　he
took　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her　full　upon　the　lips。

When　last　he　had　kissed　herit　had　been　in　the　orchard；　the
Professor　had　been　witness　to　itMalvina　had　remained　quite
passive；　only　that　curious　little　smile　about　her　lips。　　But　now　an
odd　thing　happened。　　A　quivering　seemed　to　pass　through　all　her
body；　so　that　it　swayed　and　trembled。　　The　Professor　feared　she　was
going　to　fall；　and；　maybe　to　save　herself；　she　put　up　her　arms　about
Commander　Raffleton's　neck；　and　with　a　strange　low　cryit　sounded
to　the　Professor　like　the　cry　one　sometimes　hears　at　night　from　some
little　dying　creature　of　the　woodsshe　clung　to　him　sobbing。


It　must　have　been　a　while　later　when　the　chiming　of　the　clock
recalled　to　the　Professor　the　appointment　with　Mrs。　Marigold。

〃You　will　only　just　have　time；〃　he　said；　gently　seeking　to　release
her。　　〃I'll　promise　to　keep　him　till　you　come　back。〃　　And　as　Malvina
did　not　seem　to　understand；　he　reminded　her。

But　still　she　made　no　movement；　save　for　a　little　gesture　of　the
hands　as　if　she　were　seeking　to　lay　hold　of　something　unseen。　　And
then　she　dropped　her　arms　and　looked　from　one　of　them　to　the　other。
The　Professor　did　not　think　of　it　at　the　time；　but　remembered
afterwards；　that　strange　aloofness　of　hers；　as　if　she　were　looking
at　you　from　another　world。　　One　no　longer　felt　it。

〃I　am　so　sorry；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　too　late。　　I　am　only　a　woman。〃

And　Mrs。　Marigold　is　still　thinking。



THE　PROLOGUE。



And　here　follows　the　Prologue。　　It　ought；　of　course；　to　have　been
written　first；　but　nobody　knew　of　it　until　quite　the　end　entirely。
It　was　told　to　Commander　Raffleton　by　a　French　comrade；　who　in　days
of　peace　had　been　a　painter；　mingling　with　others　of　his　kind；
especially　such　as　found　their　inspiration　in　the　wide　horizons　and
legend…haunted　dells　of　old…world　Brittany。　　Afterwards　the
Commander　told　it　to　the　Professor；　and　the　Professor's　only
stipulation　was　that　it　should　not　be　told　to　the　Doctor；　at　least
for　a　time。　　For　the　Doctor　would　see　in　it　only　confirmation　for
his　own　narrow　sense…bound　theories；　while　to　the　Professor　it
confirmed　beyond　a　doubt　the　absolute　truth　of　this　story。


It　commenced　in　the　year　Eighteen　hundred　and　ninety…eight　（anno
Domini）；　on　a　particularly　unpleasant　evening　in　late　February〃a
stormy　winter's　night；〃　one　would　describe　it；　were　one　writing　mere
romance。　　It　came　to　the　lonely　cottage　of　Madame　Lavigne　on　the
edge　of　the　moor　that　surrounds　the　sunken　village　of　Aven…a…Christ。
Madame　Lavigne；　who　was　knitting　stockingsfor　she　lived　by
knitting　stockingsheard；　as　she　thought；　a　passing　of　feet；　and
what　seemed　like　a　tap　at　the　door。　　She　dismissed　the　idea；　for　who
would　be　passing　at　such　an　hour；　and　where　there　was　no　road？　　But
a　few　minutes　later　the　tapping　came　again；　and　Madame　Lavigne；
taking　her　candle　in　her　hand；　went　to　see　who　was　there。　　The
instant　she　released　the　latch　a　gust　of　wind　blew　out　the　candle；
and　Madame　Lavigne　could　see　no　one。　　She　called；　but　there　was　no
answer。　　She　was　about　to　close　the　door　again　when　she　heard　a
faint　sound。　　It　was　not　exactly　a　cry。　　It　was　as　if　someone　she
could　not　see；　in　the　tiniest　of　voices；　had　said　something　she
could　not