to have and to hold-第46节
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oo hard；〃 she murmured； with a little tremulous laugh and a catch of her breath。
I untied the ribbons。
〃May I not sit down？〃 she said plaintively； but with soft merriment in her eyes。 〃I am not quite strong yet。 My heart … you do not know what pain I have in my heart sometimes。 It makes me weep of nights and when none are by； indeed it does！〃
There was a settle beneath the window。 I led her to it； and she sat down。
〃You must know that I am walking in the Governor's garden； that hath only a lane between it and the gaol。〃 Her eyes were downcast； her cheeks pure rose。
〃When did you first love me？〃 I demanded。
〃Lady Wyatt must have guessed why Master Rolfe alone went not to the bear…baiting； but joined us in the garden。 She said the air was keen； and fetched me her mask； and then herself went indoors to embroider Samson in the arms of Delilah。'
〃Was it here at Jamestown； or was it when we were first wrecked； or on the island with the pink hill when you wrote my name in the sand； or〃 …
〃The George will sail in three days； and we are to be taken back to England after all。 It does not scare me now。〃
〃In all my life I have kissed you only once；〃 I said。
The rose deepened； and in her eyes there was laughter； with tears behind。 〃You are a gentleman of determination；〃 she said。 〃If you are bent upon having your way； I do not know that I … that I … can help myself。 I do not even know that I want to help myself。〃
Outside the wind blew and the sun shone； and the laughter from below the fort was too far away and elfin to jar upon us。 The world forgot us； and we were well content。 There seemed not much to say： I suppose we were too happy for words。 I knelt beside her； and she laid her hands in mine； and now and then we spoke。 In her short and lonely life； and in my longer stern and crowded one； there had been little tenderness； little happiness。 In her past； to those about her； she had seemed bright and gay； I had been a comrade whom men liked because I could jest as well as fight。 Now we were happy； but we were not gay。 Each felt for the other a great compassion； each knew that though we smiled to…day； the groan and the tear might be to…morrow's due； the sunshine around us was pure gold； but that the clouds were mounting we knew full well。
〃I must soon be gone；〃 she said at last。 〃It is a stolen meeting。 I do not know when we shall meet again。〃
She rose from the settle； and I rose with her； and we stood together beside the barred window。 There was no danger of her being seen； street and square were left to the wind and the sunshine。 My arm was around her； and she leaned her head against my breast。 〃Perhaps we shall never meet again；〃 she said。
〃The winter is over；〃 I answered。 〃Soon the trees will be green and the flowers in bloom。 I will not believe that our spring can have no summer。〃
She took from her bosom a little flower that had been pinned there。 It lay； a purple star； in the hollow of her hand。 〃It grew in the sun。 It is the first flower of spring。〃 She put it to her lips； then laid it upon the window ledge beside my hand。 〃I have brought you evil gifts； … foes and strife and peril。 Will you take this little purple flower … and all my heart beside？〃
I bent and kissed first the tiny blossom； and then the lips that had proffered it。 〃I am very rich；〃 I said。
The sun was now low； and the pines in the square and the upright of the pillory cast long shadows。 The wind had fallen and the sounds had died away。 It seemed very still。 Nothing moved but the creeping shadows until a flight of small white…breasted birds went past the window。 〃The snow is gone；〃 I said。 〃The snowbirds are flying north。〃
〃The woods will soon be green；〃 she murmured wistfully。 〃Ah； if we could ride through them once more； back to Weyanoke〃 …
〃To home；〃 I said。
〃Home；〃 she echoed softly。
There was a low knocking at the door behind us。 〃It is Master Rolfe's signal；〃 she said。 〃I must not stay。 Tell me that you love me； and let me go。〃
I drew her closer to me and pressed my lips upon her bowed head。 〃Do you not know that I love you？〃 I asked。
〃Yea；〃 she answered。 〃I have been taught it。 Tell me that you believe that God will be good to us。 Tell me that we shall be happy yet； for oh； I have a boding heart this day！〃
Her voice broke； and she lay trembling in my arms； her face hidden。 〃If the summer never comes for us〃 … she whispered。 〃Good…by； my lover and my husband。 If I have brought you ruin and death； I have brought you； too； a love that is very great。 Forgive me and kiss me； and let me go。〃
〃Thou art my dearly loved and honored wife；〃 I said。 〃My heart forebodes summer； and joy； and peace； and home。〃
We kissed each other solemnly； as those who part for a journey and a warfare。 I spoke no word to Rolfe when the door was opened and she had passed out with her cloak drawn about her face； but we clasped hands； and each knew the other for his friend indeed。 They were gone； the gaoler closing and locking the door behind them。 As for me； I went back to the settle beneath the window； and； falling on my knees beside it； buried my face in my arms。
CHAPTER XXIX IN WHICH I KEEP TRYST
THE sun dropped below the forest； blood red； dyeing the river its own color。 There were no clouds in the sky； … only a great suffusion of crimson climbing to the zenith； against it the woods were as black as war paint。 The color faded and the night set in； a night of no wind and of numberless stars。 On the hearth burned a fire。 I left the window and sat beside it； and in the hollows between the red embers made pictures； as I used to make them when I was a boy。
I sat there long。 It grew late； and all sounds in the town were hushed； only now and then the 〃All's well！〃 of the watch came faintly to my ears。 Diccon lodged with me； he lay in his clothes upon a pallet in the far corner of the room； but whether he slept or not I did not ask。 He and I had never wasted words； since chance had thrown us together again we spoke only when occasion required。
The fire was nigh out； and it must have been ten of the clock when； with somewhat more of caution and less of noise than usual； the key grated in the lock； the door opened； and the gaoler entered； closing it noiselessly behind him。 There was no reason why he should intrude himself upon me after nightfall； and I regarded him with a frown and an impatience that presently turned to curiosity。
He began to move about the room； making pretense of seeing that there was water in the pitcher beside my pallet； that the straw beneath the coverlet was fresh； that the bars of the window were firm； and ended by approaching the fire and heaping pine upon it。 It flamed up brilliantly； and in the strong red light he half opened a clenched hand and showed me two gold pieces； and beneath them a folded paper。 I looked at his furtive eyes and brutal； doltish face； but he kept them blank as a wall。 The hand closed again over the treasure within it； and he turned away as if to leave the room。 I drew a noble … one of a small store of gold pieces conveyed to me by Rolfe … from my pocket； and stooping made it spin upon the hearth in the red firelight。 The gaoler looked at it askance； but continued his progress toward the door。 I drew out its fellow； set it too to spinning； then leaned back against the table。 〃They hunt in couples；〃 I said。 〃There will be no third one。〃
He had his foot upon them before they had done spinning。 The next moment they had kissed the two pieces already in his possession； and he had transferred all four to his pocket。 I held out my hand for the paper； and he gave it to me grudgingly； with a spiteful slowness of movement。 He would have stayed beside me as I read it； but I sternly bade him keep his distance； then kneeling before the fire to get the light； I opened the paper。 It was written upon in a delicate； woman's hand； and it ran thus： …
An you hold me dear； come to me at once。 Come without tarrying to the deserted hut on the neck of land； nearest to the forest。 As you love me； as you are my knight； keep this tryst。
In distress and peril； THY WIFE。
Folded with it was a line in the commander's hand and with his signature： 〃The bearer may pass without the palisade at his pleasure。〃
I read the first paper again； refolded it； and rose to my feet。 〃Who brought this； sirrah？〃 I demanded。
His answer was glib enough： 〃One of the governor's servants。 He said as how there was no harm in the letter； and the gold was good。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃Just now。 No； I did n't know the man。〃
I saw no way to discover whether or not he lied。 Drawing out another gold piece； I laid it upon the table。 He eyed it greedily； edging nearer and nearer。
〃For leaving this door unlocked；〃 I said。
His eyes narrowed and he moistened his lips； shifting from one foot to the other。
I put down a second piece。 〃For opening the outer door；〃 I said。
He wet his lips again； made an inarticulate sound in his throat； and finally broke out with； 〃The commander will nail my ears to the pillory。〃
〃You can lock the doors after me； and know as little as you choose in the morning。 No gain without some risk。〃
〃That's so；〃 he agreed； and made a clutch at the gold。
I swept it
