stories by modern american authors-第8节

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her　hearing。〃





III





That　was　how　I　first　asked　Margaret　Lammas　to　be　my　wife；　and　I

will　agree　with　anyone　who　says　I　behaved　very　foolishly。　　But　I

have　not　repented　of　it；　and　I　never　shall。　　I　have　long　ago

understood　that　I　was　out　of　my　mind　that　evening；　but　I　think　my

temporary　insanity　on　that　occasion　has　had　the　effect　of　making　me

a　saner　man　ever　since。　　Her　manner　turned　my　head；　for　it　was　so

different　from　what　I　had　expected。　　To　hear　this　lovely　creature；

who；　in　my　imagination；　was　a　heroine　of　romance；　if　not　of

tragedy；　talking　familiarly　and　laughing　readily　was　more　than　my

equanimity　could　bear；　and　I　lost　my　head　as　well　as　my　heart。　　But

when　I　went　back　to　England　in　the　spring；　I　went　to　make　certain

arrangements　at　the　Castlecertain　changes　and　improvements　which

would　be　absolutely　necessary。　　I　had　won　the　race　for　which　I　had

entered　myself　so　rashly；　and　we　were　to　be　married　in　June。



Whether　the　change　was　due　to　the　orders　I　had　left　with　the

gardener　and　the　rest　of　the　servants；　or　to　my　own　state　of　mind；

I　cannot　tell。　　At　all　events；　the　old　place　did　not　look　the　same

to　me　when　I　opened　my　window　on　the　morning　after　my　arrival。

There　were　the　gray　walls　below　me　and　the　gray　turrets　flanking

the　huge　building；　there　were　the　fountains；　the　marble　causeways；

the　smooth　basins；　the　tall　box　hedges；　the　water　lilies　and　the

swans；　just　as　of　old。　　But　there　was　something　else　there；　too

something　in　the　air；　in　the　water；　and　in　the　greenness　that　I　did

not　recognizea　light　over　everything　by　which　everything　was

transfigured。　　The　clock　in　the　tower　struck　seven；　and　the　strokes

of　the　ancient　bell　sounded　like　a　wedding　chime。　　The　air　sang

with　the　thrilling　treble　of　the　song…birds；　with　the　silvery　music

of　the　plashing　water　and　the　softer　harmony　of　the　leaves　stirred

by　the　fresh　morning　wind。　　There　was　a　smell　of　new…mown　hay　from

the　distant　meadows；　and　of　blooming　roses　from　the　beds　below；

wafted　up　together　to　my　window。　　I　stood　in　the　pure　sunshine　and

drank　the　air　and　all　the　sounds　and　the　odors　that　were　in　it；　and

I　looked　down　at　my　garden　and　said：　〃It　is　Paradise；　after　all。〃

I　think　the　men　of　old　were　right　when　they　called　heaven　a　garden；

and　Eden　a　garden　inhabited　by　one　man　and　one　woman；　the　Earthly

Paradise。



I　turned　away；　wondering　what　had　become　of　the　gloomy　memories　I

had　always　associated　with　my　home。　　I　tried　to　recall　the

impression　of　my　nurse's　horrible　prophecy　before　the　death　of　my

parentsan　impression　which　hitherto　had　been　vivid　enough。　　I

tried　to　remember　my　old　self；　my　dejection；　my　listlessness；　my

bad　luck；　my　petty　disappointments。　　I　endeavored　to　force　myself

to　think　as　I　used　to　think；　if　only　to　satisfy　myself　that　I　had

not　lost　my　individuality。　　But　I　succeeded　in　none　of　these

efforts。　　I　was　a　different　man；　a　changed　being；　incapable　of

sorrow；　of　ill　luck；　or　of　sadness。　　My　life　had　been　a　dream；　not

evil；　but　infinitely　gloomy　and　hopeless。　　It　was　now　a　reality；

full　of　hope；　gladness；　and　all　manner　of　good。　　My　home　had　been

like　a　tomb；　to…day　it　was　Paradise。　　My　heart　had　been　as　though

it　had　not　existed；　to…day　it　beat　with　strength　and　youth　and　the

certainty　of　realized　happiness。　　I　reveled　in　the　beauty　of　the

world；　and　called　loveliness　out　of　the　future　to　enjoy　it　before

time　should　bring　it　to　me；　as　a　traveler　in　the　plains　looks　up　to

the　mountains；　and　already　tastes　the　cool　air　through　the　dust　of

the　road。



Here；　I　thought；　we　will　live　and　live　for　years。　　There　we　will

sit　by　the　fountain　toward　evening　and　in　the　deep　moonlight。　　Down

those　paths　we　will　wander　together。　　On　those　benches　we　will　rest

and　talk。　　Among　those　eastern　hills　we　will　ride　through　the　soft

twilight；　and　in　the　old　house　we　will　tell　tales　on　winter　nights；

when　the　logs　burn　high；　and　the　holly　berries　are　red；　and　the　old

clock　tolls　out　the　dying　year。　　On　these　old　steps；　in　these　dark

passages　and　stately　rooms；　there　will　one　day　be　the　sound　of

little　pattering　feet；　and　laughing　child　voices　will　ring　up　to

the　vaults　of　the　ancient　hall。　　Those　tiny　footsteps　shall　not　be

slow　and　sad　as　mine　were；　nor　shall　the　childish　words　be　spoken

in　an　awed　whisper。　　No　gloomy　Welshwoman　shall　people　the　dusky

corners　with　weird　horrors；　nor　utter　horrid　prophecies　of　death

and　ghastly　things。　　All　shall　be　young；　and　fresh；　and　joyful；　and

happy；　and　we　will　turn　the　old　luck　again；　and　forget　that　there

was　ever　any　sadness。



So　I　thought；　as　I　looked　out　of　my　window　that　morning　and　for

many　mornings　after　that；　and　every　day　it　all　seemed　more　real

than　ever　before；　and　much　nearer。　　But　the　old　nurse　looked　at　me

askance；　and　muttered　odd　sayings　about　the　Woman　of　the　Water。　　I

cared　little　what　she　said；　for　I　was　far　too　happy。



At　last　the　time　came　near　for　the　wedding。　　Lady　Bluebell　and　all

the　tribe　of　Bluebells；　as　Margaret　called　them；　were　at　Bluebell

Grange；　for　we　had　determined　to　be　married　in　the　country；　and　to

come　straight　to　the　Castle　afterwards。　　We　cared　little　for

traveling；　and　not　at　all　for　a　crowded　ceremony　at　St。　George's　in

Hanover　Square；　with　all　the　tiresome　formalities　afterwards。　　I

used　to　ride　over　to　the　Grange　every　day；　and　very　often　Margaret

would　come　with　her　aunt　and　some　of　her　cousins　to　the　Castle。　　I

was　suspicious　of　my　own　taste；　and　was　only　too　glad　to　let　her

have　her　way　about　the　alterations　and　improvements　in　our　home。



We　were　to　be　married　on　the　thirtieth　of　July；　and　on　the　evening

of　the　twenty…eighth　Margaret　drove　over　with　some　of　the　Bluebell

party。　　In　the　long　summer　twilight　we　all　went　out　into　the

garden。　　Naturally　enough；　Margaret　and　I　were　left　to　ourselves；

and　we　wandered　down　by　the　marble　basins。



〃It　is　an　odd　coincidence；〃　I　said；　〃it　was　on　this　very　night　last

year　that　I　first　saw　you。〃



〃Considering　that　it　is　the　month　of　July；〃　answered　Margaret　with

a　laugh；　〃and　that　we　have　been　here　almost　every　day；　I　don't

think　the　coincidence　is　so　extraordinary；　after　all。〃



〃No；　dear；〃　said　I；　〃I　suppose　not。　　I　don't　know　why　it　struck　me。

We　shall　very　likely　be　here　a　year　from　today；　and　a　year　from

that。　　The　odd　thing；　when　I　think　of　it；　is　that　you　should　be

here　at　all。　　But　my　luck　has　turned。　　I　ought　not　to　think

anything　odd　that　happens　now　that　I　have　you。　　It　is　all　sure　to

be　good。〃



〃A　slight　change　in　your　ideas　since　that　remarkable　performance　of

yours　in　Paris；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Do　you　know；　I　thought　you　were

the　most　extraordinary　man　I　had　ever　met。〃



〃I　thought　you　were　the　most　charming　woman　I　had　ever　seen。　　I

naturally　did　not　want　to　lose　any　time　in　frivolities。　　I　took　you

at　your　word；　I　followed　your　advice；　I　asked　you　to　marry　me；　and

this　is　the　delightful　resultwhat's　the　matter？〃



Margaret　had　started　suddenly；　and　her　hand　tightened　on　my　arm。

An　old　woman　was　coming　up　the　path；　and　was　close　to　us　before　we

saw　her；　for　the　moon　had　risen；　and　was　shining　full　in　our　faces。

The　woman　turned　out　to　be　my　old　nurse。



〃It's　only　Judith；　deardon't　be　frightened；〃　I　said。　　Then　I

spoke　to　the　Welshwoman：　〃What　are　you　about；　Judith？　　Have　you

been　feeding　the　Woman　of　the　Water？〃



〃Ayewhen　the　clock　strikes；　Williemy　Lord；　I　mean；〃　muttered

the　old　creature；　drawing　aside　to　let　us　pass；　and　fixing　her

strange　eyes　on　Margaret's　face。



〃What　does　she　mean？〃　asked　Margaret；　when　we　had　gone　by。



〃Nothing；　darling。　　The　old　thing　is　mildly　crazy；　but　she　is　a

good　soul。〃



We　went　on　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　and　came　to　the　rustic

bridge　just　above　the　artificial　grotto　through　which　the　water　ran

out　into　the　park；　dark　and　swift　in　its　narrow　channel。　　We

stopped；　and　leaned　on　the　wooden　rail。　　The　moon　was　now　behind

us；　and　shone　full　upon　the　long　vista　of　basins　and　on　the　huge

walls　and　towers　of　the　Castle　above。



〃How　proud　you　ought　to　be　of　such　a　grand　old　place！〃　said

Margaret；　softly。



〃It　is　yours　now；　darling；〃　I　answered。　　〃You　have　as　good　a　right

to　love　it　as　Ibut　I　only　love　it　because　you　are　to　live　in　it；

dear。〃



Her　hand　stole　out　and　lay　on　mine；　and　we　were　both　silent。　　Just

then　the　clock　began　to　strike　far　off　in　the　tower。　　I　counted

eightninetenelevenI　looked　at　my　watchtwelvethirteenI

laughed。　　The　bell　went　on　striking。



〃The　old　clock　has　gone　crazy；　like　Judith；〃　I　exclaimed。　　Still　it

went　on；　note　after　note　ringing　out　monotonously　through　the　still

air。　　We　leaned　over　the　rail；　instinctively　looking　in　the

direction　whence　the　sound　came。　　On　and　on　it　went。　　I　counted

nearly　a　hundred；　out　of　sheer　curiosity；　for　I　understood　that

something　had　broken　and　that　the　thing　was　running　itself　down。



Suddenly　there　was　a　crack　as　of　breaking　wood；　a　cry　an