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villa rubein and other stories-第37章

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〃He says he meant to take her〃



〃Do you believe that?〃



Before I could answer; I saw Pasiance standing at the window。  How

long she had been there I don't know。



〃Is it true that he is going to leave me behind?〃 she cried out。



I could only nod。



〃Did you hear him your own self?〃



〃Yes。〃



She stamped her foot。



〃But he promised! He promised!〃



John Ford went towards her。



〃Don't touch me; grandfather!  I hate every one!  Let him do what he

likes; I don't care。〃



John Ford's face turned quite grey。



〃Pasiance;〃 he said; 〃did you want to leave me so much?〃



She looked straight at us; and said sharply:



〃What's the good of telling stories。  I can't help its hurting you。〃



〃What did you think you would find away from here?〃



She laughed。



〃Find?  I don't knownothing; I wouldn't be stifled anyway。  Now I

suppose you'll shut me up because I'm a weak girl; not strong like

men!〃



〃Silence!〃 said John Ford; 〃I will make him take you。〃



〃You shan't!〃 she cried; 〃I won't let you。  He's free to do as he

likes。  He's freeI tell you all; everybodyfree!〃



She ran through the window; and vanished。



John Ford made a movement as if the bottom had dropped out of his

world。  I left him there。



I went to the kitchen; where Hopgood was sitting at the table; eating

bread and cheese。  He got up on seeing me; and very kindly brought me

some cold bacon and a pint of ale。



〃I thart I shude be seeing yu; zurr;〃 he said between his bites;

〃Therr's no thart to 'atin' 'bout the 'ouse to…day。  The old wumman's

puzzivantin' over Miss Pasiance。  Young girls are skeery critters〃

he brushed his sleeve over his broad; hard jaws; and filled a pipe

〃specially when it's in the blood of 'em。  Squire Rick Voisey werr a

dandy; an' Mistress Voiseywell; she werr a nice lady tu; but〃

rolling the stem of his pipe from corner to corner of his mouth〃she

werr a pra…aper vixen。〃



Hopgood's a good fellow; and I believe as soft as he looks hard; but

he's not quite the sort with whom one chooses to talk over a matter

like this。  I went upstairs; and began to pack; but after a bit

dropped it for a book; and somehow or other fell asleep。



I woke; and looked at my watch; it was five o'clock。  I had been

asleep four hours。  A single sunbeam was slanting across from one of

my windows to the other; and there was the cool sound of milk

dropping into pails; then; all at once; a stir as of alarm; and heavy

footsteps。



I opened my door。  Hopgood and a coast…guardsman were carrying

Pasiance slowly up the stairs。  She lay in their arms without moving;

her face whiter than her dress; a scratch across the forehead; and

two or three drops there of dried blood。  Her hands were clasped; and

she slowly crooked and stiffened out her fingers。  When they turned

with her at the stair top; she opened her lips; and gasped; 〃All

right; don't put me down。  I can bear it。〃  They passed; and; with a

half…smile in her eyes; she said something to me that I couldn't

catch; the door was shut; and the excited whispering began again

below。  I waited for the men to come out; and caught hold of Hopgood。

He wiped the sweat off his forehead。



〃Poor young thing!〃 he said。  〃She felldown the cliffs'tis her

backcoastguard saw her 'twerr they fetched her in。  The Lord 'elp

her mebbe she's not broken up much!  An' Mister Ford don't know!  I'm

gwine for the doctor。〃



There was an hour or more to wait before he came; a young fellow;

almost a boy。  He looked very grave; when he came out of her room。



〃The old woman there fond of her?  nurse her well。。。?  Fond as a

dog!good!  Don't knowcan't tell for certain!  Afraid it's the

spine; must have another opinion!  What a plucky girl!  Tell Mr。 Ford

to have the best man he can get in Torquaythere's C…。  I'll be

round the first thing in the morning。  Keep her dead quiet。  I've

left a sleeping draught; she'll have fever tonight。〃



John Ford came in at last。  Poor old man!  What it must have cost him

not to go to her for fear of the excitement!  How many times in the

next few hours didn't I hear him come to the bottom of the stairs;

his heavy wheezing; and sighing; and the forlorn tread of his feet

going back!  About eleven; just as I was going to bed; Mrs。 Hopgood

came to my door。



〃Will yu come; sir;〃 she said; 〃she's asking for yu。  Naowt I can zay

but what she will see yu; zeems crazy; don't it?〃  A tear trickled

down the old lady's cheek。  〃Du 'ee come; 'twill du 'err 'arm mebbe;

but I dunnoshe'll fret else。〃



I slipped into the room。  Lying back on her pillows; she was

breathing quickly with half…closed eyes。  There was nothing to show

that she had wanted me; or even knew that I was there。  The wick of

the candle; set by the bedside; had been snuffed too short; and gave

but a faint light; both window and door stood open; still there was

no draught; and the feeble little flame burned quite still; casting a

faint yellow stain on the ceiling like the refection from a buttercup

held beneath a chin。  These ceilings are far too low!  Across the

wide; squat window the apple branches fell in black stripes which

never stirred。  It was too dark to see things clearly。  At the foot

of the bed was a chest; and there Mrs。 Hopgood had sat down; moving

her lips as if in speech。  Mingled with the half…musty smell of age;

there were other scents; of mignonette; apples; and some sweet…

smelling soap。  The floor had no carpet; and there was not one single

dark object except the violin; hanging from a nail over the bed。  A

little; round clock ticked solemnly。



〃Why won't you give me that stuff; Mums?〃 Pasiance said in a faint;

sharp voice。  〃I want to sleep。〃



〃Have you much pain?〃 I asked。



〃Of course I have; it's everywhere。〃



She turned her face towards me。



〃You thought I did it on purpose; but you're wrong。  If I had; I'd

have done it better than this。  I wouldn't have this brutal pain。〃

She put her fingers over her eyes。  〃It's horrible to complain!  Only

it's so bad!  But I won't againpromise。



She took the sleeping draught gratefully; making a face; like a child

after a powder。



〃How long do you think it'll be before I can play again?  Oh! I

forgotthere are other things to think about。〃  She held out her

hand to me。  〃Look at my ring。  Marriedisn't it funny?  Ha; ha!

Nobody will ever understandthat's funny too!  Poor Gran!  You see;

there wasn't any reasononly me。  That's the only reason I'm telling

you now; Mums is therebut she doesn't count; why don't you count;

Mums?〃



The fever was fighting against the draught; she had tossed the

clothes back from her throat; and now and then raised one thin arm a

little; as if it eased her; her eyes had grown large; and innocent

like a child's; the candle; too; had flared; and was burning clearly。



〃Nobody is to tell himnobody at all; promise。。。!  If I hadn't

slipped; it would have been different。  What would have happened

then?  You can't tell; and I can'tthat's funny!  Do you think I

loved him?  Nobody marries without love; do they?  Not quite without

love; I mean。  But you see I wanted to be free; he said he'd take me;

and now he's left me after all!  I won't be left; I can't!  When I

came to the cliffthat bit where the ivy grows right downthere was

just the sea there; underneath; so I thought I would throw myself

over and it would be all quiet; and I climbed on a ledge; it looked

easier from there; but it was so high; I wanted to get back; and then

my foot slipped; and now it's all pain。  You can't think much; when

you're in pain。〃



》From her eyes I saw that she was dropping off。



〃Nobody can take you away from…yourself。  He's not to be toldnot

evenI don'twant youto go away; because〃But her eyes closed;

and she dropped off to sleep。



They don't seem to know this morning whether she is better or

worse。。。。









VI



〃Tuesday; 9th August。



It seems more like three weeks than three days since I wrote。  The

time passes slowly in a sickhouse。。。!  The doctors were here this

morning; they give her forty hours。  Not a word of complaint has

passed her lips since she knew。  To see her you would hardly think

her ill; her cheeks have not had time to waste or lose their colour。

There is not much pain; but a slow; creeping numbness。。。。  It was

John Ford's wish that she should be told。  She just turned her head

to the wall and sighed; then to poor old Mrs。 Hopgood; who was crying

her heart out: 〃Don't cry; Mums; I don't care。〃



When they had gone; she asked for her violin。  She made them hold it

for her; and drew the bow across the strings; but the notes that came

out were so trembling and uncertain that she dropped the bow and

broke into a passion of sobbing。  Since then; no complaint or moan of

any kind。。。。



But to go back。  On Sunday; the day after I wrote; as I was
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