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！
。。。。。。 We reached the shore drenched； angry with ourselves； and with
each other； I started sulkily for home。
As I rode past an orchard； an apple； loosened by the rainstorm； came
down with a thud。
〃The apples were ripe and ready to fall；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and ready to fall。〃
I made up my mind to pack； and go away。 But there's a strangeness； a
sort of haunting fascination in it all。 To you； who don't know the
people； it may only seem a piece of rather sordid folly。 But it
isn't the good； the obvious； the useful that puts a spell on us in
life。 It's the bizarre； the dimly seen； the mysterious for good or
evil。
The sun was out again when I rode up to the farm； its yellow thatch
shone through the trees as if sheltering a store of gladness and good
news。 John Ford himself opened the door to me。
He began with an apology； which made me feel more than ever an
intruder； then he said：
〃I have not spoken to my granddaughterI waited to see Dan Treffry。〃
He was stern and sad…eyed； like a man with a great weight of grief on
his shoulders。 He looked as if he had not slept； his dress was out
of order； he had not taken his clothes off； I think。 He isn't a man
whom you can pity。 I felt I had taken a liberty in knowing of the
matter at all。 When I told him where we had been； he said：
〃It was good of you to take this trouble。 That you should have had
to！ But since such things have come to pass〃 He made a gesture
full of horror。 He gave one the impression of a man whose pride was
struggling against a mortal hurt。 Presently he asked：
〃You saw him； you say？ He admitted this marriage？ Did he give an
explanation？〃
I tried to make Pearse's point of view clear。 Before this old man；
with his inflexible will and sense of duty； I felt as if I held a
brief for Zachary； and must try to do him justice。
〃Let me understand；〃 he said at last。 〃He stole her； you say； to
make sure； and deserts her within a fortnight。〃
〃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 stil