the enchanted castle-第37部分

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〃Of　course　they're　real；〃　said　Mabel　indignantly。

〃Well；　anyway；〃　said　Lord　Yalding；　〃thank　you　all　very　much。　I
think　it's　clearing　up。　I'll　send　the　wagonette　home　with　you　after
lunch。　And　if　you　don't　mind；　I'll　have　the　ring。〃

Half　an　hour　of　soap　and　water　produced　no　effect　whatever；
except　to　make　the　finger　of　Gerald　very　red　and　very　sore。　Then
Lord　Yalding　said　something　very　impatient　indeed；　and　then
Gerald　suddenly　became　angry　and　said：　〃Well；　I'm　sure　I　wish　it
would　come　off；〃　and　of　course　instantly；　〃slick　as　butter〃　；　as　he
later　pointed　out；　off　it　came。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Lord　Yalding。

〃And　I　believe　now　he　thinks　I　kept　it　on　on　purpose；〃　said　Gerald
afterwards　when；　at　ease　on　the　leads　at　home；　they　talked　the
whole　thing　out　over　a　tin　of　preserved　pineapple　and　a　bottle　of
ginger…beer　apiece。　〃There's　no　pleasing　some　people。　He　wasn't　in
such　a　fiery　hurry　to　order　that　wagonette　after　he　found　that
Mademoiselle　meant　to　go　when　we　did。　But　I　liked　him　better
when　he　was　a　humble　bailiff。　Take　him　for　all　in　all；　he　does　not
look　as　if　we　should　like　him　again。　

〃He　doesn't　know　what's　the　matter　with　him；〃　said　Kathleen；
leaning　back　against　the　tiled　roof）　〃it's　really　the　magic　it's　like
sickening　with　measles。〃

Don't　you　remember　how　cross　Mabel　was　at　first　about　the
invisibleness？〃

〃Rather！〃　said　Jimmy。

〃It's　partly　that；〃　said　Gerald；　trying　to　be　fair；　〃and　partly　it's　the
being　in　love。　It　always　makes　people　like　idiots　a　chap　at　school
told　me。　His　sister　was　like　that　。　quite　rotten；　you　know。　And　she
used　to　be　quite　a　decent　sort　before　she　was　engaged。〃　

At　tea　and　at　supper　Mademoiselle　was　radiant　as　attractive　as　a
lady　on　a　Christmas　card；　as　merry　as　a　marmoset；　and　as　kind　as
you　would　always　be　yourself　if　you　could　take　the　trouble。　At
breakfast；　an　equal　radiance；　kindness；　attraction；　merriment。　Then
Lord　Yalding　came　to　see　her。　The　meeting　took　place　in　the
drawing…room；　the　children　with　deep　discreetness　remained　shut
in　the　school…room　till　Gerald；　going　up　to　his　room　for　a　pencil；
surprised　Eliza　with　her　ear　glued　to　the　drawing…room　key…hole。

After　that　Gerald　sat　on　the　top　stair　with　a　book。

He　could　not　hear　any　of　the　conversation　in　the　drawing…room；
but　he　could　command　a　view　of　the　door；　and　in　this　way　be
certain　that　no　one　else　heard　any　of　it。　Thus　it　was　that　when　the
drawing…room　door　opened　Gerald　was　in　a　position　to　see　Lord
Yalding　come　out。　〃Our　young　hero；　as　he　said　later；　〃coughed
with　infinite　tact　to　show　that　he　was　there；〃　but　Lord　Yalding　did
not　seem　to　notice。　He　walked　in　a　blind　sort　of　way　to　the
hat…stand；　fumbled　clumsily　with　the　umbrellas　and　macintoshes；
found　his　straw　hat　and　looked　at　it　gloomily；　crammed　it　on　his
head　and　went　out；　banging　the　door　behind　him　in　the　most
reckless　way。

He　left　the　drawing…room　door　open；　and　Gerald；　though　he　had
purposely　put　himself　in　a　position　where　one　could　hear　nothing
from　the　drawing…room　when　the　door　was　shut；　could　hear
something　quite　plainly　now　that　the　door　was　open。　That
something；　he　noticed　with　deep　distress　and　disgust；　was　the
sound　of　sobs　and　sniffs。　Mademoiselle　was　quite　certainly　crying。

〃Jimminy！〃　he　remarked　to　himself；　〃they　haven't　lost　much　time。
Fancy　their　beginning　to　quarrel　already！　I　hope　I'll　never　have　to
be　anybody's　lover。〃

But　this　was　no　time　to　brood　on　the　terrors　of　his　own　future。
Eliza　might　at　any　time　occur。　She　would　not　for　a　moment
hesitate　to　go　through　that　open　door；　and　push　herself　into　the
very　secret　sacred　heart　of　Mademoiselle's　grief。　It　seemed　to
Gerald　better　that　he　should　be　the　one　to　do　this。　So　he　went　softly
down　the　worn　green　Dutch　carpet　of　the　stairs　and　into　the
drawing…room；　shutting　the　door　softly　and　securely　behind　him。

〃It　is　all　over；〃　Mademoiselle　was　saying；　her　face　buried　in　the
beady　arum…lilies　on　a　red　ground　worked　for　a　cushion　cover　by　a
former　pupil：　〃he　will　not　marry　me！〃　

Do　not　ask　me　how　Gerald　had　gained　the　lady's　confidence。　He
had；　as　I　think　I　said　almost　at　the　beginning；　very　pretty　ways　with
grown…ups；　when　he　chose。　Anyway；　he　was　holding　her　hand；
almost　as　affectionately　as　if　she　had　been　his　mother　with　a
headache；　and　saying　〃Don't！〃　and　〃Don't　cry！〃　and　〃It'll　be　all
right；　you　see　if　it　isn't〃　in　the　most　comforting　way　you　can
imagine；　varying　the　treatment　with　gentle　thumps　on　the　back　and
entreaties　to　her　to　tell　him　all　about　it。

This　wasn't　mere　curiosity；　as　you　might　think。　The　entreaties　were
prompted　by　Gerald's　growing　certainty　that　whatever　was　the
matter　was　somehow　the　fault　of　that　ring。　And　in　this　Gerald　was
（〃once　more；　as　he　told　himself）　right。

The　tale；　as　told　by　Mademoiselle；　was　certainly　an　unusual　one。
Lord　Yalding；　last　night　after　dinner；　had　walked　in　the　park　〃to
think　of　〃　

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Gerald；　〃and　he　had　the　ring　on。　And　he　saw　〃

〃He　saw　the　monuments　become　alive；〃　sobbed　Mademoiselle；
〃his　brain　was　troubled　by　the　ridiculous　accounts　of　fairies　that
you　tell　him。　He　sees　Apollon　and　Aphrodite　alive　on　their　marble。
He　remembers　him　of　your　story。　He　wish　himself　a　statue。　Then
he　becomes　mad　imagines　to　himself　that　your　story　of　the　island
is　true；　plunges　in　the　lake；　swims　among　the　beasts　of　the　Ark　of
Noe；　feeds　with　gods　on　an　island。　At　dawn　the　madness　become
less。　He　think　the　Pantheon　vanish。　But　him；　no　he　thinks　himself
statue；　hiding　from　gardeners　in　his　garden　till　nine　less　a　quarter。
Then　he　thinks　to　wish　himself　no　more　a　statue　and　perceives　that
he　is　flesh　and　blood。　A　bad　dream；　but　he　has　lost　the　head　with
the　tales　you　tell。　He　say　it　is　no　dream　but　he　is　fool　mad　how　you
say？　And　a　mad　man　must　not　marry。　There　is　no　hope。　I　am　at
despair！　And　the　life　is　vain！〃

〃There　is；〃　said　Gerald　earnestly。　〃I　assure　you　there　is　hope；　I
mean。　And　life's　as　right　as　rain　really。　And　there's　nothing　to
despair　about。　He's　not　mad；　and　it's　not　a　dream。　It's　magic。　It
really　and　truly　is。〃　

〃The　magic　exists　not；〃　Mademoiselle　moaned；　〃it　is　that　he　is
mad。　It　is　the　joy　to　re…see　me　after　so　many　days。　Oh；
la…la…la…la…la！〃　

〃Did　he　talk　to　the　gods？〃　Gerald　asked　gently。

〃It　is　there　the　most　mad　of　all　his　ideas。　He　say　that　Mercure　give
him　rendezvous　at　some　temple　tomorrow　when　the　moon　raise
herself。〃

〃Right；〃　cried　Gerald；　〃righto！　Dear　nice；　kind；　pretty
Mademoiselle　Rapunzel；　don't　be　a　silly　little　duffer〃　he　lost
himself　for　a　moment　among　the　consoling　endearments　he　was
accustomed　to　offer　to　Kathleen　in　moments　of　grief　and　emotion；
but　hastily　added：　〃I　mean；　do　not　be　a　lady　who　weeps
causelessly。　Tomorrow　he　will　go　to　that　temple。　I　will　go。　Thou
shalt　go　he　will　go。　We　will　go　you　will　go　let　'em　all　go！　And；　you
see；　it's　going　to　be　absolutely　all　right。　He'll　see　he　isn't　mad；　and
you'll　understand　all　about　everything。　Take　my　handkerchief；　it's
quite　a　clean　one　as　it　happens；　I　haven't　even　unfolded　it。　Oh！　do
stop　crying；　there's　a　dear；　darling；　long…lost　lover。〃　

This　flood　of　eloquence　was　not　without　effect。　She　took　his
handkerchief；　sobbed；　half　smiled；　dabbed　at　her　eyes；　and　said：
〃Oh；　naughty！　Is　it　some　trick　you　play　him；　like　the　ghost？〃

〃I　can't　explain；〃　said　Gerald；　〃but　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　
you　know　what　an　Englishman's　word　of　honour　is；　don't　you？
even　if　you　are　French　　that　everything　is　going　to　be　exactly　what
you　wish。　I've　never　told　you　a　lie。　Believe　me！〃　

〃It　is　curious；〃　said　she；　drying　her　eyes；　〃but　I　do。〃　And　once
again；　so　suddenly　that　he　could　not　have　resisted；　she　kissed　him。
I　think；　however；　that　in　this　her　hour　of　sorrow　he　would　have
thought　it　mean　to　resist。

〃It　pleases　her　and　it　doesn't　hurt　me　much；〃　would　have　been　his
thought。

And　now　it　is　near　moonrise。　The　French　governess；　half…doubting；
half…hoping；　but　wholly　longing　to　be　near　Lord　Yalding　even　if　he
be　as　mad　as　a　March　hare；　and　the　four　children　they　have
collected　Mabel　by　an　urgent　letter…card　posted　the　day　before　are
going　over　the　dewy　grass。　The　moon　has　not　yet　risen；　but　her
light　is　in　the　sky　mixed　with　the　pink　and　purple　of　the　sunset。
The　west　is　heavy　with　ink…clouds　and　rich　colour；　but　the　east；
where　the　moon　rises；　is　clear　as　a　rock…pool。

They　go　across　the　lawn　and　through　the　beech　wood　and　come　at
last；　through　a　tangle　of　underwood　and　bramble；　to　a　little　level
tableland　that　rises　out　of　the　flat　hill…top　one　tableland　out　of
another。　Here　is　the　ring　of　vast　rugged　stones；　one　pierced　with　a
curious　round　hole；　worn　smooth　at　its　edges。　In　the　middle　of　the
circle　is　a　great　flat　stone；　alone；　desolate；　full　of　meaning　a　stone
that　is　covered　thick　with　the　memory　of　old　faiths　and　creeds　long
since　forgotten。　Something　dark　moves　in　the　circle。　The　French
girl　breaks　from　the　children；　goes　to　it；　clings　to　its　arm。　It　is　Lord
Yalding；　and　he　is　telling　her　to　go。

〃Never　of　the　life！〃　she　cries。　〃If　you　are　mad　I　am　mad　too；　for　I
believe　the　tale　these　children　tell。　And　I　am　here　to　be　with　thee
and　see　with　thee　whatever　the　rising　moon　shall　show　us。〃　

The　children；　holding　hands　by　the　flat　stone；　more　moved　by　the
magic　in　the　girl's　voice　than　by　any　magic　of　enchanted　rings；
listen；　trying　not　to　listen。

〃Are　you　not　afraid？〃　Lord　Yalding　is　saying。

〃Afraid？　With　you？〃　she　laughs。　He　put　his　arm　round　her。　The
children　hear　her　sigh。

〃Are　you　afraid；〃　he　says；　〃my　darling？〃

Gerald　goes　across　the　wide　turf　ring　expressly　to　say：　〃You　can't
be　afraid　if　you　are　wearing　the　ring。　And　I'm　sorry；　but　we　can
hear　every　word　you　say。〃　

She　laughs　again。　〃It　makes　nothing；〃　she　says　〃you　know　already
if　we　love　each　other。〃　

Then　he　puts　the　ring　on　her　finger；　and　they　stand　together。　The
white　of　his　flannel　coat　sleeve　marks　no　line　on　the　white　of　her
dress；　they　stand　as　though　cut　out　of　one　block　of　marble。

Then　a　faint　greyness　touches　the　top　of　that　round　hole；　creeps　up
the　side。　Then　the　hole　is　a　disc　of　light　a　moonbeam　strikes
straight　through　it　across　the　grey　green　of　the　circle　that　the　stones
mark