stories by modern american authors-第4部分

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to　another　part　of　the　building　to　make　place　for　her。　　They

thought　my　nursery　was　gayer　for　her；　I　suppose；　but　she　could　not

live。　　She　was　beautiful　when　she　was　dead；　and　I　cried　bitterly。



The　light　one；　the　light　onethe　heavy　one　to　come；〃　crooned　the

Welshwoman。　　And　she　was　right。　　My　father　took　the　room　after　my

mother　was　gone；　and　day　by　day　he　grew　thinner　and　paler　and

sadder。



〃The　heavy　one；　the　heavy　oneall　of　lead；〃　moaned　my　nurse；　one

night　in　December；　standing　still；　just　as　she　was　going　to　take

away　the　light　after　putting　me　to　bed。　　Then　she　took　me　up　again

and　wrapped　me　in　a　little　gown；　and　led　me　away　to　my　father's

room。　　She　knocked；　but　no　one　answered。　　She　opened　the　door；　and

we　found　him　in　his　easy　chair　before　the　fire；　very　white；　quite

dead。



So　I　was　alone　with　the　Welshwoman　till　strange　people　came；　and

relations　whom　I　had　never　seen；　and　then　I　heard　them　saying　that

I　must　be　taken　away　to　some　more　cheerful　place。　　They　were　kind

people；　and　I　will　not　believe　that　they　were　kind　only　because　I

was　to　be　very　rich　when　I　grew　to　be　a　man。　　The　world　never

seemed　to　be　a　very　bad　place　to　me；　nor　all　the　people　to　be

miserable　sinners；　even　when　I　was　most　melancholy。　　I　do　not

remember　that　anyone　ever　did　me　any　great　injustice；　nor　that　I

was　ever　oppressed　or　ill　treated　in　any　way；　even　by　the　boys　at

school。　　I　was　sad；　I　suppose；　because　my　childhood　was　so　gloomy；

and；　later；　because　I　was　unlucky　in　everything　I　undertook；　till　I

finally　believed　I　was　pursued　by　fate；　and　I　used　to　dream　that

the　old　Welsh　nurse　and　the　Woman　of　the　Water　between　them　had

vowed　to　pursue　me　to　my　end。　　But　my　natural　disposition　should

have　been　cheerful；　as　I　have　often　thought。



Among　the　lads　of　my　age　I　was　never　last；　or　even　among　the　last；

in　anything；　but　I　was　never　first。　　If　I　trained　for　a　race；　I　was

sure　to　sprain　my　ankle　on　the　day　when　I　was　to　run。　　If　I　pulled

an　oar　with　others；　my　oar　was　sure　to　break。　　If　I　competed　for　a

prize；　some　unforeseen　accident　prevented　my　winning　it　at　the　last

moment。　　Nothing　to　which　I　put　my　hand　succeeded；　and　I　got　the

reputation　of　being　unlucky；　until　my　companions　felt　it　was　always

safe　to　bet　against　me；　no　matter　what　the　appearances　might　be。　　I

became　discouraged　and　listless　in　everything。　　I　gave　up　the　idea

of　competing　for　any　distinction　at　the　University；　comforting

myself　with　the　thought　that　I　could　not　fail　in　the　examination

for　the　ordinary　degree。　　The　day　before　the　examination　began　I

fell　ill；　and　when　at　last　I　recovered；　after　a　narrow　escape　from

death；　I　turned　my　back　upon　Oxford；　and　went　down　alone　to　visit

the　old　place　where　I　had　been　born；　feeble　in　health　and

profoundly　disgusted　and　discouraged。　　I　was　twenty…one　years　of

age；　master　of　myself　and　of　my　fortune；　but　so　deeply　had　the　long

chain　of　small　unlucky　circumstances　affected　me　that　I　thought

seriously　of　shutting　myself　up　from　the　world　to　live　the　life　of

a　hermit　and　to　die　as　soon　as　possible。　　Death　seemed　the　only

cheerful　possibility　in　my　existence；　and　my　thoughts　soon　dwelt

upon　it　altogether。



I　had　never　shown　any　wish　to　return　to　my　own　home　since　I　had

been　taken　away　as　a　little　boy；　and　no　one　had　ever　pressed　me　to

do　so。　　The　place　had　been　kept　in　order　after　a　fashion；　and　did

not　seem　to　have　suffered　during　the　fifteen　years　or　more　of　my

absence。　　Nothing　earthly　could　affect　those　old　gray　walls　that

had　fought　the　elements　for　so　many　centuries。　　The　garden　was　more

wild　than　I　remembered　it；　the　marble　causeways　about　the　pools

looked　more　yellow　and　damp　than　of　old；　and　the　whole　place　at

first　looked　smaller。　　It　was　not　until　I　had　wandered　about　the

house　and　grounds　for　many　hours　that　I　realized　the　huge　size　of

the　home　where　I　was　to　live　in　solitude。　　Then　I　began　to　delight

in　it；　and　my　resolution　to　live　alone　grew　stronger。



The　people　had　turned　out　to　welcome　me；　of　course；　and　I　tried　to

recognize　the　changed　faces　of　the　old　gardener　and　the　old

housekeeper；　and　to　call　them　by　name。　　My　old　nurse　I　knew　at

once。　　She　had　grown　very　gray　since　she　heard　the　coffins　fall　in

the　nursery　fifteen　years　before；　but　her　strange　eyes　were　the

same；　and　the　look　in　them　woke　all　my　old　memories。　　She　went　over

the　house　with　me。



〃And　how　is　the　Woman　of　the　Water？〃　I　asked；　trying　to　laugh　a

little。　　〃Does　she　still　play　in　the　moonlight？〃



〃She　is　hungry；〃　answered　the　Welshwoman；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Hungry？　　Then　we　will　feed　her。〃　　I　laughed。　　But　old　Judith

turned　very　pale；　and　looked　at　me　strangely。



〃Feed　her？　　Ayeyou　will　feed　her　well；〃　she　muttered；　glancing

behind　her　at　the　ancient　housekeeper；　who　tottered　after　us　with

feeble　steps　through　the　halls　and　passages。



I　did　not　think　much　of　her　words。　　She　had　always　talked　oddly；　as

Welshwomen　will；　and　though　I　was　very　melancholy　I　am　sure　I　was

not　superstitious；　and　I　was　certainly　not　timid。　　Only；　as　in　a

far…off　dream；　I　seemed　to　see　her　standing　with　the　light　in　her

hand　and　muttering；　〃The　heavy　oneall　of　lead；〃　and　then　leading

a　little　boy　through　the　long　corridors　to　see　his　father　lying

dead　in　a　great　easy　chair　before　a　smoldering　fire。　　So　we　went

over　the　house；　and　I　chose　the　rooms　where　I　would　live；　and　the

servants　I　had　brought　with　me　ordered　and　arranged　everything；　and

I　had　no　more　trouble。　　I　did　not　care　what　they　did　provided　I　was

left　in　peace　and　was　not　expected　to　give　directions；　for　I　was

more　listless　than　ever；　owing　to　the　effects　of　my　illness　at

college。



I　dined　in　solitary　state；　and　the　melancholy　grandeur　of　the　vast

old　dining…room　pleased　me。　　Then　I　went　to　the　room　I　had　selected

for　my　study；　and　sat　down　in　a　deep　chair；　under　a　bright　light；

to　think；　or　to　let　my　thoughts　meander　through　labyrinths　of　their

own　choosing；　utterly　indifferent　to　the　course　they　might　take。



The　tall　windows　of　the　room　opened　to　the　level　of　the　ground　upon

the　terrace　at　the　head　of　the　garden。　　It　was　in　the　end　of　July；

and　everything　was　open；　for　the　weather　was　warm。　　As　I　sat　alone

I　heard　the　unceasing　splash　of　the　great　fountains；　and　I　fell　to

thinking　of　the　Woman　of　the　Water。　　I　rose　and　went　out　into　the

still　night；　and　sat　down　upon　a　seat　on　the　terrace；　between　two

gigantic　Italian　flower　pots。　　The　air　was　deliciously　soft　and

sweet　with　the　smell　of　the　flowers；　and　the　garden　was　more

congenial　to　me　than　the　house。　　Sad　people　always　like　running

water　and　the　sound　of　it　at　night；　though　I　cannot　tell　why。　　I

sat　and　listened　in　the　gloom；　for　it　was　dark　below；　and　the　pale

moon　had　not　yet　climbed　over　the　hills　in　front　of　me；　though　all

the　air　above　was　light　with　her　rising　beams。　　Slowly　the　white

halo　in　the　eastern　sky　ascended　in　an　arch　above　the　wooded

crests；　making　the　outlines　of　the　mountains　more　intensely　black

by　contrast；　as　though　the　head　of　some　great　white　saint　were

rising　from　behind　a　screen　in　a　vast　cathedral；　throwing　misty

glories　from　below。　　I　longed　to　see　the　moon　herself；　and　I　tried

to　reckon　the　seconds　before　she　must　appear。　　Then　she　sprang　up

quickly；　and　in　a　moment　more　hung　round　and　perfect　in　the　sky。　　I

gazed　at　her；　and　then　at　the　floating　spray　of　the　tall　fountains；

and　down　at　the　pools；　where　the　water　lilies　were　rocking　softly

in　their　sleep　on　the　velvet　surface　of　the　moonlit　water。　　Just

then　a　great　swan　floated　out　silently　into　the　midst　of　the　basin；

and　wreathed　his　long　neck；　catching　the　water　in　his　broad　bill；

and　scattering　showers　of　diamonds　around　him。



Suddenly；　as　I　gazed；　something　came　between　me　and　the　light。　　I

looked　up　instantly。　　Between　me　and　the　round　disk　of　the　moon

rose　a　luminous　face　of　a　woman；　with　great　strange　eyes；　and　a

woman's　mouth；　full　and　soft；　but　not　smiling；　hooded　in　black；

staring　at　me　as　I　sat　still　upon　my　bench。　　She　was　close　to　me

so　close　that　I　could　have　touched　her　with　my　hand。　　But　I　was

transfixed　and　helpless。　　She　stood　still　for　a　moment；　but　her

expression　did　not　change。　　Then　she　passed　swiftly　away；　and　my

hair　stood　up　on　my　head；　while　the　cold　breeze　from　her　white

dress　was　wafted　to　my　temples　as　she　moved。　　The　moonlight；

shining　through　the　tossing　spray　of　the　fountain；　made　traceries

of　shadow　on　the　gleaming　folds　of　her　garments。　　In　an　instant　she

was　gone　and　I　was　alone。



I　was　strangely　shaken　by　the　vision；　and　some　time　passed　before　I

could　rise　to　my　feet；　for　I　was　still　weak　from　my　illness；　and

the　sight　I　had　seen　would　have　startled　anyone。　　I　did　not　reason

with　myself；　for　I　was　certain　that　I　had　looked　on　the　unearthly；

and　no　argument　could　have　destroyed　that　belief。　　At　last　I　got　up

and　stood　unsteadily；　gazing　in　the　direction　in　which　I　thought

the　face　had　gone；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seennothing　but

the　broad　paths；　the　tall；　dark　evergreen　hedges；　the　tossing　water

of　the　fountains　and　the　smooth　pool　below。　　I　fell　back　upon　the

seat　and　recalled　the　face　I　had　seen。　　Strange　to　say；　now　that

the　first　impression　had　passed；　there　was　nothing　startling　in　the

recollection；　on　the　contrary；　I　felt　that　I　was　fascinated　by　the

face；　and　would　give　anything　to　see　it　again。　　I　could　retrace　the

beautiful　straight　features；　the　long　dark　eyes；　and　the　wonderful

mouth　most　exactly　in　my　mind；　and　when　I　had　reconstructed　every

detail　from　memory　I　knew　that　the　whole　was　beautiful；　and　that　I

should　love　a　woman　with　such　a　face。



〃I　wonder　whether　she　is　the　Woman　of　the　Water！〃　I　said　to　myself。

Then　rising　once　more；　I　wandered　down　the　garden；　descending　one

short　flight　of　steps　after　another　from　terrace　to　terrace　by　the

edge　of　the　marble　basins；　through　the　shadow　and　through　the

moonlight；　and　I　crossed　the　wate