stories by modern american authors-第5部分

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！



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

moonlight；　and　I　crossed　the　water　by　the　rustic　bridge　above　the

artificial　grotto；　and　climbed　slowly　up　again　to　the　highest

terrace　by　the　other　side。　　The　air　seemed　sweeter；　and　I　was　very

calm；　so　that　I　think　I　smiled　to　myself　as　I　walked；　as　though　a

new　happiness　had　come　to　me。　　The　woman's　face　seemed　always

before　me；　and　the　thought　of　it　gave　me　an　unwonted　thrill　of

pleasure；　unlike　anything　I　had　ever　felt　before。



I　turned　as　I　reached　the　house；　and　looked　back　upon　the　scene。

It　had　certainly　changed　in　the　short　hour　since　I　had　come　out；

and　my　mood　had　changed　with　it。　　Just　like　my　luck；　I　thought；　to

fall　in　love　with　a　ghost！　　But　in　old　times　I　would　have　sighed；

and　gone　to　bed　more　sad　than　ever；　at　such　a　melancholy

conclusion。　　To…night　I　felt　happy；　almost　for　the　first　time　in　my

life。　　The　gloomy　old　study　seemed　cheerful　when　I　went　in。　　The

old　pictures　on　the　walls　smiled　at　me；　and　I　sat　down　in　my　deep

chair　with　a　new　and　delightful　sensation　that　I　was　not　alone。

The　idea　of　having　seen　a　ghost；　and　of　feeling　much　the　better　for

it；　was　so　absurd　that　I　laughed　softly；　as　I　took　up　one　of　the


books　I　had　brought　with　me　and　began　to　read。



That　impression　did　not　wear　off。　　I　slept　peacefully；　and　in　the

morning　I　threw　open　my　windows　to　the　summer　air　and　looked　down

at　the　garden；　at　the　stretches　of　green　and　at　the　colored　flower…

beds；　at　the　circling　swallows　and　at　the　bright　water。



〃A　man　might　make　a　paradise　of　this　place；〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃A　man

and　a　woman　together！〃



From　that　day　the　old　Castle　no　longer　seemed　gloomy；　and　I　think　I

ceased　to　be　sad；　for　some　time；　too；　I　began　to　take　an　interest

in　the　place；　and　to　try　and　make　it　more　alive。　　I　avoided　my　old

Welsh　nurse；　lest　she　should　damp　my　humor　with　some　dismal

prophecy；　and　recall　my　old　self　by　bringing　back　memories　of　my

dismal　childhood。　　But　what　I　thought　of　most　was　the　ghostly

figure　I　had　seen　in　the　garden　that　first　night　after　my　arrival。

I　went　out　every　evening　and　wandered　through　the　walks　and　paths；

but；　try　as　I　might；　I　did　not　see　my　vision　again。　　At　last；　after

many　days；　the　memory　grew　more　faint；　and　my　old　moody　nature

gradually　overcame　the　temporary　sense　of　lightness　I　had

experienced。　　The　summer　turned　to　autumn；　and　I　grew　restless。　　It

began　to　rain。　　The　dampness　pervaded　the　gardens；　and　the　outer

halls　smelled　musty；　like　tombs；　the　gray　sky　oppressed　me

intolerably。　　I　left　the　place　as　it　was　and　went　abroad；

determined　to　try　anything　which　might　possibly　make　a　second　break

in　the　monotonous　melancholy　from　which　I　suffered。





II





Most　people　would　be　struck　by　the　utter　insignificance　of　the

small　events　which；　after　the　death　of　my　parents；　influenced　my

life　and　made　me　unhappy。　　The　grewsome　forebodings　of　a　Welsh

nurse；　which　chanced　to　be　realized　by　an　odd　coincidence　of

events；　should　not　seem　enough　to　change　the　nature　of　a　child　and

to　direct　the　bent　of　his　character　in　after　years。　　The　little

disappointments　of　schoolboy　life；　and　the　somewhat　less　childish

ones　of　an　uneventful　and　undistinguished　academic　career；　should

not　have　sufficed　to　turn　me　out　at　one…and…twenty　years　of　age　a

melancholic；　listless　idler。　　Some　weakness　of　my　own　character　may

have　contributed　to　the　result；　but　in　a　greater　degree　it　was　due

to　my　having　a　reputation　for　bad　luck。　　However；　I　will　not　try　to

analyze　the　causes　of　my　state；　for　I　should　satisfy　nobody；　least

of　all　myself。　　Still　less　will　I　attempt　to　explain　why　I　felt　a

temporary　revival　of　my　spirits　after　my　adventure　in　the　garden。

It　is　certain　that　I　was　in　love　with　the　face　I　had　seen；　and　that

I　longed　to　see　it　again；　that　I　gave　up　all　hope　of　a　second

visitation；　grew　more　sad　than　ever；　packed　up　my　traps；　and

finally　went　abroad。　　But　in　my　dreams　I　went　back　to　my　home；　and

it　always　appeared　to　me　sunny　and　bright；　as　it　had　looked　on　that

summer's　morning　after　I　had　seen　the　woman　by　the　fountain。



I　went　to　Paris。　　I　went　farther；　and　wandered　about　Germany。　　I

tried　to　amuse　myself；　and　I　failed　miserably。　　With　the　aimless

whims　of　an　idle　and　useless　man　come　all　sorts　of　suggestions　for

good　resolutions。　　One　day　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　go　and

bury　myself　in　a　German　university　for　a　time；　and　live　simply　like

a　poor　student。　　I　started　with　the　intention　of　going　to　Leipzig；

determined　to　stay　there　until　some　event　should　direct　my　life　or

change　my　humor；　or　make　an　end　of　me　altogether。　　The　express

train　stopped　at　some　station　of　which　I　did　not　know　the　name。　　It

was　dusk　on　a　winter's　afternoon；　and　I　peered　through　the　thick

glass　from　my　seat。　　Suddenly　another　train　came　gliding　in　from

the　opposite　direction；　and　stopped　alongside　of　ours。　　I　looked　at

the　carriage　which　chanced　to　be　abreast　of　mine；　and　idly　read　the

black　letters　painted　on　a　white　board　swinging　from　the　brass

handrail：　BERLINCOLOGNEPARIS。　　Then　I　looked　up　at　the　window

above。　　I　started　violently；　and　the　cold　perspiration　broke　out

upon　my　forehead。　　In　the　dim　light；　not　six　feet　from　where　I　sat；

I　saw　the　face　of　a　woman；　the　face　I　loved；　the　straight；　fine

features；　the　strange　eyes；　the　wonderful　mouth；　the　pale　skin。

Her　head…dress　was　a　dark　veil　which　seemed　to　be　tied　about　her

head　and　passed　over　the　shoulders　under　her　chin。　　As　I　threw　down

the　window　and　knelt　on　the　cushioned　seat；　leaning　far　out　to　get

a　better　view；　a　long　whistle　screamed　through　the　station；

followed　by　a　quick　series　of　dull；　clanking　sounds；　then　there　was

a　slight　jerk；　and　my　train　moved　on。　　Luckily　the　window　was

narrow；　being　the　one　over　the　seat；　beside　the　door；　or　I　believe

I　would　have　jumped　out　of　it　then　and　there。　　In　an　instant　the

speed　increased；　and　I　was　being　carried　swiftly　away　in　the

opposite　direction　from　the　thing　I　loved。



For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　I　lay　back　in　my　place；　stunned　by　the

suddenness　of　the　apparition。　　At　last　one　of　the　two　other

passengers；　a　large　and　gorgeous　captain　of　the　White　Konigsberg

Cuirassiers；　civilly　but　firmly　suggested　that　I　might　shut　my

window；　as　the　evening　was　cold。　　I　did　so；　with　an　apology；　and

relapsed　into　silence。　　The　train　ran　swiftly　on　for　a　long　time；

and　it　was　already　beginning　to　slacken　speed　before　entering

another　station；　when　I　roused　myself　and　made　a　sudden　resolution。

As　the　carriage　stopped　before　the　brilliantly　lighted　platform；　I

seized　my　belongings；　saluted　my　fellow…passengers；　and　got　out；

determined　to　take　the　first　express　back　to　Paris。



This　time　the　circumstances　of　the　vision　had　been　so　natural　that

it　did　not　strike　me　that　there　was　anything　unreal　about　the　face；

or　about　the　woman　to　whom　it　belonged。　　I　did　not　try　to　explain

to　myself　how　the　face；　and　the　woman；　could　be　traveling　by　a　fast

train　from　Berlin　to　Paris　on　a　winter's　afternoon；　when　both　were

in　my　mind　indelibly　associated　with　the　moonlight　and　the

fountains　in　my　own　English　home。　　I　certainly　would　not　have

admitted　that　I　had　been　mistaken　in　the　dusk；　attributing　to　what

I　had　seen　a　resemblance　to　my　former　vision　which　did　not　really

exist。　　There　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　in　my　mind；　and　I　was

positively　sure　that　I　had　again　seen　the　face　I　loved。　　I　did　not

hesitate；　and　in　a　few　hours　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　Paris。　　I

could　not　help　reflecting　on　my　ill　luck。　　Wandering　as　I　had　been

for　many　months；　it　might　as　easily　have　chanced　that　I　should　be

traveling　in　the　same　train　with　that　woman；　instead　of　going　the

other　way。　　But　my　luck　was　destined　to　turn　for　a　time。



I　searched　Paris　for　several　days。　　I　dined　at　the　principal

hotels；　I　went　to　the　theaters；　I　rode　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　in

the　morning；　and　picked　up　an　acquaintance；　whom　I　forced　to　drive

with　me　in　the　afternoon。　　I　went　to　mass　at　the　Madeleine；　and　I

attended　the　services　at　the　English　Church。　　I　hung　about　the

Louvre　and　Notre　Dame。　　I　went　to　Versailles。　　I　spent　hours　in

parading　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　in　the　neighborhood　of　Meurice's

corner；　where　foreigners　pass　and　repass　from　morning　till　night。

At　last　I　received　an　invitation　to　a　reception　at　the　English

Embassy。　　I　went；　and　I　found　what　I　had　sought　so　long。



There　she　was；　sitting　by　an　old　lady　in　gray　satin　and　diamonds；

who　had　a　wrinkled　but　kindly　face　and　keen　gray　eyes　that　seemed

to　take　in　everything　they　saw；　with　very　little　inclination　to

give　much　in　return。　　But　I　did　not　notice　the　chaperon。　　I　saw

only　the　face　that　had　haunted　me　for　months；　and　in　the　excitement

of　the　moment　I　walked　quickly　toward　the　pair；　forgetting　such　a

trifle　as　the　necessity　for　an　introduction。



She　was　far　more　beautiful　than　I　had　thought；　but　I　never　doubted

that　it　was　she　herself　and　no　other。　　Vision　or　no　vision　before；

this　was　the　reality；　and　I　knew　it。　　Twice　her　hair　had　been

covered；　now　at　last　I　saw　it；　and　the　added　beauty　of　its

magnificence　glorified　the　whole　woman。　　It　was　rich　hair；　fine　and

abundant；　golden；　with　deep　ruddy　tints　in　it　like　red　bronze　spun

fine。　　There　was　no　ornament　in　it；　not　a　rose；　not　a　thread　of

gold；　and　I　felt　that　it　needed　nothing　to　enhance　its　splendor；

nothing　but　her　pale　face；　her　dark　strange　eyes；　and　her　heavy

eyebrows。　　I　could　see　that　she　was　slender　too；　but　strong　withal；

as　she　sat　there　quietly　gazing　at　the　moving　scene　in　the　midst　of

the　brilliant　lights　and　the　hum　of　perpetual　conversation。



I　recollected　the　detail　of　introduction　in　time；　and　turned　aside

to　look　for　my　host。　　I　found　him　at　last。　　I　begged　him　to　present

me　to　the　two　ladies；　pointing　them　out　to　him　at　the　same　time。



〃Yesuhby　all　meansuh；〃　replied　his　Excellency　with　a　pleasant

smile。　　He　evidently　had　n