little novels-第49部分

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〃I　dreamed　that　some　dreadful　misfortune　had　parted　us　forever；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　came　here　to　see　if　my　dream　was　true。　You　have　taught　me　what　it　is　to　be　miserable；　I　never　felt　my　heart　ache　till　I　looked　into　the　hut　and　found　that　you　had　gone。　Now　I　have　seen　you；　I　am　satisfied。　No！　you　must　not　go　back　with　me。　My　father　may　be　out　looking　for　me。　It　is　you　that　are　in　danger；　not　I。　I　know　the　forest　as　well　by　dark　as　by　daylight。〃

The　Captain　detained　her　when　she　tried　to　leave　him。

〃Now　you　_are_　here；〃　he　said；　〃why　should　I　not　place　you　at　once　in　safety？　I　have　been　to　the　ship；　I　have　brought　back　one　of　the　boats。　The　darkness　will　befriend　uslet　us　embark　while　we　can。〃

She　shrank　away　as　he　took　her　hand。　〃You　forget　my　father！〃　she　said。

〃Your　father　is　in　no　danger；　my　love。　The　canoes　are　waiting　for　him　at　the　cape；　I　saw　the　lights　as　I　passed。〃

With　that　reply　he　drew　her　out　of　the　hut　and　led　her　toward　the　sea。　Not　a　breath　of　the　breeze　was　now　to　be　felt。　The　dead　calm　had　returnedand　the　boat　was　too　large　to　be　easily　managed　by　one　man　alone　at　the　oars。

〃The　breeze　may　come　again；〃　he　said。　〃Wait　here；　my　angel；　for　the　chance。〃

As　he　spoke；　the　deep　silence　of　the　forest　below　them　was　broken　by　a　sound。　A　harsh　wailing　voice　was　heard；　calling：

〃Aimata！　Aimata！〃

〃My　father！〃　she　whispered；　〃he　has　missed　me。　If　he　comes　here　you　are　lost。〃

She　kissed　him　with　passionate　fervor；　she　held　him　to　her　for　a　moment　with　all　her　strength。

〃Expect　me　at　daybreak；〃　she　said；　and　disappeared　down　the　landward　slope　of　the　cliff。

He　listened；　anxious　for　her　safety。　The　voices　of　the　father　and　daughter　just　reached　him　from　among　the　trees。　The　Priest　spoke　in　no　angry　tones；　she　had　apparently　found　an　acceptable　excuse　for　her　absence。　Little　by　little；　the　failing　sound　of　their　voices　told　him　that　they　were　on　their　way　back　together　to　the　Temple。　The　silence　fell　again。　Not　a　ripple　broke　on　the　beach。　Not　a　leaf　rustled　in　the　forest。　Nothing　moved　but　the　reflected　flashes　of　the　volcano　on　the　main　island　over　the　black　sky。　It　was　an　airless　and　an　awful　calm。

He　went　into　the　hut；　and　laid　down　on　his　bed　of　leavesnot　to　sleep；　but　to　rest。　All　his　energies　might　be　required　to　meet　the　coming　events　of　the　morning。　After　the　voyage　to　and　from　the　ship；　and　the　long　watching　that　had　preceded　it；　strong　as　he　was　he　stood　in　need　of　repose。

For　some　little　time　he　kept　awake；　thinking。　Insensibly　the　oppression　of　the　intense　heat；　aided　in　its　influence　by　his　own　fatigue；　treacherously　closed　his　eyes。　In　spite　of　himself；　the　weary　man　fell　into　a　deep　sleep。

He　was　awakened　by　a　roar　like　the　explosion　　of　a　park　of　artillery。　The　volcano　on　th　e　main　island　had　burst　into　a　state　of　eruption。　Smoky　flame…light　overspread　the　sky；　and　flashed　through　the　open　doorway　of　the　hut。　He　sprang　from　his　bedand　found　himself　up　to　his　knees　in　water。

Had　the　sea　overflowed　the　land？

He　waded　out　of　the　hut；　and　the　water　rose　to　his　middle。　He　looked　round　him　by　the　lurid　light　of　the　eruption。　The　one　visible　object　within　the　range　of　view　was　the　sea；　stained　by　reflections　from　the　blood…red　sky；　swirling　and　rippling　strangely　in　the　dead　calm。　In　a　moment　more；　he　became　conscious　that　the　earth　on　which　he　stood　was　sinking　under　his　feet。　The　water　rose　to　his　neck；　the　last　vestige　of　the　roof　of　the　hut　disappeared。

He　looked　round　again；　and　the　truth　burst　on　him。　The　island　was　sinkingslowly；　slowly　sinking　into　volcanic　depths；　below　even　the　depth　of　the　sea！　The　highest　object　was　the　hut；　and　that　had　dropped　inch　by　inch　under　water　before　his　own　eyes。　Thrown　up　to　the　surface　by　occult　volcanic　influences；　the　island　had　sunk　back；　under　the　same　influences；　to　the　obscurity　from　which　it　had　emerged！

A　black　shadowy　object；　turning　in　a　wide　circle；　came　slowly　near　him　as　the　all…destroying　ocean　washed　its　bitter　waters　into　his　mouth。　The　buoyant　boat；　rising　as　the　sea　rose；　had　dragged　its　anchor；　and　was　floating　round　in　the　vortex　made　by　the　slowly　sinking　island。　With　a　last　desperate　hope　that　Aimata　might　have　been　saved　as　_he_　had　been　saved；　he　swam　to　the　boat；　seized　the　heavy　oars　with　the　strength　of　a　giant；　and　made　for　the　place　（so　far　as　he　could　guess　at　it　now）　where　the　lake　and　the　Temple　had　once　been。

He　looked　round　and　round　him；　he　strained　his　eyes　in　the　vain　attempt　to　penetrate　below　the　surface　of　the　seething　dimpling　sea。　Had　the　panic…stricken　watchers　in　the　canoes　saved　themselves；　without　an　effort　to　preserve　the　father　and　daughter？　Or　had　they　both　been　suffocated　before　they　could　make　an　attempt　to　escape？　He　called　to　her　in　his　misery；　as　if　she　could　hear　him　out　of　the　fathomless　depths：　〃Aimata！　Aimata！〃　The　roar　of　the　distant　eruption　answered　him。　The　mounting　fires　lit　the　solitary　sea　far　and　near　over　the　sinking　island。　The　boat　turned　slowly　and　more　slowly　in　the　lessening　vortex。　Never　again　would　those　gentle　eyes　look　at　him　with　unutterable　love！　Never　again　would　those　fresh　lips　touch　his　lips　with　their　fervent　kiss！　Alone；　amid　the　savage　forces　of　Nature　in　conflict；　the　miserable　mortal　lifted　his　hands　in　frantic　supplicationand　the　burning　sky　glared　down　on　him　in　its　pitiless　grandeur；　and　struck　him　to　his　knees　in　the　boat。　His　reason　sank　with　his　sinking　limbs。　In　the　merciful　frenzy　that　succeeded　the　shock；　he　saw　afar　off；　in　her　white　robe；　an　angel　poised　on　the　waters；　beckoning　him　to　follow　her　to　the　brighter　and　the　better　world。　He　loosened　the　sail；　he　seized　the　oars；　and　the　faster　he　pursued　it；　the　faster　the　mocking　vision　fled　from　him　over　the　empty　and　endless　sea。

IX。

THE　boat　was　discovered；　on　the　next　morning；　from　the　ship。

All　that　the　devotion　of　the　officers　of　the　_Fortuna_　could　do　for　their　unhappy　commander　was　done　on　the　homeward　voyage。　Restored　to　his　own　country；　and　to　skilled　medical　help；　the　Captain's　mind　by　slow　degrees　recovered　its　balance。　He　has　taken　his　place　in　society　againhe　lives　and　moves　and　manages　his　affairs　like　the　rest　of　us。　But　his　heart　is　dead　to　all　new　emotions；　nothing　remains　in　it　but　the　sacred　remembrance　of　his　lost　love。　He　neither　courts　nor　avoids　the　society　of　women。　Their　sympathy　finds　him　grateful；　but　their　attractions　seem　to　be　lost　on　him；　they　pass　from　his　mind　as　they　pass　from　his　eyesthey　stir　nothing　in　him　but　the　memory　of　Aimata。



〃Now　you　know；　ladies；　why　the　Captain　will　never　marry；　and　why　（sailor　as　he　is）　he　hates　the　sight　of　the　sea。〃


MR。　MARMADUKE　AND　THE　MINISTER。

I。

September　13th。Winter　seems　to　be　upon　us；　on　the　Highland　Border；　already。

I　looked　out　of　window；　as　the　evening　closed　in；　before　I　barred　the　shutters　and　drew　the　curtains　for　the　night。　The　clouds　hid　the　hilltops　on　either　side　of　our　valley。　Fantastic　mists　parted　and　met　again　on　the　lower　slopes；　as　the　varying　breeze　blew　them。　The　blackening　waters　of　the　lake　before　our　window　seemed　to　anticipate　the　coming　darkness。　On　the　more　distant　hills　the　torrents　were　just　visible；　in　the　breaks　of　the　mist；　stealing　their　way　over　the　brown　ground　like　threads　of　silver。　It　was　a　dreary　scene。　The　stillness　of　all　things　was　only　interrupted　by　the　splashing　of　our　little　waterfall　at　the　back　of　the　house。　I　was　not　sorry　to　close　the　shutters；　and　confine　the　view　to　the　four　walls　of　our　sitting…room。

The　day　happened　to　be　my　birthday。　I　sat　by　the　peat…fire；　waiting　for　the　lamp　and　the　tea…tray；　and　contemplating　my　past　life　from　the　vantage…ground；　so　to　speak；　of　my　fifty…fifth　year。

There　was　wonderfully　little　to　look　back　on。　Nearly　thirty　years　since；　it　pleased　an　all…wise　Providence　to　cast　my　lot　in　this　remote　Scottish　hamlet；　and　to　make　me　Minister　of　Cauldkirk；　on　a　stipend　of　seventy…four　pounds　sterling　per　annum。　I　and　my　surroundings　have　grown　quietly　older　and　older　together。　I　have　outlived　my　wife；　I　have　buried　one　generation　among　my　parishioners；　and　married　another；　I　have　borne　the　wear　and　tear　of　years　better　than　the　kirk　in　which　I　minister　and　the　manse　（or　parsonage…house）　in　which　I　liveboth　sadly　out　of　repair；　and　both　still　trusting　for　the　means　of　reparation　to　the　pious　benefactions　of　people　richer　than　myself。　Not　that　I　complain；　be　it　understood；　of　the　humble　position　which　I　occupy。　I　possess　many　blessings；　and　I　thank　the　Lord　for　them。　I　have　my　little　bit　of　land　and　my　cow。　I　have　also　my　good　daughter；　Felicia；　named　after　her　deceased　mother；　but　inheriting　her　comely　looks；　it　is　thought；　rather　from　myself。

Neither　let　me　forget　my　elder　sister；　Judith；　a　friendless　single　person；　sheltered　under　my　roof；　whose　temperament　I　could　wish　somewhat　less　prone　to　look　at　persons　and　things　on　the　gloomy　side；　but　whose　compensating　virtues　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　deny。　No；　I　am　grateful　for　what　has　been　given　me　（from　on　high）；　and　resigned　to　what　has　been　taken　away。　With　what　fair　prospects　did　I　start　in　life！　Springing　from　a　good　old　Scottish　stock；　blessed　with　every　advantage　of　education　that　the　institutions　of　Scotland　and　England　in　turn　could　offer；　with　a　career　at　the　Bar　and　in　Parliament　before　meand　all　cast　to　the　winds；　as　it　were；　by　the　measureless　prodigality　of　my　unhappy　father；　God　forgive　him！　I　doubt　if　I　had　five　pounds　left　in　my　purse；　when　the　compassion　of　my　relatives　on　the　mother's　side　opened　a　refuge　to　me　at　Cauldkirk；　and　hid　me　from　the　notice　of　the　world　for　the　rest　of　my　life。



September　14th。Thus　far　I　had　posted　up　my　Diary　on　the　evening　of　the　13th；　when　an　event　occurred　so　completely　unexpected　by　my　household　and　myself；　that　the　pen；　I　may　say；　dropped　incontinently　from　my　hand。

It　was　the　time　when　we　had　finished　our　tea；　or　supperI　hardly　know　which　to　call　it。　In　the　silence；　we　could　hear　the　rain　pouring　against　the　window；　and　the　wind　that　had　risen　with　the　darkness　howling　round　the　house。　My　sister　Judith；　taking　the　gloomy　view　according　to　customcopious　draughts　of　good　Bohea　and　two　helpings　of　such　a　mutton　ham　as　only　Scotland　can　produce　had　no　effect　in　raising　her　spiritsmy　sister；　I　say；　re