the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第13部分

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evidences　that　the　Roman　colonists　had　been　populous　and　long…abiding
in　and　near　this　corner　of　Britain。　　Tradition　urged　that　a　temple　to
Venus　once　stood　at　the　top　of　the　Roman　road　leading　up　into　the　isle；
and　possibly　one　to　the　love…goddess　of　the　Slingers　antedated　this。
What　so　natural　as　that　the　true　star　of　his　soul　would　be　found
nowhere　but　in　one　of　the　old　island　breed？

After　dinner　his　old　friend　Somers　came　in　to　smoke；　and　when　they　had
talked　a　little　while　Somers　alluded　casually　to　some　place　at　which
they　would　meet　on　the　morrow。

'I　sha'n't　be　there；'　said　Pierston。

'But　you　promised？'

'Yes。　　But　I　shall　be　at　the　islandlooking　at　a　dead　woman's　grave。'
As　he　spoke　his　eyes　turned；　and　remained　fixed　on　a　table　near。
Somers　followed　the　direction　of　his　glance　to　a　photograph　on　a　stand。

'Is　that　she？'　he　asked。

'Yes。'

'Rather　a　bygone　affair；　then？'

Pierston　acknowledged　it。　　'She's　the　only　sweetheart　I　ever　slighted；
Alfred；'　he　said。　　'Because　she's　the　only　one　I　ought　to　have　cared
for。　　That's　just　the　fool　I　have　always　been。'

'But　if　she's　dead　and　buried；　you　can　go　to　her　grave　at　any　time　as
well　as　now；　to　keep　up　the　sentiment。'

'I　don't　know　that　she's　buried。'

'But　to…morrowthe　Academy　night！　　Of　all　days　why　go　then？'

'I　don't　care　about　the　Academy。'

'Pierstonyou　are　our　only　inspired　sculptor。　　You　are　our　Praxiteles；
or　rather　our　Lysippus。　　You　are　almost　the　only　man　of　this　generation
who　has　been　able　to　mould　and　chisel　forms　living　enough　to　draw　the
idle　public　away　from　the　popular　paintings　into　the　usually　deserted
Lecture…room；　and　people　who　have　seen　your　last　pieces　of　stuff　say
there　has　been　nothing　like　them　since　sixteen　hundred　andsince　the
sculptors　'of　the　great　race'　lived　and　diedwhenever　that　was。　　Well；
then；　for　the　sake　of　others　you　ought　not　to　rush　off　to　that　God…
forgotten　sea…rock　just　when　you　are　wanted　in　town；　all　for　a　woman
you　last　saw　a　hundred　years　ago。'

'Noit　was　only　nineteen　and　three　quarters；'　replied　his　friend；　with
abstracted　literalness。　　He　went　the　next　morning。

Since　the　days　of　his　youth　a　railway　had　been　constructed　along　the
pebble　bank；　so　that；　except　when　the　rails　were　washed　away　by　the
tides；　which　was　rather　often；　the　peninsula　was　quickly　accessible。
At　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　he　was　rattled　along　by　this　new　means
of　locomotion；　under　the　familiar　monotonous　line　of　bran…coloured
stones；　and　he　soon　emerged　from　the　station；　which　stood　as　a　strange
exotic　among　the　black　lerrets；　the　ruins　of　the　washed…away　village；
and　the　white　cubes　of　oolite；　just　come　to　view　after　burial　through
unreckonable　geologic　years。

In　entering　upon　the　pebble　beach　the　train　had　passed　close　to　the
ruins　of　Henry　the　Eighth's　or　Sandsfoot　Castle；　whither　Avice　was　to
have　accompanied　him　on　the　night　of　his　departure。　　Had　she　appeared
the　primitive　betrothal；　with　its　natural　result；　would　probably　have
taken　place；　and；　as　no　islander　had　ever　been　known　to　break　that
compact；　she　would　have　become　his　wife。

Ascending　the　steep　incline　to　where　the　quarrymen　were　chipping　just
as　they　had　formerly　done；　and　within　sound　of　the　great　stone　saws；　he
looked　southward　towards　the　Beal。

The　level　line　of　the　sea　horizon　rose　above　the　surface　of　the　isle；　a
ruffled　patch　in　mid…distance　as　usual　marking　the　Race；　whence　many　a
Lycidas　had　gone

　　　　　'Visiting　the　bottom　of　the　monstrous　world；'

but　had　not　been　blest　with　a　poet　as　a　friend。　　Against　the　stretch　of
water；　where　a　school　of　mackerel　twinkled　in　the　afternoon　light；　was
defined；　in　addition　to　the　distant　lighthouse；　a　church　with　its
tower；　standing　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　near　the　edge　of　the
cliff。　　The　churchyard　gravestones　could　be　seen　in　profile　against　the
same　vast　spread　of　watery　babble　and　unrest。

Among　the　graves　moved　the　form　of　a　man　clothed　in　a　white　sheet；
which　the　wind　blew　and　flapped　coldly　every　now　and　then。　　Near　him
moved　six　men　bearing　a　long　box；　and　two　or　three　persons　in　black
followed。　　The　coffin；　with　its　twelve　legs；　crawled　across　the　isle；
while　around　and　beneath　it　the　flashing　lights　from　the　sea　and　the
school　of　mackerel　were　reflected；　a　fishing…boat；　far　out　in　the
Channel；　being　momentarily　discernible　under　the　coffin　also。

The　procession　wandered　round　to　a　particular　corner；　and　halted；　and
paused　there　a　long　while　in　the　wind；　the　sea　behind　them；　the
surplice　of　the　priest　still　blowing。　　Jocelyn　stood　with　his　hat　off：
he　was　present；　though　he　was　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　and　he　seemed　to
hear　the　words　that　were　being　said；　though　nothing　but　the　wind　was
audible。

He　instinctively　knew　that　it　was　none　other　than　Avice　whom　he　was
seeing　interred；　HIS　Avice；　as　he　now　began　presumptuously　to　call　her。
Presently　the　little　group　withdrew　from　before　the　sea…shine；　and
disappeared。

He　felt　himself　unable　to　go　further　in　that　direction；　and　turning
aside　went　aimlessly　across　the　open　land；　visiting　the　various　spots
that　he　had　formerly　visited　with　her。　　But；　as　if　tethered　to　the
churchyard　by　a　cord；　he　was　still　conscious　of　being　at　the　end　of　a
radius　whose　pivot　was　the　grave　of　Avice　Caro；　and　as　the　dusk
thickened　he　closed　upon　his　centre　and　entered　the　churchyard　gate。

Not　a　soul　was　now　within　the　precincts。　　The　grave；　newly　shaped；　was
easily　discoverable　behind　the　church；　and　when　the　same　young　moon
arose　which　he　had　observed　the　previous　evening　from　his　window　in
London　he　could　see　the　yet　fresh　foot…marks　of　the　mourners　and
bearers。　　The　breeze　had　fallen　to　a　calm　with　the　setting　of　the　sun：
the　lighthouse　had　opened　its　glaring　eye；　and；　disinclined　to　leave　a
spot　sublimed　both　by　early　association　and　present　regret；　he　moved
back　to　the　church…wall；　warm　from　the　afternoon　sun；　and　sat　down　upon
a　window…sill　facing　the　grave。



2。　IV。　　SHE　THREATENS　TO　RESUME　CORPOREAL　SUBSTANCE

The　lispings　of　the　sea　beneath　the　cliffs　were　all　the　sounds　that
reached　him；　for　the　quarries　were　silent　now。　　How　long　he　sat　here
lonely　and　thinking　he　did　not　know。　　Neither　did　he　know；　though　he
felt　drowsy；　whether　inexpectant　sadnessthat　gentle　soporificlulled
him　into　a　short　sleep；　so　that　he　lost　count　of　time　and　consciousness
of　incident。　　But　during　some　minute　or　minutes　he　seemed　to　see　Avice
Caro　herself；　bending　over　and　then　withdrawing　from　her　grave　in　the
light　of　the　moon。

She　seemed　not　a　year　older；　not　a　digit　less　slender；　not　a　line　more
angular　than　when　he　had　parted　from　her　twenty　years　earlier；　in　the
lane　hard　by。　　A　renascent　reasoning　on　the　impossibility　of　such　a
phenomenon　as　this　being　more　than　a　dream…fancy　roused　him　with　a
start　from　his　heaviness。

'I　must　have　been　asleep；'　he　said。

Yet　she　had　seemed　so　real。　　Pierston　however　dismissed　the　strange
impression；　arguing　that　even　if　the　information　sent　him　of　Avice's
death　should　be　falsea　thing　incrediblethat　sweet　friend　of　his
youth；　despite　the　transfiguring　effects　of　moonlight；　would　not　now
look　the　same　as　she　had　appeared　nineteen　or　twenty　years　ago。　　Were
what　he　saw　substantial　flesh；　it　must　have　been　some　other　person　than
Avice　Caro。

Having　satisfied　his　sentiment　by　coming　to　the　graveside　there　was
nothing　more　for　him　to　do　in　the　island；　and　he　decided　to　return　to
London　that　night。　　But　some　time　remaining　still　on　his　hands；　Jocelyn
by　a　natural　instinct　turned　his　feet　in　the　direction　of　East
Quarriers；　the　village　of　his　birth　and　of　hers。　　Passing　the　market…
square　he　pursued　the　arm　of　road　to　'Sylvania　Castle；'　a　private
mansion　of　comparatively　modern　date；　in　whose　grounds　stood　the　single
plantation　of　trees　of　which　the　isle　could　boast。　　The　cottages
extended　close　to　the　walls　of　the　enclosure；　and　one　of　the　last　of
these　dwellings　had　been　Avice's；　in　which；　as　it　was　her　freehold；　she
possibly　had　died。

To　reach　it　he　passed　the　gates　of　'Sylvania；'　and　observed　above　the
lawn　wall　a　board　announcing　that　the　house　was　to　be　let　furnished。　　A
few　steps　further　revealed　the　cottage　which　with　its　quaint　and
massive　stone　features　of　two　or　three　centuries'　antiquity；　was
capable　even　now　of　longer　resistance　to　the　rasp　of　Time　than　ordinary
new　erections。　　His　attention　was　drawn　to　the　window；　still　unblinded；
though　a　lamp　lit　the　room。　　He　stepped　back　against　the　wall　opposite；
and　gazed　in。

At　a　table　covered　with　a　white　cloth　a　young　woman　stood　putting　tea…
things　away　into　a　corner…cupboard。　　She　was　in　all　respects　the　Avice
he　had　lost；　the　girl　he　had　seen　in　the　churchyard　and　had　fancied　to
be　the　illusion　of　a　dream。　　And　though　there　was　this　time　no　doubt
about　her　reality；　the　isolation　of　her　position　in　the　silent　house
lent　her　a　curiously　startling　aspect。　　Divining　the　explanation　he
waited　for　footsteps；　and　in　a　few　moments　a　quarryman　passed　him　on
his　journey　home。　　Pierston　inquired　of　the　man　concerning　the
spectacle。

'O　yes；　sir；　that's　poor　Mrs。　Caro's　only　daughter；　and　it　must　be
lonely　for　her　there　to…night；　poor　maid！　　Yes；　good…now；　she's　the
very　daps　of　her　motherthat's　what　everybody　says。'

'But　how　does　she　come　to　be　so　lonely？'

'One　of　her　brothers　went　to　sea　and　was　drowned；　and　t'other　is　in
America。'

'They　were　quarryowners　at　one　time？'

The　quarryman　'pitched　his　nitch；'　and　explained　to　the　seeming
stranger　that　there　had　been　three　families　thereabouts　in　the　stone
trade；　who　had　got　much　involved　with　each　other　in　the　last
generation。　　They　were　the　Bencombs；　the　Pierstons；　and　the　Caros。　　The
Bencombs　strained　their　utmost　to　outlift　the　other　two；　and　partially
succeeded。　　They　grew　enormously　rich；　sold　out；　and　disappeared
altogether　from　the　island　which　had　been　their　making。　　The　Pierstons
kept　a　dogged　middle　course；　throve　without　show　or　noise；　and　also
retired　in　their　turn。　　The　Caros　were　pulled　completely　down　in　the
competition　with　the　other　two；　and　when　Widow　Caro's　daughter　married
her　cousin　Jim　Caro；　he　tried　to　regain　for　the　family　its　original
place　in　the　three…cor