the deliverance-第66部分

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Putting　her　hands　in　his；　she　passed　over　the　lowered　fence；　and　then　stood　at　arm's　length　looking　into　his　face；　which　the　moonlight　had　softened　to　a　beauty　that　brought　to　her　mind　a　carving　in　old　ivory。

〃I　still　limp　a　little；〃　she　went　on；　smiling；　〃and　I　had　to　steal　out　like　a　thief　and　run　through　the　shadows。　To　find　me　with　you　would　be　the　death　of　grandfather；　I　believe。　Something　has　occurred　to　put　him　in　a　fresh　rage　with　you。〃

〃It　was　the　field　by　the　pasture；〃　he　told　her　frankly。　〃You　know　it　belongs　to　me；　and　pure　justice　made　me　throw　down　his　fence；　but　if　you　wish　it　I　will　put　it　up　again。　I'll　do　anything　you　wish。〃

She　thought　for　a　moment　with　that　complete　detachment　of　judgment　from　emotion　which　is　so　rarely　a　part　of　a　woman's　intellect。

〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　right　that　you　should　take　it　down。　I　would　not　have　you　submit　to　any　further　injustice；　not　even　a　little　one　like　that。〃

〃And　this　will　go　on　forever！　Oh；　Maria；　how　will　it　end？〃

〃We　must　wait　and　hope；　dear；　you　see　that。〃

〃I　see　nothing　but　that　I　love　you　and　am　most　miserable；〃　he　answered　desperately。

A　smile　curved　her　lips。　〃Oh；　blind　and　faithless；　I　see　only　you！〃

He　was　still　holding　her　hands；　but；　dropping　them　as　she　spoke；　he　threw　his　arms　wide　open　and　stood　waiting。

〃Then　come　to　me；　my　dearest；　come　to　me。〃

His　voice　rang　out　in　command　rather　than　entreaty；　and　he　stood　smiling　gravely　as；　hesitating　a　breathless　instant；　she　regarded　him　with　eyes　that　struggled　to　be　calm。　Then　slowly　the　radiance　which　was　less　the　warmth　of　colour　than　of　expression　flooded　her　face；　and　she　bent　toward　him　as　if　impelled　by　some　strong　outside　force。　The　next　moment　the　storm　swept　her　roughly　from　her　feet　and　crushed　back　her　pleading　hands　upon　her　bosom；　bewildered；　flushed；　and　trembling；　she　lay　upon　his　breast　while　their　lips　clung　together。　〃Oh；　my　friend；　my　lover；〃　she　murmured　faintly。

He　felt　her　resistance　dissolve　within　his　arms；　and　it　was　a　part　of　the　tragedy　of　their　love　that　there　should　come　to　him　no　surprise　when　he　found　her　mouth　salt　from　her　tears。　The　shadow　of　a　great　evil；　of　a　secret　anguish；　still　divided　them；　and　it　was　this　that　gave　to　their　embraces　the　sorrowful　passion　which　he　drew　from　her　despairing　kiss。

〃You　cannot　love　me；　Maria。　How　can　it　be　true？〃

Releasing　herself；　she　put　her　hand　upon　his　lips　to　silence　him。

〃You　have　made　your　confession；〃　she　said　earnestly；　with　the　serene　dignity　which　had　impressed　him　in　the　first　moment　of　their　meeting；　〃and　now　I　will　make　mine。　You　must　not　stop　me；　you　must　not　look　at　me　until　I　finish。　Promise。〃

〃I　promise　to　keep　silent；〃　he　answered；　with　his　gaze　upon　her。

She　drew　away　from　him；　keeping　her　eyes　full　on　his；　and　holding　him　at　arm's　length　with　the　tips　of　her　fingers。　He　felt　that　she　was　still　shaken　by　his　embracethat　she　was　still　in　a　quiver　from　his　kisses；　but　to　all　outward　seeming　she　had　regained　the　noble　composure　of　her　bearing。

〃No；　no。　Ah；　listen；　my　friend；　and　do　not　touch　me。　What　I　must　tell　you　is　this；　and　you　must　hear　me　patiently　to　the　end。　I　have　loved　you　alwaysfrom　the　first　day；　since　the　beginning。　There　has　never　been　any　one　else；　and　there　has　never　been　a　moment　in　my　life　when　I　would　not　have　followed　you　had　you　lifted　a　finger　anywhere。　At　first　I　did　not　knowI　did　not　believe　it。　It　was　but　a　passing　fancy；　I　thought；　that　you　had　murdered。　I　taught　myself　to　believe　that　I　was　cold；　inhuman；　because　I　did　not　warm　to　other　men。　Oh；　I　did　not　know　then　that　I　was　not　stone；　but　ice；　which　would　melt　at　the　first　touch　of　the　true　flame　。〃

〃Maria！〃　he　burst　out　in　a　cry　of　anguish。

〃Hush！　Hush！　Remember　your　promise。　It　was　not　until　afterward；〃　she　went　on　in　the　same　quiet　voice；　〃it　was　not　until　my　marriagenot　until　my　soul　shuddered　back　from　his　embraces　and　I　dreamed　of　you；　that　I　began　to　seeto　understand。〃

〃Oh；　Maria；　my　beloved；　if　I　had　known！〃

She　still　held　him　from　her　with　her　outstretched　arm。

〃It　was　the　knowledge　of　this　that　made　me　feel　that　I　had　wronged　himthat　I　had　defrauded　him　of　the　soul　of　love　and　given　him　only　the　poor　flesh。　It　was　this　that　held　me　to　him　all　those　wretched　yearsthat　kept　me　with　him　till　the　end；　even　through　his　madness。　At　last　I　buried　your　memory；　told　myself　that　I　had　forgotten。〃

〃We　will　let　the　world　go；　dearest；〃　he　said　passionately。　〃Come　to　me。〃

But　she　shook　her　head；　and；　still　smiling；　held　him　at　a　distance。

〃It　will　never　go；〃　she　answered；　〃for　it　is　not　the　world's　way。　But　whatever　comes　to　us；　there　is　one　thing　you　must　rememberthat　you　must　never　forget　for　one　instant　while　you　live。　In　good　or　evil；　in　life　or　death；　there　is　no　height　so　high　nor　any　depth　so　low　that　I　will　not　follow　you。〃

Then　waving　him　from　her　with　a　decisive　gesture；　she　turned　from　him　and　went　swiftly　home　across　the　moonlit　fields。



CHAPTER　VI。　Treats　of　the　Tragedy　Which　Wears　a　Comic　Mask

As　she　hastened　on；　Christopher's　presence　was　still　with　herhis　arm　still　enveloped　her；　his　voice　still　spoke　in　her　ears；　and　so　rapt　was　the　ecstasy　in　which　she　moved　that　it　was　with　a　positive　shock　that　she　found　herself　presently　before　the　little　area　which　led　into　the　brick　kitchen　in　the　basement　of　the　Hall。　Here　from　the　darkness　her　name　was　spoken　in　a　stifled　voice；　while　a　hand　reached　out　and　clutched　her　by　the　shoulder。

〃I　say；　Maria；　I've　been　waiting　hours　to　speak　to　you。〃

Forcing　back　the　cry　upon　her　lips；　she　opened　the　door　and　stole　softly　into　the　kitchen。　Then；　turning；　she　faced　Will　with　a　frightened　gesture。

〃How　recklesshow　very　reckless！〃　she　exclaimed　in　a　whisper。

He　closed　the　door　that　led　up　into　the　house；　and　coming　over　to　the　stove；　where　the　remains　of　a　fire　still　smouldered　in　a　deep　red　glow；　stood　looking　at　her　with　nervous　twitches　of　his　reddened　eyelids。　There　was　a　wildness　in　his　face　before　which　she　fell　back　appalled；　and　his　whole　appearance；　from　the　damp　hair　lying　in　streaks　upon　his　forehead　to　his　restless　feet　which　he　shuffled　continually　as　he　talked；　betrayed　an　agitation　so　extreme　as　to　cause　her　a　renewed　pang　of　foreboding。

〃Oh；　Will；　you　have　been　drinking　again！〃　she　said；　in　the　same　frightened　whisper。

〃And　why　not？〃　he　demanded；　throwing　out　his　words　between　thick　breaths。　〃What　business　is　it　of　yours　or　of　anybody　else's　if　I　have　been？　A　pretty　sister　you　arearen't　you？to　let　a　fellow　rot　away　on　a　tobacco　farm　while　you　wear　diamonds　on　your　fingers。〃

She　looked　at　him　steadily　for　a　moment；　and　his　shifting　glance　fell　slowly　to　the　floor。

〃If　you　are　in　any　fresh　trouble　you　may　as　well　tell　me　at　once；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　a　mere　waste　of　time　and　breath　to　reproach　me。　You　can't　possibly　make　me　angry　to…night；　for　I　wear　an　armour　of　which　you　do　not　dream；　and　so　little　a　thing　as　abuse　does　not　even　touch　me。　Besides；　grandfather　may　hear　us　and　come　down　at　any　moment。　So　speak　quickly。〃

Her　coolness　sobered　him　instantly；　as　if　a　splash　of　icewater　had　been　thrown　into　his　face；　and　his　tone　lost　its　aggressiveness　and　sank　into　a　whimpering　complaint。

It　was　the　same　old　thing；　he　went　on；　only　worse　and　worse。　Molly　had　been　ill　again；　and　the　doctor　ordered　medicine　he　couldn't　buy。　Yes；　he　had　tried　to　take　the　diamond　from　her；　but　she　flew　into　hysterics　at　the　mere　mention　of　selling　it。　Once　he　had　dragged　it　off　her　finger；　and　had　given　it　back　again　because　her　wildness　frightened　him；　〃Why　on　earth　did　you　ever　let　her　have　it？〃　he　finished　querulously。

〃Well；　I　never　imagined　she　would　be　quite　so　silly；〃　returned　Maria；　distressed　by　what　she　heard。　〃But　it　may　be　that　jewels　are　really　her　passion；　and　the　bravest　of　us；　I　suppose；　are　those　who　sacrifice　most　for　their　dearest　desire。　I　really　don't　see　what　is　to　be　done；　Will。　I　haven't　any　money；　and　I　don't　dare　ask　grandfather；　for　he　makes　me　keep　a　strict　account　of　every　cent　I　spend。　Only　yesterday　he　told　me　he　couldn't　allow　me　but　two　postage　stamps　a　week；　and　yet　I　believe　that　he　is　worth　considerably　more　than　half　a　million　dollars。　Sometimes　I　think　it　is　nothing　short　of　pure　insanity；　he　grows　so　miserly　about　little　things。　Aunt　Saidie　and　I　have　both　noticed　that　he　would　rather　spend　a　hundred　dollarsthough　it　is　like　drawing　out　an　eyetooththan　keep　a　pound　of　fresh　butter　from　the　market。〃

〃And　yet　he　likes　you？〃

〃Oh；　he　tolerates　me；　as　far　as　that　goes；　but　I　don't　believe　he　likes　anything　on　earth　except　his　money。　It's　his　great　passion；　just　as　Molly's　love　of　jewelry　is　hers。　There　is　something　so　tremendous　about　it　that　one　can't　help　respect　it。　As　for　me；　he　only　bears　with　my　presence　so　long　as　I　ask　him　for　absolutely　nothing。　He　knows　I　have　my　little　property；　and　we　had　a　dreadful　scene　when　I　refused　to　let　him　keep　my　check…book。　I　gave　you　all　the　interest　of　the　last　six　months；　you　know；　and　the　other　isn't　due　until　November。　If　he　finds　out　that　it　goes　to　you；　heaven　help　us！〃

〃And　there's　not　the　faintest　hope　of　his　coming　to　his　senses？　Have　you　spoken　of　me　again？〃

〃I've　mentioned　your　name　twice；　that　was　all。　He　rose　and　stamped　out　of　the　room；　and　didn't　speak　for　days。　Aunt　Saidie　and　I　have　planned　to　bring　the　baby　over　when　it　comes。　That　may　soften　himespecially　if　it　should　be　a　boy。〃

〃Oh；　the　bottom　will　drop　out　of　things　by　that　time；〃　he　returned　savagely；　tearing　pieces　of　straw　from　his　worn　hat…brim。　〃If　this　keeps　up　much　longer；　Maria；　I　warn　you　now　I'll　run　away。　I'll　go　off　some　day　on　a　freight　train　and　hide　my　head　until　he　dies；　then　I'll　come　back　to　enjoy　his　precious　money。〃

She　sighed；　thinking　hopelessly　of　the　altered　will。

〃And　Molly？〃　she　questioned；　for　lack　of　a　more　effectual　argument。

〃I　can't　stop　to　think　of　Molly：　it　drives　me　mad。　What　use　am　I　to　her；　anyway；　I'd　like　to　know？　She'd　be　quite　as　well　off　without　me；　for　we　do　nothing　but　quarrel　now　night　and　day；　and　yet　I　love　herI　love　her　awfully；〃　he　added　in　a　drunken　whimper。

〃Oh；　Will；　Will；　be　a　man　for　her　sake！〃

〃I　can't；　I　can't；〃　he　protested；　his　voice　rising　in　anger。　〃I　can't　stand　the　squalor