the notch on the ax and on being found out-第78章

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！


to　be　the　only　source　of　friction　between　Lucy　and　this　otherwise
much…loved　member　of　her　husband's　family。　　I　asked　her　one　day　why
the　boys　never　appeared　at　luncheon。

〃Oh；　they　come　when　Alan　is　away；〃　she　answered；　〃but　they　seem　to
annoy　him　so　much　that　George　thinks　it　is　better　to　keep　them　out
of　sight　when　he　is　here。　　It　is　very　tiresome。　　I　know　that　it　is
the　fashion　to　say　that　George　has　got　the　temper　of　the　family；
but　I　assure　you　that　Alan's　nervous　moods　and　fancies　are　much
more　difficult　to　live　with。〃

That　was　on　the　morninga　Friday　it　wasof　the　last　day　which　we
were　to　spend　alone。　　The　guests　were　to　arrive　soon　after　tea；　and
I　think　that　with　the　knowledge　of　their　approach　Alan　and　I
prolonged　our　ride　that　afternoon　beyond　its　usual　limits。　　We　were
on　our　way　home；　and　it　was　already　dusk；　when　a　turn　of　the　path
brought　us　face　to　face　with　the　old　ruined　tower；　of　which　I　have
already　spoken　as　standing　at　the　head　of　the　valley。　　I　had　not
been　close　up　to　it　yet　during　this　visit　at　Mervyn。　　It　had　been　a
very　favorite　haunt　of　ours　as　children；　and　partly　on　that
account；　partly　perhaps　in　order　to　defer　the　dreaded　close　of　our
ride　to　the　last　possible　moment；　I　proposed　an　inspection　of　it。
The　only　portion　of　the　old　building　left　standing　in　any　kind　of
entirety　was　two　rooms；　one　above　the　other。　　The　tower　room；　level
with　the　bottom　of　the　moat；　was　dark　and　damp；　and　it　was　the
upper　one；　reached　by　a　little　outside　staircase；　which　had　been
our　rendezvous　of　old。　　Alan　showed　no　disposition　to　enter；　and
said　that　he　would　stay　outside　and　hold　my　horse；　so　I　dismounted
and　ran　up　alone。

The　room　seemed　in　no　way　changed。　　A　mere　stone　shell；　littered
with　fragments　of　wood　and　mortar。　　There　was　the　rough　wooden
block　on　which　Alan　used　to　sit　while　he　first　frightened　us　with
bogey…stories；　and　then　calmed　our　excited　nerves　by　rapid　sallies
of　wild　nonsense。　　There　was　the　plank　from　behind　which；　erected
as　a　barrier　across　the　doorway；　he　would　defend　the　castle　against
our　united　assault；　pelting　us　with　fir…cones　and　sods　of　earth。
This　and　many　a　bygone　scene　thronged　on　me　as　I　stood　there；　and
the　room　filled　again　with　the　memories　of　childish　mirth。　　And
following　close　came　those　of　childish　terrors。　　Horrors　which　had
oppressed　me　then；　wholly　imagined　or　dimly　apprehended　from　half…
heard　traditions；　and　never　thought　of　since；　flitted　around　me　in
the　gathering　dusk。　　And　with　them　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　there　came
other　memories　too；memories　which　had　never　been　my　own；　of
scenes　whose　actors　had　long　been　with　the　dead；　but　which；
immortal　as　the　spirit　before　whose　eyes　they　had　dwelt；　still
lingered　in　the　spot　where　their　victim　had　first　learnt　to　shudder
at　their　presence。　　Once　the　ghastly　notion　came　to　me；　it　seized
on　my　imagination　with　irresistible　force。　　It　seemed　as　if　from
the　darkened　corners　of　the　room　vague；　ill…defined　shapes　were
actually　peering　out　at　me。　　When　night　came　they　would　show
themselves　in　that　form；　livid　and　terrible；　in　which　they　had　been
burnt　into　the　brain　and　heart　of　the　long　ago　dead。

I　turned　and　glanced　towards　where　I　had　left　Alan。　　I　could　see
his　figure　framed　in　by　the　window；　a　black　shadow　against　the　gray
twilight　of　the　sky　behind。　　Erect　and　perfectly　motionless　he　sat；
so　motionless　as　to　look　almost　lifeless；　gazing　before　him　down
the　valley　into　the　illimitable　distance　beyond。　　There　was
something　in　that　stern　immobility　of　look　and　attitude　which
struck　me　with　a　curious　sense　of　congruity。　　It　was　right　that　he
should　be　thusright　that　he　should　be　no　longer　the　laughing　boy
who　a　moment　before　had　been　in　my　memory。　　The　haunting　horrors　of
that　place　seemed　to　demand　it；　and　for　the　first　time　I　felt　that
I　understood　the　change。　　With　an　effort　I　shook　myself　free　from
these　fancies；　and　turned　to　go。　　As　I　did　so；　my　eye　fell　upon　a
queer…shaped　painted　board；　leaning　up　against　the　wall；　which　I
well　recollected　in　old　times。　　Many　a　discussion　had　we　had　about
the　legend　inscribed　upon　it；　which　in　our　wisdom　we　had　finally
pronounced　to　be　German；　chiefly　because　it　was　illegible。　　Though
I　had　loudly　professed　my　faith　in　this　theory　at　the　time；　I　had
always　had　uneasy　doubts　on　the　subject；　and　now　half　smiling　I
bent　down　to　verify　or　remove　them。　　The　language　was　English；　not
German；　but　the　badly　painted；　faded　Gothic　letters　in　which　it　was
written　made　the　mistake　excusable。　　In　the　dim　light　I　had
difficulty　even　now　in　deciphering　the　words；　and　felt　when　I　had
done　so　that　neither　the　information　conveyed　nor　the　style　of　the
composition　was　sufficient　reward　for　the　trouble　I　had　taken。
This　is　what　I　read：


　　　　　〃Where　the　woman　sinned　the　maid　shall　win；
　　　　　　But　God　help　the　maid　that　sleeps　within。〃


What　the　lines　could　refer　to　I　neither　had　any　notion　nor　did　I
pause　then　even　in　my　own　mind　to　inquire。　　I　only　remember　vaguely
wondering　whether　they　were　intended　for　a　tombstone　or　for　a
doorway。　　Then；　continuing　my　way；　I　rapidly　descended　the　steps
and　remounted　my　horse；　glad　to　find　myself　once　again　in　the　open
air　and　by　my　cousin's　side。

The　train　of　thought　into　which　he　had　sunk　during　my　absence　was
apparently　an　absorbing　one；　for　to　my　first　question　as　to　the
painted　board　he　could　hardly　rouse　himself　to　answer。

〃A　board　with　a　legend　written　on　it？　　Yes；　he　remembered　something
of　the　kind　there。　　It　had　always　been　there；　he　thought。　　He　knew
nothing　about　it；〃and　so　the　subject　was　not　continued。

The　weird　feelings　which　had　haunted　me　in　the　tower　still
oppressed　me；　and　I　proceeded　to　ask　Alan　about　that　old　Dame　Alice
whom　the　traditions　of　my　childhood　represented　as　the　last
occupant　of　the　ruined　building。　　Alan　roused　himself　now；　but　did
not　seem　anxious　to　impart　information　on　the　subject。　　She　had
lived　there；　he　admitted；　and　no　one　had　lived　there　since。　　〃Had
she　not；〃　I　inquired；　〃something　to　do　with　the　mysterious　cabinet
at　the　house？　　I　remember　hearing　it　spoken　of　as　'Dame　Alice's
cabinet。'

〃So　they　say；〃　he　assented；　〃she　and　an　Italian　artificer　who　was
in　her　service；　and　who；　chiefly　I　imagine　on　account　of　his　skill；
shared　with　her　the　honor　of　reputed　witchcraft。〃

〃She　was　the　mother　of　Hugh　Mervyn；　the　man　who　was　murdered　by　his
wife；　was　she　not？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；〃　said　Alan；　briefly。

〃And　had　she　not　something　to　do　with　the　curse？〃　　I　inquired　after
a　short　pause；　and　nervously　I　remembered　my　father's　experience　on
that　subject；　and　I　had　never　before　dared　to　allude　to　it　in　the
presence　of　any　member　of　the　family。　　My　nervousness　was　fully
warranted。　　The　gloom　on　Alan's　brow　deepened；　and　after　a　very
short　〃They　say　so〃　he　turned　full　upon　me；　and　inquired　with　some
asperity　why　on　earth　I　had　developed　this　sudden　curiosity　about
his　ancestress。

I　hesitated　a　moment；　for　I　was　a　little　ashamed　of　my　fancies；　but
the　darkness　gave　me　courage；　and　besides　I　was　not　afraid　of
telling　Alanhe　would　understand。　　I　told　him　of　the　strange
sensations　I　had　had　while　in　the　towersensations　which　had
struck　me　with　all　that　force　and　clearness　which　we　usually
associate　with　a　direct　experience　of　fact。　　〃Of　course　it　was　a
trick　of　imagination；〃　I　commented；　〃but　I　could　not　get　rid　of　the
feeling　that　the　person　who　had　dwelt　there　last　must　have　had
terrible　thoughts　for　the　companions　of　her　life。〃

Alan　listened　in　silence；　and　the　silence　continued　for　some　time
after　I　had　ceased　speaking。

〃It　is　strange；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃instincts　which　we　do　not
understand　form　the　motive…power　of　most　of　our　life's　actions；　and
yet　we　refuse　to　admit　them　as　evidence　of　any　external　truth。　　I
suppose　it　is　because　we　MUST　act　somehow；　rightly　or　wrongly；　and
there　are　a　great　many　things　which　we　need　not　believe　unless　we
choose。　　As　for　this　old　lady；　she　lived　longlong　enough；　like
most　of　us；　to　do　evil；　unlike　most　of　us；　long　enough　to　witness
some　of　the　results　of　that　evil。　　To　say　that；　is　to　say　that　the
last　years　of　her　life　must　have　been　weighted　heavily　enough　wi