the notch on the ax and on being found out-第82章

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pause　for　breath；　I　found　that　we　were　standing　near　the　fireplace；
on　the　very　spot　where　he　and　George　had　stood　on　the　previous
afternoon。　　The　recollection　made　me　involuntarily　glance　up　at　his
face。　　It　looked　sad　and　worried；　and　the　thought　suddenly　struck
me　that　his　extravagant　spirits　of　the　night　before；　and　even　his
quieter；　careful　cheerfulness　of　to…night；　had　been　but　artificial
moods　at　best。　　He　turned；　and　finding　my　eyes　fixed　on　him；　at
once　plunged　into　conversation；　discussed　the　peculiarities　of　one
of　the　guests；　good…humoredly　enough；　but　with　so　much　fun　as　to
make　me　laugh　in　spite　of　myself。　　Then　we　danced　again。　　The
plaintive　music；　the　smooth　floor；　and　the　partner　were　all　alike
perfect；　and　I　experienced　that　entire　delight　of　physical
enjoyment　which　I　believe　nothing　but　a　valse　under　such
circumstances　can　give。　　When　it　was　over　I　turned　to　Alan；　and
exclaimed　with　impulsive　appeal；　〃Oh；　I　am　so　happy；you　must　be
happy　too！〃　　He　smiled　rather　uncertainly；　and　answered；　〃Don't
bother　yourself　about　me；　Evie；　I　am　all　right。　　I　told　you　that　we
Mervyns　had　bad　nerves；　and　I　am　rather　tired。　　That's　all。〃　　I　was
too　passionately　determined　just　then　upon　happiness；　and　his　was
too　necessary　to　mine　for　me　not　to　believe　that　he　was　speaking
the　truth。

We　kept　up　the　dancing　till　Lucy　discovered　with　a　shock　that
midnight　had　struck；　and　that　Sunday　had　begun；　and　we　were　all
sent　off　to　bed。　　I　was　not　long　in　making　my　nightly　preparations；
and　had　scarcely　inserted　myself　between　the　sheets　when；　with　a
few　long　moans；　the　wind　began　again；　more　violently　even　than　the
night　before。　　It　had　been　a　calm；　fine　day；　and　I　made　wise
reflections　as　I　listened　upon　the　uncertainty　of　the　north…country
climate。　　What　a　tempest　it　was！　　How　it　moaned；　and　howled；　and
shrieked！　　Where　had　I　heard　the　superstition　which　now　came　to　my
mind；　that　borne　upon　the　wind　come　the　spirits　of　the　drowned；
wailing　and　crying　for　the　sepulture　which　had　been　denied　them？
But　there　were　other　sounds　in　that　wind；　too。　　Evil；　murderous
thoughts；　perhaps；　which　had　never　taken　body　in　deeds；　but　which；
caught　up　in　the　air；　now　hurled　themselves　in　impotent　fury
through　the　world。　　How　I　wished　the　wind　would　stop。　　It　seemed
full　of　horrible　fancies；　and　it　kept　knocking　them　into　my　head；
and　it　wouldn't　leave　off。　　Fancies；　or　memorieswhich？and　my
mind　reverted　with　a　flash　to　the　fearful　thoughts　which　had
haunted　it　the　day　before　in　Dame　Alice's　tower。　　It　was　dark　now。
Those　ghastly　intangible　shapes　must　have　taken　full　form　and
color；　peopling　the　old　ruin　with　their　ageless　hideousness。　　And
the　storm　had　found　them　there　and　borne　them　along　with　it　as　it
blew　through　the　creviced　walls。　　That　was　why　the　wind's　sound
struck　so　strangely　on　my　brain。　　Ah！　I　could　hear　them　now；　those
still　living　memories　of　dead　horror。　　Through　the　window　crannies
they　came　shrieking　and　wailing。　　They　filled　the　chimney　with
spirit　sobs；　and　now　they　were　pressing　on；　crowding　through　the
room；eager；　eager　to　reach　their　prey。　　Nearer　they　came；nearer
still！　　They　were　round　my　bed　now！　　Through　my　closed　eyelids　I
could　almost　see　their　dreadful　shapes；　in　all　my　quivering　flesh　I
felt　their　terrors　as　they　bent　over　me；lower；　lower。　。　。　。

With　a　start　I　aroused　myself　and　sat　up。　　Was　I　asleep　or　awake？
I　was　trembling　all　over　still；　and　it　required　the　greatest　effort
of　courage　I　had　ever　made　to　enable　me　to　spring　from　my　bed　and
strike　a　light。　　What　a　state　my　nerves　or　my　digestion　must　be　in！
From　my　childhood　the　wind　had　always　affected　me　strangely；　and　I
blamed　myself　now　for　allowing　my　imagination　to　run　away　with　me
at　the　first。　　I　found　a　novel　which　I　had　brought　up　to　my　room
with　me；　one　of　the　modern；　Chinese…American　school；　where　human
nature　is　analyzed　with　the　patient；　industrious　indifference　of
the　true　Celestial。　　I　took　the　book　to　bed　with　me；　and　soon　under
its　soothing　influences　fell　asleep。　　I　dreamt　a　good　deal；
nightmares；　the　definite　recollection　of　which；　as　is　so　often　the
case；　vanished　from　my　mind　as　soon　as　I　awoke；　leaving　only　a
vague　impression　of　horror。　　They　had　been　connected　with　the　wind；
of　that　alone　I　was　conscious；　and　I　went　down　to　breakfast；
maliciously　hoping　that　others'　rest　had　been　as　much　disturbed　as
my　own。

To　my　surprise；　however；　I　found　that　I　had　again　been　the　only
sufferer。　　Indeed；　so　impressed　were　most　of　the　party　with　the
quiet　in　which　their　night　had　been　passed；　that　they　boldly
declared　my　storm　to　have　been　the　creature　of　my　dreams。　　There　is
nothing　more　annoying　when　you　feel　yourself　aggrieved　by　fate　than
to　be　told　that　your　troubles　have　originated　in　your　own　fancy；　so
I　dropped　the　subject。　　Though　the　discussion　spread　for　a　few
minutes　round　the　whole　table；　Alan　took　no　part　in　it。　　Neither
did　George；　except　for　what　I　thought　a　rather　unnecessarily　rough
expression　of　his　disbelief　in　the　cause　of　my　night's　disturbance。
As　we　rose　from　breakfast　I　saw　Alan　glance　towards　his　brother；
and　make　a　movement；　evidently　with　the　purpose　of　speaking　to　him。
Whether　or　not　George　was　aware　of　the　look　or　action；　I　cannot
say；　but　at　the　same　moment　he　made　rapidly　across　the　room　to
where　one　of　his　principal　guests　was　standing；　and　at　once　engaged
him　in　conversation。　　So　earnestly　and　so　volubly　was　he　borne　on；
that　they　were　still　talking　together　when　we　ladies　appeared　again
some　minutes　later；　prepared　for　our　walk　to　church。　　That　was　not
the　only　occasion　during　the　day　on　which　I　witnessed　as　I　thought
the　same　by…play　going　on。　　Again　and　again　Alan　appeared　to　be
making　efforts　to　engage　George　in　private　conversation；　and　again
and　again　the　latter　successfully　eluded　him。

The　church　was　about　a　mile　away　from　the　house；　and　as　Lucy　did
not　like　having　the　carriages　out　on　a　Sunday；　one　service　a　week
as　a　rule　contented　the　household。　　In　the　afternoon　we　took　the
usual　Sunday　walk。　　On　returning　from　it；　I　had　just　taken　off　my
outdoor　things；　and　was　issuing　from　my　bedroom；　when　I　found
myself　face　to　face　with　Alan。　　He　was　coming　out　of　George's
study；　and　had　succeeded　apparently　in　obtaining　that　interview　for
which　he　had　been　all　day　seeking。　　One　glance　at　his　face　told　me
what　its　nature　had　been。　　We　paused　opposite　each　other　for　a
moment；　and　he　looked　at　me　earnestly。

〃Are　you　going　to　church？〃　he　inquired　at　last；　abruptly。

〃No；〃　I　answered；　with　some　surprise。　　〃I　did　not　know　that　any　one
was　going　this　evening。〃

〃Will　you　come　with　me？〃

〃Yes；　certainly；　if　you　don't　mind　waiting　a　moment　for　me　to　put
my　things　on。〃

〃There's　plenty　of　time；〃　he　answered；　〃meet　me　in　the　hall。〃

A　few　minutes　later　we　started。

It　was　a　calm；　cloudless　night；　and　although　the　moon　was　not　yet
half…full；　and　already　past　her　meridian；　she　filled　the　clear　air
with　gentle　light。　　Not　a　word　broke　our　silence。　　Alan　walked
hurriedly；　looking　straight　before　him；　his　head　upright；　his　lips
twitching　nervously；　while　every　now　and　then　a　half…uttered　moan
escaped　unconsciously　from　between　them。　　At　last　I　could　bear　it
no　longer；　and　burst　forth　with　the　first　remark　which　occurred　to
me。　　We　were　passing　a　big；　black；　queer…shaped　stone　standing　in
rather　a　lonely　uncultivated　spot　at　one　end　of　the　garden。　　It　was
an　old　acquaintance　of　my　childhood；　but　my　thoughts　had　been
turned　towards　it　now　from　the　fact　that　I　could　see　it　from　my
bedroom　window；　and　had　been　struck　afresh　by　its　uncouth；
incongruous　appearance。

〃Isn't　there　some　story　connected　with　that　stone？〃　I　asked。　　〃I
remember　that　we　always　called　it　the　Dead　Stone　as　children。〃

Alan　cast　a　quick；　sidelong　glance　in　that　direction；　and　his　brows
contracted　in　an　irritable　frown。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered
shortly；　〃they　say　that　there　is　a　woman　buried　beneath　it；　I
believe。〃

〃A　woman　buried　there！〃　I　exclaimed　in　surprise；　〃but　who？〃

〃How　should　I　know？　　They　know　nothing　whatever　about　it。　　The
place　is　full　of　stupid　traditions　of　that　kind。〃　　Then；　looking
suspiciously　round　at　me；　〃Why　d