robert falconer-第77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！



it　mean？'



'There　was　once　a　beautiful　woman　lived　there…away；'　began

Ericson。But　I　have　not　room　to　give　the　story　as　he　told　it；

embellishing　it；　no　doubt；　as　with　such　a　mere　tale　was　lawful

enough；　from　his　own　imagination。　　The　substance　was　that　a　young

man　fell　in　love　with　a　beautiful　witch；　who　let　him　go　on　loving

her　till　he　cared　for　nothing　but　her；　and　then　began　to　kill　him　by

laughing　at　him。　　For　no　witch　can　fall　in　love　herself；　however

much　she　may　like　to　be　loved。　　She　mocked　him　till　he　drowned

himself　in　a　pool　on　the　seashore。　　Now　the　witch　did　not　know　that；

but　as　she　walked　along　the　shore；　looking　for　things；　she　saw　his

hand　lying　over　the　edge　of　a　rocky　basin。　　Nothing　is　more　useful

to　a　witch　than　the　hand　of　a　man；　so　she　went　to　pick　it　up。　　When

she　found　it　fast　to　an　arm；　she　would　have　chopped　it　off；　but

seeing　whose　it　was；　she　would；　for　some　reason　or　other　best　known

to　a　witch；　draw　off　his　ring　first。　　For　it　was　an　enchanted　ring

which　she　had　given　him　to　bewitch　his　love；　and　now　she　wanted　both

it　and　the　hand　to　draw　to　herself　the　lover　of　a　young　maiden　whom

she　hated。　　But　the　dead　hand　closed　its　fingers　upon　hers；　and　her

power　was　powerless　against　the　dead。　　And　the　tide　came　rushing　up；

and　the　dead　hand　held　her　till　she　was　drowned。　　She　lies　with　her

lover　to　this　day　at　the　bottom　of　the　Swalchie　whirlpool；　and　when

a　storm　is　at　hand；　strange　moanings　rise　from　the　pool；　for　the

youth　is　praying　the　witch　lady　for　her　love；　and　she　is　praying　him

to　let　go　her　hand。



While　Ericson　told　the　story　the　room　still　glimmered　about　Robert

as　if　all　its　light　came　from　Mysie's　face；　upon　which　the

flickering　firelight　alone　played。　　Mr。　Lindsay　sat　a　little　back

from　the　rest；　with　an　amused　expression：　legends　of　such　sort　did

not　come　within　the　scope　of　his　antiquarian　reach；　though　he　was

ready　enough　to　believe　whatever　tempted　his　own　taste；　let　it　be　as

destitute　of　likelihood　as　the　story　of　the　dead　hand。　　When　Ericson

ceased；　Mysie　gave　a　deep　sigh；　and　looked　full　of　thought；　though　I

daresay　it　was　only　feeling。　　Mr。　Lindsay　followed　with　an　old　tale

of　the　Sinclairs；　of　which　he　said　Ericson's　reminded　him；　though

the　sole　association　was　that　the　foregoing　was　a　Caithness　story；

and　the　Sinclairs　are　a　Caithness　family。　　As　soon　as　it　was　over；

Mysie；　who　could　not　hide　all　her　impatience　during　its　lingering

progress；　asked　Robert　to　play　again。　　He　took　up　his　violin；　and

with　great　expression　gave　the　air　of　Ericson's　ballad　two　or　three

times　over；　and　then　laid　down　the　instrument。　　He　saw　indeed　that

it　was　too　much　for　Mysie；　affecting　her　more；　thus　presented　after

the　story；　than　the　singing　of　the　ballad　itself。　　Thereupon

Ericson；　whose　spirits　had　risen　greatly　at　finding　that　he　could

himself　secure　Mysie's　attention；　and　produce　the　play　of　soul　in

feature　which　he　so　much　delighted　to　watch；　offered　another　story；

and　the　distant　rush　of　the　sea；　borne　occasionally　into　the

'grateful　gloom'　upon　the　cold　sweep　of　a　February　wind；　mingled

with　one　tale　after　another；　with　which　he　entranced　two　of　his

audience；　while　the　third　listened　mildly　content。



The　last　of　the　tales　Ericson　told　was　as　follows：



'One　evening…twilight　in　spring；　a　young　English　student；　who　had

wandered　northwards　as　far　as　the　outlying　fragments　of　Scotland

called　the　Orkney　and　Shetland　islands；　found　himself　on　a　small

island　of　the　latter　group；　caught　in　a　storm　of　wind　and　hail；

which　had　come　on　suddenly。　　It　was　in　vain　to　look　about　for　any

shelter；　for　not　only　did　the　storm　entirely　obscure　the　landscape；

but　there　was　nothing　around　him　save　a　desert　moss。



'At　length；　however；　as　he　walked　on　for　mere　walking's　sake；　he

found　himself　on　the　verge　of　a　cliff；　and　saw；　over　the　brow　of　it；

a　few　feet　below　him；　a　ledge　of　rock；　where　he　might　find　some

shelter　from　the　blast；　which　blew　from　behind。　　Letting　himself

down　by　his　hands；　he　alighted　upon　something　that　crunched　beneath

his　tread；　and　found　the　bones　of　many　small　animals　scattered　about

in　front　of　a　little　cave　in　the　rock；　offering　the　refuge　he

sought；　He　went　in；　and　sat　upon　a　stone。　　The　storm　increased　in

violence；　and　as　the　darkness　grew　he　became　uneasy；　for　he　did　not

relish　the　thought　of　spending　the　night　in　the　cave。　　He　had　parted

from　his　companions　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　island；　and　it　added

to　his　uneasiness　that　they　must　be　full　of　apprehension　about　him。

At　last　there　came　a　lull　in　the　storm；　and　the　same　instant　he

heard　a　footfall；　stealthy　and　light　as　that　of　a　wild　beast；　upon

the　bones　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　　He　started　up　in　some　fear；

though　the　least　thought　might　have　satisfied　him　that　there　could

be　no　very　dangerous　animals　upon　the　island。　　Before　he　had　time　to

think；　however；　the　face　of　a　woman　appeared　in　the　opening。

Eagerly　the　wanderer　spoke。　　She　started　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。

He　could　not　see　her　well；　because　she　was　turned　towards　the

darkness　of　the　cave。



'〃Will　you　tell　me　how　to　find　my　way　across　the　moor　to　Shielness？〃

he　asked。



'〃You　cannot　find　it　to…night；〃　she　answered；　in　a　sweet　tone；　and

with　a　smile　that　bewitched　him；　revealing　the　whitest　of　teeth。



'〃What　am　I　to　do；　then？〃　he　asked。



'〃My　mother　will　give　you　shelter；　but　that　is　all　she　has　to

offer。〃



'〃And　that　is　far　more　than　I　expected　a　minute　ago；〃　he　replied。　〃I

shall　be　most　grateful。〃



'She　turned　in　silence　and　left　the　cave。　　The　youth　followed。



'She　was　barefooted；　and　her　pretty　brown　feet　went　catlike　over　the

sharp　stones；　as　she　led　the　way　down　a　rocky　path　to　the　shore。

Her　garments　were　scanty　and　torn；　and　her　hair　blew　tangled　in　the

wind。　　She　seemed　about　five…and…twenty；　lithe　and　small。　　Her　long

fingers　kept　clutching　and　pulling　nervously　at　her　skirts　as　she

went。　　Her　face　was　very　gray　in　complexion；　and　very　worn；　but

delicately　formed；　and　smooth…skinned。　　Her　thin　nostrils　were

tremulous　as　eyelids；　and　her　lips；　whose　curves　were　faultless；　had

no　colour　to　give　sign　of　indwelling　blood。　　What　her　eyes　were　like

he　could　not　see；　for　she　had　never　lifted　the　delicate　films　of　her

eyelids。



'At　the　foot　of　the　cliff　they　came　upon　a　little　hut　leaning

against　it；　and　having　for　its　inner　apartment　a　natural　hollow

within　it。　　Smoke　was　spreading　over　the　face　of　the　rock；　and　the

grateful　odour　of　food　gave　hope　to　the　hungry　student。　　His　guide

opened　the　door　of　the　cottage；　he　followed　her　in；　and　saw　a　woman

bending　over　a　fire　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　　On　the　fire　lay　a

large　fish　boiling。　　The　daughter　spoke　a　few　words；　and　the　mother

turned　and　welcomed　the　stranger。　　She　had　an　old　and　very　wrinkled；

but　honest　face；　and　looked　troubled。　　She　dusted　the　only　chair　in

the　cottage；　and　placed　it　for　him　by　the　side　of　the　fire；　opposite

the　one　window；　whence　he　saw　a　little　patch　of　yellow　sand　over

which　the　spent　waves　spread　themselves　out　listlessly。　　Under　this

window　was　a　bench；　upon　which　the　daughter　threw　herself　in　an

unusual　posture；　resting　her　chin　upon　her　hand。　　A　moment　after　the

youth　caught　the　first　glimpse　of　her　blue　eyes。　　They　were　fixed

upon　him　with　a　strange　look　of　greed；　amounting　to　craving；　but　as

if　aware　that　they　belied　or　betrayed　her；　she　dropped　them

instantly。　　The　moment　she　veiled　them；　her　face；　notwithstanding

its　colourless　complexion；　was　almost　beautiful。



'When　the　fish　was　ready　the　old　woman　wiped　the　deal　table；

steadied　it　upon　the　uneven　floor；　and　covered　it　with　a　piece　of

fine　table…linen。　　She　then　laid　the　fish　on　a　wooden　platter；　and

invited　the　guest　to　help　himself。　　Seeing　no　other　provision；　he

pulled　from　his　pocket　a　hunting…knife；　and　divided　a　portion　from

the　fish；　offering　it　to　the　mother　first。



'〃Come；　my　lamb；〃　said　the　old　woman；　and　the　daug