tales of trail and town-第34章

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met　his。



Alas！　the　same　look　of　vacant　horror　came　into　her　eyes；　and　fixed

and　dilated　their　clear　pupils。　　But　she　uttered　no　outcry；there

was　something　in　her　blood　that　checked　it；　something　that　even

gave　a　dignity　to　her　recoiling　figure；　and　made　Dick　flush　with

admiration。　　She　put　her　hand　to　her　side；　as　if　the　shock　of　the

exertion　of　her　ascent　had　set　her　heart　to　beating；　but　she　did

not　faint。　　Then　her　fixed　look　gave　way　to　one　of　infinite

sadness；　pity；　and　pathetic　appeal。　　Her　lips　were　parted；　they

seemed　to　be　moving；　apparently　in　prayer。　　At　last　her　voice　came；

wonderingly；　timidly；　tenderly：　〃Mon　Dieu！　c'est　donc　vous？　　Ici？

C'est　vous　que　Marie　a　crue　voir！　　Que　venez…vous　faire　ici；　Armand

de　Fontonelles？　　Repondez！〃



Alas；　not　a　word　was　comprehensible　to　Dick；　nor　could　he　think　of

a　word　to　say　in　reply。　　He　made　an　uncouth；　half…irritated；　half…

despairing　gesture　towards　the　wood　he　had　quitted；　as　if　to

indicate　his　helpless　horse；　but　he　knew　it　was　meaningless　to　the

frightened　yet　exalted　girl　before　him。　　Her　little　hand　crept　to

her　breast　and　clutched　a　rosary　within　the　folds　of　her　dress；　as

her　soft　voice　again　arose；　low　but　appealingly：



〃Vous　souffrez！　　Ah；　mon　Dieu！　　Peuton　vous　secourir？　　Moi…meme

mes　prieres　pourraient　elles　interceder　pour　vous？　　Je　supplierai

le　ciel　de　prendre　en　pitie　l'ame　de　mon　ancetre。　　Monsieur　le　Cure

est　la；je　lui　parlerai。　　Lui　et　ma　mere　vous　viendront　en　aide。〃



She　clasped　her　hands　appealingly　before　him。



Dick　stood　bewildered；　hopeless；　mystified；　he　had　not　understood　a

word；　he　could　not　say　a　word。　　For　an　instant　he　had　a　wild　idea

of　seizing　her　hand　and　leading　her　to　his　helpless　horse；　and　then

came　what　he　believed　was　his　salvation；a　sudden　flash　of

recollection　that　he　had　seen　the　word　he　wanted；　the　one　word　that

would　explain　all；　in　a　placarded　notice　at　the　Cirque　of　a

bracelet　that　had　been　LOST；yes；　the　single　word　〃PERDU。〃　　He

made　a　step　towards　her；　and　in　a　voice　almost　as　faint　as　her　own；

stammered；　〃PERDU！〃



With　a　little　cry；　that　was　more　like　a　sigh　than　an　outcry；　the

girl's　arms　fell　to　her　side；　she　took　a　step　backwards；　reeled；

and　fainted　away。



Dick　caught　her　as　she　fell。　　What　had　he　said！but；　more　than

all；　what　should　he　do　now？　　He　could　not　leave　her　alone　and

helpless；yet　how　could　he　justify　another　disconcerting

intrusion？　　He　touched　her　hands；　they　were　cold　and　lifeless；　her

eyes　were　half　closed；　her　face　as　pale　and　drooping　as　her　lily。

Well；　he　must　brave　the　worst　now；　and　carry　her　to　the　house；　even

at　the　risk　of　meeting　the　others　and　terrifying　them　as　he　had

her。　　He　caught　her　up；he　scarcely　felt　her　weight　against　his

breast　and　shoulder；and　ran　hurriedly　down　the　slope　to　the

terrace；　which　was　still　deserted。　　If　he　had　time　to　place　her　on

some　bench　beside　the　window　within　their　reach；　he　might　still　fly

undiscovered！　　But　as　he　panted　up　the　steps　of　the　terrace　with

his　burden；　he　saw　that　the　French　window　was　still　open；　but　the

light　seemed　to　have　been　extinguished。　　It　would　be　safer　for　her

if　he　could　place　her　INSIDE　the　house；if　he　but　dared　to　enter。

He　was　desperate；　and　he　dared！



He　found　himself　alone；　in　a　long　salon　of　rich　but　faded　white　and

gold　hangings；　lit　at　the　further　end　by　two　tall　candles　on　either

side　of　the　high　marble　mantel；　whose　rays；　however；　scarcely

reached　the　window　where　he　had　entered。　　He　laid　his　burden　on　a

high…backed　sofa。　　In　so　doing；　the　rose　fell　from　her　belt。　　He

picked　it　up；　put　it　in　his　breast；　and　turned　to　go。　　But　he　was

arrested　by　a　voice　from　the　terrace：



〃Renee！〃



It　was　the　voice　of　the　elderly　lady；　who；　with　the　Cure　at　her

side；　had　just　appeared　from　the　rear　of　the　house；　and　from　the

further　end　of　the　terrace　was　looking　towards　the　garden　in　search

of　the　young　girl。　　His　escape　in　that　way　was　cut　off。　　To　add　to

his　dismay；　the　young　girl；　perhaps　roused　by　her　mother's　voice；

was　beginning　to　show　signs　of　recovering　consciousness。　　Dick

looked　quickly　around　him。　　There　was　an　open　door；　opposite　the

window；　leading　to　a　hall　which；　no　doubt；　offered　some　exit　on　the

other　side　of　the　house。　　It　was　his　only　remaining　chance！　　He

darted　through　it；　closed　it　behind　him；　and　found　himself　at　the

end　of　a　long　hall　or　picture…gallery；　strangely　illuminated

through　high　windows；　reaching　nearly　to　the　roof；　by　the　moon；

which　on　that　side　of　the　building　threw　nearly　level　bars　of　light

and　shadows　across　the　floor　and　the　quaint　portraits　on　the　wall。



But　to　his　delight　he　could　see　at　the　other　end　a　narrow；　lance…

shaped　open　postern　door　showing　the　moonlit　pavement　without

evidently　the　door　through　which　the　mother　and　the　Cure　had　just

passed　out。　　He　ran　rapidly　towards　it。　　As　he　did　so　he　heard　the

hurried　ringing　of　bells　and　voices　in　the　room　he　had　quittedthe

young　girl　had　evidently　been　discoveredand　this　would　give　him

time。　　He　had　nearly　reached　the　door；　when　he　stopped　suddenly

his　blood　chilled　with　awe！　　It　was　his　turn　to　be　terrifiedhe

was　standing；　apparently；　before　HIMSELF！



His　first　recovering　thought　was　that　it　was　a　mirrorso　accurately

was　every　line　and　detail　of　his　face　and　figure　reflected。　　But　a

second　scrutiny　showed　some　discrepancies　of　costume；　and　he　saw　it

was　a　panelled　portrait　on　the　wall。　　It　was　of　a　man　of　his　own

age；　height；　beard；　complexion；　and　features；　with　long　curls　like

his　own；　falling　over　a　lace　Van　Dyke　collar；　which；　however；　again

simulated　the　appearance　of　his　own　hunting…shirt。　　The　broad…

brimmed　hat　in　the　picture；　whose　drooping　plume　was　lost　in　shadow；

was　scarcely　different　from　Dick's　sombrero。　But　the　likeness　of　the

face　to　Dick　was　marvelousconvincing！　　As　he　gazed　at　it；　the

wicked　black　eyes　seemed　to　flash　and　kindle　at　his　own；its　lip

curled　with　Dick's　own　sardonic　humor！



He　was　recalled　to　himself　by　a　step　in　the　gallery。　　It　was　the

Cure　who　had　entered　hastily；　evidently　in　search　of　one　of　the

servants。　　Partly　because　it　was　a　man　and　not　a　woman；　partly　from

a　feeling　of　bravadoand　partly　from　a　strange　sense；　excited　by

the　picture；　that　he　had　some　claim　to　be　there；　he　turned　and

faced　the　pale　priest　with　a　slight　dash　of　impatient　devilry　that

would　have　done　credit　to　the　portrait。　　But　he　was　sorry　for　it

the　next　moment！



The　priest；　looking　up　suddenly；　discovered　what　seemed　to　him　to

be　the　portrait　standing　before　its　own　frame　and　glaring　at　him。

Throwing　up　his　hands　with　an　averted　head　and　an　〃EXORCIS！〃　he

wheeled　and　scuffled　away。　　Dick　seized　the　opportunity；　darted

through　the　narrow　door　on　to　the　rear　terrace；　and　ran；　under

cover　of　the　shadow　of　the　house；　to　the　steps　into　the　garden。

Luckily　for　him；　this　new　and　unexpected　diversion　occupied　the

inmates　too　much　with　what　was　going　on　in　the　house　to　give　them

time　to　search　outside。　　Dick　reached　the　lilac　hedge；　tore　up　the

hill；　and　in　a　few　moments　threw　himself；　panting；　on　his　blanket。

In　the　single　look　he　had　cast　behind；　he　had　seen　that　the　half…

dark　salon　was　now　brilliantly　lightedwhere　no　doubt　the　whole

terrified　household　was　now　assembled。　　He　had　no　fear　of　being

followed；　since　his　confrontation　with　his　own　likeness　in　the

mysterious　portrait；　he　understood　everything。　　The　apparently

supernatural　character　of　his　visitation　was　made　plain；　his

ruffled　vanity　was　soothedhis　vindication　was　complete。　　He

laughed　to　himself　and　rolled　about；　until　in　his　suppressed

merriment　the　rose　fell　from　his　bosom；　andhe　stopped！　　Its

freshness　and　fragrance　recalled　the　innocent　young　girl　he　had

frightened。　　He　remembered　her　gentle；　pleading　voice；　and　his

cheek　flushed。　　Well；　he　had　done　the　best　he　could　in　bringing　her

back　to　the　houseat　the　risk　of　being　taken　for　a　burglarand

she　was　safe　now！　　If　that　stupid