john ingerfield and other stories-第12部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



and　the　passion…worn　waters　were　still　heaving　with　the　memory　of　a

fury　that　was　dead。　　Old　Nick　had　scattered　his　marbles　far　and　wide；

and　there　were　rents　and　fissures　in　the　pebbly　wall　such　as　the

oldest　fisherman　had　never　known　before。　　Some　of　the　hugest　stones

lay　tossed　a　hundred　yards　away；　and　the　waters　had　dug　pits　here　and

there　along　the　ridge　so　deep　that　a　tall　man　might　stand　in　some　of

them；　and　yet　his　head　not　reach　the　level　of　the　sand。



Round　one　of　these　holes　a　small　crowd　was　pressing　eagerly；　while

one　man；　standing　in　the　hollow；　was　lifting　the　few　remaining　stones

off　something　that　lay　there　at　the　bottom。　　I　pushed　my　way　between

the　straggling　legs　of　a　big　fisher　lad；　and　peered　over　with　the

rest。　　A　ray　of　sunlight　streamed　down　into　the　pit；　and　the　thing　at

the　bottom　gleamed　white。　　Sprawling　there　among　the　black　pebbles　it

looked　like　a　huge　spider。　　One　by　one　the　last　stones　were　lifted

away；　and　the　thing　was　left　bare；　and　then　the　crowd　looked　at　one

another　and　shivered。



〃Wonder　how　he　got　there；〃　said　a　woman　at　length；　〃somebody　must　ha'

helped　him。〃



〃Some　foreign　chap；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　man　who　had　lifted　off　the

stones；　〃washed　ashore　and　buried　here　by　the　sea。〃



〃What；　six　foot　below　the　water…mark；　wi'　all　they　stones　atop　of

him？〃　said　another。



〃That's　no　foreign　chap；〃　cried　a　grizzled　old　woman；　pressing

forward。　　〃What's　that　that's　aside　him？〃



Some　one　jumped　down　and　took　it　from　the　stone　where　it　lay

glistening；　and　handed　it　up　to　her；　and　she　clutched　it　in　her

skinny　hand。　　It　was　a　gold　earring；　such　as　fishermen　sometimes

wear。　　But　this　was　a　somewhat　large　one；　and　of　rather　unusual

shape。



〃That's　young　Abram　Parsons；　I　tell　'ee；　as　lies　down　there；〃　cried

the　old　creature；　wildly。　　〃I　ought　to　know。　　I　gave　him　the　pair　o'

these　forty　year　ago。〃



It　may　be　only　an　idea　of　mine；　born　of　after　brooding　upon　the

scene。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　it　must　be　so；　for　I　was　only　a　child

at　the　time；　and　would　hardly　have　noticed　such　a　thing。　　But　it

seems　to　my　remembrance　that　as　the　old　crone　ceased；　another　woman

in　the　crowd　raised　her　eyes　slowly；　and　fixed　them　on　a　withered；

ancient　man；　who　leant　upon　a　stick；　and　that　for　a　moment；　unnoticed

by　the　rest；　these　two　stood　looking　strangely　at　each　other。



From　these　sea…scented　scenes；　my　memory　travels　to　a　weary　land

where　dead　ashes　lie；　and　there　is　blacknessblackness　everywhere。

Black　rivers　flow　between　black　banks；　black；　stunted　trees　grow　in

black　fields；　black　withered　flowers　by　black　wayside。　　Black　roads

lead　from　blackness　past　blackness　to　blackness；　and　along　them

trudge　black；　savage…looking　men　and　women；　and　by　them　black；　old…

looking　children　play　grim；　unchildish　games。



When　the　sun　shines　on　this　black　land；　it　glitters　black　and　hard；

and　when　the　rain　falls　a　black　mist　rises　towards　heaven；　like　the

hopeless　prayer　of　a　hopeless　soul。



By　night　it　is　less　dreary；　for　then　the　sky　gleams　with　a　lurid

light；　and　out　of　the　darkness　the　red　flames　leap；　and　high　up　in

the　air　they　gambol　and　writhethe　demon　spawn　of　that　evil　land；

they　seem。



Visitors　who　came　to　our　house　would　tell　strange　tales　of　this　black

land；　and　some　of　the　stories　I　am　inclined　to　think　were　true。　　One

man　said　he　saw　a　young　bull…dog　fly　at　a　boy　and　pin　him　by　the

throat。　　The　lad　jumped　about　with　much　sprightliness；　and　tried　to

knock　the　dog　away。　　Whereupon　the　boy's　father　rushed　out　of　the

house；　hard　by；　and　caught　his　son　and　heir　roughly　by　the　shoulder。

〃Keep　still；　thee　young　；　can't　'ee！〃　shouted　the　man　angrily；　〃let

'un　taste　blood。〃



Another　time；　I　heard　a　lady　tell　how　she　had　visited　a　cottage

during　a　strike；　to　find　the　baby；　together　with　the　other　children；

almost　dying　for　want　of　food。　　〃Dear；　dear　me！〃　she　cried；　taking

the　wee　wizened　mite　from　the　mother's　arms；　〃but　I　sent　you　down　a

quart　of　milk；　yesterday。　　Hasn't　the　child　had　it？〃



〃Theer　weer　a　little　coom；　thank　'ee　kindly；　ma'am；〃　the　father　took

upon　himself　to　answer；　〃but　thee　see　it　weer　only　just　enow　for　the

poops。〃



We　lived　in　a　big　lonely　house　on　the　edge　of　a　wide　common。　　One

night；　I　remember；　just　as　I　was　reluctantly　preparing　to　climb　into

bed；　there　came　a　wild　ringing　at　the　gate；　followed　by　a　hoarse；

shrieking　cry；　and　then　a　frenzied　shaking　of　the　iron　bars。



Then　hurrying　footsteps　sounded　through　the　house；　and　the　swift

opening　and　closing　of　doors；　and　I　slipped　back　hastily　into　my

knickerbockers　and　ran　out。　　The　women　folk　were　gathered　on　the

stairs；　while　my　father　stood　in　the　hall；　calling　to　them　to　be

quiet。　　And　still　the　wild　ringing　of　the　bell　continued；　and；　above

it；　the　hoarse；　shrieking　cry。



My　father　opened　the　door　and　went　out；　and　we　could　hear　him

striding　down　the　gravel　path；　and　we　clung　to　one　another　and

waited。



After　what　seemed　an　endless　time；　we　heard　the　heavy　gate　unbarred；

and　quickly　clanged　to；　and　footsteps　returning　on　the　gravel。　　Then

the　door　opened　again；　and　my　father　entered；　and　behind　him　a

crouching　figure　that　felt　its　way　with　its　hands　as　it　crept　along；

as　a　blind　man　might。　　The　figure　stood　up　when　it　reached　the　middle

of　the　hall；　and　mopped　its　eyes　with　a　dirty　rag　that　it　carried　in

its　hand；　after　which　it　held　the　rag　over　the　umbrella…stand　and

wrung　it　out；　as　washerwomen　wring　out　clothes；　and　the　dark

drippings　fell　into　the　tray　with　a　dull；　heavy　splut。



My　father　whispered　something　to　my　mother；　and　she　went　out　towards

the　back；　and；　in　a　little　while；　we　heard　the　stamping　of　hoofsthe

angry　plunge　of　a　spur…startled　horsethe　rhythmic　throb　of　the

long；　straight　gallop；　dying　away　into　the　distance。



My　mother　returned　and　spoke　some　reassuring　words　to　the　servants。

My　father；　having　made　fast　the　door　and　extinguished　all　but　one　or

two　of　the　lights；　had　gone　into　a　small　room　on　the　right　of　the

hall；　the　crouching　figure；　still　mopping　that　moisture　from　its

eyes；　following　him。　　We　could　hear　them　talking　there　in　low　tones；

my　father　questioning；　the　other　voice　thick　and　interspersed　with

short　panting　grunts。



We　on　the　stairs　huddled　closer　together；　and；　in　the　darkness；　I

felt　my　mother's　arm　steal　round　me　and　encompass　me；　so　that　I　was

not　afraid。　　Then　we　waited；　while　the　silence　round　our　frightened

whispers　thickened　and　grew　heavy　till　the　weight　of　it　seemed　to

hurt　us。



At　length；　out　of　its　depths；　there　crept　to　our　ears　a　faint　murmur。

It　gathered　strength　like　the　sound　of　the　oncoming　of　a　wave　upon　a

stony　shore；　until　it　broke　in　a　Babel　of　vehement　voices　just

outside。　　After　a　few　moments；　the　hubbub　ceased；　and　there　came　a

furious　ringingthen　angry　shouts　demanding　admittance。



Some　of　the　women　began　to　cry。　　My　father　came　out　into　the　hall；

closing　the　room　door　behind　him；　and　ordered　them　to　be　quiet；　so

sternly　that　they　were　stunned　into　silence。　　The　furious　ringing　was

repeated；　and；　this　time；　threats　mingled　among　the　hoarse　shouts。

My　mother's　arm　tightened　around　me；　and　I　could　hear　the　beating　of

her　heart。



The　voices　outside　the　gate　sank　into　a　low　confused　mumbling。　　Soon

they　died　away　altogether；　and　the　silence　flowed　back。




My　father　turned　up　the　hall　lamp；　and　stood　listening。



Suddenly；　from　the　back　of　the　house；　rose　the　noise　of　a　great

crashing；　followed　by　oaths　and　savage　laughter。



My　father　rushed　forward；　but　was　borne　back；　and；　in　an　instant；　the

hall　was　full　of　grim；　ferocious　faces。　　My　father；　trembling　a

little　（or　else　it　was　the　shadow　cast　by　the　flickering　lamp）；　and

with　lips　tight　pressed；　stood　confronting　them；　while　we　women　and

children；　too　scared　to　even　cry；　shrank　back　up　the　stairs。



What　followed　during　the　next　few　moments　is；　in　my　memory；　only　a

confused　tumult；　above　which　my　father's　high；　clear　tones　rise　every

now　and　again；　entreating；　arguing；　commanding。　　I　see　nothing

distinctly　until　one　of　the　grimmest　of　the　faces　thrusts　itself

before　the　others；　and　a　voice　which；　like　Aaron's　rod；　swallows　up

all　its　fellows；　says　in　deep；　determined　bass；　〃Coom；　we've　had　enow

chatter；　master。　　Thee　mun　give　'un　up；　or　thee　mun　get　out　o'　th'

way　an'　we'll　search　th'　house　for　oursel'。〃



Then　a　light　flashed　into　my　father's　eyes　that　kindled　something

inside　me；　so　that　the　fear　went　out　of　me；　and　I　struggled　to　free

myself　from　my　mother's　arm；　for　the　desire　stirred　me　to　fling

myself　down　upon　the　grimy　faces　below；　and　beat　and　stamp　upon　them

with　my　fists。　　Springing　across　the　hall；　he　snatched　from　the　wall

where　it　hung　an　ancient　club；　part　of　a　trophy　of　old　armour；　and

planting　his　back　against　the　door　through　which　they　would　have　to

pass；　he　shouted；　〃Then　be　damned　to　you　all；　he's　in　this　room！

Come　and　fetch　him　out。〃



（I　recollect　that　speech　well。　　I　puzzled　over　it；　even　at　that　time；

excited　though　I　was。　　I　had　always　been　told　that　only　low；　wicked

people　ever　used　the　word　〃damn；〃　and　I　tried　to　reconcile　things；

and　failed。）



The　men　drew　back　and　muttered　among　themselves。　　It　was　an　ugly…

looking　weapon；　studded　with　iron　spikes。　　My　father　held　it　secured

to　his　hand　by　a　chain；　and　there　was　an　ugly　look　about　him　also；

now；　that　gave　his　face　a　strange　likeness　to　the　dark　faces　round

him。



But　my　mother　grew　very　white　and　cold；　and　underneath　her　breath　she

kept　crying；　〃Oh；　will　they　never　comewill　they　never　come？〃　and　a

cricket　somewhere　about　the　house　began　to　chirp。



Then　all　at　once；　without　a　word；　my　mother　flew　down　the　stairs；　and

passed　like　a　flash　of　light　through　the　crowd　of　dusky　figures。　　How

she　did　it　I　could　never　understand；　for　the　two　heavy　bolts　had　both

been　drawn；　but　the　next　moment　the　door　stood　wide　open；