john ingerfield and other stories-第6部分

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outstretched　towards　the　blaze；　yet　he　still　shivers。



Twilight　fills　the　room　and　deepens　into　dusk。　　He　wonders　listlessly

how　it　is　that　Time　seems　to　be　moving　with　such　swift　strides。

After　a　while　he　hears　a　voice　close　to　him；　speaking　in　a　slow；

monotonous　tonea　voice　curiously　familiar　to　him；　though　he　cannot

tell　to　whom　it　belongs。　　He　does　not　turn　his　head；　but　sits

listening　to　it　drowsily。　　It　is　talking　about　tallow：　　one　hundred

and　ninety…four　casks　of　tallow；　and　they　must　all　stand　one　inside

the　other。　　It　cannot　be　done；　the　voice　complains　pathetically。

They　will　not　go　inside　each　other。　　It　is　no　good　pushing　them。

See！　they　only　roll　out　again。



The　voice　grows　wearily　fretful。　　Oh！　why　do　they　persist　when　they

see　it　is　impossible？　　What　fools　they　all　are！



Suddenly　he　recollects　the　voice；　and　starts　up　and　stares　wildly

about　him；　trying　to　remember　where　he　is。　　With　a　fierce　straining

of　his　will　he　grips　the　brain　that　is　slipping　away　from　him；　and

holds　it。　　As　soon　as　he　feels　sure　of　himself　he　steals　out　of　the

room　and　down　the　stairs。



In　the　hall　he　stands　listening；　the　house　is　very　silent。　　He　goes

to　the　head　of　the　stairs　leading　to　the　kitchen　and　calls　softly　to

the　old　housekeeper；　and　she　comes　up　to　him；　panting　and　grunting　as

she　climbs　each　step。　　Keeping　some　distance　from　her；　he　asks　in　a

whisper　where　Anne　is。　　The　woman　answers　that　she　is　in　the

hospital。



〃Tell　her　I　have　been　called　away　suddenly　on　business；〃　he　says；

speaking　in　quick；　low　tones：　　〃I　shall　be　away　for　some　days。　　Tell

her　to　leave　here　and　return　home　immediately。　　They　can　do　without

her　here　now。　　Tell　her　to　go　back　home　at　once。　　I　will　join　her

there。〃



He　moves　toward　the　door　but　stops　and　faces　round　again。



〃Tell　her　I　beg　and　entreat　her　not　to　stop　in　this　place　an　hour

longer。　　There　is　nothing　to　keep　her　now。　　It　is　all　over：　　there　is

nothing　that　cannot　be　done　by　any　one。　　Tell　her　she　must　go　home

this　very　night。　　Tell　her　if　she　loves　me　to　leave　this　place　at

once。〃



The　woman；　a　little　bewildered　by　his　vehemence；　promises；　and

disappears　down　the　stairs。　　He　takes　his　hat　and　cloak　from　the

chair　on　which　he　had　thrown　them；　and　turns　once　more　to　cross　the

hall。　　As　he　does　so；　the　door　opens　and　Anne　enters。



He　darts　back　into　the　shadow；　squeezing　himself　against　the　wall。

Anne　calls　to　him　laughingly；　then；　as　he　does　not　answer；　with　a

frightened　accent：



〃John；John；　dear。　　Was　not　that　you？　　Are　not　you　there？〃



He　holds　his　breath；　and　crouches　still　closer　into　the　dark　corner；

and　Anne；　thinking　she　must　have　been　mistaken　in　the　dim　light；

passes　him　and　goes　upstairs。



Then　he　creeps　stealthily　to　the　door；　lets　himself　out　and　closes　it

softly　behind　him。



After　the　lapse　of　a　few　minutes　the　old　housekeeper　plods　upstairs

and　delivers　John's　message。　　Anne；　finding　it　altogether

incomprehensible；　subjects　the　poor　dame　to　severe　examination；　but

fails　to　elicit　anything　further。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？　　What

〃business〃　can　have　compelled　John；　who　for　ten　weeks　has　never　let

the　word　escape　his　lips；　to　leave　her　like　thiswithout　a　word！

without　a　kiss！　　Then　suddenly　she　remembers　the　incident　of　a　few

moments　ago；　when　she　had　called　to　him；　thinking　she　saw　him；　and　he

did　not　answer；　and　the　whole　truth　strikes　her　full　in　the　heart。



She　refastens　the　bonnet…strings　she　has　been　slowly　untying；　and

goes　down　and　out　into　the　wet　street。



She　makes　her　way　rapidly　to　the　house　of　the　only　doctor　resident　in

the　neighbourhooda　big；　brusque…mannered　man；　who　throughout　these

terrible　two　months　has　been　their　chief　stay　and　help。　　He　meets　her

on　her　entrance　with　an　embarrassed　air　that　tells　its　own　tale；　and

at　once　renders　futile　his　clumsy　attempts　at　acting



How　should　he　know　where　John　is？　　Who　told　her　John　had　the　fevera

great；　strong；　hulking　fellow　like　that？　　She　has　been　working　too

hard；　and　has　got　fever　on　the　brain。　　She　must　go　straight　back

home；　or　she　will　be　having　it　herself。　　She　is　more　likely　to　take

it　than　John。



Anne；　waiting　till　he　has　finished　jerking　out　sentences　while

stamping　up　and　down　the　room；　says　gently；　taking　no　notice　of　his

denials；〃If　you　will　not　tell　me　I　must　find　out　from　some　one

elsethat　is　all。〃　　Then；　her　quick　eyes　noting　his　momentary

hesitation；　she　lays　her　little　hand　on　his　rough　paw；　and；　with　the

shamelessness　of　a　woman　who　loves　deeply；　wheedles　everything　out　of

him　that　he　has　promised　to　keep　secret。



He　stops　her；　however；　as　she　is　leaving　the　room。　　〃Don't　go　in　to

him　now；〃　he　says；　〃he　will　worry　about　you。　　Wait　till　to…morrow。〃



So；　while　John　lies　counting　endless　casks　of　tallow；　Anne　sits　by

his　side；　tending　her　last　〃case。〃



Often　in　his　delirium　he　calls　her　name；　and　she　takes　his　fevered

hand　in　hers　and　holds　it；　and　he　falls　asleep。



Each　morning　the　doctor　comes　and　looks　at　him；　asks　a　few　questions

and　gives　a　few　commonplace　directions；　but　makes　no　comment。　　It

would　be　idle　his　attempting　to　deceive　her。



The　days　move　slowly　through　the　darkened　room。　　Anne　watches　his

thin　hands　grow　thinner；　his　sunken　eyes　grow　bigger；　yet　remains

strangely　calm；　almost　contented。



Very　near　the　end　there　comes　an　hour　when　John　wakes　as　from　a

dream；　and　remembers　all　things　clearly。



He　looks　at　her　half　gratefully；　half　reproachfully。



〃Anne；　why　are　you　here？〃　he　asks；　in　a　low；　laboured　voice。　　〃Did

they　not　give　you　my　message？〃



For　answer　she　turns　her　deep　eyes　upon　him。



〃Would　you　have　gone　away　and　left　me　here　to　die？〃　she　questions

him；　with　a　faint　smile。



She　bends　her　head　down　nearer　to　him；　so　that　her　soft　hair　falls

about　his　face。



〃Our　lives　were　one；　dear；〃　she　whispers　to　him。　　〃I　could　not　have

lived　without　you；　God　knew　that。　　We　shall　be　together　always。〃



She　kisses　him；　and　laying　his　head　upon　her　breast；　softly　strokes

it　as　she　might　a　child's；　and　he　puts　his　weak　arms　around　her。



Later　on　she　feels　them　growing　cold　about　her；　and　lays　him　gently

back　upon　the　bed；　looks　for　the　last　time　into　his　eyes；　then　draws

the　lids　down　over　them。



His　people　ask　that　they　may　bury　him　in　the　churchyard　hard　by；　so

that　he　may　always　be　among　them；　and；　Anne　consenting；　they　do　all

things　needful　with　their　own　hands；　wishful　that　no　unloving　labour

may　be　mingled　with　their　work。　　They　lay　him　close　to　the　porch；

where；　going　in　and　out　the　church；　their　feet　will　pass　near　to　him；

and　one　among　them　who　is　cunning　with　the　graver's　chisel　shapes　the

stone。



At　the　head　he　carves　in　bas…relief　the　figure　of　the　good　Samaritan

tending　the　brother　fallen　by　the　way；　and　underneath　the　letters；

〃In　Remembrance　of　John　Ingerfield。〃



He　thinks　to　put　a　verse　of　Scripture　immediately　after；　but　the

gruff　doctor　says；　〃Better　leave　a　space；　in　case　you　want　to　add

another　name。〃



So　the　stone　remains　a　little　while　unfinished；　till　the　same　hand

carves　thereon；　a　few　weeks　later；　〃And　of　Anne；　his　Wife。〃









THE　WOMAN　OF　THE　SAETER。







Wild…reindeer　stalking　is　hardly　so　exciting　a　sport　as　the　evening's

verandah　talk　in　Norroway　hotels　would　lead　the　trustful　traveller　to

suppose。　　Under　the　charge　of　your　guide；　a　very　young　man　with　the

dreamy；　wistful　eyes　of　those　who　live　in　valleys；　you　leave　the

farmstead　early　in　the　forenoon；　arriving　towards　twilight　at　the

desolate　hut　which；　for　so　long　as　you　remain　upon　the　uplands；　will

be　your　somewhat　cheerless　headquarters。



Next　morning；　in　the　chill；　mist…laden　dawn；　you　rise；　and；　after　a

breakfast　of　coffee　and　dried　fish；　shoulder　your　Remington；　and　step

forth　silently　into　the　raw；　damp　air；　the　guide　locking　the　door

behind　you；　the　key　grating　harshly　in　the　rusty　lock。



For　hour　after　hour　you　toil　over　the　steep；　stony　ground；　or　wind

through　the　pines；　speaking　in　whispers；　lest　your　voice　reach　the

quick　ears　of　your　prey；　that　keeps　its　head　ever　pressed　against　the

wind。　　Here　and　there；　in　the　hollows　of　the　hills　lie　wide　fields　of

snow；　over　which　you　pick　your　steps　thoughtfully；　listening　to　the

smothered　thunder　of　the　torrent；　tunnelling　its　way　beneath　your

feet；　and　wondering　whether　the　frozen　arch　above　it　be　at　all　points

as　firm　as　is　desirable。　　Now　and　again；　as　in　single　file　you　walk

cautiously　along　some　jagged　ridge；　you　catch　glimpses　of　the　green

world；　three　thousand　feet　below　you；　though　you　gaze　not　long　upon

the　view；　for　your　attention　is　chiefly　directed　to　watching　the

footprints　of　the　guide；　lest　by　deviating　to　the　right　or　left　you

find　yourself　at　one　stride　back　in　the　valleyor；　to　be　more

correct；　are　found　there。



These　things　you　do；　and　as　exercise　they　are　healthful　and

invigorating。　　But　a　reindeer　you　never　see；　and　unless；　overcoming

the　prejudices　of　your　British…bred　conscience；　you　care　to　take　an

occasional　pop　at　a　fox；　you　had　better　have　left　your　rifle　at　the

hut；　and；　instead；　have　brought　a　stick　which　would　have　been

helpful。　　Notwithstanding　which　the　guide　continues　sanguine；　and　in

broken　English；　helped　out　by　stirring　gesture；　tells　of　the　terrible

slaughter　generally　done　by　sportsmen　under　his　superintendence；　and

of　the　vast　herds　that　generally　infest　these　fields；　and　when　you

grow　sceptical　upon　the　subject　of　Reins　he　whispers　alluringly　of

Bears。



Once　in　a　way　you　will　come　across　a　track；　and　will　follow　it

breathlessly　for　hours；　and　it　will　lead　to　a　sheer　precipice。

Whether　the　explanation　is　suicide；　or　a　reprehensible　tendency　on

the　part　of　the　animal　towards　practical　joking；　you　are　left　to

decide　for　yourself。　　Then；　with　many　rough　miles　between　you　and

your　rest；　you　abandon　the　chase。



But　I　speak　from　p