the turn of the screw-第7部分

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〃The　children？〃



〃I　can't　leave　them　now。〃



〃You're　afraid？〃



I　spoke　boldly。　　〃I'm　afraid　of　HIM。〃



Mrs。　Grose's　large　face　showed　me；　at　this；　for　the　first　time；

the　faraway　faint　glimmer　of　a　consciousness　more　acute：

I　somehow　made　out　in　it　the　delayed　dawn　of　an　idea　I　myself

had　not　given　her　and　that　was　as　yet　quite　obscure　to　me。

It　comes　back　to　me　that　I　thought　instantly　of　this

as　something　I　could　get　from　her；　and　I　felt　it　to　be

connected　with　the　desire　she　presently　showed　to　know　more。

〃When　was　iton　the　tower？〃



〃About　the　middle　of　the　month。　　At　this　same　hour。〃



〃Almost　at　dark；〃　said　Mrs。　Grose。



〃Oh；　no；　not　nearly。　　I　saw　him　as　I　see　you。〃



〃Then　how　did　he　get　in？〃



〃And　how　did　he　get　out？〃　　I　laughed。　　〃I　had　no　opportunity　to　ask　him！

This　evening；　you　see；〃　I　pursued；　〃he　has　not　been　able　to　get　in。〃



〃He　only　peeps？〃



〃I　hope　it　will　be　confined　to　that！〃　　She　had　now　let　go　my　hand；

she　turned　away　a　little。　　I　waited　an　instant；　then　I　brought　out：

〃Go　to　church。　　Goodbye。　　I　must　watch。〃



Slowly　she　faced　me　again。　　〃Do　you　fear　for　them？〃



We　met　in　another　long　look。　　〃Don't　YOU？〃　　Instead　of　answering　she　came

nearer　to　the　window　and；　for　a　minute；　applied　her　face　to　the　glass。

〃You　see　how　he　could　see；〃　I　meanwhile　went　on。



She　didn't　move。　　〃How　long　was　he　here？〃



〃Till　I　came　out。　　I　came　to　meet　him。〃



Mrs。　Grose　at　last　turned　round；　and　there　was　still　more　in　her　face。

〃_I_　couldn't　have　come　out。〃



〃Neither　could　I！〃　　I　laughed　again。　　〃But　I　did　come。

I　have　my　duty。〃



〃So　have　I　mine；〃　she　replied；　after　which　she　added：

〃What　is　he　like？〃



〃I've　been　dying　to　tell　you。　　But　he's　like　nobody。〃



〃Nobody？〃　she　echoed。



〃He　has　no　hat。〃　　Then　seeing　in　her　face　that　she　already；

in　this；　with　a　deeper　dismay；　found　a　touch　of　picture；

I　quickly　added　stroke　to　stroke。　　〃He　has　red　hair；　very　red；

close…curling；　and　a　pale　face；　long　in　shape；　with　straight；

good　features　and　little；　rather　queer　whiskers　that　are　as　red

as　his　hair。　　His　eyebrows　are；　somehow；　darker；　they　look

particularly　arched　and　as　if　they　might　move　a　good　deal。

His　eyes　are　sharp；　strangeawfully；　but　I　only　know　clearly

that　they're　rather　small　and　very　fixed。　　His　mouth's　wide；

and　his　lips　are　thin；　and　except　for　his　little　whiskers　he's

quite　clean…shaven。　He　gives　me　a　sort　of　sense　of　looking

like　an　actor。〃



〃An　actor！〃　　It　was　impossible　to　resemble　one　less；　at　least；

than　Mrs。　Grose　at　that　moment。



〃I've　never　seen　one；　but　so　I　suppose　them。　　He's　tall；　active；　erect；〃

I　continued；　〃but　neverno；　never！a　gentleman。〃



My　companion's　face　had　blanched　as　I　went　on；　her　round

eyes　started　and　her　mild　mouth　gaped。　　〃A　gentleman？〃

she　gasped；　confounded；　stupefied：　　〃a　gentleman　HE？〃



〃You　know　him　then？〃



She　visibly　tried　to　hold　herself。　　〃But　he　IS　handsome？〃



I　saw　the　way　to　help　her。　　〃Remarkably！〃



〃And　dressed？〃



〃In　somebody's　clothes。　　〃They're　smart；　but　they're　not　his　own。〃



She　broke　into　a　breathless　affirmative　groan：　　〃They're　the　master's！〃



I　caught　it　up。　　〃You　DO　know　him？〃



She　faltered　but　a　second。　　〃Quint！〃　she　cried。



〃Quint？〃



〃Peter　Quinthis　own　man；　his　valet；　when　he　was　here！〃



〃When　the　master　was？〃



Gaping　still；　but　meeting　me；　she　pieced　it　all　together。

〃He　never　wore　his　hat；　but　he　did　wearwell；　there　were

waistcoats　missed。　　They　were　both　herelast　year。

Then　the　master　went；　and　Quint　was　alone。〃



I　followed；　but　halting　a　little。　　〃Alone？〃



〃Alone　with　US。〃　　Then；　as　from　a　deeper　depth；　〃In　charge；〃　she　added。



〃And　what　became　of　him？〃



She　hung　fire　so　long　that　I　was　still　more　mystified。

〃He　went；　too；〃　she　brought　out　at　last。



〃Went　where？〃



Her　expression；　at　this；　became　extraordinary。　　〃God　knows　where！

He　died。〃



〃Died？〃　　I　almost　shrieked。



She　seemed　fairly　to　square　herself；　plant　herself　more　firmly　to　utter

the　wonder　of　it。　　〃Yes。　　Mr。　Quint　is　dead。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VI





It　took　of　course　more　than　that　particular　passage　to　place　us

together　in　presence　of　what　we　had　now　to　live　with　as　we　could

my　dreadful　liability　to　impressions　of　the　order　so　vividly

exemplified；　and　my　companion's　knowledge；　hencefortha　knowledge

half　consternation　and　half　compassionof　that　liability。

There　had　been；　this　evening；　after　the　revelation　left　me；

for　an　hour；　so　prostratethere　had　been；　for　either　of　us；

no　attendance　on　any　service　but　a　little　service　of　tears　and　vows；

of　prayers　and　promises；　a　climax　to　the　series　of　mutual　challenges

and　pledges　that　had　straightway　ensued　on　our　retreating　together　to

the　schoolroom　and　shutting　ourselves　up　there　to　have　everything　out。

The　result　of　our　having　everything　out　was　simply　to　reduce

our　situation　to　the　last　rigor　of　its　elements。　　She　herself　had

seen　nothing；　not　the　shadow　of　a　shadow；　and　nobody　in　the　house

but　the　governess　was　in　the　governess's　plight；　yet　she　accepted

without　directly　impugning　my　sanity　the　truth　as　I　gave　it　to　her；

and　ended　by　showing　me；　on　this　ground；　an　awestricken　tenderness；

an　expression　of　the　sense　of　my　more　than　questionable　privilege；

of　which　the　very　breath　has　remained　with　me　as　that　of　the　sweetest

of　human　charities。



What　was　settled　between　us；　accordingly；　that　night；　was　that　we

thought　we　might　bear　things　together；　and　I　was　not　even　sure　that；

in　spite　of　her　exemption；　it　was　she　who　had　the　best　of　the　burden。

I　knew　at　this　hour；　I　think；　as　well　as　I　knew　later；　what　I　was

capable　of　meeting　to　shelter　my　pupils；　but　it　took　me　some　time

to　be　wholly　sure　of　what　my　honest　ally　was　prepared　for　to　keep

terms　with　so　compromising　a　contract。　　I　was　queer　company　enough

quite　as　queer　as　the　company　I　received；　but　as　I　trace　over

what　we　went　through　I　see　how　much　common　ground　we　must　have

found　in　the　one　idea　that；　by　good　fortune；　COULD　steady　us。

It　was　the　idea；　the　second　movement；　that　led　me　straight　out；

as　I　may　say；　of　the　inner　chamber　of　my　dread。　　I　could　take

the　air　in　the　court；　at　least；　and　there　Mrs。　Grose　could　join　me。

Perfectly　can　I　recall　now　the　particular　way　strength　came　to　me

before　we　separated　for　the　night。　　We　had　gone　over　and　over　every

feature　of　what　I　had　seen。



〃He　was　looking　for　someone　else；　you　saysomeone　who　was　not　you？〃



〃He　was　looking　for　little　Miles。〃　　A　portentous　clearness　now　possessed　me。

〃THAT'S　whom　he　was　looking　for。〃



〃But　how　do　you　know？〃



〃I　know；　I　know；　I　know！〃　　My　exaltation　grew。　　〃And　YOU　know；　my　dear！〃



She　didn't　deny　this；　but　I　required；　I　felt；　not　even　so　much

telling　as　that。　　She　resumed　in　a　moment；　at　any　rate：

〃What　if　HE　should　see　him？〃



〃Little　Miles？　　That's　what　he　wants！〃



She　looked　immensely　scared　again。　　〃The　child？〃



〃Heaven　forbid！　　The　man。　　He　wants　to　appear　to　THEM。〃

That　he　might　was　an　awful　conception；　and　yet；　somehow；　I　could

keep　it　at　bay；　which；　moreover；　as　we　lingered　there；

was　what　I　succeeded　in　practically　proving。　　I　had　an　absolute

certainty　that　I　should　see　again　what　I　had　already　seen；

but　something　within　me　said　that　by　offering　myself　bravely

as　the　sole　subject　of　such　experience；　by　accepting；　by　inviting；

by　surmounting　it　all；　I　should　serve　as　an　expiatory　victim

and　guard　the　tranquility　of　my　companions。　　The　children；

in　especial；　I　should　thus　fence　about　and　absolutely　save。

I　recall　one　of　the　last　things　I　said　that　night　to　Mrs。　Grose。



〃It　does　strike　me　that　my　pupils　have　never　mentioned〃



She　looked　at　me　hard　as　I　musingly　pulled　up。　　〃His　having　been

here　and　the　time　they　were　with　him？〃



〃The　time　they　were　with　him；　and　his　name；　his　presence；　his　history；

in　any　way。〃



〃Oh；　the　little　lady　doesn't　remember。　　She　never　heard　or　knew。〃



〃The　circumstances　of　his　death？〃　　I　thought　with　some　intensity。

〃Perhaps　not。　　But　Miles　would　rememberMiles　would　know。〃



〃Ah；　don't　try　him！〃　broke　from　Mrs。　Grose。



I　returned　her　the　look　she　had　given　me。　　〃Don't　be　afraid。〃

I　continued　to　think。　　〃It　IS　rather　odd。〃



〃That　he　has　never　spoken　of　him？〃



〃Never　by　the　least　allusion。　　And　you　tell　me　they　were　‘great　friends'？〃



〃Oh；　it　wasn't　HIM！〃　Mrs。　Grose　with　emphasis　declared。

〃It　was　Quint's　own　fancy。　　To　play　with　him；　I　mean

to　spoil　him。〃　　She　paused　a　moment；　then　she　added：

〃Quint　was　much　too　free。〃



This　gave　me；　straight　from　my　vision　of　his　faceSUCH　a　face！

a　sudden　sickness　of　disgust。　　〃Too　free　with　MY　boy？〃



〃Too　free　with　everyone！〃



I　forbore；　for　the　moment；　to　analyze　this　description　further　than

by　the　reflection　that　a　part　of　it　applied　to　several　of　the　members

of　the　household；　of　the　half…dozen　maids　and　men　who　were　still

of　our　small　colony。　　But　there　was　everything；　for　our　apprehension；

in　the　lucky　fact　that　no　discomfortable　legend；　no　perturbation

of　scullions；　had　ever；　within　anyone's　memory　attached　to　the　kind

old　place。　　It　had　neither　bad　name　nor　ill　fame；　and　Mrs。　Grose；

most　apparently；　only　desired　to　cling　to　me　and　to　quake　in　silence。

I　even　put　her；　the　very　last　thing　of　all；　to　the　test。　　It　was　when；

at　midnight；　she　had　her　hand　on　the　schoolroom　door　to　take　leave。

〃I　have　it　from　you　thenfor　it's　of　great　importancethat　he　was

definitely　and　admittedly　bad？〃



〃Oh；　not　admittedly。　　_I_　knew　itbut　the　master　didn't。〃



〃And　you　never　told　him？〃



〃Well；　he　didn't　like　tale…bearinghe　hated　complaints。

He　was　terribly　short　with　anything　of　that　kind；　and　if　people

were　all　right　to　HIM〃



〃He　wouldn't　be　bothered　with　more？〃　　This　squared　well　enough

with　my　impressions　of　him：　　he　was　not　a　trouble…lov