the doom of the griffiths-第6部分

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inarticulate　with　fury。



Nestwho　had　been　pale　and　still　as　marble　during　this　terrible

dialogue；　looking　on　and　listening　as　if　fascinated　by　the　words　that

smote　her　heartopened　her　arms　to　receive　and　cherish　her　precious

babe；　but　the　boy　was　not　destined　to　reach　the　white　refuge　of　her

breast。　　The　furious　action　of　the　Squire　had　been　almost　without

aim；　and　the　infant　fell　against　the　sharp　edge　of　the　dresser　down

on　to　the　stone　floor。



Owen　sprang　up　to　take　the　child；　but　he　lay　so　still；　so　motionless；

that　the　awe　of　death　came　over　the　father；　and　he　stooped　down　to

gaze　more　closely。　　At　that　moment；　the　upturned；　filmy　eyes　rolled

convulsivelya　spasm　passed　along　the　bodyand　the　lips；　yet　warm

with　kissing；　quivered　into　everlasting　rest。



A　word　from　her　husband　told　Nest　all。　　She　slid　down　from　her　seat；

and　lay　by　her　little　son　as　corpse…like　as　he；　unheeding　all　the

agonizing　endearments　and　passionate　adjurations　of　her　husband。　　And

that　poor；　desolate　husband　and　father！　　Scarce　one　little　quarter　of

an　hour；　and　he　had　been　so　blessed　in　his　consciousness　of　love！　the

bright　promise　of　many　years　on　his　infant's　face；　and　the　new；　fresh

soul　beaming　forth　in　its　awakened　intelligence。　　And　there　it　was；

the　little　clay　image；　that　would　never　more　gladden　up　at　the　sight

of　him；　nor　stretch　forth　to　meet　his　embrace；　whose　inarticulate；

yet　most　eloquent　cooings　might　haunt　him　in　his　dreams；　but　would

never　more　be　heard　in　waking　life　again！　　And　by　the　dead　babe；

almost　as　utterly　insensate；　the　poor　mother　had　fallen　in　a　merciful

faintthe　slandered；　heart…pierced　Nest！　　Owen　struggled　against　the

sickness　that　came　over　him；　and　busied　himself　in　vain　attempts　at

her　restoration。



It　was　now　near　noon…day；　and　Ellis　Pritchard　came　home；　little

dreaming　of　the　sight　that　awaited　him；　but　though　stunned；　he　was

able　to　take　more　effectual　measures　for　his　poor　daughter's　recovery

than　Owen　had　done。



By…and…by　she　showed　symptoms　of　returning　sense；　and　was　placed　in

her　own　little　bed　in　a　darkened　room；　where；　without　ever　waking　to

complete　consciousness；　she　fell　asleep。　　Then　it　was　that　her

husband；　suffocated　by　pressure　of　miserable　thought；　gently　drew　his

hand　from　her　tightened　clasp；　and　printing　one　long　soft　kiss　on　her

white　waxen　forehead；　hastily　stole　out　of　the　room；　and　out　of　the

house。



Near　the　base　of　Moel　Gestit　might　be　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　Ty

Glaswas　a　little　neglected　solitary　copse；　wild　and　tangled　with

the　trailing　branches　of　the　dog…rose　and　the　tendrils　of　the　white

bryony。　　Toward　the　middle　of　this　thicket　a　deep　crystal　poola

clear　mirror　for　the　blue　heavens　aboveand　round　the　margin　floated

the　broad　green　leaves　of　the　water…lily；　and　when　the　regal　sun

shone　down　in　his　noonday　glory　the　flowers　arose　from　their　cool

depths　to　welcome　and　greet　him。　　The　copse　was　musical　with　many

sounds；　the　warbling　of　birds　rejoicing　in　its　shades；　the　ceaseless

hum　of　the　insects　that　hovered　over　the　pool；　the　chime　of　the

distant　waterfall；　the　occasional　bleating　of　the　sheep　from　the

mountaintop；　were　all　blended　into　the　delicious　harmony　of　nature。



It　had　been　one　of　Owen's　favourite　resorts　when　he　had　been　a　lonely

wanderera　pilgrim　in　search　of　love　in　the　years　gone　by。　　And

thither　he　went；　as　if　by　instinct；　when　he　left　Ty　Glas；　quelling

the　uprising　agony　till　he　should　reach　that　little　solitary　spot。



It　was　the　time　of　day　when　a　change　in　the　aspect　of　the　weather　so

frequently　takes　place；　and　the　little　pool　was　no　longer　the

reflection　of　a　blue　and　sunny　sky：　　it　sent　back　the　dark　and　slaty

clouds　above；　and；　every　now　and　then；　a　rough　gust　shook　the　painted

autumn　leaves　from　their　branches；　and　all　other　music　was　lost　in

the　sound　of　the　wild　winds　piping　down　from　the　moorlands；　which　lay

up　and　beyond　the　clefts　in　the　mountain…side。　　Presently　the　rain

came　on　and　beat　down　in　torrents。



But　Owen　heeded　it　not。　　He　sat　on　the　dank　ground；　his　face　buried

in　his　hands；　and　his　whole　strength；　physical　and　mental；　employed

in　quelling　the　rush　of　blood；　which　rose　and　boiled　and　gurgled　in

his　brain　as　if　it　would　madden　him。



The　phantom　of　his　dead　child　rose　ever　before　him；　and　seemed　to　cry

aloud　for　vengeance。　　And　when　the　poor　young　man　thought　upon　the

victim　whom　he　required　in　his　wild　longing　for　revenge；　he

shuddered；　for　it　was　his　father！



Again　and　again　he　tried　not　to　think；　but　still　the　circle　of

thought　came　round；　eddying　through　his　brain。　　At　length　he　mastered

his　passions；　and　they　were　calm；　then　he　forced　himself　to　arrange

some　plan　for　the　future。



He　had　not；　in　the　passionate　hurry　of　the　moment；　seen　that　his

father　had　left　the　cottage　before　he　was　aware　of　the　fatal　accident

that　befell　the　child。　　Owen　thought　he　had　seen　all；　and　once　he

planned　to　go　to　the　Squire　and　tell　him　of　the　anguish　of　heart　he

had　wrought；　and　awe　him；　as　it　were；　by　the　dignity　of　grief。　　But

then　again　he　durst　nothe　distrusted　his　self…controlthe　old

prophecy　rose　up　in　its　horrorhe　dreaded　his　doom。



At　last　he　determined　to　leave　his　father　for　ever；　to　take　Nest　to

some　distant　country　where　she　might　forget　her　firstborn；　and　where

he　himself　might　gain　a　livelihood　by　his　own　exertions。



But　when　he　tried　to　descend　to　the　various　little　arrangements　which

were　involved　in　the　execution　of　this　plan；　he　remembered　that　all

his　money　（and　in　this　respect　Squire　Griffiths　was　no　niggard）　was

locked　up　in　his　escritoire　at　Bodowen。　　In　vain　he　tried　to　do　away

with　this　matter…of…fact　difficulty；　go　to　Bodowen　he　must：　　and　his

only　hopenay　his　determinationwas　to　avoid　his　father。



He　rose　and　took　a　by…path　to　Bodowen。　　The　house　looked　even　more

gloomy　and　desolate　than　usual　in　the　heavy　down…pouring　rain；　yet

Owen　gazed　on　it　with　something　of　regretfor　sorrowful　as　his　days

in　it　had　been；　he　was　about　to　leave　it　for　many　many　years；　if　not

for　ever。　　He　entered　by　a　side　door　opening　into　a　passage　that　led

to　his　own　room；　where　he　kept　his　books；　his　guns；　his　fishing…

tackle；　his　writing　materials；　et　cetera。



Here　he　hurriedly　began　to　select　the　few　articles　he　intended　to

take；　for；　besides　the　dread　of　interruption；　he　was　feverishly

anxious　to　travel　far　that　very　night；　if　only　Nest　was　capable　of

performing　the　journey。　　As　he　was　thus　employed；　he　tried　to

conjecture　what　his　father's　feelings　would　be　on　finding　that　his

once…loved　son　was　gone　away　for　ever。　　Would　he　then　awaken　to

regret　for　the　conduct　which　had　driven　him　from　home；　and　bitterly

think　on　the　loving　and　caressing　boy　who　haunted　his　footsteps　in

former　days？　　Or；　alas！　would　he　only　feel　that　an　obstacle　to　his

daily　happinessto　his　contentment　with　his　wife；　and　his　strange；

doting　affection　for　the　childwas　taken　away？　　Would　they　make

merry　over　the　heir's　departure？　　Then　he　thought　of　Nestthe　young

childless　mother；　whose　heart　had　not　yet　realized　her　fulness　of

desolation。　　Poor　Nest！　so　loving　as　she　was；　so　devoted　to　her

childhow　should　he　console　her？　　He　pictured　her　away　in　a　strange

land；　pining　for　her　native　mountains；　and　refusing　to　be　comforted

because　her　child　was　not。



Even　this　thought　of　the　home…sickness　that　might　possibly　beset　Nest

hardly　made　him　hesitate　in　his　determination；　so　strongly　had　the

idea　taken　possession　of　him　that　only　by　putting　miles　and　leagues

between　him　and　his　father　could　he　avert　the　doom　which　seemed

blending　itself　with　the　very　purposes　of　his　life　as　long　as　he

stayed　in　proximity　with　the　slayer　of　his　child。



He　had　now　nearly　completed　his　hasty　work　of　preparation；　and　was

full　of　tender　thoughts　of　his　wife；　when　the　door　opened；　and　the

elfish　Robert　peered　in；　in　search　of　some　of　his　brother's

possessions。　　On　seeing　Owen　he　hesitated；　but　then　came　boldly

forward；　and　laid　his　hand　on　Owen's　arm；　saying；



〃Nesta　yr　buten！　　How　is　Nest　yr　buten？〃



He　looked　maliciously　into　Owen's　face　to　mark　the　effect　of　his

words；　but　was　terrified　at　the　expression　he　read　there。　　He　started

off　and　ran　to　the　door；　while　Owen　tried　to　check　himself；　saying

continually；　〃He　is　but　a　child。　　He　does　not　understand　the　meaning

of　what　he　says。　　He　is　but　a　child！〃　　Still　Robert；　now　in　fancied

security；　kept　calling　out　his　insulting　words；　and　Owen's　hand　was

on　his　gun；　grasping　it　as　if　to　restrain　his　rising　fury。



But　when　Robert　passed　on　daringly　to　mocking　words　relating　to　the

poor　dead　child；　Owen　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　before　the　boy　was

well　aware；　Owen　was　fiercely　holding　him　in　an　iron　clasp　with　one

hand；　while　he　struck　him　hard　with　the　other。



In　a　minute　he　checked　himself。　　He　paused；　relaxed　his　grasp；　and；

to　his　horror；　he　saw　Robert　sink　to　the　ground；　in　fact；　the　lad　was

half…stunned；　half…frightened；　and　thought　it　best　to　assume

insensibility。



Owenmiserable　Owenseeing　him　lie　there　prostrate；　was　bitterly

repentant；　and　would　have　dragged　him　to　the　carved　settle；　and　done

all　he　could　to　restore　him　to　his　senses；　but　at　this　instant　the

Squire　came　in。



Probably；　when　the　household　at　Bodowen　rose　that　morning；　there　was

but　one　among　them　ignorant　of　the　heir's　relation　to　Nest　Pritchard

and　her　child；　for　secret　as　he　tried　to　make　his　visits　to　Ty　Glas；

they　had　been　too　frequent　not　to　be　noticed；　and　Nest's　altered

conductno　longer　frequenting　dances　and　merry…makingswas　a

strongly　corroborative　circumstance。　　But　Mrs。　Griffiths'　influence

reigned　paramount；　if　unacknowledged；　at　Bodowen；　and　till　she

sanctioned　the　disclosure；　none　would　dare　to　tell　the　Squire。



Now；　however；　the　time　drew　near　when　it　suited　her　to　make　her

husband　aware　of　the　connection　his　son　had　formed；　so；　with　many

tears；　and　much　seeming