put yourself in his place-第31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！



〃Jael　Denceat　your　service。〃

〃Dence！　ah；　then　no　wonder　you　have　a　good　face：　a　Cairnhope　face。　My　child；　you　remind　me　of　days　gone　by。　　Come　and　see　me　again；　will　you？　　Then　I　shall　be　more　able　to　talk　to　you　quietly。〃

〃Ay；　that　I　will；　ma'am。〃　　And　Jael　colored　all　over　with　surprise；　and　such　undisguised　pleasure　that　Mrs。　Little　kissed　her　at　parting。

She　had　been　gone　a　considerable　time；　when　Henry　came　back；　he　found　his　mother　seated　at　the　table；　eying　his　masterpiece　with　stern　and　bitter　scrutiny。

It　was　a　picture；　those　two　rare　faces　in　such　close　opposition。　The　carved　face　seemed　alive；　but　the　living　face　seemed　inspired；　and　to　explore　the　other　to　the　bottom　with　merciless　severity。　　At　such　work　the　great　female　eye　is　almost　terrible　in　its　power。

〃It　is　lovely；〃　said　she。　　〃It　seems　noble。　　I　can　not　find　what　I　know　must　be　there。　　Oh；　why　does　God　give　such　a　face　as　this　to　a　fool？〃

〃Not　a　word　against　her；〃　said　Henry。　　〃She　is　as　wise；　and　as　noble；　and　as　good；　as　she　is　beautiful。　　She　has　but　one　fault；　she　loves　another　man。　　Put　her　sweet　face　away；　hide　it　from　me　till　I　am　an　old　man；　and　can　bring　it　out　to　show　young　folks　why　I　lived　and　die　a　bachelor。　　Good…by；　dear　mother；　I　must　saddle　Black　Harry；　and　away　to　my　night's　work。〃


The　days　were　very　short　now；　and　Henry　spent　two…thirds　of　his　time　in　Cairnhope　Church。　　The　joyous　stimulus　of　his　labor　was　gone　but　the　habit　remained；　and　carried　him　on　in　a　sort　of　leaden　way。　Sometimes　he　wondered　at　himself　for　the　hardships　he　underwent　merely　to　make　money；　since　money　had　no　longer　the　same　charm　for　him；　but　a　good　workman　is　a　patient；　enduring　creature；　and　self…　indulgence；　our　habit；　is　after　all；　his　exception。　　Henry　worked　heavily　on；　with　his　sore；　sad　heart；　as　many　a　workman　had　done　before　him。　　Unfortunately　his　sleep　began　to　be　broken　a　good　deal。　I　am　not　quite　clear　whether　it　was　the　after…clap　of　the　explosion；　or　the　prolonged　agitation　of　his　young　heart；　but　at　this　time；　instead　of　the　profound　sleep　that　generally　rewards　the　sons　of　toil；　he　had　fitful　slumbers；　and　used　to　dream　strange　dreams；　in　that　old　church；　so　full　of　gaunt　sights　and　strange　sounds。　　And；　generally　speaking；　however　these　dreams　began；　the　figure　of　Grace　Carden　would　steal　in　ere　he　awoke。　　His　senses；　being　only　half　asleep；　colored　his　dreams；　he　heard　her　light　footstep　in　the　pattering　rain；　and　her　sweet　voice　in　the　musical　moan　of　the　desolate　building；　desolate　as　his　heart　when　he　awoke；　and　behold　it　was　a　dream。

The　day　after　Christmas…day　began　brightly；　but　was　dark　and　lowering　toward　afternoon。　　Mrs。　Little　advised　Henry　to　stay　at　home。　　But　he　shook　his　head。　　〃How　could　I　get　through　the　night？　Work　is　my　salvation。　　But　for　my　forge；　I　should　perhaps　end　like〃　he　was　going　to　say　〃my　poor　father。〃　　But　he　had　the　sense　to　stop。

Unable　to　keep　him　at　home；　the　tender　mother　got　his　saddlebags；　and　filled　his　flask　with　brandy；　and　packed　up　a　huge　piece　of　Yorkshire　pie；　and　even　stuffed　in　a　plaid　shawl。　　And　she　strained　her　anxious　eyes　after　him　as　he　rode　off。

When　he　got　among　the　hills；　he　found　it　was　snowing　there　very　hard；　and　then；　somehow；　notwithstanding　all　the　speed　he　made；　it　was　nearly　dark　when　he　got　on　the　moor；　and　the　tracks　he　used　to　go　by；　over　the　dangerous　ground；　were　effaced。

He　went　a　snail's　pace；　and　at　last　dismounted；　and　groped　his　way。　He　got　more　than　one　fall　in　the　snow；　and　thought　himself　very　fortunate；　when；　at　last；　something　black　towered　before　him；　and　it　was　the　old　church。

The　scene　was　truly　dismal：　the　church　was　already　overburdened　with　snow；　and　still　the　huge　flakes　fell　fast　and　silently；　and　the　little　mountain　stream；　now　swollen　to　a　broad　and　foaming　torrent；　went　roaring　by；　behind　the　churchyard　wall。

Henry　shivered；　and　made　for　the　shelter。

The　horse；　to　whom　this　church　was　merely　a　well…ventilated　stable；　went　in　and　clattered　up　the　aisle；　saddle…bags　and　all。

Henry　locked　the　door　inside；　and　soon　blew　the　coals　to　a　white　heat。　　The　bellows　seemed　to　pant　unnaturally　loud；　all　was　so　deadly　still。

The　windows　were　curtained　with　snow；　that　increased　the　general　gloom；　though　some　of　the　layers　shone　ghostly　white　and　crystalline；　in　the　light　of　the　forge；　and　of　two　little　grates　he　had　set　in　a　monument。

Two　heaps　of　snow　lay　in　the　center　aisle；　just　under　two　open　places　in　the　roof；　and；　on　these；　flakes　as　big　as　a　pennypiece　kept　falling　through　the　air；　and　glittered　like　diamonds　as　they　passed　through　the　weird　light　of　the　white　coals。

Oh！　it　was　an　appalling　place；　that　night；　youth　and　life　seemed　intruders。　　Henry　found　it　more　than　he　could　bear。　　He　took　a　couple　of　candles；　placed　them　in　bottles；　and　carried　them　to　the　western　window；　and　there　lighted　them。　　This　one　window　was　protected　by　the　remains　of　iron…work　outside；　and　the　whole　figure　of　one　female　saint　in　colored　glass　survived。

This　expedient　broke　the　devilish　blackness；　and　the　saint　shone　out　glorious。

The　horrid　spell　thus　broken　in　some　degree；　Henry　plied　his　hammer；　and　made　the　church　ring；　and　the　flaming　metal　fly。

But　by…and…by；　as　often　happened　to　him　now；　a　drowsiness　overcame　him　at　the　wrong　time。　　In　vain　he　battled　against　it。　　It　conquered　him　even　as　he　worked；　and；　at　last；　he　leaned　with　his　arms　against　the　handle　of　the　bellows；　and　dozed　as　he　stood。

He　had　a　dream　of　that　kind　which　we　call　a　vision；　because　the　dream　seems　to　come　to　the　dreamer　where　he　is。

He　dreamed　he　was　there　at　his　forge；　and　a　soft　voice　called　to　him。　　He　turned；　and　lo！　between　him　and　the　western　window　stood　six　female　figures；　all　dressed　in　beautiful　dresses；　but　of　another　age；　and　of　many　colors；　yet　transparent；　and　their　faces　fair；　but　white　as　snow：　and　the　ladies　courtesied　to　him；　with　a　certain　respectful　majesty　beyond　description：　and；　somehow；　by　their　faces；　and　their　way　of　courtesying　to　him；　he　knew　they　were　women　of　his　own　race；　and　themselves　aware　of　the　relationship。

Then　several　more　such　figures　came　rustling　softly　through　the　wall　from　the　churchyard；　and　others　rose　from　the　vaults　and　took　their　places　quietly；　till　there　was　an　avenue　of　dead　beauties；　and　they　stood　in　an　ascending　line　up　to　the　west　window。　　Some　stood　on　the　ground；　some　on　the　air；　that　made　no　difference　to　them。

Another　moment；　and　then　a　figure　more　lovely　than　them　all　shone　in　the　window；　at　the　end　of　that　vista　of　fair　white　faces。

It　was　Grace　Carden。　　She　smiled　on　him　and　said；　〃I　am　going　where　I　can　love　you。　　There　the　world　will　not　divide　us。　　Follow　me：　follow；　follow！〃

Then　she　melted　away；　then　all　melted：　and　he　awoke　with　a　loud　cry　that　echoed　through　the　edifice；　now　dark　and　cold　as　the　grave；　and　a　great　white　owl　went　whirling；　and　with　his　wings　made　the　only　air　that　stirred。

The　fire　was　out；　and　the　place　a　grave。　　Yet；　cold　as　it　was；　the　dreamer　was　bathed　in　perspiration；　so　clear　had　been　that　unearthly　vision；　so　ghostly　was　now　that　flitting　owl。

Shuddering　all　over；　he　lighted　his　fire　again；　and　plied　his　bellows　with　fury；　till　the　fire　glowed　brighter　than　ever；　and　even　then　he　prayed　aloud　that　he　might　never　see　the　like　again；　even　in　a　dream。

He　worked　like　mad；　and　his　hand　trembled　as　he　struck。　　Ere　he　had　thoroughly　recovered　the　shock；　a　wild　cry　arose　outside。

He　started　back；　awe…struck。

What　with　the　time；　the　place；　and　that　strange　vision；　the　boundaries　of　the　natural　and　the　supernatural　were　a　little　confused　in　his　mind。

〃Help；　help！〃　cried　a　voice；　and　now　the　familiar　tone　of　that　voice　made　him　utter　a　loud　cry　in　return。

He　searched　for　the　key；　and　made　his　way　to　the　door；　but；　just　as　he　began　to　insert　the　key；　the　voice　was　at　the　door　outside。

〃Oh；　save　me！　　A　dying　girl！　　Save　me！〃

The　cry　was　now　a　moan；　and　the　next　moment　an　inert　mass　fell　like　lead　against　the　door　in　a　vain　attempt　to　knock　at　it。

The　voice　was　Grace　Carden's；　and　it　was　Grace　Carden's　body　that　fell　so　inert　and　powerless　against　the　church…door；　within　a　yard　of　Henry　Little's　hand。


CHAPTER　XI。


On　the　twenty…fourth　of　December　Miss　Carden　and　Jael　Dence　drove　to　Cairnhope　village；　and　stopped　at　the　farm：　but　Nathan　and　his　eldest　daughter　had　already　gone　up　to　the　Hall；　so　they　waited　there　but　a　minute　or　two　to　light　the　carriage　lamps；　and　then　went　on　up　the　hill。　　It　was　pitch　dark　when　they　reached　the　house。　Inside；　one　of　Mr。　Raby's　servants　was　on　the　look…out　for　the　sound　of　wheels；　and　the　visitors　had　no　need　to　knock　or　ring；　this　was　a　point　of　honor　with　the　master　of　the　mansion；　when　he　did　invite　people；　the　house　opened　its　arms；　even　as　they　drove　up；　open　flew　the　great　hall…door；　and　an　enormous　fire　inside　blazed　in　their　faces；　and　shot　its　flame　beyond　them　out　into　the　night。

Grace　alighted；　and　was　about　to　enter　the　house；　when　Jael　stopped　her；　and　said；　〃Oh；　miss；　you　will　be　going　in　left　foot　foremost。　Pray　don't　do　that：　it　is　so　unlucky。〃

Grace　laughed；　but　changed　her　foot；　and　entered　a　lofty　hall；　hung　with　helmets；　pikes；　breast…plates；　bows；　cross…bows；　antlers　etc。；　etc。　　Opposite　her　was　the　ancient　chimneypiece　and　ingle…nook；　with　no　grate　but　two　huge　iron　dogs；　set　five　feet　apart；　and　on　them　lay　a　birch　log　and　root；　the　size　of　a　man；　with　a　dozen　beech　billets　burning　briskly　and　crackling　underneath　and　aside　it。　　This　genial　furnace　warmed　the　staircase　and　passages；　and　cast　a　fiery　glow　out　on　the　carriage；　and　glorified　the　steep　helmets　and　breast…plates　of　the　dead　Rabys　on　the　wall；　and　the　sparkling　eyes　of　the　two　beautiful　women　who　now　stood　opposite　it　in　the　pride　of　their　youth；　and　were　warmed　to　the　heart　by　its　crackle　and　glow。　〃Oh！　what　a　glorious　fire；　this　bitter　night。　　Why；　I　never　saw　such　a〃

〃It　is　the　yule　log；　miss。　　Ay；　and　you　might　go　all　round　England；　and　not　find　its　fellow；　I　trow。　　But　our　Squire　he　don't　go　to　the　chandler's　shop　for　his　yule　log；　but　to　his　own　woods；　and　fells　a　great　tree。〃

A　housemaid　now　came　forward　with　bed　candles；　to　show　Miss　Carden　to　her　room。　　Grace　was　going　up；　as　a　matter　o