put yourself in his place-第34部分

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r；　and　told　strange　stories　about　her　early　life。　　It　seems　that　this　Molly　Slater　was　away　in　service　at　Bollington；　a　village　half　way　between　our　place　and　Hillsborough；　and　her　fellow…servants　used　to　quiz　her　because　she　had　no　sweetheart。　　At　last；　she　told　them　to　wait　till　next　Hilisboro'　fair；　and　they　should　see。　　And　just　before　the　fair；　she　reminded　them　of　their　sneers；　and　said　she　would　not　come　home　without　a　sweetheart；　though　she　took　the　Evil　one　himself。　For　all　that；　she　did　leave　the　fair　alone。　　But；　as　she　trudged　home　in　the　dark；　a　man　overtook　her；　and　made　acquaintance　with　her。　　He　was　a　pleasant　fellow；　and　told　her　his　name　was　William　Easton。　　Of　course　she　could　not　see　his　face　very　well；　but　he　had　a　wonderfully　sweet　voice。　　After　that　night；　he　used　to　court　her；　and　sing　to　her；　but　always　in　the　dark。　　He　never　would　face　a　candle；　though　he　was　challenged　to　more　than　once。　　One　night　there　was　a　terrible　noise　heardit　is　described　as　if　a　number　of　men　were　threshing　out　corn　upon　the　roofand　Molly　Slater　was　found　wedged　in　between　the　bed　and　the　wall；　in　a　place　where　there　was　scarcely　room　to　put　your　hand。　　Several　strong　men　tried　to　extricate　her　by　force；　but　both　the　bed　and　the　woman's　body　resisted　so　strangely　that；　at　last；　they　thought　it　best　to　send　for　the　parson。　　He　was　a　great　scholar；　and　himself　under　some　suspicion　of　knowing　more　than　it　would　be　good　for　any　less　pious　person　to　know。　　Well；　the　parson　came；　and　took　a　candle　that　was　burning；　and　held　it　to　the　place　where　poor　Molly　was　imprisoned；　and　moaning；　and　they　say　he　turned　pale；　and　shivered；　for　all　his　learning。　　I　forget　what　he　said　or　did　next；　but　by…and…by　there　was　a　colloquy　in　a　whisper　between　him　and　some　person　unseen；　and　they　say　that　this　unseen　whisper　was　very　sweet；　and　something　like　the　chords　of　a　harp；　only　low　and　very　articulate。　　The　parson　whispered；　'God　gives　a　sinner　time。'　　The　sweet　voice　answered；　'He　can　afford　to；　he　is　the　stronger。'　　Then　the　parson　adjured　the　unseen　one　to　wait　a　year　and　a　day。　　But　he　refused；　still　in　the　gentlest　voice。　　Then　the　parson　said　these　words：　'By　all　we　love　and　fear；　by　all　you　fear　and　hate；　I　adjure　you　to　loose　her；　or　wait　till　next　Christmas　Eve。'

〃I　suppose　the　Evil　Spirit　saw　some　trap　in　that　proposal；　for　he　is　said　to　have　laughed　most　musically。　　He　answered；　'By　all　I　fear　and　hate；　I'll　loose　her　never；　but；　but　I'll　wait　for　hertill　the　candle's　burnt　out；'　and　he　chuckled　most　musically　again。

〃'Then　wait　to　all　eternity；'　the　parson　roared；　and　blew　the　candle　out　directly；　and　held　it；　with　his　hands　crossed　over　it。〃

Grace　Carden's　eyes　sparkled　in　the　firelight。　　〃Go　on；〃　she　cried；　excitedly。

〃The　girl　was　loosed　easily　enough　after　that；　but　she　was　found　to　be　in　a　swoon；　and　not　the　least　bruised；　though　ten　villagers　had　been　pulling　at　her　one　after　another。〃

〃And　what　became　of　her　afterward？〃

〃She　lived　to　be　ninety…six；　and　died　in　my　time。　　I　think　she　had　money　left　her。　　But　she　never　married；　and　when　she　was　old　she　wandered　about　the　lanes；　muttering；　and　frightening　little　boys；　myself　among　the　number。　　But　now　my　little　story　follows　another　actor　of　the　tale。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　it　is　not　over。〃

〃No。　　The　parson　took　the　candle　away；　and　it　was　never　seen　again。　But；　somehow；　it　got　wind　that　he　had　built　it　into　the　wall　of　the　church；　perhaps　he　didn't　say　so；　but　was　only　understood　to　say　so。　However；　people　used　to　look　round　the　church　for　the　place。　　And　now　comes　the　most　remarkable　thing　of　all；　three　years　ago　the　present　rector　repaired　the　floor　of　the　chancel；　intending　to　put　down　encaustic　tiles。　　Much　to　his　surprise；　the　workmen　found　plenty　of　old　encaustic　tiles；　they　had　been　interred　as　rubbish　at　some　period；　when　antiquity　and　beauty　were　less　respected　than　they　are　now；　I　suppose。〃

Mr。　Raby　broke　in；　〃The　Puritans。　　Barbarians！　beasts！　　It　was　just　like　them。　　Well；　sir？〃

〃When　the　rector　found　that；　he　excavated　more　than　was　absolutely　necessary　for　his　purpose；　and　the　deeper　he　went　the　more　encaustic　tiles。　　In　one　place　they　got　down　to　the　foundation；　and　they　found　an　oak　chest　fast　in　the　rocka　sort　of　channel　had　been　cut　in　the　rock　for　this　chest；　or　rather　box　（for　it　was　only　about　eighteen　inches　long）；　to　lie　in。　　The　master　mason　was　there　luckily；　and　would　not　move　it　till　the　rector　had　seen　it。　　He　was　sent　for；　but　half　the　parish　was　there　before　him；　and　he　tells　me　there　were　three　theories　firmly　established　and　proved；　before　he　could　finish　his　breakfast　and　get　to　the　spot。　　Theory　of　Wilder；　the　village　grocer：　'It　is　treasure　hidden　by　them　there　sly　old　monks。'　　Mr。　Wilder　is　a　miser；　and　is　known　to　lay　up　money。　　He　is；　I　believe；　the　only　man　left　in　the　North　Country　who　can　show　you　a　hundred　spade　guineas。〃

Mr。　Raby　replied；　energetically；　〃I　respect　him。　　Wilder　forever！　What　was　the　next　theory？〃

〃The　skeleton　of　a　child。　　I　forget　who　propounded　this；　but　I　believe　it　carried　the　majority。　　But　the　old　sexton　gave　it　a　blow。　'Nay；　nay；'　said　he；　'them's　the　notions　of　strangers。　　I　was　born　here；　and　my　father　afore　me。　　It　will　be　Molly　Slater's　candle；　and　naught　else。'　　Then　poor　Molly's　whole　story　came　up　again　over　the　suspected　box。　　But　I　am　very　tedious。〃

〃Tedious！　　You　are　delightful；　and　thrilling；　and　pray　go　on。　　The　rector　had　the　box　opened？〃

〃On　the　spot。〃

〃Well！〃

〃The　box　went　to　pieces；　in　spite　of　all　their　care。　　But　there　was　no　doubt　as　to　its　contents。〃

Grace　exclaimed；　enthusiastically；　〃A　candle。　　Oh；　do　say　a　candle！〃

Mr。　Coventry　responded；　〃It's　awfully　tempting；　but　I　suspect　the　traditional　part　of　my　story　is　SLIGHTLY　EMBELLISHED；　so　the　historical　part　must　be　accurate。　　What　the　box　did　really　contain；　to　my　knowledge；　was　a　rush…wick；　much　thicker　than　they　are　made　nowadays：　and　this　rush…wick　was　impregnated　with　grease；　and　even　lightly　coated　with　a　sort　of　brown　wafer…like　paste。　　The　rector　thinks　it　was　a　combination　of　fine　dust　from　the　box　with　the　original　grease。　　He　shall　show　it　you；　if　you　are　curious　to　see　it。〃

〃Of　course　we　are　curious。　　Oh；　Mr。　Raby；　what　a　strange　story。　　And　how　well　he　told　it。〃

〃Admirably。　　We　must　drink　his　health。〃

〃I'll　wish　it　him　instead；　because　I　require　all　my　reason　just　now　to　understand　his　story。　　And　I　don't　understand　it；　after　all。　There：　you　found　the　candle；　and　so　it　is　all　true。　　But　what　does　the　rector　think？〃

〃Well；　he　says　there　is　no　connection　whatever　between　the　rush…wick　and〃

〃Don't　tell　her　what　HE　says；〃　cried　Raby；　with　a　sudden　fury　that　made　Grace　start　and　open　her　eyes。　　〃I　know　the　puppy。　　He　is　what　is　called　a　divine　nowadays；　but　used　to　be　called　a　skeptic。　　There　never　was　so　infidel　an　age。　　Socinus　was　content　to　prove　Jesus　Christ　a　man；　but　Renan　has　gone　and　proved　him　a　Frenchman。　Nothing　is　so　gullible　as　an　unbeliever。　　The　right　reverend　father　in　God；　Cocker；　has　gnawed　away　the　Old　Testament：　the　Oxford　doctors　are　nibbling　away　the　New：　nothing　escapes　but　the　apocrypha：　yet　these　same　skeptics　believe　the　impudent　lies；　and　monstrous　arithmetic　of　geology；　which　babbles　about　a　million　years；　a　period　actually　beyond　the　comprehension　of　the　human　intellect；　and　takes　up　a　jaw…bone；　that　some　sly　navvy　has　transplanted　over…night　from　the　churchyard　into　Lord　knows　what　stratum；　fees　the　navvy；　gloats　over　the　bone；　and　knocks　the　Bible　down　with　it。　　No；　Mr。　Coventry；　your　story　is　a　good　one；　and　well　told；　don't　let　us　defile　it　with　the　comments　of　a　skeptical　credulous　pedant。　　Fill　your　glass；　sir。　　Here's　to　old　religion；　old　stories；　old　songs；　old　houses；　old　wine；　old　friends；　or〃　（recovering　himself　with　admirable　grace）　〃to　new　friends　that　are　to　be　old　ones　ere　we　die。　　Come；　let　the　stronger　vessel　drink；　and　the　weaker　vessel　sip；　and　all　say　together；　after　me


　　　　　〃Well　may　we　all　be；　　　　　　　Ill　may　we　never　see；　　　　　　　That　make　good　company；　　　　　　　Beneath　the　roof　of　Raby。〃


When　this　rude　rhyme　had　been　repeated　in　chorus；　there　was　a　little　silence；　and　the　conversation　took　a　somewhat　deeper　tone。　　It　began　through　Grace　asking　Mr。　Raby；　with　all　the　simplicity　of　youth；　whether　he　had　ever　seen　anything　supernatural　with　his　own　eyes。　〃For　instance；〃　said　she；　〃this　deserted　church　of　yours；　that　you　say　the　shepherd　said　he　saw　on　firedid　YOU　see　that？〃

〃Not　I。　　Indeed；　the　church　is　not　in　sight　from　here。　　No；　Grace；　I　never　saw　any　thing　supernatural：　and　I　am　sorry　for　it；　for　I　laugh　at　people's　notion　that　a　dead　man　has　any　power　to　injure　the　living；　how　can　a　cold　wind　come　from　a　disembodied　spirit？　　I　am　all　that　a　ghost　is；　and　something　more；　and　I　only　wish　I　COULD　call　the　dead　from　their　graves；　I'd　soon　have　a　dozen　gentlemen　and　ladies　out　of　that　old　church…yard　into　this　very　room。　　And；　if　they　would　only　come；　you　would　see　me　converse　with　them　as　civilly　and　as　calmly　as　I　am　doing　with　you。　　The　fact　is；　I　have　some　questions　to　put；　which　only　the　dead　can　answerpassages　in　the　family　correspondence；　referring　to　things　I　can't　make　out　for　the　life　of　me。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Raby；　pray　don't　talk　in　this　dreadful　way；　for　fear　they　should　be　angry　and　come。〃　　And　Grace　looked　fearfully　round　over　her　shoulder。

Mr。　Raby　shook　his　head；　and　there　was　a　dead　silence。

Mr。　Raby　broke　it　rather　unexpectedly。　　〃But；〃　said　he；　gravely；　〃if　I　have　seen　nothing；　I've　heard　something。　　Whether　it　was　supernatural；　I　can't　say；　but；　at　least；　it　was　unaccountable　and　terrible。　　I　have　heard　THE　GABRIEL　HOUNDS。〃

Mr。　Coventry　and　Grace　looked　at　one　another；　and　then　inquired；　almost　in　a　breath；　what　the　Gabriel　hounds　were。

〃A　strange　thing　in　the　air　that　is　said；　in　these　parts；　to　foretell　calamity。〃

〃Oh　dear！〃　said　Grace；　〃this　is　thrilling　again；　pray　tell　us。〃

〃Well；　one　night　I　was　at　Hillsborough　on　business；　and；　as　I　walked　by　the　old　parish　church；　a　great　pack　of　beagles；　in　full　cry；　passed　close　over　my　head。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Yes；　they　startled　me；　as　I　never　was　startled　in　my　life　before。　I　had　never　heard　of　the　Gabriel　hounds　then；　and　I　was　stupefied。　I　think　I　leaned　agai