the dark flower-第29部分

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because　it　shall　be　cut　down！　　She　had；　instead；　a　sense　of
something　blessed　and　uplifting。　　Whatever　Power　had　made　her
heart；　had　placed　within　it　this　love。　　Whatever　it　was；　whoever　it
was；　could　not　be　angry　with　her！

A　wild　bee　settled　on　her　arm；　and　she　held　it　up　between　her　and
the　sun；　so　that　she　might　enjoy　its　dusky　glamour。　　It　would　not
sting　hernot　to…day！　　The　little　blue　butterflies；　too；　kept
alighting　on　her；　who　lay　there　so　still。　　And　the　love…songs　of
the　wood…pigeons　never　ceased；　nor　the　faint　swish　of　scything。

At　last　she　rose　to　make　her　way　home。　　A　telegram　had　come　saying
simply：　〃Yes。〃　　She　read　it　with　an　unmoved　face；　having　resorted
again　to　her　mask　of　languor。　　Toward　tea…time　she　confessed　to
headache；　and　said　she　would　lie　down。　　Up　there　in　her　room　she
spent　those　three　hours　writingwriting　as　best　she　could　all　she
had　passed　through　in　thought　and　feeling；　before　making　her
decision。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　owed　it　to　herself　to　tell　her
lover　how　she　had　come　to　what　she　had　never　thought　to　come　to。
She　put　what　she　had　written　in　an　envelope　and　sealed　it。　　She
would　give　it　to　him；　that　he　might　read　and　understand；　when　she
had　shown　him　with　all　of　her　how　she　loved　him。　　It　would　pass　the
time　for　him；　until　to…morrowuntil　they　set　out　on　their　new　life
together。　　For　to…night　they　would　make　their　plans；　and　to…morrow
start。

At　half…past　seven　she　sent　word　that　her　headache　was　too　bad　to
allow　her　to　go　out。　　This　brought　a　visit　from　Mrs。　Ercott：　The
Colonel　and　she　were　so　distressed；　but　perhaps　Olive　was　wise　not
to　exert　herself！　　And　presently　the　Colonel　himself　spoke；
lugubriously　through　the　door：　Not　well　enough　to　come？　　No　fun
without　her！　　But　she　mustn't　on　any　account　strain　herself！　　No；
no！

Her　heart　smote　her　at　that。　　He　was　always　so　good　to　her。

At　last；　watching　from　the　corridor；　she　saw　them　sally　forth　down
the　drivethe　Colonel　a　little　in　advance；　carrying　his　wife's
evening　shoes。　　How　nice　he　lookedwith　his　brown　face；　and　his
grey　moustache；　so　upright；　and　concerned　with　what　he　had　in　hand！

There　was　no　languor　in　her　now。　　She　had　dressed　in　white；　and　now
she　took　a　blue　silk　cloak　with　a　hood；　and　caught　up　the　flower
that　had　so　miraculously　survived　last　night's　wearing　and　pinned
it　at　her　breast。　　Then　making　sure　no　servant　was　about；　she
slipped　downstairs　and　out。　　It　was　just　eight；　and　the　sun　still
glistened　on　the　dove…cot。　　She　kept　away　from　that　lest　the　birds
should　come　fluttering　about　her；　and　betray　her　by　cooing。　　When
she　had　nearly　reached　the　tow…path；　she　stopped　affrighted。
Surely　something　had　moved；　something　heavy；　with　a　sound　of　broken
branches。　　Was　it　the　memory　of　last　night　come　on　her　again；　or；
indeed；　someone　there？　　She　walked　back　a　few　steps。　　Foolish
alarm！　　In　the　meadow　beyond　a　cow　was　brushing　against　the　hedge。
And；　stealing　along　the　grass；　out　on　to　the　tow…path；　she　went
swiftly　towards　the　poplar。


XIX


A　hundred　times　in　these　days　of　her　absence　Lennan　had　been　on　the
point　of　going　down；　against　her　orders；　just　to　pass　the　house；
just　to　feel　himself　within　reach；　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her；
perhaps；　from　afar。　　If　his　body　haunted　London；　his　spirit　had
passed　down　on　to　that　river　where　he　had　drifted　once　already；
reconnoitring。　　A　hundred　timesby　day　in　fancy；　and　by　night　in
dreamspulling　himself　along　by　the　boughs；　he　stole　down　that　dim
backwater；　till　the　dark　yews　and　the　white　dove…cot　came　into
view。

For　he　thought　now　only　of　fulfilment。　　She　was　wasting　cruelly
away！　　Why　should　he　leave　her　where　she　was？　　Leave　her　to　profane
herself　and　all　womanhood　in　the　arms　of　a　man　she　hated？

And　on　that　day　of　mid…June；　when　he　received　her　telegram；　it　was
as　if　he　had　been　handed　the　key　of　Paradise。

Would　shecould　she　mean　to　come　away　with　him　that　very　night？
He　would　prepare　for　that　at　all　events。　　He　had　so　often　in　mind
faced　this　crisis　in　his　affairs；　that　now　it　only　meant
translating　into　action　what　had　been　carefully　thought　out。　　He
packed；　supplied　himself　liberally　with　money；　and　wrote　a　long
letter　to　his　guardian。　　It　would　hurt　the　old　manGordy　was　over
seventy　nowbut　that　could　not　be　helped。　　He　would　not　post　it
till　he　knew　for　certain。

After　telling　how　it　had　all　come　about；　he　went　on　thus：　〃I　know
that　to　many　people；　and　perhaps　to　you；　Gordy；　it　will　seem　very
wrong；　but　it　does　not　to　me；　and　that　is　the　simple　truth。
Everybody　has　his　own　views　on　such　things；　I　suppose；　and　as　I
would　noton　my　honour；　Gordyever　have　held　or　wished　to　hold；
or　ever　will　hold　in　marriage　or　out　of　marriage；　any　woman　who
does　not　love　me；　so　I　do　not　think　it　is　acting　as　I　would　resent
others　acting　towards　me；　to　take　away　from　such　unhappiness　this
lady　for　whom　I　would　die　at　any　minute。　　I　do　not　mean　to　say　that
pity　has　anything　to　do　with　itI　thought　so　at　first；　but　I　know
now　that　it　is　all　swallowed　up　in　the　most　mighty　feeling　I　have
ever　had　or　ever　shall　have。　　I　am　not　a　bit　afraid　of　conscience。
If　God　is　Universal　Truth；　He　cannot　look　hardly　upon　us　for　being
true　to　ourselves。　　And　as　to　people；　we　shall　just　hold　up　our
heads；　I　think　that　they　generally　take　you　at　your　own　valuation。
But；　anyway；　Society　does　not　much　matter。　　We　shan't　want　those
who　don't　want　usyou　may　be　sure。　　I　hope　he　will　divorce　her
quicklythere　is　nobody　much　to　be　hurt　by　that　except　you　and
Cis；　but　if　he　doesn'tit　can't　be　helped。　　I　don't　think　she　has
anything；　but　with　my　six　hundred；　and　what　I　can　make；　even　if　we
have　to　live　abroad；　we　shall　be　all　right　for　money。　　You　have
been　awfully　good　to　me　always；　Gordy；　and　I　am　very　grieved　to
hurt　you；　and　still　more　sorry　if　you　think　I　am　being　ungrateful；
but　when　one　feels　as　I　dobody　and　soul　and　spiritthere　isn't
any　question；　there　wouldn't　be　if　death　itself　stood　in　the　way。
If　you　receive　this；　we　shall　be　gone　together；　I　will　write　to　you
from　wherever　we　pitch　our　tent；　and；　of　course；　I　shall　write　to
Cicely。　　But　will　you　please　tell　Mrs。　Doone　and　Sylvia；　and　give
them　my　love　if　they　still　care　to　have　it。　　Good…bye；　dear　Gordy。
I　believe　you　would　have　done　the　same；　if　you　had　been　I。　　Always
your　affectionateMARK。〃

In　all　those　preparations　he　forgot　nothing；　employing　every　minute
of　the　few　hours　in　a　sort　of　methodic　exaltation。　　The　last　thing
before　setting　out　he　took　the　damp　cloths　off　his　'bull…man。'
Into　the　face　of　the　monster　there　had　come　of　late　a　hungry；
yearning　look。　　The　artist　in　him　had　done　his　work　that
unconscious　justice；　against　his　will　had　set　down　the　truth。　　And；
wondering　whether　he　would　ever　work　at　it　again；　he　redamped　the
cloths　and　wrapped　it　carefully。

He　did　not　go　to　her　village；　but　to　one　five　or　six　miles　down　the
riverit　was　safer；　and　the　row　would　steady　him。　　Hiring　a　skiff；
he　pulled　up　stream。　　He　travelled　very　slowly　to　kill　time；
keeping　under　the　far　bank。　　And　as　he　pulled；　his　very　heart
seemed　parched　with　nervousness。　　Was　it　real　that　he　was　going　to
her；　or　only　some　fantastic　trick　of　Fate；　a　dream　from　which　he
would　wake　to　find　himself　alone　again？　　He　passed　the　dove…cot　at
last；　and　kept　on　till　he　could　round　into　the　backwater　and　steal
up　under　cover　to　the　poplar。　　He　arrived　a　few　minutes　before
eight　o'clock；　turned　the　boat　round；　and　waited　close　beneath　the
bank；　holding　to　a　branch；　and　standing　so　that　he　could　see　the
path。　　If　a　man　could　die　from　longing　and　anxiety；　surely　Lennan
must　have　died　then！

All　wind　had　failed；　and　the　day　was　fallen　into　a　wonderful　still
evening。　　Gnats　were　dancing　in　the　sparse　strips　of　sunlight　that
slanted　across　the　dark　water；　now　that　the　sun　was　low。　　From　the
fields；　bereft　of　workers；　came　the　scent　of　hay　and　the　heavy
scent　of　meadow…sweet；　the　musky　odour　of　the　backwater　was
confused　with　them　into　one　brooding　perfume。　　No　one　passed。　　And
sounds　were　few　and　far　to　that　wistful　listener；　for　birds　did　not
sing　just　there。　　How　still　and　warm　was　the　air；　yet　seemed　to
vibrate　against　his　cheeks　as　though　about　to　break　into　flame。
That　fancy　came　to　him　vividly　while　he　stood　waitinga　vision　of
heat　simmering　in　little　pale　red　flames。　　On　the　thick　reeds　some
large；　slow；　dusky　flies　were　still　feeding；　and　now　and　then　a
moorhen　a　few　yards　away　splashed　a　little；　or　uttered　a　sharp；
shrill　note。　　When　she　cameif　she　did　come！they　would　not　stay
here；　in　this　dark　earthy　backwater；　he　would　take　her　over　to　the
other　side；　away　to　the　woods！　　But　the　minutes　passed；　and　his
heart　sank。　　Then　it　leaped　up。　　Someone　was　comingin　white；　with
bare　head；　and　something　blue　or　black　flung　across　her　arm。　　It
was　she！　　No　one　else　walked　like　that！　　She　came　very　quickly。
And　he　noticed　that　her　hair　looked　like　little　wings　on　either
side　of　her　brow；　as　if　her　face　were　a　white　bird　with　dark　wings；
flying　to　love！　　Now　she　was　close；　so　close　that　he　could　see　her
lips　parted；　and　her　eyes　love…lightedlike　nothing　in　the　world
but　darkness　wild　with　dew　and　starlight。　　He　reached　up　and　lifted
her　down　into　the　boat；　and　the　scent　of　some　flower　pressed
against　his　face　seemed　to　pierce　into　him　and　reach　his　very
heart；　awakening　the　memory　of　something　past；　forgotten。　　Then；
seizing　the　branches；　snapping　them　in　his　haste；　he　dragged　the
skiff　along　through　the　sluggish　water；　the　gnats　dancing　in　his
face。　　She　seemed　to　know　where　he　was　taking　her；　and　neither　of
them　spoke　a　single　word；　while　he　pulled　out　into　the　open；　and
over　to　the　far　bank。

There　was　but　one　field　between　them　and　the　wooda　field　of　young
wheat；　with　a　hedge　of　thorn　and　alder。　　And　close　to　that　hedge
they　set　out；　their　hands　clasped。　　They　had　nothing　to　say　yet
like　children　saving　up。　　She　had　put　on　her　cloak　to　hide　her
dress；　and　its　silk　swished　against　the　silvery　blades　of　the
wheat。　　What　had　moved　her　to　put　on　this　blue　cloak？　　Blue　of　the
sky；　and　flowers；　of　birds'　wings；　and　the　black…burning　blue　of
the　night！　　The　hue　of　all　holy　things！　　And　how　still　it　was　in
the　late　gleam　of　the　su