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tales of trail and town-第27部分

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shadow; evidently was illuminating the hollow below。  He threw

aside his blanket; and made his way to the hedge again。  He was

right; he could see the quaint; formal lines of the old garden more

distinctly;the broad terrace; the queer; dark bulk of the house;

with lights now gleaming from a few of its open windows。



Before one of these windows opening on the terrace was a small;

white; draped table with fruits; cups; and glasses; and two or

three chairs。  As he gazed curiously at these new signs of life and

occupation; he became aware of a regular and monotonous tap upon

the stone flags of the terrace。  Suddenly he saw three figures

slowly turn the corner of the terrace at the further end of the

building; and walk towards the table。  The central figure was that

of an elderly woman; yet tall and stately of carriage; walking with

a stick; whose regular tap he had heard; supported on the one side

by an elderly Cure in black soutaine; and on the other by a tall

and slender girl in white。



They walked leisurely to the other end of the terrace; as if

performing a regular exercise; and returned; stopping before the

open French window; where; after remaining in conversation a few

moments; the elderly lady and her ecclesiastical companion entered。

The young girl sauntered slowly to the steps of the terrace; and

leaning against a huge vase as she looked over the garden; seemed

lost in contemplation。  Her face was turned towards the wood; but

in quite another direction from where he stood。



There was something so gentle; refined; and graceful in her figure;

yet dominated by a girlish youthfulness of movement and gesture;

that Alkali Dick was singularly interested。  He had probably never

seen an ingenue before; he had certainly never come in contact with

a girl of that caste and seclusion in his brief Parisian experience。

He was sorely tempted to leave his hedge and try to obtain a nearer

view of her。  There was a fringe of lilac bushes running from the

garden up the slope; if he could gain their shadows; he could

descend into the garden。  What he should do after his arrival he had

not thought; but he had one ideahe knew not whythat if he

ventured to speak to her he would not be met with the abrupt rustic

terror he had experienced at the hands of the servants。  SHE was not

of that kind!  He crept through the hedge; reached the lilacs; and

began the descent softly and securely in the shadow。  But at the

same moment she arose; called in a youthful voice towards the open

window; and began to descend the steps。  A half…expostulating reply

came from the window; but the young girl answered it with the

laughing; capricious confidence of a spoiled child; and continued

her way into the garden。  Here she paused a moment and hung over a

rose…tree; from which she gathered a flower; afterwards thrust into

her belt。  Dick paused; too; half…crouching; half…leaning over a

lichen…stained; cracked stone pedestal from which the statue had

long been overthrown and forgotten。



To his surprise; however; the young girl; following the path to the

lilacs; began leisurely to ascend the hill; swaying from side to

side with a youthful movement; and swinging the long stalk of a

lily at her side。  In another moment he would be discovered!  Dick

was frightened; his confidence of the moment before had all gone;

he would fly;and yet; an exquisite and fearful joy kept him

motionless。  She was approaching him; full and clear in the

moonlight。  He could see the grace of her delicate figure in the

simple white frock drawn at the waist with broad satin ribbon; and

its love…knots of pale blue ribbons on her shoulders; he could see

the coils of her brown hair; the pale; olive tint of her oval

cheek; the delicate; swelling nostril of her straight; clear…cut

nose; he could even smell the lily she carried in her little hand。

Then; suddenly; she lifted her long lashes; and her large gray eyes

met his。



Alas! the same look of vacant horror came into her eyes; and fixed

and dilated their clear pupils。  But she uttered no outcry;there

was something in her blood that checked it; something that even

gave a dignity to her recoiling figure; and made Dick flush with

admiration。  She put her hand to her side; as if the shock of the

exertion of her ascent had set her heart to beating; but she did

not faint。  Then her fixed look gave way to one of infinite

sadness; pity; and pathetic appeal。  Her lips were parted; they

seemed to be moving; apparently in prayer。  At last her voice came;

wonderingly; timidly; tenderly: 〃Mon Dieu! c'est donc vous?  Ici?

C'est vous que Marie a crue voir!  Que venez…vous faire ici; Armand

de Fontonelles?  Repondez!〃



Alas; not a word was comprehensible to Dick; nor could he think of

a word to say in reply。  He made an uncouth; half…irritated; half…

despairing gesture towards the wood he had quitted; as if to

indicate his helpless horse; but he knew it was meaningless to the

frightened yet exalted girl before him。  Her little hand crept to

her breast and clutched a rosary within the folds of her dress; as

her soft voice again arose; low but appealingly:



〃Vous souffrez!  Ah; mon Dieu!  Peuton vous secourir?  Moi…meme

mes prieres pourraient elles interceder pour vous?  Je supplierai

le ciel de prendre en pitie l'ame de mon ancetre。  Monsieur le Cure

est la;je lui parlerai。  Lui et ma mere vous viendront en aide。〃



She clasped her hands appealingly before him。



Dick stood bewildered; hopeless; mystified; he had not understood a

word; he could not say a word。  For an instant he had a wild idea

of seizing her hand and leading her to his helpless horse; and then

came what he believed was his salvation;a sudden flash of

recollection that he had seen the word he wanted; the one word that

would explain all; in a placarded notice at the Cirque of a

bracelet that had been LOST;yes; the single word 〃PERDU。〃  He

made a step towards her; and in a voice almost as faint as her own;

stammered; 〃PERDU!〃



With a little cry; that was more like a sigh than an outcry; the

girl's arms fell to her side; she took a step backwards; reeled;

and fainted away。



Dick caught her as she fell。  What had he said!but; more than

all; what should he do now?  He could not leave her alone and

helpless;yet how could he justify another disconcerting

intrusion?  He touched her hands; they were cold and lifeless; her

eyes were half closed; her face as pale and drooping as her lily。

Well; he must brave the worst now; and carry her to the house; even

at the risk of meeting the others and terrifying them as he had

her。  He caught her up;he scarcely felt her weight against his

breast and shoulder;and ran hurriedly down the slope to the

terrace; which was still deserted。  If he had time to place her on

some bench beside the window within their reach; he might still fly

undiscovered!  But as he panted up the steps of the terrace with

his burden; he saw that the French window was still open; but the

light seemed to have been extinguished。  It would be safer for her

if he could place her INSIDE the house;if he but dared to enter。

He was desperate; and he dared!



He found himself alone; in a long salon of rich but faded white and

gold hangings; lit at the further end by two tall candles on either

side of the high marble mantel; whose rays; however; scarcely

reached the window where he had entered。  He laid his burden on a

high…backed sofa。  In so doing; the rose fell from her belt。  He

picked it up; put it in his breast; and turned to go。  But he was

arrested by a voice from the terrace:



〃Renee!〃



It was the voice of the elderly lady; who; with the Cure at her

side; had just appeared from the rear of the house; and from the

further end of the terrace was looking towards the garden in search

of the young girl。  His escape in that way was cut off。  To add to

his dismay; the young girl; perhaps roused by her mother's voice;

was beginning to show signs of recovering consciousness。  Dick

looked quickly around him。  There was an open door; opposite the

window; leading to a hall which; no doubt; offered some exit on the

other side of the house。  It was his only remaining chance!  He

darted through it; closed it behind him; and found himself at the

end of a long hall or picture…gallery; strangely illuminated

through high windows; reaching nearly to the roof; by the moon;

which on that side of the building threw nearly level bars of light

and shadows across the floor and the quaint portraits on the wall。



But to his delight he could see at the other end a narrow; lance…

shaped open postern door showing the moonlit pavement without

evidently the door through which the mother and the Cure had just

passed out。  He ran rapidly towards it。  As he did so he heard the

hurried ringing of bells and voices in the room he had quittedthe

young girl had evidently been discoveredand this would give him

time。  He had nearly reached the door; when he stopped suddenly

his blood chilled with awe!  It was his turn to be terrifiedhe

was standing; apparently; before HIMSELF!



His first recovering thought was that it was a mirrorso accurately

was every line and detail of his face and figure reflected。  But a

second scrutiny showed some discrepancies of costume; and he saw it

was a panelled portrait on the wall。  It was of a man of his own

age; height; beard; complexion; and features; with long curls like

his own; falling over a lace Van Dyke collar; which; however; again

simulated the appearance of his own hunting…shirt。  The broad…

brimmed hat in the picture; whose drooping plume was lost in shadow;

was scarcely different from Dick's sombrero。 But the likeness of the

face to Dick was marvelousconvincing!  As he gazed at it; the

wicked black eyes seemed to flash and kindle at his own;its lip

curled with Dick's own sardonic humor!



He was recalled
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