stories by english authors-orient (英国作家故事集)-第24章
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her cheeks； her eyes； though preoccupied； were bright； there was a
lightness and buoyancy in her step which she set to a little dancing air she
was humming under her breath。
After a moment or two the song ceased； she began to move slowly；
sedately； and； as if chilled by a raw breath of air； the light faded from her
eyes； which she presently turned toward her husband。
〃Why do you look at me？〃 she asked； suddenly。
〃I don't know； my dear；〃 he began slowly and laboriously； as was his
wont。 〃I was thinkin' how nice you lookedjest nowmuch better； you
know； but somehow；〃he was taking long whiffs at his pipe； as usual；
between each word； while she stood patiently waiting for him to finish；
〃somehow； you alter so； my dearyou're quite pale again； all of a minute。〃
She stood listening to him； noticing against her will the more than
suspicion of cockney accent and the thick drawl with which the words
were uttered。
His eyes sought her face piteously。 She noticed that too； and stood
before him torn by conflicting emotions； pity and disgust struggling in a
hand…to…hand fight within her。
〃Mr。 Broomhurst and I are going down by the well to sit； it's cooler
there。 Won't you come？〃 she said at last； gently。
He did not reply for a moment； then he turned his head aside； sharply
for him。
〃No； my dear； thank you； I'm comfortable enough here；〃 he returned；
huskily。
She stood over him； hesitating a second； then moved abruptly to the
table； from which she took a book。
He had risen from his seat by the time she turned to go out； and he
intercepted her timorously。
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〃Kathie； give me a kiss before you go；〃 he whispered； hoarsely。 〃II
don't often bother you。〃
She drew her breath in deeply as he put his arms clumsily about her；
but she stood still； and he kissed her on the forehead； and touched the little
wavy curls that strayed across it gently with his big； trembling fingers。
When he released her； she moved at once impetuously to the open
doorway。 On the threshold she hesitated； paused a moment irresolutely；
and then turned back。
〃Shall Idoes your pipe want filling； John？〃 she asked； softly。
〃No； thank you； my dear。〃
〃Would you like me to stay； read to you； or anything？〃
He looked up at her wistfully。 〃N…no； thank you； I'm not much of a
reader； you know； my dearsomehow。〃
She hated herself for knowing that there would be a 〃my dear；〃
probably a 〃somehow；〃 in his reply； and despised herself for the sense of
irritated impatience she felt by anticipation； even before the words were
uttered。
There was a moment's hesitating silence； broken by the sound of quick；
firm footsteps without。 Broomhurst paused at the entrance； and looked into
the tent。
〃Aren't you coming； Drayton？〃 he asked； looking first at Drayton's
wife and then swiftly putting in his name with a scarcely perceptible pause。
〃Too lazy？ But you； Mrs。 Drayton？〃
〃Yes； I'm coming；〃 she said。
They left the tent together； and walked some few steps in silence。
Broomhurst shot a quick glance at his companion's face。
〃Anything wrong？〃 he asked； presently。
Though the words were ordinary enough； the voice in which they were
spoken was in some subtle fashion a different voice from that in which he
had talked to her nearly two months ago； though it would have required a
keen sense of nice shades in sound to have detected the change。
Mrs。 Drayton's sense of niceties in sound was particularly keen； but
she answered quietly； 〃Nothing； thank you。〃
They did not speak again till the trees round the stone well were
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reached。
Broomhurst arranged their seats comfortably beside it。
〃Are we going to read or talk？〃 he asked； looking up at her from his
lower place。
〃Well； we generally talk most when we arrange to read； so shall we
agree to talk to…day for a change； by way of getting some reading done？〃
she rejoined； smiling。 〃/You/ begin。〃
Broomhurst seemed in no hurry to avail himself of the permission； he
was apparently engrossed in watching the flecks of sunshine on Mrs。
Drayton's white dress。 The whirring of insects； and the creaking of a
Persian wheel somewhere in the neighbourhood； filtered through the hot
silence。
Mrs。 Drayton laughed after a few minutes； there was a touch of
embarrassment in the sound。
〃The new plan doesn't answer。 Suppose you read； as usual； and let me
interrupt； also as usual； after the first two lines。〃
He opened the book obediently； but turned the pages at random。
She watched him for a moment； and then bent a little forward toward
him。
〃It is my turn now；〃 she said； suddenly； 〃is anything wrong？〃
He raised his head； and their eyes met。 There was a pause。 〃I will be
more honest than you；〃 he returned； 〃yes； there is。〃
〃What？〃
〃I've had orders to move on。〃
She drew back； and her lips whitened； though she kept them steady。
〃When do you go？〃
〃On Wednesday。〃
There was silence again； the man still kept his eyes on her face。
The whirring of the insects and the creaking of the wheel had suddenly
grown so strangely loud and insistent that it was in a half…dazed fashion
she at length heard her name〃/Kathleen！/〃
〃Kathleen！〃 he whispered again； hoarsely。
She looked him full in the face； and once more their eyes met in a long；
grave gaze。
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The man's face flushed； and he half rose from his seat with an
impetuous movement； but Kathleen stopped him with a glance。
〃Will you go and fetch my work？ I left it in the tent；〃 she said；
speaking very clearly and distinctly； 〃and then will you go on reading？ I
will find the place while you are gone。〃
She took the book from his hand； and he rose and stood before her。
There was a mute appeal in his silence； and she raised her head slowly。
Her face was white to the lips； but she looked at him unflinchingly；
and without a word he turned and left her。
Mrs。 Drayton was resting in the tent on Tuesday afternoon。 With the
help of cushions and some low chairs； she had improvised a couch； on
which she lay quietly with her eyes closed。 There was a tenseness；
however； in her attitude which indicated that sleep was far from her。
Her features seemed to have sharpened during the last few days； and
there were hollows in her cheeks。 She had been very ill for a long time；
but all at once； with a sudden movement； she turned her head and buried
her face in the cushions with a groan。 Slipping from her place； she fell on
her knees beside the couch； and put both hands before her mouth to force
back the cry that she felt struggling to her lips。
For some moments the wild effort she was making for outward calm；
which even when she was alone was her first instinct； strained every nerve
and blotted out sight and hearing； and it was not till the sound was very
near that she was conscious of the ring of horse's hoofs on the plain。
She raised her head sharply； with a thrill of fear； still kneeling； and
listened。
There was no mistake。 The horseman was riding in hot haste； for the
thud of the hoofs followed one another swiftly。
As Mrs。 Drayton listened her white face grew whiter； and she began to
tremble。 Putting out shaking hands； she raised herself by the arms of the
folding…chair and stood upright。
Nearer and nearer came the thunder of the approaching sound； mingled
with startled exclamations and the noise of trampling feet from the
direction of the kitchen tent。
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Slowly； mechanically almost； she dragged herself to the entrance； and
stood clinging to the canvas there。 By the time she had reached it
Broomhurst had flung himself from the saddle； and had thrown the reins to
one of the men。
Mrs。 Drayton stared at him with wide； bright eyes as he hastened
toward her。
〃I thought youyou are not〃 she began； and then her teeth began to
chatter。 〃I am so cold！〃 she said； in a little； weak voice。
Broomhurst took her hand and led her over the threshold back into the
tent。
〃Don't be so frightened；〃 he implored； 〃I came to tell you first。 I
thought it wouldn't frighten you so much asYourDrayton isvery ill。
They are bringing him。 I〃
He paused。 She gazed at him a moment with parted lips； then she
broke into a horrible； discordant laugh； and stood clinging to the back of a
chair。
Broomhurst started back。
〃Do you understand what I mean？〃 he whispered。 〃Kathleen； for God's
sake/don't/he is /dead/。〃
He looked over his shoulder as he spoke； her shrill laughter ringing in
his ears。 The white glare and dazzle of the plain stretched before him；
framed by the entrance to the tent； far off； against the horizon； there were
moving black specks； which he knew to be the returning servants with
their still burden。
They were bringing John Drayton home。
One afternoon； some months later； Broomhurst climbed the steep lane
leading to the cliffs of a little English village by the sea。 He had already
been to the inn； and had been shown by the proprietress the house where
Mrs。 Drayton lodged。
〃The lady was out； but the gentleman would likely find her if he went
to the cliffsdown by the bay； or thereabouts；〃 her landlady explained； and；
obeying her directions； Broomhurst presently emerged from the shady
woodland path on to the hillside overhanging the sea。
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