to-morrow-第6章

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spreeand　then　be　off　again；　looking　for　more。



They　never　stopped　long　where　there　were　houses；



they　had　no　wife；　no　chick；　no　home；　never　a　chum。



You　couldn't　be　friends　with　a　Gambucino；　they



were　too　restlesshere　to…day；　and　gone；　God



knows　where；　to…morrow。　　They　told　no　one　of



their　finds；　and　there　has　never　been　a　Gambucino



well　off。　　It　was　not　for　the　gold　they　cared；　it　was



the　wandering　about　looking　for　it　in　the　stony



country　that　got　into　them　and　wouldn't　let　them



rest；　so　that　no　woman　yet　born　could　hold　a　Gam…



bucino　for　more　than　a　week。　　That's　what　the



song　says。　　It's　all　about　a　pretty　girl　that　tried



hard　to　keep　hold　of　a　Gambucino　lover；　so　that　he



should　bring　her　lots　of　gold。　　No　fear！　　Off　he



went；　and　she　never　saw　him　again。〃







〃What　became　of　her？〃　she　breathed　out。







〃The　song　don't　tell。　　Cried　a　bit；　I　daresay。



They　were　the　fellows：　kiss　and　go。　　But　it's　the



looking　for　a　thinga　something　。　。　。　　Sometimes



I　think　I　am　a　sort　of　Gambucino　myself。〃







〃No　woman　can　hold　you；　then；〃　she　began　in



a　brazen　voice；　which　quavered　suddenly　before　the



end。







〃No　longer　than　a　week；〃　he　joked；　playing



upon　her　very　heartstrings　with　the　gay；　tender



note　of　his　laugh；　〃and　yet　I　am　fond　of　them



all。　　Anything　for　a　woman　of　the　right　sort。



The　scrapes　they　got　me　into；　and　the　scrapes　they



got　me　out　of！　　I　love　them　at　first　sight。　　I've



fallen　in　love　with　you　already；　MissBessie's　your



nameeh？〃







She　backed　away　a　little；　and　with　a　trembling



laugh：







〃You　haven't　seen　my　face　yet。〃







He　bent　forward　gallantly。　　〃A　little　pale：　it



suits　some。　　But　you　are　a　fine　figure　of　a　girl；　Miss



Bessie。〃







She　was　all　in　a　flutter。　　Nobody　had　ever　said



so　much　to　her　before。







His　tone　changed。　　〃I　am　getting　middling



hungry；　though。　　Had　no　breakfast　to…day。



Couldn't　you　scare　up　some　bread　from　that　tea



for　me；　or〃







She　was　gone　already。　　He　had　been　on　the　point



of　asking　her　to　let　him　come　inside。　　No　matter。



Anywhere　would　do。　　Devil　of　a　fix！　　What　would



his　chum　think？







〃I　didn't　ask　you　as　a　beggar；〃　he　said；　jest…



ingly；　taking　a　piece　of　bread…and…butter　from　the



plate　she　held　before　him。　　〃I　asked　as　a　friend。



My　dad　is　rich；　you　know。〃







〃He　starves　himself　for　your　sake。〃







〃And　I　have　starved　for　his　whim；〃　he　said；　tak…



ing　up　another　piece。







〃All　he　has　in　the　world　is　for　you；〃　she



pleaded。







〃Yes；　if　I　come　here　to　sit　on　it　like　a　dam'　toad



in　a　hole。　　Thank　you；　and　what　about　the　shovel；



eh？　　He　always　had　a　queer　way　of　showing　his



love。〃







〃I　could　bring　him　round　in　a　week；〃　she　sug…



gested；　timidly。







He　was　too　hungry　to　answer　her；　and；　holding



the　plate　submissively　to　his　hand；　she　began　to



whisper　up　to　him　in　a　quick；　panting　voice。　　He



listened；　amazed；　eating　slower　and　slower；　till　at



last　his　jaws　stopped　altogether。　　〃That's　his



game；　is　it？〃　he　said；　in　a　rising　tone　of　scathing



contempt。　　An　ungovernable　movement　of　his　arm



sent　the　plate　flying　out　of　her　fingers。　　He　shot



out　a　violent　curse。







She　shrank　from　him；　putting　her　hand　against



the　wall。







〃No！〃　he　raged。　　〃He　expects！　　Expects　ME



for　his　rotten　money！　。　。　。　。　　Who　wants　his



home？　　Madnot　he！　　Don't　you　think。　　He



wants　his　own　way。　　He　wanted　to　turn　me　into　a



miserable　lawyer's　clerk；　and　now　he　wants　to　make



of　me　a　blamed　tame　rabbit　in　a　cage。　　Of　me！　　Of



me！〃　　His　subdued　angry　laugh　frightened　her



now。







〃The　whole　world　ain't　a　bit　too　big　for　me　to



spread　my　elbows　in；　I　can　tell　youwhat's　your



nameBessielet　alone　a　dam'　parlour　in　a　hutch。



Marry！　　He　wants　me　to　marry　and　settle！　　And



as　likely　as　not　he　has　looked　out　the　girl　too



dash　my　soul！　　And　do　you　know　the　Judy；　may



I　ask？〃







She　shook　all　over　with　noiseless　dry　sobs；　but



he　was　fuming　and　fretting　too　much　to　notice　her



distress。　　He　bit　his　thumb　with　rage　at　the　mere



idea。　　A　window　rattled　up。







〃A　grinning；　information　fellow；〃　pronounced



old　Hagberd　dogmatically；　in　measured　tones。



And　the　sound　of　his　voice　seemed　to　Bessie　to　make



the　night　itself　madto　pour　insanity　and　dis…



aster　on　the　earth。　　〃Now　I　know　what's　wrong



with　the　people　here；　my　dear。　　Why；　of　course！



With　this　mad　chap　going　about。　　Don't　you　have



anything　to　do　with　him；　Bessie。　　Bessie；　I　say！〃







They　stood　as　if　dumb。　　The　old　man　fidgeted



and　mumbled　to　himself　at　the　window。　　Suddenly



he　cried；　piercingly：　〃BessieI　see　you。　　I'll　tell



Harry。〃







She　made　a　movement　as　if　to　run　away；　but



stopped　and　raised　her　hands　to　her　temples。



Young　Hagberd；　shadowy　and　big；　stirred　no　more



than　a　man　of　bronze。　　Over　their　heads　the　crazy



night　whimpered　and　scolded　in　an　old　man's　voice。







〃Send　him　away；　my　dear。　　He's　only　a　vaga…



bond。　　What　you　want　is　a　good　home　of　your　own。



That　chap　has　no　homehe's　not　like　Harry。　　He



can't　be　Harry。　　Harry　is　coming　to…morrow。　　Do



you　hear？　　One　day　more；〃　he　babbled　more　ex…



citedly；　〃never　you　fearHarry　shall　marry



you。〃







His　voice　rose　very　shrill　and　mad　against　the



regular　deep　soughing　of　the　swell　coiling　heavily



about　the　outer　face　of　the　sea…wall。







〃He　will　have　to。　　I　shall　make　him；　or　if　not〃



he　swore　a　great　oath〃I'll　cut　him　off　with　a



shilling　to…morrow；　and　leave　everything　to　you。



I　shall。　　To　you。　　Let　him　starve。〃







The　window　rattled　down。







Harry　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　took　one　step



toward　Bessie。　　〃So　it's　youthe　girl；〃　he　said；



in　a　lowered　voice。　　She　had　not　moved；　and　she　re…



mained　half　turned　away　from　him；　pressing　her



head　in　the　palms　of　her　hands。　　〃My　word！〃　he



continued；　with　an　invisible　half…smile　on　his　lips。



〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　stop。　。　。　。〃







Her　elbows　were　trembling　violently。







〃For　a　week；〃　he　finished　without　a　pause。







She　clapped　her　hands　to　her　face。







He　came　up　quite　close；　and　took　hold　of　her



wrists　gently。　　She　felt　his　breath　on　her　ear。







〃It's　a　scrape　I　am　inthis；　and　it　is　you　that



must　see　me　through。〃　　He　was　trying　to　uncover



her　face。　　She　resisted。　　He　let　her　go　then；　and



stepping　back　a　little；　〃Have　you　got　any



money？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　must　be　off　now。〃







She　nodded　quickly　her　shamefaced　head；　and　he



waited；　looking　away　from　her；　while；　trembling



all　over　and　bowing　her　neck；　she　tried　to　find　the



pocket　of　her　dress。







〃Here　it　is！〃　she　whispered。　　〃Oh；　go　away！



go　away　for　God's　sake！　　If　I　had　moremore



I　would　give　it　all　to　forgetto　make　you　for…



get。〃







He　extended　his　hand。　　〃No　fear！　　I　haven't



forgotten　a　single　one　of　you　in　the　world。　　Some



gave　me　more　than　moneybut　I　am　a　beggar　now



and　you　women　always　had　to　get　me　out　of　my



scrapes。〃







He　swaggered　up　to　the　parlour　window；　and　in



the　dim　light　filtering　through　the　blind；　looked　at



the　coin　lying　in　his　palm。　　It　was　a　half…sovereign。



He　slipped　it　into　his　pocket。　　She　stood　a　little　on



one　side；　with　her　head　drooping；　as　if　wounded；



with　her　arms　hanging　passive　by　her　side；　as　if



dead。







〃You　can't　buy　me　in；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　can't



buy　yourself　out。〃







He　set　his　hat　firmly　with　a　little　tap；　and　next



moment　she　felt　herself　lifted　up　in　the　powerful



embrace　of　his　arms。　　Her　feet　lost　the　ground；



her　head　hung　back；　he　showered　kisses　on　her　face



with　a　silent　and　over…mastering　ardour；　as　if　in



haste　to　get　at　her　very　soul。　　He　kissed　her　pale



cheeks；　her　hard　forehead；　her　heavy　eyelids；　her



faded　lips；　and　the　measured　blows　and　sighs　of



the　rising　tide　accompanied　the　enfolding　power



of　his　arms；　the　overwhelming　might　of　his　caresses。



It　was　as　if　the　sea；　breaking　down　the　wall　pro…



tecting　all　the　homes　of　the　town；　had　sent　a　wave



over　her　head。　　It　passed　on；　she　staggered　back…



wards；　with　her　shoulders　against　the　wall；　ex…



hausted；　as　if　she　had　been　stranded　there　after　a



storm　and　a　shipwreck。







She　opened　her　eyes　after　awhile；　and　listening



to　the　firm；　leisurely　footsteps　going　away　with



their　conquest；　began　to　gather　her　skirts；　staring



all　the　time　before　her。　　Suddenly　she　darted



through　the　open　gate　into　the　dark　and　deserted



street。







〃Stop！〃　she　shouted。　　〃Don't　go！〃







And　listening　with　an　attentive　poise　of　the　head；



she　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　the　beat　of　the



swell　or　his　fateful　tread　that　seemed　to　fall　cruelly



upon　her　heart。　　Presently　every　sound　grew



fainter；　as　though　she　were　slowly　turning　into



stone。　　A　fear　of　this　awful　silence　came　to　her



worse　than　the　fear　of　death。　　She　called　upon　her



ebbing　strength　for　the　final　appeal：







〃Harry！〃







Not　even　the　dying　echo　of　a　footstep。　　Noth…



ing。　　The　thundering　of　the　surf；　the　voice　of　the



restless　sea　itself；　seemed　stopped。　　There　was　not



a　soundno　whisper　of　life；　as　though　she　were



alone　and　lost　in　that　stony　country　of　which　she



had　heard；　where　madmen　go　looking　for　gold　and



spurn　the　find。







Captain　Hagberd；　inside　his　dark　house；　had



kept　on　the　alert。　　A　window　ran　up；　and　in　the



silence　of　the　stony　country　a　voice　spoke　above　her



head；　high　up　in　the　black　airthe　voice　of　mad…



ness；　lies　and　despairthe　voice　of　inextinguish…



able　hope。　　〃Is　he　gone　yetthat　information



fellow？　　Do　you　hear　him　about；　my　dear？〃







She　burst　into　tears。　　〃No！　no！　no！　　I　don't



hear　him　any　more；〃　she　sobbed。







He　began　to　chuckle　up　there　triumphantly。



〃You　frightened　him　away。　　Good　girl。　　Now　we



shall　be　all　right。　　Don't　you　be　impatient；　my　dear。



One　day　more。〃







In　the　other　house　old　Carvil；　wallowing　regally



in　his　arm…chair；　with　a　globe　lamp　burning　by　his



side　on　the　table；　yelled　for　her；　in　a　fiendish　voice：



〃Bessie！　　Bessie！　you　Bessie！〃







She　heard　him　at　last；　and；　as　if　overcome　by



fate；