malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第8章
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I secretly thought I never should care anything about her。 She seemed
nothing but a little moral tale。 I thought she would not last me five minutes。
But now she is growing quite human and ridiculous about that Philip； and
I think I may find her very attractive indeed。〃
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
CHAPTER VI。
〃SOME LOVER'S CLEAR DAY。〃
〃HOPE！〃 said Philip Malbone； as they sailed together in a little boat
the next morning； 〃I have come back to you from months of bewildered
dreaming。 I have been wandering；no matter where。 I need you。 You
cannot tell how much I need you。〃
〃I can estimate it；〃 she answered； gently； 〃by my need of you。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Philip； gazing in her trustful face。 〃Any one whom
you loved would adore you； could he be by your side。 You need nothing。
It is I who need you。〃
〃Why？〃 she asked； simply。
〃Because；〃 he said； 〃I am capable of behaving very much like a fool。
Hope； I am not worthy of you； why do you love me？ why do you trust
me？〃
〃I do not know how I learned to love you；〃 said Hope。 〃It is a
blessing that was given to me。 But I learned to trust you in your mother's
sick…room。〃
〃Ay；〃 said Philip； sadly； 〃there； at least； I did my full duty。〃
〃As few would have done it；〃 said Hope； firmly；〃very few。 Such
prolonged self…sacrifice must strengthen a man for life。〃
〃Not always；〃 said Philip； uneasily。 〃Too much of that sort of thing
may hurt one； I fancy； as well as too little。 He may come to imagine that
the balance of virtue is in his favor； and that he may grant himself a little
indulgence to make up for lost time。 That sort of recoil is a little
dangerous； as I sometimes feel； do you know？〃
〃And you show it；〃 said Hope； ardently； 〃by fresh sacrifices！ How
much trouble you have taken about Emilia！ Some time； when you are
willing； you shall tell me all about it。 You always seemed to me a magician；
but I did not think that even you could restore her to sense and wisdom so
soon。〃
Malbone was just then very busy putting the boat about； but when he
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
had it on the other tack； he said； 〃How do you like her？〃
〃Philip；〃 said Hope； her eyes filling with tears； 〃I wonder if you have
the slightest conception how my heart is fixed on that child。 She has
always been a sort of dream to me； and the difficulty of getting any letters
from her has only added to the excitement。 Now that she is here； my whole
heart yearns toward her。 Yet； when I look into her eyes； a sort of blank
hopelessness comes over me。 They seem like the eyes of some untamable
creature whose language I shall never learn。 Philip； you are older and
wiser than I； and have shown already that you understand her。 Tell me
what I can do to make her love me？〃
〃Tell me how any one could help it？〃 said Malbone； looking fondly on
the sweet； pleading face before him。
〃I am beginning to fear that it can be helped；〃 she said。 Her thoughts
were still with Emilia。
〃Perhaps it can；〃 said Phil； 〃if you sit so far away from people。 Here
we are alone on the bay。 Come and sit by me； Hope。〃
She had been sitting amidships； but she came aft at once； and nestled
by him as he sat holding the tiller。 She put her face against his knee； like
a tired child； and shut her eyes； her hair was lifted by the summer breeze； a
scent of roses came from her； the mere contact of anything so fresh and
pure was a delight。 He put his arm around her； and all the first ardor of
passion came back to him again； he remembered how he had longed to
win this Diana； and how thoroughly she was won。
〃It is you who do me good；〃 said she。 〃O Philip； sail as slowly as you
can。〃 But he only sailed farther； instead of more slowly； gliding in and out
among the rocky islands in the light north wind； which； for a wonder；
lasted all that day；dappling the bare hills of the Isle of Shadows with a
shifting beauty。 The tide was in and brimming； the fishing…boats were
busy； white gulls soared and clattered round them； and heavy cormorants
flapped away as they neared the rocks。 Beneath the boat the soft
multitudinous jellyfishes waved their fringed pendants； or glittered with
tremulous gold along their pink； translucent sides。 Long lines and streaks
of paler blue lay smoothly along the enamelled surface； the low；
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amethystine hills lay couched beyond them； and little clouds stretched
themselves in lazy length above the beautiful expanse。 They reached the
ruined fort at last； and Philip； surrendering Hope to others； was himself
besieged by a joyous group。
As you stand upon the crumbling parapet of old Fort Louis； you feel
yourself poised in middle air； the sea…birds soar and swoop around you；
the white surf lashes the rocks far below； the white vessels come and go；
the water is around you on all sides but one； and spreads its pale blue
beauty up the lovely bay； or； in deeper tints； southward towards the
horizon line。 I know of no ruin in America which nature has so resumed； it
seems a part of the living rock； you cannot imagine it away。
It is a single round； low tower； shaped like the tomb of Cacilia Metella。
But its stately position makes it rank with the vast sisterhood of wave…
washed strongholds； it might be King Arthur's Cornish Tyntagel； it might
be 〃the teocallis tower〃 of Tuloom。 As you gaze down from its height；
all things that float upon the ocean seem equalized。 Look at the crowded
life on yonder frigate； coming in full…sailed before the steady sea…breeze。
To furl that heavy canvas； a hundred men cluster like bees upon the yards；
yet to us upon this height it is all but a plaything for the eyes； and we turn
with equal interest from that thronged floating citadel to some lonely boy
in his skiff。
Yonder there sail to the ocean； beating wearily to windward； a few
slow vessels。 Inward come jubilant white schooners； wing…and…wing。
There are fishing…smacks towing their boats behind them like a family of
children； and there are slender yachts that bear only their own light burden。
Once from this height I saw the whole yacht squadron round Point Judith；
and glide in like a flock of land…bound sea…birds； and above them； yet
more snowy and with softer curves； pressed onward the white squadrons
of the sky。
Within； the tower is full of debris； now disintegrated into one solid
mass； and covered with vegetation。 You can lie on the blossoming clover；
where the bees hum and the crickets chirp around you； and can look
through the arch which frames its own fair picture。 In the foreground lies
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the steep slope overgrown with bayberry and gay with thistle blooms； then
the little winding cove with its bordering cliffs； and the rough pastures
with their grazing sheep beyond。 Or； ascending the parapet； you can look
across the bay to the men making hay picturesquely on far…off lawns； or to
the cannon on the outer works of Fort Adams； looking like vast black
insects that have crawled forth to die。
Here our young people spent the day； some sketched； some played
croquet； some bathed in rocky inlets where the kingfisher screamed above
them； some rowed to little craggy isles for wild roses； some fished； and
then were taught by the boatmen to cook their fish in novel island ways。
The morning grew more and more cloudless； and then in the afternoon a
fog came and went again； marching by with its white armies； soon met and
annihilated by a rainbow。
The conversation that day was very gay and incoherent；little
fragments of all manner of things； science； sentiment； everything： 〃Like
a distracted dictionary；〃 Kate said。 At last this lively maiden got Philip
away from the rest； and began to cross…question him。
〃Tell me；〃 she said； 〃about Emilia's Swiss lover。 She shuddered when
she spoke of him。 Was he so very bad？〃
〃Not at all；〃 was the answer。 〃You had false impressions of him。 He
was a handsome； manly fellow； a little over…sentimental。 He had travelled；
and had been a merchant's clerk in Paris and London。 Then he came
back； and became a boatman on the lake； some said； for love of her。〃
〃Did she love him？〃
〃Passionately； as she thought。〃
〃Did he love her much？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
〃Then why did she stop loving him？〃
〃She does not hate him？〃
〃No；〃 said Kate； 〃that is what surprises me。 Lovers hate； or those
who have been lovers。 She is only indifferent。 Philip； she had wound
silk upon a torn piece of his carte…de…visite； and did not know it till I
showed it to her。 Even then she did not care。〃
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〃Such is woman！〃 said Philip。
〃Nonsense；〃 said Kate。 〃She had seen somebody whom she loved
better； and she still loves that somebody。 Who was it？ She had not
been introduced into society。 Were there any superior men among her
teachers？ She is just the girl to fall in love with her teacher； at least in
Europe； where they are the only men one sees。〃
〃There were some very superior men among them；〃 said Philip。
〃Professor Schirmer has a E
