the doom of the griffiths-第7章

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with　his　father　for　a　momenthe　pushed　him　hard；　and　drove　him　on　to

the　great　displaced　stone；　all　unsteady　in　its　balance。



Down　went　the　Squire；　down　into　the　deep　waters　belowdown　after　him

went　Owen；　half　consciously；　half　unconsciously；　partly　compelled　by

the　sudden　cessation　of　any　opposing　body；　partly　from　a　vehement

irrepressible　impulse　to　rescue　his　father。　　But　he　had　instinctively

chosen　a　safer　place　in　the　deep　seawater　pool　than　that　into　which

his　push　had　sent　his　father。　　The　Squire　had　hit　his　head　with　much

violence　against　the　side　of　the　boat；　in　his　fall；　it　is；　indeed；

doubtful　whether　he　was　not　killed　before　ever　he　sank　into　the　sea。

But　Owen　knew　nothing　save　that　the　awful　doom　seemed　even　now

present。　　He　plunged　down；　he　dived　below　the　water　in　search　of　the

body　which　had　none　of　the　elasticity　of　life　to　buoy　it　up；　he　saw

his　father　in　those　depths；　he　clutched　at　him；　he　brought　him　up　and

cast　him；　a　dead　weight；　into　the　boat；　and　exhausted　by　the　effort；

he　had　begun　himself　to　sink　again　before　he　instinctively　strove　to

rise　and　climb　into　the　rocking　boat。　　There　lay　his　father；　with　a

deep　dent　in　the　side　of　his　head　where　the　skull　had　been　fractured

by　his　fall；　his　face　blackened　by　the　arrested　course　of　the　blood。

Owen　felt　his　pulse；　his　heartall　was　still。　　He　called　him　by　his

name。



〃Father；　father！〃　he　cried；　〃come　back！　come　back！　　You　never　knew

how　I　loved　you！　how　I　could　love　you　stillifOh　God！〃



And　the　thought　of　his　little　child　rose　before　him。　　〃Yes；　father；〃

he　cried　afresh；　〃you　never　knew　how　he　fellhow　he　died！　　Oh；　if　I

had　but　had　patience　to　tell　you！　　If　you　would　but　have　borne　with

me　and　listened！　　And　now　it　is　over！　　Oh　father！　father！〃



Whether　she　had　heard　this　wild　wailing　voice；　or　whether　it　was　only

that　she　missed　her　husband　and　wanted　him　for　some　little　every…day

question；　or；　as　was　perhaps　more　likely；　she　had　discovered　Owen's

escape；　and　come　to　inform　her　husband　of　it；　I　do　not　know；　but　on

the　rock；　right　above　his　head；　as　it　seemed；　Owen　heard　his

stepmother　calling　her　husband。



He　was　silent；　and　softly　pushed　the　boat　right　under　the　rock　till

the　sides　grated　against　the　stones；　and　the　overhanging　branches

concealed　him　and　it　from　all　not　on　a　level　with　the　water。　　Wet　as

he　was；　he　lay　down　by　his　dead　father　the　better　to　conceal　himself；

and；　somehow；　the　action　recalled　those　early　days　of　childhoodthe

first　in　the　Squire's　widowhoodwhen　Owen　had　shared　his　father's

bed；　and　used　to　waken　him　in　the　morning　to　hear　one　of　the　old

Welsh　legends。　　How　long　he　lay　thusbody　chilled；　and　brain　hard…

working　through　the　heavy　pressure　of　a　reality　as　terrible　as　a

nightmarehe　never　knew；　but　at　length　he　roused　himself　up　to　think

of　Nest。



Drawing　out　a　great　sail；　he　covered　up　the　body　of　his　father　with

it　where　he　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　　Then　with　his　numbed

hands　he　took　the　oars；　and　pulled　out　into　the　more　open　sea　toward

Criccaeth。　　He　skirted　along　the　coast　till　he　found　a　shadowed　cleft

in　the　dark　rocks；　to　that　point　he　rowed；　and　anchored　his　boat

close　in　land。　　Then　he　mounted；　staggering；　half　longing　to　fall

into　the　dark　waters　and　be　at　resthalf　instinctively　finding　out

the　surest　foot…rests　on　that　precipitous　face　of　rock；　till　he　was

high　up；　safe　landed　on　the　turfy　summit。　　He　ran　off；　as　if　pursued；

toward　Penmorfa；　he　ran　with　maddened　energy。　　Suddenly　he　paused；

turned；　ran　again　with　the　same　speed；　and　threw　himself　prone　on　the

summit；　looking　down　into　his　boat　with　straining　eyes　to　see　if

there　had　been　any　movement　of　lifeany　displacement　of　a　fold　of

sail…cloth。　　It　was　all　quiet　deep　down　below；　but　as　he　gazed　the

shifting　light　gave　the　appearance　of　a　slight　movement。　　Owen　ran　to

a　lower　part　of　the　rock；　stripped；　plunged　into　the　water；　and　swam

to　the　boat。　　When　there；　all　was　stillawfully　still！　　For　a　minute

or　two；　he　dared　not　lift　up　the　cloth。　　Then　reflecting　that　the

same　terror　might　beset　him　againof　leaving　his　father　unaided

while　yet　a　spark　of　life　lingeredhe　removed　the　shrouding　cover。

The　eyes　looked　into　his　with　a　dead　stare！　　He　closed　the　lids　and

bound　up　the　jaw。　　Again　he　looked。　　This　time　he　raised　himself　out

of　the　water　and　kissed　the　brow。



〃It　was　my　doom；　father！　　It　would　have　been　better　if　I　had　died　at

my　birth！〃



Daylight　was　fading　away。　　Precious　daylight！　　He　swam　back；　dressed；

and　set　off　afresh　for　Penmorfa。　　When　he　opened　the　door　of　Ty　Glas；

Ellis　Pritchard　looked　at　him　reproachfully；　from　his　seat　in　the

darkly…shadowed　chimney…corner。



〃You're　come　at　last；〃　said　he。　　〃One　of　our　kind　（i。e。；　station）

would　not　have　left　his　wife　to　mourn　by　herself　over　her　dead　child；

nor　would　one　of　our　kind　have　let　his　father　kill　his　own　true　son。

I've　a　good　mind　to　take　her　from　you　for　ever。〃



〃I　did　not　tell　him；〃　cried　Nest；　looking　piteously　at　her　husband；

〃he　made　me　tell　him　part；　and　guessed　the　rest。〃



She　was　nursing　her　babe　on　her　knee　as　if　it　was　alive。　　Owen　stood

before　Ellis　Pritchard。



〃Be　silent；〃　said　he；　quietly。　　〃Neither　words　nor　deeds　but　what　are

decreed　can　come　to　pass。　　I　was　set　to　do　my　work；　this　hundred

years　and　more。　　The　time　waited　for　me；　and　the　man　waited　for　me。

I　have　done　what　was　foretold　of　me　for　generations！〃



Ellis　Pritchard　knew　the　old　tale　of　the　prophecy；　and　believed　in　it

in　a　dull；　dead　kind　of　way；　but　somehow　never　thought　it　would　come

to　pass　in　his　time。　　Now；　however；　he　understood　it　all　in　a　moment；

though　he　mistook　Owen's　nature　so　much　as　to　believe　that　the　deed

was　intentionally　done；　out　of　revenge　for　the　death　of　his　boy；　and

viewing　it　in　this　light；　Ellis　thought　it　little　more　than　a　just

punishment　for　the　cause　of　all　the　wild　despairing　sorrow　he　had

seen　his　only　child　suffer　during　the　hours　of　this　long　afternoon。

But　he　knew　the　law　would　not　so　regard　it。　　Even　the　lax　Welsh　law

of　those　days　could　not　fail　to　examine　into　the　death　of　a　man　of

Squire　Griffith's　standing。　　So　the　acute　Ellis　thought　how　he　could

conceal　the　culprit　for　a　time。



〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃don't　look　so　scared！　　It　was　your　doom；　not　your

fault；〃　and　he　laid　a　hand　on　Owen's　shoulder。



〃You're　wet；〃　said　he；　suddenly。　　〃Where　have　you　been？　　Nest；　your

husband　is　dripping；　drookit　wet。　　That's　what　makes　him　look　so　blue

and　wan。〃



Nest　softly　laid　her　baby　in　its　cradle；　she　was　half　stupefied　with

crying；　and　had　not　understood　to　what　Owen　alluded；　when　he　spoke　of

his　doom　being　fulfilled；　if　indeed　she　had　heard　the　words。



Her　touch　thawed　Owen's　miserable　heart。



〃Oh；　Nest！〃　said　he；　clasping　her　in　his　arms；　〃do　you　love　me　still…

…can　you　love　me；　my　own　darling？〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　she；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears。　　〃I　only　love　you

more　than　ever；　for　you　were　my　poor　baby's　father！〃



〃But；　NestOh；　tell　her；　Ellis！　YOU　know。〃



〃No　need；　no　need！〃　said　Ellis。　　〃She's　had　enough　to　think　on。

Bustle；　my　girl；　and　get　out　my　Sunday　clothes。〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Nest；　putting　her　hand　up　to　her　head。

〃What　is　to　tell？　and　why　are　you　so　wet？　　God　help　me　for　a　poor

crazed　thing；　for　I　cannot　guess　at　the　meaning　of　your　words　and

your　strange　looks！　　I　only　know　my　baby　is　dead！〃　and　she　burst　into

tears。



〃Come；　Nest！　go　and　fetch　him　a　change；　quick！〃　and　as　she　meekly

obeyed；　too　languid　to　strive　further　to　understand；　Ellis　said

rapidly　to　Owen；　in　a　low；　hurried　voice　…



〃Are　you　meaning　that　the　Squire　is　dead？　　Speak　low；　lest　she　hear。

Well；　well；　no　need　to　talk　about　how　he　died。　　It　was　sudden；　I　see；

and　we　must　all　of　us　die；　and　he'll　have　to　be　buried。　　It's　well

the　night　is　near。　　And　I　should　not　wonder　now　if　you'd　like　to

travel　for　a　bit；　it　would　do　Nest　a　power　of　good；　and　thenthere's

many　a　one　goes　out　of　his　own　house　and　never　comes　back　again；　and…

…I　trust　he's　not　lying　in　his　own　houseand　there's　a　stir　for　a

bit；　and　a　search；　and　a　wonderand；　by…and…by；　the　heir　just　steps

in；　as　quiet　as　can　be。　　And　that's　what　you'll　do；　and　bring　Nest　to

Bodowen　after　all。　　Nay；　child；　better　stockings　nor　those；　find　the

blue　woollens　I　bought　at　Llanrwst　fair。　　Only　don't　lose　heart。

It's　done　now　and　can't　be　helped。　　It　was　the　piece　of　work　set　you

to　do　from　the　days　of　the　Tudors；　they　say。　　And　he　deserved　it。

Look　in　yon　cradle。　　So　tell　us　where　he　is；　and　I'll　take　heart　of

grace　and　see　what　can　be　done　for　him。〃



But　Owen　sat　wet　and　haggard；　looking　into　the　peat　fire　as　if　for

visions　of　the　past；　and　never　heeding　a　word　Ellis　said。　　Nor　did　he

move　when　Nest　brought　the　armful　of　dry　clothes。



〃Come；　rouse　up；　man！〃　said　Ellis；　growing　impatient。　　But　he　neither

spoke　nor　moved。



〃What　is　the　matter；　father？〃　asked　Nest；　bewildered。



Ellis　kept　on　watching　Owen　for　a　minute　or　two；　till　on　his

daughter's　repetition　of　the　question；　he　said　…



〃Ask　him　yourself；　Nest。〃



〃Oh；　husband；　what　is　it？〃　said　she；　kneeling　down　and　bringing　her

face　to　a　level　with　his。



〃Don't　you　know？〃　said　he；　heavily。　　〃You　won't　love　me　when　you　do

know。　　And　yet　it　was　not　my　doing：　　it　was　my　doom。〃



〃What　does　he　mean；　father？〃　asked　Nest；　looking　up；　but　she　caught　a

gesture　from　Ellis　urging　her　to　go　on　questioning　her　husband。



〃I　will　love　you；　husband；　whatever　has　happened。　　Only　let　me　know

the　worst。〃



A　pause；　during　which　Nest　and　Ellis　hung　breathless。



〃My　father　is　dead；　Nest。〃



Nest　caught　her　breath　with　a　sharp　gasp。



〃God　forgive　him！〃　said　she；　thinking　on　her　babe。



〃God　forgive　ME！〃　said　Owen。



〃You　did　not〃　Nest　stopped。



〃Yes；　I　did。　　Now　you　know　it。　　It　was　my　doom。　　How　could　I　help　it？

The　devil　helped　mehe　placed　the　stone　so　that　my　father　fell。　　I

jumped　into　the　water　to　save　him。　　I　did；　indeed；　Nest。　　I　was

nearly　drowned　myself。　　But　he　was　deaddeadkilled　by　the　fall！〃



〃Then　he　is　safe　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea？〃　said　Ellis；　with　hungry

eagerness。



〃No；　he　is　not；　he　lies　in　my　boat；〃　said　Owen；　shivering　a　little；

more　at　the　thought　of　his　last　glimpse　at　his　father's　face　than

from　cold。



〃Oh；　husband；　change　your　wet　clothes！〃　pleaded　Nest；　to　whom　the

death　of　the　old　man　was　simply　a　horror　with　which　she　had　nothing

to　do；　while　her　husband's　discomfort　was　a　present　trouble。



While　she　helped　him　to　take　off　the　wet　garments　which　he　would

never　have　had　energy　enough　to　remove　of　himself；　Ellis　was　busy

preparing　food；　and　mixing　a　great　tumbler　of　spirits　and　hot　water。

He　stood　over　the　unfortunate　young　man　and　compelled　him　to　eat　and

drink；　and　made　Nest；　too；　taste　some　mouthfulsall　the　while

planning　in　his　own　mind　how　best　to　conceal　what　had　been　done；　and

w