malvina of brittany-第2章

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guesses　it　to　be　the　ridge　formed　by　the　Arree　Mountains。　　〃The　Lady
of　the　Fountain〃　appears　to　have　been　present；　suggesting　the　deep
green　pool　from　which　the　river　D'Argent　takes　its　source。　　Roughly
speaking；　one　would　place　it　halfway　between　the　modern　towns　of
Morlaix　and　Callac。　　Pedestrians；　even　of　the　present　day；　speak　of
the　still　loneliness　of　that　high　plateau；　treeless；　houseless；　with
no　sign　of　human　hand　there　but　that　high；　towering　monolith　round
which　the　shrill　winds　moan　incessantly。　　There；　possibly　on　some
broken　fragment　of　those　great　grey　stones；　Queen　Harbundia　sat　in
judgment。　　And　the　judgment　wasand　from　it　there　was　no　appeal…
…that　the　fairy　Malvina　should　be　cast　out　from　among　the　community
of　the　White　Ladies　of　Brittany。　　Over　the　face　of　the　earth　she
should　wander；　alone　and　unforgiven。　　Solemnly　from　the　book　of　the
roll…call　of　the　White　Ladies　the　name　of　Malvina　was　struck　out　for
ever。

The　blow　must　have　fallen　upon　Malvina　as　heavily　as　it　was
unexpected。　　Without　a　word；　without　one　backward　look；　she　seems　to
have　departed。　　One　pictures　the　white；　frozen　face；　the　wide…open；
unseeing　eyes；　the　trembling；　uncertain　steps；　the　groping　hands；
the　deathlike　silence　clinging　like　grave…clothes　round　about　her。

From　that　night　the　fairy　Malvina　disappears　from　the　book　of　the
chroniclers　of　the　White　Ladies　of　Brittany；　from　legend　and　from
folklore　whatsoever。　　She　does　not　appear　again　in　history　till　the
year　A。D。　1914。



II。　　HOW　IT　CAME　ABOUT。



It　was　on　an　evening　towards　the　end　of　June；　1914；　that　Flight
Commander　Raffleton；　temporarily　attached　to　the　French　Squadron
then　harboured　at　Brest；　received　instructions　by　wireless　to　return
at　once　to　the　British　Air　Service　Headquarters　at　Farnborough；　in
Hampshire。　　The　night；　thanks　to　a　glorious　full　moon；　would　afford
all　the　light　he　required；　and　young　Raffleton　determined　to　set　out
at　once。　　He　appears　to　have　left　the　flying　ground　just　outside　the
arsenal　at　Brest　about　nine　o'clock。　　A　little　beyond　Huelgoat　he
began　to　experience　trouble　with　the　carburettor。　　His　idea　at　first
was　to　push　on　to　Lannion；　where　he　would　be　able　to　secure　expert
assistance；　but　matters　only　getting　worse；　and　noticing　beneath　him
a　convenient　stretch　of　level　ground；　he　decided　to　descend　and
attend　to　it　himself。　　He　alighted　without　difficulty　and　proceeded
to　investigate。　　The　job　took　him；　unaided；　longer　than　he　had
anticipated。　　It　was　a　warm；　close　night；　with　hardly　a　breath　of
wind；　and　when　he　had　finished　he　was　feeling　hot　and　tired。　　He　had
drawn　on　his　helmet　and　was　on　the　point　of　stepping　into　his　seat；
when　the　beauty　of　the　night　suggested　to　him　that　it　would　be
pleasant；　before　starting　off　again；　to　stretch　his　legs　and　cool
himself　a　little。　　He　lit　a　cigar　and　looked　round　about　him。

The　plateau　on　which　he　had　alighted　was　a　table…land　standing　high
above　the　surrounding　country。　　It　stretched　around　him；　treeless；
houseless。　　There　was　nothing　to　break　the　lines　of　the　horizon　but
a　group　of　gaunt　grey　stones；　the　remains；　so　he　told　himself；　of
some　ancient　menhir；　common　enough　to　the　lonely　desert　lands　of
Brittany。　　In　general　the　stones　lie　overthrown　and　scattered；　but
this　particular　specimen　had　by　some　strange　chance　remained
undisturbed　through　all　the　centuries。　　Mildly　interested；　Flight
Commander　Raffleton　strolled　leisurely　towards　it。　　The　moon　was　at
its　zenith。　　How　still　the　quiet　night　must　have　been　was　impressed
upon　him　by　the　fact　that　he　distinctly　heard；　and　counted；　the
strokes　of　a　church　clock　which　must　have　been　at　least　six　miles
away。　　He　remembers　looking　at　his　watch　and　noting　that　there　was　a
slight　difference　between　his　own　and　the　church　time。　　He　made　it
eight　minutes　past　twelve。　　With　the　dying　away　of　the　last
vibrations　of　the　distant　bell　the　silence　and　the　solitude　of　the
place　seemed　to　return　and　settle　down　upon　it　with　increased
insistence。　　While　he　was　working　it　had　not　troubled　him；　but
beside　the　black　shadows　thrown　by　those　hoary　stones　it　had　the
effect　almost　of　a　presence。　　It　was　with　a　sense　of　relief　that　he
contemplated　returning　to　his　machine　and　starting　up　his　engine。
It　would　whir　and　buzz　and　give　back　to　him　a　comfortable　feeling　of
life　and　security。　　He　would　walk　round　the　stones　just　once　and
then　be　off。　　It　was　wonderful　how　they　had　defied　old　Time。　　As
they　had　been　placed　there；　quite　possibly　ten　thousand　years　ago；
so　they　still　stood；　the　altar　of　that　vast；　empty　sky…roofed
temple。　　And　while　he　was　gazing　at　them；　his　cigar　between　his
lips；　struggling　with　a　strange　forgotten　impulse　that　was　tugging
at　his　knees；　there　came　from　the　very　heart　of　the　great　grey
stones　the　measured　rise　and　fall　of　a　soft；　even　breathing。

Young　Raffleton　frankly　confesses　that　his　first　impulse　was　to　cut
and　run。　　Only　his　soldier's　training　kept　his　feet　firm　on　the
heather。　　Of　course；　the　explanation　was　simple。　　Some　animal　had
made　the　place　its　nest。　　But　then　what　animal　was　ever　known　to
sleep　so　soundly　as　not　to　be　disturbed　by　human　footsteps？　　If
wounded；　and　so　unable　to　escape；　it　would　not　be　breathing　with
that　quiet；　soft　regularity；　contrasting　so　strangely　with　the
stillness　and　the　silence　all　round。　　Possibly　an　owl's　nest。　　Young
owlets　make　that　sort　of　noisethe　〃snorers；〃　so　country　people
call　them。　　Young　Raffleton　threw　away　his　cigar　and　went　down　upon
his　knees　to　grope　among　the　shadows；　and；　doing　so；　he　touched
something　warm　and　soft　and　yielding。

But　it　wasn't　an　owl。　　He　must　have　touched　her　very　lightly；　for
even　then　she　did　not　wake。　　She　lay　there　with　her　head　upon　her
arm。　　And　now　close　to　her；　his　eyes　growing　used　to　the　shadows；　he
saw　her　quite　plainly；　the　wonder　of　the　parted　lips；　the　gleam　of
the　white　limbs　beneath　their　flimsy　covering。

Of　course；　what　he　ought　to　have　done　was　to　have　risen　gently　and
moved　away。　　Then　he　could　have　coughed。　　And　if　that　did　not　wake
her　he　might　have　touched　her　lightly；　say；　on　the　shoulder；　and
have　called　to　her；　first　softly；　then　a　little　louder；
〃Mademoiselle；〃　or　〃Mon　enfant。〃　　Even　better；　he　might　have　stolen
away　on　tiptoe　and　left　her　there　sleeping。

This　idea　does　not　seem　to　have　occurred　to　him。　　One　makes　the
excuse　for　him　that　he　was　but　three…and…twenty；　that；　framed　in　the
purple　moonlight；　she　seemed　to　him　the　most　beautiful　creature　his
eyes　had　ever　seen。　　And　then　there　was　the　brooding　mystery　of　it
all；　that　atmosphere　of　far…off　primeval　times　from　which　the　roots
of　life　still　draw　their　sap。　　One　takes　it　he　forgot　that　he　was
Flight　Commander　Raffleton；　officer　and　gentleman；　forgot　the　proper
etiquette　applying　to　the　case　of　ladies　found　sleeping　upon　lonely
moors　without　a　chaperon。　　Greater　still；　the　possibility　that　he
never　thought　of　anything　at　all；　but；　just　impelled　by　a　power
beyond　himself；　bent　down　and　kissed　her。

Not　a　platonic　kiss　upon　the　brow；　not　a　brotherly　kiss　upon　the
cheek；　but　a　kiss　full　upon　the　parted　lips；　a　kiss　of　worship　and
amazement；　such　as　that　with　which　Adam　in　all　probability　awakened
Eve。

Her　eyes　opened；　and；　just　a　little　sleepily；　she　looked　at　him。
There　could　have　been　no　doubt　in　her　mind　as　to　what　had　happened。
His　lips　were　still　pressing　hers。　　But　she　did　not　seem　in　the
least　surprised；　and　most　certainly　not　angry。　　Raising　herself　to　a
sitting　posture；　she　smiled　and　held　out　her　hand　that　he　might　help
her　up。　　And；　alone　in　that　vast　temple；　star…roofed　and　moon…
illumined；　beside　that　grim　grey　altar　of　forgotten　rites；　hand　in
hand　they　stood　and　looked　at　one　another。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Commander　Raffleton。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　have
disturbed　you。〃

He　remembered　afterwards　that　in　his　confusion　he　had　spoken　to　her
in　English。　　But　she　answered　him　in　French；　a　quaint；　old…fashioned
French　such　as　one　rarely　finds　but　in　the　pages　of　old　missals。　　He
would　have　had　some　difficulty　in　translating　it　literally；　but　the
meaning　of　it　was；　adapted　to　our　modern　idiom：

〃Don't　mention　it。　　I'm　so　glad　you've　come。〃

He　gathered　she　had　been　expecting　him。　　He　was　not　quite　sure
whether　he　ought　not　to　apologise　for　being　apparently　a　little
late。　　True；　he　had　no　recollection　of　any　such　appointment。　　But
then　at　that　particular　moment　Commander　Raffleton　may　be　said　to
have　had　no　consciousness　of　anything　beyond　just　himself　and　the
wondrous　other　beside　him。　　Somewhere　outside　was　moonlight　and　a
world；　but　all　that　seemed　unimportant。　　It　was　she　who　broke　the
silence。

〃How　did　you　get　here？〃　she　asked。

He　did　not　mean　to　be　enigmatical。　　He　was　chiefly　concerned　with
still　gazing　at　her。

〃I　flew　here；〃　he　answered。　　Her　eyes　opened　wider　at　that；　but　with
interest；　not　doubt。

〃Where　are　your　wings？〃　she　asked。　　She　was　leaning　sideways；　trying
to　get　a　view　of　his　back。

He　laughed。　　It　made　her　seem　more　human；　that　curiosity　about　his
back。

〃Over　there；〃　he　answered。　　She　looked；　and　for　the　first　time　saw
the　great　shimmering　sails　gleaming　like　silver　under　the　moonlight。

She　moved　towards　it；　and　he　followed；　noticing　without　surprise
that　the　heather　seemed　to　make　no　sign　of　yielding　to　the　pressure
of　her　white　feet。

She　halted　a　little　away　from　it；　and　he　came　and　stood　beside　her。
Even　to　Commander　Raffleton　himself　it　looked　as　if　the　great　wings
were　quivering；　like　the　outstretched　pinions　of　a　bird　preening
itself　before　flight。

〃Is　it　alive？〃　she　asked。

〃Not　till　I　whisper　to　it；〃　he　answered。　　He　was　losing　a　little　of
his　fear　of　her。　　She　turned　to　him。

〃Shall　we　go？〃　she　asked。

He　stared　at　her。　　She　was　quite　serious；　that　was　evident。　　She　was
to　put　her　hand　in　his　and　go　away　with　him。　　It　was　all　settled。
That　is　why　he　had　come。　　To　her　it　did　not　matter　where。　　That　was
his　affair。　　But　where　he　went　she　was　to　go。　　That　was　quite
clearly　the　programme　in　her　mind。

To　his　credit；　let　it　be　recorded；　he　did　make　an　effort。　　Against
all　the　forces　of　nature；　against　his　twenty…three　years　and　the　red
blood　pulsing　in　his　veins；　against　the　fumes　of　the　midsummer
moonlight　encompassing　him　and　the　voices　of　the　stars；　against　the
demons　of　poetry　and　romance　and　mystery　chanting　their　witches'
music　in　his　ears；　against　the　marvel　and　the　glory　of　her　as　she
stood　beside　him；　clothed　in　the　purple　of　the　night；　Flight
Commander　Raffleton　fought　the　good　fight　for　common　sense。

Young　persons　who；　scantily　clad；　go　to　sleep　on　the　heather；　five
miles　from　the　nearest　human　habitation；　are　to　be　avoided　by
well…brought…up　young　officers　of　His　Majesty's　Aerial　Service。　　The
incidence　of　their　being　uncannily　beautiful　and　alluring　should
serve　as　an　additional　note　of　warning。　　The　girl　had　had　a　row　with
her　mother　and　wanted　to　get　away。　　It　was　this　infernal　moonlight
that　was　chiefly　responsible。　　No　wonder　dogs　bayed　at　it。　　He
almost　fancied　he　could　hear　one　now。　　Nice；　respectable；
wholesome…minded　things；　dogs。　　No　damned　sentiment　about　them。
What　if　he　had　kissed　her！　　One　is　not　bound　for　life　to　every　woman
one