the notch on the ax and on being found out- 第73部分

Through　the　tragedy　of　this　speech　I　was　conscious　of　a　faint
suggestion　of　comfort；　a　far…off　glimmer；　as　of　unseen　home…lights
on　a　midnight　sky。　　I　was　in　no　mood　then　to　understand；　or　to　seek
to　understand；　what　it　was；　but　I　know　now　that　his　words　had
removed　the　weight　of　helpless　banishment　from　my　spiritthat　his
heart；　speaking　through　them　to　my　own；　had　made　me　for　life　the
sharer　of　his　grief。


VIII


Presently　he　drew　his　shoulders　together　with　a　slight　determined
jerk；　threw　himself　back　upon　the　grass；　and　turning　to　me；　with
that　tremulous；　haggard　smile　upon　his　lips　which　I　knew　so　well；
but　which　had　never　before　struck　me　with　such　infinite　pathos；
〃Luckily；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　other　things　to　do　in　life　besides
being　happy。　　Only　perhaps　you　understand　now　what　I　meant　last
night　when　I　spoke　of　things　which　flesh　and　blood　cannot　bear；　and
yet　which　must　be　borne。〃

Suddenly　and　sharply　his　words　roused　again　into　activity　the
loathsome　memory　which　my　interest　in　his　story　had　partially
deadened。　　He　noticed　the　quick　involuntary　contraction　of　my
muscles；　and　read　it　aright。　　〃That　reminds　me；〃　he　went　on；　〃I
must　claim　your　promise。　　I　have　told　you　my　story。　　Now；　tell　me
yours。〃

I　told　him；　not　as　I　have　set　it　down　here；　though　perhaps　even　in
greater　detail；　but　incoherently；　bit　by　bit；　while　he　helped　me
out　with　gentle　questions；　quickly　comprehending　gestures；　and
patient　waiting　during　the　pauses　of　exhaustion　which　perforce
interposed　themselves。　　As　my　story　approached　its　climax；　his
agitation　grew　almost　equal　to　my　own；　and　he　listened　to　the
close；　his　teeth　clenched；　his　brows　bent；　as　if　passing　again　with
me　through　that　awful　conflict。　　When　I　had　finished；　it　was　some
moments　before　either　of　us　could　speak；　and　then　he　burst　forth
into　bitter　self…reproach　for　having　so　far　yielded　to　his
brother's　angry　obstinacy　as　to　allow　me　to　sleep　the　third　night
in　that　fatal　room。

〃It　was　cowardice；〃　he　said；　〃sheer　cowardice！　　After　all　that　has
happened；　I　dared　not　have　a　quarrel　with　one　of　my　own　blood。　　And
yet　if　I　had　not　hardened　my　heart；　I　had　reason　to　know　what　I　was
risking。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。

〃Those　other　two　girls　who　slept　there；〃　he　said；　breathlessly；　〃it
was　in　each　case　after　the　third　night　there　that　they　were　found
deaddead；　Evie；　so　runs　the　story；　with　a　mark　upon　their　necks
similar　in　shape　and　position　to　the　death…wound　which　Margaret
Mervyn　inflicted　upon　herself。〃

I　could　not　speak；　but　I　clutched　his　hand　with　an　almost
convulsive　grip。

〃And　I　knew　the　story；I　knew　it！〃　he　cried。　　〃As　boys　we　were　not
allowed　to　hear　much　of　our　family　traditions；　but　this　one　I　knew。
When　my　father　redid　the　interior　of　the　east　room；　he　removed　at
the　same　time　a　board　from　above　the　doorway　outside；　on　which　had
been　writtenit　is　said　by　Dame　Alice　herselfa　warning　upon　this
very　subject。　　I　happened　to　be　present　when　our　old　housekeeper；
who　had　been　his　nurse；　remonstrated　with　him　warmly　upon　this　act；
and　I　asked　her　afterwards　what　the　board　was；　and　why　she　cared
about　it　so　much。　　In　her　excitement　she　told　me　the　story　of　those
unhappy　girls；　repeating　again　and　again　that；　if　the　warning　were
taken　away；　evil　would　come　of　it。〃

〃And　she　was　right；〃　I　said；　dully。　　〃Oh；　if　only　your　father　had
left　it　there！〃

〃I　suppose；〃　he　answered；　speaking　more　quietly；　〃that　he　was
impatient　of　traditions　which；　as　I　told　you；　he　at　that　time　more
than　half　despised。　　Indeed　he　altered　the　shape　of　the　doorway；
raising　it；　and　making　it　flat　and　square；　so　that　the　old
inscription　could　not　have　been　replaced；　even　had　it　been　wished。
I　remember　it　was　fitted　round　the　low　Tudor　arch　which　was
previously　there。〃

My　mind；　too　worn　with　many　emotions　for　deliberate　thought；
wandered　on　languidly；　and　as　it　were　mechanically；　upon　these　last
trivial　words。　　The　doorway　presented　itself　to　my　view　as　it　had
originally　stood；　with　the　discarded　warning　above　it；　and　then；　by
a　spontaneous　comparison　of　mental　vision；　I　recalled　the　painted
board　which　I　had　noticed　three　days　before　in　Dame　Alice's　tower。
I　suggested　to　Alan　that　it　might　have　been　the　identical　oneits
shape　was　as　he　described。　　〃Very　likely；〃　he　answered；　absently。
〃Do　you　remember　what　the　words　were？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　I　replied。　　〃Let　me　see。〃　　And　I　repeated　them
slowly；　dragging　them　out　as　it　were　one　by　one　from　my　memory：


　　　　　〃Where　the　woman　sinned　the　maid　shall　win；
　　　　　　But　God　help　the　maid　that　sleeps　within。〃


〃You　see；〃　I　said；　turning　towards　him　slowly；　〃the　last　line　is　a
warning　such　as　you　spoke　of。〃

But　to　my　surprise　Alan　had　sprung　to　his　feet；　and　was　looking
down　at　me；　his　whole　body　quivering　with　excitement。　　〃Yes；　Evie；〃
he　cried；　〃and　the　first　line　is　a　prophecy；where　the　woman
sinned　the　maid　HAS　won。〃　　He　seized　the　hand　which　I　instinctively
reached　out　to　him。　　〃We　have　not　seen　the　end　of　this　yet；〃　he
went　on；　speaking　rapidly；　and　as　if　articulation　had　become
difficult　to　him。　　〃Come；　Evie；　we　must　go　back　to　the　house　and
look　at　the　cabinetnow；　at　once。〃

I　had　risen　to　my　feet　by　this　time；　but　I　shrank　away　at　those
words。　　〃To　that　room？　　Oh；　Alanno；　I　cannot。〃

He　had　hold　of　my　hand　still；　and　he　tightened　his　grasp　upon　it。
〃I　shall　be　with　you；　you　will　not　be　afraid　with　me；〃　he　said。
〃Come。〃　　His　eyes　were　burning；　his　face　flushed　and　paled　in　rapid
alternation；　and　his　hand　held　mine　like　a　vice　of　iron。

I　turned　with　him；　and　we　walked　back　to　the　Grange；　Alan
quickening　his　pace　as　he　went；　till　I　almost　had　to　run　by　his
side。　　As　we　approached　the　dreaded　room　my　sense　of　repulsion
became　almost　unbearable；　but　I　was　now　infected　by　his　excitement；
though　I　but　dimly　comprehended　its　cause。　　We　met　no　one　on　our
way；　and　in　a　moment　he　had　hurried　me　into　the　house；　up　the
stairs；　and　along　the　narrow　passage；　and　I　was　once　more　in　the
east　room；　and　in　the　presence　of　all　the　memories　of　that　accursed
night。　　For　an　instant　I　stood　strengthless；　helpless；　on　the
threshold；　my　gaze　fixed　panic…stricken　on　the　spot　where　I　had
taken　such　awful　part　in　that　phantom　tragedy　of　evil；　then　Alan
threw　his　arm　round　me；　and　drew　me　hastily　on　in　front　of　the
cabinet。　　Without　a　pause；　giving　himself　time　neither　to　speak　nor
think；　he　stretched　out　his　left　hand　and　moved　the　buttons　one
after　another。　　How　or　in　what　direction　he　moved　them　I　know　not；
but　as　the　last　turned　with　a　click；　the　doors；　which　no　mortal
hand　had　unclosed　for　three　hundred　years；　flew　back；　and　the
cabinet　stood　open。　　I　gave　a　little　gasp　of　fear。　　Alan　pressed
his　lips　closely　together；　and　turned　to　me　with　eager　questioning
in　his　eyes。　　I　pointed　in　answer　tremblingly　at　the　drawer　which　I
had　seen　open　the　night　before。　　He　drew　it　out；　and　there　on　its
satin　bed　lay　the　dagger　in　its　silver　sheath。　　Still　without　a
word　he　took　it　up；　and　reaching　his　right　hand　round　me；　for　I
could　not　now　have　stood　had　he　withdrawn　his　support；　with　a　swift
strong　jerk　he　unsheathed　the　blade。　　There　in　the　clear　autumn
sunshine　I　could　see　the　same　dull　stains　I　had　marked　in　the
flickering　candle…light；　and　over　them；　still　ruddy　and　moist；　were
the　drops　of　my　own　half…dried　blood。　　I　grasped　the　lapel　of　his
coat　with　both　my　hands；　and　clung　to　him　like　a　child　in　terror；
while　the　eyes　of　both　of　us　remained　fixed　as　if　fascinated　upon
the　knife…blade。　　Then；　with　a　sudden　start　of　memory；　Alan　raised
his　to　the　cornice　of　the　cabinet；　and　mine　followed。　　No　change
that　I　could　detect　had　taken　place　in　that　twisted　goldwork；　but
there；　clear　in　the　sight　of　us　both；　stood　forth　the　words　of　the
magic　motto：


　　　　　〃Pure　blood　shed　by　the　blood…stained　knife
　　　　　　Ends　Mervyn　shame；　heals　Mervyn　strife。〃


In　low　steady　tones　Alan　read　out　the　lines；　and　then　there　was
silenceon　my　part　of　stunned　bewilderment；　the　bewilderment　of　a
spirit　overwhelmed　beyond　the　power　of　comprehension　by　rushing；
conflicting　emotions。　　Alan　pressed　me　closer　to　him；　while　the
silence　seemed　to　throb　with　the　beating　of　his　heart　and　the
panting　of　his　breath。　　But　except　for　that　he　remained　motionless；
gazing　at　the　golden　message　before　him。　　At　length　I　felt　a
movement；　and　looking　up　saw　his　face　turned　down　towards　mine；　the
lips　quivering；　the　cheeks　flushed；　the　eyes　soft　with　passionate
feeling。　　〃We　are　saved；　my　darling；〃　he　whispered；　〃saved；　and
through　you。〃　　Then　he　bent　his　head　lower；　and　there　in　that　room
of　horror；　I　received　the　first　long　lover's　kiss　from　my　own　dear
husband's　lips。

　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

My　husband；　yes；　but　not　till　some　time　after　that。　　Alan's　first
act；　when　he　had　once　fully　realized　that　the　curse　was　indeed
removed；　wasthrowing　his　budding　practice　to　the　windsto　set
sail　for　America。　　There　he　sought　out　Jack；　and　labored　hard　to
impart　to　him　some　of　his　own　newfound　hope。　　It　was　slow　work；　but
he　succeeded　at　last；　and　only　left　him　when；　two　years　later；　he
had　handed　him　over　to　the　charge　of　a　bright…eyed　Western　girl；　to
whom　the　whole　story　had　been　told；　and　who　showed　herself　ready
and　anxious　to　help　in　building　up　again　the　broken　life　of　her
English　lover。　　To　judge　from　the　letters　that　we　have　since
received；　she　has　shown　herself　well　fitted　for　the　task。　　Among
other　things　she　has　money；　and　Jack's　worldly　affairs　have　so
prospered　that　George　declares　that　he　can　well　afford　now　to　waste
some　of　his　superfluous　cash　upon　farming　a　few　of　his　elder
brother's　acres。　　The　idea　seems　to　smile　upon　Jack；　and　I　have
every　hope　this　winter　of　being　able　to　institute　an　actual
comparison　between　our　small　boy；　his　namesake；　and　his　own　three…
year…old　Alan。　　The　comparison；　by　the　way；　will　have　to　be
conditional；　for　Jacketthe　name　by　which　my　son　and　heir　is
familiarly　knownis　but　a　little　more　than　two。

I　turn　my　eyes　for　a　moment；　and　they　fall　upon　the　northern　corner
of　the　East　Room；　which　shows　round　the　edge　of　the　house。　　Then
the　skeleton　leaps　from　the　cupboard　of　my　memory；　the　icy　ha