tales of trail and town- 第30部分

and　slender　girl　in　white。



They　walked　leisurely　to　the　other　end　of　the　terrace；　as　if

performing　a　regular　exercise；　and　returned；　stopping　before　the

open　French　window；　where；　after　remaining　in　conversation　a　few

moments；　the　elderly　lady　and　her　ecclesiastical　companion　entered。

The　young　girl　sauntered　slowly　to　the　steps　of　the　terrace；　and

leaning　against　a　huge　vase　as　she　looked　over　the　garden；　seemed

lost　in　contemplation。　　Her　face　was　turned　towards　the　wood；　but

in　quite　another　direction　from　where　he　stood。



There　was　something　so　gentle；　refined；　and　graceful　in　her　figure；

yet　dominated　by　a　girlish　youthfulness　of　movement　and　gesture；

that　Alkali　Dick　was　singularly　interested。　　He　had　probably　never

seen　an　ingenue　before；　he　had　certainly　never　come　in　contact　with

a　girl　of　that　caste　and　seclusion　in　his　brief　Parisian　experience。

He　was　sorely　tempted　to　leave　his　hedge　and　try　to　obtain　a　nearer

view　of　her。　　There　was　a　fringe　of　lilac　bushes　running　from　the

garden　up　the　slope；　if　he　could　gain　their　shadows；　he　could

descend　into　the　garden。　　What　he　should　do　after　his　arrival　he　had

not　thought；　but　he　had　one　ideahe　knew　not　whythat　if　he

ventured　to　speak　to　her　he　would　not　be　met　with　the　abrupt　rustic

terror　he　had　experienced　at　the　hands　of　the　servants。　　SHE　was　not

of　that　kind！　　He　crept　through　the　hedge；　reached　the　lilacs；　and

began　the　descent　softly　and　securely　in　the　shadow。　　But　at　the

same　moment　she　arose；　called　in　a　youthful　voice　towards　the　open

window；　and　began　to　descend　the　steps。　　A　half…expostulating　reply

came　from　the　window；　but　the　young　girl　answered　it　with　the

laughing；　capricious　confidence　of　a　spoiled　child；　and　continued

her　way　into　the　garden。　　Here　she　paused　a　moment　and　hung　over　a

rose…tree；　from　which　she　gathered　a　flower；　afterwards　thrust　into

her　belt。　　Dick　paused；　too；　half…crouching；　half…leaning　over　a

lichen…stained；　cracked　stone　pedestal　from　which　the　statue　had

long　been　overthrown　and　forgotten。



To　his　surprise；　however；　the　young　girl；　following　the　path　to　the

lilacs；　began　leisurely　to　ascend　the　hill；　swaying　from　side　to

side　with　a　youthful　movement；　and　swinging　the　long　stalk　of　a

lily　at　her　side。　　In　another　moment　he　would　be　discovered！　　Dick

was　frightened；　his　confidence　of　the　moment　before　had　all　gone；

he　would　fly；and　yet；　an　exquisite　and　fearful　joy　kept　him

motionless。　　She　was　approaching　him；　full　and　clear　in　the

moonlight。　　He　could　see　the　grace　of　her　delicate　figure　in　the

simple　white　frock　drawn　at　the　waist　with　broad　satin　ribbon；　and

its　love…knots　of　pale　blue　ribbons　on　her　shoulders；　he　could　see

the　coils　of　her　brown　hair；　the　pale；　olive　tint　of　her　oval

cheek；　the　delicate；　swelling　nostril　of　her　straight；　clear…cut

nose；　he　could　even　smell　the　lily　she　carried　in　her　little　hand。

Then；　suddenly；　she　lifted　her　long　lashes；　and　her　large　gray　eyes

met　his。



Alas！　the　same　look　of　vacant　horror　came　into　her　eyes；　and　fixed

and　dilated　their　clear　pupils。　　But　she　uttered　no　outcry；there

was　something　in　her　blood　that　checked　it；　something　that　even

gave　a　dignity　to　her　recoiling　figure；　and　made　Dick　flush　with

admiration。　　She　put　her　hand　to　her　side；　as　if　the　shock　of　the

exertion　of　her　ascent　had　set　her　heart　to　beating；　but　she　did

not　faint。　　Then　her　fixed　look　gave　way　to　one　of　infinite

sadness；　pity；　and　pathetic　appeal。　　Her　lips　were　parted；　they

seemed　to　be　moving；　apparently　in　prayer。　　At　last　her　voice　came；

wonderingly；　timidly；　tenderly：　〃Mon　Dieu！　c'est　donc　vous？　　Ici？

C'est　vous　que　Marie　a　crue　voir！　　Que　venez…vous　faire　ici；　Armand

de　Fontonelles？　　Repondez！〃



Alas；　not　a　word　was　comprehensible　to　Dick；　nor　could　he　think　of

a　word　to　say　in　reply。　　He　made　an　uncouth；　half…irritated；　half…

despairing　gesture　towards　the　wood　he　had　quitted；　as　if　to

indicate　his　helpless　horse；　but　he　knew　it　was　meaningless　to　the

frightened　yet　exalted　girl　before　him。　　Her　little　hand　crept　to

her　breast　and　clutched　a　rosary　within　the　folds　of　her　dress；　as

her　soft　voice　again　arose；　low　but　appealingly：



〃Vous　souffrez！　　Ah；　mon　Dieu！　　Peuton　vous　secourir？　　Moi…meme

mes　prieres　pourraient　elles　interceder　pour　vous？　　Je　supplierai

le　ciel　de　prendre　en　pitie　l'ame　de　mon　ancetre。　　Monsieur　le　Cure

est　la；je　lui　parlerai。　　Lui　et　ma　mere　vous　viendront　en　aide。〃



She　clasped　her　hands　appealingly　before　him。



Dick　stood　bewildered；　hopeless；　mystified；　he　had　not　understood　a

word；　he　could　not　say　a　word。　　For　an　instant　he　had　a　wild　idea

of　seizing　her　hand　and　leading　her　to　his　helpless　horse；　and　then

came　what　he　believed　was　his　salvation；a　sudden　flash　of

recollection　that　he　had　seen　the　word　he　wanted；　the　one　word　that

would　explain　all；　in　a　placarded　notice　at　the　Cirque　of　a

bracelet　that　had　been　LOST；yes；　the　single　word　〃PERDU。〃　　He

made　a　step　towards　her；　and　in　a　voice　almost　as　faint　as　her　own；

stammered；　〃PERDU！〃



With　a　little　cry；　that　was　more　like　a　sigh　than　an　outcry；　the

girl's　arms　fell　to　her　side；　she　took　a　step　backwards；　reeled；

and　fainted　away。



Dick　caught　her　as　she　fell。　　What　had　he　said！but；　more　than

all；　what　should　he　do　now？　　He　could　not　leave　her　alone　and

helpless；yet　how　could　he　justify　another　disconcerting

intrusion？　　He　touched　her　hands；　they　were　cold　and　lifeless；　her

eyes　were　half　closed；　her　face　as　pale　and　drooping　as　her　lily。

Well；　he　must　brave　the　worst　now；　and　carry　her　to　the　house；　even

at　the　risk　of　meeting　the　others　and　terrifying　them　as　he　had

her。　　He　caught　her　up；he　scarcely　felt　her　weight　against　his

breast　and　shoulder；and　ran　hurriedly　down　the　slope　to　the

terrace；　which　was　still　deserted。　　If　he　had　time　to　place　her　on

some　bench　beside　the　window　within　their　reach；　he　might　still　fly

undiscovered！　　But　as　he　panted　up　the　steps　of　the　terrace　with

his　burden；　he　saw　that　the　French　window　was　still　open；　but　the

light　seemed　to　have　been　extinguished。　　It　would　be　safer　for　her

if　he　could　place　her　INSIDE　the　house；if　he　but　dared　to　enter。

He　was　desperate；　and　he　dared！



He　found　himself　alone；　in　a　long　salon　of　rich　but　faded　white　and

gold　hangings；　lit　at　the　further　end　by　two　tall　candles　on　either

side　of　the　high　marble　mantel；　whose　rays；　however；　scarcely

reached　the　window　where　he　had　entered。　　He　laid　his　burden　on　a

high…backed　sofa。　　In　so　doing；　the　rose　fell　from　her　belt。　　He

picked　it　up；　put　it　in　his　breast；　and　turned　to　go。　　But　he　was

arrested　by　a　voice　from　the　terrace：



〃Renee！〃



It　was　the　voice　of　the　elderly　lady；　who；　with　the　Cure　at　her

side；　had　just　appeared　from　the　rear　of　the　house；　and　from　the

further　end　of　the　terrace　was　looking　towards　the　garden　in　search

of　the　young　girl。　　His　escape　in　that　way　was　cut　off。　　To　add　to

his　dismay；　the　young　girl；　perhaps　roused　by　her　mother's　voice；

was　beginning　to　show　signs　of　recovering　consciousness。　　Dick

looked　quickly　around　him。　　There　was　an　open　door；　opposite　the

window；　leading　to　a　hall　which；　no　doubt；　offered　some　exit　on　the

other　side　of　the　house。　　It　was　his　only　remaining　chance！　　He

darted　through　it；　closed　it　behind　him；　and　found　himself　at　the

end　of　a　long　hall　or　picture…gallery；　strangely　illuminated

through　high　windows；　reaching　nearly　to　the　roof；　by　the　moon；

which　on　that　side　of　the　building　threw　nearly　level　bars　of　light

and　shadows　across　the　floor　and　the　quaint　portraits　on　the　wall。



But　to　his　delight　he　could　see　at　the　other　end　a　narrow；　lance…

shaped　open　postern　door　showing　the　moonlit　pavement　without

evidently　the　door　through　which　the　mother　and　the　Cure　had　just

passed　out。　　He　ran　rapidly　towards　it。　　As　he　did　so　he　heard　the

hurried　ringing　of　bells　and　voices　in　the　room　he　had　quittedthe

young　girl　had　evidently　been　discoveredand　this　would　give　him

time。　　He　had　nearly　reached　the　door；　when　he　stopped　suddenly

his　blood　chilled　with　awe！　　It　was　his　turn　to　be　terrifiedhe

was　standing；　apparently；　before　HIMSELF！



His　first　recovering　thought　was　that　it　was　a　mirrorso　accurately

was　every　line　and　detail　of　his　face　and　figure　reflected。　　But　a

second　scrutiny　showed　some　discrepancies　of　costume；　and　he　saw　it

was　a　panelled　portrait　on　the　wall。　　It　was　of　a　man　of　his　own

age；　height；　beard；　complexion；　and　features；　with　long　curls　like

his　own；　falling　over　a　lace　Van　Dyke　collar；　which；　however；　again

simulated　the　appearance　of　his　own　hunting…shirt。　　The　broad…

brimmed　hat　in　the　picture；　whose　drooping　plume　was　lost　in　shadow；

was　scarcely　different　from　Dick's　sombrero。　But　the　likeness　of　the

face　to　Dick　was　marvelousconvincing！　　As　he　gazed　at　it；　the

wicked　black　eyes　seemed　to　flash　and　kindle　at　his　own；its　lip

curled　with　Dick's　own　sardonic　humor！



He　was　reca