Before her, the moor sloped to the road and rose again, lifting Pinderwell House on its bosom6, and to her right, from the hidden chimneys of Halkett's Farm, she could see smoke rising as though it were the easy breath of some monster lying snug7 among the trees. There was no other movement, though the sober front of Pinderwell House was animated8 for an instant by the shaking of some white substance from a window. Miriam was at her household tasks, and Helen waved a hand to the dark being who had made life smoother for her since her night of stormy weeping. She waved a hand of gratitude9 and friendship, but the signal was not noticed, the house returned to its discretion10, John and Lily talked sparsely11 but with complete understanding, and Helen grew drowsy13 in the sunshine. She was happier than she had ever been, for Zebedee had laid peace on her, like a spell, and the warmth of that happiness stole up from her feet and spread over her breast; it curled the corners of her mouth so that John, turning to look at her, asked her why she smiled.
"I'm comfortable," she said.
"Never been comfortable before?"
She gave him the clear depths of her eyes. "Not often."
He went away, driving the cow before him, and Lily stood looking after him.
"He's wonderful," she said. "He comes along and takes hold of things and begins to teach me my own business."
"So you're pleased with him?" Helen said demurely14.
"Yes," the other answered with twitching15 lips, "he's doing very well." Her laughter faded, and she said softly, "I wonder if they often happen—marriages like ours."
"Tell me about it."
"Nothing to tell. It's just as if it's always been, and every minute it seems fresh."
"No," Helen said consideringly, "I shouldn't think it often happens. I've come for a pound of butter, please."
"How's Mrs. Caniper?"
"She's better, but I think she would be rather glad to die. I let her make a cake yesterday, and it did her good. Come and see her soon."
"I will. Let's go to the dairy. Will you have it in halves or quarters? Look at my new stamp!"
"What is it meant to be?"
"Well! It's a Shetland pony16, of course."
"I like the pineapple better. I don't think a pony seems right on butter. I'll have the pineapple."
"John says there's as much sense in one as in the other, because we don't get butter from either of them."
"The pineapple is food, though."
"So's the pony, by some accounts!" She leaned in her old attitude against a shelf, and eyed Helen nervously17. "Talking of ponies18, have you seen anything of these ghostly riders?"
"I don't know what they are."
"That's what my—our—shepherd calls them. He saw them late one night, a while back. One was a woman, he said, and the air was cold with them and set him sneezing. That's what he says."
"It was some of the wild ponies, I suppose."
"Maybe."
"You don't think it was really ghosts?"
"No, for I've seen them myself." She paused. "I haven't said anything to John, but I'm wondering if I ought."
"Why not?"
Lily's gaze widened in her attempt to see what Helen's point of view would be and she spoke19 slowly, that, if possible, she might not offend.
"It was George Halkett I saw. There was no woman, but he was leading one horse and riding another. It was one night when John was late on the moor and I went to look for him. George didn't see me. I kept quiet till he'd gone by. There was a side saddle on the led horse."
"Well?" Helen said.
"That's all. I thought you ought to know."
In that moment Helen hated Lily. "Is it Miriam you're hinting at?" she asked on a high note.
"Yes, it is. You're making me feel mean, but I'm glad I've told you. It's worried me, and John—I didn't like to tell John, for he has a grudge20 against the man, and he might have made trouble before he need."
"I think that's what you're doing," Helen said.
"That may be. I took the risk. I know George Halkett. Miriam, having a bit of fun, might find herself landed in a mess. I'm sorry, Helen. I hope I'm wrong."
Helen was half ashamed to hear herself asking, "How late was it?"
"About twelve."
"But I'm awake half the night. I should have heard. Besides—would there be any harm?"
"Just as much as there is in playing with fire," Lily said.
"'Behold21 how great a matter a little fire kindleth,'" Helen said, looking at the ground.
"Yes, but there's more than a little fire in Miriam, and George Halkett's a man, you know."
Helen raised her head and said, "We've lived here all our lives, and we have been very lonely, but I have hardly spoken to a man who was not gentle. John and Rupert and Zebedee and Daniel, all these—no one has spoken roughly to us. It makes one trustful. And George is always kind, Lily."
"Yes, but Miriam—she's not like you."
"She's much more beautiful."
Lily's laughter was half a groan22. "That won't make George any gentler, my dear."
"Won't it?"
Lily shook her head. "But perhaps there's nothing in it. I'm sorry to have added to your worries, but Miriam's so restless and discontented, and I thought—"
"Ah," Helen interrupted gladly, "but lately she has been different. Lately she has been happier. Oh!" She saw where her words had led her, and with a little gesture of bewilderment she turned and walked away.
Perhaps, after all, the things that happened were not necessarily best, and for the first time Helen felt a blind anger against the unknown. In a moment of sharp vision, she saw what this vaguely23 concentrated life had done for her and Miriam, and she wondered by whose law it had been decreed that no human being could have a destiny unconditioned by some one else, and though she also saw that this law was the glory as well as the tragedy of life, she rebelled against it now, lest the radiant being whom she loved should be dishonoured24 or disillusioned25.
Helen's firm curved lips took a harder line as she went slowly home, for it seemed to her that in an active world the principle of just going on left all the foes26 unconquered and ready for the next victim who should pass that way.
She slept fitfully that night, and once she woke to a sound of galloping27 on the moor. She knew it was made by more animals than two, yet her heart beat quickly, and her thoughts sprang together to make a picture of George Halkett leading a horse without a rider through the night, waiting in the darkness with his ears stretched for the sound of one coming through the heather.
She started up in bed, for the mysterious allurement28 of George's image was strong enough to make her understand what it might be for Miriam, and she held herself to the bed lest she should be tempted29 to play the spy; yet, had she brought herself to open her sister's door, she would have been shamed and gladdened by the sight of that pretty sleeper30 lying athwart her bed in profound unconsciousness.
Miriam, whose heart was still untouched by God or man, could lie and sleep soundly, though she knew George waited for her on the moor. The restlessness that had first driven her there had sent her home again, that, by a timely abstention, she might recover the full taste of adventure, and that, by the same means, George might learn her worth. She was a little puzzled by his behaviour, and she began to find monotony in its decorum. According to his promise, he had taught her to ride, and while all her faculties31 were bent32 on that business, she hardly noticed him, but with confidence in her own seat and Charlie's steadiness, there came freedom to look at George, and with it the desire to rule the expression of his face and the modulations of his voice.
He would not be beguiled33. "I'm teaching you to ride," he said, and though she mocked him he was not stirred to quarrel. She was temporarily incapable34 of realizing that while she learnt to ride, he learnt to honour her, and found safety for himself and her in silence; nor, had she realized it, would she have welcomed it. What she wanted was the pleasure of being hunted and seeing the hunter discomfited35, and though she could not get that from him, she had a new joy when Charlie carried her strongly and safely across the moor; again she knew the feeling of passing through a void, of sailing on a thunder-cloud without hope of rescue and careless of it, and she paid a heavy price when she decided36 that it would do George good to wait in vain for her. She would not have him disrespectful, but she desired him ardent37; she wished to see that stubbornly set mouth open to utter longings38, and, when she went to bed after a dull day, she laughed to think of how he waited and stared into the gloom.
A fortnight passed before she stole out on a misty night and at the appointed place found him like a grey carved figure on a grey carved horse. Only his lips moved when she peered at him through the mist. He said, "This is the fifteenth night. If you'd waited till tomorrow, you wouldn't have found me here."
"George," she said, with her face close to his knee, "how unkind you are to me. And, oh, George, do you really think I should have cared?"
In the mist, she, too, had the look of one not made of flesh and blood, but she had no likeness39 to some figure carved: she was the spirit of the mist with its drops on her hair, a thing intangible, yet dowered with power to make herself a torment40. So she looked, but Halkett had felt the touch of her, and taking her by the wrist, he dragged her upwards41 while he bent down to her.
"You—you—!" he panted.
"You're hurting, George!"
"What do I care? I haven't seen you for two weeks. I've been—been starving for you."
She spoke coolly, with a ringing quality in her tones. "You would see me better if you didn't come so near."
Immediately he loosened her without looking at her, and she stood chafing42 her hands, hating his indifference43, though she knew it was assumed, uncertain how to regain44 her supremacy45. Then she let instinct guide her, and she looked a little piteous.
"Don't be rough with me. I didn't mean—I don't like you to be rough with me."
He was off his horse and standing12 by her at those words, and, still watchful46 for rebuffs, he took her hand and stroked it gently.
"Did I hurt you, then?" he said.
"Yes. Why are you like that?" She lifted her head and gave him the oval face, the dark, reproachful eyes like night.
"Because I'm mad for you—mad for you. Little one—you make me mad. And you'll never marry me. I know that. And I'm a fool to let you play the devil with me. I know that, too. A mad fool. But you—you're in my blood."
Softly she said, "You never told me that before. You needn't scold me so. How should I know you wanted that?"
"You knew I loved you."
"No. I knew you liked me and I hoped—"
He bent his head to listen.
"I hoped you loved me."
His words came thickly, a muddy torrent47. "Then marry me, marry me, Miriam. Marry me. I want—I can't—You must say you'll marry me."
Keeping her eyes on him, she moved slowly away, and from behind Charlie's back she laughed with a genuine merriment that wounded inexpressibly.
"You're funny, George," she said. "Very funny. At present I have no intention of doing anything but riding Charlie."
Through a mist doubled and coloured by his red rage, he watched her climb into the saddle and, before she was fairly settled in it, he gave the horse a blow that sent him galloping indignantly out of sight.
Halkett did not care if she were thrown, for his anger and his passion were confounded into one emotion, and he would have rejoiced to see her on the ground, her little figure twisted with her fall, but he did not follow her. He went home in the rain that was now falling fast, and when the mare48 was stabled he brewed49 himself a drink that brought oblivion.
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收听单词发音
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1
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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7
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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12
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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13
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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15
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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20
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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21
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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23
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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dishonoured
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| a.不光彩的，不名誉的 | |
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disillusioned
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| a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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27
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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28
allurement
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| n.诱惑物 | |
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29
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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30
sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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31
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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32
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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33
beguiled
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| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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34
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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35
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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38
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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39
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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40
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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41
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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42
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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43
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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44
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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45
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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46
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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47
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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48
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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49
brewed
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| 调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡） | |
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