I am not by nature superstitious4 at all beyond the point of convenience. Such superstitions5 as please me I have ever been wont7 to cherish for the interest to be had out of them. I have often been strengthened in a doubtful intention by omens8 that looked my way, and auspicious9 signs have many a time cheered me astonishingly when affairs have seemed to be going ill. But the most menacing of omens have ever had small weight when opposing themselves to my set purpose. When a superstition6 16is on my side I show it much civility: when it is against me it seems of small account.
But that night I was more superstitious than usual. Of the new moon, a pallid10 bow just sinking, I caught first sight over my left shoulder, and I felt vaguely11 troubled thereat. One crow, croaking12 from a willow13 stump14 upon my right hand, got up heavily and flew across my path. I misliked the omen, and felt straightway well assured of some approaching rebuff. When, a few moments later, two crows upon my left hand flew over to my right I was not greatly comforted, for they were far ahead and I was forced to conclude that the felicity which they prophesied15 was remote.
Thus it came that presently I was in a waking and walking dream, not knowing well the substance from the shadow. Yet my senses did so continue to serve me that I went not down into the village, where I knew I should find many a handclasp, but followed discreetly16 along the back of the orchards18, that I might reach the De Lamourie place as swiftly as possible.
By this hour a sweet-smelling mist, such as, I think, falls nowhere else as it does in the Acadian fields, lay heavy on the grasses. I bethought me that it was the dew of the new moon, and therefore endowed with many virtues19; and I persuaded myself to believe that my feet, which were by now 17well drenched20 with it, must needs be set upon a fortunate errand.
As I came to this comforting conclusion I reached a little thicket21 at an orchard17 corner, where grew a deep tangle22 of early flowering herbs. There, gathering23 the wet and perfumed blooms, stooped an old woman with a red shawl wrapped over her head and shoulders. She straightened herself briskly as I came beside her, and I saw the haggard, high-boned, hawk-nosed face of old Mother Pêche, whose tales of wizardry I had often listened to in the years long gone by. She turned upon me her strange eyes, black points of piercing intelligence encircled by a startling glitter of wide white, and at once she stretched out to me a crooked24 hand of greeting.
“It is good for these old eyes, Master Paul, to see thee back in the village!” she exclaimed.
Now, any one will tell you that it is not well to be crossed in one’s path by an old woman, when on an errand of moment. I hurried past, therefore; and it shames me to say it. But then, remembering that one had better defy any omen than leave a kindness undone25, I stopped, turned back, and hastily grasped the old dame26’s wizened27 hand, slipping into it a silver piece as I did so.
It was a broad piece, and full as much as I could wisely spare; but an old woman or a small boy is ever welcome to share my last penny. Her 18strange eyes gleamed for a moment, but as she looked up to bless me her face changed. After gazing earnestly into my eyes she muttered something which I could not catch, and to my huge amazement28 flung the silver behind her with a violence which left no doubt of her intentions. She flung it toward a little swampy29 pool; but as luck would have it the coin struck a willow sapling by the pool’s edge, bounded back, and fell with a clink upon a flat stone, where I marked it as it lay whitely glittering.
I was too amazed to protest for a moment, but the old woman hastened to appease30 me.
“There was sorrow on it, dearie,—thy sorrow,” she exclaimed coaxingly31; “and I wouldn’t have it. The devil take all thy bad luck, and Mary give thee new fortune!”
To me it seemed that throwing away the silver piece was taking superstition quite too seriously. I laughed and said:
“But, mother, if there be bad luck ahead of me, so much the more do I want your blessing32, and truly I cannot spare you another silver crown. Faith, this one’s not gone yet, after all!” And picking it up I handed it back to her. “Let the devil fly away with my ill luck, if he may, but don’t let him fly away with your little savings,” I added.
The old dame shook her head doubtfully, and 19then with a sigh of resignation, as who should say, “The gifts of destiny are not to be thrust aside,” slipped the silver into some deep-hidden pocket. But her loving concern for my prosperity was not to be balked33. After a little fumbling34 she brought out a small pebble35, which she gave me with an air that showed it to be, in her eyes, some very great thing.
I took it with an answering concern, looked at it very closely, and turned it over in my hand, waiting for some clue to its significance before I should begin to thank her for the gift, if gift it were. The stone was assuredly beautiful, about the size of a hazel-nut, and of a clouded, watery36 green in color, but the curious quality of it was that as you held it up a moving loop of light seemed to gather at its heart, taking somewhat the semblance37 of a palely luminous38 eye. My interest deepened at once, and I bethought me of a stone of rarity and price which was sometimes to be found under Blomidon. It went by the name of “Le Veilleur,” or “The Watcher,” among our Acadian peasants; but the Indians called it “The Eye of Manitou,” and many mystic virtues were ascribed to it.
“Why, mother,” I said presently, “this is a thing of great price! I cannot take it. ‘Tis a ‘Watcher,’ is it not?” And I gazed intently into its elusive39 loop of light.
20“I have another,” she answered eagerly, thrusting her hands under her red cloak as if to prevent me giving back the stone. “That is for thee, and thou’lt need it, chéri Master Paul.”
“Well,” said I, staring at the beautiful jewel with a growing affection, “I will take it with much thanks, mother, but I must pay you what it is worth; and that I will find out in Quebec, from one who knows the worth of jewels.”
“Thou shalt not pay me, Master Paul,” said the old dame, with a distinct note of resentment40 in her voice. “It is my gift to thee, because I have loved thee since thou wert a little lad; and because thou’lt need the stone. Promise me thou’lt wear it always about thee;” and plucking it from my hand with a swift insinuation of her long fingers she slipped it into a tiny pouch41 of dressed deerskin and proceeded to affix42 a leathern thong43 whereby I might, as I inferred, hang the talisman44 about my neck.
“While this you wear,” she went on in a low, singing voice, “what most you fear will never come to pass.”
“But I am not greatly given to fear, mother,” said I, with a little vainglorious45 laugh.
“Then thou hast not known love,” she retorted sharply.
At these words the fear of which she had spoken came about me—vague, formless, terrible, and I trembled.
21“Give it to me!” I cried in haste. “Give it to me! I will repay you, mother, with”—and here I laughed again—“with love, which you say I have never known.”
“That kind of love, Master Paul, thou hast known since thou wert a very little lad. Thou’st given it freely, out of a kind heart. But, dearie, thou hast but played at the great love—or more would’st thou know of fear.” And the old woman looked at me with shrewd question in her startling eyes.
But I did know fear—and I knew that I knew love. My face turned anxiously toward De Lamourie’s, and I grudged46 every instant of further delay.
“Good-by, mother, and the saints keep you!” I cried hastily, swinging off through the wet grass. But the old dame called after me gently:
“Stop a minute, Master Paul. She will be at her supper by now; an’ in a little she’ll be walking in the garden path.”
I stopped, filled with wonder, and my veins47 leaping in wild confusion at the sound of that little word “she.” It was as if the old woman had shouted “Yvonne” at the top of her voice.
“What is it?” I stammered48.
“I want to look at thy hand, dearie,” she said, grasping it and turning it so as to catch the last of the fading light.
22“Your heart’s desire is nigh your death of hope,” said she presently, speaking like an oracle49. Then she dropped my hand with a little dry chuckle50, and turned away to her gathering of herbs as if I were of no further account.
“What do you mean?” I asked eagerly.
But she would not answer me. I scorned to appear too deeply concerned in such old woman’s foolery; so I asked no more, but went my way, carrying the word in my heart with a strange comfort—which, had I but known it, was right soon to turn into despair.
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1
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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superstitions
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| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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7
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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8
omens
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| n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
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9
auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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10
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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13
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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15
prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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orchards
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| （通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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wizened
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| adj.凋谢的；枯槁的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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swampy
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| adj.沼泽的，湿地的 | |
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30
appease
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| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 | |
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coaxingly
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| adv. 以巧言诱哄，以甘言哄骗 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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balked
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| v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑 | |
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34
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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pebble
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| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
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36
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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41
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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42
affix
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| n.附件，附录 vt.附贴，盖(章)，签署 | |
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43
thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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44
talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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45
vainglorious
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| adj.自负的；夸大的 | |
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46
grudged
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| 怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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47
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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48
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
oracle
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| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
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50
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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