It was in this time of siege that I came to know, as I had not known before, the depth and tenderness of my dear lad's love for me. While the life-tide was at its ebb3 and I was querulous and helpless weak, he was my leech4 and nurse and heartening friend in one. And later, when the tide was fairly turned and I had found my soldier's appetite again, he spent many of the nights abroad and never let me guess what risks he ran to fetch me dainties from the outer world.
In this night raiding no danger was too great to hold him back from serving me. Once, when we were washing down our evening meal of meat and maize5 cake with plain cold water, I mourned the good wine idling in its bin6 at Jennifer House. At that, without a word to me, he took the whole night for a perilous7 adventure and fetched a dozen bottles of the Jennifer port to make me choke and strangle at the thought of what its bringing had cost in toil9 and hazard.
Another time I spoke10 of English beef, saying how it would rebuild a man at need—how it had made the English soldier what he is. Whereupon, as before, my loving forager11 took a hint where none was intended; was gone the night long, and slaughtered12 me some Tory yearling,—'twas Mr. Gilbert Stair's, I mistrusted, though Dick would never name the owner, and so I had a sirloin to my breakfast.
In these and many other ways he spent himself freely for love of me. If he had been a younger brother of my own blood the common parentage could not have made him tenderer.
'Twas not the mere13 outgushing of a nature open-armed to make a bosom14 friend of all the world; nor any feminine softness on his part. If I have drawn15 him thus my pen is but a clumsy quill16, for he was manly-rough and masterful, with all the native strength and vigor17 of the border-born.
But on the side of love and friendship no woman ever had a truer heart, a keener eye or a lighter18 hand. And in a service for friend or mistress he would spend himself as recklessly as those old knights19 you read about who made a business of their chivalry20.
With his daily offerings of unselfishness to shame me, you may be sure that I was flayed21 alive; self-flogged like a miserable22 monk23, with all the woundings of the whip well salted by remorse24. As you have guessed, I had not yet summoned up the courage to tell him how I had staked his chance of happiness upon a casting of the die of fate—staked and lost it. Now that it was gone, I saw how I had missed the golden opportunity; how I had weakly hesitated when delay could only make the telling harder.
By tacit consent we never spoke of Margery. Richard's silence hung upon despair, I thought; and as for mine, since the husband's road and the lover's lay so far apart, I could not bring myself to speak of her. But she was always first in my thoughts in that time of convalescence25, as I made sure she was in his; and at the last the hidden thing between us was brought to light.
It was on a night some three weeks or more after my fever turn. Our larder26 had run low again, and Jennifer had spent the earlier hours of the night abroad—to little purpose, as it chanced. 'Twas midnight or thereabouts when he came swearing in to tell me that the Tories were out again to harry27 our side of the river afresh, and to make a refugee's begging of a bag of meal a thing of peril8.
"They'll starve us out in shortest measure at this rate," he prophesied28. "They have trampled29 down all the standing30 corn for miles around, and this morning they burned the mill. 'Tis our notice to quit, and we'd best take it. There has been fighting to the south of us—a plenty of it—at Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock, and elsewhere, and every man is needed. If you are strong enough to stand the march, we'll run the gantlet down the river in the pirogue and cut across from the lower ford31 to join Major Davie or Mr. Gates."
I said I was fit enough, and would do whatever he thought best. And then I took a step upon the forbidden ground.
"Falconnet is still at Appleby Hundred?" I said.
He nodded.
"And you will join the army at the front and leave Margery to his tender mercies?"
His laugh was bitter; so bitter that I scarce knew it for Richard Jennifer's.
"Mistress Margery Stair is well, and well content, as I told you once before. She has no wish for you or me, unless it be to see us well hanged."
"Say you so? Listen: to-night I got as far as the manor33 house, being fool enough to risk my neck for another sight of her. God help me, Jack34! I had it. They have scraped together all the Tory riff-raff this side of the river—Falconnet and the others—and are holding high revel35 at Appleby. Since it is still our true-blue borderland, they are scant36 enough of women of their own kidney, and I saw Madge dancing like any light o' love with every jackanapes that offered."
"In her father's house she could not well do less," I averred37, cut to the heart, as he was, and yet without his younger lover's jealousy38 to make me unjust.
"Or more," he added, savagely40. "'Tis as I say; she lacks nothing we can give her, and we'd as well be off about our business."
I think he never had it in his heart to leave her in any threat of danger. But from his point of view there was no danger threatening her save that which she seemed willing enough to rush upon—a life of titled misery41 as Lady Falconnet. I saw how he would see it; saw, too, that his was the saner42 summing of it up. And yet—
He broke into my musings with a pointed43 question. "What say you, Jack? 'Tis but a little whiffet of a Tory jade44 who cares not the snap of her finger for either of us. The night is fine and dark. Shall we float the canoe and give them all the slip?"
This was how it came to turn upon a "yes" or "no" of mine. I hesitated, I know not why. In the little pause the fire burned low between us, and the shadows deepened in the burrow45 cavern46 until they strangled the eye as mephitic vapors47 scant a man of breath. The silence, too, was stifling48. There was no sound to breach49 it save the gurgling murmur50 of the river, and this was subdued51 and intermittent52 like the death-rattle in the throat of the dying.
I've always made a scoff53 of superstition54, and yet, my dears, a thousand questions in this life of ours must hang answerless to the crack of doom55 if you deny it standing-room. I knew no more than I have set down here of Margery's besetment; nay, I had every reason Richard Jennifer had to believe that she was well and well content, lacking nothing, save, mayhap, the freedom to marry where she chose.
And yet, out of the stifling silence there came a sudden cry for help; a cry voiceless to the outward ear, but sharp and piercing to that finer inward sense; a cry so real that I would start and listen, marveling that Jennifer made no sign of having heard it.
In the harkening instant there was a faint twang like the thrumming of a distant harp56 string, and then the grave-like silence was rent smartly by the whistling hiss57 of an arrow, the shaft58 passing evenly between us and scattering59 the handful of fire where it struck.
Jennifer came alive with a start, leaping up with a malediction60 between his teeth upon our dallying61.
"Too late, by God!" he cried. "They've trapped us like a pair of blind moles62!" And with that he caught up the ancient broadsword, only to swear again when he found no room to swing it in.
Having the handier weapon, I slipped out before him, creeping on hands and knees till I could see the leafy screen at the den's mouth, and the shimmering63 reflection of the stars upon the water beyond it. There was no sight nor sound of any enemy, and the canoe lay safe as Jennifer had left it.
To make assurance sure, I would have scrambled64 to the bank above; but at the moment Jennifer hallooed softly to me, and so I crept back into the burrow.
"See here," he said, excitedly. "What a devil will you make of this?"
He had drawn the scattered65 embers together, fanning them ablaze66 again, and had sought and found the arrow. It was a blunt-head reed and no war shaft. And around the middle of it, tightly wrapped and tied with silken threads, was a little scroll67 of parchment.
"'Tis the Catawba's arrow," said Jennifer, though how he knew I could not guess; and then he cut the threads to free the scroll.
Unrolled and spread at large, the parchment proved to be that map of Captain Stuart's that I had found and lost again. And on the margin68 of it was my note to Jennifer, written in that trying moment when the bribed69 sentry70 waited at the door and my sweet lady stood trembling beside me, murmuring her "Holy Marys."
"Read it," said I. "It explains itself. Tarleton had laid me by the heels to wait for the hangman, and I would have passed the word about the Indian-arming on to you. But my messenger was overhauled71, and—"
"Yes, yes," he broke in; "I've spelled it out. But this line added at the bottom—surely, that is never your crabbed72 fist. By heaven! 'tis in Madge's hand!"
He knelt to hold it closer to the flickering73 firelight, and we deciphered it together. It was but a line, as he had said, with neither greeting nor leave-taking, address nor signature.
"If this should come into the hands of any true-hearted gentleman"—here was a blot74 as if the pen had slipped from the fingers holding it; and then, in French, the very wording of the inarticulate cry that had come to me out of the darkness and silence: "A moi! pour l'amour de Dieu!"
We fell apart, each to his own side of the handful of embers.
"You make it out?" said I, after a moment of strained silence.
A full minute more of the threatening silence, and at the end of it we were glaring at each other like two wild creatures crouching76 for the spring.
It was Jennifer who spoke first. "'Twas meant for me," he said; and his voice had the warning of a mastiff's growl77 in it.
"I say it was!"
"Then you say the thing which is not."
Had I been Richard Jennifer, I know not what bitter reproach I should have found to hurl79 at the man who had thrice owed his life to me. But he said no word of what had gone before.
"You may give me the lie, if you like, John Ireton; I shall not strike you." He said it slowly, but his face was gray with anger. Then he added, hotly: "You know well that word was meant for me!"
At this—God forgive me!—my jealous wrath80 broke bounds and I cursed him for a beardless coxcomb81 who must needs think he stood alone in the eye of every woman he should meet. "She needs a man!" I raged, lost now to every sense of decent justice, "a man, I say! And to whom would she send if not to her—"
I choked upon the word. He had risen with me, and we stood face to face in that grim earth-womb, snarling82 fiercely at each other across the narrow firelit space; two men with every tie to knit us close together, and yet—God save us all!—a pair of wild beasts strung up to the killing83 pitch because, forsooth, we must needs front each other across a deadline drawn by the finger of a woman!
God knows what would have come of all this had my dear lad been as fierce a fool as I. 'Twas his good common sense that saved us both, I think, for when the savage39 rival madness was at its height he turned away, swearing we were the very pick and choice of a world of asses84 to stand thus feeling for each other's throats when, mayhap, the lady needed both of us.
This brought me to my senses at a gallop85, as you would guess; to them and to the lighting86 of the conscience fire within whereon to grill87 the wicked heart that but now had thirsted for a brother's blood.
"Now God have mercy on us both!" I groaned88. "Forgive me, Dick, if you can; I was as mad as any Bedlamite. If I have any claim on her, 'tis not of her good will, you may be sure. You have the baronet to fear—not me."
He shook his head and pointed to the parchment—to the line in French.
"Francis Falconnet was under the same roof with her—or at least in easy call—when she wrote that, Jack. He is no longer my rival—nor yours."
His word set me thinking, and I would fall to picking out the strands89 that jealous wrath had woven for me into the web of happenings. Setting aside the story brought by Ephraim Yeates, there was no certain proof that she had ever favored the Englishman; nay, more, till I had come to be madly jealous of Falconnet, I had made sure that Jennifer was the favored one.
At this, as one sees a landscape struck out clear and vivid by the lightning's flash, I saw the true meaning of the word the hunter had brought—saw it and went upon my knees to grope blindly for the sword I had let fall when Dick had found the arrow.
"What is it, Jack?" he asked, gently.
"My sword!" I gasped90. "We should have been half-way there by this. Yeates was misled. 'Tis Falconnet she fears. She was at bay—hark you, at bay and fair desperate. That word of hers to the baronet was her poor pitiful defiance91 built on her trust in us, and we have lain here—"
He found the sword and thrust it into my hand, crying:
"Come on! You can strew92 the dust and ashes on me later. You said you loved her the better, and I do believe it now, Jack! You trusted her, as I did not. We'll fight as one man to cut her out of this coil, whatever it may be; and after that is done I'll make my bow and leave you a fair field."
"Nay, nay; that you shall not, Dick," I began; but he was half-way through the narrow passage to the open, trailing the ancient broadsword and the bearskin from his bed; and I was fain to follow quickly, leaving the protest all unfinished.
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收听单词发音
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1
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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4
leech
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| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
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maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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7
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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8
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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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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11
forager
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| n.强征（粮食）者；抢劫者 | |
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12
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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14
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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15
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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16
quill
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| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
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17
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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18
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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19
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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20
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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21
flayed
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| v.痛打( flay的过去式和过去分词 )；把…打得皮开肉绽；剥（通常指动物）的皮；严厉批评 | |
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22
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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23
monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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25
convalescence
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| n.病后康复期 | |
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larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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28
prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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30
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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31
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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32
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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33
manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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34
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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35
revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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36
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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37
averred
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| v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；证明…属实；作为事实提出 | |
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38
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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39
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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40
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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41
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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42
saner
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| adj.心智健全的( sane的比较级 )；神志正常的；明智的；稳健的 | |
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43
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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44
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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45
burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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46
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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47
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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49
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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50
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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51
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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53
scoff
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| n.嘲笑，笑柄，愚弄；v.嘲笑，嘲弄，愚弄，狼吞虎咽 | |
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54
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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55
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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56
harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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57
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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58
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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59
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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60
malediction
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| n.诅咒 | |
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61
dallying
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| v.随随便便地对待( dally的现在分词 )；不很认真地考虑；浪费时间；调情 | |
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62
moles
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| 防波堤( mole的名词复数 )； 鼹鼠； 痣； 间谍 | |
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63
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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64
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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65
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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66
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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67
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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68
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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70
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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71
overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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72
crabbed
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| adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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74
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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75
prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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76
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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77
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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78
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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79
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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80
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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81
coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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82
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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83
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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84
asses
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| n. 驴，愚蠢的人，臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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85
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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86
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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87
grill
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| n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问 | |
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88
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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89
strands
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| n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 ) | |
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90
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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strew
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| vt.撒；使散落；撒在…上，散布于 | |
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