第25章

类别:其他 作者:佚名字数:5901更新时间:18/12/27 09:05:08
“What,then,“Icried,frowning,“ofthestuffMasterlaRiviereistogiveyoutotaketheking’slifeto-morrownight?Oh,weknowsomething,Iassureyou;bethinkyouquickly,andfindyourtongueifyouwouldhaveaneasydeath。“ Iexpectedtoseehisself-controlbreakdownatthisproofofourknowledgeofhisdesign,butheonlystaredatmewiththesamelookofbewilderment。IwasabouttobidthembringintheinformerthatImightseethetwofronttofront,whenthefemaleprisoner,whohadhithertostoodbesidehercompanioninsuchdistressandterrorasmightbeexpectedinawomanofthatclass,suddenlystoppedhertearsandlamentations。Itoccurredtomethatshemightmakeabetterwitness。Iturnedtoher,butwhenI wouldhavequestionedhershebrokeintoawildscreamofhystericallaughter。 FromthatIrememberthatIlearnednothing,thoughitgreatlyannoyedme。Buttherewasonepresentwhodid——theking。Helaidhishandonmyshoulder,grippingitwithaforcethatIreadasacommandtobesilent。 “Where,“hesaidtotheman,“doyoukeeptheKingandSullyandEpernon,myfriend?“ “TheKingandSully——withthelordship’sleave,“saidthemanquickly,withafrightenedglanceatme——“areinthekennelsatthebackofthehouse,butitisnotsafetogonearthem。TheKingisravingmad,and——andtheotherdogissickening。Epernonwehadtokillamonthback。Hebroughtthediseasehere,andIhavehadsuchlossesthroughhimashavenearlyruinedme,pleaseyourlordship。“ “Getup——getup,man!“criedtheking,andtearingoffhismaskhestampedupanddowntheroom,sotornbyparoxysmsoflaughterthathechokedhimselfwhenagainandagainheattemptedtospeak。 Itoonowsawthemistake,butIcouldnotatfirstseeitinthesamelight。CommandingmyselfaswellasIcould,IorderedoneoftheSwisstofetchintheinnkeeper,buttoadmitnooneelse。 Theknavefellonhiskneesassoonashesawme,hischeeksshakinglikeajelly。 “Mercy,mercy!“wasallhecouldsay。 “Youhavedaredtoplaywithme?“Iwhispered。 “Youbademejoke,“hesobbed,“youbademe。“ Iwasabouttosaythatitwouldbehislastjokeinthisworld—— formyangerwasfullyaroused——whenthekingintervened。 “Nay,“hesaid,layinghishandsoftlyonmyshoulder。“Ithasbeenthemostgloriousjest。Iwouldnothavemisseditforakingdom。Icommandyou,Sully,toforgivehim。“ Thereuponhismajestystrictlychargedthethreethattheyshouldnotonperiloftheirlivesmentionthecircumstancestoanyone。 Nortothebestofmybeliefdidtheydoso,beingsoshrewdlyscaredwhentheyrecognizedthekingthatIverilythinktheyneverafterwardssomuchasspokeoftheaffairtooneanother。MymasterfurthergavemeonhisownparthismostgraciouspromisethathewouldnotdisclosethemattereventoMadamedeVerneuilorthequeen,andupontheserepresentationsheinducedmefreelytoforgivetheinnkeeper。Soendedthisconspiracy,onthedivertingdetailsofwhichImayseemtohavedweltlongerthanIshould;butalas!intwenty-oneyearsofpowerIinvestigatedmany,andthisoneonlycanIregardwithsatisfaction。Therestweresomanywarningsandpredictionsofthefatewhich,despiteallmycareandfidelity,wasinstoreforthegreatandgoodmasterIserved。 RobertLouisStevensonThePavilionontheLinksI IwasagreatsolitarywhenIwasyoung。Imadeitmypridetokeepaloofandsufficeformyownentertainment;andImaysaythatIhadneitherfriendsnoracquaintancesuntilImetthatfriendwhobecamemywifeandthemotherofmychildren。WithonemanonlywasIonprivateterms;thiswasR。Northmour,Esquire,ofGradenEaster,inScotland。Wehadmetatcollege;andthoughtherewasnotmuchlikingbetweenus,norevenmuchintimacy,weweresonearlyofahumorthatwecouldassociatewitheasetoboth。 Misanthropes,webelievedourselvestobe;butIhavethoughtsincethatwewereonlysulkyfellows。Itwasscarcelyacompanionship,butacoexistenceinunsociability。Northmour’sexceptionalviolenceoftempermadeitnoeasyaffairforhimtokeepthepeacewithanyonebutme;andasherespectedmysilentways,andletmecomeandgoasIpleased,Icouldtoleratehispresencewithoutconcern。Ithinkwecalledeachotherfriends。 WhenNorthmourtookhisdegreeandIdecidedtoleavetheuniversitywithoutone,heinvitedmeonalongvisittoGradenEaster;anditwasthusthatIfirstbecameacquaintedwiththesceneofmyadventures。ThemansionhouseofGradenstoodinableakstretchofcountrysomethreemilesfromtheshoreoftheGermanOcean。Itwasaslargeasabarrack;andasithadbeenbuiltofasoftstone,liabletoconsumeintheeagerairoftheseaside,itwasdampanddraughtywithinandhalfruinouswithout。 Itwasimpossiblefortwoyoungmentolodgewithcomfortinsuchadwelling。Buttherestoodinthenorthernpartoftheestate,inawildernessoflinksandblowingsandhills,andbetweenaplantationandthesea,asmallpavilionorbelvedere,ofmoderndesign,whichwasexactlysuitedtoourwants;andinthishermitage,speakinglittle,readingmuch,andrarelyassociatingexceptatmeals,NorthmourandIspentfourtempestuouswintermonths。Imighthavestayedlonger;butoneMarchnighttheresprungupbetweenusadispute,whichrenderedmydeparturenecessary。Northmourspokehotly,Iremember,andIsupposeImusthavemadesometartrejoinder。Heleapedfromhischairandgrappledme;Ihadtofight,withoutexaggeration,formylife;anditwasonlywithagreateffortthatImasteredhim,forhewasnearasstronginbodyasmyself,andseemedfilledwiththedevil。 Thenextmorning,wemetonourusualterms;butIjudgeditmoredelicatetowithdraw;nordidheattempttodissuademe。 ItwasnineyearsbeforeIrevisitedtheneighborhood。Itraveledatthattimewithatilt-cart,atent,andacookingstove,trampingalldaybesidethewagon,andatnight,wheneveritwaspossible,gypsyinginacoveofthehills,orbythesideofawood。IbelieveIvisitedinthismannermostofthewildanddesolateregionsbothinEnglandandScotland;and,asIhadneitherfriendsnorrelations,Iwastroubledwithnocorrespondence,andhadnothinginthenatureofheadquarters,unlessitwastheofficeofmysolicitors,fromwhomIdrewmyincometwiceayear。ItwasalifeinwhichIdelighted;andI fullythoughttohavegrownolduponthemarch,andatlastdiedinaditch。 Itwasmywholebusinesstofinddesolatecorners,whereIcouldcampwithoutthefearofinterruption;andhence,beinginanotherpartofthesameshire,IbethoughtmesuddenlyofthePavilionontheLinks。Nothoroughfarepassedwithinthreemilesofit。Thenearesttown,andthatwasbutafishervillage,wasatadistanceofsixorseven。Fortenmilesoflength,andfromadepthvaryingfromthreemilestohalfamile,thisbeltofbarrencountrylayalongthesea。Thebeach,whichwasthenaturalapproach,wasfullofquicksands。IndeedImaysaythereishardlyabetterplaceofconcealmentintheUnitedKingdom。IdeterminedtopassaweekintheSea-WoodofGradenEaster,andmakingalongstage,reacheditaboutsundownonawildSeptemberday。 Thecountry,Ihavesaid,wasmixedsandhillandlinks,LINKS beingaScottishnameforsandwhichhasceaseddriftingandbecomemoreorlesssolidlycoveredwithturf。Thepavilionstoodonanevenspace:alittlebehindit,thewoodbeganinahedgeofeldershuddledtogetherbythewind;infront,afewtumbledsandhillsstoodbetweenitandthesea。Anoutcroppingofrockhadformedabastionforthesand,sothattherewashereapromontoryinthecoastlinebetweentwoshallowbays;andjustbeyondthetides,therockagaincroppedoutandformedanisletofsmalldimensionsbutstrikinglydesigned。Thequicksandswereofgreatextentatlowwater,andhadaninfamousreputationinthecountry。Closeinshore,betweentheisletandthepromontory,itwassaidtheywouldswallowamaninfourminutesandahalf;buttheremayhavebeenlittlegroundforthisprecision。Thedistrictwasalivewithrabbits,andhauntedbygullswhichmadeacontinualpipingaboutthepavilion。Onsummerdaystheoutlookwasbrightandevengladsome;butatsundowninSeptember,withahighwind,andaheavysurfrollinginclosealongthelinks,theplacetoldofnothingbutdeadmarinersandseadisaster。Ashipbeatingtowindwardonthehorizon,andahugetruncheonofwreckhalfburiedinthesandsatmyfeet,completedtheinnuendoofthescene。 Thepavilion——ithadbeenbuiltbythelastproprietor,Northmour’suncle,asillyandprodigalvirtuoso——presentedlittlesignsofage。Itwastwostoriesinheight,Italianindesign,surroundedbyapatchofgardeninwhichnothinghadprosperedbutafewcoarseflowers;andlooked,withitsshutteredwindows,notlikeahousethathadbeendeserted,butlikeonethathadneverbeentenantedbyman。Northmourwasplainlyfromhome;whether,asusual,sulkinginthecabinofhisyacht,orinoneofhisfitfulandextravagantappearancesintheworldofsociety,Ihad,ofcourse,nomeansofguessing。Theplacehadanairofsolitudethatdauntedevenasolitarylikemyself;thewindcriedinthechimneyswithastrangeandwailingnote;anditwaswithasenseofescape,asifIweregoingindoors,thatIturnedawayand,drivingmycartbeforeme,enteredtheskirtsofthewood。 TheSea-WoodofGradenhadbeenplantedtoshelterthecultivatedfieldsbehind,andchecktheencroachmentsoftheblowingsand。Asyouadvancedintoitfromcoastward,eldersweresucceededbyotherhardyshrubs;butthetimberwasallstuntedandbushy;itledalifeofconflict;thetreeswereaccustomedtoswingthereallnightlonginfiercewintertempests;andeveninearlyspring,theleaveswerealreadyflying,andautumnwasbeginning,inthisexposedplantation。Inlandthegroundroseintoalittlehill,which,alongwiththeislet,servedasasailingmarkforseamen。 Whenthehillwasopenoftheislettothenorth,vesselsmustbearwelltotheeastwardtoclearGradenNessandtheGradenBullers。 Inthelowerground,astreamletranamongthetrees,and,beingdammedwithdeadleavesandclayofitsowncarrying,spreadouteveryhereandthere,andlayinstagnantpools。Oneortworuinedcottagesweredottedaboutthewood;and,accordingtoNorthmour,thesewereecclesiasticalfoundations,andintheirtimehadshelteredpioushermits。 Ifoundaden,orsmallhollow,wheretherewasaspringofpurewater;andthere,clearingawaythebrambles,Ipitchedthetent,andmadeafiretocookmysupper。MyhorseIpicketedfartherinthewoodwheretherewasapatchofsward。Thebanksofthedennotonlyconcealedthelightofmyfire,butshelteredmefromthewind,whichwascoldaswellashigh。 ThelifeIwasleadingmademebothhardyandfrugal。Ineverdrankbutwater,andrarelyeatanythingmorecostlythanoatmeal; andIrequiredsolittlesleep,that,althoughIrosewiththepeepofday,Iwouldoftenlielongawakeinthedarkorstarrywatchesofthenight。ThusinGradenSea-Wood,althoughIfellthankfullyasleepbyeightintheeveningIwasawakeagainbeforeelevenwithafullpossessionofmyfaculties,andnosenseofdrowsinessorfatigue。Iroseandsatbythefire,watchingthetreesandcloudstumultuouslytossingandfleeingoverhead,andhearkeningtothewindandtherollersalongtheshore;tillatlength,growingwearyofinaction,Iquittedtheden,andstrolledtowardthebordersofthewood。Ayoungmoon,buriedinmist,gaveafaintilluminationtomysteps;andthelightgrewbrighterasIwalkedforthintothelinks。Atthesamemoment,thewind,smellingsaltoftheopenoceanandcarryingparticlesofsand,struckmewithitsfullforce,sothatIhadtobowmyhead。 WhenIraiseditagaintolookaboutme,Iwasawareofalightinthepavilion。Itwasnotstationary;butpassedfromonewindowtoanother,asthoughsomeonewerereviewingthedifferentapartmentswithalamporcandle。Iwatcheditforsomesecondsingreatsurprise。WhenIhadarrivedintheafternoonthehousehadbeenplainlydeserted;nowitwasasplainlyoccupied。ItwasmyfirstideathatagangofthievesmighthavebrokeninandbenowransackingNorthmour’scupboards,whichweremanyandnotillsupplied。ButwhatshouldbringthievesatGradenEaster?And,again,alltheshuttershadbeenthrownopen,anditwouldhavebeenmoreinthecharacterofsuchgentrytoclosethem。I dismissedthenotion,andfellbackuponanother。Northmourhimselfmusthavearrived,andwasnowairingandinspectingthepavilion。 Ihavesaidthattherewasnorealaffectionbetweenthismanandme;but,hadIlovedhimlikeabrother,IwasthensomuchmoreinlovewithsolitudethatIshouldnonethelesshaveshunnedhiscompany。Asitwas,Iturnedandranforit;anditwaswithgenuinesatisfactionthatIfoundmyselfsafelybackbesidethefire。Ihadescapedanacquaintance;Ishouldhaveonemorenightincomfort。Inthemorning,ImighteitherslipawaybeforeNorthmourwasabroad,orpayhimasshortavisitasIchose。 Butwhenmorningcame,IthoughtthesituationsodivertingthatI forgotmyshyness。Northmourwasatmymercy;Iarrangedagoodpracticaljest,thoughIknewwellthatmyneighborwasnotthemantojestwithinsecurity;and,chucklingbeforehandoveritssuccess,tookmyplaceamongtheeldersattheedgeofthewood,whenceIcouldcommandthedoorofthepavilion。Theshutterswerealloncemoreclosed,whichIrememberthinkingodd;andthehouse,withitswhitewallsandgreenvenetians,lookedspruceandhabitableinthemorninglight。Hourafterhourpassed,andstillnosignofNorthmour。Iknewhimforasluggardinthemorning;