第26章

but，asitdrewontowardnoon，Ilostmypatience。Tosaythetruth，Ihadpromisedmyselftobreakmyfastinthepavilion，andhungerbegantoprickmesharply。Itwasapitytolettheopportunitygobywithoutsomecauseformirth；butthegrosserappetiteprevailed，andIrelinquishedmyjestwithregret，andsalliedfromthewood。 Theappearanceofthehouseaffectedme，asIdrewnear；withdisquietude。Itseemedunchangedsincelastevening；andIhadexpectedit，Iscarceknewwhy，towearsomeexternalsignsofhabitation。Butno:thewindowswereallcloselyshuttered，thechimneysbreathednosmoke，andthefrontdooritselfwascloselypadlocked。Northmour，therefore，hadenteredbytheback；thiswasthenatural，andindeed，thenecessaryconclusion；andyoumayjudgeofmysurprisewhen，onturningthehouse，Ifoundthebackdoorsimilarlysecured。 Mymindatoncerevertedtotheoriginaltheoryofthieves；andI blamedmyselfsharplyformylastnight’sinaction。Iexaminedallthewindowsonthelowerstory，butnoneofthemhadbeentamperedwith；Itriedthepadlocks，buttheywerebothsecure。Itthusbecameaproblemhowthethieves，ifthievestheywere，hadmanagedtoenterthehouse。Theymusthavegot，Ireasoned，upontheroofoftheouthousewhereNorthmourusedtokeephisphotographicbattery；andfromthence，eitherbythewindowofthestudyorthatofmyoldbedroom，completedtheirburglariousentry。 IfollowedwhatIsupposedwastheirexample；and，gettingontheroof，triedtheshuttersofeachroom。Bothweresecure；butIwasnottobebeaten；and，withalittleforce，oneofthemflewopen，grazing，asitdidso，thebackofmyhand。Iremember，Iputthewoundtomymouth，andstoodforperhapshalfaminutelickingitlikeadog，andmechanicallygazingbehindmeoverthewastelinksandthesea；and，inthatspaceoftime，myeyemadenoteofalargeschooneryachtsomemilestothenorth-east。ThenIthrewupthewindowandclimbedin。 Iwentoverthehouse，andnothingcanexpressmymystification。 Therewasnosignofdisorder，but，onthecontrary，theroomswereunusuallycleanandpleasant。Ifoundfireslaid，readyforlighting；threebedroomspreparedwithaluxuryquiteforeigntoNorthmour’shabits，andwithwaterintheewersandthebedsturneddown；atablesetforthreeinthedining-room；andanamplesupplyofcoldmeats，game，andvegetablesonthepantryshelves。Therewereguestsexpected，thatwasplain；butwhyguests，whenNorthmourhatedsociety？And，aboveall，whywasthehousethusstealthilypreparedatdeadofnight？andwhyweretheshuttersclosedandthedoorspadlocked？ Ieffacedalltracesofmyvisit，andcameforthfromthewindowfeelingsoberedandconcerned。 Theschooneryachtwasstillinthesameplace；anditflashedforamomentthroughmymindthatthismightbetheRedEarlbringingtheownerofthepavilionandhisguests。Butthevessel’sheadwassettheotherway。 II Ireturnedtothedentocookmyselfameal，ofwhichIstoodingreatneed，aswellastocareformyhorse，whomIhadsomewhatneglectedinthemorning。FromtimetotimeIwentdowntotheedgeofthewood；buttherewasnochangeinthepavilion，andnotahumancreaturewasseenalldayuponthelinks。Theschoonerintheoffingwastheonetouchoflifewithinmyrangeofvision。 She，apparentlywithnosetobject，stoodoffandonorlayto，hourafterhour；butastheeveningdeepened，shedrewsteadilynearer。IbecamemoreconvincedthatshecarriedNorthmourandhisfriends，andthattheywouldprobablycomeashoreafterdark；notonlybecausethatwasofapiecewiththesecrecyofthepreparations，butbecausethetidewouldnothaveflowedsufficientlybeforeeleventocoverGradenFloeandtheotherseaquagsthatfortifiedtheshoreagainstinvaders。 Alldaythewindhadbeengoingdown，andtheseaalongwithit； buttherewasareturntowardssunsetoftheheavyweatherofthedaybefore。Thenightsetinpitchdark。Thewindcameofftheseainsqualls，likethefiringofabatteryofcannon；nowandthentherewasaflawofrain，andthesurfrolledheavierwiththerisingtide。Iwasdownatmyobservatoryamongtheelders，whenalightwasrunuptothemastheadoftheschooner，andshowedshewascloserinthanwhenIhadlastseenherbythedyingdaylight。 IconcludedthatthismustbeasignaltoNorthmour’sassociatesonshore；and，steppingforthintothelinks，lookedaroundmeforsomethinginresponse。 Asmallfootpathranalongthemarginofthewood，andformedthemostdirectcommunicationbetweenthepavilionandthemansion- house；and，asIcastmyeyestothatside，Isawasparkoflight，notaquarterofamileaway，andrapidlyapproaching。Fromitsunevencourseitappearedtobethelightofalanterncarriedbyapersonwhofollowedthewindingsofthepath，andwasoftenstaggeredandtakenabackbythemoreviolentsqualls。Iconcealedmyselfoncemoreamongtheelders，andwaitedeagerlyforthenewcomer’sadvance。Itprovedtobeawoman；and，asshepassedwithinhalfarodofmyambush，Iwasabletorecognisethefeatures。Thedeafandsilentolddame，whohadnursedNorthmourinhischildhood，washisassociateinthisunderhandaffair。 Ifollowedheratalittledistance，takingadvantageoftheinnumerableheightsandhollows，concealedbythedarkness，andfavorednotonlybythenurse’sdeafness，butbytheuproarofthewindandsurf。Sheenteredthepavilion，and，goingatoncetotheupperstory，openedandsetalightinoneofthewindowsthatlookedtowardthesea。Immediatelyafterwardsthelightattheschooner’smastheadwasrundownandextinguished。Itspurposehadbeenattained，andthoseonboardweresurethattheywereexpected。Theoldwomanresumedherpreparations；althoughtheothershuttersremainedclosed，Icouldseeaglimmergoingtoandfroaboutthehouse；andagushofsparksfromonechimneyafteranothersoontoldmethatthefireswerebeingkindled。 Northmourandhisguests，Iwasnowpersuaded，wouldcomeashoreassoonastherewaswateronthefloe。Itwasawildnightforboatservice；andIfeltsomealarmminglewithmycuriosityasI reflectedonthedangerofthelanding。Myoldacquaintance，itwastrue，wasthemosteccentricofmen；butthepresenteccentricitywasbothdisquietingandlugubrioustoconsider。A varietyoffeelingsthusledmetowardthebeach，whereIlayflatonmyfaceinahollowwithinsixfeetofthetrackthatledtothepavilion。Thence，Ishouldhavethesatisfactionofrecognizingthearrivals，and，iftheyshouldprovetobeacquaintances，greetingthemassoonastheylanded。 Sometimebeforeeleven，whilethetidewasstilldangerouslylow，aboat’slanternappearedcloseinshore；and，myattentionbeingthusawakened，Icouldperceiveanotherstillfartoseaward，violentlytossed，andsometimeshiddenbythebillows。Theweather，whichwasgettingdirtierasthenightwenton，andtheperiloussituationoftheyachtuponaleeshore，hadprobablydriventhemtoattemptalandingattheearliestpossiblemoment。 Alittleafterwards，fouryachtsmencarryingaveryheavychest，andguidedbyafifthwithalantern，passedcloseinfrontofmeasIlay，andwereadmittedtothepavilionbythenurse。Theyreturnedtothebeach，andpassedmeathirdtimewithanotherchest，largerbutapparentlynotsoheavyasthefirst。Athirdtimetheymadethetransit；andonthisoccasiononeoftheyachtsmencarriedaleatherportmanteau，andtheothersalady’strunkandcarriagebag。Mycuriositywassharplyexcited。IfawomanwereamongtheguestsofNorthmour，itwouldshowachangeinhishabits，andanapostasyfromhispettheoriesoflife，wellcalculatedtofillmewithsurprise。WhenheandIdwelttheretogether，thepavilionhadbeenatempleofmisogyny。Andnow，oneofthedetestedsexwastobeinstalledunderitsroof。I rememberedoneortwoparticulars，afewnotesofdaintinessandalmostofcoquetrywhichhadstruckmethedaybeforeasIsurveyedthepreparationsinthehouse；theirpurposewasnowclear，andI thoughtmyselfdullnottohaveperceiveditfromthefirst。 WhileIwasthusreflecting，asecondlanterndrewnearmefromthebeach。ItwascarriedbyayachtsmanwhomIhadnotyetseen，andwhowasconductingtwootherpersonstothepavilion。Thesetwopersonswereunquestionablytheguestsforwhomthehousewasmadeready；and，strainingeyeandear，Isetmyselftowatchthemastheypassed。Onewasanunusuallytallman，inatravelinghatslouchedoverhiseyes，andahighlandcapecloselybuttonedandturnedupsoastoconcealhisface。Youcouldmakeoutnomoreofhimthanthathewas，asIhavesaid，unusuallytall，andwalkedfeeblywithaheavystoop。Byhisside，andeitherclingingtohimorgivinghimsupport——Icouldnotmakeoutwhich——wasayoung，tall，andslenderfigureofawoman。Shewasextremelypale；butinthelightofthelanternherfacewassomarredbystrongandchangingshadows，thatshemightequallywellhavebeenasuglyassinorasbeautifulasIafterwardsfoundhertobe。 Whentheywerejustabreastofme，thegirlmadesomeremarkwhichwasdrownedbythenoiseofthewind。 “Hush！“saidhercompanion；andtherewassomethinginthetonewithwhichthewordwasutteredthatthrilledandrathershookmyspirits。Itseemedtobreathefromabosomlaboringunderthedeadliestterror；Ihaveneverheardanothersyllablesoexpressive；andIstillhearitagainwhenIamfeverishatnight，andmymindrunsuponoldtimes。Themanturnedtowardthegirlashespoke；Ihadaglimpseofmuchredbeardandanosewhichseemedtohavebeenbrokeninyouth；andhislighteyesseemedshininginhisfacewithsomestrongandunpleasantemotion。 Butthesetwopassedonandwereadmittedintheirturntothepavilion。 Onebyone，oringroups，theseamenreturnedtothebeach。Thewindbroughtmethesoundofaroughvoicecrying，“Shoveoff！“ Then，afterapause，anotherlanterndrewnear。ItwasNorthmouralone。 MywifeandI，amanandawoman，haveoftenagreedtowonderhowapersoncouldbe，atthesametime，sohandsomeandsorepulsiveasNorthmour。Hehadtheappearanceofafinishedgentleman；hisfaceboreeverymarkofintelligenceandcourage；butyouhadonlytolookathim，eveninhismostamiablemoment，toseethathehadthetemperofaslavercaptain。Ineverknewacharacterthatwasbothexplosiveandrevengefultothesamedegree；hecombinedthevivacityofthesouthwiththesustainedanddeadlyhatredsofthenorth；andbothtraitswereplainlywrittenonhisface，whichwasasortofdangersignal。Inperson，hewastall，strong，andactive；hishairandcomplexionverydark；hisfeatureshandsomelydesigned，butspoiledbyamenacingexpression。 Atthatmomenthewassomewhatpalerthanbynature；heworeaheavyfrown；andhislipsworked，andhelookedsharplyroundhimashewalked，likeamanbesiegedwithapprehensions。AndyetI thoughthehadalookoftriumphunderlyingall，asthoughhehadalreadydonemuch，andwasneartheendofanachievement。 Partlyfromascrupleofdelicacy——whichIdaresaycametoolate—— partlyfromthepleasureofstartlinganacquaintance，Idesiredtomakemypresenceknowntohimwithoutdelay。 Igotsuddenlytomyfeet，andsteppedforward。 “Northmour！“saidI。 Ihaveneverhadsoshockingasurpriseinallmydays。Heleapedonmewithoutaword；somethingshoneinhishand；andhestruckformyheartwithadagger。AtthesamemomentIknockedhimheadoverheels。Whetheritwasmyquickness，orhisownuncertainty，I knownot；butthebladeonlygrazedmyshoulder，whilethehiltandhisfiststruckmeviolentlyonthemouth。 Ifled，butnotfar。Ihadoftenandoftenobservedthecapabilitiesofthesandhillsforprotractedambushorstealthyadvancesandretreats；and，nottenyardsfromthesceneofthescuffle，plumpeddownagainuponthegrass。Thelanternhadfallenandgoneout。ButwhatwasmyastonishmenttoseeNorthmourslipataboundintothepavilion，andhearhimbarthedoorbehindhimwithaclangofiron！ Hehadnotpursuedme。Hehadrunaway。Northmour，whomIknewforthemostimplacableanddaringofmen，hadrunaway！Icouldscarcebelievemyreason；andyetinthisstrangebusiness，whereallwasincredible，therewasnothingtomakeaworkaboutinanincredibilitymoreorless。Forwhywasthepavilionsecretlyprepared？WhyhadNorthmourlandedwithhisguestsatdeadofnight，inhalfagaleofwind，andwiththefloescarcecovered？ Whyhadhesoughttokillme？Hadhenotrecognizedmyvoice？I