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a mortal antipathy-第13章

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dislikes。  But it was a very curious thing that this antipathy should

be alleged as the reason for his singular mode of life。  All sorts of

explanations were suggested; not one of them in the least

satisfactory; but serving to keep the curiosity of inquirers active

until they were superseded by a new theory。  One story was that

Maurice had a great fear of dogs。  It grew at last to a connected

narrative; in which a fright in childhood from a rabid mongrel was

said to have given him such a sensitiveness to the near presence of

dogs that he was liable to convulsions if one came close to him。



This hypothesis had some plausibility。  No other creature would be so

likely to trouble a person who had an antipathy to it。  Dogs are very

apt to make the acquaintance of strangers; in a free and easy way。

They are met with everywhere;in one's daily walk; at the thresholds

of the doors one enters; in the gentleman's library; on the rug of my

lady's sitting…room and on the cushion of her carriage。  It is true

that there are few persons who have an instinctive repugnance to this

〃friend of man。〃  But what if this so…called antipathy were only a

fear; a terror; which borrowed the less unmanly name?  It was a fair

question; if; indeed; the curiosity of the public had a right to ask

any questions at all about a harmless individual who gave no offence;

and seemed entitled to the right of choosing his way of living to

suit himself; without being submitted to espionage。



There was no positive evidence bearing on the point as yet。  But one

of the village people had a large Newfoundland dog; of a very

sociable disposition; with which he determined to test the question。

He watched for the time when Maurice should leave his house for the

woods or the lake; and started with his dog to meet him。  The animal

walked up to the stranger in a very sociable fashion; and began

making his acquaintance; after the usual manner of well…bred dogs;

that is; with the courtesies and blandishments by which the canine

Chesterfield is distinguished from the ill…conditioned cur。  Maurice

patted him in a friendly way; and spoke to him as one who was used to

the fellowship of such companions。  That idle question and foolish

story were disposed of; therefore; and some other solution must be

found; if possible。



A much more common antipathy is that which is entertained with regard

to cats。  This has never been explained。  It is not mere aversion to

the look of the creature; or to any sensible quality known to the

common observer。  The cat is pleasing in aspect; graceful in

movement; nice in personal habits; and of amiable disposition。  No

cause of offence is obvious; and yet there are many persons who

cannot abide the presence of the most innocent little kitten。  They

can tell; in some mysterious way; that there is a cat in the room

when they can neither see nor hear the creature。  Whether it is an

electrical or quasi…magnetic phenomenon; or whatever it may be; of

the fact of this strange influence there are too many well…

authenticated instances to allow its being questioned。  But suppose

Maurice Kirkwood to be the subject of this antipathy in its extremest

degree; it would in no manner account for the isolation to which he

had condemned himself。  He might shun the firesides of the old women

whose tabbies were purring by their footstools; but these worthy

dames do not make up the whole population。



These two antipathies having been disposed of; a new suggestion was

started; and was talked over with a curious sort of half belief; very

much as ghost stories are told in a circle of moderately instructed

and inquiring persons。  This was that Maurice was endowed with the

unenviable gift of the evil eye。  He was in frequent communication

with Italy; as his letters showed; and had recently been residing in

that country; as was learned from Paolo。  Now everybody knows that

the evil eye is not rarely met with in Italy。  Everybody who has ever

read Mr。 Story's 〃Roba di Roma〃 knows what a terrible power it is

which the owner of the evil eye exercises。  It can blight and destroy

whatever it falls upon。  No person's life or limb is safe if the

jettatura; the withering glance of the deadly organ; falls upon him。

It must be observed that this malign effect may follow a look from

the holiest personages; that is; if we may assume that a monk is such

as a matter of course。  Certainly we have a right to take it for

granted that the late Pope; Pius Ninth; was an eminently holy man;

and yet he had the name of dispensing the mystic and dreaded

jettatura as well as his blessing。  If Maurice Kirkwood carried that

destructive influence; so that his clear blue eyes were more to be

feared than the fascinations of the deadliest serpent; it could

easily be understood why he kept his look away from all around him

whom he feared he might harm。



No sensible person in Arrowhead Village really believed in the evil

eye; but it served the purpose of a temporary hypothesis; as do many

suppositions which we take as a nucleus for our observations without

putting any real confidence in them。  It was just suited to the

romantic notions of the more flighty persons in the village; who had

meddled more or less with Spiritualism; and were ready for any new

fancy; if it were only wild enough。



The riddle of the young stranger's peculiarity did not seem likely to

find any very speedy solution。  Every new suggestion furnished talk

for the gossips of the village and the babble of the many tongues in

the two educational institutions。  Naturally; the discussion was

liveliest among the young ladies。  Here is an extract from a letter

of one of these young ladies; who; having received at her birth the

ever…pleasing name of Mary; saw fit to have herself called Mollie in

the catalogue and in her letters。  The old postmaster of the town to

which her letter was directed took it up to stamp; and read on the

envelope the direction to 〃Miss Lulu Pinrow。〃  He brought the stamp

down with a vicious emphasis; coming very near blotting out the

nursery name; instead of cancelling the postage…stamp。  〃Lulu!〃 he

exclaimed。  〃I should like to know if that great strapping girl isn't

out of her cradle yet!  I suppose Miss Louisa will think that belongs

to her; but I saw her christened and I heard the name the minister

gave her; and it was n't 'Lulu;' or any such baby nonsense。〃  And so

saying; he gave it a fling to the box marked P; as if it burned his

fingers。  Why a grown…up young woman allowed herself to be cheapened

in the way so many of them do by the use of names which become them

as well as the frock of a ten…year…old schoolgirl would become a

graduate of the Corinna Institute; the old postmaster could not

guess。  He was a queer old man。



The letter thus scornfully treated runs over with a young girl's

written loquacity:



〃Oh; Lulu; there is such a sensation as you never saw or heard of

'in all your born days;' as mamma used to say。  He has been at the

village for some time; but lately we have hadoh; the weirdest

stories about him!  'The Mysterious Stranger is the name some give

him; but we girls call him the Sachem; because he paddles about in an

Indian canoe。  If I should tell you all the things that are said

about him I should use up all my paper ten times over。  He has never

made a visit to the Institute; and none of the girls have ever spoken

to him; but the people at the village say he is very; very handsome。

We are dying to get a look at him; of coursethough there is a

horrid story about himthat he has the evil eye did you ever hear

about the evil eye?  If a person who is born with it looks at you;

you die; or something happensawfulis n't it?



〃The rector says he never goes to church; but then you know a good

many of the people that pass the summer at the village never dothey

think their religion must have vacationsthat's what I've heard they

sayvacations; just like other hard workit ought not to be hard

work; I'm sure; but I suppose they feel so about it。  Should you feel

afraid to have him look at you?  Some of the girls say they would n't

have him for the whole world; but I shouldn't mind itespecially if

I had on my eyeglasses。  Do you suppose if there is anything in the

evil eye it would go through glass?  I don't believe it。  Do you

think blue eye…glasses would be better than common ones?  Don't laugh

at methey tell such weird stories!  The TerrorLurida Vincent; you

know…makes fun of all they say about it; but then she 'knows

everything and doesn't believe anything;' the girls sayWell; I

should be awfully scared; I know; if anybody that had the evil eye

should look at mebutoh; I don't knowbut if it was a young man

and if he was veryvery good…lookingI thinkperhaps I would run

the riskbut don't tell anybody I said any such horrid thingand

burn this letter right upthere 's a dear good girl。〃



It is to be hoped 
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