按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and only to be torn away from her； by tearing life away from her。
'Eleven years she had lived in the dark house and its gloomy
garden。 He was jealous of the very light and air getting to her；
and they kept her close。 He stopped the wide chimneys； shaded the
little windows； left the strong…stemmed ivy to wander where it
would over the house…front； the moss to accumulate on the untrimmed
fruit…trees in the red…walled garden； the weeds to over…run its
green and yellow walks。 He surrounded her with images of sorrow
and desolation。 He caused her to be filled with fears of the place
and of the stories that were told of it； and then on pretext of
correcting them； to be left in it in solitude； or made to shrink
about it in the dark。 When her mind was most depressed and fullest
of terrors； then； he would come out of one of the hiding…places
from which he overlooked her； and present himself as her sole
resource。
'Thus； by being from her childhood the one embodiment her life
presented to her of power to coerce and power to relieve； power to
bind and power to loose； the ascendency over her weakness was
secured。 She was twenty…one years and twenty…one days old； when he
brought her home to the gloomy house； his half…witted； frightened；
and submissive Bride of three weeks。
'He had dismissed the governess by that time … what he had left to
do； he could best do alone … and they came back； upon a rain night；
to the scene of her long preparation。 She turned to him upon the
threshold； as the rain was dripping from the porch； and said：
'〃O sir； it is the Death…watch ticking for me！〃
'〃Well！〃 he answered。 〃And if it were？〃
'〃O sir！〃 she returned to him； 〃look kindly on me； and be merciful
to me！ I beg your pardon。 I will do anything you wish； if you
will only forgive me！〃
'That had become the poor fool's constant song： 〃I beg your
pardon；〃 and 〃Forgive me！〃
'She was not worth hating； he felt nothing but contempt for her。
But； she had long been in the way； and he had long been weary； and
the work was near its end； and had to be worked out。
'〃You fool；〃 he said。 〃Go up the stairs！〃
'She obeyed very quickly； murmuring； 〃I will do anything you wish！〃
When he came into the Bride's Chamber； having been a little
retarded by the heavy fastenings of the great door （for they were
alone in the house； and he had arranged that the people who
attended on them should come and go in the day）； he found her
withdrawn to the furthest corner； and there standing pressed
against the paneling as if she would have shrunk through it： her
flaxen hair all wild about her face； and her large eyes staring at
him in vague terror。
'〃What are you afraid of？ Come and sit down by me。〃
'〃I will do anything you wish。 I beg your pardon； sir。 Forgive
me！〃 Her monotonous tune as usual。
'〃Ellen； here is a writing that you must write out to…morrow； in
your own hand。 You may as well be seen by others； busily engaged
upon it。 When you have written it all fairly； and corrected all
mistakes； call in any two people there may be about the house； and
sign your name to it before them。 Then； put it in your bosom to
keep it safe； and when I sit here again to…morrow night； give it to
me。〃
'〃I will do it all； with the greatest care。 I will do anything you
wish。〃
'〃Don't shake and tremble； then。〃
'〃I will try my utmost not to do it … if you will only forgive me！〃
'Next day； she sat down at her desk； and did as she had been told。
He often passed in and out of the room； to observe her； and always
saw her slowly and laboriously writing： repeating to herself the
words she copied； in appearance quite mechanically； and without
caring or endeavouring to comprehend them； so that she did her
task。 He saw her follow the directions she had received； in all
particulars； and at night； when they were alone again in the same
Bride's Chamber； and he drew his chair to the hearth； she timidly
approached him from her distant seat； took the paper from her
bosom； and gave it into his hand。
'It secured all her possessions to him； in the event of her death。
He put her before him； face to face； that he might look at her
steadily； and he asked her； in so many plain words； neither fewer
nor more； did she know that？
'There were spots of ink upon the bosom of her white dress； and
they made her face look whiter and her eyes look larger as she
nodded her head。 There were spots of ink upon the hand with which
she stood before him； nervously plaiting and folding her white
skirts。
'He took her by the arm； and looked her； yet more closely and
steadily； in the face。 〃Now； die！ I have done with you。〃
'She shrunk； and uttered a low； suppressed cry。
'〃I am not going to kill you。 I will not endanger my life for
yours。 Die！〃
'He sat before her in the gloomy Bride's Chamber； day after day；
night after night； looking the word at her when he did not utter
it。 As often as her large unmeaning eyes were raised from the
hands in which she rocked her head； to the stern figure； sitting
with crossed arms and knitted forehead； in the chair； they read in
it； 〃Die！〃 When she dropped asleep in exhaustion； she was called
back to shuddering consciousness； by the whisper； 〃Die！〃 When she
fell upon her old entreaty to be pardoned； she was answered 〃Die！〃
When she had out…watched and out…suffered the long night； and the
rising sun flamed into the sombre room； she heard it hailed with；
〃Another day and not dead？ … Die！〃
'Shut up in the deserted mansion； aloof from all mankind； and
engaged alone in such a struggle without any respite； it came to
this … that either he must die； or she。 He knew it very well； and
concentrated his strength against her feebleness。 Hours upon hours
he held her by the arm when her arm was black where he held it； and
bade her Die！
'It was done； upon a windy morning； before sunrise。 He computed
the time to be half…past four； but； his forgotten watch had run
down； and he could not be sure。 She had broken away from him in
the night； with loud and sudden cries … the first of that kind to
which she had given vent … and he had had to put his hands over her
mouth。 Since then； she had been quiet in the corner of the
paneling where she had sunk down； and he had left her； and had gone
back with his folded arms and his knitted forehead to his chair。
'Paler in the pale light； more colourless than ever in the leaden
dawn； he saw her coming； trailing herself along the floor towards
him … a white wreck of hair； and dress； and wild eyes； pushing
itself on by an irresolute and bending hand。
'〃O； forgive me！ I will do anything。 O； sir； pray tell me I may
live！〃
'〃Die！〃
'〃Are you so resolved？ Is there no hope for me？〃
'〃Die！〃
'Her large eyes strained themselves with wonder and fear； wonder
and fear changed to reproach； reproach to blank nothing。 It was
done。 He was not at first so sure it was done； but that the
morning sun was hanging jewels in her hair … he saw the diamond；
emerald； and ruby； glittering among it in little points； as he
stood looking down at her … when he lifted her and laid her on her
bed。
'She was soon laid in the ground。 And now they were all gone； and
he had compensated himself well。
'He had a mind to travel。 Not that he meant to waste his Money；
for he was a pinching man and liked his Money dearly （liked nothing
else； indeed）； but； that he had grown tired of the desolate house
and wished to turn his back upon it and have done with it。 But；
the house was worth Money； and Money must not be thrown away。 He
determined to sell it before he went。 That it might look the less
wretched and bring a better price； he hired some labourers to work
in the overgrown garden； to cut out the dead wood； trim the ivy
that drooped in heavy masses over the windows and gables； and clear
the walks in which the weeds were growing mid…leg high。
'He worked； himself； along with them。 He worked later than they
did； and； one evening at dusk； was left working alone； with his
bill…hook in his hand。 One autumn evening； when the Bride was five
weeks dead。
'〃It grows too dark to work longer；〃 he said to himself； 〃I must
give over for the night。〃
'He detested the house； and was loath to enter it。 He looked at
the dark porch waiting for him like a tomb； and felt that it was an
accursed house。 Near to the porch； and near to where he stood； was
a tree whose branches waved before the old bay…window of the
Bride's Chamber； where it had been done。 The tree swung suddenly；
and made him start。 It swung again； although the night was still。
Looking up into it； he saw a figure among the branches。
'It was the figure of a young man。 The face looked down； as his
looked up； the branches cracked and swayed； the figure rapidly
descended； and slid upon its