第 37 节
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铲除不公 更新:2021-10-21 08:52 字数:9321
captains; pilots; boatswains; mates; able seamen; and other curious
fauna of the marine world; but these were directly addressed to his
father and Mrs。 Loveday; Anne being included at the clinching…point
by a glance only。 He sometimes opened bottles of sweet cider for
her; and then she thanked him; but even this did not lead to her
encouraging his chat。
One day when Anne was paring an apple she was left at table with the
young man。 'I have made something for you;' he said。
She looked all over the table; nothing was there save the ordinary
remnants。
'O I don't mean that it is here; it is out by the bridge at the
mill…head。'
He arose; and Anne followed with curiosity in her eyes; and with her
firm little mouth pouted up to a puzzled shape。 On reaching the
mossy mill…head she found that he had fixed in the keen damp draught
which always prevailed over the wheel an AEolian harp of large size。
At present the strings were partly covered with a cloth。 He lifted
it; and the wires began to emit a weird harmony which mingled
curiously with the plashing of the wheel。
'I made it on purpose for you; Miss Garland;' he said。
She thanked him very warmly; for she had never seen anything like
such an instrument before; and it interested her。 'It was very
thoughtful of you to make it;' she added。 'How came you to think of
such a thing?'
'O I don't know exactly;' he replied; as if he did not care to be
questioned on the point。 'I have never made one in my life till
now。'
Every night after this; during the mournful gales of autumn; the
strange mixed music of water; wind; and strings met her ear;
swelling and sinking with an almost supernatural cadence。 The
character of the instrument was far enough removed from anything she
had hitherto seen of Bob's hobbies; so that she marvelled pleasantly
at the new depths of poetry this contrivance revealed as existent in
that young seaman's nature; and allowed her emotions to flow out yet
a little further in the old direction; notwithstanding her late
severe resolve to bar them back。
One breezy night; when the mill was kept going into the small hours;
and the wind was exactly in the direction of the water…current; the
music so mingled with her dreams as to wake her: it seemed to
rhythmically set itself to the words; 'Remember me! think of me!'
She was much impressed; the sounds were almost too touching; and she
spoke to Bob the next morning on the subject。
'How strange it is that you should have thought of fixing that harp
where the water gushes!' she gently observed。 'It affects me almost
painfully at night。 You are poetical; Captain Bob。 But it is too
too sad!'
'I will take it away;' said Captain Bob promptly。 'It certainly is
too sad; I thought so myself。 I myself was kept awake by it one
night。'
'How came you to think of making such a peculiar thing?'
'Well;' said Bob; 'it is hardly worth saying why。 It is not a good
place for such a queer noisy machine; and I'll take it away。'
'On second thoughts;' said Anne; 'I should like it to remain a
little longer; because it sets me thinking。'
'Of me?' he asked with earnest frankness。
Anne's colour rose fast。
'Well; yes;' she said; trying to infuse much plain matter…of…fact
into her voice。 'Of course I am led to think of the person who
invented it。'
Bob seemed unaccountably embarrassed; and the subject was not
pursued。 About half…an…hour later he came to her again; with
something of an uneasy look。
'There was a little matter I didn't tell you just now; Miss
Garland;' he said。 'About that harp thing; I mean。 I did make it;
certainly; but it was my brother John who asked me to do it; just
before he went away。 John is very musical; as you know; and he said
it would interest you; but as he didn't ask me to tell; I did not。
Perhaps I ought to have; and not have taken the credit to myself。'
'O; it is nothing!' said Anne quickly。 'It is a very incomplete
instrument after all; and it will be just as well for you to take it
away as you first proposed。'
He said that he would; but he forgot to do it that day; and the
following night there was a high wind; and the harp cried and moaned
so movingly that Anne; whose window was quite near; could hardly
bear the sound with its new associations。 John Loveday was present
to her mind all night as an ill…used man; and yet she could not own
that she had ill…used him。
The harp was removed next day。 Bob; feeling that his credit for
originality was damaged in her eyes; by way of recovering it set
himself to paint the summer…house which Anne frequented; and when he
came out he assured her that it was quite his own idea。
'It wanted doing; certainly;' she said; in a neutral tone。
'It is just about troublesome。'
'Yes; you can't quite reach up。 That's because you are not very
tall; is it not; Captain Loveday?'
'You never used to say things like that。'
'O; I don't mean that you are much less than tall! Shall I hold the
paint for you; to save your stepping down?'
'Thank you; if you would。'
She took the paint…pot; and stood looking at the brush as it moved
up and down in his hand。
'I hope I shall not sprinkle your fingers;' he observed as he
dipped。
'O; that would not matter! You do it very well。'
'I am glad to hear that you think so。'
'But perhaps not quite so much art is demanded to paint a
summer…house as to paint a picture?'
Thinking that; as a painter's daughter; and a person of education
superior to his own; she spoke with a flavour of sarcasm; he felt
humbled and said
'You did not use to talk like that to me。'
'I was perhaps too young then to take any pleasure in giving pain;'
she observed daringly。
'Does it give you pleasure?'
Anne nodded。
'I like to give pain to people who have given pain to me;' she said
smartly; without removing her eyes from the green liquid in her
hand。
'I ask your pardon for that。'
'I didn't say I meant youthough I did mean you。'
Bob looked and looked at her side face till he was bewitched into
putting down his brush。
'It was that stupid forgetting of 'ee for a time!' he exclaimed。
'Well; I hadn't seen you for so very longconsider how many years!
O; dear Anne!' he said; advancing to take her hand; 'how well we
knew one another when we were children! You was a queen to me then;
and so you are now; and always。'
Possibly Anne was thrilled pleasantly enough at having brought the
truant village lad to her feet again; but he was not to find the
situation so easy as he imagined; and her hand was not to be taken
yet。
'Very pretty!' she said; laughing。 'And only six weeks since Miss
Johnson left。'
'Zounds; don't say anything about that!' implored Bob。 'I swear
that I nevernever deliberately loved herfor a long time
together; that is; it was a sudden sort of thing; you know。 But
towards youI have more or less honoured and respectfully loved
you; off and on; all my life。 There; that's true。'
Anne retorted quickly
'I am willing; off and on; to believe you; Captain Robert。 But I
don't see any good in your making these solemn declarations。'
'Give me leave to explain; dear Miss Garland。 It is to get you to
be pleased to renew an old promisemade years agothat you'll
think o' me。'
'Not a word of any promise will I repeat。'
'Well; well; I won't urge 'ee today。 Only let me beg of you to get
over the quite wrong notion you have of me; and it shall be my whole
endeavour to fetch your gracious favour。'
Anne turned away from him and entered the house; whither in the
course of a quarter of an hour he followed her; knocking at her
door; and asking to be let in。 She said she was busy; whereupon he
went away; to come back again in a short time and receive the same
answer。
'I have finished painting the summer…house for you;' he said through
the door。
'I cannot come to see it。 I shall be engaged till supper…time。'
She heard him breathe a heavy sigh and withdraw; murmuring something
about his bad luck in being cut away from the starn like this。 But
it was not over yet。 When supper…time came and they sat down
together; she took upon herself to reprove him for what he had said
to her in the garden。
Bob made his forehead express despair。
'Now; I beg you this one thing;' he said。 'Just let me know your
whole mind。 Then I shall have a chance to confess my faults and
mend them; or clear my conduct to your satisfaction。'
She answered with quickness; but not loud enough to be heard by the
old people at the other end of the table'Then; Captain Loveday; I
will tell you one thing; one fault; that perhaps would have been
more proper to my character than to yours。 You are too easily
impressed by new faces; and that gives me a BAD OPINION of youyes;
a BAD OPINION。'
'O; that's it!' said Bob slowly; looking at her with the intense
respect of a pupil for a master; her words being spoken in a manner
so precisely between jest and earnest that he was in some doubt how
they were to be received。 'Impressed by new faces。 It is wrong;
certainly; of me。'
The popping of a cork; and the pouring out of strong beer by the
miller with a view to giving it a head;