第 24 节
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and slid upon its feet before him。 A slender youth of about her age; with
long light brown hair。
'〃What thief are you?〃 he said; seizing the youth by the collar。
'The young man; in shaking himself free; swung him a blow with his
arm across the face and throat。 They closed; but the young man got from
him and stepped back; crying; with great eagerness and horror; 〃Don't
touch me! I would as lieve be touched by the Devil!〃
'He stood still; with his bill…hook in his hand; looking at the young
man。 For; the young man's look was the counterpart of her last look; and
he had not expected ever to see that again。
'〃I am no thief。 Even if I were; I would not have a coin of your
wealth; if it would buy me the Indies。 You murderer!〃
'〃What!〃
'〃I climbed it;〃 said the young man; pointing up into the tree; 〃for the
first time; nigh four years ago。 I climbed it; to look at her。 I saw her。 I
spoke to her。 I have climbed it; many a time; to watch and listen for her。
I was a boy; hidden among its leaves; when from that bay…window she
gave me this!〃
'He showed a tress of flaxen hair; tied with a mourning ribbon。
'〃Her life;〃 said the young man; 〃was a life of mourning。 She gave
me this; as a token of it; and a sign that she was dead to every one but you。
If I had been older; if I had seen her sooner; I might have saved her from
you。 But; she was fast in the web when I first climbed the tree; and what
could I do then to break it!〃
'In saying those words; he burst into a fit of sobbing and crying:
weakly at first; then passionately。
'〃Murderer! I climbed the tree on the night when you brought her
back。 I heard her; from the tree; speak of the Death…watch at the door。 I
was three times in the tree while you were shut up with her; slowly killing
her。 I saw her; from the tree; lie dead upon her bed。 I have watched you;
from the tree; for proofs and traces of your guilt。 The manner of it; is a
mystery to me yet; but I will pursue you until you have rendered up your
life to the hangman。 You shall never; until then; be rid of me。 I loved
her! I can know no relenting towards you。 Murderer; I loved her!〃
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'The youth was bare…headed; his hat having fluttered away in his
descent from the tree。 He moved towards the gate。 He had to pass …
Him … to get to it。 There was breadth for two old…fashioned carriages
abreast; and the youth's abhorrence; openly expressed in every feature of
his face and limb of his body; and very hard to bear; had verge enough to
keep itself at a distance in。 He (by which I mean the other) had not
stirred hand or foot; since he had stood still to look at the boy。 He faced
round; now; to follow him with his eyes。 As the back of the bare light…
brown head was turned to him; he saw a red curve stretch from his hand to
it。 He knew; before he threw the bill…hook; where it had alighted … I say;
had alighted; and not; would alight; for; to his clear perception the thing
was done before he did it。 It cleft the head; and it remained there; and the
boy lay on his face。
'He buried the body in the night; at the foot of the tree。 As soon as it
was light in the morning; he worked at turning up all the ground near the
tree; and hacking and hewing at the neighbouring bushes and undergrowth。
When the labourers came; there was nothing suspicious; and nothing
suspected。
'But; he had; in a moment; defeated all his precautions; and destroyed
the triumph of the scheme he had so long concerted; and so successfully
worked out。 He had got rid of the Bride; and had acquired her fortune
without endangering his life; but now; for a death by which he had gained
nothing; he had evermore to live with a rope around his neck。
'Beyond this; he was chained to the house of gloom and horror; which
he could not endure。 Being afraid to sell it or to quit it; lest discovery
should be made; he was forced to live in it。 He hired two old people;
man and wife; for his servants; and dwelt in it; and dreaded it。 His great
difficulty; for a long time; was the garden。 Whether he should keep it
trim; whether he should suffer it to fall into its former state of neglect;
what would be the least likely way of attracting attention to it?
'He took the middle course of gardening; himself; in his evening
leisure; and of then calling the old serving…man to help him; but; of never
letting him work there alone。 And he made himself an arbour over
against the tree; where he could sit and see that it was safe。
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'As the seasons changed; and the tree changed; his mind perceived
dangers that were always changing。 In the leafy time; he perceived that
the upper boughs were growing into the form of the young man … that they
made the shape of him exactly; sitting in a forked branch swinging in the
wind。 In the time of the falling leaves; he perceived that they came down
from the tree; forming tell…tale letters on the path; or that they had a
tendency to heap themselves into a churchyard mound above the grave。
In the winter; when the tree was bare; he perceived that the boughs swung
at him the ghost of the blow the young man had given; and that they
threatened him openly。 In the spring; when the sap was mounting in the
trunk; he asked himself; were the dried…up particles of blood mounting
with it: to make out more obviously this year than last; the leaf… screened
figure of the young man; swinging in the wind?
'However; he turned his Money over and over; and still over。 He was
in the dark trade; the gold…dust trade; and most secret trades that yielded
great returns。 In ten years; he had turned his Money over; so many times;
that the traders and shippers who had dealings with him; absolutely did not
lie … for once … when they declared that he had increased his fortune;
Twelve Hundred Per Cent。
'He possessed his riches one hundred years ago; when people could be
lost easily。 He had heard who the youth was; from hearing of the search
that was made after him; but; it died away; and the youth was forgotten。
'The annual round of changes in the tree had been repeated ten times
since the night of the burial at its foot; when there was a great thunder…
storm over this place。 It broke at midnight; and roared until morning。
The first intelligence he heard from his old serving…man that morning; was;
that the tree had been struck by Lightning。
'It had been riven down the stem; in a very surprising manner; and the
stem lay in two blighted shafts: one resting against the house; and one
against a portion of the old red garden…wall in which its fall had made a
gap。 The fissure went down the tree to a little above the earth; and there
stopped。 There was great curiosity to see the tree; and; with most of his
former fears revived; he sat in his arbour … grown quite an old man …
watching the people who came to see it。
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'They quickly began to come; in such dangerous numbers; that he
closed his garden…gate and refused to admit any more。 But; there were
certain men of science who travelled from a distance to examine the tree;
and; in an evil hour; he let them in! … Blight and Murrain on them; let them
in!
'They wanted to dig up the ruin by the roots; and closely examine it;
and the earth about it。 Never; while he lived! They offered money for it。
They! Men of science; whom he