villa rubein and other stories-第6部分
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down on a bench from which the old house on the wall was visible。
She had not been there long before Harz came out。
〃I did not knock；〃 said Greta； 〃because you would not have heard； and
it is so early； so I have been waiting for you a quarter of an hour。〃
Selecting a rosebud； from some flowers in her hand； she handed it to
him。 〃That is my first rosebud this year；〃 she said； 〃it is for you
because you are painting me。 To…day I am thirteen； Herr Harz； there
is not to be a sitting； because it is my birthday； but； instead； we
are all going to Meran to see the play of Andreas Hofer。 You are to
come too； please； I am here to tell you； and the others shall be here
directly。〃
Harz bowed： 〃And who are the others？〃
〃Christian； and Dr。 Edmund； Miss Naylor； and Cousin Teresa。 Her
husband is ill； so she is sad； but to…day she is going to forget
that。 It is not good to be always sad； is it； Herr Harz？〃
He laughed： 〃You could not be。〃
Greta answered gravely： 〃Oh yes； I could。 I too am often sad。 You
are making fun。 You are not to make fun to…day； because it is my
birthday。 Do you think growing up is nice； Herr Harz ？〃
〃No； Fraulein Greta； it is better to have all the time before you。〃
They walked on side by side。
〃I think；〃 said Greta； 〃you are very much afraid of losing time。
Chris says that time is nothing。〃
〃Time is everything；〃 responded Harz。
〃She says that time is nothing； and thought is everything；〃 Greta
murmured； rubbing a rose against her cheek； 〃but I think you cannot
have a thought unless you have the time to think it in。 There are
the others！ Look！〃
A cluster of sunshades on the bridge glowed for a moment and was lost
in shadow。
〃Come；〃 said Harz； 〃let's join them！〃
At Meran； under Schloss Tirol； people were streaming across the
meadows into the open theatre。 Here were tall fellows in mountain
dress； with leather breeches； bare knees； and hats with eagles'
feathers； here were fruit…sellers； burghers and their wives；
mountebanks； actors； and every kind of visitor。 The audience； packed
into an enclosure of high boards； sweltered under the burning sun。
Cousin Teresa； tall and thin； with hard； red cheeks； shaded her
pleasant eyes with her hand。
The play began。 It depicted the rising in the Tyrol of 1809： the
village life； dances and yodelling； murmurings and exhortations； the
warning beat of drums； then the gathering； with flintlocks；
pitchforks； knives； the battle and victory； the homecoming； and
festival。 Then the second gathering； the roar of cannon； betrayal；
capture； death。 The impassive figure of the patriot Andreas Hofer
always in front； black…bearded； leathern…girdled； under the blue sky；
against a screen of mountains。
Harz and Christian sat behind the others。 He seemed so intent on the
play that she did not speak； but watched his face； rigid with a kind
of cold excitement； he seemed to be transported by the life passing
before them。 Something of his feeling seized on her； when the play
was over she too was trembling。 In pushing their way out they became
separated from the others。
〃There's a short cut to the station here；〃 said Christian； 〃let's go
this way。〃
The path rose a little； a narrow stream crept alongside the meadow；
and the hedge was spangled with wild roses。 Christian kept glancing
shyly at the painter。 Since their meeting on the river wall her
thoughts had never been at rest。 This stranger； with his keen face；
insistent eyes； and ceaseless energy； had roused a strange feeling in
her； his words had put shape to something in her not yet expressed。
She stood aside at a stile to make way for some peasant boys； dusty
and rough…haired； who sang and whistled as they went by。
〃I was like those boys once；〃 said Harz。
Christian turned to him quickly。 〃Ah！ that was why you felt the
play； so much。〃
〃It's my country up there。 I was born amongst the mountains。 I
looked after the cows； and slept in hay…cocks； and cut the trees in
winter。 They used to call me a 'black sheep；' a 'loafer' in my
village。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Ah！ why？ I worked as hard as any of them。 But I wanted to get
away。 Do you think I could have stayed there all my life？〃
Christian's eyes grew eager。
〃If people don't understand what it is you want to do； they always
call you a loafer！〃 muttered Harz。
〃But you did what you meant to do in spite of them；〃 Christian said。
For herself it was so hard to finish or decide。 When in the old days
she told Greta stories； the latter； whose instinct was always for the
definite； would say： 〃And what came at the end； Chris？ Do finish it
this morning！〃 but Christian never could。 Her thoughts were deep；
vague； dreamy； invaded by both sides of every question。 Whatever she
did； her needlework； her verse…making； her painting； all had its
charm； but it was not always what it was intended for at the
beginning。 Nicholas Treffry had once said of her： 〃When Chris starts
out to make a hat； it may turn out an altar…cloth； but you may bet it
won't be a hat。〃 It was her instinct to look for what things meant；
and this took more than all her time。 She knew herself better than
most girls of nineteen； but it was her reason that had informed her；
not her feelings。 In her sheltered life； her heart had never been
ruffled except by rare fits of passion〃tantrums〃 old Nicholas
Treffry dubbed themat what seemed to her mean or unjust。
〃If I were a man；〃 she said； 〃and going to be great； I should have
wanted to begin at the very bottom as you did。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Harz quickly； 〃one should be able to feel everything。〃
She did not notice how simply he assumed that he was going to be
great。 He went on； a smile twisting his mouth unpleasantly beneath
its dark moustache
〃Not many people think like you！ It's a crime not to have been born a
gentleman。〃
〃That's a sneer；〃 said Christian； 〃I didn't think you would have
sneered！〃
〃It is true。 What is the use of pretending that it isn't？〃
〃It may be true； but it is finer not to say it！〃
〃By Heavens！〃 said Harz； striking one hand into the other； 〃if more
truth were spoken there would not be so many shams。〃
Christian looked down at him from her seat on the stile。
〃You are right all the same； Fraulein Christian；〃 he added suddenly；
〃that's a very little business。 Work is what matters； and trying to
see the beauty in the world。〃
Christian's face changed。 She understood； well enough； this craving
after beauty。 Slipping down from the stile； she drew a slow deep
breath。
〃Yes！〃 she said。 Neither spoke for some time； then Harz said shyly：
〃If you and Fraulein Greta would ever like to come and see my studio；
I should be so happy。 I would try and clean it up for you！〃
〃I should like to come。 I could learn something。 I want to learn。〃
They were both silent till the path joined the road。
〃We must be in front of the others； it's nice to be in frontlet's
dawdle。 I forgotyou never dawdle； Herr Harz。〃
〃After a big fit of work； I can dawdle against any one； then I get
another fit of workit's like appetite。〃
〃I'm always dawdling；〃 answered Christian。
By the roadside a peasant woman screwed up her sun…dried face； saying
in a low voice： 〃Please； gracious lady； help me to lift this basket！〃
Christian stooped； but before she could raise it； Harz hoisted it up
on his back。
〃All right；〃 he nodded； 〃this good lady doesn't mind。〃
The woman； looking very much ashamed； walked along by Christian； she
kept rubbing her brown hands together； and saying； 〃Gracious lady； I
would not have wished。 It is heavy； but I would not have wished。〃
〃I'm sure he'd rather carry it；〃 said Christian。
They had not gone far along the road； however； before the others
passed them in a carriage； and at the strange sight Miss Naylor could
be seen pursing her lips； Cousin Teresa nodding pleasantly； a smile
on Dawney's face； and beside him Greta； very demure。 Harz began to
laugh。
〃What are you laughing at？〃 asked Christian。
〃You English are so funny。 You mustn't do this here； you mustn't do
that there； it's like sitting in a field of nettles。 If I were to
walk with you without my coat； that little lady would fall off her
seat。〃 His laugh infected Christian； they reached the station
feeling that they knew each other better。
The sun had dipped behind the mountains when the little train steamed
down the valley。 All were subdued； and Greta； with a nodding head；
slept fitfully。 Christian； in her corner； was looking out of the
window； and Harz kept studying her profile。
He tried to see her eyes。 He had remarked indeed that； whatever
their expression； the brows； arched and rather wide apart； gave them
a peculiar look of understanding。 He thought of his picture。 There
was nothing in her face to seize on； it was too sympathetic； too much
like light。 Yet her chin was firm； almost obstinate。
The train stopped with a jerk； she looked round at him。 It was as
though she had said： 〃You are my friend。〃
At Villa Rubein； Herr Paul had killed the fatted calf for Greta's
Fest。 When the whole party were assembled； he alone remained
standing； and waving his arm above the cloth； cried： 〃My dears！ Your
happiness！ There are good things hereCome！〃 And with a sly look；
the air of a conjurer producing rabbits； he whipped the cover off the
soup tureen：
〃Soup…turtle； fat； green fat！〃 He smacked his lips。
No servants were allowed； because； as Greta said to Harz：
〃It is that we are to be glad this evening。〃
Geniality radiated from Herr Paul's countenance； mellow as a bowl of
wine。 He toasted everybody； exhorting them to pleasure。
Harz passed a cracker secretly behind Greta's head； and Miss Naylor；
moved by a mysterious impulse； pulled
