my lady caprice(我的无常夫人)-第17部分
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we may be tossing down there in that awful water so very soon！ We can
never pass that weir without oars； and you know it； and … and … oh； Dick；
why did you do it … how could you have been so mad ？〃
〃Do what？〃 I inquired； staring。
With a sudden gesture she rose to her knees and fronted me。
〃This！〃 she cried； and held up the severed painter。 〃It has been cut！
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Oh； Dick！ Dick！ how could you be so mad。〃
〃Lisbeth ！〃 I exclaimed； 〃do you mean to say that you think … 〃
〃I know！〃 she broke in； and turning away； hid her face in her hands。
We were not so very far from the bend now； and seeing this； a sudden
inspiration came upon me； by means of which I might prove her mind
towards me once and for all； and as she kneeled before me with averted
face； I leaned forward and took her hands in mine。
〃Lisbeth；〃 I said； 〃supposing I did cut the boat adrift like a … a fool …
endangering your life for a mad； thoughtless whim … could you forgive
me？〃
For a long moment she remained without answering； then very slowly
she raised her head：
〃Oh。 Dick！〃 was all she said； but in her eyes I read the wonder of
wonders。
〃But； Lisbeth；〃 I stammered； 〃could you still love me … even … even if；
through my folly； the worst should happen and we … we … 〃
〃I don't think I shall be so very much afraid； Dick； if you will hold me
close like this；〃 she whispered。
The voice of the weir had swelled into a roar by now； yet I paid little
heed； for me all fear was swallowed up in a great wondering happiness。
Dick；〃 she whispered； 〃you will hold me tight； you w ill not let me go
when … when … 〃
〃Never；〃 I answered； 〃nothing could ever take you from me now。〃 As
I spoke I raised my eyes； and glancing about beheld something which
altered the whole aspect of affairs … something which changed tragedy into
comedy all in a moment … a boat was coming slowly round the bend。
〃Lisbeth； look up！〃 With a sigh she obeyed； her clasp tightening on
mine； and a dreadful expectation in her eyes。 Then all at once it was
gone； her pale cheeks grew suddenly scarlet； and she slipped from my
arms； and thereafter I noticed how very carefully her eyes avoided mine。
The boat came slowly into view； impelled by one who rowed with
exactly that amount of splashing which speaks the true…born Cockney。 By
dint of much exertion and more splashing； he presently ranged alongside
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in answer to my hail。
〃Wo't … a haccident then？〃 he inquired。
〃Something of the sort；〃 I nodded。 〃Will you be so kind as to tow us
to the bank yonder？〃
〃Hanythink to hoblige！〃 he grinned； and having made fast the painter；
proceeded to splash us to terra…firma。 Which done； he grinned again；
waved his hat； and splashed upon his way。 I made the boat secure and
turned to Lisbeth。 She was staring away towards the weir。
〃Lisbeth；〃 I began。
〃I thought just now that … that it was the end！〃 she said； and shivered。
〃And at such times；〃 I added； 〃one sometimes says things one would
not have said under ordinary circumstances。 My dear； I quite understand…
quite； and I'll try to forget … you needn't fear。〃
〃Do you think you can？〃 she asked； turning to look at me。
〃I can but try；〃 I answered。 Now as I spoke I wasn't sure； but I
thought I saw the pale ghost of the dimple by her mouth。
We walked back side by side along the river…path； very silently； for the
most part； yet more than once I caught her regarding me covertly and with
a puzzled air。
〃Well？〃 I said at last； tentatively。
〃I was wondering why you did it； Dick？ Oh； ii was mean！ cruel！
wicked！ How could you ？〃
〃Oh； well〃…and I shrugged my shoulders； anathematising the Imp
mentally the while。
〃If I hadn't noticed that the rope was freshly cut； I should have thought
it an accident；〃 she went on。〃
〃Naturally！〃 I said。〃
〃And then； again； how came you in the boat？〃〃
〃To be sure！〃 I nodded。〃
Still； I can scarcely believe that you would willfully jeopardise both
our lives … my life！〃
〃A man who would do such a thing；〃 I exclaimed； carried away by the
heat of the moment； 〃would be a … a … 〃
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〃Yes；〃 said Lisbeth quickly； 〃he would。〃
〃 …And utterly beyond the pale of all forgiveness！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃of course。〃
〃And；〃 I was beginning again； but meeting her searching glance；
stopped。 〃And you forgave me； Lisbeth；〃 I ended。
〃Did I？〃 she said； with raised brows。
〃Didn't you？〃
〃Not that I remember。〃
〃In the boat？〃
〃I never said so？〃
〃Not in words； perhaps； but you implied as much。〃 Lisbeth had the
grace to blush。
〃Do I understand that I am not forgiven after all？〃
〃Not until I know why you did such a mad； thoughtless trick；〃 she
answered； with that determined set of her chin which I knew so well。
That I should thus shoulder the responsibility for the Imp's misdeeds
was ridiculous； and wrong as it was unjust； for if ever boy deserved
punishment that boy was the Imp。 And yet； probably because he was the
Imp； or because of that school…boy honour which forbids 〃sneaking；〃 and
which I carried with me still； I held my peace； seeing which； Lisbeth
turned and left me。
I stood where I was； with head bent in an attitude suggestive of
innocence； broken hopes； and gentle resignation； but in vain； she never
once looked back。 Still； martyr though I was； the knowledge that I had
immolated myself upon the altar of friendship filled me with a sense of
conscious virtue that I found not ill…pleasing。 Howbeit； seeing I am but
human after all； I sat down and re…filling my pipe； fell once more
anathematising the Imp。
〃Hist！〃
A small shape flittered from behind an adjacent tree； and lo！ the
subject of my thoughts stood before me。
Imp' I said 〃come here。〃 He obeyed readily。 〃When you cut that
rope and set your Auntie Lisbeth adrift； you didn't remember the man who
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was drowned in the weir last month； did you？〃
〃No！〃 he answered； staring。
〃Of course not；〃 I nodded； 〃but all the same it is not your fault that
your Auntie Lisbeth is not drowned … just as he was；〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed the Imp； and his beloved bow slipped from his
nerveless fingers。
〃Imp；〃 I went on； 〃it was a wicked thing to cut that rope； a mean； cruel
trick； Don't you think so？〃
〃I 'specks it was； Uncle Dick。〃
〃Don't you think you ought to be punished？〃 He nodded。 〃Very
well；〃 I answered； 〃I'll punish you myself。 Go and cut me a nice； straight
switch；〃 and I handed him my open penknife。 Round…eyed； the Imp
obeyed； and for a space there was a prodigious cracking and snapping of
sticks。 In a little while he returned with three； also the blade of my knife
was broken； for which he was profusely apologetic。
〃Now；〃 I said as I selected the weapon fittest for the purpose； 〃I am
going to strike you hard on either hand with this stick that is； if you think
you deserve it。〃
〃Was Aunt Lisbeth nearly drowned … really ？〃 he inquired。
〃Very nearly； and was only saved by a chance。〃
〃All right； Uncle Dick； hit me；〃 he said； and held out his hand。 The
stick whizzed and fell … once … twice。 I saw his face grow scarlet and the
tears leap to his eyes； but he uttered no sound。
〃Did it hurt very much； my Imp？〃 I inquired； as I tossed the stick aside。
He nodded； not trusting himself to speak； while I turned to light my pipe；
wasting three matches quite fruitlessly。
〃Uncle Dick；〃 he burst out at last； struggling manfully against his sobs；
〃I … I'm awfull' … sorry … 〃
〃Oh； ifs all right now； Imp。 Shake hands！〃 Joyfully the little； grimy
fingers clasped mine； and from that moment I think there grew up between
us a new understanding。
〃Why； Imp； my darling； you're crying！〃 exclaimed a voice； and with a
rustle of skirts Lisbeth was down before him on her knees。
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〃I know I am … 'cause I'm awfull' sorry … an' Uncle Dick's whipped my
hands … an' I'm glad！〃
〃Whipped your hands？' cried Lisbeth； clasping him closer； and glaring
at me； 〃Whipped your hands … how dare he！ What for？〃
〃'Cause I cut the rope an' let the boat go away with you； an' you might
have be
