第31章

'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 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!"'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.