按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
contents to the window； and told Gertrude to watch them closely。
They leant over the table together； and the milkwoman could see the
opaline hue of the egg…fluid changing form as it sank in the water；
but she was not near enough to define the shape that it assumed。
'Do you catch the likeness of any face or figure as you look？'
demanded the conjuror of the young woman。
She murmured a reply； in tones so low as to be inaudible to Rhoda；
and continued to gaze intently into the glass。 Rhoda turned； and
walked a few steps away。
When Mrs。 Lodge came out； and her face was met by the light； it
appeared exceedingly paleas pale as Rhoda'sagainst the sad dun
shades of the upland's garniture。 Trendle shut the door behind her；
and they at once started homeward together。 But Rhoda perceived
that her companion had quite changed。
'Did he charge much？' she asked tentatively。
'O nonothing。 He would not take a farthing；' said Gertrude。
'And what did you see？' inquired Rhoda。
'Nothing Icare to speak of。' The constraint in her manner was
remarkable； her face was so rigid as to wear an oldened aspect；
faintly suggestive of the face in Rhoda's bed…chamber。
'Was it you who first proposed coming here？' Mrs。 Lodge suddenly
inquired； after a long pause。 'How very odd； if you did！'
'No。 But I am not sorry we have come； all things considered；' she
replied。 For the first time a sense of triumph possessed her； and
she did not altogether deplore that the young thing at her side
should learn that their lives had been antagonized by other
influences than their own。
The subject was no more alluded to during the long and dreary walk
home。 But in some way or other a story was whispered about the
many…dairied lowland that winter that Mrs。 Lodge's gradual loss of
the use of her left arm was owing to her being 'overlooked' by Rhoda
Brook。 The latter kept her own counsel about the incubus； but her
face grew sadder and thinner； and in the spring she and her boy
disappeared from the neighbourhood of Holmstoke。
CHAPTER VIA SECOND ATTEMPT
Half…a…dozen years passed away； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Lodge's married
experience sank into prosiness； and worse。 The farmer was usually
gloomy and silent： the woman whom he had wooed for her grace and
beauty was contorted and disfigured in the left limb； moreover； she
had brought him no child； which rendered it likely that he would be
the last of a family who had occupied that valley for some two
hundred years。 He thought of Rhoda Brook and her son； and feared
this might be a judgment from heaven upon him。
The once blithe…hearted and enlightened Gertrude was changing into
an irritable； superstitious woman； whose whole time was given to
experimenting upon her ailment with every quack remedy she came
across。 She was honestly attached to her husband； and was ever
secretly hoping against hope to win back his heart again by
regaining some at least of her personal beauty。 Hence it arose that
her closet was lined with bottles； packets； and ointment…pots of
every descriptionnay； bunches of mystic herbs； charms； and books
of necromancy； which in her schoolgirl time she would have ridiculed
as folly。
'Damned if you won't poison yourself with these apothecary messes
and witch mixtures some time or other；' said her husband； when his
eye chanced to fall upon the multitudinous array。
She did not reply； but turned her sad； soft glance upon him in such
heart…swollen reproach that he looked sorry for his words； and
added； 'I only meant it for your good； you know； Gertrude。'
'I'll clear out the whole lot； and destroy them；' said she huskily；
'and try such remedies no more！'
'You want somebody to cheer you；' he observed。 'I once thought of
adopting a boy； but he is too old now。 And he is gone away I don't
know where。'
She guessed to whom he alluded； for Rhoda Brook's story had in the
course of years become known to her； though not a word had ever
passed between her husband and herself on the subject。 Neither had
she ever spoken to him of her visit to Conjuror Trendle； and of what
was revealed to her； or she thought was revealed to her； by that
solitary heath…man。
She was now five…and…twenty； but she seemed older。
'Six years of marriage； and only a few months of love；' she
sometimes whispered to herself。 And then she thought of the
apparent cause； and said； with a tragic glance at her withering
limb； 'If I could only again be as I was when he first saw me！'
She obediently destroyed her nostrums and charms； but there remained
a hankering wish to try something elsesome other sort of cure
altogether。 She had never revisited Trendle since she had been
conducted to the house of the solitary by Rhoda against her will；
but it now suddenly occurred to Gertrude that she would； in a last
desperate effort at deliverance from this seeming curse； again seek
out the man； if he yet lived。 He was entitled to a certain
credence； for the indistinct form he had raised in the glass had
undoubtedly resembled the only woman in the world whoas she now
knew； though not thencould have a reason for bearing her ill…will。
The visit should be paid。
This time she went alone； though she nearly got lost on the heath；
and roamed a considerable distance out of her way。 Trendle's house
was reached at last； however： he was not indoors； and instead of
waiting at the cottage； she went to where his bent figure was
pointed out to her at work a long way off。 Trendle remembered her；
and laying down the handful of furze…roots which he was gathering
and throwing into a heap； he offered to accompany her in her
homeward direction； as the distance was considerable and the days
were short。 So they walked together； his head bowed nearly to the
earth； and his form of a colour with it。
'You can send away warts and other excrescences I know；' she said；
'why can't you send away this？' And the arm was uncovered。
'You think too much of my powers！' said Trendle； 'and I am old and
weak now； too。 No； no； it is too much for me to attempt in my own
person。 What have ye tried？'
She named to him some of the hundred medicaments and counterspells
which she had adopted from time to time。 He shook his head。
'Some were good enough；' he said approvingly； 'but not many of them
for such as this。 This is of the nature of a blight； not of the
nature of a wound； and if you ever do throw it off； it will be all
at once。'
'If I only could！'
'There is only one chance of doing it known to me。 It has never
failed in kindred afflictions；that I can declare。 But it is hard
to carry out； and especially for a woman。'
'Tell me！' said she。
'You must touch with the limb the neck of a man who's been hanged。'
She started a little at the image he had raised。
'Before he's coldjust after he's cut down；' continued the conjuror
impassively。
'How can that do good？'
'It will turn the blood and change the constitution。 But； as I say；
to do it is hard。 You must get into jail； and wait for him when
he's brought off the gallows。 Lots have done it； though perhaps not
such pretty women as you。 I used to send dozens for skin
complaints。