The Miraculous Revenge Part 2
"What a country this is! A Hesperidean garden: such skies! Adieu, uncle.
"Zeno Legge."
Behold me, at Four Mile Water, in love. I had been in love frequently; but not oftener than once a year had I encountered a woman who affected me so seriously as Kate Hickey. She was so shrewd, and yet so flippant! When I spoke of art she yawned. When I deplored the sordidness of the world she laughed, and called me "poor fellow!" When I told her what a treasure of beauty and freshness she had she ridiculed me. When I reproached her with her brutality she became angry, and sneered at me for being what she called a fine gentleman.
One sunny afternoon we were standing at the gate of her uncle's house, she looking down the dusty road for the detestable Langan, I watching the spotless azure sky, when she said:
"How soon are you going back to London?"
"I am not going back to London. Miss Hickey. I am not yet tired of Four Mile Water."
"I am sure that Four Mile Water ought to be proud of your approbation."
"You disapprove of my liking it, then? Or is it that you grudge me the happiness I have found here? I think Irish ladies grudge a man a moment's peace."
"I wonder you have ever prevailed on yourself to a.s.sociate with Irish ladies, since they are so far beneath you."
"Did I say they were beneath me, Miss Hickey? I feel that I have made a deep impression on you."
"Indeed! Yes, you're quite right. I a.s.sure you I can't sleep at night for thinking of you, Mr. Legge. It's the best a Christian can do, seeing you think so mightly little of yourself."
"You are triply wrong, Miss Hickey: wrong to be sarcastic with me, wrong to discourage the candor with which you think of me sometimes, and wrong to discourage the candor with which I always avow that I think constantly of myself."
"Then you had better not speak to me, since I have no manners."
"Again! Did I say you had no manners? The warmest expressions of regard from my mouth seem to reach your ears transformed into insults.
Were I to repeat the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, you would retort as though I had been reproaching you. This is because you hate me. You never misunderstand Langan, whom you love."
"I don't know what London manners are, Mr. Legge; but in Ireland gentlemen are expected to mind their own business. How dare you say I love Mr. Langan?"
"Then you do not love him?"
"It is nothing to you whether I love him or not."
"Nothing to me that you hate me and love another?"
"I didn't say I hated you. You're not so very clever yourself at understanding what people say, though you make such a fuss because they don't understand you." Here, as she glanced down the road she suddenly looked glad.
"Aha!" I said.
"What do you mean by 'Aha!'"
"No matter. I will now show you what a man's sympathy is. As you perceived just then, Langan--who is too tall for his age, by-the-by--is coming to pay you a visit. Well, instead of staying with you, as a jealous woman would, I will withdraw."
"I don't care whether you go or stay, I'm sure. I wonder what you would give to be as fine a man as Mr. Langan?"
"All I possess: I swear it! But solely because you admire tall men more than broad views. Mr. Langan may be defined geometrically as length without breadth; alt.i.tude without position; a line on the landscape, not a point in it."
"How very clever you are!"
"You don't understand me, I see. Here comes your lover, stepping over the wall like a camel. And here go I out through the gate like a Christian. Good afternoon, Mr. Langan. I am going because Miss Hickey has something to say to you about me which she would rather not say in my presence. You will excuse me?"
"Oh, I'll excuse you," he said boorishly. I smiled, and went out.
Before I was out of hearing, Kate whispered vehemently to him, "I hate that fellow."
I smiled again; but I had scarcely done so when my spirits fell. I walked hastily away with a coa.r.s.e threatening sound in my ears like that of the clarionets whose sustained low notes darken the woodland in "Der Frieschutz." I found myself presently at the graveyard. It was a barren place, enclosed by a mud wall with a gate to admit funerals, and numerous gaps to admit peasantry, who made short cuts across it as they went to and fro between Four Mile Water and the market town. The graves were mounds overgrown with gra.s.s: there was no keeper; nor were there flowers, railings, or any other conventionalities that make an English graveyard repulsive. A great thornbush, near what was called the grave of the holy sisters, was covered with sc.r.a.ps of cloth and flannel, attached by peasant women who had prayed before it. There were three kneeling there as I enterd; for the reputation of the place had been revived of late by the miracle; and a ferry had been established close by, to conduct visitors over the route taken by the graveyard. From where I stood I could see on the opposite bank the heap of stones, perceptibly increased since my last visit, marking the deserted grave of Brimstone Billy. I strained my eyes broodingly at it for some minutes, and then descended the river bank and entered the boat.
"Good evenin t'your honor," said the ferryman, and set to work to draw the boat over hand by a rope stretched across the water.
"Good evening. Is your business beginning to fall off yet?"
"Faith, it never was as good as it might a been. The people that comes from the south side can see Billy's grave--Lord have mercy on him!--across the wather; and they think bad of payin a penny to put a stone over him. It's them that lives towrst Dublin that makes the journey. Your honor is the third I've brought from the south to north this blessed day."
"When do most people come? In the afternoon, I suppose?"
"All hours, sur, except afther dusk. There isn't a sowl in the counthry ud come within sight of the grave wanst the sun goes down."
"And you! do you stay here all night by yourself?"
"The holy heavens forbid! Is it me stay here all night? No, your honor: I tether the boat at siven o'hlyock, and lave Brimstone Billy--G.o.d forgimme!--to take care of it t'll mornin."
"It will be stolen some night, I'm afraid."
"Arra, who'd dar come next or near it, let alone stale it? Faith, I'd think twice before lookin at it meself in the dark. G.o.d bless your honor, an gran'che long life."
I had given him sixpence. I went on to the reprobate's grave and stood at the foot of it, looking at the sky, gorgeous with the descent of the sun. To my English eyes, accustomed to giant trees, broad lawns, and stately mansions, the landscape was wild and inhospitable. The ferryman was already tugging at the rope on his way back (I had told him that I did not intend to return that way), and presently I saw him make the painter fast to the south bank; put on his coat; and trudge homeward. I turned to the grave at my feet. Those who had interred Brimstone Billy, working hastily at an unlawful hour and in fear of molestation by the people, had hardly dug a grave. They had scooped out earth enough to hide their burden, and no more. A stray goat had kicked away the corner of the mound and exposed the coffin. It occurred to me, as I took some of the stones from the cairn, and heaped them to repair the breach, that had the miracle been the work of a body of men, they would have moved the one grave instead of the many. Even from a supernatural point of view, it seemed strange that the sinner should have banished the elect, when, by their superior numbers, they might so much more easily have banished him.
It was almost dark when I left the spot. After a walk of half a mile I recrossed the water by a bridge and returned to the farm house in which I lodged. Here, finding that I had enough of solitude, I only stayed to take a cup of tea. Then I went to Father Hickey's cottage.
Kate was alone when I entered. She looked up quickly as I opened the door, and turned away disappointed when she recognized me.
"Be generous for once," I said. "I have walked about aimlessly for hours in order to avoid spoiling the beautiful afternoon for you by my presence. When the sun was up I withdrew my shadow from your path. Now that darkness has fallen, shed some light on mine. May I stay half an hour?"
"You may stay as long as you like, of course. My uncle will soon be home. He is clever enough to talk to you."
"What! More sarcasm! Come, Miss Hickey, help me to spend a pleasant evening. It will only cost you a smile. I am somewhat cast down. Four Mile Water is a paradise; but without you it would be lonely."
"It must be very lonely for you. I wonder why you came here."
"Because I heard that the women here were all Zerlinas, like you, and the men Masettos, like Mr. Phil--where are you going to?"
"Let me pa.s.s, Mr. Legge, I had intended never speaking to you again after the way you went on about Mr. Langan today; and I wouldn't either, only my uncle made me promise not to take any notice of you, because you were--no matter; but I won't listen to you any more on the subject."
"Don't go. I swear never to mention his name again. I beg your pardon for what I said: you shall have no further cause for complaint. Will you forgive me?"
She sat down evidently disappointed by my submission. I took a chair, and placed myself near her. She tapped the floor impatiently with her foot. I saw that there was not a movement that I could make, not a look, not a tone of voice, which did not irritate her.