下载辰思小说免费APP
`Afterthesunhadset，thedarknessseemedtodriveuponus，borneineveryfaintpuffofthebreeze。InthemiddleofahedgedpathIsawthearrested，gaunt，watchful，andapparentlyone-leggedsilhouetteofTamb’Itam；andacrosstheduskyspacemyeyedetectedsomethingwhitemovingtoandfrobehindthesupportsoftheroof。AssoonasJim，withTamb’Itamathisheels，hadstarteduponhiseveningrounds，Iwentuptothehousealone，and，unexpectedly，foundmyselfwaylaidbythegirl，whohadbeenclearlywaitingforthisopportunity。
`Itishardtotellyouwhatitwaspreciselyshewantedtowrestfromme。Obviouslyitwouldbesomethingverysimple——thesimplestimpossibilityintheworld；as，forinstance，theexactdescriptionoftheformofacloud。Shewantedanassurance，astatement，apromise，anexplanation——I
don’tknowhowtocallit：thethinghasnoname。Itwasdarkundertheprojectingroof，andallIcouldseeweretheflowinglinesofhergown，thepalesmallovalofherface，withthewhiteflashofherteeth，and，turnedtowardsme，thebigsombreorbitsofhereyes，wherethereseemedtobeafaintstir，suchasyoumayfancyyoucandetectwhenyouplungeyourgazetothebottomofanimmenselydeepwell。Whatisthatmovesthere？
youaskyourself。Isitablindmonsteroronlyalostgleamfromtheuniverse？
Itoccurredtome——don’tlaugh——thatallthingsbeingdissimilar，shewasmoreinscrutableinherchildishignorancethantheSphinxpropoundingchildishriddlestowayfarers。ShehadbeencarriedofftoPatusanbeforehereyeswereopen。Shehadgrownupthere；shehadseennothing，shehadknownnothing，shehadnoconceptionofanything。Iaskmyselfwhethersheweresurethatanythingelseexisted。Whatnotionsshemayhaveformedoftheoutsideworldistomeinconceivable：allthatsheknewofitsinhabitantswereabetrayedwomanandasinisterpantaloon。Herloveralsocametoherfromthere，giftedwithirresistibleseductions；butwhatwouldbecomeofherifheshouldreturntotheseinconceivableregionsthatseemedalwaystoclaimbacktheirown？Hermotherhadwarnedherofthiswithtearsbeforeshedied……
`Shehadcaughtholdofmyarmfirmly，andassoonasIhadstoppedshehadwithdrawnherhandinhaste。Shewasaudaciousandshrinking。Shefearednothing，butshewascheckedbytheprofoundincertitudeandtheextremestrangeness——abravepersongropinginthedark。IbelongedtothisUnknownthatmightclaimJimforitsownatanymoment。Iwas，asitwere，inthesecretofitsnatureandofitsintentions——theconfidantofathreateningmystery；——armedwithitspowerperhaps!IbelieveshesupposedIcouldwithawordwhiskJimawayoutofherveryarms；itismysoberconvictionshewentthroughagoniesofapprehensionduringmylongtalkswithJim；througharealandintolerableanguishthatmighthaveconceivablydrivenherintoplottingmymurder，hadthefiercenessofhersoulbeenequaltothetremendoussituationithadcreated。Thisismyimpression，anditisallIcangiveyou。Thewholethingdawnedgraduallyuponme，andasitgotclearerandclearerIwasoverwhelmedbyaslowincredulousamazement。Shemademebelieveher，butthereisnowordthatonmylipscouldrendertheeffectoftheheadlongandvehementwhisper，ofthesoftpassionatetones，ofthesuddenbreathlesspauseandtheappealingmovementofthewhitearmsextendedswiftly。Theyfell；theghostlyfigureswayedlikeaslendertreeinthewind，thepaleovalofthefacedrooped；itwasimpossibletodistinguishherfeatures，thedarknessoftheeyeswasunfathomable；twowidesleevesuproseinthedarklikeunfoldingwings，andshestoodsilent，holdingherheadinherhands。’
immenselytouched：heryouth，herignorance，herprettybeauty，whichhadthesimplecharmandthedelicatevigourofawild-flower，herpatheticpleading，herhelplessness，appealedtomewithalmostthestrengthofherownunreasonableandnaturalfear。Shefearedtheunknownaswealldo，andherignorancemadetheunknowninfinitelyvast。Istoodforit，formyself，foryoufellows，foralltheworldthatneithercaredforJimnorneededhimintheleast。Iwouldhavebeenreadyenoughtoanswerfortheindifferenceoftheteemingearthbutforthereflectionthathe，too，belongedtothismysteriousunknownofherfears，andthat，howevermuchIstoodfor，Ididnotstandforhim。Thismademehesitate。Amurmurofhopelesspainunsealedmylips。IbeganbyprotestingthatIatleasthadcomewithnointentiontotakeJimaway。
`WhydidIcome，then？Afteraslightmovementshewasasstillasamarblestatueinthenight。Itriedtoexplainbriefly：friendship，business；
ifIhadanywishinthematteritwasrathertoseehimstay……“Theyalwaysleaveus，“shemurmured。Thebreathofsadwisdomfromthegravewhichherpietywreathedwithflowersseemedtopassinafaintsigh……Nothing，Isaid，couldseparateJimfromher。
`Itismyfirmconvictionnow；itwasmyconvictionatthetime；itwastheonlypossibleconclusionfromthefactsofthecase。Itwasnotmademorecertainbyherwhisperinginatoneinwhichonespeakstooneself，“Hesworethistome。““Didyouaskhim？“Isaid。
`Shemadeastepnearer。“No。Never!“Shehadaskedhimonlytogoaway。
Itwasthatnightontheriver-bank，afterhehadkilledtheman——aftershehadflungthetorc
