下载辰思小说免费APP
Whowouldrememberhim？Hehadwhathewanted。Hisveryexistenceprobablyhadbeenforgottenbythistime。Theyhadmasteredtheirfates。Theyweretragic。
`Herimmobilitybeforemewasclearlyexpectant，andmypartwastospeakformybrotherfromtherealmofforgetfulshades。Iwasdeeplymovedatmyresponsibilityandatherdistress。Iwouldhavegivenanythingforthepowertosootheherfrailsoul，tormentingitselfinitsinvincibleignorancelikeasmallbirdbeatingaboutthecruelwiresofacage。Nothingeasierthantosay，Havenofear!Nothingmoredifficult。Howdoesonekillfear，Iwonder？Howdoyoushootaspectrethroughtheheart，slashoffitsspectralhead，takeitbyitsspectralthroat？Itisanenterpriseyourushintowhileyoudream，andaregladtomakeyourescapewithwethairandeverylimbshaking。Thebulletisnotrun，thebladenotforged，themannotborn；eventhewingedwordsoftruthdropatyourfeetlikelumpsoflead。Yourequireforsuchadesperateencounteranenchantedandpoisonedshaftdippedinalietoosubtletobefoundonearth。Anenterpriseforadream，mymasters!
`Ibeganmyexorcismwithaheavyheart，withasortofsullenangerinit，too。Jim’svoice，suddenlyraisedwithasternintonation，carriedacrossthecourtyard，reprovingthecarelessnessofsomedumbsinnerbytheriver-side。Nothing——Isaid，speakinginadistinctmurmur——therecouldbenothing，inthatunknownworldshefanciedsoeagertorobherofherhappiness，therewasnothingneitherlivingnordead，therewasnoface，novoice，nopower，thatcouldtearJimfromherside。Idrewbreathandshewhisperedsoftly，“Hetoldmeso。““Hetoldyouthetruth，“Isaid。
“Nothing，“shesighedout，andabruptlyturneduponmewithabarelyaudibleintensityoftone：“Whydidyoucometousfromoutthere？Hespeaksofyoutoooften。Youmakemeafraid。Doyou——doyouwanthim？“Asortofstealthyfiercenesshadcreptintoourhurriedmutters。“Ishallnevercomeagain，“Isaid，bitterly。“AndIdon’twanthim。Noonewantshim。“
“Noone？“sherepeatedinatoneofdoubt。“Noone，“Iaffirmed，feelingmyselfswayedbysomestrangeexcitement。“Youthinkhimstrong，wise，courageous，great——whynotbelievehimtobetrue，too？Ishallgoto-morrow——andthatistheend。Youshallneverbetroubledbyavoicefromthereagain。
Thisworldyoudon’tknowistoobigtomisshim。Youunderstand？Toobig。
You’vegothisheartinyourhand。Youmustfeelthat。Youmustknowthat。“
“Yes，Iknowthat，“shebreathedout，hardandstill，asastatuemightwhisper。
`IfeltIhaddonenothing。AndwhatisitthatIhadwishedtodo？
Iamnotsurenow。AtthetimeIwasanimatedbyaninexplicableardour，asifbeforesomegreatandnecessarytask——theinfluenceofthemomentuponmymentalandemotionalstate。Thereareinallourlivessuchmoments，suchinfluences，comingfromtheoutside，asitwere，irresistible，incomprehensible——asifbroughtaboutbythemysteriousconjunctionsoftheplanets。Sheowned，asIhadputittoher，hisheart。Shehadthatandeverythingelse——ifshecouldonlybelieveit。WhatIhadtotellherwasthatinthewholeworldtherewasnoonewhoeverwouldneedhisheart，hismind，hishand。
Itwasacommonfate，andyetitseemedanawfulthingtosayofanyman。
Shelistenedwithoutaword，andherstillnessnowwasliketheprotestofaninvincibleunbelief。Whatneedshecarefortheworldbeyondtheforests？Iasked。Fromallthemultitudesthatpeopledthevastnessofthatunknowntherewouldcome，Iassuredher，aslongashelived，neitheracallnorasignforhim。Never。Iwascarriedaway。Never!Never!IrememberwithwonderthesortofdoggedfiercenessIdisplayed。Ihadtheillusionofhavinggotthespectrebythethroatatlast。Indeedthewholerealthinghasleftbehindthedetailedandamazingimpressionofadream。Whyshouldshefear？Sheknewhimtobestrong，true，wise，brave。Hewasallthat。Certainly。Hewasmore。Hewasgreat——invincible——andtheworlddidnotwanthim，ithadforgottenhim，itwouldnotevenknowhim。
`Istopped；thesilenceoverPatusanwasprofound，andthefeebledrysoundofapaddlestrikingthesideofacanoesomewhereinthemiddleoftheriverseemedtomakeitinfinite“Why？“shemurmured。Ifeltthatsortofrageonefeelsduringahardtussle。Thespectrewastryingtoslipoutofmygrasp。“Why？“sherepeatedlouder；“tellme!“AndasIremainedconfounded，shestampedwithherfo
