The Thirteenth Tale-第29章

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t　possible？　i　wondered。　miss　winter；　in　her　seventies；　was　dying。　but　that　didn’t　necessarily　mean　a　person　older　than　her　would　be　dead。　what　were　the　chances？

there　was　only　one　thing　to　do。

i　added　another　note　to　the　card　and　underlined　it。

x



FIND　HER。

；
was　it　because　i　had　decided　to　look　for　hester　that　i　saw　her　that　night　in　a　dream？

a　plain　figure　in　a　neatly　belted　dressing　gown；　on　the　galleried　landing；　shaking　her　head　and　pursing　her　lips　at　the　fire…stained　walls；　the　jagged；　broken　floorboards　and　the　ivy　winding　its　way　up　the　stone　staircase。　in　the　middle　of　all　this　chaos；　how　lucid　everything　was　close　to　her。　how　soothing。　i　approached；　drawn　to　her　like　a　moth。　but　when　i　entered　her　magic　circle；　nothing　happened。　i　was　still　in　darkness。　hester’s　quick　eyes　darted　here　and　there；　taking　in　everything；　and　came　to　rest　on　a　figure　standing　behind　my　back。　my　twin；　or　so　i　understood　in　the　dream。　but　when　her　eyes　passed　over　me　it　was　without　seeing。

i　woke；　a　familiar　hot　chill　in　my　side；　and　reexamined　the　images　from　my　dream　to　understand　the　source　of　my　terror。　there　was　nothing　frightening　in　hester　herself。　nothing　unnerving　in　the　smooth　passage　of　her　eyes　over　and　through　my　face。　it　was　not　what　i　saw　in　the　dream　but　what　i　was　that　had　me　trembling　in　my　bed。　if　hester　did　not　see　me；　then　it　must　be　because　i　was　a　ghost。　and　if　i　was　a　ghost；　then　i　was　dead。　how　could　it　be　otherwise？

i　rose　and　went　into　the　bathroom　to　rinse　my　fear　away。　avoiding　the　mirror；　i　looked　instead　at　my　hands　in　the　water；　but　the　sight　filled　me　with　horror。　at　the　same　time　as　they　existed　here；　i　knew　they　existed　on　the　other　side；　too；　where　they　were　dead。　and　the　eyes　that　saw　them；　my　eyes；　were　dead　in　that　other　place；　too。　and　my　mind；　which　was　thinking　these　thoughts…　was　it　not　also　dead？　a　profound　horror　took　hold　of　me。　what　kind　of　an　unnatural　creature　was　i？　what　abomination　of　nature　is　it　that　divides　a　person　between　two　bodies　before　birth；　and　then　kills　one　of　them？　and　what　am　i　that　is　left？　half…dead；　exiled　in　the　world　of　the　living　by　day；　while　at　night；　my　soul　cleaves　to　its　twin　in　a　shadowy　limbo。

i　lit　an　early　fire；　made　cocoa；　then　wrapped　myself　in　dressing　gown　and　blankets　to　write　a　letter　to　my　father。　how　was　the　shop；　and　how　was　mother；　and　how　was　he；　and　how；　i　wondered；　would　one　go　about　finding　someone？　did　private　detectives　exist　in　reality　or　only　in　books？　i　told　him　what　little　i　knew　about　hester。　could　a　search　be　set　in　motion　with　so　little　information　to　go　on？　would　a　private　detective　take　on　a　job　like　the　one　i　had　in　mind？　if　not；　who　might？

i　reread　the　letter。　brisk　and　sensible；　it　betrayed　nothing　of　my　fear。　dawn　was　breaking。　the　trembling　had　stopped。　soon　judith　would　be　here　with　breakfast。

。。



THE　EYE　IN　THE　YEW

｛小｝｛说｝｛网｝
there　was　nothing　the　new　governess　couldn’t　do　if　she　put　her　mind　to　it。

that’s　how　it　seemed　at　first；　anyway。

but　after　a　time　difficulties　did　begin　to　emerge。　the　first　thing　was　her　argument　with　the　missus。　hester；　having　tidied　and　cleaned　rooms　and　left　them　locked　behind　her；　was　put　out　to　discover　them　unlocked　again。　she　called　the　missus　to　her。　“what　need　is　there；”　she　asked；　“for　rooms　to　be　left　open　when　they　are　not　in　use？　you　can　see　what　happens：　the　girls　go　in　as　they　please　and　make　chaos　where　there　was　order　before。　it　makes　unnecessary　work　for　you　and　for　me。”

the　missus　seemed　entirely　to　concur；　and　hester　left　the　interview　quite　satisfied。　but　a　week　later；　once　again；　she　found　doors　open　that　should　have　been　locked；　and　with　a　frown　called　the　missus　once　again。　this　time　she　would　accept　no　vague　promises　but　was　determined　to　get　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。

‘it’s　the　air；“　explained　the　missus。　”without　the　air　moving　about；　a　house　gets　dreadful　damp。“

hester　gave　the　missus　a　succinct　lecture　in　simple　terms　about　air　circulation　and　damp　and　sent　her　away；　certain　that　this　time　she　had　solved　the　difficulty。

a　week　later　she　noticed　again　that　doors　were　unlocked。　this　time　she　did　not　call　the　missus。　instead　she　reflected。　there　was　more　to　this　problem　of　door…locking　than　met　the　eye。　she　resolved　that　she　would　study　the　missus；　discover　by　observation　what　lay　behind　the　unlocking　of　doors。

the　second　problem　involved　john…the…dig。　his　suspicion　of　her　had　not　escaped　her　notice；　but　she　was　not　put　off。　she　was　a　stranger　in　the　house；　and　it　was　up　to　her　to　demonstrate　that　she　was　there　for　the　good　of　all　and　not　to　cause　trouble。　in　time；　she　knew；　she　would　win　him　over。　yet　though　he　seemed　to　get　used　to　her　presence；　his　suspicion　was　unexpectedly　slow　to　fade。　and　then　one　day　suspicion　flared　into　something　else。　she　had　approached　him　over　something　quite　banal。　in　our　garden　she　had　seen；　or　so　she　maintained；　a　child　from　the　village　who　should　have　been　at　school。　“who　is　the　child？”　she　wanted　to　know；　“who　are　his　parents？”

‘nothing　to　do　with　me；“　john　told　her；　with　a　surliness　that　took　her　aback。

‘i　don’t　say　it　is；“　she　responded　calmly；　”but　the　child　should　be　in　school。　i’m　sure　you’ll　agree　with　me　on　that。　if　you　will　just　tell　me　who　it　is；　then　i　will　speak　to　the　parents　and　the　schoolmistress　about　it。“

john…the…dig　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　made　to　leave；　but　she　was　not　a　woman　who　would　be　put　off　in　this　manner。　she　darted　around　him；　stood　in　front　of　him　and　repeated　her　demand。　why　should　she　not？　it　was　an　entirely　reasonable　one　and　she　was　making　it　in　a　civil　fashion。　whatever　reason　would　the　man　have　to　refuse？

but　refuse　he　did。　“children　from　the　village　do　not　e　up　here”　was　his　only　response。

‘this　one　did；“　she　went　on。

‘they　stay　away　out　of　fear。“

‘that’s　ridiculous。　whatever　do　they　have　to　be　afraid　of　here？　the　child　was　in　a　wide…brimmed　hat　and　a　man’s　trousers　cut　down　to　fit。　his　appearance　was　quite　distinctive。　you　must　know　who　he　is。“

“i　have　seen　no　such　child；”　came　the　answer；　dismissively；　and　once　again　john　made　to　leave。

hester　was　nothing　if　not　persistent。　“but　you　must　have　seen　him—”

“it　takes　a　certain　kind　of　mind；　miss；　to　see　things　that　aren’t　there。　me；　i’m　a　sensible　fellow。　where　there　is　nothing　to　see；　i　see　nothing。　if　i　were　you；　miss；　i　would　do　the　same。　good　day　to　you。”

with　that　he　left；　and　this　time　hester　made　no　attempt　to　block　him。　she　simply　stood；　shaking　her　head　in　bewilderment　and　wondering　what　on　earth　had　got　into　the　man。　angelfield；　it　seemed；　was　a　house　full　of　puzzles。　still；　there　was　nothing　she　liked　more　than　mental　exercise。　she　would　soon　get　to　the　bottom　of　things。

hester’s　gifts　of　insight　and　intelligence　were　quite　extraordinary。　yet　counterbalancing　these　talents　was　the　fact　that　she　did　not　know　quite　who　she　was　up　against。　take　for　instance　her　habit　of　leaving　the　twins　to　their　own　devices　for　short　periods　while　she　followed　her　own　agenda　elsewhere。　she　watched　the　twins　closely　first；　evaluating　their　moods；　weighing　up　their　fatigue；　the　closeness　to　mealtimes；　their　patterns　of　energy　and　rest。　when　the　results　of　this　analysis　told　her　the　twins　were　set　for　an　hour　of　quiet　indoor　lolling；　she　would　leave　them　unattended。　on　one　of　these　occasions　she　had　a　special　purpose　in　mind。　the　doctor　had　e　and　she　wanted　a　particular　word　with　him。　a　private　word。

foolish　hester。　there　is　no　privacy　where　there　are　children。

she　met　him　at　the　front　door。　“it　is　a　nice　day。　shall　we　walk　in　the　garden？”

they　set　off　toward　the　topiary　garden；　unaware　that　they　were　being　followed。

‘you　have　worked　a　miracle；　miss　barrow；“　the　doctor　began。　”emmeline　is　transformed。“

‘no；“　said　hester。

‘yes；　i　assure　you。　my　expectations　have　been　more　than　fulfilled。　i　am　very　impressed。“

hester　bowed　her　head　and　turned　her　body　fractionally　away　from　him。　taking　her　response　for　modesty；　he　fell　silent；　thinking　her　overwhelmed　by　his　professions　of　esteem。　the　newly　clipped　yew　gave　him　something　to　admire　while　the　governess　recovered　her　sangfroid。　it’s　just　as　well　he　was　engrossed　in　its　geometric　lines；　else　he　might　have　caught　her　wry　look　and　realized　his　error。

her　protesting　“no”　was　far　from　being　the　feminine　simpering　that　the　doctor　took　it　for。　it　was　a　straightforward　statement　of　fact。　of　course　emmeline　was　transformed。　given　the　presence　of　hester；　how　could　it　have　been　otherwise？　there　was　nothing　miraculous　about　it。　that　is　what　she　meant　by　her　“no。”

yet　she　was　not　surprised　by　the　condescension　in　the　doctor’s　ment。　it　was　not　a　world　in　which　signs　of　genius　were　likely　to　be　noticed　in　governesses；　but　nonetheless　i　think　she　was　disappointed。　the　doctor　was　the　one　person　at　angelfield；　she　thought；　who　might　have　understood　her。　but　he　did　not　understand　her。

she　turned　toward　the　doctor　and　found　herself　facing　his　back。　he　stood；　hands　in　pocket；　the　line　of　his　shoulders　straight；　looking　up　to　where　the　yew　tree　ended　and　the　sky　began。　his　neat　hair　was　graying；　and　there　was　a　perfect　circle　of　pink　scalp　an　inch　and　a