Part 14 (1/2)
”Since then,” she went on, ”I have been finding out my mistake, and I have wanted to tell you so; but you have always been so cold and repellent that I dared not. You are rough and stern, Roger, not a bit like Wilfred.”
I bit my lip angrily.
”Yes, I know you have saved my life again,” she said, as if divining my thoughts. ”I know that Wilfred dared not do what you have done; but what I meant was that anyone who does not understand you would think you harsh. Besides, it takes some time to know you.”
”But I always felt friendly towards you, Ruth, even though you seemed to dislike me.”
”And I shall always be more friendly to you in the future. I want you to forgive me, Roger. Will you?”
She looked at me, and her great grey eyes were full of kindness, and her voice was so gentle that I felt quite uncomfortable.
”Don't talk about forgiving,” I said, rather roughly, I expect, ”let us be good friends.”
She looked very pale as I said this, and then I saw that she was more shaken and hurt than I had at first thought. She would have fallen, I believe, had I not upheld her. I led her to a rock, where she sat down for a rest, and when I had found some fresh water for her, she was quite refreshed. She took hold of my arm as we walked home, however, and I felt a strange pleasure in helping her. She had grown just like one of my sisters to me, and she seemed to regard me as a brother.
We talked quite pleasantly on our way, until we forgot the great danger in which we had both been a little while before. I forget just now what we were talking about; but I know that while we were laughing heartily at something she had been saying we were startled by a voice telling us to stop.
We looked up, and Deborah Teague stood before us. She eyed us keenly, and when she saw how friendly we were, she said, ”Maaster Roger, mind what ould Debrah said.”
”I always do mind what you say, Deborah,” I replied; ”you have always been a friend to me.”
”Maaster Roger,” she continued, ”ould Debrah hev vollied the fortins of yer family for years, and she ought to knaw.”
”Well, what's wrong now?”
”It wur a woman as tempted Adam, it wur a woman as tempted Samson, it wur a woman as tempted Ahab. Lev Maaster Roger be keerful.”
”I hardly know what you mean,” I said, a little astonished at this strange speech.
She lifted her skinny hand above her head.
”Mind,” she said, ”mind Trewinion's curse! Oh, tes comin', tes comin'.
I see it now. Mind, Maaster Roger, my deer, mind. Doan't 'ee forgit what ould Debrah tould 'ee on the night of the storm, years agone.
'Twas the mawther that was too cunning for Esau, ah, and ef Maaster Roger ed'n keerful the mawther'll be too cunnin' for him.”
Try as I would I could not help shuddering at her words, while Ruth clutched my arm convulsively.
”Keep boath yer eyes oppen, Maaster Roger, or the curse'll be upon 'ee, for as sure as ould Debrah spaikes tes comin'.”
She waddled away when she said this, leaving us to wonder at her words.
What caused her to speak like this? How could she know what she did?--for her words came true. Did she possess some power to peer into the future? Were things clear to her vision to which I was blind? Or was it simply that she was clear headed and clever and her statements amounted only to a shrewd guess?
I will not dare to answer. I have seen so many strange things happen, which I have been unable to explain, that to say she was possessed of a power that was not natural would be unwise. And yet I have been fed upon strange mental food, and have been led to believe in things at which some laugh.
”What does she mean, Roger?” said Ruth, when she had gone.
I was silent.
”Do you think she is a witch?” she continued; ”she looks like one.”