第6部分(第4/7 頁)

l　you；〃　he　answered　unknowing。

〃She's　somebody　very　funny；〃　said　Effie；　almost　in

condemnation。　〃That　child's　like　one　bewitched。〃

〃Bewitched……how　bewitched？〃　he　repeated。

〃You　can　see　for　yourself。　The　mother's　plain；　I　must

say……but　the　child　is　like　a　changeling。　She'd　be　about

thirty…five。〃

But　he　took　no　notice。　His　sister　talked　on。

〃There's　your　woman　for　you；〃　she　continued。　〃You'd　better

marry　her。〃　But　still　he　took　no　notice。　Things　were　as

they　were。

Another　day；　at　tea…time；　as　he　sat　alone　at　table；　there

came　a　knock　at　the　front　door。　It　startled　him　like　a　portent。

No　one　ever　knocked　at　the　front　door。　He　rose　and　began

slotting　back　the　bolts；　turning　the　big　key。　When　he　had　opened

the　door；　the　strange　woman　stood　on　the　threshold。

〃Can　you　give　me　a　pound　of　butter？〃　she　asked；　in　a　curious

detached　way　of　one　speaking　a　foreign　language。

He　tried　to　attend　to　her　question。　She　was　looking　at　him

questioningly。　But　underneath　the　question；　what　was　there；　in

her　very　standing　motionless；　which　affected　him？

He　stepped　aside　and　she　at　once　entered　the　house；　as　if　the

door　had　been　opened　to　admit　her。　That　startled　him。　It　was　the

custom　for　everybody　to　wait　on　the　doorstep　till　asked　inside。

He　went　into　the　kitchen　and　she　followed。

His　tea…things　were　spread　on　the　scrubbed　deal　table；　a　big

fire　was　burning；　a　dog　rose　from　the　hearth　and　went　to　her。

She　stood　motionless　just　inside　the　kitchen。

〃Tilly；〃　he　called　loudly；　〃have　we　got　any　butter？〃

The　stranger　stood　there　like　a　silence　in　her　black

cloak。

〃Eh？〃　came　the　shrill