第42章 掘墓盗尸人〔10〕

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wasbythistimegrowingsomewhatlate.Thegig,accordingtoorder,wasbroughtroundtothedoorwithbothlamsbrightlyshining,andtheyoungmenhadtoaytheirbillandtaketheroad.TheyannouncedthattheywereboundforPeebles,anddroveinthatdirectiontilltheywereclearofthelasthousesofthetown;then,extinguishingthelams,returneduontheircourse,andfollowedaby-roadtowardGlencorse.Therewasnosoundbutthatoftheirownassage,andtheincessant,stridentouringoftherain.Itwasitchdark;hereandthereawhitegateorawhitestoneinthewallguidedthemforashortsaceacrossthenight;butforthemostartitwasatafootace,andalmostgroing,thattheyickedtheirwaythroughthatresonantblacknesstotheirsolemnandisolateddestination.Inthesunkenwoodsthattraversetheneighbourhoodoftheburying-groundthelastglimmerfailedthem,anditbecamenecessarytokindleamatchandre-illumineoneofthelanternsofthegig.Thus,underthedriingtrees,andenvironedbyhugeandmovingshadows,theyreachedthesceneoftheirunhallowedlabours.

Theywerebothexeriencedinsuchaffairs,andowerfulwiththesade;andtheyhadscarcebeentwentyminutesattheirtaskbeforetheywererewardedbyadullrattleonthecoffinlid.AtthesamemomentMacfarlane,havinghurthishanduonastone,flungitcarelesslyabovehishead.Thegrave,inwhichtheynowstoodalmosttotheshoulders,wasclosetotheedgeofthelateauofthegraveyard;andthegiglamhadbeenroed,thebettertoilluminatetheirlabours,againstatree,andontheimmediatevergeofthesteebankdescendingtothestream.Chancehadtakenasureaimwiththestone.Thencameaclangofbrokenglass;nightfelluonthem;soundsalternatelydullandringingannouncedtheboundingofthelanterndownthebank,anditsoccasionalcollisionwiththetrees.Astoneortwo,whichithaddislodgedinitsdescent,rattledbehinditintotherofunditiesoftheglen;andthensilence,likenight,resumeditssway;andtheymightbendtheirhearingtoitsutmostitch,butnaughtwastobeheardexcettherain,nowmarchingtothewind,nowsteadilyfallingovermilesofoencountry.

Theyweresonearlyatanendoftheirabhorredtaskthattheyjudgeditwisesttocomleteitinthedark.Thecoffinwasexhumedandbrokenoen;thebodyinsertedinthedriingsackandcarriedbetweenthemtothegig;onemountedtokeeitinitslace,andtheother,takingthehorsebythemouth,groedalongbywallandbushuntiltheyreachedthewiderroadbytheFisher'sTryst.Herewasafaint,diffusedradiancy,whichtheyhailedlikedaylight;bythattheyushedthehorsetoagoodaceandbegantorattlealongmerrilyinthedirectionofthetown.

Theyhadbothbeenwettedtotheskinduringtheiroerations,andnow,asthegigjumedamongthedeeruts,thethingthatstoodroedbetweenthemfellnowuononeandnowuontheother.Ateveryreetitionofthehorridcontacteachinstinctivelyreelleditwiththegreaterhaste;andtherocess,naturalalthoughitwas,begantotelluonthenervesofthecomanions.Macfarlanemadesomeill-favouredjestaboutthefarmer'swife,butitcamehollowlyfromhislis,andwasallowedtodroinsilence.Stilltheirunnaturalburdenbumedfromsidetoside;andnowtheheadwouldbelaid,asifinconfidence,uontheirshoulders,andnowthedrenchingsack-clothwouldflaicilyabouttheirfaces.AcreeingchillbegantoossessthesoulofFettes.Heeeredatthebundle,anditseemedsomehowlargerthanatfirst.Alloverthecountry-side,andfromeverydegreeofdistance,thefarmdogsaccomaniedtheirassagewithtragicululations;anditgrewandgrewuonhismindthatsomeunnaturalmiraclehadbeenaccomlished,thatsomenamelesschangehadbefallenthedeadbody,andthatitwasinfearoftheirunholyburdenthatthedogswerehowling.

"ForGod'ssake,

"saidhe,makingagreatefforttoarriveatseech,

"forGod'ssake,let'shavealight!

"

SeeminglyMacfarlanewasaffectedinthesamedirection;for,thoughhemadenorely,hestoedthehorse,assedthereinstohiscomanion,gotdown,androceededtokindletheremaininglam.Theyhadbythattimegotnofartherthanthecross-roaddowntoAuchenclinny.

Therainstillouredasthoughthedelugewerereturning,anditwasnoeasymattertomakealightinsuchaworldofwetanddarkness.Whenatlasttheflickeringblueflamehadbeentransferredtothewickandbegantoexandandclarify,andshedawidecircleofmistybrightnessroundthegig,itbecameossibleforthetwoyoungmentoseeeachotherandthethingtheyhadalongwiththem.Therainhadmouldedtheroughsackingtotheoutlinesofthebodyunderneath;theheadwasdistinctfromthetrunk,theshoulderslainlymodelled;somethingatoncesectralandhumanrivetedtheireyesuontheghastlycomradeoftheirdrive.

ForsometimeMacfarlanestoodmotionless,holdinguthelam.Anamelessdreadwasswathed,likeawetsheet,aboutthebody,andtightenedthewhiteskinuonthefaceofFettes;afearthatwasmeaningless,ahorrorofwhatcouldnotbe,ketmountingtohisbrain.Anotherbeatofthewatch,andhehadsoken.Buthiscomradeforestalledhim.

"Thatisnotawoman,

"saidMacfarlane,inahushedvoice.

"Itwasawomanwhenweutherin,

"whiseredFettes.

"Holdthatlam,

"saidtheother.

"Imustseeherface.

"

AndasFettestookthelamhiscomanionuntiedthefasteningsofthesackanddrewdownthecoverfromthehead.Thelightfellveryclearuonthedark,well-mouldedfeaturesandsmooth-shavencheeksofatoofamiliarcountenance,oftenbeheldindreamsofbothoftheseyoungmen.Awildyellranguintothenight;eachleaedfromhisownsideintotheroadway:thelamfell,broke,andwasextinguished;andthehorse,terrifiedbythisunusualcommotion,boundedandwentofftowardEdinburghatagallo,bearingalongwithit,soleoccuantofthegig,thebodyofthedeadandlong-dissectedGray.