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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.