The Thirteenth Tale- 第24部分

trying　to　get　the　best　picture　of　the　great　stone　fireplace；　i　was　bending　from　the　waist；　leaning　slightly　sideways；　when　i　paused。　i　swallowed；　noted　my　slightly　raised　heartbeat。　was　it　something　i　had　heard？　or　felt？　had　something　shifted　deep　in　the　arrangement　of　rubble　beneath　my　feet？　but　no。　it　was　nothing。　all　the　same；　i　picked　my　way　carefully　to　the　edge　of　the　room；　where　there　was　a　hole　in　the　masonry　large　enough　to　step　through。

i　was　in　the　main　hallway。　here　were　the　high　double　doors　i　had　seen　from　outside。　the　staircase；　being　made　of　stone；　had　survived　the　fire　intact。　a　broad　sweep　upward；　the　handrail　and　balustrades　now　ivy　clad；　the　solid　lines　of　its　architecture　were　nonetheless　clear：　a　graceful　curve　widening　into　a　shell…like　curl　at　its　base。　a　kind　of　fancy　upside…down　apostrophe。

the　staircase　led　to　a　gallery　that　must　once　have　run　the　entire　width　of　the　entrance　hall。　to　one　side　there　was　only　a　jagged　edge　of　floorboards　and　a　drop　to　the　stone　floor　below。　the　other　side　was　almost　plete。　the　vestiges　of　a　handrail　along　the　gallery；　and　then　a　corridor。　a　ceiling；　stained　but　intact；　a　floor；　doors　even。　it　was　the　first　part　of　the　house　i　had　seen　that　appeared　to　have　escaped　the　general　destruction。　it　looked　like　somewhere　you　could　live。

i　took　a　few　quick　pictures　and　then；　testing　each　new　board　beneath　my　feet　before　shifting　my　weight；　moved　warily　into　the　corridor。

the　handle　of　the　first　door　opened　onto　a　sheer　drop；　branches　and　blue　sky。　no　walls；　no　ceiling；　no　floor；　just　fresh　outdoors　air。

i　pulled　the　door　closed　again　and　edged　along　the　corridor；　determined　not　to　be　unnerved　by　the　dangers　of　the　place。　watching　my　feet　all　the　time；　i　came　to　the　second　door。

i　turned　the　handle　and　let　the　door　swing　open。

there　was　movement！

my　sister！

almost　i　took　a　step　toward　her。

almost。

then　i　realized。　a　mirror。　shadowy　with　dirt　and　tarnished　with　dark　spots　that　looked　like　ink。

i　looked　down　to　the　floor　i　had　been　about　to　step　onto。　there　were　no　boards；　only　a　drop　of　twenty　feet　onto　hard　stone　flags。

i　knew　now　what　i　had　seen；　yet　still　my　heart　continued　its　frenzy。　i　raised　my　eyes　again；　and　there　she　was。　a　white…faced　waif　with　dark　eyes；　a　hazy；　uncertain　figure　trembling　inside　the　old　frame。

she　had　seen　me。　she　stood；　hand　raised　toward　me　longingly；　as　though　all　i　had　to　do　was　step　forward　to　take　it。　and　would　it　not　be　the　simplest　solution；　all　told；　to　do　that　and　at　last　rejoin　her？

how　long　did　i　stand　there；　watching　her　wait　for　me？

‘no；“　i　whispered；　but　still　her　arm　beckoned　me。　”i’m　sorry。“　her　arm　slowly　fell。

then　she　raised　a　camera　and　took　a　photograph　of　me。

i　was　sorry　for　her。　pictures　through　glass　never　e　out。　i　know。　i’ve　tried。

i　stood　with　my　hand　on　the　handle　of　the　third　door。　the　rule　of　three；　miss　winter　had　said。　but　i　wasn’t　in　the　mood　for　her　story　anymore。　her　dangerous　house　with　its　indoor　rain　and　trick　mirror　had　lost　its　interest　for　me。

i　would　go。　to　take　photographs　of　the　church？　not　even　that。　i　would　go　to　the　village　store。　i　would　telephone　a　taxi。　go　to　the　station　and　from　there　home。

all　this　i　would　do；　in　a　minute。　for　the　time　being；　i　wanted　to　stay　like　this；　head　leaning　against　the　door；　fingers　on　the　handle；　indifferent　to　whatever　was　beyond；　and　waiting　for　the　tears　to　pass　and　my　heart　to　calm　itself。

i　waited。

then；　beneath　my　fingers；　the　handle　to　the　third　room　began　to　turn　of　its　own　accord。

　．．



THE　FRIENDLY　GIANT

。网
i　ran。　i　jumped　over　the　holes　in　the　floorboards；　leaped　down　the　stairs　three　at　a　time；　lost　my　footing　and　lunged　at　the　handrail　for　support。　i　grasped　at　a　handful　of　ivy；　stumbled；　saved　myself　and　lurched　forward　again。　the　library？　no。　the　other　way。　through　an　archway。　branches　of　elder　and　buddleia　caught　at　my　clothes；　and　i　half　fell　several　times　as　my　feet　scrabbled　through　the　detritus　of　the　broken　house。

at　last；　inevitably；　i　crashed　to　the　ground；　and　a　wild　cry　escaped　my　lips。

‘oh　dear；　oh　dear。　did　i　startle　you？　oh　dear。“

i　stared　back　through　the　archway。

leaning　over　the　gallery　landing　was　not　the　skeleton　or　monster　of　my　imaginings；　but　a　giant。　he　moved　smoothly　down　the　stairs；　stepped　daintily　and　unconcernedly　through　the　debris　on　the　floor　and　came　to　stand　over　me　with　an　expression　of　the　utmost　concern　on　his　face。

‘oh　my　goodness。“

he　must　have　been　six…foot…four　or　…five；　and　was　broad；　so　broad　that　the　house　seemed　to　shrink　around　him。

‘i　never　meant…　you　see；　i　only　thought…　because　you’d　been　there　some　time；　and…　but　that　doesn’t　matter　now；　because　the　thing　is；　my　dear；　are　you　hurt？“

i　felt　reduced　to　the　size　of　a　child。　but　for　all　his　great　dimensions；　this　man；　too；　had　something　of　a　child　about　him。　too　plump　for　wrinkles；　he　had　a　round；　cherubic　face；　and　a　halo　of　silver…blond　curls　sat　neatly　around　his　balding　head。　his　eyes　were　round　like　the　frames　of　his　spectacles。　they　were　kind　and　had　a　blue　transparency。

i　must　have　been　looking　dazed；　and　pale；　too；　perhaps。　he　knelt　by　my　side　and　took　my　wrist。

‘my；　my；　that　was　quite　a　tumble　you　took。　if　only　i’d…　i　should　never　have…　pulse　a　bit　high。　hmm。“

my　shin　was　stinging。　i　reached　to　investigate　a　tear　in　the　knee　of　my　trousers；　and　my　fingers　came　away　bloodied。

‘dear；　oh　dear。　it’s　the　leg；　is　it？　is　it　broken？　can　you　move　it？“　i　wriggled　my　foot；　and　the　man’s　face　was　a　picture　of　relief。

‘thank　goodness。　i　should　never　have　forgiven　myself。　now；　you　stay　there　while　i…　i’ll　just　get　the…　back　in　a　minute。“　and　off　he　went。　his　feet　danced　delicately　in　and　out　of　the　jagged　edges　of　wood；　then　skipped　swiftly　up　the　stairs；　while　the　upper　half　of　his　body　sailed　serenely　above；　as　if　unconnected　to　the　elaborate　footwork　going　on　below。

i　took　a　deep　breath　and　waited。

‘i’ve　put　the　kettle　on；“　he　announced　as　he　returned。　it　was　a　proper　first…aid　kit　he　had　with　him；　white　with　a　red　cross　on　it；　and　he　took　out　an　antiseptic　lotion　and　some　gauze。

‘i　always　said；　someone　will　get　hurt　in　that　old　place　one　of　these　days。　i’ve　had　the　kit　for　years。　better　safe　than　sorry；　eh？　oh　dear；　oh　dear！“　he　winced　with　empathy　as　he　pressed　the　stinging　pad　against　my　cut　shin。　”let’s　be　brave；　shall　we？“

‘do　you　have　electricity　here？“　i　asked。　i　was　feeling　bewildered。

‘electricity？　but　it’s　a　ruin。“　he　stared　at　me；　astonished　by　my　question；　as　though　i　might　have　suffered　a　concussion　in　the　fall　and　lost　my　reason。

‘it’s　just　that　i　thought　you　said　you’d　put　the　kettle　on。“

‘oh；　i　see！　no！　i　have　a　camping　stove。　i　used　to　have　a　thermos　flask；　but“—he　turned　his　nose　up—”tea　from　a　thermos　is　not　very　nice；　is　it？　now；　does　it　sting　very　badly？“

‘only　a　bit。“

‘good　girl。　quite　a　tumble　that　was。　now　tea—lemon　and　sugar　all　right？　no　milk；　i’m　afraid。　no　fridge。“

‘lemon　will　be　lovely。“

‘right。　well；　let’s　make　you　fortable。　the　rain　has　stopped；　so　tea　outdoors？“　he　went　to　the　grand　old　double　door　at　the　front　of　the　house　and　unlatched　it。　with　a　creak　smaller　than　one　expected；　the　doors　swung　open；　and　i　began　to　get　to　my　feet。

‘don’t　move！“

the　giant　danced　back　toward　me；　bent　down　and　picked　me　up。　i　felt　myself　being　raised　into　the　air　and　carried　smoothly　outside。　he　sat　me　sideways　on　the　back　of　one　of　the　black　cats　i　had　admired　an　hour　earlier。

‘you　wait　there；　and　when　i　e　back；　you　and　i　will　have　a　lovely　tea！“　and　he　went　back　into　the　house。　his　huge　back　glided　up　the　stairs　and　disappeared　into　the　entrance　of　the　corridor　and　the　third　room。

‘fy？“

i　nodded。

‘marvelous。“　he　smiled　as　though　it　were　indeed　marvelous。　”now；　let　us　introduce　ourselves。　my　name　is　love。　aurelius　alphonse　love。　do　call　me　aurelius。“　he　looked　at　me　expectantly。

‘margaret　lea。“

‘margaret。“　he　beamed。　”splendid。　quite　splendid。　now；　eat。“

between　the　ears　of　the　big　black　cat　he　had　unfolded　a　napkin；　corner　by　corner。　inside　was　a　dark　and　sticky　slice　of　cake；　cut　generously。　i　bit　into　it。　it　was　the　perfect　cake　for　a　cold　day：　spiced　with　ginger；　sweet　but　hot。　the　stranger　strained　the　tea　into　dainty　china　cups。　he　offered　me　a　bowl　of　sugar　lumps；　then　took　a　blue　velvet　pouch　from　his　breast　pocket；　which　he　opened。　resting　on　the　velvet　was　a　silver　spoon　with　an　elongated　a　in　the　form　of　a　stylized　angel　ornamenting　the　handle。　i　took　it；　stirred　my　tea　and　passed　it　back　to　him。

while　i　ate　and　drank；　my　host　sat　on　the　second　cat；　which　took　on　an　unexpected　kittenish　appearance　beneath　his　great　girth。　he　ate　in　silence；　neatly　and　with　concentration。　he　watched　me　eat；　too；　anxious　that　i　should　appreciate　the　food。

‘that　was　lovely；“　i　said。　”homemade；　i　think？“

the　gap　between　the　two　cats　was　about　ten　feet；　and　to　converse　we　had　to　raise　our　voices　slightly；　giving　the　conversation　a　somewhat　theatrical　air；　as　though　it　were　some　performance。　and　indeed　we　had　an　audience。　in　the　rain…washed　light；　close　to　the　edge　of　the　woods；　a　deer；　stock…still；