英语小说网

When he heard the Shakeforest Towers clock strike eleven, he saw the third figure appear. As the man came towards the hut, the moonlight shone full on his face, and the boy realized in horror that it was the Duke. All the villagers lived in fear of the Duke. He owned every farm and every house for miles around, and anybody who made him angry could lose their home and their job in a moment. The boy closed the stove, and quickly hid himself in a corner of the hut.

The next evening the old shepherd left the boy alone in the hut again, with repeated orders to keep a careful eye on the sheep. But young Bill was only interested in the view from the south window. He watched and waited, while the moonlight shone on the ancient stones, but neither Captain nor Duchess appeared.

The Duke came close to the place where his wife and the Captain had stood the night before. He looked around, perhaps for a hiding-place. When he discovered the hut among the trees, he entered, and stood at the south window, looking out at the Devil's Door.

Only a minute or two later the Captain arrived, to wait for the Duchess. But a terrible surprise was waiting for him tonight, as well as for the frightened boy hidden in the hut. At the Captain's appearance, the Duke became very angry. He opened the door of the hut and stepped out.

"You have dishonoured her, and for that you shall die!" he cried. In the hut, the boy left his hiding-place and ran to the window. He could not see the two men, but he heard something falling on the grass, and then silence.

"Now for the second!" the boy heard him say. This time the Duke waited outside the hut. It was clear that he expected his wife, the Duchess, to arrive next at the meeting-place.

Three minutes later he saw the Duke going up the hill towards the stones, pulling the Captain's body along the ground. The boy knew that behind the Devil's Door there was a deep hole, covered by long grass and other plants. The Duke made his way slowly to the shadows behind the stones, and when he came out, he was pulling nothing behind him.

The jealous watcher waited for some time, but she never came. Sometimes he looked at his watch in surprise. He seemed almost disappointed that she did not appear. At half-past eleven he turned away to find his horse, and rode slowly down the hill.

Inside the hut young Bill shook with fear. "What will he do if she comes?" he thought. "Will he kill her too? He looks angry enough! And he can do what he likes -- he's the Duke. Nobody can stop him!"

When the Duke got close to the great house, a small door in a side wall opened, and a woman came out. She ran into the moonlight to meet the Duke.

The young boy thought of what lay in the hole behind the stones, and was too frightened to stay alone in the hut. He preferred to be with someone who was alive, even the Duke, than with someone who was dead, so he ran after the horseman. He followed the Duke all the way down into the valley, feeling more comfortable when the lonely hills were left behind him. Soon he could see the high walls and roofs of the Duke's home, Shakeforest Towers.

"Happy to see me, are you?"

The Duke got down from his horse and stood by her side. "Why were you listening for me at this time of night?" he asked.

The Duke did not look at his wife. "What is this strange story that you wish to tell me?" he asked quietly.

"You have never told me of it before."

"Oh, then it was your sister -- yes, I told her about it. Well, I haven't seen him for many years, and of course I'd forgotten all about his feeling for me. So I was surprised to receive a letter from him yesterday. I can remember what he wrote."

"Well, it is a lovely night for meetings."

"Yes, it is a lovely night."

"There is a strange story, which I must tell you at once. But why did you come a night sooner than you said? I am sorry, I really am!" (shaking her head playfully), "because I had ordered a special dinner for your arrival tomorrow, and now it won't be a surprise at all."

"It is this. You know my cousin Fred Ogbourne? We used to play together when we were children, and he -- well, he loved me, I think. I told you about it, you know."

"How can you ask that?"

"Ah, my dear, is it you?" she said. "I heard your horse's step on the road, and knew it must be you."

"That was his letter. Now I realize that it was a mistake to go, but at the time I only thought he must be in trouble, and with not a friend in the world to help him. So I went to Marlbury Downs at eleven o'clock. Wasn't it brave of me?"

"Very," replied the Duke coldly.

"My dear cousin Harriet, the letter said. If my life and future mean anything to you at all, I beg you to do what I ask. Meet me at eleven o'clock tonight by the ancient stones on Marlbury Downs. I cannot say more, except to beg you to come. I will explain everything when I see you. Come alone. You have all my happiness in your hands. Yours, Fred"

"When I got there, I saw he was no longer the boy that I remembered, but a full-grown man and an officer. I was sorry I had come. What he wanted, I don't know -- perhaps just a meeting with me. He held me by the hand and waist, and refused to let me go until I promised to meet him again. And in the end I did, because he spoke very warmly to me and I was afraid of him in that lonely place. Then I escaped -- I ran home -- and that's all. Of course, I never meant to meet him there again. But this evening I thought, 'Perhaps he'll come to the house when he realizes I'm not coming to meet him,' and that's why I couldn't sleep. But you are so silent!"

They moved on towards the front entrance of the house. "I have thought of something, but perhaps you won't like it," she said. "I think he will wait there again tomorrow night. Shall we go to the hill tomorrow together -- just to see if he is there? And tell him he must not try to meet me like this?"

"Why should we see if he is there?" asked her unsmiling husband.

"I have had a long journey."

"Because I think we should try to help him. Poor Fred! He will listen to you, if you talk to him. It is wrong of him to think of me in that way, but he is clearly very miserable."

By this time they had reached the front entrance and rung the bell. A man came to take the horse away, and the Duke and Duchess entered the house.