At
length the heavy silence was broken by Sir Andrew.
"I read your heart, Hugh," he said, "as Murgh read mine, for I think
that he gave me not only strength, but something of his wisdom also,
whereby I was able to win safe back to England and to this hour to walk
unharmed by many a pit. I read your heart, and in its book is written
that you think me mad, one who pleases his old age with tales of marvel
that others told him, or which his own brain fashioned."
"Not so, Father," answered Hugh uneasily, for in truth some such
thoughts were passing through his mind. "Only--only the thing is very
strange, and it happened so long ago, before Eve and I were born, before
those that begot us were born either, perchance."
"Yes; more than fifty years ago--it may be sixty--I forget. In sixty
years the memory plays strange tricks with men, no doubt, so how can I
blame you if you believe--what you do believe? And yet, Hugh," he went
on after a pause, and speaking with passion, "this was no dream of which
I tell you. Why do you suppose that among all those that have grown up
about me I have chosen you out to love, you and your Eve? Not because
a chance made me your godsire and her my pupil. I say that from your
infancy your faces haunted me. Ay, and when you had turned childhood's
corner and once I met the pair of you walking hand in hand, then of a
sudden I knew that it was you two and no others whom that god or devil
had showed to me standing by the open grave upon the banks of Blythe.
Pages:
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69