登陆注册
15449100000004

第4章 THE BIRTH OF A MAN(4)

"O pure and holy Mother of God!" she gasped in a long-drawn, quivering sigh as she bent a dishevelled head over the little one, and, between intervals of silence, fell to uttering soft, abrupt exclamations. Then, opening her ineffably beautiful blue eyes, the hallowed eyes of a mother, she raised them towards the azure heavens, while in their depths there was coming and going a flame of joy and gratitude. Lastly, lifting a languid hand, she with a slow movement made the sign of the cross over both herself and her babe.

"Thanks to thee O purest Mother of God!" she murmured.

"Thanks indeed to thee!"

Then her eyes grew dim and vague again, and after a pause (during which she seemed to be scarcely breathing) she said in a hard and matter-of-fact tone:

"Young fellow, unfasten my satchel."

And whilst I was so engaged she continued to regard me with a steady gaze; but, when the task was completed she smiled shamefacedly, and on her sunken cheeks and sweat-flecked temples there dawned the ghost of a blush.

"Now," said she, "do you, for the present, go away."

"And if I do so, see that in the meanwhile you do not move about too much."

"No, I will not. But please go away."

So I withdrew a little. In my breast a sort of weariness was lurking, but also in my breast there was echoing a soft and glorious chorus of birds, a chorus so exquisitely in accord with the never-ceasing splash of the sea that for ever could I have listened to it, and to the neighbouring brook as it purled on its way like a maiden engaged in relating confidences about her lover.

Presently, the woman's yellow-scarfed head (the scarf now tidily rearranged) reappeared over the bushes.

"Come, come, good woman!" was my exclamation. "I tell you that you must not move about so soon."

And certainly her attitude now was one of utter languor, and she had perforce to grasp the stem of a bush with one hand to support herself. Yet while the blood was gone from her face, there had formed in the hollows where her eyes had been two lakes of blue.

"See how he is sleeping!" she murmured.

And, true enough, the child was sound asleep, though to my eyes he looked much as any other baby might have done, save that the couch of autumn leaves on which he was ensconced consisted of leaves of a kind which could not have been discovered in the faraway forests of Orlov.

"Now, do you yourself lie down awhile," was my advice.

"Oh, no," she replied with a shake of her head on its sinuous neck; "for I must be collecting my things before I move on towards--"

"Towards Otchenchiri"

"Yes. By now my folk will have gone many a verst in that direction."

"And can you walk so far? "

"The Holy Mother will help me."

Yes, she was to journey in the company of the Mother of God. So no more on the point required to be said.

Glancing again at the tiny, inchoate face under the bushes, her eyes diffused rays of warm and kindly light as, licking her lips, she, with a slow movement, smoothed the breast of the little one.

Then I arranged sticks for a fire, and also adjusted stones to support the kettle.

"Soon I will have tea ready for you," I remarked.

"And thankful indeed I shall be," she responded, "for my breasts are dried up."

"Why have your companions deserted you?" I said next.

"They have not deserted me. It was I that left them of my own accord. How could I have exposed myself in their presence?"

And with a glance at me she raised a hand to her face as, spitting a gout of blood, she smiled a sort of bashful smile.

"This is your first child, I take it?"

"It is. . . . And who are you?"

"A man."

"Yes, a man, of course; but, are you a MARRIED man? "

"No, I have never been able to marry."

"That cannot be true."

"Why not?"

With lowered eyes she sat awhile in thought.

"Because, if so, how do you come to know so much about women's affairs?"

This time I DID lie, for I replied:

"Because they have been my study. In fact, I am a medical student."

"Ah! Our priest's son also was a student, but a student for the Church."

"Very well. Then you know what I am. Now I will go and fetch some water."

Upon this she inclined her head towards her little son and listened for a moment to his breathing. Then she said with a glance towards the sea:

"I too should like to have a wash, but I do not know what the water is like. What is it? Brackish or salt?"

"No; quite good water--fit for you to wash in."

"Is it really?"

"Yes, really. Moreover, it is warmer than the water of the streams hereabouts, which is as cold as ice."

"Ah! Well, you know best."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 真武唤魔

    真武唤魔

    武学奇才?天赋体质?我只有一颗无敌的心。是通往武道巅峰的捷径,还是唤醒真魔的陷阱?既然看不透,那我便一拳打碎!
  • 碧玉剑之阴教教主

    碧玉剑之阴教教主

    据说近三百年来,江湖中最神秘的流派是阴教,他们一向行事谨慎,不轻易泄露自己的身份,他们也一向杀人如麻,无论黑白两道都敬畏他们三分。在江湖中还有一件神秘的宝物叫“碧玉剑”,据说“碧玉剑”每十年降临人间一次,好人得到了它,带来的是幸运和财富:坏人得到了它,带来的却是不祥和灾祸。如今又是一个十年,“碧玉剑”重现江湖,如果好人得到了它,就会为他带来幸运和财富,反之,如果坏人得到了它,那么带给他的就是不幸和灾祸。那么这一次,它又会为人带来什么呢?
  • 我的人生:阔少·囚犯·摄影家

    我的人生:阔少·囚犯·摄影家

    《我的人生:阔少囚犯摄影家》的作者从晚年的视角,以跌宕起伏、大悲大喜的生命阅历谱写出精彩人生篇章。这是一个普通人的命运轨迹,更是近代中国社会人生百态的一个缩影,可以给读者以深刻的生命感悟和人生启迪。人生如斯,在泥沙俱泻中唯有金砾能够沉淀,经过岁月的打磨,就能重新焕发光彩。从浪荡洋场到潦倒小镇,从豪门阔少到高墙囚犯,从苦力营生到光影人生,最终成为做客央视《东方时空》的“小巷馆主”。因怀真情,才见辞采。文中有深情的回忆,有细腻的描述,有冷静的反思,有深刻的剖析,更有对哲学命题的独特见解,可读可品,赏心悦目。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 古代民族史(中国文化史丛书)

    古代民族史(中国文化史丛书)

    中华民族是世界上最古老的民族,中华文明是世界上最悠久的文明之一。中国有文字记载的历史近5000年之久,从公元前841年开始,有文献可考的编年史从未间断,至今已近3000年,这在人类历史的长河中是绝无仅有的。世界四大文明古国中,只有中国的历史始终传承有序,从未中断。
  • 长生微华

    长生微华

    万千星斗,浩瀚银河,终究断了我念。乾坤之下,三界众生,谁能偿我所愿。
  • 易天鸣

    易天鸣

    家族因力量而强盛,然而有人为此不择手段,甚至可以利用无辜的人,牺牲最亲的人!非亲之人却为最亲,是亲之人却为仇敌!这是何其悲哀之事!又是何其庆幸之事!……这是一段传奇,一段人生的跌宕起伏,一个少年从弱小者成为霸者的传奇!又是少年心存善心被逼至最强绝心!成为罪的救赎!
  • 宫锁明珠

    宫锁明珠

    【正式修文】