第58章 ALICIA'S DIARY(33)

'Because I think we ought to do something in it.Poor Fred!He would listen to you if you reasoned with him,and set our positions in their true light before him.It would be no more than Christian kindness to a man who unquestionably is very miserable from some cause or other.His head seems quite turned.'

By this time they had reached the door,rung the bell,and waited.

All the house seemed to be asleep;but soon a man came to them,the horse was taken away,and the Duke and Duchess went in.

THIRD NIGHT

There was no help for it.Bill Mills was obliged to stay on duty,in the old shepherd's absence,this evening as before,or give up his post and living.He thought as bravely as he could of what lay behind the Devil's Door,but with no great success,and was therefore in a measure relieved,even if awe-stricken,when he saw the forms of the Duke and Duchess strolling across the frosted greensward.The Duchess was a few yards in front of her husband and tripped on lightly.

'I tell you he has not thought it worth while to come again!'the Duke insisted,as he stood still,reluctant to walk further.

'He is more likely to come and wait all night;and it would be harsh treatment to let him do it a second time.'

'He is not here;so turn and come home.'

'He seems not to be here,certainly;I wonder if anything has happened to him.If it has,I shall never forgive myself!'

The Duke,uneasily,'O,no.He has some other engagement.'

'That is very unlikely.'

'Or perhaps he has found the distance too far.'

'Nor is that probable.'

'Then he may have thought better of it.'

'Yes,he may have thought better of it;if,indeed,he is not here all the time--somewhere in the hollow behind the Devil's Door.Let us go and see;it will serve him right to surprise him.''O,he's not there.'

'He may be lying very quiet because of you,'she said archly.

'O,no--not because of me!'

'Come,then.I declare,dearest,you lag like an unwilling schoolboy to-night,and there's no responsiveness in you!You are jealous of that poor lad,and it is quite absurd of you.''I'll come!I'll come!Say no more,Harriet!'And they crossed over the green.

Wondering what they would do,the young shepherd left the hut,and doubled behind the belt of furze,intending to stand near the trilithon unperceived.But,in crossing the few yards of open ground he was for a moment exposed to view.

'Ah,I see him at last!'said the Duchess.

'See him!'said the Duke.'Where?'

'By the Devil's Door;don't you notice a figure there?Ah,my poor lover-cousin,won't you catch it now?'And she laughed half-pityingly.'But what's the matter?'she asked,turning to her husband.

'It is not he!'said the Duke hoarsely.'It can't be he!'

'No,it is not he.It is too small for him.It is a boy.'

'Ah,I thought so!Boy,come here.'

The youthful shepherd advanced with apprehension.

'What are you doing here?'

'Keeping sheep,your Grace.'

'Ah,you know me!Do you keep sheep here every night?'

'Off and on,my Lord Duke.'

'And what have you seen here to-night or last night?'inquired the Duchess.'Any person waiting or walking about?'

The boy was silent.

'He has seen nothing,'interrupted her husband,his eyes so forbiddingly fixed on the boy that they seemed to shine like points of fire.'Come,let us go.The air is too keen to stand in long.'

When they were gone the boy retreated to the hut and sheep,less fearful now than at first--familiarity with the situation having gradually overpowered his thoughts of the buried man.But he was not to be left alone long.When an interval had elapsed of about sufficient length for walking to and from Shakeforest Towers,there appeared from that direction the heavy form of the Duke.He now came alone.

The nobleman,on his part,seemed to have eyes no less sharp than the boy's,for he instantly recognized the latter among the ewes,and came straight towards him.

'Are you the shepherd lad I spoke to a short time ago?''I be,my Lord Duke.'

'Now listen to me.Her Grace asked you what you had seen this last night or two up here,and you made no reply.I now ask the same thing,and you need not be afraid to answer.Have you seen anything strange these nights you have been watching here?''My Lord Duke,I be a poor heedless boy,and what I see I don't bear in mind.'

'I ask you again,'said the Duke,coming nearer,'have you seen anything strange these nights you have been watching here?'

'O,my Lord Duke!I be but the under-shepherd boy,and my father he was but your humble Grace's hedger,and my mother only the cinder-woman in the back-yard!I fall asleep when left alone,and I see nothing at all!'The Duke grasped the boy by the shoulder,and,directly impending over him,stared down into his face,'Did you see anything strange done here last night,I say?''O,my Lord Duke,have mercy,and don't stab me!'cried the shepherd,falling on his knees.'I have never seen you walking here,or riding here,or lying-in-wait for a man,or dragging a heavy load!'

'H'm!'said his interrogator,grimly,relaxing his hold.'It is well to know that you have never seen those things.Now,which would you rather--SEE ME DO THOSE THINGS NOW,or keep a secret all your life?''Keep a secret,my Lord Duke!'

'Sure you are able?'

'O,your Grace,try me!'

'Very well.And now,how do you like sheep-keeping?''Not at all.'Tis lonely work for them that think of spirits,and I'm badly used.''I believe you.You are too young for it.I must do something to make you more comfortable.You shall change this smock-frock for a real cloth jacket,and your thick boots for polished shoes.And you shall be taught what you have never yet heard of;and be put to school,and have bats and balls for the holidays,and be made a man of.But you must never say you have been a shepherd boy,and watched on the hills at night,for shepherd boys are not liked in good company.

'Trust me,my Lord Duke.'