Without asking any one to enter, the
fisherman surlily and shortly answered the various questions
addressed to him, standing in his own doorway. While he was thus
engaged, Gabriel heard his grandfather muttering vacantly to
himself, "Last night--how about last night, grandson? What was I
talking about last night? Did I say your father was drowned? Very
foolish to say he was drowned, and then see him come back alive
again! But it wasn't that--I'm so weak in my head, I can't
remember. What was it, Gabriel? Something too horrible to speak
of? Is that what you're whispering and trembling about? I said
nothing horrible. A crime! Bloodshed! I know nothing of any crime
or bloodshed here--I must have been frightened out of my wits to
talk in that way! The Merchant's Table? Only a big heap of old
stones! What with the storm, and thinking I was going to die, and
being afraid about your father, I must have been light-headed.
Don't give another thought to that nonsense, Gabriel! I'm better
now. We shall all live to laugh at poor grandfather for talking
nonsense about crime and bloodshed in his sleep. Ah, poor old
man--last night--light-headed--fancies and nonsense of an old
man--why don't you laugh at it? I'm laughing--so light-headed, so
light--"
He stopped suddenly. A low cry, partly of terror and partly of
pain, escaped him; the look of pining anxiety and imbecile
cunning which had distorted his face while he had been speaking,
faded from it forever.
Pages:
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343