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第42章 掘墓盗尸人10（第1页）

wasbythistimegrowingsomewhatlate。Thegig，accordingtoorder，wasbroughtroundtothedoorwithbothlamsbrightlyshining，andtheyoungmenhadtoaytheirbillandtaketheroad。TheyannouncedthattheywereboundforPeebles，anddroveinthatdirectiontilltheywereclearofthelasthousesofthetown;then，extinguishingthelams，returneduontheircourse，andfollowedaby-roadtowardGlencorse。Therewasnosoundbutthatoftheirownassage，andtheincessant，stridentouringoftherain。Itwasitchdark;hereandthereawhitegateorawhitestoneinthewallguidedthemforashortsaceacrossthenight;butforthemostartitwasatafootace，andalmostgroing，thattheyickedtheirwaythroughthatresonantblacknesstotheirsolemnandisolateddestination。Inthesunkenwoodsthattraversetheneighbourhoodoftheburying-groundthelastglimmerfailedthem，anditbecamenecessarytokindleamatchandre-illumineoneofthelanternsofthegig。Thus，underthedriingtrees，andenvironedbyhugeandmovingshadows，theyreachedthesceneoftheirunhallowedlabours。

Theywerebothexeriencedinsuchaffairs，andowerfulwiththesade;andtheyhadscarcebeentwentyminutesattheirtaskbeforetheywererewardedbyadullrattleonthecoffinlid。AtthesamemomentMacfarlane，havinghurthishanduonastone，flungitcarelesslyabovehishead。Thegrave，inwhichtheynowstoodalmosttotheshoulders，wasclosetotheedgeofthelateauofthegraveyard;andthegiglamhadbeenroed，thebettertoilluminatetheirlabours，againstatree，andontheimmediatevergeofthesteebankdescendingtothestream。Chancehadtakenasureaimwiththestone。Thencameaclangofbrokenglass;nightfelluonthem;soundsalternatelydullandringingannouncedtheboundingofthelanterndownthebank，anditsoccasionalcollisionwiththetrees。Astoneortwo，whichithaddislodgedinitsdescent，rattledbehinditintotherofunditiesoftheglen;andthensilence，likenight，resumeditssway;andtheymightbendtheirhearingtoitsutmostitch，butnaughtwastobeheardexcettherain，nowmarchingtothewind，nowsteadilyfallingovermilesofoencountry。

Theyweresonearlyatanendoftheirabhorredtaskthattheyjudgeditwisesttocomleteitinthedark。Thecoffinwasexhumedandbrokenoen;thebodyinsertedinthedriingsackandcarriedbetweenthemtothegig;onemountedtokeeitinitslace，andtheother，takingthehorsebythemouth，groedalongbywallandbushuntiltheyreachedthewiderroadbytheFishersTryst。Herewasafaint，diffusedradiancy，whichtheyhailedlikedaylight;bythattheyushedthehorsetoagoodaceandbegantorattlealongmerrilyinthedirectionofthetown。

Theyhadbothbeenwettedtotheskinduringtheiroerations，andnow，asthegigjumedamongthedeeruts，thethingthatstoodroedbetweenthemfellnowuononeandnowuontheother。Ateveryreetitionofthehorridcontacteachinstinctivelyreelleditwiththegreaterhaste;andtherocess，naturalalthoughitwas，begantotelluonthenervesofthecomanions。Macfarlanemadesomeill-favouredjestaboutthefarmerswife，butitcamehollowlyfromhislis，andwasallowedtodroinsilence。Stilltheirunnaturalburdenbumedfromsidetoside;andnowtheheadwouldbelaid，asifinconfidence，uontheirshoulders，andnowthedrenchingsack-clothwouldflaicilyabouttheirfaces。AcreeingchillbegantoossessthesoulofFettes。Heeeredatthebundle，anditseemedsomehowlargerthanatfirst。Alloverthecountry-side，andfromeverydegreeofdistance，thefarmdogsaccomaniedtheirassagewithtragicululations;anditgrewandgrewuonhismindthatsomeunnaturalmiraclehadbeenaccomlished，thatsomenamelesschangehadbefallenthedeadbody，andthatitwasinfearoftheirunholyburdenthatthedogswerehowling。

"ForGodssake，

"saidhe，makingagreatefforttoarriveatseech，

"forGodssake，letshavealight!

"

SeeminglyMacfarlanewasaffectedinthesamedirection;for，thoughhemadenorely，hestoedthehorse，assedthereinstohiscomanion，gotdown，androceededtokindletheremaininglam。Theyhadbythattimegotnofartherthanthecross-roaddowntoAuchenclinny。

Therainstillouredasthoughthedelugewerereturning，anditwasnoeasymattertomakealightinsuchaworldofwetanddarkness。Whenatlasttheflickeringblueflamehadbeentransferredtothewickandbegantoexandandclarify，andshedawidecircleofmistybrightnessroundthegig，itbecameossibleforthetwoyoungmentoseeeachotherandthethingtheyhadalongwiththem。Therainhadmouldedtheroughsackingtotheoutlinesofthebodyunderneath;theheadwasdistinctfromthetrunk，theshoulderslainlymodelled;somethingatoncesectralandhumanrivetedtheireyesuontheghastlycomradeoftheirdrive。

ForsometimeMacfarlanestoodmotionless，holdinguthelam。Anamelessdreadwasswathed，likeawetsheet，aboutthebody，andtightenedthewhiteskinuonthefaceofFettes;afearthatwasmeaningless，ahorrorofwhatcouldnotbe，ketmountingtohisbrain。Anotherbeatofthewatch，andhehadsoken。Buthiscomradeforestalledhim。

"Thatisnotawoman，

"saidMacfarlane，inahushedvoice。

"Itwasawomanwhenweutherin，

"whiseredFettes。

"Holdthatlam，

"saidtheother。

"Imustseeherface。

"

AndasFettestookthelamhiscomanionuntiedthefasteningsofthesackanddrewdownthecoverfromthehead。Thelightfellveryclearuonthedark，well-mouldedfeaturesandsmooth-shavencheeksofatoofamiliarcountenance，oftenbeheldindreamsofbothoftheseyoungmen。Awildyellranguintothenight;eachleaedfromhisownsideintotheroadway:thelamfell，broke，andwasextinguished;andthehorse，terrifiedbythisunusualcommotion，boundedandwentofftowardEdinburghatagallo，bearingalongwithit，soleoccuantofthegig，thebodyofthedeadandlong-dissectedGray。