Read Online The Goose Girl and Other Stories by Eric Linklater - Free Book Online Page A

with the stubbly beard sat still, staring at nothing with eyes that were alert and full of comprehension. He seemed tobe listening to the throb of the steamer’s screw and the answering wash of the sea. His lips moved slightly when a wave, louder than the others, ran with a slithering caress along the ship’s side, and he smiled engagingly, looking at Mr Pinto as though he expected an answering smile.
    â€˜The Möder Dy,’ 1 he said, ‘laughing at fishermen’s wives. All summer she laughs lightly, but the laughter of her winter rut is like icebergs breaking.’
    Mr Pinto, remarking that it seemed to be a fine night, stepped out on to the deck.
    â€˜Oh, a glorious night,’ said the young man with the beard, following him. ‘Look at the clouds, like grey foxes running from the moon.’
    â€˜Indeed, there is one extraordinarily like a fox,’ replied Mr Pinto politely.
    â€˜She is hunting tonight,’ said the young man. ‘Foxes and grey wolves. And see, there’s a stag in the west. A great night for hunting, and all the sky to run through.’
    Mr Pinto and his friend had the deck to themselves, and Mr Pinto began to feel curiously lonely in such strange company.
    â€˜Listen,’ said the young man, pointing over the rail. ‘Do you hear a shoal of herring talking out there? There’s a hum of fear in the air. Perhaps a thresher-shark is coming through the Firth.’
    Mr Pinto, convinced that he had a lunatic to deal with, was considering an excuse for going below when the young man said: ‘I saw you sitting silent while those fools were talking about Pomfret’s disappearance. Why did you say nothing?’
    â€˜Because I didn’t think any of their theories were good enough,’ answered Mr Pinto, feeling a little easier, ‘and because I had no theory of my own to offer.’
    â€˜What do you think? You must think something?’
    Mr Pinto blinked once or twice, and then diffidently suggested, ‘There are more things in heaven and earth, you know; it sounds foolish, after having been quoted so often and so unnecessarily, but. . .’
    â€˜It does not sound foolish. Those others were fools. You, it seems, are not yet a fool; though you will be, if you live to grow old and yet not old enough. If you like, I will tell you what happened to George Pomfret and his friends. Sit there.’
    Mr Pinto, rather subdued, sat; and the young man walked once or twice up and down, his hair flying like a black banner in the wind,turned his face up to the moon to laugh loudly and melodiously, and suddenly said: ‘They landed on Eynhallow in the quietness of a perfect evening. The tide was talking to the shore, telling it the story of the Seven Seals who went to Sule Skerry, but they could not hear it then. A redshank whistled “Oh Joy! look at them!” as they stepped ashore. But they did not know that either. They made a lot of noise as they walked up the shingle beach and the rabbits in the grass, because they made a noise, were not frightened, but only ran a little way and turned to look at them.
    â€˜Mrs Pomfret was not happy, but they let her sit on the rugs and she fell asleep. The others walked round the island—it is not big—and threw stones into the sea. The sea chuckled and threw more stones on to the beach; but they did not know that. And the sea woke birds who were roosting there, and the birds flew round and laughed at them. By and by the shadow of night came—it was not really night—and they sat down to eat. They ate for a long time, and woke Mrs Pomfret, who said she could never eat out of doors, and so they let her sleep again. The others talked. They were happy, in a way, but what they talked was nonsense. Even Joan, who was in love, talked nonsense which she does not like to think about now.’
    â€˜Then—’ Mr Pinto excitedly tried to interrupt, but the young man went imperturbably