the choir invisible-第14部分

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its　beautiful　women。　The　daughters　and　the　grand…daughters　and　the　great…granddaughters　of　such　mothers　as　these〃

〃And　of　fathers　like　these！〃　interposed　one　of　the　town　trustees　who　came　up　at　that　moment。　〃But　for　the　sake　of　these　ladies　isn't　it　time　we　were　passing　a　law　against　the　keeping　of　pet　panthers？　I　heard　the　cry　of　one　as　I　came　here　to…night。　What　can　we　do　with　these　young　backwoods　hunters？　Will　civilization　ever　make　pets　of　themever　tame　them？〃　John　felt　some　one　touch　his　arm；　it　was　Kitty　with　Horatio。　Her　cheeks　were　like　poppies；　her　good　kind　eyes　welcomed　him　sincerely。

〃You　here！　I'm　so　glad。　Haven't　you　seen　Amy？　She　is　in　the　other　room　with　Joseph。　Have　they　explained　everything？　But　we　will　loose　our　place〃she　cried；　and　with　a　sweet　smile　of　adieu　to　him；　and　of　warning　to　her　partner；　she　glided　away。

〃We　are　entered　for　this　horse　race；〃　remarked　Mr。　Turpin；　lingering　a　moment　longer。　〃Weight　for　age；　agreeable　to　the　rules　of　New　Market。　Each　subscriber　to　pay　one　guinea；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。〃　He　was　known　as　the　rising　young　turfman　of　the　town；　having　first　run　his　horses　down　Water　Street；　but　future　member　of　the　first　Jockey　Club；　so　that　in　the　full　blossom　of　his　power　he　could　name　all　the　horses　of　his　day　with　the　pedigree　of　each：　beginning　with　Tiger　by　Tiger；　and　on　through　Sea　Serpent　by　Shylock；　and　Diamond　by　Brilliant；　and　Black　Snake　by　Sky　Lark：　a　type　of　man　whom　long　association　with　the　refined　and　noble　nature　of　the　horse　only　vulgarizes　and　disennobles。

Once　afterward　Gray's　glance　fell　on　Amy　and　Joseph　across　the　room。　They　were　looking　at　him　and　laughing　at　his　expense　and　the　sight　burnt　his　eyes　as　though　hot　needles　had　been　run　into　them。　They　beckoned　gaily；　but　he　gave　no　sign；　and　in　a　moment　they　were　lost　behind　the　shifting　figures　of　the　company。　While　he　was　dancing；　however；　Joseph　came　up。

〃As　soon　as　you　get　away；　Amy　wants　to　see　you。〃

Half　and　hour　later　he　came　a　second　time　and　drew　Gray　aside　from　a　group　of　gentlemen；　speaking　more　seriously：　〃Amy　wants　to　explain　how　all　this　happened。　Come　at　once。〃

〃There　is　nothing　to　explain；〃　said　John；　with　indifference。　Joseph　answered　reproachfully：　〃This　is　foolish；　John！　When　you　know　what　has　passed；　you　will　not　censure　her。　And　I　could　not　have　done　otherwise。〃　Despite　his　wish　to　be　serious；　he　could　not　help　laughing　for　he　was　very　happy　himself。

But　to　John　Gray　these　reasonable　words　went　for　the　very　thing　that　they　did　not　mean。　His　mind　had　been　forced　to　a　false　point　of　view；　and　from　a　false　point　of　view　the　truth　itself　always　looks　false。　Moreover　it　was　intolerable　that　Joseph　should　be　defending　to　him　the　very　woman　whom　a　few　hours　before　he　had　hoped　to　marry。　〃There　is　no　explanation　needed　from　her；〃　he　replied；　with　the　same　indifference。　〃I　think　I　understand。　What　I　do　not　understand　I　should　rather　take　for　granted。　　But　you；　Joseph；　you　owe　me　an　explanation。　This　is　not　the　place　to　give　it。〃　His　face　twitched；　and　he　knotted　the　fingers　of　his　large　hands　together　like　bands　of　iron。　〃But　by　God　I'll　have　it；　and　if　it　is　not　a　good　one；　you　shall　answer。〃　His　oath　sounded　like　an　invocation　to　the　Divine　justicenot　profanity。　Joseph　fixed　his　quiet　fearless　eyes　on　Gray's。　〃I'll　answer　for　myselfand　for　her〃he　replied　and　turned　away。

Still　later　Gray　met　her　while　dancingthe　faint　rose　of　her　cheeks　a　shade　deeper；　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　her　skin　more　pearl…like　with　warmth；　her　gaiety　and　happiness　still　mounting；　her　eyes　still　wandering　among　the　men；　culling　their　admiration。

〃You　haven't　asked　me　to　dance　to…night。　You　haven't　even　let　me　tell　you　why　I　had　to　come　with　Joseph；　when　I　wanted　to　come　with　you。〃　She　gave　a　little　pout　of　annoyance　and　let　her　eyes　rest　on　his　with　the　old　fondness。　〃Don't　you　want　to　know　why　I　broke　my　engagement　with　you？〃　And　she　danced　on；　smiling　back　at　him　provokingly。　He　did　not　show　that　he　heard；　and　although　they　did　not　meet　again；　he　was　made　aware　that　a　change　had　at　last　come　over　her。　She　was　angry　now。　He　could　hear　her　laughter　oftenerlaughter　that　was　meant　for　his　ear　and　she　was　dancing　oftener　with　Joseph。　He　looked　at　her　repeatedly；　but　she　avoided　his　eyes。

〃I　am　playing　a　poor　part　by　staying　here！〃　he　said　with　shame；　and　left　the　house。

After　wandering　aimlessly　about　the　town　for　some　two　hours；　he　went　resolvedly　back　again　and　stood　out　in　the　darkness；　looking　in　at　her　through　the　windows。　　There　she　was；　unwearied；　happy；　not　feigning；　and　no　more　affected　by　what　had　taken　place　between　them　than　a　candle　is　affected　by　a　scorched　insect。　So　it　seemed　to　him。

This　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　seen　her　at　a　ball。　　He　had　never　realized　what　powers　she　possessed　in　a　field　like　this：　what　play；　what　resources；　what　changes；　what　stratagems；　what　victories。　He　mournfully　missed　for　the　first　time　certain　things　in　himself　that　should　have　corresponded　with　all　those　light　and　graceful　things　in　her。　Perhaps　what　hurt　him　most　were　her　eyes；　always　abroad　searching　for　admiration；　forever　filling　the　forever　emptied　honeycomb　of　self…love。

With　him　love　was　a　sacred；　a　grim；　an　inviolate　selection。　He　would　no　more　have　wished　the　woman　he　had　chosen　to　seek　indiscriminate　admiration　with　her　eyes　than　with　her　lips　or　her　waist。　It　implied　the　same　fatal　flaw　in　her　refinement；　her　modesty；　her　faithfulness；　her　high　breeding。　A　light　wind　stirred　the　leaves　of　the　trees　overhead。　　A　few　drops　of　rain　fell　on　his　hat。　He　drew　his　hand　heavily　across　his　eyes　and　turned　away。　Reaching　his　room；　he　dropped　down　into　a　chair　before　his　open　window　and　sat　gazing　absently　into　the　black　east。

Within　he　faced　a　yet　blacker　voidthe　ruined　hopes　on　which　the　sun　would　never　rise　again。

It　was　the　end　of　everything　between　him　and　Amy：　that　was　his　one　thought。　It　did　not　occur　to　him　even　to　reflect　whether　he　had　been　right　or　wrong；　rude　or　gentle：　it　was　the　end：　nothing　else　appeared　worth　considering。

Life　to　him　meant　a　simple　straightforward　game　played　with　a　few　well…known　principles。　It　must　be　as　open　as　a　chess…board：　each　player　should　see　every　move　of　the　other：　and　all　who　chose　could　look　on。

He　was　still　very　young。

X　THE　glimmer　of　gray　dawn　at　last　and　he　had　never　moved　from　his　seat。　A　fine；　drizzling　rain　had　set　in。　　Clouds　of　mist　brushed　against　the　walls　of　his　cabin。　　In　the　stillness　he　could　hear　the　big　trees　shedding　their　drops　from　leaf　to　bending　leaf　and　the　musical　tinkle　of　these　as　they　took　their　last　leap　into　little　pools　below。　With　the　chilliness　which　misery　brings　he　got　up　at　last　and　wrapped　his　weather…coat　about　him。　If　it　were　only　day　when　he　could　go　to　his　work　and　try　to　forget！　Restless；　sleepless；　unable　to　read；　tired　of　sitting；　driven　on　by　the　desire　to　get　rid　of　his　own　thoughts；　he　started　out　to　walk。　As　he　passed　his　school…house　he　noticed　that　the　door　of　it；　always　fastened　by　a　simple　latch；　now　stood　open；　and　he　went　over　to　see　if　everything　inside　were　in　order。　　All　his　life；　when　any　trouble　had　come　upon　him；　he　had　quickly　returned　to　his　nearest　post　of　duty　like　a　soldier；　and　once　in　the　school…room　now；　he　threw　himself　down　in　his　chair　with　the　sudden　feeling　that　here　in　his　familiar　work　he　must　still　find　his　homethe　home　of　his　mind　and　his　affectionsas　so　long　in　the　past。　The　mere　aspect　of　the　poor　bare　place　had　never　been　so　kind。　The　very　walls　appeared　to　open　to　him　like　a　refuge；　to　enfold　themselves　around　him　with　friendly　strength　and　understanding。

He　sat　at　the　upper　end　of　the　room；　gazing　blankly　through　the　doorway　at　the　gray　light　and　clouds　of　white　mist　trailing。　Once　an　object　came　into　the　field　of　his　vision。　At　the　first　glimpse　he　thought　it　a　doglong；　lean；　skulking；　prowling；　tawnyon　the　scent　of　his　tracks。　Then　the　mist　passed　over　it。　　When　he　beheld　it　again　it　had　approached　nearer　and　was　creeping　rapidly　toward　the　door。　His　listless　eyes　grew　fascinated　by　its　motionsits　litheness；　suppleness；　grace；　stealth；　exquisite　caution。　Never　before　had　he　seen　a　dog　with　the　step　of　a　cat。　A　second　time　the　fog　closed　over　it；　and　then；　advancing　right　out　of　the　cloud　with　more　swiftness；　more　cunning；　its　large　feet　falling　as　lightly　as　flakes　of　snow；　the　weight　of　its　huge　body　borne　forward　as　noiselessly　as　the　trailing　mist；　it　came　straight　on。　　It　reached　the　hickory　block；　which　formed　the　doorstep；　it　paused　there　an　instant；　with　its　fore　quarters　in　the　doorway；　one　fore　foot　raised；　the　end　of　its　long　tail　waving；　and　then　it　stole　just　over　the　threshold　and　crouched；　its　head　pressed　down　until　its　long；　whitish　throat　lay　on　the　floor；　its　short；　jagged　ears　set　forward　stiffly　like　the　broken　points　of　a　javelin；　its　dilated　eye　blazing　with　steady　green　fireas　still　as　death。　And　then　with　his　blood　become　as　ice　in　his　veins　from　horror　and　all　the　strength　gone　out　of　him　in　a　deathlike　faintness；　the　school…　master　realized　that　he　was　face　to　face　unarmed　with　a　cougar；　gaunt　with　famine　and　come　for　its　kill。

This　dreaded　animal；　the　panther　or　painter　of　the　backwoodsman；　which　has　for　its　kindred　the　royal　tiger　and　the　fatal　leopard　of　the　Old　World；　the　beautiful　ocelot　and　splendid　unconquerable　jaguar　of　the　New；　is　now　rarely　found　in　the　Atlantic　States　or　the　fastnesses　of　the　Alleghanies。　It　too　has　crossed　the　Mississippi　and　is　probably　now　best　known　as　the　savage　puma　of　more　southern　zones。　But　a　hundred　years　ago　it　abounded　throughout　the　Western　wilderness；　making　its　deeper　dens　in　the　caverns　of　mountain　rocks；　its　lair　in　the　impenetrable　thickets　of　bramble　and　brakes　of　cane；　or　close　to　miry　swamps　and　watery　everglades；　and　no　other　region　was　so　loved　by　it　as　the　vast　game　park　of　the　Indians；　where　reined　a　semi…tropical　splendour　and　luxuriance　of　vegetation　and　where；　protected　from　time　immemorial　by　the　Indian　hunters　themselves；　all　the　other　animals　thatconstitute　its　prey　roved　and　ranged　in　unimaginable　numbers。　To　the　earliest　Kentuckians　who　cut　their　way　into　this；　the　most　royal　jungle　of　the　New　World；　to　wrest　it　from　the　Indians　and　subdue　it　for　wife　and　child；　it　was　the　no