samantha at saratoga-第6部分

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than　red　squirrels　and　chipmunks。　The　biggest　game　he　ever　brought　down　wuz　himself。　　He　shot　himself　one　cold　day　in　the　fall　of　the　year。　　He　wuz　gettin'　over　a　brush　fence；　they　s'posed　the　gun　hit　against　somethin'　and　went　off；　for　they　found　him　a　layin'　dead　at　the　bottom　of　the　fence。　I　always　s'posed　that　the　shock　of　his　death　comin'　so　awful　sudden　unto　her；　killed　his　wife。　　She　had　been　sick　for　a　long　spell；　she　had　consumption　and　dropsy；　and　so　forth；　and　so　forth；　for　a　long　time；　and　after　he　wuz　brought　in　dead；　she　didn't　live　a　week。　　She　thought　her　eyes　of　him；　for　no　earthly　reason　as　I　could　ever　see。　　How　strange；　how　strange　a　dispensation　of　Providence　it　duz　seem；　that　some　women　love　some　men；　and　vicy　versey　and　the　same。　But　she　did　jest　about　worship　him；　and　she　died　whisperin'　his　name；　and　reachin'　out　her　hands　as　if　she　see　him　jest　ahead　of　her。　　And　I　told　Josiah　I　didn't　know　but　she　did。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　a　mite　if　she　did　see　him；　for　there　is　only　the　veil　of　mystery　between　us　and　the　other　world　at　any　time；　and　she　had　got　so　nigh　to　it；　that　I　s'pose　it　got　so　thin　that　she　could　see　through　it。　Just　as　you　can　see　through　the　blue　haze　that　lays　before　our　forest　in　Injun　summer。　　Come　nigh　up　to　it　and　you　can　see　the　silvery　trunks　of　the　maples　and　the　red　sumac　leaves；　and　the　bright　evergreens；　and　the　forms　of　the　happy　hunters　a　passin'　along　under　the　glint　of　the　sunbeams　and　the　soft　shadows。　They　died　in　Injun　summer。　　I　made　a　wreath　myself　of　the　bright…colored　leaves　to　lay　on　their　coffins。　　Dead　leaves；　dead　to　all　use　and　purpose　here；　and　yet　with　the　bright　mysterious　glow　upon　them　that　put　me　in　mind　of　some　immortal　destiny　and　blossoming　beyond　our　poor　dim　vision。　　Jane　Smedley　wuz　a　good　woman；　and　so　wuz　Jim；　good　but　shiftless。　But　I　made　the　same　wreath　for　her　and　Jim；　and　the　strange　mellow　light　lay　on　both　of　'em；　makin'　me　think　in　spite　of　myself　of　some　happy　sunrisin'　that　haply　may　dawn　on　some　future　huntin'　ground；　where　poor　Jim　Smedley　even；　may　strike　the　trail　of　success　and　happiness；　hid　now　from　the　sight　of　Samantha；　hid　from　Josiah。　Wall；　they　died　within　a　week's　time　of　each　other；　and　left　nine　children；　the　oldest　one　of　'em　not　quite　fifteen。　　She；　the　oldest　one；　wuz　a　good　girl；　only　she　had　the　rickets　so　that　when　she　walked；　she　seemed　to　walk　off　all　over　the　house　backwards；　and　sideways；　and　every　way；　but　when　she　sot　down；　she　wuz　a　good　stiddy　girl；　and　faithful；　she　took　after　her　mother；　and　her　mother　took　after　her　grandmother；　so　there　wuz　three　takin'　after　each　other；　one　right　after　the　other。　Jane　wuz　a　good；　faithful；　hard…workin'　creeter　when　she　wuz　well；　brought　up　her　children　good　as　she　could；　learnt　'em　the　catechism；　and　took　in　all　kinds　of　work　to　earn　a　little　somethin'　towards　gettin'　a　home　for　'em；　she　and　her　mother　both　did；　her　mother　lived　with　'em；　and　wuz　a　smart　old　woman；　too；　for　one　that　wuz　pretty　nigh　ninety。　　And　she　wuzn't　worrysome　much；　only　about　one　thing　　　　she　wanted　a　home；　wanted　a　home　dretfully。　　Some　wimmen　are　so；　she　had　moved　round　so　much；　from　one　poor　old　place　to　another；　that　she　sort　o'　hankered　after　bein'　settled　down　into　a　stiddy　home。　Wall；　there　wuz　eight　children　younger　than　Marvilla；　that　wuz　the　oldest　young　girl's　name。　　Eight　of　'em；　countin'　each　pair　of　twins　as　two；　as　I　s'pose　they　ort。　　The　Town　buried　the　father　and　mother；　which　wuz　likely　and　clever　in　it；　but　after　that　it　wouldn't　give　only　jest　so　much　a　week；　which　wuz　very　little；　because　it　said；　Town　did；　that　they　could　go　to　the　poor…house；　they　could　be　supported　easier　there。　I　don't　know　as　the　Town　could　really　be　blamed　for　sayin'　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　kinder　mean　in　it；　the　Town　wuz　so　big；　and　the　children；　most　of　'em；　wuz　so　little。　But　any　way；　it　wuz　jest　sot　on　it；　and　there　wuz　the　end　of　it；　for　you　might　jest　as　well　dispute　the　wind　as　to　dispute　the　Town　when　it　gets　sot。　Wall；　the　old　grandma　said　she　would　die　in　the　streets　before　she　would　go　to　the　poor…house。　　She　had　come　from　a　good　family　in　the　first　place；　They　say　she　run　away　and　left　a　good　home　and　got　married；　and　did　dretful　poor　in　the　married　state。　　He　waz　shiftless　and　didn't　have　nothin'　and　didn't　lay　up　any。　　And　she　didn't　keep　any　of　her　old　possessions　only　jest　her　pride。　　She　kept　that；　or　enough　of　it　to　say　that　she　would　die　on　the　road　before　she　would　go　to　the　poor…house。　　And　once　I　see　her　cry　she　wanted　a　home　so　bad。　And　lots　of　folks　blamed　her　for　it；　blamed　the　old　woman　awfully。　They　said　pride　wuz　so　wicked。　　Wimmen　who　would　run　like　deers　if　company　came　when　they　wuzn't　dressed　up　slick；　they　would　say　the　minute　they　got　back　into　the　room；　all　out　of　breath　with　hurryin'　into　their　best　clothes；　they'd　say　a　pantin'　〃That　old　woman　ought　to　be　made　to　go　to　the　poorhouse；　to　take　the　pride　out　of　her；　pride　wuz　so　awfully；　dretfully　wicked；　and　it　wuz　a　shame　that　she　wuz　so　ongrateful　as　to　want　a　home　of　her　own。〃　　And　then　they　would　set　down　and　rest。　Wall；　the　family　wuz　in　a　sufferin'　state。　　The　Town　allowed　'em　one　dollar　a　week。　　But　how　wuz　ten　human　beings　to　live　on　a　dollar　a　week。　　The　children　worked　every　chance　they　got；　but　they　couldn't　earn　enough　to　keep　'em　in　shoes；　let　alone　other　clothin'　and　vittles。　　And　the　old　house　wuz　too　cold　for　'em　to　stay　in　durin'　the　cold　weather；　it　wuz　for　Grandma　Smedley；　anyway；　if　the　children　could　stand　it　she　couldn't。　　And　what　wuz　to　be　done。　　A　cold　winter　wuz　a　cumin'　on；　and　it　wouldn't　delay　a　minute　because　Jim　Smedley　had　got　shot；　and　his　wife　had　follered　him；　into；　let　us　hope；　a　happier　huntin'　ground　than　he　had　ever　found　in　earthly　forests。　Wall；　I　proposed　to　have　a　pound　party　for　'em。　　I　said　they　might　have　it　to　our　house　if　they　wanted　it；　but　if　they　thought　they　wanted　it　in　a　more　central　place　（our　house　wuz　quite　a　little　to　one　side）；　why　we　could　have　it　to　the　schoolhouse。　I　proposed　to　Josiah　the　first　one。　　He　wuz　a　settin'　by　the　fire　relapsed　into　silence。　　It　wuz　a　cold　night　outside；　but　the　red　curtains　wuz　down　at　our　sitting…room　winders；　shettin'　out　the　cold　drizzlin'　storm　of　hail　and　snow　that　wuz　a　deseendin'　onto　the　earth。　　The　fire　burned　up　warm　and　bright；　and　we　sot　there　in　our　comfortable　home；　with　the　teakettle　singin'　on　the　stove；　and　the　tea…table　set　out　cosy　and　cheerful；　for　Josiah　had　been　away　and　I　had　waited　supper　for　him。　As　I　sot　there　waitin'　for　the　tea…kettle　to　bile　（and　when　I　say　bile；　I　mean　bile；　I　don't；　mean　simmer）　the　thought　of　the　Smedleys　would　come　in。　　The　warm　red　curtains　would　keep　the　storm　out；　but　they　couldn't　keep　the　thought　of　the　children；　and　the　feeble　old　grandmother　out　of　the　room。　　They　come　right　in；　through　the　curtains；　and　the　firelight；　and　everything；　and　sot　right　down　by　me　and　hanted　me。　And　what　curious　creeters　thoughts　be；　haint　they？　and　oncertain；　too。　　You　may　make　all　your　plans　to　get　away　from　'em。　　You　may　shet　up　your　doors　and　winders；　and　set　with　a　veil　on　and　an　umbrell　up　…　but　good　land！　how　easy　they　jest　ontackle　the　doors　and　windows；　with　no　sounds　of　ontacklin'　and　come　right　in　by　you。　First　you　know　there　they　be　right　by　the　side　of　you；　under　your　umbrell；　under　your　veil；　under　your　spectacles；　a　lookin'　right　down　into　your　soul；　and　a　hantin'　you。　And　then　agin；　when　you　expect　to　be　hanted　by　'em；　lay　out　to；　why；　they'll　jest　stand　off　somewhere　else；　and　don't　come　nigh　you。　　Don't　want　to。　　Oncertain　creeters；　thoughts　be；　and　curious；　curious　where　they　come　from；　and　how。　Why；　I　got　to　thinkin'　about　it　the　other　day；　and　I　got　lost；　some　like　children　settin'　on　a　log　over　a　creek　a　ridin'；　there　they　be；　and　there　the　log　is；　but　they　don't　seem　to　be　there；　they　seem　to　be　a　floatin'　down　the　water。　And　there　I　wuz；　a　settin'　in　my　rockin'　chair；　and　I　seemed　to　be　a　floatin'　down　deep　water；　very　deep。　　A　thinkin'　and　a　wonderin'。　A　thinkin'　how　all　through　the　ages　what　secrets　God　had　told　to　man　when　the　time　had　come；　and　the　reverent　soul　below　was　ready　to　hear　the　low　words　whispered　to　his　soul；　and　a　wonderin'　what　strange　revelation　God　held　now；　ready　to　reveal　when　the　soul　below　had　fitted　itself　to　hear；　and　comprehend　it。　Ah！　such　mysteries　as　He　will　reveal　to　us　if　we　will　listen。　　If　we　wait　for　God's　voice。　　If　we　did　not　heed　so　much　the　confusing　clamor　of　the　world's　voices　about　us。　　Emulation；　envy；　anger；　strife；　jealousy；　if　we　turned　our　heads　away　from　these　discords；　and　in　the　silence　which　is　God's　temple；　listened；　listened；　　who　knows　the　secrets　He　would　make　known　to　us？　Secrets　of　the　day；　secrets　of　the　night；　the　sunshine；　the　lightning；　the　storm。　　The　white　glow　of　that　wonderful　light　that　is　not　like　the　glow　of　the　sun　or　of　the　moon；　but　yet　lighteth　the　world。　　That　strange　light　that　has　a　soul　…　that　reads　our　thoughts；　translates　our　wishes；　overleaps　distance；　carrying　our　whispered　words　after　holding　our　thoughts　for　ages；　and　then　unfoldin'　'em　at　will。　　What　other　wondrous　mysteries　lie　concealed；　wrapped　around　by　that　soft　pure　flame；　mysteries　that　shall　lie　hidden　until　some　inspired　eye　shall　be　waiting；　looking　upward　at　the　moment　when　God's　hand　shall　draw　back　the　shining　veil　for　an　instant；　and　let　him　read　the　glowing　secret。　Secrets　of　language！　shall　some　simple　power；　some　symbol　be　revealed；　and　the　nations　speak　together？　Secrets　of　song！　shall　some　serene；　harmonious　soul　catch　the　note　to　celestial　melodies？　Secrets　of　sight！　shall　the　eyes　too　dim　now；　see　the　faces　of　the　silent　throngs　that　surround　them；　〃the　great　cloud　of　witnesses〃？　Secrets　of　the　green　pathways　that　lead　up　through　the　blue　silent　fields　of　space　…　shall　we　float　from　star　to　star？　Secrets　of　holiness！　shall　earthly　faces　wear　the　pure　light　of　the　immortals？　But　oh！　who　shall　be　the　happy　soul　that　shall　be　listening　when　the　time　has　fully　come　and　He　shall　reveal　His　great　secret？　　The　happy　soul　listening　so　intently　that　it　shall　catch　the　low；　clear　whisper。　Listening；　maybe；　through　the　sweet　twilight　shadows　for　the　wonderful　secret；　while　the　silver　shallop　of　the　moon　is　becalmed　over　the　high　northern　mountains；　as　if