the path of the king-第40部分

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white　and　purposeful；　but　the　environs　were　changing。　。　。　。　　She　was　puzzled；　but　with　a　pleasant　confusion。　Her　mind　was　not　on　the　landscape；　but　on　the　people；　for　she　was　assured　that　others　would　soon　appear　on　the　enchanted　stage。

He　ran　across　the　road；　shouting　with　joy；　a　dog　at　his　heels　and　a　bow　in　his　hand。　Before　he　disappeared　she　marked　the　ring；　this　time　on　his　finger。　。　。　。　　He　had　scarcely　gone　ere　another　appeared　on　the　road；　a　slim　pale　child；　dressed　in　some　stuff　that　gleamed　like　satin；　and　mounted　on　a　pony。　。　。　。　The　spectacle　delighted　her；　for　it　brought　her　in　mind　of　the　princes　she　had　been　told　of　in　fairytales。　And　there　was　the　ring；　worn　over　a　saffron　riding　glove。　。　。　。

A　sudden　weakness　made　her　swoon；　and　out　of　it　she　woke　to　a　consciousness　of　the　hut　where　she　lay。　She　had　thought　she　was　dead　and　in　heaven　among　fair　children；　and　the　waking　made　her　long　for　her　own　child。　Surely　that　was　Abe　in　the　doorway。　。　。　。　　No；　it　was　a　taller　and　older　lad；　oddly　dressed；　but　he　had　a　look　of　Abesomething　in　his　eyes。　He　was　on　the　road　too；　and　marching　purposefullyand　he　had　the　ring。　Even　in　her　mortal　frailty　she　had　a　quickening　of　the　heart。　These　strange　people　had　something　to　do　with　her；　something　to　tell　her；　and　that　something　was　about　her　son。　。　。　。

There　was　a　new　boy　in　the　picture。　A　dejected　child　who　rubbed　the　ring　on　his　small　breeches　and　played　with　it；　looking　up　now　and　then　with　a　frightened　start。　The　woman's　heart　ached　for　him；　for　she　knew　her　own　life…long　malady。　He　was　hungry　for　something　which　he　had　small　hope　of　finding。　。　。　。　And　then　a　wind　seemed　to　blow　out…of…doors　and　the　world　darkened　down　to　evening。　But　her　eyes　pierced　the　gloaming　easily；　and　she　saw　very　plain　the　figure　of　a　man。

He　was　sitting　hunched　up；　with　his　chin　in　his　hands；　gazing　into　vacancy。　Without　surprise　she　recognised　something　in　his　face　that　was　her　own。　He　wore　the　kind　of　hunter's　clothes　that　old　folk　had　worn　in　her　childhood；　and　a　long　gun　lay　across　his　knees。　His　air　was　sombre　and　wistful；　and　yet　with　a　kind　of　noble　content　in　it。　He　had　Abe's　puckered…up　lips　and　Abe's　steady　sad　eyes。　。　。　。　　Into　her　memory　came　a　verse　of　the　Scriptures　which　had　always　fascinated　her。　〃These　all　died　in　faith；　not　having　received　the　promises；　but　having　seen　them　afar　off；　and　were　persuaded　of　them；　and　embraced　them；　and　confessed　that　they　were　strangers　and　pilgrims　upon　the　earth　〃

She　saw　it　all　in　a　flash　of　enlightenment。　These　seekers　throughout　the　ages　had　been　looking　for　something　and　had　not　found　it。　But　Abe；　her　son；　was　to　find　it。　That　was　why　she　had　been　shown　those　pictures。

Once　again　she　looked　through　the　door　into　bright　sunshine。　It　was　a　place　that　she　knew　beside　the　Ohio　she　remembered　the　tall　poplar　clump。　She　did　not　see　the　Jacksons'　farm　which　stood　south　of　the　trees；　but　there　was　the　Indian　graveyard；　which　as　a　little　girl　she　had　been　afraid　to　pass。　Now　it　seemed　to　be　fresh　made；　for　painted　vermilion　wands　stood　about　the　mounds。　On　one　of　them　was　a　gold　trinket；　tied　by　a　loop　of　hide；　rattled　in　the　wind。　It　was　her　ring。　The　seeker　lay　buried　there　with　the　talisman　above　him。

She　was　awake　now；　oblivious　of　the　swift　sinking　of　her　vital　energy。　She　must　have　the　ring；　for　it　was　the　pledge　of　a　great　glory。　。　。　。

A　breathless　little　girl　flung　herself　into　the　cabin。　It　was　Sophy　Hanks；　one　of　the　many　nieces　who　squattered　like　ducks　about　the　settlement。

〃Mammy！〃　she　cried　shrilly。　〃Mammy　Linkorn！〃　She　stammered　with　the　excitement　of　the　bearer　of　ill　news。　〃Abe's　lost　your　ring　in　the　crick。　He　took　it　for　a　sinker　to　his　lines；　for　Indian　Jake　telled　him　a　piece　of　gold　would　cotch　the　grit　fish。　And　a　grit　fish　has　cotched　it。　Abe's　bin　divn'　and　divn'　and　can't　find　it　nohow。　He　reckons　it's　plumb　Ain't　he　a　bad　'un；　Mammy　Linkhorn？〃

It　was　some　time　before　the　dying　woman　understood。　Then　she　began　feebly　to　cry。　For　the　moment　her　ring　loomed　large　in　her　eyes：　it　was　the　earnest　of　the　promise；　and　without　it　the　promise　might　fail。　She　had　not　strength　to　speak　or　even　to　sob；　and　the　tears　trickled　over　her　cheeks　in　dumb　impotent　misery。

She　was　roused　by　the　culprit　Abe。　He　stood　beside　her　with　his　wet　hair　streaked　into　a　fringe　along　his　brow。　The　skin　of　his　neck　glistened　wet　in　the　opening　of　his　shirt。　His　cheeks　too　glistened；　but　not　with　the　water　of　the　creek。　He　was　crying　bitterly。

He　had　no　words　of　explanation　or　defence。　His　thick　underlip　stuck　out　and　gave　him　the　appeal　of　a　penitent　dog；　the　tears　had　furrowed　paler　channels　down　grimy　cheeks；　he　was　the　very　incarnation　of　uncouth　misery。

But　his　mother　saw　none　of　these　things。　。　。　。　　On　the　instant　he　seemed　to　her　transfigured。　Something　she　saw　in　him　of　all　the　generations　of　pleading　boys　that　had　passed　before　her；　something　of　the　stern　confidence　of　the　man　over　whose　grave　the　ring　had　fluttered。　But　morefar　more。　She　was　assured　that　the　day　of　the　seekers　had　passed　and　that　the　finder　had　come。　。　。　。　　The　young　features　were　transformed　into　the　lines　of　a　man's　strength。　The　eyes　dreamed　but　also　commanded；　the　loose　mouth　had　the　gold　of　wisdom　and　the　steel　of　resolution。　The　promise　had　not　failed　her。　。　。　。　　She　had　won　everything　from　life；　for　she　had　given　the　world　a　master。　Words　seemed　to　speak　themselves　in　her　ear　。　。　。　〃Bethink　you　of　the　blessedness。　Every　wife　is　like　the　Mother　of　God　and　has　the　hope　of　bearing　a　saviour　of　mankind。〃

She　lay　very　still　in　her　great　joy。　The　boy　in　a　fright　sprang　to　her　side；　knocking　over　the　stool　with　the　pannikin　of　water。　He　knelt　on　the　floor　and　hid　his　face　in　the　bed…clothes。　Her　hand　found　his　shaggy　head。

Her　voice　was　very　faint　now；　but　he　heard　it。

〃Don't　cry；　little　Abe；〃　she　said。　〃Don't　you　worry　about　the　ring；　dearie。　It　ain't　needed　no　more。

Half　an　hour　later；　when　the　cabin　door　was　dim　with　twilight；　the　hand　which　the　boy　held　grew　cold。


CHAPTER　14。　THE　END　OF　THE　ROAD

When　Edward　M。　Stanton　was　associated　at　Cincinnati　in　1857　with　Abraham　Lincoln　in　the　great　McCormick　Reaper　patent　suit；　it　was　commonly　assumed　that　this　was　the　first　time　the　two　men　had　met。　Such　was　Lincoln's　view；　for　his　memory　was　apt　to　have　blind　patches　in　it。　But　in　fact　there　had　been　a　meeting　fifteen　years　before；　the　recollection　of　which　in　Stanton's　mind　had　been　so　overlaid　by　the　accumulations　of　a　busy　life　that　it　did　not　awake　till　after　the　President's　death。

In　the　early　fall　of　1842　Stanton　had　occasion　to　visit　Illinois。　He　was　then　twenty…five　years　of　age；　and　had　already　attained　the　position　of　leading　lawyer　in　his　native　town　of　Steubenville　in　Ohio　and　acted　as　reporter　of　the　Supreme　Court　of　that　State。　He　was　a　solemn　reserved　young　man；　with　a　square　fleshy　face　and　a　strong　ill…tempered　jaw。　His　tight　lips　curved　downwards　at　the　corners　and；　combined　with　his　bold　eyes；　gave　him　an　air　of　peculiar　shrewdness　and　purpose。　He　did　not　forget　that　he　came　of　good　professional　stockNew　England　on　one　side　and　Virginia　on　the　otherand　that　he　was　college…bred；　unlike　the　common　backwoods　attorney。　Also　he　was　resolved　on　a　great　career；　with　the　White　House　at　the　end　of　it；　and　was　ready　to　compel　all　whom　he　met　to　admit　the　justice　of　his　ambition　The　conscious　of　uncommon　talent　and　a　shining　future　gave　him　a　self…possession　rare　in　a　young　man；　and　a　complacence　not　unlike　arrogance。　His　dress　suited　his　pretensionsthe　soft　rich　broadcloth　which　tailors　called　doeskin；　and　linen　of　a　fineness　rare　outside　the　eastern　cities。　He　was　not　popular　in　Ohio；　but　he　was　respected　for　his　sharp　tongue；　subtle　brain；　and　intractable　honesty。

His　business　finished；　he　had　the　task　of　filling　up　the　evening；　for　he　could　not　leave　for　home　till　the　morrow。　His　host；　Mr。　George　Curtin；　was　a　little　shy　of　his　guest　and　longed　profoundly　to　see　the　last　of　him。　It　was　obvious　that　this　alert　lawyer　regarded　the　Springfield　folk　as　mossbackswhich　might　be　well　enough　for　St。　Louis　and　Chicago；　but　was　scarcely　becoming　in　a　man　from　Steubenville。　Another　kind　of　visitor　he　might　have　taken　to　a　chickenfight；　but　one　glance　at　Stanton　barred　that　solution。　So　he　compromised　on　Speed's　store。

〃There's　one　or　two　prominent　citizens　gathered　there　most　nights；〃　he　explained。　〃Like　as　not　we'll　find　Mr。　Lincoln。　I　reckon　you've　heard　of　Abe　Lincoln？〃

Mr。　Stanton　had　not。　He　denied　the　imputation　as　if　he　were　annoyed。

〃Well；　we　think　a　mighty　lot　of　him　round　here。　He's　Judge　Logan's　law　partner　and　considered　one　of　the　brightest　in　Illinois。　He's　been　returned　to　the　State　Legislature　two　or　three　times；　and　he's　a　dandy　on　the　stump。　A　hot　Whig　and　none　the　worse　of　that；　though　I　reckon　them's　not　your　politics。　。　。　。　We're　kind　of　proud　of　him　in　Sangamon　county。　No；　not　a　native。　Rode　into　the　town　one　day　five　years　back　from　New　Salem　with　all　his　belongings　in　a　saddle…bag；　and　started　business　next　morning　in　Joe　Speed's　back　room。　。　。　。　　He's　good　company；　Abe；　for　you　never　heard　a　better　man　to　tell　a　story。　You'd　die　of　laughing。　Though　I　did　hear　he　was　a　sad　man　just　now　along　of　being　crossed　in　love；　so　I　can't　promise　you　he'll　be　up　to　his　usual；　if　he's　at　Speed's　to…night。〃

〃I　suppose　the　requirements　for　a　western　lawyer；〃　said　Mr。　Stanton　acidly；　〃are　a　gift　of　buffoonery　and　a　reputation　for　gallantry。〃　He　was　intensely　bored；　and　had　small　desire　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　provincial　celebrities。

Mr。　Curtin　was　offended；　but　could　think　of　no　suitable　retort；　and　as　they　were　close　on　Speed's　store　he　swallowed　his　wrath　and　led　the　way　through　alleys　of　piled　merchandise　to　the　big　room　where　the　stove　was　lighted。

It　was　a　chilly　fall　night　and　the　fire　was　welcome。　Half　a　dozen　men　sat　smoking　round　it；　with　rummers　of　reeking　toddy　at　their　elbows。　They　were　ordinary　citizens　of　the　place；　and　they　talked　of　the　last　horseraces。　As　the　new…comers　entered　they　were　appealing　to　a　figure　perched　on　a　high　barrel　to　decide　some　point　in　dispute。

This　figure　climbed　down　from　its　perch；　as　they　entered；　with　a　sort　of　awkward　courtesy。　It　was　a　very　tall　man；　thin　alm