whirligigs-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



cream；　and　surrounded　by　stacks　of　empty　ones；　scraped

to　the　last　spoonful。



〃Ladies；〃　said　the　captain　to　his　weeping　circle　of

prisoner　〃I'll　not　hold　any　of　yez。　　Some　of　yez　I　recog…

nize　as　having　fine　houses　and　good　standing　in　the

community；　with　hard…working　husbands　and　childer

at　home。　　But　I'll　read　ye　a　bit　of　a　lecture　before　ye　go。

In　the　next　room　there's　a　20…to…1　shot　just　dropped　in

under　the　wire　three　lengths　ahead　of　the　field。　　Is　this

the　way　ye　waste　your　husbands'　money　instead　of　help…

ing　earn　it？　　Home　wid　yez！　　The　lid's　on　the　ice…cream

freezer　in　this　precinct。〃



Claude　Turpin's　wife　was　among　the　patrons　of　the

raided　room。　　He　led　her　to　their　apartment　in　stem

silence。　　There　she　wept　so　remorsefully　and　besought

his　forgiveness　so　pleadingly　that　he　forgot　his　just　anger；

and　soon　he　gathered　his　penitent　golden…haired　Vivien

in　his　arms　and　forgave　her。



〃Darling；〃　she　murmured；　half　sobbingly；　as　the　moon…

light　drifted　through　the　open　window；　glorifying　her

sweet；　upturned　face；　〃I　know　I　done　wrong。　　I　will

never　touch　ice　cream　again。　　I　forgot　you　were　not

a　millionaire。　　I　used　to　go　there　every　day。　　But　to…day

I　felt　some　strange；　sad　presentiment　of　evil；　and　I　was

not　myself。　　I　ate　only　eleven　saucers。〃



〃Say　no　more；〃　said　Claude；　gently　as　he　fondly

caressed　her　waving　curls。



〃And　you　are　sure　that　you　fully　forgive　me？〃　　asked

Vivien；　gazing　at　him　entreatingly　with　dewy　eyes　of

heavenly　blue。



〃Almost　sure；　little　one；〃　answered　Claude；　stooping

and　lightly　touching　her　snowy　forehead　with　his　lips。

〃I'll　let　you　know　later　on。　　I've　got　a　month's　salary

down　on　Vanilla　to　win　the　three…year…old　steeplechase

to…morrow；　and　if　the　ice…cream　hunch　is　to　the　good

you　are　It　again　　see？〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　WHIRLIGIG　OF　LIFE



JUSTICE…OF…THE…PEACE　Benaja　Widdup　sat　in

the　door　of　his　office　smoking　his　elder…stem　pipe。　　Half…

way　to　the　zenith　the　Cumberland　range　rose　blue…gray

in　the　afternoon　haze。　　A　speckled　hen　swaggered　down

the　main　street　of　the　〃settlement；〃　cackling　foolishly。



Up　the　road　came　a　sound　of　creaking　axles；　and　then

a　slow　cloud　of　dust；　and　then　a　bull…cart　bearing　Ransie

Bilbro　and　his　wife。　　The　cart　stopped　at　the　Justice's

door；　and　the　two　climbed　down。　　Ransie　was　a　narrow

six　feet　of　sallow　brown　skin　and　yellow　hair。　　The

imperturbability　of　the　mountains　hung　upon　him　like

a　suit　of　armour。　　The　woman　was　calicoed；　angled；

snuff…brushed；　and　weary　with　unknown　desires。　　Through

it　all　gleamed　a　faint　protest　of　cheated　youth　unconscious

of　its　loss。



The　Justice　of　the　Peace　slipped　his　feet　into　his　shoes；

for　the　sake　of　dignity；　and　moved　to　let　them　enter。



〃We…all；〃　said　the　woman；　in　a　voice　like　the　wind

blowing　through　pine　boughs；　〃wants　a　divo'ce。〃　　She

looked　at　Ransie　to　see　if　he　noted　any　flaw　or　ambiguity

or　evasion　or　partiality　or　self…partisanship　in　her　state…

ment　of　their　business。



〃A　divo'ce；〃　repeated　Ransie；　with　a　solemn　Dod。

〃We…all　can't　git　along　together　nohow。　　It's　lonesome

enough　fur　to　live　in　the　mount'ins　when　a　man　and　a

woman　keers　fur　one　another。　　But　when　she's　a…spittin'

like　a　wildcat　or　a…sullenin'　like　a　hoot…owl　in　the　cabin；

a　man　ain't　got　no　call　to　live　with　her。〃



〃When　he's　a　no…'count　varmint；〃　said　the　woman；

〃without　any　especial　warmth；　a…traipsin'　along　of

scalawags　and　moonshiners　and　a…layin'　on　his　back

pizen　'ith　co'n　whiskey；　and　a…pesterin'　folks　with　a　pack

o'　hungry；　triflin'　houn's　to　feed！〃



〃When　she　keeps　a…throwin'　skillet　lids；〃　came　Ransie's

antiphony；　〃and　slings　b'ilin'　water　on　the　best　coon…dog

in　the　Cumberlands；　and　sets　herself　agin'　cookin'　a　man's

victuals；　and　keeps　him　awake　o'　nights　accusin'　him

of　a　sight　of　doin's！〃



〃When　he's　al'ays　a…fightin'　the　revenues；　and　gits　a

hard　name　in　the　mount'ins　fur　a　mean　man；　who's

gwine　to　be　able　fur　to　sleep　o'　nights？〃



The　Justice　of　the　Peace　stirred　deliberately　to　his

duties。　　He　placed　his　one　chair　and　a　wooden　stool

for　his　petitioners。　　He　opened　his　book　of　statutes　on

the　table　and　scanned　the　index。　　Presently　he　wiped　his

spectacles　and　shifted　his　inkstand。



〃The　law　and　the　statutes；〃　said　he；　〃air　silent　on　the

subjeck　of　divo'ce　as　fur　as　the　jurisdiction　of　this　co't

air　concerned。　　But；　accordin'　to　equity　and　the　Con…

stitution　and　the　golden　rule；　it's　a　bad　barg'in　that　can't

run　both　ways。　　If　a　justice　of　the　peace　can　marry　a

couple；　it's　plain　that　he　is　bound　to　be　able　to　divo'ce

'em。　　This　here　office　will　issue　a　decree　of　divo'ce

and　abide　by　the　decision　of　the　Supreme　Co't　to　hold　it

good。〃



Ransie　Bilbro　drew　a　small　tobacco…bag　from　his

trousers　pocket。　　Out　of　this　he　shook　upon　the　table

a　five…dollar　note。　　〃Sold　a　b'arskin　and　two　foxes　fur

that；〃　he　remarked。　　〃It's　all　the　money　we　got。〃



〃The　regular　price　of　a　divo'ce　in　this　co't；〃　said　the

Justice；　〃air　five　dollars。〃　　He　stuffed　the　bill　into　the

pocket　of　his　homespun　vest　with　a　deceptive　air　of　indiffer…

ence。　　With　much　bodily　toil　and　mental　travail　he　wrote

the　decree　upon　half　a　sheet　of　foolscap；　and　then　copied

it　upon　the　other。　　Ransie　Bilbro　and　his　wife　listened　to　his

reading　of　the　document　that　was　to　give　them　freedom：



〃Know　all　men　by　these　presents　that　Ransie　Bilbro

and　his　wife；　Ariela　Bilbro；　this　day　personally　appeared

before　me　and　promises　that　hereinafter　they　will　neither

love；　honour；　nor　obey　each　other；　neither　for　better　nor

worse；　being　of　sound　mind　and　body；　and　accept　summons

for　divorce　according　to　the　peace　and　dignity　of　the　State。

Herein　fail　not；　so　help　you　God。　　Benaja　Widdup；　

justice　of　the　peace　in　and　for　the　county　of　Piedmont；

State　of　Tennessee。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The　Justice　was　about　to　hand　one　of　the　documents

to　Ransie。　　The　voice　of　Ariela　delayed　the　transfer。

Both　men　looked　at　her。　　Their　dull　masculinity　was

confronted　by　something　sudden　and　unexpected　in　the

woman。



〃Judge；　don't　you　give　him　that　air　paper　yit。　　'Tain't

all　settled；　nohow。　　I　got　to　have　my　rights　first。　　I

got　to　have　my　ali…money。　　'Tain't　no　kind　of　a　way　to　do

fur　a　man　to　divo'ce　his　wife　'thout　her　havin'　a　cent　fur

to　do　with。　　I'm　a…layin'　off　to　be　a…goin'　up　to　brother

Ed's　up　on　Hogback　Mount'in。　　I'm　bound　fur　to　hev

a　pa'r　of　shoes　and　some　snuff　and　things　besides。　　Ef

Rance　kin　affo'd　a　divo'ce；　let　him　pay　me　ali…money。〃



Ransie　Bilbro　was　stricken　to　dumb　perplexity。　　There

had　been　no　previous　hint　of　alimony。　　Women　were

always　bringing　up　startling　and　unlooked…for　issues。



Justice　Benaja　Widdup　felt　that　the　point　demanded

judicial　decision。　　The　authorities　were　also　silent　on　the

subject　of　alimony。　　But　the　woman's　feet　were　bare。

The　trail　to　Hogback　Mountain　was　steep　and　flinty。



〃Ariela　Bilbro；〃　he　asked；　in　official　tones；　〃how

much　did　you　'low　would　be　good　and　sufficient　ali…money

in　the　case　befo'　the　co't。〃



〃I　'lowed；〃　she　answered；　〃fur　the　shoes　and　all；　to

say　five　dollars。　　That　ain't　much　fur　ali…money；　but

I　reckon　that'll　git　me　to　up　brother　Ed's。〃



〃The　amount；〃　said　the　Justice；　〃air　not　onreasonable。

Ransie　Bilbro；　you　air　ordered　by　the　co't　to　pay　the　plain…

tiff　the　sum　of　five　dollars　befo'　the　decree　of　divo'ce　air

issued。〃



〃I　hain't　no　mo'　money；〃　breathed　Ransie；　heavily。

〃I　done　paid　you　all　I　had。〃



〃Otherwise；〃　said　the　Justice；　looking　severely　over

his　spectacles；　〃you　air　in　contempt　of　co't。〃



〃I　reckon　if　you　gimme　till　to…morrow；〃　pleaded　the

husband；　〃I　mout　be　able　to　rake　or　scrape　it　up

somewhars。　　I　never　looked　for　to　be　a…payin'　no　ali…

money。〃



〃The　case　air　adjourned；〃　said　Benaja　Widdup；　〃till

to…morrow；　when　you…all　will　present　yo'selves　and　obey

the　order　of　the　co't。　　Followin'　of　which　the　decrees

of　divo'ce　will　be　delivered。〃　　He　sat　down　in　the　door

and　began　to　loosen　a　shoestring。



〃We　mout　as　well　go　down　to　Uncle　Ziah's；〃　decided

Ransie；　〃and　spend　the　night。〃　　He　climbed　into　the

cart　on　one　side；　and　Ariela　climbed　in　on　the　other。

Obeying　the　flap　of　his　rope；　the　little　red　bull　slowly

came　around　on　a　tack；　and　the　cart　crawled　away　in　the

nimbus　arising　from　its　wheels。



Justice…of…the…peace　Benaja　Widdup　smoked　his　elder…

stem　pipe。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　he　got　his　weekly　paper；

and　read　it　until　the　twilight　dimmed　its　lines。　　Then

he　lit　the　tallow　candle　on　his　table；　and　read　until　the

moon　rose；　marking　the　time　for　supper。　　He　lived　in

the　double　log　cabin　on　the　slope　near　the　girdled　poplar。

Going　home　to　supper　he　crossed　a　little　branch　darkened

by　a　laurel　thicket。　　The　dark　figure　of　a　man　stepped

from　the　laurels　and　pointed　a　rifle　at　his　breast。　　His

hat　was　pulled　down　low；　and　something　covered　most　of

his　face。



〃I　want　yo'　money；〃　said　the　figure；　〃'thout　any　talk。

I'm　gettin'　nervous；　and　my　finger's　a…wabblin'　on　this

here　trigger。〃



〃I've　only　got　f…f…five　dollars；〃　said　the　Justice；　pro…

ducing　it　from　his　vest　pocket。



〃Roll　it　up；〃　came　the　order；　〃and　stick　it　in　the　end

of　this　here　gun…bar'l。〃



The　bill　was　crisp　and　new。　　Even　fingers　that　were

clumsy　and　trembling　found　little　difficulty　in　making

a　spill　of　it　and　inserting　it　（this　with　less　ease）　into　the

muzzle　of　the　rifle。



〃Now　I　reckon　you　kin　be　goin'　along；〃　said　the　robber。



The　Justice　lingered　not　on　his　way。



The　next　day　came　the　little　red　bull；　drawing　the　cart

to　the　office　door。　　Justice　Benaja　Widdup　had　his　shoes

on；　for　he　was　expecting　the　visit。　　In　his　presence　Ransie

Bilbro　handed　to　his　wife　a　five…dollar　bill。　　The　official's

eye　sharply　viewed　it。　　It　seemed　to　curl　up　as　though　it

had　been　rolled　and　inserted　into　the　end　o