whirligigs-第26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！



over　and　touched　his　hand。　　He　flinched　as　if　something

had　stung　him。



〃Do　you　come　to　me；〃　he　shouted；　〃seriously　with　such

a　ridiculous；　insulting；　darned…fool　proposition？〃



〃It's　fa'r　and　squar'；〃　said　the　squirrel　hunter；　but　he

reached　out　his　hand　as　if　to　take　back　the　money；　and

then　Goree　knew　that　his　own　flurry　of　rage　had　not　been

from　pride　or　resentment；　but　from　anger　at　himself；

knowing　that　he　would　set　foot　in　the　deeper　depths　that

were　being　opened　to　him。　　He　turned　in　an　instant　from

an　outraged　gentleman　to　an　anxious　chafferer　recom…

mending　his　goods。



〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry；　Garvey；〃　he　said；　his　face　crimson

and　his　speech　thick。　　〃I　accept　your　p…p…proposition；

though　it's　dirt　cheap　at　two　hundred。　　A　t…trade's　all

right　when　both　p…purchaser　and　b…buyer　are　s…satisfied。

Shall　I　w…wrap　it　up　for　you；　Mr。　Garvey？〃



Garvey　rose；　and　shook　out　his　broadcloth。　　〃Missis

Garvev　will　be　pleased。　　You　air　out　of　it；　and　it　stands

Coltrane　and　Garvey。　　Just　a　scrap　ov　writin'；　Mr。

Goree；　you　bein'　a　lawyer；　to　show　we　traded。〃



Goree　seized　a　sheet　of　paper　and　a　pen。　　The　money

was　clutched　in　his　moist　hand。　　Everything　else　sud…

denly　seemed　to　grow　trivial　and　light。



〃Bill　of　sale；　by　all　means。　　'Right；　title；　and　interest

in　and　to'　。　。　。　'forever　warrant　and　　'　No；

Garvey；　we'll　have　to　leave　out　that　'defend；'〃　said

Goree　with　a　loud　laugh。　　〃You'll　have　to　defend　this

title　yourself。〃



The　mountaineer　received　the　amazing　screed　that　the

lawyer　handed　him；　folded　it　with　immense　labour；　and

laced　it　carefully　in　his　pocket。



Goree　was　standing　near　the　window。　　〃Step　here；

said；　raising　his　finger；　〃and　I'll　show　you　your　recently

purchased　enemy。　　There　he　goes；　down　the　other　side

of　the　street。〃



The　mountaineer　crooked　his　long　frame　to　look

through　the　window　in　the　direction　indicated　by　the　other。

Colonel　Abner　Coltrane；　an　erect；　portly　gentleman　of

about　fifty；　wearing　the　inevitable　long；　double…breasted

frock　coat　of　the　Southern　lawmaker；　and　an　old　high

silk　hat；　was　passing　on　the　opposite　sidewalk。　　As

Garvey　looked；　Goree　glanced　at　his　face。　　If　there　be

such　a　thing　as　a　yellow　wolf；　here　was　its　counterpart。

Garvey　snarled　as　his　unhuman　eyes　followed　the　moving

figure；　disclosing　long；　amber…coloured　fangs。



〃Is　that　him？　　Why；　that's　the　man　who　sent　me　to

the　penitentiary　once！〃



〃He　used　to　be　district　attorney；〃　said　Goree　care…

lessly。　　〃And；　by　the　way；　he's　a　first…class　shot。〃



〃I　kin　hit　a　squirrel's　eye　at　a　hundred　yard；〃　said

Garvey。　　〃So　that　thar's　Coltrane！　　I　made　a　better

trade　than　I　was　thinkin'。　　I'll　take　keer　ov　this　feud；

Mr。　Goree；　better'n　you　ever　did！〃



He　moved　toward　the　door；　but　lingered　there；　betray…

ing　a　slight　perplexity。



〃Anything　else　to…day？〃　　inquired　Goree　with　frothy

sarcasm。　　〃Any　family　traditions；　ancestral　ghosts；　or

skeletons　in　the　closet？　　Prices　as　low　as　the　lowest。〃



〃Thar　was　another　thing；〃　replied　the　unmoved　squirrel

hunter；　〃that　Missis　Garvey　was　thinkin'　of。　　'Tain't

so　much　in　my　line　as　t'other；　but　she　wanted　partic'lar

that　I　should　inquire；　and　ef　you　was　willin'；　'pay　fur　it；'

she　says；　'fa'r　and　squar'。'　Thar's　a　buryin'　groun'；

as　you　know；　Mr。　Goree；　in　the　yard　of　yo'　old　place；

under　the　cedars。　　Them　that　lies　thar　is　yo'　folks　what

was　killed　by　the　Coltranes。　　The　monyments　has　the

names　on　'em。　　Missis　Garvev　says　a　fam'ly　buryin'

groun'…　is　a　sho'　sign　of　quality。　　She　says　ef　we　git　the

feud　thar's　somethin'　else　ought　to　go　with　it。　　The

names　on　them　moiivments　is　'Goree；'　but　they　can　be

changed　to　ourn　by　　〃



〃Go。　　Go！〃　　screamed　Goree；　his　face　turning　purple。

He　stretched　out　both　hands　toward　the　mountaineer；

his　fingers　hooked　and　shaking。　　〃Go；　you　ghoul！　　Even　a

Ch…Chinaman　protects　the　g…graves　of　his　ancestors　　go！〃



The　squirrel　hunter　slouched　out　of　the　door　to　his

carryall。　　While　he　was　climbing　over　the　wheel　Goree

was　collecting；　with　feverish　celerity；　the　money　that　had

fallen　from　his　hand　to　the　floor。　　As　the　vehicle　slowly

turned　about；　the　sheep；　with　a　coat　of　newly　grown

wool；　was　hurrying；　in　indecent　haste；　along　the　path　to

the　court…house。



At　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　they　brought　him　back

to　his　office；　shorn　and　unconscious。　　The　sheriff；　the

sportive　deputy；　the　county　clerk；　and　the　gay　attorney

carried　him；　the　chalk…faced　man　〃from　the　valley〃

acting　as　escort。



〃On　the　table；〃　said　one　of　them；　and　they　deposited

him　there　among　the　litter　of　his　unprofitable　books　and

papers。



〃Yance　thinks　a　lot　of　a　pair　of　deuces　when　he's

liquored　up；〃　sighed　the　sheriff　reflectively。



〃Too　much；〃　said　the　gay　attorney。　　〃A　man　has　no

business　to　play　poker　who　drinks　as　much　as　he　does。　　I

wonder　how　much　he　dropped　to…night。〃



〃Close　to　two　hundred。　　What　I　wonder　is　whar　he

got　it。　　Yance　ain't　had　a　cent　fur　over　a　month；　I

know。〃



〃Struck　a　client；　maybe。　　Well；　let's　get　home　before

daylight。　　He'll　be　all　right　when　he　wakes　up；　except

for　a　sort　of　beehive　about　the　cranium。〃



The　gang　slipped　away　through　the　early　morning

twilight。　　The　next　eye　to　gaze　upon　the　miserable　Goree

was　the　orb　of　day。　　He　peered　through　the　uncurtained

window；　first　deluging　the　sleeper　in　a　flood　of　faint　gold；

but　soon　pouring　upon　the　mottled　red　of　his　flesh　a

searching；　white；　summer　heat。　　Goree　stirred；　half

unconsciously；　among　the　table's　d閎ris；　and　turned　his

face　from　the　window。　　His　movement　dislodged　a　heavy

law　book；　which　crashed　upon　the　floor。　　Opening　his

eyes；　he　saw；　bending　over　him；　a　man　in　a　black　frock

coat。　　Looking　higher；　he　discovered　a　well…worn　silk

hat；　and　beneath　it　the　kindly；　smooth　face　of　Colonel

Abner　Coltrane。



A　little　uncertain　of　the　outcome；　the　colonel　waited　for

the　other　to　make　some　sign　of　recognition。　　Not　in

twenty　years　had　male　members　of　these　two　families

faced　each　other　in　peace。　　Goree's　eyelids　puckered　as

he　strained　his　blurred　sight　toward　this　visitor；　and　then

he　smiled　serenely。



〃Have　you　brought　Stella　and　Lucy　over　to　play？〃

he　said　calmly。



〃Do　you　know　me；　Yancey？〃　　asked　Coltrane。



〃Of　course　I　do。　　You　brought　me　a　whip　with　a

whistle　in　the　end。〃



So　he　had　　twenty…four　years　ago；　when　Yancey's

father　was　his　best　friend。



Goree's　eyes　wandered　about　the　room。　　The　colonel

understood。　　〃Lie　still；　and　I'll　bring　you　some；〃　said　he。

There　was　a　pump　in　the　yard　at　the　rear；　and　Goree

closed　his　eyes；　listening　with　rapture　to　the　click　of　its

handle；　and　the　bubbling　of　the　falling　stream。　　Col…

trane　brought　a　pitcher　of　the　cool　water；　and　held　it　for

him　to　drink。　　Presently　Goree　sat　up　　a　most　forlorn

object；　his　summer　suit　of　flax　soiled　and　crumpled；　his

discreditable　head　tousled　and　unsteady。　　He　tried　to

wave　one　of　his　hands　toward　the　colonel。



〃Ex…excuse…everything；　will　you？〃　　he　said。　　〃I

must　have　drunk　too　much　whiskey　last　night；　and　gone

to　bed　on　the　table。〃　　His　brows　knitted　into　a　puzzled

frown。



〃Out　with　the　boys　awhile？〃　　asked　Coltrane　kindly。



〃No；　I　went　nowhere。　　I　haven't　had　a　dollar　to　spend

in　the　last　two　months。　　Struck　the　demijohn　too　often。

I　reckon；　as　usual。〃



Colonel　Coltrane　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。



〃A　little　while　ago；　Yancey；〃　he　began；　〃you　asked

me　if　I　had　brought　Stella　and　Lucy　over　to　play。　　You

weren't　quite　awake　then；　and　must　have　been　dreaming

you　were　a　boy　again。　　You　are　awake　now；　and　I　want

you　to　listen　to　me。　　I　have　come　from　Stella　and　Lucy

to　their　old　playmate；　and　to　my　old　friend's　son。　　They

know　that　I　am　going　to　bring　you　home　with　me；　and　you

will　find　them　as　ready　with　a　welcome　as　they　were　in

the　old　days。　　I　want　you　to　come　to　my　house　and　stay

until　you　are　yourself　aain；　and　as　much　longer　as　you

will。　　We　heard　of　your　being　down　in　the　world；　and　in

the　midst　of　temptation；　and　we　agreed　that　you　should

come　over　and　play　at　our　house　once　more。　　Will　you

come；　my　boy？　　Will　you　drop　our　old　family　trouble

and　come　with　me？〃



〃Trouble！〃　　said　Goree；　opening　his　eyes　wide。　　〃There

was　never　any　trouble　between　us　that　I　know　of。　　I'm

sure　we've　always　been　the　best　friends。　　But；　good　Lord；

Colonel；　how　could　I　go　to　your　home　as　I　am　　a

drunken　wretch；　a　miserable；　degraded　spendthrift　and

gambler　　〃



He　lurched　from　the　table　into　his　armchair；　and

began　to　weep　maudlin　tears；　mingled　with　genuine　drops

of　remorse　and　shame。　　Coltrane　talked　to　him　persist…

ently　and　reasonably；　reminding　him　of　the　simple　moun…

tain　pleasures　of　which　he　had　once　been　so　fond；　and

insisting　upon　the　genuineness　of　the　invitation。



Finally　he　landed　Goree　by　telling　him　he　was　counting

upon　his　help　in　the　engineering　and　transportation　of　a

large　amount　of　felled　timber　from　a　high　mountain…side

to　a　waterway。　　He　knew　that　Goree　had　once　invented

a　device　for　this　purpose　　a　series　of　slides　and　chutes…

upon　which　he　had　justly　prided　himself。　　In　an　instant

the　poor　fellow；　delighted　at　the　idea　of　his　being　of　use

to　any　one；　had　paper　spread　upon　the　table；　and　was

drawing　rapid　but　pitifully　shaky　lines　in　demonstration

of　what　he　could　and　would　do。



The　man　was　sickened　of　the　husks；　his　prodigal　heart

was　turning　again　toward　the　mountains。　　His　mind　was

yet　strangely　clogged；　and　his　thoughts　and　memories

were　returning　to　his　brain　one　by　one；　like　carrier　pigeons

over　a　stormy　sea。　　But　Coltrane　was　satisfied　with　the

progress　he　had　made。



Bethel　received　the　surprise　of　its　existence　that　after…

noon　when　a　Coltrane　and　a　Goree　rode　amicably　together

through　the　town。　　Side　by　side　they　rode；　out　from　the

dusty　streets　and　gaping　townspeople；　down　acro