the deliverance-第10部分

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Awed　as　much　by　the　stricken　pallor　of　her　appearance　as　by　the　inappropriate　grandeur　of　her　black　brocade　and　her　thread　lace　cap；　he　advanced　slowly　and　stood　awaiting　his　dismissal。

〃What　door？〃　she　demanded　sharply；　much　to　his　surprise。

〃Yours；　madam。〃

〃Not　answer　your　knock？〃　she　pursued；　with　indignation。　〃So　that　was　the　noise　I　heard；　and　no　wonder　that　you　entered。　Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　the　place？　Where　are　the　servants？〃

He　humbly　replied　that　he　had　seen　none；　to　be　taken　up　with　her　accustomed　quickness　of　touch。

〃Seen　none！　Why；　there　are　three　hundred　of　them；　sir。　Well；　well；　this　is　really　too　much。　I　shall　put　a　butler　over　Boaz　this　very　day。〃

For　an　instant　Carraway　felt　strangely　tempted　to　turn　and　run　as　fast　as　he　could　along　the　sunken　roadremembering；　as　he　struggled　with　the　impulse；　that　he　had　once　been　caught　at　the　age　of　ten　and　whipped　for　stealing　apples。　Recovering　with　an　effort　his　sense　of　dignity；　he　offered　the　suggestion　that　Boaz；　instead　of　being　seriously　in　fault；　might　merely　have　been　engaged　in　useful　occupations　〃somewhere　at　the　back。〃

〃What　on　earth　can　he　have　to　do　at　the　back；　sir？〃　inquired　the　irrepressible　old　lady；　〃but　since　you　were　so　kind　as　to　overlook　our　inhospitable　reception；　will　you　not　be　equally　good　and　tell　me　your　name？〃

〃I　fear　it　won't　enlighten　you　much；〃　replied　the　lawyer　modestly；　〃but　my　name　happens　to　be　Guy　Carraway。〃

〃GuyGuy　Carraway；〃　repeated　Mrs。　Blake；　as　if　weighing　each　separate　letter　in　some　remote　social　scales。　〃　I've　known　many　a　Guy　in　my　dayand　that　part；　at　least；　of　your　name　is　quite　familiar。　There　was　Guy　Nelson；　and　Guy　Blair；　and　Guy　Marshall；　the　greatest　beau　of　his　timebut　I　don't　think　I　ever　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　a　Carraway　before。〃

〃That　is　more　than　probable；　ma'am；　but　I　have　the　advantage　of　you；　since；　as　a　child；　I　was　once　taken　out　upon　the　street　corner　merely　to　see　you　go　by　on　your　way　to　a　fancy　ball；　where　you　appeared　as　Diana。〃

Mrs。　Blake　yielded　gracefully　to　the　skilful　thrust。

〃Ah；　I　was　Lucy　Corbin　then；〃　she　sighed。　〃You　find　few　traces　of　her　in　me　now；　sir。〃

〃Unfortunately；　your　mirror　cannot　speak　for　me。〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃You're　a　flatterera　sad　flatterer；　I　see；〃　she　returned；　a　little　wistfully；　〃but　it　does　no　harm；　as　I　tell　my　son；　to　flatter　the　old。　It　is　well　to　strew　the　passage　to　the　grave　with　flowers。〃

〃How　well　I　remember　that　day；　〃　said　Carraway；　speaking　softly。　〃There　was　a　crowd　about　the　door；　waiting　to　see　you　come　out；　and　a　carpenter　lifted　me　upon　his　shoulder。　Your　hair　was　as　black　as　night；　and　there　was　a　circle　round　your　head。〃

〃A　silver　fillet；〃　she　corrected；　with　a　smile　in　which　there　was　a　gentle　archness。

〃A　fillet；　yes；　and　you　carried　a　bow　and　a　quiver　full　of　arrows。　I　declare；　it　seems　but　yesterday。〃

〃It　was　more　than　fifty　years　ago；〃　murmured　the　old　lady。　Well；　well；　I've　had　my　day；　sir；　and　it　was　a　merry　one。　I　am　almost　seventy　years　old；　I'm　half　dead；　and　stone　blind　into　the　bargain；　but　I　can　say　to　you　that　this　is　a　cheerful　world　in　spite　of　the　darkness　in　which　I　linger　on。　I'd　take　it　over　again　and　gladly　any　daythe　pleasure　and　the　pain；　the　light　and　the　darkness。　Why；　I　sometimes　think　that　my　present　blindness　was　given　me　in　order　that　I　might　view　the　past　more　clearly。　There's　not　a　ball　of　my　youth；　nor　a　face　I　knew；　nor　even　a　dress　I　wore；　that　I　don't　see　more　distinctly　every　day。　The　present　is　a　very　little　part　of　life；　sir；　it's　the　past　in　which　we　store　our　treasures。〃

〃You're　right；　you're　right；〃　replied　Carraway；　drawing　his　chair　nearer　the　embroidered　ottoman　and　leaning　over　to　stroke　the　yellow　cat；　〃and　I'm　glad　to　hear　so　cheerful　a　philosophy　from　your　lips。〃

〃It　is　based　on　a　cheerful　experienceI've　been　as　you　see　me　now　only　twenty　years。〃

Only　twenty　years！　He　looked　mutely　round　the　soiled　whitewashed　walls；　where　hung　a　noble　gathering　of　Blake　portraits　in　massive　old　gilt　frames。　Among　them　he　saw　the　remembered　face　of　Lucy　Corbin　herself；　painted　under　a　rose…garland　held　by　smiling　Loves。

〃Life　has　its　trials；　of　course；　〃　pursued　Mrs。　Blake；　as　if　speaking　to　herself。　〃I　can't　look　out　upon　the　June　flowers；　you　know；　and　though　the　pink　crape…myrtle　at　my　window　is　in　full　bloom　I　cannot　see　it。〃

Following　her　gesture；　Carraway　glanced　out　into　the　little　yard；　no　myrtle　was　there；　but　he　remembered　vaguely　that　he　had　seen　one　in　blossom　at　the　Hall。

〃You　keep　flowers　about　you；　though；〃　he　said；　alluding　to　the　scattered　vases　of　June　roses。

〃Not　my　crape…myrtle。　I　planted　it　myself　when　I　first　came　home　with　Mr。　Blake；　and　I　have　never　allowed　so　much　as　a　spray　of　it　to　be　plucked。〃

Forgetting　his　presence；　she　lapsed　for　a　time　into　one　of　the　pathetic　day…dreams　of　old　age。　Then　recalling　herself　suddenly；　her　tone　took　on　a　sprightliness　like　that　of　youth。

〃It's　not　often　that　we　have　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　a　stranger　in　our　out…of…the…way　house；　sir　so　may　I　ask　where　you　are　stayingor　perhaps　you　will　do　us　the　honour　to　sleep　beneath　our　roof。　It　has　had　the　privilege　of　sheltering　General　Washington。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　replied　Carraway；　with　a　gratitude　that　was　from　his　heart；　〃but　to　tell　the　truth；　I　feel　that　I　am　sailing　under　false　colours。　The　real　object　of　my　visit　is　to　ask　a　business　interview　with　your　son。　I　bring　what　seems　to　me　a　very　fair　offer　for　the　place。〃

Grasping　the　carved　arms　of　her　chair；　Mrs。　Blake　turned　the　wonder　in　her　blind　eyes　upon　him。

〃An　offer　for　the　place！　Why；　you　must　be　dreaming；　sir！　A　Blake　owned　it　more　than　a　hundred　years　before　the　Revolution。〃

At　the　instant；　understanding　broke　upon　Carraway　like　a　thundercloud；　and　as　he　rose　from　his　seat　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　missed　by　a　single　step　the　yawning　gulf　before　him。　Blind　terror　gripped　him　for　the　moment；　and　when　his　brain　steadied　he　looked　up　to　meet；　from　the　threshold　of　the　adjoining　room；　the　enraged　flash　of　Christopher's　eyes。　So　tempestuous　was　the　glance　that　Carraway；　impulsively　falling　back；　squared　himself　to　receive　a　physical　blow；　but　the　young　man；　without　so　much　as　the　expected　oath；　came　in　quietly　and　took　his　stand　behind　the　Elizabethan　chair。

〃Why；　what　a　joke；　mother；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃he　means　the　old　Weatherby　farm；　of　course。　The　one　I　wanted　to　sell　last　year；　you　know。〃

〃I　thought　you'd　sold　it　to　the　Weatherbys；　Christopher。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　itthey　backed　out　at　the　last；　but　don't　begin　to　bother　your　head　about　such　things；　they　aren't　worth　it。　And　now；　sir；〃　he　turned　upon　Carraway；　〃since　your　business　is　with　me；　perhaps　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　step　outside。〃

With　the　feeling　that　he　was　asked　out　for　a　beating；　Carraway　turned　for　a　farewell　with　Mrs。　Blake；　but　the　imperious　old　lady　was　not　to　be　so　lightly　defrauded　of　a　listener。

〃Business　may　come　later；　my　son；〃　she　said；　detaining　them　by　a　gesture　of　her　heavily　ringed　hand。　〃After　dinner　you　may　take　Mr。　Carraway　with　you　into　the　library　and　discuss　your　affairs　over　a　bottle　of　burgundy；　as　was　your　grandfather's　custom　before　you；　meanwhile；　he　and　I　will　resume　our　very　pleasant　talk　which　you　interrupted。　He　remembers　seeing　me　in　the　old　days　when　we　were　all　in　the　United　States；　my　dear。〃

Christopher's　brow　grew　black；　and　he　threw　a　sharp　and　malignant　glance　of　sullen　suspicion　at　Carraway；　who　summoned　to　meet　it　his　most　frank　and　open　look。

〃I　saw　your　mother　in　the　height　of　her　fame；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃so　I　may　count　myself　one　of　her　oldest　admirers；　I　believe。　You　may　assure　yourself；〃　he　added　softly；　〃that　I　have　her　welfare　very　decidedly　at　heart。〃

At　this　Christopher　smiled　back　at　him；　and　there　was　something　of　the　June　brightness　in　his　look。

〃Well；　take　care；　sir；〃　he　answered；　and　went　out；　closing　the　door　carefully　behind　him；　while　Carraway　applied　himself　to　a　determined　entertaining　of　Mrs。　Blake。

To　accomplish　this　he　found　that　he　had　only　to　leave　her　free；　guiding　her　thoughts　with　his　lightest　touch　into　newer　channels。　The　talk　had　grown　merrier　now；　and　he　soon　discovered　that　she　possessed　a　sharpened　wit　as　well　as　a　ready　tongue。　From　subject　to　subject　she　passed　with　amazing　swiftness；　bearing　down　upon　her　favourite　themes　with　the　delightful　audacity　of　the　talker　who　is　born；　not　made。　She　spoke　of　her　own　youth；　of　historic　flirtations　in　the　early　twenties；　of　great　beaux　she　had　known；　and　of　famous　recipes　that　had　been　handed　down　for　generations。　Everywhere　he　felt　her　wonderful　keenness　of　perception；　that　intuitive　understanding　of　men　and　manners　which　had　kept　her　for　so　long　the　reigning　belle　among　her　younger　rivals。

As　she　went　on　he　found　that　her　world　was　as　different　from　his　own　as　if　she　dwelt　upon　some　undiscovered　planeta　world　peopled　with　shades　and　governed　by　an　ideal　group　of　abstract　laws。　She　lived　upon　lies；　he　saw；　and　thrived　upon　the　sweetness　she　extracted　from　them。　For　her　the　Confederacy　had　never　fallen；　the　quiet　of　her　dreamland　had　been　disturbed　by　no　invading　army；　and　the　three　hundred　slaves；　who　had　in　reality　scattered　like　chaff　before　the　wind；　she　still　saw　in　her　cheerful　visions　tilling　her　familiar　fields。　It　was　as　if　she　had　fallen　asleep　with　the　great　blow　that　bad　wrecked　her　body；　and　had　dreamed　on　steadily　throughout　the　years。　Of　real　changes　she　was　as　ignorant　as　a　new…born　child。　Events　had　shaken　the　world　to　its　centre；　and　she；　by　her　obscure　hearth；　had　not　felt　so　much　as　a　sympathetic　tremor。　In　her　memory　there　was　no　Appomattox；　news　of　the　death　of　Lincoln　had　never　reached　her　ears；　and　president　had　peacefully　succeeded　president　in　the　secure　Confederacy　in　which　she　lived。　Wonderful　as　it　all　was；　to　Carraway　the　most　wonderful　thing　was　the　intricate　tissue　of　lies　woven　around　her　chair。　Liesliesthere　had　been　nothing　but　lies　spoken　within　her　hearing　for　twenty　years。



CHAPTER　VII。　In　Which　a　Stand　is　Made

Dim　wonder　was　still　upon　him　when　Docia　appeared　bearing　her　mistress's　dinner…tray；　and　a　moment　later　Cynthia　came　in　and　paused　uncertainly　near　the　threshold。

〃Do　you　wish　anything；　mot