the deliverance-第13部分

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　along　one　of　the　overturned　slabs；　and　at　his　entrance　a　rabbit　had　started　from　the　ivy　on　his　father's　grave。　To　climb　the　overgrown　wall　and　lie　upon　the　periwinkle　was　like　entering；　for　a　time；　the　world　of　shadesa　world　far　removed　from　the　sunny　meadow　and　the　low　green　hill。

With　his　head　pillowed　upon　his　father's　grave；　Christopher　stretched　himself　at　full　length　on　the　ground　and　stared　straight　upward　at　the　darkbrowed　cedars。　It　was　such　an　hour　as　he　allowed　himself　at　long　intervals　when　his　inheritance　was　heavy　upon　him　and　his　disordered　mind　needed　to　retreat　into　a　city　of　refuge。　As　a　child　he　had　often　come　to　this　same　spot　to　dream　hopefully　of　the　future；　unboylike　dreams　in　which　the　spirit　of　revenge　wore　the　face　of　happiness。　Then；　with　the　inconsequence　of　childhood；　he　had　pictured　Fletcher　gasping　beneath　his　feettrampled　out　like　a　worm；　when　he　was　big　enough　to　take　his　vengeance　and　come　again　into　his　own。　Mere　physical　strength　seemed　to　him　at　that　age　the　sole　thing　neededhe　wanted　then　only　the　brawny　arm　and　the　heart　bound　by　triple　brass。

Now；　as　he　stretched　out　his　square；　sunburned　hand；　with　its　misshapen　nails；　he　laughed　aloud　at　the　absurdity　of　those　blunted　hopes。　To…day　he　stood　six　feet　three　inches　from　the　ground；　with　muscles　hard　as　steel　and　a　chest　that　rang　sound　as　a　bell；　yet　how　much　nearer　his　purpose　had　he　been　as　a　little　child！　He　remembered　the　day　that　he　had　hidden　in　the　bushes　with　his　squirrel　gun　and　waited　with　fluttering　breath　for　the　sound　of　Fletcher's　footsteps　along　the　road。　On　that　day　it　had　seemed　to　him　that　the　hand　of　the　Lord　was　in　his　own　Godlike　vengeance　nerving　his　little　wrist。　He　had　meant　to　shootfor　that　he　had　saved　every　stray　penny　from　his　sales　of　hogs　and　cider；　of　watermelons　and　chinkapins；　for　that　he　had　bought　the　gun　and　rammed　the　powder　home。　Even　when　the　thud　of　footsteps　beat　down　the　sunny　road　strewn　with　brown　honeyshucks；　he　had　felt　neither　fear　nor　hesitation　as　he　crouched　amid　the　underbrush。　Rather　there　was　a　rare　exhilaration；　warm　blood　in　his　brain　and　a　sharp　taste　in　his　mouth　like　that　of　unripe　fruitas　if　he　had　gorged　himself　upon　the　fallen　honeyshucks。　It　was　the　happiest　moment　of　his　life；　he　knew；　the　one　moment　when　he　seemed　to　measure　himself　inch　by　inch　with　fate；　and　like　all　such　supreme　instants；　it　fell　suddenly　flat　among　the　passing　hours。　For　even　as　the　gun　was　lifted；　at　the　very　second　that　Fletcher's　heavy　body　swung　into　view；　he　heard　a　crackling　in　the　dead　bushes　at　his　back；　and　Uncle　Boaz　struck　up　his　arm　with　a　palsied　hand。

〃Gawd　alive；　honey；　you　don'　wanter　be　tucken　out　an'　hunged？〃　the　old　man　cried　in　terror。

The　boy　rose　in　a　passion　and　flung　his　useless　gun　aside。　〃Oh；　you've　spoiled　it！　you've　spoiled　it！〃　he　sobbed；　and　shed　bitter　tears　upon　the　ground。

To　this　hour；　lying　on　his　father's　grave；　he　knew　that　he　regretted　that　wasted　powderthat　will　to　slay　which　had　blazed　up　and　died　down　so　soon。　Strangely　enough；　it　soothed　him　now　to　remember　how　near　to　murder　he　had　been；　and　as　he　drank　the　summer　air　in　deep　drafts　he　felt　the　old　desire　rekindle　from　its　embers。　While　he　lived　it　was　still　possiblethe　one　chance　that　awaits　the　ready　hand；　the　final　answer　of　a　sympathetic　heaven　that　deals　out　justice。　His　god　was　a　pagan　god；　terrible　rather　than　tender；　and　there　had　always　been　within　him　the　old　pagan　scorn　of　everlasting　mercy。　There　were　moods　even　when　he　felt　the　kinship　with　his　savage　forefathers　working　in　his　blood；　and　at　such　times　he　liked　to　fit　heroic　tortures　to　heroic　crimes　to　imagine　the　lighted　stake　and　his　enemy　amid　the　flames。　Over　him　as　he　lay　at　full　length　the　ancient　cedars；　touched　here　and　there　with　a　younger　green；　reared　a　dusky　tent　that　screened　him　alike　from　the　hot　sunshine　and　the　bright　June　sky。　Somewhere　in　the　deepest　shadow　the　mocking…bird　purled　over　its　single　note；　and　across　the　lettering　on　the　marble　slab　beside　him　a　small　brown　lizard　was　gliding　back　and　forth。　The　clean；　fresh　smell　of　the　cedars　filled　his　nostrils　like　a　balm。

For　a　moment　the　physical　pleasure　in　his　surroundings　possessed　his　thoughts；　then　gradually；　in　a　state　between　waking　and　sleeping；　the　curious　boughs　above　took　fantastic　shapes　and　were　interwoven　before　his　eyes　with　his　earlier　memories。　There　was　a　great　tester　bed；　with　carved　posts　and　curtains　of　silvery　damask；　that　he　had　slept　in　as　a　child；　and　it　was　here　that　he　had　once　had　a　terrible　dreama　dream　which　he　had　remembered　to　this　day　because　it　was　so　like　a　story　of　Aunt　Delisha's；　in　which　the　devil　comes　with　a　red…hot　scuttle　to　carry　off　a　little　boy。　On　that　night　he　had　been　the　little　boy；　and　he　had　seen　the　scuttle　with　its　leaping　flames　so　plainly　that　in　his　terror　he　had　struggled　up　and　screamed　aloud。　A　moment　later　he　had　awakened　fully；　to　find　a　lighted　candle　in　his　face　and　his　father　in　a　flowered　dressing…gown　sitting　beside　the　bed　and　looking　at　him　with　his　sad；　bloodshot　eyes。　〃Is　the　devil　gone；　father；　and　did　you　drive　him　away？〃　he　asked；　and　then　the　tall；　white…haired　old　man；　whose　mind　was　fast　decaying；　did　a　strange　and　a　pitiable　thing；　for　he　fell　upon　his　knees　beside　the　bed　and　cried　out　upon　Christopher　for　forgiveness　for　the　selfishness　of　his　long　life。　〃You　came　too　late；　my　son；〃　he　said；　〃you　came　twenty　years　too　late。　I　had　given　you　up　long　ago　and　grown　hopeless。　You　came　like　Isaac　to　Abraham；　but　too　latetoo　late！〃　The　boy　sat　up　in　bed；　huddling　in　the　bedclothes；　for　the　night　was　chilly。　He　grew　suddenly　afraid　of　his　father；　the　big；　beautiful　old　man　in　the　flowered　dressing…gown；　and　he　wished　that　his　mother　would　come　in　and　take　him　away。　〃But　I　came　twins　with　Lila；　father；〃　he　replied；　trying　to　speak　bravely。　〃With　Lila！　Oh；　my　poor　children！　my　poor　children！〃　cried　the　old　man；　and；　taking　up　his　candle；　tottered　to　the　door。　Then　Christopher　stopped　his　ears　in　the　pillows；　for　he　heard　him　moaning　to　himself　as　he　went　back　along　the　hall。　He　felt　all　at　once　terribly　frightened；　and　at　last；　slipping　down　the　tall　bed…steps；　he　stole　on　his　bare　feet　to　Cynthia's　door　and　crept　in　beside　her。　After　this；　dim　years　went　by　when　he　did　not　see　his　father；　and　the　great　closed　rooms　on　the　north　side　of　the　house　were　as　silent　as　if　a　corpse　lay　there　awaiting　burial。　His　beautiful；　stately　mother；　who；　in　spite　of　her　gray　hair；　had　always　seemed　but　little　older　than　himself；　vanished　as　mysteriously　from　his　sighton　a　thrilling　morning　when　there　were　many　waving　red　flags　and　much　hurried　marching　by　of　gray…clad　troops。　Young　as　he　was；　he　was　already　beginning　to　play　his　boy's　share　in　a　war　which　was　then　fighting　slowly　to　a　finish；　and　in　the　wild　flutter　of　events　he　forgot；　for　a　time；　to　do　more　than　tip　softly　when　he　crossed　the　hall。　She　was　ill；　they　told　himtoo　ill　to　care　even　about　the　battles　that　were　fought　across　the　river。　The　sound　of　the　big　guns　sent　no　delicious　shivers　through　her　limbs；　and　there　was　only　Lila　to　come　with　him　when　he　laid　his　ear　to　the　ground　and　thrilled　with　the　strong　shock　which　seemed　to　run　around　the　earth。　When　at　last　her　door　was　opened　again　and　he　went　timidly　in；　holding　hands　with　Lila；　he　found　his　mother　sitting　stiffly　erect　among　her　cushions　as　she　would　sit　for　the　remainder　of　her　days；　blind　and　half　dead；　in　her　Elizabethan　chair。　His　beautiful；　proud　mother；　with　the　smiling　Loves　painted　above　her　head！

For　an　instant　he　shut　his　eyes　beneath　the　cedars；　seeing　her　on　that　morning　as　a　man　sees　in　his　dreams　the　face　of　his　first　love。　Then　another　day　dawned　slowly　to　his　consciousnessa　day　which　stood　out　clear…cut　as　a　cameo　from　all　the　others　of　his　life。　For　weeks　Cynthia's　eyes　had　been　red　and　swollen；　and　he　commented　querulously　upon　them；　for　they　made　her　homelier　than　usual。　When　he　had　finished；　she　looked　at　him　a　moment　without　replying；　then；　putting　her　arm　about　him；　she　drew　him　out　upon　the　lawn　and　told　him　why　she　wept。　It　was　a　mellow　autumn　day；　and　they　passed　over　gold　and　russet　leaves　strewn　deep　along　the　path。　A　light　wind　was　blowing　in　the　tree…tops；　and　the　leaves　were　still　falling；　falling；　falling！　He　saw　Cynthia's　haggard　face　in　a　flame　of　glowing　colours。　Through　the　drumming　in　his　ears；　which　seemed　to　come　from　the　clear　sky；　he　heard　the　ceaseless　rustle　beneath　his　feet；　and　to　this　day　he　could　not　walk　along　a　leaf…strewn　road　in　autumn　without　seeing　again　the　blur　of　red…and…gold　and　the　gray　misery　in　Cynthia's　face。

〃It　will　kill　mother！〃　he　said　angrily。　〃It　will　kill　mother！　Why；　she　almost　died　when　Docia　broke　her　Bohemian　bowl。〃

〃She　must　never　know；〃　answered　Cynthia；　while　the　tears　streamed　unheeded　down　her　cheeks。　〃When　she　is　carried　out　one　day　for　her　airing；　she　shall　go　back　into　the　other　house。　It　is　a　short　time　now　at　bestshe　may　die　at　any　moment　from　any　shockbut　she　must　die　without　knowing　this。　There　must　be　quiet　at　the　end；　at　least。　Oh；　poor　mother！　poor　mother！〃

She　raised　her　hands　to　her　convulsed　face；　and　Christopher　saw　the　tears　trickle　through　her　thin　fingers；

〃She　must　never　know；〃　repeated　the　boy。　〃She　must　never　know　if　we　can　help　it。〃

〃We　must　help　it；〃　cried　Cynthia　passionately。　〃We　must　work　our　fingers　to　the　bone　to　help　it；　you　and　I。〃

〃And　Lila？〃　asked　the　boy；　curiously　just　even　in　the　intensity　of　his　emotion。　〃Mustn't　Lila　work；　too？〃

Cynthia　sobbedhard；　strangling　sobs　that　rattled　like　stones　within　her　bosom。

〃Lila　is　only　a　girl；〃　she　said；　〃and　so　pretty；　so　pretty。〃

The　boy　nodded。

〃Then　don't　let's　make　Lila　work；〃　he　responded　sturdily。

Selfish　in　her　supreme　unselfishness；　the　woman　turned　and　kissed　his　brow；　while　he　struggled；　irritated；　to　keep　her　off。

〃Don't　let's；　dear；〃　she　said；　and　that　was　all。



IX。　Cynthia

As　soon　as　Christopher　had　passed　out　of　sight；　Cynthia　came　from　the　kitchen　with　an　armful　of　wet　linen　and　began　spreading　it　upon　some　scrubby　lilac　bushes　in　a　corner　of　the　yard。　After　fifteen　years　it　still　made　her　uncomfortable　to　have　Christopher　around　when　she　did　the　family　washing；　and　when　it　was　possible　she　wai