the deliverance-第15部分

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〃That　seems　very　strange。　Why；　at　his　age；　his　father　had　been　the　object　of　a　dozen　love　affairs；　and　been　jilted　twice；　report　went；　though　I　had　my　suspicion　from　the　first　that　it　was　the　other　way。　Certainly　Miss　Peggie　Stuart　（and　he　had　once　been　engaged　to　her）　went　into　a　decline　immediately　after　our　marriagebut　in　affairs　of　the　heart；　as　I　have　mentioned　often　before；　the　only　reliable　witnesses　are　those　who　never　tell　what　they　know。　Now；　as　for　Christopher；　are　you　quite　sure　he　is　as　handsome　as　you　say？〃　〃Quite；　quite；　he's　splendidlike　the　picture　of　the　young　David　in　the　Bible。〃　〃Then　there's　something　wrong。　Does　he　cough？〃　〃His　health　seems　perfect。〃　〃Which　proves　conclusively　that　he　cherishes　a　secret　feeling。　For　a　man　to　go　twenty…six　years　without　falling　in　love　means　that　he's　either　a　saint　or　an　imbecile；　my　dear；　and　for　my　part；　I　declare　I　don't　know　which　character　sits　worse　upon　a　gentleman。　Can　it　be　one　of　the　Morrisons；　do　you　think？　The　youngest　girl　used　to　be　considered　something　of　a　beauty　by　the　family；　though　she　was　always　too　namby…pamby　for　my　taste。〃

〃She's　fifty　by　now；　if　she's　a　day；　mother；　and　the　only　thing　I　ever　saw　Christopher　do　for　her　was　to　drive　a　strange　bull　out　of　her　road。〃　〃Well；　that　sounds　romantic；　but　I　fear；　as　you　say；　she's　really　too　old　for　him。　How　time　does　fly。〃　Cynthia　stooped　and　carefully　arranged　the　old　lady's　feet　upon　the　ottoman。　〃There；　nowI'll　carry　the　medicine　to　Aunt　Dinah；〃　she　said；　〃and　be　back　in　plenty　of　time　to　dress　for　supper。〃　She　found　the　quinine　in　an　old　medicine　chest　in　the　adjoining　room；　and　went　with　it　to　one　of　the　crumbling　cabins　which　had　formed　part　of　the　〃quarters〃　in　the　prosperous　days　of　slavery。　Aunt　Dinah　insisted　upon　detaining　her　for　a　chat；　and　it　was　half　an　hour　afterward　that　she　came　out　again　and　walked　slowly　back　along　the　little　falling　path。　The　mild　June　breeze　freshened　her　hot　cheeks；　and　as　she　passed　thoughtfully　between　the　coarse　sprays　of　yarrow　blooming　along　the　ragged　edges　of　the　fields　she　felt　her　spirit　freed　from　the　day's　burden　of　unrest。　What　she　wanted　just　then　was　to　lie　for　an　hour　close　upon　the　ground；　to　renew　the　vital　forces　within　her　by　contact　with　the　invigorating　earthto　feel　Nature　at　friendly　touch　with　her　lips　and　hands。　She　would　have　liked　to　run　like　a　wild　thing　through　the　golden　sunshine　lying　upon　the　yarrow；　following　the　shy　cries　of　the　partridges　that　scattered　at　her　approachbut　there　was　work　for　her　inside　the　house；　so　she　went　back　patiently　to　take　it　up。　As　she　entered　the　little　yard；　she　saw　Tucker　basking　in　the　sunshine　on　an　old　bench　beside　one　of　the　damask　rose…bushes；　and　she　crossed　over　and　stood　for　a　moment　in　the　tall　grass　before　him。　〃You　look　so　happy；　Uncle　Tucker。　How　do　you　manage　it？〃　〃By　keeping　so；　I　reckon；　my　dear。　I　tell　you；　this　sun　feels　precious　good　on　the　back。〃　She　dropped　limply　on　the　bench　beside　him。　〃Yes；　it　is　pleasant；　but　I　hadn't　thought　of　it。〃　〃　Well；　you'd　think　of　it　often　enough　if　you　were　in　my　place；〃　pursued　Tucker；　always　garrulous；　and　grateful　for　a　listener。　〃I　didn't　notice　things　much　myself　when　I　was　young。　The　only　sights　that　seemed　to　count；　somehow；　were　those　I　saw　inside　my　head；　and　if　you'll　believe　me；　I　used　to　be　moody　and　out　of　sorts　half　the　time；　just　like　Christopher。　Times　have　changed　now；　you'll　say；　and　it's　true。　Why；　I've　got　nothing　to　do　these　days　but　to　take　a　look　at　things；　and　I　tell　you　I　see　a　lot　now　where　all　was　a　blank　before。　You　just　glance　over　that　old　field　and　tell　me　what　you　find；〃　Cynthia　followed　the　sweep　of　his　left　arm。　〃There's　first　the　road；　and　then　a　piece　of　fallow　land　that　ought　to　be　ploughed；〃　she　said。　〃Bless　my　soul；　is　that　all　you　see？　Why；　there　is　every　shade　of　green　on　earth　in　that　old　field；　and　almost　every　one　of　blue；　except　azure；　which　you'll　find　up　in　the　sky。　That　little　bit　of　white　cloud；　no　bigger　than　my　hand；　is　shaped　exactly　like　an　eagle's　wing。　I've　watched　it　for　an　hour；　and　I　never　saw　one　like　it。　As　for　that　old　pine　on　top　the　little　knoll；　if　you　look　at　it　long　enough　you'll　see　that　it's　a　great　big　green　cross　raised　against　the　sky。〃　〃So　it　is；　〃　said　Cynthia；　in　surprise；　〃so　it　is。〃

〃Then　to　come　nearer；　look　at　that　spray　of　turtlehead　growing　by　that　gray　stonethe　shadow　it　throws　is　as　fine　as　thread　lace；　and　it　waves　in　the　breeze　just　like　the　flower。〃

〃　Oh；　it　is　beautiful；　and　I　never　should　have　seen　it。〃

〃And　best　of　all；〃　resumed　Tucker；　as　if　avoiding　an　interruption；　〃is　that　I've　watched　a　nestful　of　young　wrens　take　flight　from　under　the　eaves。　There's　not　a　play　of　Shakespeare's　greater　than　that；　I　tell　you。〃　〃And　it　makes　you　happyjust　this？〃　asked　Cynthia　wistfully；　as　the　pathos　of　his　maimed　figure　drove　to　her　heart。　〃Well；　I　reckon　happiness　is　not　so　much　in　what　comes　as　in　the　way　you　take　it；〃　he　returned；　smiling。　〃There　was　a　time；　you　must　remember；　when　I　was　the　straightest　shot　of　my　day；　and　something　of　a　lady…killer　as　well；　if　I　do　say　it　who　shouldn't。　I've　done　my　part　in　a　war　and　I'm　not　ashamed　of　it。　I've　taken　the　enemy's　cannon　under　a　fire　hot　enough　to　roast　an　ox；　and　I've　sent　more　men　to　eternity　than　I　like　to　think　of；　but　I　tell　you　honestly　there's　no　battle…field　under　heaven　worth　an　hour　of　this　old　bench。　If　I　had　my　choice　to…day；　I'd　rather　see　the　flitting　of　those　wrens　than　kill　the　biggest　Yankee　that　ever　lived。　The　time　was　when　I　didn't　think　so；　but　I　know　now　that　there's　as　much　life　out　there　in　that　old　field　as　in　the　tightest…packed　city　street　I　ever　sawpurer　life；　praise　God；　and　sweeter　to　the　taste。　Why；　look　at　this　poplar　leaf　that　blew　across　the　road；　I've　studied　the　pattern　of　it　for　half　an　hour；　and　I've　found　out　that　such　a　wonder　is　worth　going　ten　miles　to　see。〃　〃Oh；　I　can't　understand　you；〃　sighed　Cynthia　hopelessly。　〃I　wish　I　could；　but　I　can'tI　was　born　differentso　different。〃　〃Bless　your　heart；　honey；　I　was　born　different　myself；　and　if　I'd　kept　my　leg　and　my　arm　I　dare　say　I'd　be　strutting　round　on　one　and　shaking　the　other　in　the　face　of　God　Almighty　just　as　I　used　to　do。　A　two…legged　man　is　so　busy　getting　about　the　world　that　he　never　has　time　to　sit　down　and　take　a　look　around　him。　I　tell　you　I　see　more　in　one　hour　as　I　am　now　than　I　saw　in　all　the　rest　of　my　life　when　I　was　sound　and　whole。　Why；　I　could　sit　here　all　day　long　and　stare　up　at　that　blue　sky；　and　then　go　to　bed　feeling　that　my　twelve　hours　were　full　and　brimming　over。　If　I'd　never　seen　anything　in　my　life　but　that　sky　above　the　old　pine；　I　should　say　at　the　end　'Thank　God　for　that　one　good　look。'〃　〃I　can't　understandI　can't　understand；〃　repeated　Cynthia；　in　a　broken　voice；　though　her　face　shed　a　clear；　white　beam。　〃I　only　know　that　we　are　all　in　awful　straights；　and　that　to…morrow　is　the　day　when　I　must　get　up　at　five　o'clock　and　travel　all　the　way　to　town　to　get　my　sewing。〃　He　laid　his　large　pink　hand　on　hers；　〃Why　not　let　Lila　go　for　you？〃　〃What！　to　wait　like　a　servant　for　the　bundle　and　walk　the　streets　all　dayI'd　go　twenty　times　first！〃　〃My　dear；　you　needn't　envy　me；〃　he　responded；　patting　her　knotted　hand。　〃I　took　less　courage　with　me　when　I　stormed　my　heights。〃



CHAPTER　X。　Sentimental　and　Otherwise

In　the　gray　dawn　Cynthia　came　softly　downstairs　and；　passing　her　mother's　door　on　tiptoe；　went　out　into　the　kitchen　to　begin　preparations　for　her　early　breakfast。　She　wore　a　severe　black　alpaca　dress；　made　from　a　cast…off　one　of　her　mother's；　and　below　her　white　linen　collar　she　had　pinned　a　cameo　brooch　bearing　the　head　of　Minerva；　which　had　once　belonged　to　Aunt　Susannah。　On　the　bed　upstairs　she　had　left　her　shawl　and　bonnet　and　a　pair　of　carefully　mended　black　silk　mitts；　for　her　monthly　visits　to　the　little　country　town　were　endured　with　something　of　the　frozen　dignity　which　supported　Marie　Antoinette　in　the　tumbrel。　It　was　a　case　where　family　pride　was　found　more　potent　than　Christian　resignation。　When　she　opened　the　kitchen　door；　with　her　arms　full　of　resinous　pine　from　the　pile　beside　the　steps；　she　found　that　Tucker　had　risen　before　her　and　was　fumbling　awkwardly　in　the　safe　with　his　single　hand。　〃Why；　Uncle　Tucker！〃　she　exclaimed　in　surprise；　〃what　on　earth　has　happened？〃　Turning　his　cheerful　face　upon　her；　he　motioned　to　a　little　wooden　tobacco　box　on　the　bare　table。　〃A　nest　full　of　swallows　tumbled　down　my　chimney　log　in　the　night；〃　he　explained；　〃and　they　cried　so　loud　I　couldn't　sleep；　so　I　thought　I　might　as　well　get　up　and　dig　'em　a　worm　or　two。　Do　you　happen　to　know　where　a　bit　of　wool　is？〃　Cynthia　threw　her　bundle　of　kindling…wood　on　the　hearth　and　stood　regarding　him　with　apathetic　eyes。　〃You'd　much　better　wring　their　necks；〃　she　responded　indifferently；　〃but　there's　a　basketful　of　wool　Aunt　Polly　has　just　carded　in　the　closet。　How　in　the　world　did　you　manage　to　dress　yourself？〃　〃Oh；　it's　wonderful　what　one　hand　can　do　when　it's　put　to　it。　Would　you　mind　fastening　my　collar；　by　the　way；　and　any　buttons　that　you　happen　to　see　loose？〃　She　glanced　over　him　critically；　pulling　his　clothes　in　place　and　adjusting　a　button　here　and　there。　〃I　do　hate　to　see　you　in　this　old　jean　suit；〃　she　said；　〃you　used　to　look　so　nice　in　your　other　clothes。〃　With　a　laugh　he　settled　his　empty　sleeve。　〃Oh；　they're　good　for　warm　weather；〃　he　responded；　〃and　they　wash　easily；　which　is　something。　Think；　too；　what　a　waste　it　would　be　to　dress　half　a　man　in　a　whole　suit　of　broadcloth。〃　〃Oh；　don't；　don't；〃　she　protested；　on　the　point　of　tears；　but　he　smiled　and　patted　her　bowed　shoulder。　〃I　got　over　that　long　ago；　honey；〃　he　said　gently。　〃I　kicked　powerful　hard　with　my　one　foot　at　first；　but　the　dust　I　raised　wasn't　a　speck　in　the　face　of　God　Almighty。　There；　there；　we'll　have　a　fine　sunrise；　and　I'm　going　out　to　watch　it　from　my　old　benchunless　you'll　find　something　for　a　single　hand　to　do。〃　She　shook　her　head；　smiling　with　misty　eyes。

〃You'll　have　breakfast　with　me；　I　suppose；〃　she　said。　〃I　got　up　early　because　I　couldn't　sleep；　but　it's　not　yet　four　o'clock。〃　For　an　instant　he　looked　at　her　gravely。　〃Worrying　about　the　day？〃　〃A　little。〃　〃If　I　could　only　manage　to　hobble　along　with　you。〃　〃Oh；　but　you　couldn't；　dearand　the