the deliverance-第18部分
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and there a tall pink blossom rose like a fantastic sail from the deep and rocked slowly to and fro in the summer wind。 When at last the sun dropped behind the distant wood and a red flame licked at the western clouds； he still lingered on； dreaming idly； while his hands followed their accustomed task。 Big green moths hovered presently around him； seeking the deep rosy tubes of the clustered flowers； and alighting finally to leave their danger…breeding eggs under the drooping leaves。 The sound of laughter floated suddenly from the small Negro children； who were pursuing the tobacco flies between the furrows。 He had ceased from his work； and come out into the little path that trailed along the edge of the field； when he saw a woman's figure； in a gown coloured like April flowers； pass from the new road over the loosened fence…rails。 For a breathless instant he wavered in the path； then turning squarely； he met her questioning look with indifferent eyes。 The new romance had shriveled at the first touch of the old hatred。 Maria； holding her skirt above her ruffled petticoat； stood midway of the little trail； a single tobacco blossom waving over her leghorn hat。 She was no longer the pale girl who had received Carraway with so composed a bearing； for her face and her gown were now coloured delicately with an April bloom。 〃I followed the new road；〃 she explained； smiling； 〃and all at once it ended at the fence。 Where can I take it up again？〃 He regarded her gravely。 〃The only way you can take it up again is to go back to it；〃 he answered。 〃It doesn't cross my land； you know； andI beg your pardonbut I don't care to have you do so。 Besides staining your dress； you will very likely bruise my tobacco。〃 He had never in his life stood close to a woman who wore perfumed garments； and he felt； all at once； that her fragrance was going to his brain。 Delicate as it was； he found it heady； like strong drink。 〃But I could walk very close to the fence；〃 said the girl； surprised。 〃Aren't you afraid of the poisonous oak？〃 〃Desperately。 I caught it once as a child。 It hurt so。〃 He shook his head impatiently。 〃Apart from that； there is no reason why you should come on my land。 All the prettiest walks are on the other sideand over here the hounds are taught to warn off trespassers。〃 〃Am I a trespasser？〃 〃You are worse；〃 he replied boorishly； 〃you're a Fletcher。〃 〃Well； you're a savage；〃 she retorted； angered in her turn。 〃Is it simply because I happen to be a Fletcher that you become a bear？〃 〃Because you happen to be a Fletcher；〃 he repeated； and then looked calmly and coolly at her dainty elegance。
〃And if I were anybody else； I suppose； you would let me walk along that fence； and even be polite enough to keep the dogs from eating me up？〃 〃If you were anybody else and didn't injure my tobaccoyes。〃
〃But as it is I must keep away？〃
〃All I ask of you is to stay on the other side。〃 〃And if I don't？〃 she questioned； her spirit flaring up to match with his； 〃and if I don't？〃 All the natural womanhood within her responded to the appeal of his superb manhood； all the fastidious refinement with which she was overlaid was alive to the rustic details which marred the finished wholeto the streak of earth across his forehead； to the coarseness of his ill…fitting clothes； to the tobacco juice staining his finger nails bright green。 On his side； the lady of his dreams had shrunken to a witch； and he shook his head again in an effort to dispel the sweetness that so strangely moved him。 〃In that case you will meet the hounds one day and get your dress badly torn； I fear。〃 〃And bitten； probably。〃 〃Probably。〃 〃Well； I don't think it would be worth it；〃 said the girl； in a quiver of indignation。 〃If I can help it； I shall never set my foot on your land again。〃 〃The wisest thing you can do is to keep off；〃 he retorted。 Turning； with an angry movement； she walked rapidly to the fence； heedless of the poisonous oak along the way； and Christopher； passing her with a single step； lowered the topmost rails that she might cross over the more easily。 〃Thank you；〃 she said stiffly； as she reached the other side。 〃It was a pleasure；〃 he responded； in the tone his father might have used when in full Grecian dress at the fancy ball。 〃You mean it is a pleasure to assist in getting rid of me？〃
〃What I mean doesn't matter；〃 he answered irritably； and added； 〃I wish to God you were anybody else！〃 At this she turned and faced him squarely as he held the rails。 〃But how can I help being myself？〃 she demanded。 〃You can't； and there's an end of it。〃 〃Of what？〃 〃Oh； of everythingand most of all of the evening at the cross…roads。〃 〃You saw me then？〃 she asked。 〃You know I did；〃 he answered； retreating into his rude simplicity。 〃And you liked me then？〃
〃Then；〃 he laughed； 〃why； I was fool enough to dream of you for a month afterward。〃 〃How dare you！〃 she cried。 〃Well； I shan't do it again；〃 he assured her insolently。 〃You can't possibly dislike me any more than I do you；〃 she remarked； drawing back step by step。 〃You're a savage； and a mean one at thatbut all the same； I should like to know why you began to hate me。〃 He laid the topmost rail along the fence and turned away。 〃Ask your grandfather！〃 he called back； as he passed into the tobacco field； with her fragrance still in his nostrils。
Maria； on the other side； walked slowly homeward along the new road that had ended so abruptly。 Her lip trembled； and； letting her skirt drag in the dust； she put up her hand to suppress the first hint of emotion。 It angered her that he had had the power to provoke her so； and for the moment the encounter seemed to have bereft her of her last shreds of womanly reserve。 It was as if a strong wind had blown over her； laying her bosom bare； and she flushed at the knowledge that he had heard the fluttering of her breath and seen the indignant tears gather to her eyeshe a boorish stranger who hated her because of her name。 For the first time in her life she had run straight against an impregnable prejudicehad felt her feminine charm ineffectual against a stern masculine resistance。 She was at the age when the artificial often outweighs the realwhen the superficial manner with a woman is apt to be misunderstood； and so to her Christopher Blake now appeared stripped even of his physical comeliness； the interview had left her with an impression of mere vulgar incivility。 As she entered the house she met Fletcher passing through the hall with the mail…bag in his hand； and a little later； while she sat in a big chair by her chamber window； Miss Saidie came in and laid a letter in her lap。 〃It's from Mr。 Wyndham； I think； Maria。 Shall I light a candle？〃 〃Not yet； it is so warm I like the twilight。〃 〃But won't you read the letter？〃 〃Oh； presently。 There's time enough。〃 Miss Saidie came to the window and leaned out to sniff the climbing roses； her shapeless figure outlined against the purple dusk spangled with fireflies。 Her presence irritated the girl； who stirred restlessly in her chair。 〃Is he coming； Maria； do you think？〃
〃If I let himyes。〃 〃And he wants to marry you？〃 The girl laughed bitterly。 〃He hasn't seen me in my home yet；〃 she answered； 〃and our vulgarity may be too much for him。 He's very particular； you know。〃 The woman at the window flinched as if she had been struck。 〃But if he loves you； Maria？〃 〃Oh； he loves me for what isn't me；〃 she answered； 〃for my 'culture；' as he calls itfor the gloss that has been put over me in the last ten years。〃 〃Still if you care for him； dear〃 〃I don't knowI don't know；〃 said Maria； speaking in the effort to straighten her disordered thoughts rather than for the enlightenment of Miss Saidie。 〃I was sure I loved him before I came homebut this place upsets me soI hate it。 It makes me feel raw； crude； unlike myself。 When I come back here I seem to lose all that I have learned； and to grow vulgar； like Jinnie Spade； at the store。〃 〃Not like her； Maria。〃 〃Well； I ought to know better； of course； but I don't believe I donot when I'm here。〃 〃Then why not go away？ Don't think of us； we can get along as we used to do。〃 〃I don't think of you；〃 said the girl。 〃I don't think of anybody in the world except myselfand that's the awful partthat's the part I hate。 I'm selfish to the core； and I know it。〃
〃But you do love Jack Wyndham？〃 〃Oh； I love him to distraction！ Light the candle； Aunt Saidie； and let me read his letter。 I can tell you； word for word； what is in it before I break the seal。 Six months ago I went into a flutter at the sight of his handwriting。 Six months before that I was madly in love with Dick Brightand six months from to…dayOh； well； I suppose I really haven't much heart to knowand if I ever care for anybody it must be for Jackthat's positive。〃
Standing beside the lighted candle on the bureau； she read the letter twice over； and then turning away； wrote her answer kneeling beside the big chair at the window。
CHAPTER II。 The Romance that Was
Waking in the night she said again； 〃I love him to distraction；〃 and slipping under the dimity curtains of the bed； sought his letter where she had left it on the bureau。 The full light of the harvest moon was in the rooma light so soft that it lay like a yellow fluid upon the floor。 It seemed almost as if one might stoop and fill the open palms。
She found the letter thrown carelessly upon the pincushion； and holding it to her lips； paused a moment beside the window； looking beyond the shaven lawn and the clustered oaks to where the tobacco fields lay golden beneath the moon。 It was such a night as seemed granted by some kindly deity for the fulfillment of lovers' vows； and the girl； standing beside the open window； grew suddenly sad； as one who sees a vision with the knowledge that it is not life。 When presently she went back to bed it was to lie sleepless until dawn； with the love letter held tightly in her hands。
The next day a restlessness like that of fever worked in her blood； and she ran from turret to basement of the roomy old house； calling Will to come and help her find amusement。
〃Play ball with me； Will；〃 she said； 〃I feel as if I were a child to…day。〃 〃 Oh； it's no fun playing with a girl；〃 replied the boy； 〃besides； I am going fishing in the river with Zebbadee Blake； I shan't be back
