the deliverance-第22部分
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〃 Her fragrance； floating in the sunshine； filled his nostrils； and involuntarily he glanced over his shoulder； half expecting to find a dropped handkerchief in the road。 None was thereonly a scattered swarm of butterflies drifting like yellow rose…leaves on the wind。
Upon reaching the house he found that his mother had asked for him； and running hastily up to change his clothes； he came down and bent over the upright Elizabethan chair。 〃I have been worrying a good deal about you； my son；〃 she said； with a sprightly gesture in which the piece of purple glass struck the dominant note。 〃Are you quite sure that you are feeling perfectly well？ No palpitations of the heart when you go upstairs？ and no particular heaviness after meals？ I dreamed about you all night long； and though there's not a woman in the world freer from superstition； I can't help feeling uneasy。〃 Taking her hand； he gently caressed the slender fingers。 〃Why； I'm a regular ox； mother；〃 he returned； laughing； my muscle is like iron； and I assure you I'm ready for my meals day or night。 There's no use worrying about me； so you'd as well give it up。〃 〃I can't understand it； I really can't；〃 protested Mrs。 Blake； still unconvinced。 〃I am an old woman； you know； and I am anxious to have you settled in life before I diebut there seems to be a most extraordinary humour in the family with regard to marriage。 I'm sure your poor father would turn in his grave at the very idea of his having no grand…children to come after him。〃 〃Well； there's time yet； mother； give us breathing space。〃 〃There's not time in my day； Christopher； for I am very old； and half dead as it isbut it does seem hard that I am never to be present at the marriage of a child。 As for Cynthia； she is out of the question； of course； which is a great pity。 I have very little patience with an unmarried womanno； not if she were Queen Elizabeth herself though I do know that they are sometimes found very useful in the dairy or the spinning…room。 As for an old bachelor； I have never seen the spot on earthand I've lived to a great agewhere he wasn't an encumbrance。 They really ought to be taught some useful occupation； such as skimming milk or carding wool。〃 〃I hardly think either of those pursuits would be to my taste；〃 protested Christopher； 〃but I give you leave to try your hand on Uncle Tucker。〃 〃Tucker has been a hero； my son；〃 rejoined the old lady in a stately voice； 〃and the privilege of having once been a hero is that nobody expects you to exert yourself again。 A man who has taken the enemy's guns single…handed； or figured prominently in a society scandal； is comfortably settled in his position and may slouch pleasantly for the remainder of his life。 But for an ordinary gentleman it is quite different； and as we are not likely to have another war； you really ought to marry。 You are preparing to go through life too peacefully； my son。〃 〃Good Lord！〃 exclaimed Christopher； 〃are you hankering after squabbles？ Well； you shan't drag me into them； at any cost。 There's Uncle Tucker to your hand； as I said before。〃 〃I'm sure Tucker might have married several times had he cared about it；〃 replied Mrs。 Blake reprovingly。 〃Miss Matoaca Bolling always had a sentiment for him； I am certain； and even after his misfortune she went so far as to present him with a most elaborate slipper of red velvet ornamented with steel beads。 I remember well her consulting me as to whether it would be better to seem unsympathetic and give him two or to appear indelicate and offer him one。 I suggested that she should make both for the same foot； which； I believe； she finally decided to do。〃 〃Well； well； this is all very interesting； mother；〃 said Christopher； rising from his seat； 〃but I've promised old Jacob Weatherby to pass my word on his tobacco。 On the way down； however； I'll cast my eyes about for a wife。〃 〃Between here and the Weatherbys' farm？ Why； Christopher！〃 〃That's all right； but unless you expect me to pick up one on the roadside I don't see how we'll manage。 I'll do anything to oblige you； you know； even marry； if you'll find me a good； sensible woman。〃 The old lady's eyelids dropped over her piercing black eyes； which seemed always to regard some far…off； ecstatic vision。 Three small furrows ran straight up and down her forehead； and she lifted one delicate white hand to rub them out。 〃I don't like joking on so serious a subject； my son；〃 she said。 〃I'm sure Providence expects every man to do his duty； and to remain unmarried seems like putting one's personal inclination before the intentions of the Creator。 Your grandfather Corbin used to say he had so high an opinion of marriage that if his fourth wife and she was very sicklywere to die at once； he'd marry his fifth within the year。 I remember that Bishop Deane remarked it was one of the most beautiful tributes ever paid the marriage stateespecially as it was no idle boast； for； as it happened； his wife died shortly afterward； and he married Miss Polly Blair before six months were up。〃 〃What a precious old fool he was！〃 laughed the young man； as he reached the door； passing out with a horrified 〃What； Christopher！ Your own grandfather？〃 ringing in his ears。 In the yard he found Cynthia drawing water at the well； and he took the heavy bucket from her and carried it into the kitchen。 〃You'd better change your clothes；〃 she remarked； eyeing him narrowly； 〃if you're going back to the field。〃 〃But I'm not going back； the axe handle has broken again and I'll have to borrow Jim Weatherby's。 There's no use trying to mend that old handle any more。 It'll have to lie over till after tobacco cutting； when I can make a new one。〃 〃Oh； you might as well keep Jim's altogether；〃 returned Cynthia irritably； loath to receive favours from her neighbours。 〃The first thing we know he will be running this entire place。〃 〃I reckon he'd make a much better job of it；〃 replied Christopher； as he swung out into the road。 On the whitewashed porch of the Weatherbys' house he found old Jacoba hale； clearly old man with cheeks like frosted winter applesgazing thoughtfully over his fine field of tobacco； which had grown almost to his threshold。 〃The weather's going to have a big drop to…night；〃 he said reflectively； 〃I smell it on the wind。 Lord！ Lord！ I reckon I'd better begin on that thar tobaccy about sunupand yet another day or so of sun and September dew would sweeten it consider'ble。 How about yours； Mr。 Christopher？〃 〃I'll cut my ripest plants to…morrow；〃 answered Christopher； sniffing the air。 〃A big drop's coming； sure enough； but I don't scent frost as yetthe pines don't smell that way。〃 They discussed the tobacco for a timethe rosy； genial old man； whom age had mellowed without souringlistening with a touching deference to his visitor's casual words； and when at last Christopher； with the axe on his shoulder； started leisurely homeward； 〃the drop〃 was already beginning； and the wind blew cool and crisp across the misty fields； beyond which a round； red sun was slowly setting。 Level； vast and dark； the tobacco swept clear to the horizon。 Between Weatherby's and the little store there was an abrupt bend in the road； where it shot aside from a steep descent in the ground； and Christopher had reached this point when he saw suddenly ahead of him a farm wagon driven forward at a reckless pace。 As it neared him he heard the wheels thunder on the rocky bed of the road； and saw that the driver's seat was vacant； the man evidently having been thrown some distance back。 The horsesa young pair he had never seen beforeheld the bits in their mouths； and it was with a hopelessness of checking their terrible speed that he stepped out of the road to give them room。 The next instant he saw that they were making straight for the declivity from which the road shot back； seeing in the same breath that the driver of the wagon； not falling clear； had entangled himself in the long reins and was being dragged rapidly beneath the wheels。 Tossing his axe aside； he sprang instantly at the horses' heads； hanging with his whole powerful weight upon their mouths。 Life or death was nothing to him at the moment； and he seemed to have only an impersonal interest in the multiplied sensations。 What followed was a sense of incalculable swiftness； a near glimpse of blue sky； the falling of stars around him in the road； and after these things a great darkness。
When he came to himself he was lying in a patch of short grass； with a little knot of men about him； among whom he recognised Jim Weatherby。 〃I brought them in； didn't I？〃 he asked； struggling up； and then he saw that his coat sleeves were rent from the armholes； leaving his arms bare beneath his torn blue shirt。 Cynthia's warning returned to him； and he laughed shortly。 〃Well； I reckon you could bring the devil in if you put all your grip on him；〃 was Jim's reply； 〃as it is； you're pretty sore； ain't you？〃 〃Oh； rather； but I wish I hadn't spoiled my coat。〃 He was still thinking of Cynthia。 〃God alive； man； it's a mercy you didn't spoil your life。 Why； another second and the horses would have been over that bank yonder； with you and young Fletcher under the wagon。〃
Christopher rose slowly from the ground and stood erect。
〃With meand who under the wagon？and who？〃 he asked in a throaty voice。
Jim Weatherby whistled。 〃Why； to think you didn't know all along！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It was Fletcher's boy； he made Zebbadee let him take the reins。 Fletcher saw it all and he was clean mad when he got hereit took three men to hold him。 He thinks more of that boy than he does of his own soul。 What's the matter； man； are you hurt？〃
Christopher had gone dead white； and the blue circle came out slowly around his mouth。 〃And I saved him！〃 he gasped。 〃I saved him！ Isn't there some mistake？ Maybe he's dead anyway！〃
〃Bless you； no；〃 responded Jim； a trifle disconcerted。 〃The doctor's here and he says it's a case of a broken leg instead of a broken neck； that's all。〃
Looking about him； Christopher saw that there was another group of men at a little distance； gathered around something that lay still and straight on the grass。 The sound of a hoarse groan reached him suddenlyan inarticulate cry of distressand he felt with a savage joy that it was from Fletcher。 He looked down； drawing togethe
