the deliverance-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


on　the　other's　features；　seeking　some　resemblance　in　them；　also。　To　his　surprise　he　found　absolutely　none；　the　high；　blue…veined　forehead　beneath　the　chestnut　hair；　the　straight；　delicate　nose；　the　sensitive；　almost　effeminate　curve　of　the　mouth；　must　have　descended　from　the　〃worthless　drab〃　whom　he　had　beheld　in　the　severe　white　light　of　Fletcher's　scorn。　For　the　first　time　it　occurred　to　Carraway　that　the　illumination　had　been　too　intense。

〃I'll　tell　him；　certainly；〃　he　said　quietly　after　a　moment；　〃but　I　don't　promise　that　he'll　come；　you　understand。〃

〃Oh；　I　won't　thank　him；〃　cried　the　boy　eagerly。　〃It　isn't　for　that　I　want　himtell　him　so。　Maria　says　he　hates　a　fuss。〃

〃I'll　deliver　your　message　word　for　word；〃　responded　the　lawyer。　〃Not　only　that；　I'll　add　my　own　persuasion　to　it；　though　I　fear　I　have　little　influence　with　your　neighbour。〃

〃Tell　him　I　beg　him　to　come；〃　insisted　the　boy；　and　the　urgent　voice　remained　with　Carraway　throughout　the　day。

It　was　not　until　the　afternoon；　however；　when　he　had　tossed　his　farewell　handful　of　rice　at　the　departing　carriage　and　met　Maria's　last　disturbed　look　at　the　Hall；　that　he　found　time　to　carry　Will's　request　and　Fletcher's　check　to　Christopher　Blake。　The　girl　had　shown　her　single　trace　of　emotion　over　the　boy's　pillow；　where　she　had　shed　a　few　furtive　tears；　and　the　thought　of　this　was　with　Carraway　as　he　walked　meditatively　along　the　red　clay　road；　down　the　long　curves　of　which　he　saw　the　carriage　rolling　leisurely　ahead　of　him。　As　a　bride；　Maria　puzzled　him　no　less　than　she　had　done　at　their　first　meeting；　and　the　riddle　of　her　personality　he　felt　to　be　still　hopelessly　unsolved。　Was　it　merely　repression　of　manner　that　annoyed　him　in　her　he　questioned；　or　was　it；　as　he　had　once　believed；　the　simple　lack　of　emotional　power？　Her　studied　speech；　her　conventional　courtesy；　seemed　to　confirm　the　first　impression　she　had　made；　then　her　dark；　troubled　gaze　and　the　sullen　droop　of　her　mouth　returned　to　give　the　lie　to　what　he　could　but　feel　to　be　a　possible　misjudgment。　In　the　end；　he　concluded　wisely　enough　that；　like　the　most　of　us；　she　was　probably　but　plastic　matter　for　the　mark　of　circumstancethat　her　development　would　be；　after　all；　according　to　the　events　she　was　called　upon　to　face。　The　possibility　that　Destiny；　which　is　temperament；　should　have　already　selected　her　as　one　of　those　who　come　into　their　spiritual　heritage　only　through　defeat；　did　not　enter　into　the　half…humorous　consideration　with　which　he　now　regarded　her。

Turning　presently　into　the　sunken　road　by　the　ice…pond；　he　came　in　a　little　while　to　the　overgrown　fence　surrounding　the　Blake　farm。　In　the　tobacco　field　beyond　the　garden　he　saw　Christopher's　blue…clad　figure　rising　from　a　blur　of　green；　and；　following　the　ragged　path　amid　the　yarrow；　he　joined　the　young　man　where　he　stood　at　work。

As　the　lawyer　reached　his　side　Christopher　glanced　up　indifferently　to　give　a　nod　of　welcome。　His　crop　had　all　been　cut；　and　be　was　now　engaged　in　hanging　the　wilting　plants　from　long　rails　supported　by　forked　poles。　At　his　feet　there　were　little　green　piles　of　tobacco；　and　around　him　from　the　sunbaked　earth　rose　a　headless　army　of　bruised　and　bleeding　stubble。

So　thriftless　were　the　antiquated　methods　he　followed　that　the　lawyer；　as　he　watched　him；　could　barely　repress　a　smile。　Two　hundred　years　ago　the　same　crop　was　probably　raised；　cut　and　cured　on　the　same　soil　in　the　same　careless　and　primitive　fashion。　Beneath　all　the　seeming　indifference　to　success　or　failure　Carraway　discerned　something　of　that　blind　reliance　upon　chance　which　is　apt　to　be　the　religious　expression　of　a　rural　and　isolated　people。

〃Yes；　I'll　leave　it　out　awhile；　I　reckon；　unless　the　weather　changes；〃　replied　Christopher；　in　answer　to　the　lawyer's　inquiry。

〃Well；　it　promises　fair　enough；〃　returned　Carraway　pleasantly。　〃They　tell　me；　by　the　way；　that　the　yellow；　sun…cured　leaf　is　coming　into　favour　in　the　market。　You　don't　try　that；　eh？〃

Christopher　shook　his　head；　and；　kneeling　on　the　ground；　carelessly　sorted　his　pile　of　plants。　〃I　learned　to　cure　it　indoors；〃　he　answered；　and　I　reckon　I'll　keep　to　the　old　way。　The　dark　leaf　is　what　the　people　about　here　likeit　makes　the　sweeter　chew；　they　think。　As　for　me；　I　hate　the　very　smell　of　it。〃　〃That's　odd；　and　I'll　wager　you're　the　only　man　in　the　county　who　neither　smokes　nor　chews。〃　〃Oh；　I　handle　it；　you　see。　The　smell　and　the　stain　of　it　are　well　soaked　in。　I　sometimes　wonder　if　all　the　water　in　the　river　of　Jordan　could　wash　away　the　blood　of　the　tobacco　worm。〃　With　a　laugh　in　which　there　was　more　bitterness　than　mirth；　he　stretched　out　his　big　bronzed　hands；　and　Carraway　saw　that　the　nails　and　finger…tips　were　dyed　bright　green。　〃It　does　leave　its　mark；〃　observed　the　lawyer；　and　felt　instantly　that　the　speech　was　inane。　Christopher　went　on　quietly　with　his　work；　gathering　up　the　plants　and　hanging　the　slit　stalks　over　the　long　poles；　while　the　peculiar　heavy　odour　of　the　freshly　cut　crop　floated　unpleasantly　about　them。　For　a　time　Carraway　watched　him　in　silence；　his　eyes　dwelling　soberly　upon　the　stalwart　figure。　In　spite　of　himself；　the　mere　beauty　of　outline　touched　him　with　a　feeling　of　sadness；　and　when　he　spoke　at　last　it　was　in　a　lowered　tone。　〃You　have；　perhaps；　surmised　that　my　call　is　not　entirely　one　of　pleasure；〃　he　began　awkwardly；　〃that　I　am；　above　all；　the　bearer　of　a　message　from　Mr。　Fletcher。〃　〃From　Fletcher？〃　repeated　Christopher　coolly。　〃Well；　I　never　heard　a　message　of　his　yet　that　wasn't　better　left　undelivered。〃　〃I　am　sure　I　am　correct　in　saying；〃　Carraway　went　on　steadily　and　not　without　definite　purpose；　〃that　he　hopes　you　will　be　generous　enough　to　let　bygones　be　bygones。〃　Christopher　nodded。　〃He　feels；　of　course；〃　pursued　the　lawyer；　〃that　his　obligation　to　you　is　greater　than　he　can　hope　to　repay。　Indeed；　I　think　if　you　knew　the　true　state　of　the　case　your　judgment　of　him　would　be　softened。　The　boywho　so　nearly　lost　his　life　is　the　one　human　being　whom　Fletcher　loves　better　than　himselfbetter　than　his　own　soul；　I　had　almost　said。〃

Christopher　looked　up　attentively。　〃Who'd　have　thought　it；〃　he　muttered　beneath　his　breath。　Judging　that　he　had　at　last　made　a　beginning　at　the　plastering　over　of　old　scars；　Carraway　went　on　as　if　the　other　had　not　spoken。　〃So　jealous　is　his　affection　in　this　instance；　that　I　believe　his　granddaughter's　marriage　is　something　of　a　relief　to　him。　He　is　positively　impatient　of　any　influence　over　the　boy　except　his　ownand　that；　I　fear；　is　hardly　for　good。〃　Picking　up　a　clod　of　earth；　Christopher　crumbled　it　slowly　to　dust。　〃So　the　little　chap　comes　in　for　all　this；　does　he？〃　he　asked；　as　his　gaze　swept　over　the　wide　fields　in　the　distance。　〃He　comes　in　for　all　that　is　mine　by　right；　and　Fletcher's　intention　is；　I　dare　say；　that　he'll　reflect　honour　upon　the　theft？〃　〃That　he'll　reflect　honour　upon　the　nameyes。　It　is　the　ambition　of　his　grandfather；　I　believe；　that　the　lad　should　grow　up　to　be　respected　in　the　countyto　stand　for　something　more　than　he　himself　has　done。〃　〃Well；　he'll　hardly　stand　for　more　of　a　rascal；〃　remarked　Christopher　quietly；　and　then；　as　his　eyes　rested　on　the　landscape；　he　appeared　to　follow　moodily　some　suggestion　which　had　half　escaped　him。　〃Then　the　way　to　touch　the　man　is　through　the　boy；　I　presume；〃　he　said　abruptly。

Arrested　by　the　words；　the　lawyer　looked　down　quickly；　but　the　other；　still　kneeling　upon　the　ground；　was　fingering　a　plant　he　had　just　picked　up。　〃Fine　leaves；　eh？〃　was　the　remark　that　met　Carraway's　sudden　start。

〃To　touch　him；　yes；〃　replied　the　lawyer　thoughtfully。　〃Whatever　heart　he　has　is　given　to　his　grandson；　and　when　you　saved　the　lad's　life　the　other　day　you　placed　Fletcher　in　your　debt　for　good。　Of　his　gratitude　I　am　absolutely　sure；　and　as　a　slight　expression　of　it　he　asked　me　to　hand　you　this。〃

He　drew　the　check　from　his　pocket；　and　leaning　over；　held　it　out　to　Christopher。　To　his　surprise；　the　young　man　took　it　from　him；　but　the　next　moment　he　had　torn　it　roughly　in　two　and　handed　it　back　again。　〃So　you　may　as　well　return　it　to　him；〃　he　said；　and；　rising　slowly　from　the　ground；　he　stood　pushing　the　loose　plants　together　with　his　foot。

〃I　feared　as　much；〃　observed　Carraway；　placing　the　torn　slip　of　paper　in　his　pocket。　〃Your　grudge　is　of　too　long　standing　to　mend　in　a　day。　Be　that　as　it　may；　I　have　a　request　to　make　of　you　from　the　boy　himself　which　I　hope　you　will　not　refuse。　He　has　taken　a　liking　to　you；　it　appears；　and　as　he　will　probably　be　ill　for　some　weeks；　he　begs　that　you　will　come　back　with　me　to　see　him。〃

He　finished　a　little　wistfully；　and　stood　looking　up　at　the　young　man　who　towered　a　good　head　and　shoulders　above　him。

〃I　may　as　well　tell　you　once　for　all；〃　returned　Christopher；　choking　over　the　words；　〃that　you've　given　me　as　much　of　Fletcher　as　I　can　stand　and　a　long　sight　more　than　I　want。　If　anybody　but　you　had　brought　me　that　piece　of　paper　with　Bill　Fletcher's　name　tagged　to　it　I'd　have　rammed　it　down　his　throat　before　this。　As　it　is；　you　may　tell　him　from　me　that　when　I　have　paid　him　to　the　last　drop　what　I　owe　himand　not　till　thenwill　I　listen　to　any　message　he　chooses　to　send　me。　I　hate　him；　and　that's　my　affair；　I　mean　to　be　even　with　him　some　day；　and　I　reckon　that's　my　affair；　too。　One　thing　I'm　pretty　sure　of；　and　that　is　that　it's　not　yours。　Is　your　visit　over；　or　will　you　come　into　the　house？〃

〃I'll　be　going　back　now；〃　replied　the　lawyer；　shrinking　from　the　outburst；　〃but　if　I　may　have　the　pleasure；　I'll　call　upon　your　mother　in　the　morning。〃

Christopher　shook　the　hand　which　he　held　out；　and　then　spoke　again　in　the　same　muffled　voice。　〃You　may　tell　him　one　thing　more；〃　he　pursued；　〃and　that　is；　that　it's　the　gospel　truth　I　didn't　know　it　was　his　grandson　in　the　wagon。　Why；　man；　there's　not　a　Fletcher　on　this　earth　whose　neck　I'd　lift　my　little　finger　to　save！〃

Then；　as　Carraway　passed　slowly　along　the　ragged　path　to　the　sunken　road；　he　stood　looking　after　him　with　a　heavy　frown　upon　his　brow。　His　rage　was　at　white　heat　within　him；　and；　deny　it　as　he　would；　he　knew　now　that　within　the　last　few　weeks　his　hatred　had　been　strengthened　by　the　force　of　a　newer　passion　which　had　recoiled　upon　itself。　Since　his　parting　with　Maria　Fletcher　the　d