the deliverance-第3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！


rsely　in　the　rushes。



CHAPTER　II。　The　Owner　of　Blake　Hall

As　they　followed　the　descending　road　between　flowering　chestnuts；　Blake　Hall　rose　gradually　into　fuller　view；　its　great　oaks　browned　by　the　approaching　twilight　and　the　fading　after…glow　reflected　in　a　single　visible　pane。　Seen　close　at　hand；　the　house　presented　a　cheerful　spaciousness　of　fronta　surety　of　light　and　airproduced　in　part　by　the　clean　white；　Doric　columns　of　the　portico　and　in　part　by　the　ample　slope　of　shaven　lawn　studded　with　reds　of　brightly　blooming　flowers。　From　the　smoking　chimneys　presiding　over　the　ancient　roof　to　the　hospitable　steps　leading　from　the　box…bordered　walk　below；　the　outward　form　of　the　dwelling　spoke　to　the　imaginative　mind　of　that　inner　spirit　which　had　moulded　it　into　a　lasting　expression　of　a　racial　sentiment；　as　if　the　Virginia　creeper　covering　the　old　brick　walls　had　wreathed　them　in　memories　as　tenacious　as　itself。

For　more　than　two　hundred　years　Blake　Hall　had　stood　as　the　one　great　house　in　the　countya　manifestation　in　brick　and　mortar　of　the　hereditary　greatness　of　the　Blakes。　To　Carraway；　impersonal　as　his　interest　was；　the　acknowledgment　brought　a　sudden　vague　resentment；　and　for　an　instant　he　bit　his　lip　and　hung　irresolute；　as　if　more　than　half…inclined　to　retrace　his　steps。　A　slight　thing　decided　himthe　gaiety　of　a　boy's　laugh　that　floated　from　one　of　the　lower　rooms　and　swinging　his　stick　briskly　to　add　weight　to　his　determination；　he　ascended　the　broad　steps　and　lifted　the　old　brass　knocker。　A　moment　later　the　door　was　opened　by　a　large　mulatto　woman；　in　a　soiled　apron；　who　took　his　small　hand…bag　from　him　and；　when　he　asked　for　Mr。　Fletcher；　led　him　across　the　great　hall　into　the　unused　drawing…room。

The　shutters　were　closed；　and　as　she　flung　them　back　on　their　rusty　hinges　the　pale　June　twilight　entered　with　the　breath　of　mycrophylla　roses。　In　the　scented　dusk　Carraway　stared　about　the　desolate；　crudely　furnished　room；　which　gave　back　to　his　troubled　fancy　the　face　of　a　pitiable；　dishonoured　corpse。　The　soul　of　it　was　gone　foreverthat　peculiar　spirit　of　place　which　makes　every　old　house　the　guardian　of　an　inner　lifethe　keeper　of　a　family's　ghost。　What　remained　was　but　the　outer　husk；　the　disfigured　frame；　upon　which　the　newer　imprint　seemed　only　a　passing　insult。

On　the　high　wainscoted　walls　he　could　still　trace　the　vacant　dust…marked　squares　where　the　Blake　portraits　had　once　hunglines　that　the　successive　scrubbings　of　fifteen　years　had　not　utterly　effaced。　A　massive　mahogany　sofa；　carved　to　represent　a　horn　of　plenty；　had　been　purchased；　perhaps　at　a　general　sale　of　the　old　furniture；　with　several　quaint　rosewood　chairs　and　a　rare　cabinet　of　inlaid　woods。　For　the　rest；　the　later　additions　were　uniformly　cheap　and　ill…chosena　blue　plush　〃set；〃　bought；　possibly；　at　a　village　store；　a　walnut　table　with　a　sallow　marble　top；　and　several　hard　engravings　of　historic　subjects。

When　the　lawyer　turned　from　a　curious　inspection　of　these　works　of　art；　he　saw　that　only　a　curtain　of　flimsy　chintz；　stretched　between　a　pair　of　fluted　columns；　separated　him　from　the　adjoining　room；　where　a　lamp；　with　lowered　wick；　was　burning　under　a　bright　red　shade。　After　a　moment's　hesitation　he　drew　the　curtain　aside　and　entered　what　he　took　at　once　to　be　the　common　living…room　of　the　Fletcher　family。

Here　the　effect　was　less　depressing；　though　equally　uninterestinga　paper　novel　or　two　on　the　big　Bible　upon　the　table　combined；　indeed；　with　a　costly　piano　in　one　corner；　to　strike　a　note　that　was　entirely　modern。　The　white　crocheted　tidies　on　the　chair…backs；　elaborated　with　endless　patience　out　of　innumerable　spools　of　darning　cotton；　lent　a　feminine　touch　to　the　furniture；　which　for　an　instant　distracted　Carraway's　mental　vision　from　the　impending　personality　of　Fletcher　himself。　He　remembered　now　that　there　was　a　sister　whom　he　had　heard　vaguely　described　by　the　women　of　his　family　as　〃quite　too　hopeless；〃　and　a　granddaughter　of　whom　he　knew　merely　that　she　had　for　years　attended　an　expensive　school　somewhere　in　the　North。　The　grandson　he　recalled；　after　a　moment；　more　distinctly；　as　a　pretty；　undeveloped　boy　in　white　pinafores；　who　had　once　accompanied　Fletcher　upon　a　hurried　visit　to　the　town。　The　gay　laugh　had　awakened　the　incident　in　his　mind；　and　he　saw　again　the　little　cleanly　clad　figure　perched　upon　his　desk；　nibbling　bakers'　buns；　while　he　transacted　a　tedious　piece　of　business　with　the　vulgar　grandfather。

He　was　toying　impatiently　with　these　recollections　when　his　attention　was　momentarily　attracted　by　the　sound　of　Fletcher's　burly　tones　on　the　rear　porch　just　beyond　the　open　window。

〃I　tell　you；　you've　set　all　the　niggers　agin　me；　and　I　can't　get　hands　to　work　the　crops。〃

〃That's　your　lookout；　of　course；〃　replied　a　voice；　which　he　associated　at　once　with　young　Blake。　〃I　told　you　I'd　work　three　days　because　I　wanted　the　ready　money；　I've　got　it；　and　my　time　is　my　own　again。〃

〃But　I　say　my　tobacco's　got　to　get　into　the　ground　this　weekit's　too　big　for　the　plant…bed　a'ready；　and　with　three　days　of　this　sun　the　earth'll　be　dried　as　hard　as　a　rock。〃

〃There's　no　doubt　of　it；　I　think。〃

〃And　it's　all　your　blamed　fault；〃　burst　out　the　other　angrily；　〃you've　gone　and　turned　them　all　agin　mewhite　and　black　alike。　Why；　it's　as　much　as　I　can　do　to　get　a　stroke　of　honest　labour　in　this　nigger…ridden　country。〃

Christopher　laughed　shortly。

〃There　is　no　use　blaming　the　Negroes；〃　he　said；　and　his　pronunciation　of　the　single　word　would　have　stamped　him　in　Virginia　as　of　a　different　class　from　Fletcher；　〃they're　usually　ready　enough　to　work　if　you　treat　them　decently。〃

〃Treat　them！〃　began　Fletcher；　and　Carraway　was　about　to　fling　open　the　shutters；　when　light　steps　passed　quickly　along　the　hall　and　he　heard　the　rustle　of　a　woman's　silk　dress　against　the　wainscoting。

〃There's　a　stranger　to　see　you；　grandfather；〃　called　a　girl's　even　voice　from　the　house；　〃finish　paying　off　the　hands　and　come　in　at　once。〃

〃Well；　of　all　the　impudence！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　with　a　saving　dash　of　humour。　Then；　without　so　much　as　a　parting　word；　he　ran　quickly　down　the　steps　and　started　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　darkening　road；　while　the　silk　dress　rustled　upon　the　porch　and　at　the　garden　gate　as　the　latch　was　lifted。

〃Go　in；　grandfather！〃　called　the　girl's　voice　from　the　garden；　to　which　Fletcher　responded　as　decisively。

〃For　Heaven's　sake；　let　me　manage　my　own　affairs；　Maria。　You　seem　to　have　inherited　your　poor　mother's　pesky　habit　of　meddling。〃

〃Well；　I　told　you　a　gentleman　was　waiting；〃　returned　the　girl　stubbornly。　〃You　didn't　let　us　know　he　was　coming；　either；　and　Lindy　says　there　isn't　a　thing　fit　to　eat　for　supper。〃

Fletcher　snorted；　and　then；　before　entering　the　house；　stopped　to　haggle　with　an　old　Negro　woman　for　a　pair　of　spring　chickens　hanging　dejectedly　from　her　outstretched　hand；　their　feet　tied　together　with　a　strip　of　faded　calico。

〃How　much　you　gwine　gimme　fer　dese；　marster？〃　she　inquired　anxiously；　deftly　twirling　them　about　until　they　swung　with　heads　aloft。

Rising　to　the　huckster's　instinct；　Fletcher　poked　the　offerings　suspiciously　beneath　their　flapping　wings。

〃Thirty　cents　for　the　pairnot　a　copper　more；〃　he　responded　promptly；　〃they're　as　poor　as　Job's　turkey；　both　of　'em。〃

〃Lawdy；　marster；　you　know　better'n　dat。〃

〃They're　skin　and　bones；　I　tell　you；　feel　'em　yourself。　Well；　take　it　or　leave　it；　thirty　cents　is　all　I'll　give。〃

〃Go　'way　f'om　yere；　suh；　dese　yer　chickings　ain'　no　po'　w'ite　trashdey's　been　riz　on　de　bes'　er　de　lan'；　dey　isen　de　aigs　dey　wuz　hatched　right　dar　in　de　middle　er　de　baid　whar　me　en　my　ole　man　en　de　chillun　sleep。　De　hull　time　dat　black　hen　wuz　a…settin'；　Cephus　he　was　bleeged　ter　lay　right　spang　on　de　bar'　flo'　caze　we'uz　afeared　de　aigs　'ould　addle。　Lawd！　Lawd！　dey　wuz　plum　three　weeks　a…hatchin'；　en　de　weather　des　freeze　thoo　en　thoo。　Cephus　he's　been　crippled　up　wid　de　rheumatics　ever　sence。　Go　'way　f'om　yer；　marster。　I　warn't　bo'n　yestiddy。　Thirty　cents！〃

〃Not　a　copper　more；　I　tell　you。　Let　me　go；　my　good　woman；　I　can't　stand　here　all　night。〃

〃Des　a　minute；　marster。　Dese　yer　chickings　ain'　never　sot　dey　feet　on　de　yearth；　caze　dey's　been　riz　right　in　de　cabin；　en　dey's　done　et　dar　vittles　outer　de　same　plate　wid　me　en　Cephus。　Ef'n　dey　spy　a　chice　bit　er　bacon　on　de　een　er　de　knife　hit　'uz　moughty　likely　ter　fin'　hits　way　down　dir　throat　instid　er　down　me　en　Cephus'。〃

〃Let　me　go；　I　sayI　don't　want　your　blamed　chickens；　take　'em　home　again。〃

〃Hi！　marster；　I'se　Mehitable。　You　ain't　fergot　how　peart　I　use　ter　wuk　w'en　you　wuz　over　me　in　ole　marster's　day。　You　know　you　ain'　fergot　Mehitable；　suh。　Ain't　you　recollect　de　time　ole　marster　gimme　a　dollar　wid　his　own　han'　caze　I　foun'　de　biggest　wum　in　de　hull　'baccy　patch？　Lawd！　dey　wuz　times；　sho's　you　bo'n。　I　kin　see　ole　marster　now　es　plain　es　ef　twuz　yestiddy；　so　big　en　shiny　like　satin；　wid　his　skin　des　es　tight　es　a　watermillion's。〃

〃Shut　up；　confound　you！〃　cut　in　Fletcher　sharply。

〃If　you　don't　stop　your　chatter　I'll　set　the　dogs　on　you。　Shut　up；　I　say！〃

He　strode　into　the　house；　slamming　the　heavy　door　behind　him；　and　a　moment　afterward　Carraway　heard　him　scolding　brutally　at　the　servants　across　the　hall。

The　old　Negress　had　gone　muttering　from　the　porch　with　her　unsold　chickens；　when　the　door　softly　opened　again；　and　the　girl；　who　had　entered　through　the　front　with　her　basket　of　flowers；　came　out　into　the　growing　moonlight。

〃Wait　a　moment；　Aunt　Mehitable；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃

Aunt　Mehitable　turned　slowly；　putting　a　feeble　hand　to　her　dazed　eyes。　〃You　ain'　ole　miss　come　back　agin；　is　you；　honey？〃　she　questioned　doubtfully。

〃I　don't　know　who　your　old　miss　was；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃but　I　am　not　she；　whoever　she　may　have　been。　I　am　Maria　Fletcher。　You　don't　remember　meyet　you　used　to　bake　me　ash…cakes　when　I　was　a　little　girl。〃

The　old　woman　shook　her　head。　〃You　ain'　Marse　Fletcher's　chile？〃

〃His　granddaughterbut　I　must　go　in　to　supper。　Here　is　the　money　for　your　chickensgrandpa　was　only　joking；　you　know　he　loves　to　joke。　Take　the　chickens　to　the　hen…house　and　get　something　hot　to　eat　in　the　kitchen　before　you　start　out　again。〃

She　ran　hurri