the deliverance-第30部分

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〃Well；　he's　in　the　stable；　I　believe；〃　replied　Cynthia　coolly。　〃If　you　want　him；　you　must　go　there　to　look　for　him；　and　be　sure　not　to　make　a　noise　when　you　pass　the　house。〃　Then；　as　he　darted　away；　her　eyes　followed　him　with　a　weary　aversion。

Will　passed　the　kitchen　and　the　woodpile　and；　turning　into　a　little　path　that　led　from　the　well；　came　to　the　open　door　of　the　rudely　built　stable。　A　dim　light　fell　in　a　square　across　the　threshold；　and　looking　inside　he　saw　that　a　lantern　was　hanging　from　a　nail　above　the　nearest　stall　and　that　within　the　circle　of　its　illumination　Christopher　was　busily　currying　the　old　gray　mare。

At　the　boy's　entrance　he　paused　for　an　instant；　glanced　carelessly　over　the　side　of　the　stall；　and　then　went　on　with　his　work。

〃Playing　night…owl；　eh？〃　he　remarked　indifferently。　〃There's　no　rubbing…down　for　you　to　do；　I　reckon。〃

〃There's　a　darn　sight　worse；〃　returned　the　boy；　throwing　out　the　oath　with　a　conscious　swagger　as　he　braced　himself　against　the　ladder　that　ran　up　to　the　loft。

His　tone　arrested　Christopher's　hand；　and；　lifting　his　head；　the　young　man　stood　attentively　regarding　him；　one　arm　lying　upon　the　broad　back　of　the　old　mare。

〃Why；　what's　up　now？〃　he　questioned　with　a　smile。　Some　fine　chaff；　which　he　had　brought　down　from　the　loft；　still　clung　to　his　hair　and　clothes　and　darkened　his　upper　lip　like　a　mustache。

〃Grandpa's　found　it　out　and　he's　hopping；〃　said　the　boy。　〃I　always　told　you　he　would　be；　you　know；　and　now　it's　come。　If　he　ever　catches　me　with　you　again　he　swears　he'll　give　it　to　me　like　hell。　He　pressed　tightly　against　the　ladder　and　wagged　his　head　defiantly。　〃But　he　needn't　think　he　can　bully　me　like　thatnot　if　I　know　it！〃

〃Well；　he　mustn't　catch　you　again；〃　returned　Christopher；　not　troubling　to　soften　his　scorn　of　such　cheap　heroics；　〃we　must　manage　better　next　time。　Did　you　think　to　remind　him；　by　the　way；　that　I　once　took　the　trouble　to　save　your　life？〃

〃That's　a　fact；　I　didn't　think　of　it。　What　would　he　have　said；　I　wonder？〃

Christopher　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃Knocked　your　front　teeth　out；　perhaps。　He's　like　that；　isn't　he？〃

〃Oh；　he's　awfully　fond　of　me；　you　know；〃　protested　the　boy；　〃but　it's　his　meddling　ways　that　I　can't　stand。　What　business　is　it　of　his　who　my　friends　are？　He　hasn't　got　to　take　up　with　'em；　has　he？　Why；　what　he　hates　is　for　me　to　want　to　be　with　anybody　but　himself　or　Aunt　Saidie。　He'd　like　to　keep　me　dangling　all　day　to　his　coat　tails；　but　it's　not　fair；　and　I　won't　have　it。　I'll　show　him　whether　I'm　to　be　kept　a　kid　forever　or　not！〃

〃There's　spirit　for　you！〃　drawled　Christopher　with　a　laugh；　as　he　applied　the　currycomb　to　the　mare's　flank。

〃You　just　wait　till　you　hear　the　worst；〃　returned　the　other；　with　evident　pride　in　the　thunderbolt　about　to　be　delivered。　〃He　swears　he's　going　to　send　me　to　school　tomorrow　at　sunrise。〃

〃You　don't　say　so？〃　ejaculated　Christopher。

〃Oh；　but　he'll　do　it；　toothe　only　way　to　get　around　him　is　to　fall　ill；　and　I　can't　work　that　tomorrow。　I　played　the　trick　last　week　and　he　saw　through　it。　I've　got　to　go；　that's　certain；　but　I'm　going　to　make　him　sorry　enough　before　he's　done。　Why　couldn't　he　let　me　keep　on　studying　with　Mr。　Morrison；　as　the　doctor　said　I　ought　to？　What's　the　use　of　this　blamed　old　Latin　and　Greek；　anyway？　Nobody　about　here　knows　them；　and　why　should　I　set　myself　up　for　a　precious　numbskull　of　a　scholar？　I'd　rather　be　a　crack　shot　like　you　any　day！　I　tell　you　one　thing；〃　he　finished；　sucking　in　his　breath　in　a　way　that　had　annoyed　Christopher　from　the　first；　〃I've　half　a　mind　to　run　away　or　fall　ill　after　I　get　there！〃

Christopher　turned　suddenly；　slapped　the　mare　on　the　flank；　and　came　out　of　the　stall；　the　currycomb　still　in　his　hand。　His　shirt　sleeves　were　rolled　above　his　elbows；　and　the　muscles　of　his　arms　stood　out　like　cords　under　the　sunburned　skin；　which　showed　a　paler　bronze　from　the　wrists　up。　He　was　flushed　from　leaning　over；　and　his　clothes　smelled　strongly　of　the　stable。

〃If　you　do；　come　to　me；　〃　he　said　lightly；　〃and　I'll　hide　you　in　the　barn　till　the　storm　blows　over。　It　wouldn't　last　long；　I　reckon。〃

〃Bless　you；　no；　when　he's　scared　I　can　do　anything　with　him。　Why；　he　was　as　soft　as　mush　after　the　horses　ran　away　with　me；　though　he'd　threatened　to　thrash　me　if　I　touched　the　reins。　Oh；　I　say　it's　a　shame　we　never　had　that　'possum　hunt！〃

Christopher　turned　down　his　shirt　sleeves　and　brushed　the　chaff　from　his　face。

〃What　do　you　say　about　to…night？〃　he　inquired；　with　something　like　a　sneer。　〃We　couldn't　go　far；　of　course；　and　we'd　have　to　borrow　Tom　Spade's　houndsmine　are　tired　outbut　we　might　have　a　short　run　about　midnight；　get　a　'possum　or　so；　and　be　in　our　beds　before　daybreak。　Shall　we　try　it？〃

The　boy　wavered；　struggling　between　his　desire　for　the　chase　and　his　fear　of　Fletcher。

〃Of　course；　if　you're　afraid〃　added　Christopher　slowly。

〃I'm　not　afraid；〃　broke　out　Will　angrily。　〃I'm　not　afraid　and　you　know　it。　You　be　at　the　store　by　eleven；　and　I'll　get　out　of　the　window　and　join　you。　Grandpa　will　never　know；　and　if　he　doeswell；　I'll　settle　him！〃

〃Then　be　quick　about　it；〃　was　Christopher's　retort；　and　as　the　boy　ran　out　into　the　darkness　he　followed　him　to　the　door　and　stood　gazing　moodily　down　upon　the　yellow　circle　that　his　lantern　cast　on　the　bare　ground。　A　massive　fatigue　oppressed　him；　and　his　hands　and　feet　had　become　like　leaden　weights。　There　was　a　heaviness；　too；　about　his　head；　and　his　eyeballs　burned　as　if　he　had　looked　too　long　at　a　bright　light。　At　the　moment　he　felt　like　a　man　who；　being　bound　upon　a　wheel；　is　whirled　so　rapidly　around　that　he　is　dazed　by　the　continuous　revolutions。　What　did　it　all　mean；　anywaythe　boy；　Fletcher；　himself；　and　the　revenge　which　he　now　saw　so　clearly　before　him？　Was　it　a　great　divine　judgment　or　a　great　human　cruelty？

Question　as　he　would；　the　wheel　still　turned；　and　he　knew　that　for　good　or　evil　he　was　bound　upon　it　until　the　end。



CHAPTER　X。　Powers　of　Darkness

October　dragged　slowly　along；　and　Christopher　followed　his　work　upon　the　farm　with　the　gloomy　indifference　which　had　become　the　settled　expression　of　his　attitude　toward　life。　Since　the　morning　when　he　had　seen　Will　drive　by　to　the　cross…roads　he　had　heard　nothing　of　him；　and　gradually；　as　the　weeks　went　on；　that　last　reckless　night　behind　the　hounds　had　ceased　to　represent　a　cause　either　of　rejoicing　or　of　regret。　He　had　not　meant　to　goad　the　boy　into　drinkingof　this　he　was　quite　sureand　yet　when　the　hunt　was　over　and　the　two　stood　just　before　dawn　in　Tom　Spade's　room　he　had　felt　the　devil　enter　into　him　and　take　possession。　The　old　mad　humour　of　his　blood　ran　high；　and　as　the　raw　whisky　fired　his　imagination　he　was　dimly　conscious　that　his　talk　grew　wilder　and　that　the　surrounding　objects　swam　before　his　gaze　as　if　seen　through　a　fog。　Life；　for　the　time　at　least；　lost　its　relative　values；　the　moment　loomed　larger　in　his　vision　than　the　years；　and　he　beheld　the　past　and　the　future　dwarfed　by　the　single　radiant　instant　that　was　his　own。　It　was　as　if　he　could　pay　back　the　score　of　a　lifetime　in　that　one　minute。

〃Is　it　possible　that　what　was　so　difficult　yesterday　should　have　grown　so　easy　to…day？〃　he　asked　himself；　astonished。　〃Why　have　I　never　seen　so　clearly　before？　Why；　until　this　evening；　have　I　gone　puling　about　my　life　as　if　such　things　as　disgrace　and　poverty　were　sufficient　to　crush　the　strength　out　of　a　man？　Let　me　put　forth　all　my　courage　and　nothing　is　impossiblenot　even　the　attainment　of　success　nor　the　punishment　of　Fletcher。　It　is　only　necessary　to　begin　at　onceto　hasten　about　one's　taskand　in　a　few　short　years　it　will　be　accomplished　and　done　with。　All　will　be　as　I　wish；　and　I　shall　then　be　as　happy　as　Tucker。〃

Following　this　came　the　questions；　How？　When？　Where　shall　I　begin？but　he　put　them　angrily　aside　and　refilled　his　glass。　A　great　good…humour　possessed　him；　and；　as　he　drank；　all　the　unpleasant　things　of　lifeloss；　unrest；　heavy　labourvanished　in　the　roseate　glow　that　pervaded　his　thoughts。

What　came　of　it　was　not　quite　clear　to　him　next　day；　and　this　caused　the　uneasiness　that　lasted　for　a　week。　He　had　a　vague　recollection　that　Tom　Spade　took　the　boy　home　and　rolled　him　through　the　window；　and　that　he　himself　went　whistling　to　his　bed　with　the　glorious　sensation　that　he　was　riding　the　crest　of　a　big　wave。　With　the　morning　came　a　severe　headache　and　the　ineffectual　effort　to　remember　just　how　far　it　had　all　gone；　and　then　a　sharp　anxiety；　which　vanished　when　he　saw　Will　pass　on　his　way　to　school。

〃The　boy　was　none　the　worse　for　it；〃　Tom　Spade　told　him　later；　〃he　had　a　drop　too　much；　to　be　sure；　but　his　legs　were　as　steady　as　mine；　an'　he　slept　it　off　in　an　hour。　He's　a　ticklish　chap；　Mr。　Christopher；〃　the　storekeeper　added　after　a　moment；　〃an'　I'd　keep　my　hands　from　meddlin'　with　him；　if　I　was　you。　That　thing　shan't　happen　agin　at　my　place；　an'　it　wouldn't　have　happened　then　if　I'd　been　around　at　the　beginnin'。　You　may　tamper　with　yo'　own　salvation　as　much　as　you　pleasethat's　my　gospel；　but　I'll　be　hanged　if　you've　got　a　right　to　tamper　with　anybody　else's。〃

Christopher　wheeled　suddenly　about　and　gave　him　a　keen　glance　from　under　his　lowered　eyelids。　For　the　first　time　he　detected　a　lack　of　deference　in　Tom　Spade's　tone；　and　a　suspicion　shot　through　him　that　the　words　were　meant　to　veil　a　reprimand。

〃Well；　I　reckon　the　boy's　got　as　good　a　right　to　drink　as　I　have；〃　he　retorted　sneeringly；　and　a　moment　afterward　went　gaily　whistling　through　the　store。　At　the　time　he　felt　a　certain　pleasure　in　defying　Tom's　opinionin　setting　himself　so　boldly　in　opposition　to　the　conventional　morality　of　his　neighbours。　The　situation　gave　him　several　sharp　breaths　and　that　dizzy　sense　of　insecurity　in　which　his　mood　delighted。　It　had　needed　only　the　shade　of　disapproval　expressed　in　the　storekeeper's　voice　to　lend　a　wonderful　piquancy　to　his　enjoymentto　cause　him　to　toy　in　imagination　with　his　hatred　as　a　man　does　with　his　desire。　Before　Tom　spoke　he　had　caught　himself　almost　regretting　the　affairwondering；　even；　if　his　error　were　past　retrievingbut　with　the　first　mere　suggestion　of　outside　criticism　his　humour　underwent　a　startling　change。

Between　Fletcher　and　himself　the　account　was　still　open；　and　th